DAY 47

DAY 47
(June 9)
Episode 8

This morning I got up and said Sigdrifa's prayer, then I drew a rune.  I was hoping the rune would give me some insight into how we would fare in today's competition.  I drew Fehu.  Cattle, mobile wealth, money, but also a fire rune and a rune associated with Freya...so I'm not sure what it means.  I am feeling a little out-of-sorts, there is a strange feel to the air.  I think it might be because we are getting so close, there is so much at stake.  I don't know...

This morning they are supposed to film us having breakfast and maybe swimming.  Turned out Jonathan and Todd went swimming, I chose not to because I actually feel like I am coming down with a little cold or something.

The competition was announced, and at first I was not happy about it.  Henrietta told us it was shopping...and I hate shopping.  Then we got some more details and learned that we were going to go into Sweden, we would spend all the money they gave us and bring our purchases back to Norway.  Then they would figure out how much it would have cost to buy the same things in Norway, and the team that "saved" the most money would win.  Kind of a crazy competition.

Because blue team won the first miserable competition they would start out with 3,000 nok, and we would start with 2,900, not a huge advantage it doesn't seem.

We had four big stores to shop in.  We were strategizing about what to buy that would be the most different back in Norway; meat, tobacco, alcohol, something else?  We were talking to other shoppers and asking them what they thought.  Finally, in one store we found there was a sale on Capri sun juice packets...the little bags of juice with a straw you poke into it.  It was a ridiculous price, and a better value than anything else we could find.  Immediately I knew our only chance was to spend all 2,900 nok on nothing but that, Jessica agreed, Jonathan took some convincing but the math finally sunk in with him and he went along with that idea. 

We were driving an SUV, and it was completely full of juice.  I felt confident that if the other team didn't stumble onto the same sale that we would win this.  If we don't win it...then either me, Jessica, or Jonathan will be going home tomorrow.  I understand why I drew Fehu this morning; this competition is all about money, and that is one of Fehu's strongest representations.

Well...the other team did stumble onto the same sale, I have never seen so much juice in one place before.  With their advantage they wound up winning by  a measly 35 nok...about 5 bucks.  Remarkably, we bought all that juice for about 22,000 nok cheaper than it could be purchased in Norway!  We gave most of it away to the local kids.

Had a great time tonight hanging out with the locals, I will write more about that tomorrow.

Now it is late, I am sitting here by the sea thinking about the day, and my whole time here in Norway.  There is a definite sense of foreboding...one of us will go home tomorrow and I so don't want it to be me.  I will make an offering, meditate for a bit and then go to bed.  Tomorrow will be a very interesting day.

(One of the many pretty spots at Bevø where I liked to sit.)

DAY 46
(June 8)
Episode 8

I'm up early today, before the alarm.  I drew Uruz, a good rune I think because I suspect today's challenge will be a bit more physical, and the vitality and strength of Uruz will come in handy.

I am looking forward to this episode.  After this episode it is just the semi-finals, and then the finals.  I feel episode 8 is a critical milestone and I am looking forward to the challenge of it.

After lots of secrecy and some driving, we finally found out that we will be staying at a Norwegian RV Park.  I guess the idea of it is to see first hand how Norwegians spend their leisure time, apparently camping is a big deal here, nice to know.  I am on the red team, with me are Jessica and Jonathan.  Team blue is Todd, Amy, and CJ.

We had our first team challenge...absolutely everything went wrong that could ever go wrong, it was a disaster, and we were slaughtered.  The challenge was that we had to drive a small SUV pulling a camper trailer, we had to park it exactly in the red lines that were on the ground.  Then we had to unhitch the camper, pull out table, chairs, a grill, meat, and a couple other things.  We had to start the grill, put the meat on it, and all of us be sitting at our place settings...OH, we also had to erect a little fence around our "yard".  The team that did all that in the shortest time would win.

