DAY 32

(May 25)
Travel Day

Today I drew Ehwaz, the horse.  Still thinking about what that means…Maybe because I am on a bus all day?  It is supposed to be a 10 hour bus ride, it is over 90 degrees Fahrenheit today, very unusual.  A ways into the trip the air stopped working on the bus so it became quite uncomfortable.  In general though, the weather has been very accommodating during this whole experience.  The crew is always amazed, but I’m not…after all Thor is accompanying me.

Tonight we will stay in a hotel, tomorrow we get together at 10:00 to get on a plane and fly somewhere, I think we are going North, we’ll see when we get there.

It would be really nice to be on the winning team this week.  Jonathan has the spirit award, a lot of people are already gone, the competition is getting tough.

 DAY 33

(May 26)

Travel Day

This morning I drew Ingwaz; the hearth, the home, the God Freyr, it should be a good day.  I skipped frokost this morning.  Since I have my own room for a change I am using the time alone to relax and think. 

I am trying to figure out what I could be doing better, how I might give myself more of an advantage.  It is difficult, because the challenges are of such a nature that no distinct advantage exists; luck is involved, and fate, rather than sheer skill or ability.  It is arranged in such a way that it is extremely fair, which, in a way is somewhat of a disadvantage for me because I am used to calculating strength and weakness in myself and others in order to succeed, when the playing field is completely even, there is nothing to calculate.

I want to see the end, I NEED to meet my Norwegian family!  I need to see and do as much as I can of this country and its people before I go home.  In evaluating myself I have determined that so far I have been true; true to myself, my family, Brenda, my ancestors, and my Gods.  I have been faithful to Freya and our agreement.  Beyond being true in all these ways and doing the best I can, I can not think of what more I can do.

I do miss home, all the people there, the dogs and the other animals.  I find myself worrying occasionally about the state of things back home, wondering how everyone is managing in my absence.  But…all I can really do about that is hope, hope that all is well and that everyone is getting along. 

I think when I do eventually go home it will be weird.  It will take some time I’m sure, maybe a couple weeks, maybe more to decompress and process everything that has happened.  It will seem very strange I think, very surreal, I hope I am granted the time I need to do it well.  Enough of all that though…worry and fret will profit a man nothing!  So, I will just continue to be hopeful and do the best I can, I will continue to be true.

Today we arrived in the town of Bodø.  I loved this place immediately and am thrilled to know that it is north of the artic circle.  This is farther north than I have ever been in my life.  A girl working in a store told me that this time of year it never gets dark…that is so bizarre!  Right now it is 2320, 11:20 pm and it is still fully light outside as though it was the middle of the day.  I’m going to take some pictures to document this.

I have no idea what the challenge is tomorrow, but they are having us suit up as though we are getting pretty wet.  We were supposed to take a boat somewhere in the morning but that fell through so we are taking a bus to an island I think.  Oh well, I guess we’ll know what’s going on tomorrow.  One thing I do know, is that I love this north country; I love the feel of it and the way the air kisses my skin.  It feels like a spiritual place as well, I feel very connected here.  Perhaps I have been here before in another life?  Could be.