"Techos" hit Hovden

Published: 02.05.06

Who ever said "what happens on tour stays on tour"?

Omega's Technology team took a tour to a very snowy Hovden and we are here to share the fun and offer a step by step guide to teambuilding at its best!

Step 1: Get international

The technology team brought together employees from three continents and four countries, with five Lithuanians, two Indians, one Australian and numerous Norwegians. Add to this the Danish waiters and waitresses, the Bulgarian band and you'd hardly know you were in Norway (apart from the mountains and masses of snow).

Step 2: Enjoy the journey

Getting to Hovden meant a long, bright, white drive through the wonderland of winter Norway. While most of the cars (eventually and after a lot of loud encouragement) made it up the slippery mountain slopes, Vadim's car (driven by Leif), after a promising start, was forced to head back to the bottom. After a crash course in attaching chains to tyres there was no stopping them.

Step 3: Eat up BIG

A hot lunch greeted us when we arrived and left us with a few unanswered questions.
1. Just how does a chicken get that big (the chicken breasts were enormous)?
2. Didn't they say apple cake (it looked like carrot cake, it tasted like carrot cake…)?
3. At exactly what point did Johnny Vik's Coca-Cola turn into coffee without his knowing?
The team also learnt the all-important Lithuanian version of Skål/Cheers - "I sveikata", which would come in handy later in the evening.

Step 4: Learn something

What would teambuilding be if we didn't learn a thing or two? Despite the collection of paper airplanes found on one desk following the professional session, it's fair to say everyone learned a thing or two (and made a mental note to visit the beaches of Klaipeda soon). The battle of the Fredriksen siblings for technical supremacy also kept the session lively.

Step 5: Take on a little healthy competition

We had been told that on Friday we would have the chance to sledge down a mountain at 90km/h. 'Unfortunately', the weather decided to make this option impossible - some people were disappointed, others relieved! Regardless, we all took out our feelings on one other with snowballs.

Determined that our international employees would not leave Norway without sliding down a mountain, we returned to the hotel, gathered all the sledges we could find and hit the children's slope. What was at first a gentle, snowy slope, soon became a (very) slippery, speedy slide. Several team races down the hill were done and won, when the ever-active Johnny Vik suggested we add a fitness element to the competition. The winner would not be the one that got to the bottom fastest, but the one that got to the bottom and managed to climb back up the slope again first. Some people took on this challenge with amazing energy (Jan Christian and Peter Øren, take a bow)…others decided to sit it out…and Leif went to get the beers!

Step 6: Try something new

In the evening, our home was a "gamme" hut (a Sami turf hut), complete with central fireplace and seats dressed in reindeer skin. Our gamme chef (who also happened to be a ski instructor) handed out the Norwegian mulled wine (gløgg), while Artur introduced the team to (the rather strong) Lithuanian drink, Suktinis (Ed. - a drink from 11th/12th century Lithuania's made with honey, as sugar was hard to come by in those times).

Dinner was 'gamme lamb' (smoked, salted, high-altitude lamb), mashed root vegetables and cream potatoes. Despite the initial concerns of Siva and JP (from India), who hadn't had much luck with salted Norwegian meat, everyone agreed the lamb was absolutely delicious. Even the Norwegians admitted to never tasting anything quite like it!

Step 7: Entertain and be entertained

Eating soon turned into singing as our Lithuanian friends revealed their other secret weapon - laptop karaoke, complete with a wide range of Russian classics. In order to do the music justice, Jan Christian and co. made the 10 minute trek through the snow and back to the hotel's conference room, returning only when they had borrowed the hotel's speakers! Our Lithuanian group led the way, while the rest of us proved that Russian was not a strong point.

After leaving our gamme hut, the remaining few took to the hotel dance floor. There was no need to fight for the spotlight, as we were just about the only ones there to hear the Bulgarian band play (although, according to some witnesses they were lip syncing!). With just a few (unwilling) women to dance with, in desperation, the guys turned to each other as dance partners. Johnny Vik, Peter Øren and Jan Christian Brataas were clearly the stars of the dance floor.

Step 8: Be realistic

Following a night/early morning of fun, the team split into two smaller teams - those up at a reasonable hour and ready to hit the slopes and those up not quite so early that decided a swim in the hotel pool would be quite enough action for one day.

On the slopes, the Norwegians looked on as Team Lithuania and Team India all tried downhill skiing for the first time. It is unlikely any of the gang will be representing their respective countries any time soon, but it is fair to say that everyone had a great time and came back with bones and body parts intact!

Back at the hotel, the less adventurous used up there remaining "energy" by taking part in a grand total of 3 x 10m sprints in the hotel pool - hardly enough for the Exercise Log Book, but more than enough for this particular day!

Step 9: Better to be late then never

At lunch, and just before the official end of the teambuilding schedule, Eiolf Berge (Manager, IT Services) finally made an appearance sporting more energy than the rest of the team put together.

After refueling on another hot lunch (still no apple cake!) all but the avid skiers hit the road out of Hovden for home and bed.

Highlights from Hovden

The sledging and the snow ball war on the children's slope right outside the hotel was really fun. Especially when Johnny boy said "alle triks e låv (all tricks are allowed)!".
- Vidar Nordnes

Would have to be either getting dunked in the snow outside the gamme tent (thank you Leif), copping the world's hardest snowball in the face (courtesy of Vidar) or my ninth or tenth dance with Johnny 'just one more song' Vik. He he.
- Lauren McPherson

My highlight was the fact that everyone enjoyed themselves. The fact that JP and Siva got to have a go on skis in the snow was also really great.
- Jan Christian Brataas

There were three highlights for me - the Gamme tent, the sledging competition and the pool!
- Leif Hole

The soloist from the Bulgarian dance band.
- Johnny Vik

There was a lot of fun on the trip to Hovden, but what I remember most must be the sledging on the children's slope outside the hotel. It is not often one behaves so childishly without playing with kids! And then there was the gamma (tent), but I am afraid that experience will not be stored away in my memory for long...
- Torgeir Fredriksen

Thanks go to Jan Christian for organising this Advantage Offer.