I am a very good backer...I am a truck driver after all.  I can back up anything so it only made sense that I would drive and back the RV into the space.  I was doing that, intending to correct the angle at the last minute, I think I was on target.  But to Jessica and Jonathan it looked like I was coming in crooked, so they were yelling corrections for me, which really screwed me up.  I'm not blaming them...we were all trying to do the best we could.  Eventually we got it in the space.  I was waiting for them to get me unhitched so I could drive away.  It seemed to be taking a long time.  Then they called for me to help so I jumped out and ran back.  I thought they were having problems cranking it...so I grabbed it and cranked the shit out of it.  It was raising the RV up, that's when I realized the locking mechanism was still engaged.  I undid the lock and pulled and the RV fell several inches and was free.

Next I was supposed to crank down the back legs while they did something else.  I had just got them down when they yelled for help again.  I ran to the front and to my horror saw that in my zeal I had cranked the frame right off of the wheel shaft.  We had to get it back in.  I tried lifting the tongue so they could insert the shaft back in the hole...but it was so heavy!  I couldn't understand why it was so heavy, it wasn't a big RV and the legs were in the middle.  So then I grabbed it, and with all my might lifted the tongue up so they could put the stupid wheel back in.  I strained my back a bit in the process.  I didn't realize it at the time...but I had forgot the back legs were down, that's why it seemed so heavy.  In the end I was almost lifting the whole thing off the ground!  No wonder my back was strained.

Not only am I a truck driver...I was also a fence contractor.  I have built miles of fence.  I was never so disappointed when I saw that the "fence" we were supposed to build was a flimsy wire thing.  There were no posts, nothing.  We were supposed to just stick the little wire ends in the ground and expect it to stay.  This was the most frustrated I had been on this show...the stupid thing kept falling over.  We only got it up after Jessica and Jonathan both helped.

(the trailers we were living in this week.)

 

(a view at beautiful Bevø camp grounds)

Jonathan was lighting the grill and scorched off some of his hair...the whole thing was a nightmare.  Eventually we got done and sat down...tired, breathing hard, angry and sweating.  I knew there was no way we could have won, and I was right.  The blue team beat us by a sizable margin.

After the challenge we had to walk through the campgrounds and invite strangers to our "party".  I was in no mood for a party after that fiasco, but I shook it off and got into the spirit.  The party was actually a lot of fun.  We met lots of really cool people and had a real nice time.

Later I wound up in a camper with Todd and CJ, talking and having beers with some Norwegian guys.  It was a good time, almost like being back home.  One of the guys was a truck driver, so we had a lot to talk about. 

Today sucked!!  But, I cannot complain, I am still in Norway after all, and still having the time of my life.  Tomorrow is a new day.

DAY 45 - A day off

Day 45
(June 7)
Day off

Today is Thorsday, and we have a welcome day off.  This morning I drew Ehwaz, the horse...again.  Last time it was quite prophetic, I will make sure and pay attention to things today.

I woke up about 0800, I am the only one up...it was quite a night last night.  I volunteered to make omelets for everyone today, since I make the best omelets in the world and all.  There is polse and bacon, and cheese, and onions in the fridge, I should be able to do something with that.

Last night Esben (from Onkle Amerika) told me he would love it if I came to his house and met his kids and hung out for awhile.  I told him he would have to ask mama Brita, we can't do anything without her permission.  He went and talked to her and she told him there wasn't enough time, but maybe after the next episode, if I am still here...which I will be.

The omelette's turned out amazing as I suspected and everybody seemed to love them, except Amy, who isn't feeling well today.  I hope she feels better soon, shame to waste a day off not feeling good...we are in Norway after all.

Today I walked around with Todd and Jessica and Jonathan.  We took a boat out onto Oslo Fjord and it took us to the maritime museum.  I really wanted to go to the Viking ship museum, but they out voted me.  The maritime museum was really very cool though.  I think my favorite part was they had a dugout canoe, made from a huge tree ( I think oak) and it was 2,000 years old!!!  It is amazing to look at a piece of wood that old, much less a canoe, you could see the tool marks in the wood, made by people who lived 2,000 years ago, in Norway...amazing.

(A figurehead from an old Norwegian boat, at the maritime Museum.)

 

(I fit in quite nicely with famous Norwegian explorers)

 

(This is that Awesome 2,000 year old canoe, it's in a glass case.)





