When in Rome...

I decided I would join a sports club here in Norway. Partly because I might have a chance of becoming a little fitter, partly because it is yet another way of meeting people. Now, there are several sports Norwegians luuuurve. Either to see or to do. So, I just had to pick.

The main indoor sport is handball. As in the other Scandinavian (ie Danish and Swedish) countries, it is very big here, both on tv and to do it yourself. I used to love playing handball in school. But I also remember from school that when someone throws that ball at you, it can be very painfull. Especially if you're a goalie (which I always seemed to be in school). So, no handball.

A Northern Irish football team I ferried around a few years back

Another big summer/indoor sport is football (the one with a round ball). Let me not waste any time on that: NO WAY!

In 1992

Then the Norwegians are even bigger on the wintersports. You name it, they love it. Anything on snow and in a lesser degree on ice. But there is not really that much snow around here. At least not in Haugesund. Which in turn means no downhill skiing, no ski-jumping (as if I would ever do that) and certainly no crazy antics on a snowboard. 

There are of course the lesser (ie less dangerous) snow sports: cross country skiing and biathlon. But again: no snow, even though I would love to try out cross country skiing some day. Biathlon is a bit much. I might have won a trophy once in shooting, but I think I would be rubbish at the outdoor version with a heartbeat that's going through the roof. Both of those therefore are also out. 

Ice hockey training in Edmonton, Canada (in the mall!)

The ice-sports then. Like skating. Well, my father may be a bit disappointed that I never took up skating properly, but really, the only way I was ever able to stop myself on skates was just to ram into a wall or fall over. So, speed skating on both long and short track and even more obvious figure skating are not for me. Ice hockey does have a lot of ramming into walls, but I doubt my way is the way to do it. 

The last sport on ice is of course curling. Or, as my Mum would say, tea kettle sliding. I know they have a club here. And I know it's highly addictive to watch it on television. But no. It's just not... no...

Did I fool you?

So, what sport did I pick? What did I go to the sport shop for to buy. Getting everything from shoes and shirts and shorts to... a badminton racket!

It may be a sport more associated with the Chinese and Indonesians, but I have always loved to play. I looked up where they were to play, sent an e-mail, got a reply and last night I made my way over to the training area. There were two more 'elderly' women (I am elderly?) who I played with and had a great time. I will definitely go back!