Sailing the seas, and other Scandinavian adventures

Ways I have gotten around Scandinavia so far:
1. Bus
2. Tram
3. Walking along an entire tram route in Oslo (to avoid getting lost without a map)
4. Trains
5. Hitching a ride from Torp airport to Asker, Norway from Olav and Asalan & a ride from Korsor to Keterminde with Rasmus's aunts (cars)
6. Hiding in the back of a two man van driving through Sweden
7. Sailing a yacht from Marsden, Sweden to Korsor, Denmark.
8. Ferry


Methods of transport I have not yet used extensively but would like to in my life:
1. Bicycle
2. Motorcycle
3. Helicopter
4. Hot air balloon
5. Horse
6. Camel
7. Elephant
8. Whale
9. Parachute/hang-glider
10. Submarine
11. Scuba diving

Let me know if I missed any good ones!

Sailing was as awesome as I hoped it would be. Even though we weren't actually sailing for that much of it, and it wasn't as hard core as it might have been. The boat had lots of modern amenities: flushing toilet, hot water, electricity, high tech navigation system, even an auto pilot feature we used most of the way. An engine and motor, which we also used most of the way, since the winds weren't really strong enough to counter the current and get us moving as quickly as we wanted. Also due to the electricity, Rikki was able to set up a wireless internet router and his laptop. The internet didn't work when we were way out to sea, but a lot of the trip it did.

He taught me a bit about navigation, though, and I got to try my hand at steering for a few minutes. I stood unofficial watch at the stern most of the day, just because I like to perch. I also took one of the three official watches through the night. Mine was 8 pm - 12 am. It was very trance-inducing and inspiring and amazing. It's hard not to believe in a greater power--call it God, fate, the universe, but something good and benevolent, when you are looking out at all that water, and realizing just how big the world is, and how many possibilities there are. And things just work out. If I hadn't taken and hated and dropped Hindi last fall, I might never have gotten the wake up call I needed, and taken this trip at this time, and then I would have been in class yesterday instead of on the stern of that boat. It really moved me.

Even my last-minute, haphazard attempts at getting in touch with contacts to stay with on land worked out seamlessly. Rasmus and his aunts passed through Korsor, the town Rikki and Stein dropped me off at in Denmark, on their way to Rasmus's family home outside Odense. They picked me up a few hours after I landed, and drove me straight there--no need to navigate or pay for buses or trains or anything.

It's really quite amazing how things have just been working out for me on this trip so far, with one or two minor exceptions. I guess it's partly due to my ability to roll with the punches, but sometimes it feels like a bit more than that and luck.

--------

One more adventure tale: Before we set sail from Marsden, we spent the night in harbor at an island there to wait out some stormy weather. We had some time to kill, so I went to explore the island on foot. I left around 6:30 pm and the sun began to set shortly thereafter. I struck out on the rocky path near the shores of this rugged, largely uninhabited place. However, it turned out to be a bit bigger than I expected, and as the sun set, I realized I could get lost if I didn't return to the boat before dark. I started running along the path instead of walking, to avoid that fate, but the rocks were wet from rain, and I didn't want to fall. At some point, I lost the path entirely and took to bush-wacking and rock-climbing in the gathering darkness. I found my way back to a path by following lights I saw ahead and telephone wires I eventually spotted. I figured where there are wires, there are usually roads, or other trappings of mankind. I was wrong, there was no road beside them, but they did bring me closer to a path I could follow back to the harbor, back to civilization. Once I was there, there was some light, and it wasn't too long before I found the boat again. It was a bit scary though, and I was glad to learn I have some instinct for survival. I guess it wasn't the first time I've learned that, but sometimes you need a good reminder.