Tomorrow we have an early day; waking up at 0700.  That will make it a long day also, at least 12 hours, maybe more.  All we know is that we are going 90 minutes away, and we will have to wear some kind of "outfits".  Who knows...I gave up trying to guess these things a long time ago, it's impossible, I'll just wait and see what happens.  Doesn't really matter anyway, whatever it is I will still be in Norway and I have Freya on my side, and Thor as well.

DAY 44 - PRESS DAY

DAY 44
(June 6)
Press day

I drew Uruz this morning, The Auroch.  !st time I think since being here in Norway.  I love this rune, it speaks to me of wild untamable strength and vitality, health and virility.  Instinctive power.

So, Amy and I are the poster children for Alt for Norge, like I have said before; probably because she is black and I am...unusual.  I understand they want to use the most visually distinctive people, and I don't mind at all, it should be very interesting.

We went to the TV Norge main office in Oslo.  There were the cast, producers and directors there for all the shows coming out in the fall, Alt for Norge being one of them.  It was sort of surreal and rather fairy tale like, walking around knowing we were one of the "special people".  Oh, they also had fantastic snacks!!  A whole table full, and I wasn't shy about getting to know it.

 

(Amy and Me Posing at TV Norge)

They had made a little movie, a montage of all the different shows.  For our show they showed some pieces of the home town clips.  It caught me off-guard; when I saw my dad on the screen I kind of lost it...I just started crying.  I didn't realize how much I missed him and everyone back home until I saw that clip.  Tonight we will come back with our other contestants for kind of a press party, it should be fun.

Wow...Fun it was!!  We sort of did the same thing as this morning only on a much larger scale.  There were probably 500 - 600 people there in the big room.  Amy and I had to wait back stage and come out when they called us, sit down in front of all those people and speak with the guys on the stage, they were two comedian type guys, very nice people, and funny too.

When we were done we went and found a place to sit in the audience until that part was over.  I sit down, and I get a tap on my shoulder...I turn around and its Tom and Esben from the Dansk og Fingeren show, Onkle America!!  I had met them the year before when they came and did a show with the kindred where I live.  It was great to see those guys.

After that it got really bizarre.  Everybody in the whole place knew who I was!  All these strangers coming up, saying hi, wanting their pictures taken with me, wishing me well...weird.  But very cool.

I met some really interesting people; there was Kriss Kaspersen, the host of a traveling nature show.  He and I hit it off really well, super great guy and I really respect the work he does, he promotes conservation in his show.  He talked about maybe doing something with me in the future on his show, or coming to America...could have been the open bar talking though.

 

(Getting ready for the party on the roof, this is one of our producers, Steinar...great guy.)

 



 

(One of the open bar stations...up on the roof.)

 

 

(View from the top, over Oslo.)

 

(It was a great night, I'll never forget it.)

 



As per usual, some of my American friends got a little tipsy...some more than others, but I won't go into details here.  Everybody was having a fantastic time.

It was a surreal, magical, fantastic evening.  It made us all feel special somehow, it was great fun.

DAY 43

Day 43
(June 5)
Episode 7


This morning I drew Berkano;  the white lady of the forest, growth renewal, vitality and a culmination of that which has gone before.  Today is the last day of this episode.

I asked the Norns to reveal to me, with a one rune draw who will be eliminated today.  They showed me Ingwaz, Freyr, Frey.  definitely male energy, so it is between CJ and Austin.  Of these two the most Vanic, the most like Freyr I would say is Austin.  So, that is my interpretation; Austin will be going home today.

1807 - 6:07 pm  -  The runes, and my interpretation of them were correct.  Austin went home, losing in one of those memory games.  I will miss him.  I really enjoyed getting to know Austin on this adventure, and he wasn't anything like I expected him to be.  He's a down to earth, good guy.

Tomorrow Amy and I have to do a press conference at 0845, then at 4:00 we all go to a TV Norge party of some kind.  I think they chose Amy and I because, well, visually we stand out the most; Amy being black and me, well...being me.  Thursday will be a day off, then Friday we leave but we are only driving 90 minutes to our next location.  It could be the farming episode!!  Oh, I really hope it is, I am ready to get dirty doing some farm work.

CJ won the spirit award, I believe it is the last one, because after episode 8 there are no more teams.  He deserves it, he has grown a lot on this adventure I think.  It guarantees him a spot in the semi finals.  The way I understand it, episode 9 is the semi finals, and the final episode are the finals.

