Memorial to Tanya Burr, killed 15 September 2002

Overview of the Norwegian Segment of Tanya's trip

12-22 August 2002

Page One: How it came about...

The Burr family trip to Norway in August 2002 kind of evolved as one after the other different family members decided to go. Tanya's uncle, Russell, and his fiancee, Jenna, had planned their trip to Norway for some time, and then they intended to marry after they returned to New Zealand. However, as things do, this evolved into their decision to marry while in Norway - at the Nes Church, Romerike, Norway, where our great grandparents Anders Christian and Marie Christensen had married in 1868. This was Russell's third trip to Norway and Jenna's first trip outside New Zealand. The main decision that many others would also travel to Norway to Russell and Jenna's wedding took place on the verandah of Caccia Birch House, Palmerston North, during the wedding of our cousin on Saturday, 2 March 2002. Initially it was to be a secret.....

"Hello Val, - a long time now since I heard from you (or opposite!), but I was happy to get the message from Russell the other day. What a big event, he is getting married in Nes Kirke where your great grandparents were married! It happens in August, only a few weeks before we leave for New Zealand, so we look very much forward to attend the wedding. What about you; would'nt this be the right time for you to visit Norway and your ancestor's homestead? We wish we could see you here! (abridged) - Stan, Maria & Christina" (Email - Hamar, Norway, Saturday, 2 March 2002)

"Hi Val - We would love to have you all here at the wedding. That would be the big surprise. Be sure there will be a wedding cake. I have taken 3 weeks of in aug. and it would be great if we could see some of Norway together. I'm not going to tell Russel anything. Try hard to make this happen. We have two houses so we will probably find room for you. There are already other people that know Russell here waiting to take part in this. We will have a big party, but are not sure where. Have some crazy ideas. Tell you more about that later. See you soon. - Tom & Britt" (Email - Årnes, Norway, Sunday, 3 March 2002)

"Hi Val - great to hear that you might be coming to the wedding! We all look forward to it. I have spoken to Tom, and he is inviting also Espen and Morten from Aprilfilm, and my friend Hans. We will be a good group to welcome you. You must let me know if you and your sister and brother & co are coming to Norway, and when, so we can meet you at the airport and hide you from Russell! - All the best, Stan, Maria & Christina" (Email - Hamar, Norway, Sunday, 5 March 2002)

And so the holiday developed - dependent for some of us mostly upon matters relating to our father's estate - but by five seconds before the plane took off, we actually knew we were going.

We had to tell Russell and Jenna quite early on, though, for logistical reasons. Also, some people kept 'putting their foot in it.'

For me, the trip was the culmination of over a decade of interest in Scandinavian migration to New Zealand (including writing a couple of books and helping with various others), and more specifically on research I'm presently doing on Caccia Birch House (mentioned above) for a museum they are establishing there, as its origins are Norwegian. 

For Kieran (Tanya's younger brother), it was a relatively ho-hum alternative to an exciting trip to the South Island, but it grew on him - and he was a month off having to pay adult fares! 

For Tanya, though, the trip was a dream come true. She was going - and it was up to Mum to make it happen. Furthermore, having 'got' to Europe, she had a great list of other things she'd like to see. Why waste the 'free' air fare by just coming home after seeing only Norway. I suggested she remember that she had her whole lifetime ahead of her and having seen parts of Europe once (like Heathrow Airport's terminal!), she could aim to return again later sometime - with fore-knowledge and not just a wing and a prayer.

It is also worth noting that our little family had never had anything resembling such a holiday before - not even within New Zealand. Solo mums don't normally include such things as international travel in their family's itinerary.

So Tanya planned her Contiki trip, joined the Rotorua Library to read about the places mentioned in the Contiki itinerary and Mum worried about things that might go wrong. Finally, the time came around. Tanya drove down from Rotorua on 10 August, via Napier and visits to people in Dannevirke, thereby avoiding the predicted closure of SH1 through snow. I had a contingency plan in place for that potential glitch though - naturally. 

Tanya making up our spare bed and avoiding the camera as usual, after her arrival from Rotorua on 10 August 2002. The computer on the right, was to go to Tanya after its planned replacement soon after as we got back from Norway. We haven't figured out what to do with it yet.