Executive Summary - Stavanger

• Saw: Old friends, Stavanger, midnight sunset, Norwegians celebrating the best weather of the year with bikinis in 10 degree C fjords, beach volleyball (????)

• Did: hiked to Preikestolen and Lysefjord, sailing on hapsfjord, celebrated St Hansfest (longest day of the year) with a bonfire, rowed to rabbit island

• Ate/Drank: klippfisk (salted cod), kompler (potato dumplings) with salted lamb, sild (herring), aquavit (fire water!), lefse (potato pancakes with butter/sugar), rekesalat (prawns in cream), reindeer sausage, salted cured lamb, pancakes with jordbaer and cream, fresh jordbaers (strawberries), gravad lax (cured salmon in dill)

• Favourite part about Stavanger (tie!): hike to Preikestolen and the view over the fjord; not having to spell my surname to people

• Least favourite part about Stavanger: getting stressed about the location of my passport and getting myself around Norway and to Russia in enough time (problem solved!)

• Life-altering revelation which has contributed to my search for universal truth: not all lefse is created equal

• Current career thought: The America's Cup sailing team is not in my future