Man...I really, really want to make it to the last episode.  And then I want to win!!

The runes are powerful, and they have been very accurate.  Thursday I may delve a little deeper and ask who will go home in the next episode, still thinking about it.

Well that wraps up episode 7, and it has been a blast...really fun.  Meeting the Swedes and getting to know Oslo a little better, the pie war, it was all great.  It was also nice to have won so decisively both times and not be in the elimination.  Hopefully the next episode will be just as good.

DAY 42

DAY 42
(June 4)
Episode 7

I was up very late last night just hanging out and talking with CJ.  We had a great conversation about philosophy, religion, random intellectual stuff, inter-family dynamics, etc.  I felt like I got to know him quite a bit better.  He isn't the easiest guy to get to know, he doesn't show all his cards right from the beginning, he is a great guy when you get to know him though.

I am the first one up at 0730, I finally drew Ansuz...I have been hoping to draw that.  It is Odin's rune, and we are living on Odin street, but aside from that it's just nice to see this rune, it gives me comfort.

(Odins Street)

 

This morning we are filming some "reality", that will include lots of long interviews and plenty of tedium, but I am not complaining.  We also found out we will be here until Thursday.

An unexpected thing happened!  After the interviews, as a reward for winning they took us, the red team to Holmenkollen (sure hope I spelled that right).   It is the biggest attraction in Oslo and one of the biggest ski jumps in the world.  It was very, very cool.  From the top the view is absolutely breathtaking, you can see for miles.  You can see how close agriculture is to the city, and see different parts of the city.  We had a real nice time there

Todd and Jonathan with the Holmenkollen troll

 

View from the top

 

That thing down there is a giant rock troll!

 

 

Tonight we are going to an Italian place for dinner, then that's about it for today.  Tomorrow will be very interesting, we have the Individual competition.  No Idea what it's going to be of course.

 

Here are a few more pictures from this episode:

 

This is Anna...She is my Swedish friend.

 

This is my headless, rock friend.

 

Looking over the city of Oslo at night.

 

When Norwegian seagulls pee, they don't mess around!



DAY 41
(June 3)
Episode 7

This morning I drew Tiwaz...Hail Tyr!  I can not think of a better rune to start this day with; this day of the second team challenge.  It will be a good day.

I am really glad everyone made it home safely last night.

Whatever the challenge is today, it is supposed to be messy.  They want us to bring an entire change of clothes.

As I am writing this it is now 7:00 pm or 1900, we finally made it back to our very nice apartment on Odin's Gate (Odin's Street).  It was an eventful day to say the least.  It all started at 0800 with them filming us waking up.  Then they took us to an RV/Campground, where we waited around forever...literally, hours.  Eventually we were taken to Henriette and introduced to the second team challenge.

As we approached we saw a roped off area, at either end was a table, and the tables were loaded with pies, which were loaded with whipped cream.  Henriette was standing behind one table and there were six Swedes standing with her in yellow and blue Sweden shirts.  In didn't take a genius to figure out that we were going to be throwing pies.

There were two teams of Swedes; 3 in each.  We, the red team went first playing one Swedish team, then the blue team played the other Swedish team.  Then we played the Swedish team we did not play the first time, and then finally we played the blue team.  So we and the blue team each played three matches total.

The rules were pretty simple; how many pies can you make hit your opponent?  They had several people on the sidelines counting each hit as it happened.  We were not allowed to watch the other teams matches.

The importance of the competition was put on "beating the Swedes".  Whichever team beat the Swedes most would win.  If we tied, then it would come down to who won between the red and blue match.

The whole thing was extremely messy, and extremely fun.  Since we couldn't watch we had no idea how the other team was doing, but we felt like we did very well, I was also confident because I had drawn Tiwaz this morning.

In the end it turned out that we won all three matches.  Blue team had one draw and two losses...we were the clear victors.  So, that means I am on to episode 8, and either Austin, Amy, or CJ will have to go home.  We will have half the people we started with, with only three episodes remaining.  Hail Freya!  Hail Tyr!  Hail Thor!

What a life I have!!