"What is the most northern town in the world", asked Peter. He was reading out the geography question on a Trivial Pursuit card.
"No idea", I replied. "Ehr, Reykjavik", I then threw out as a desperate guess!
"Nope, some place called HAMMERFEST".
Where in the hell could that be, we both wondered.
It would take another 13 years before I knew EXACTLY where Hammerfest was.
A few summers ago the three Sarsfield brothers ventured on a little trip to Norway. There was no real plan. Just rent a car and drive north, visiting fjords and glaciers along the way.
In a town called Mo i Rana we saw on the map that we were really close to the Arctic Circle. We went to the little museum there and had our passports stamped. But best of all, we got to see the MIDNIGHT SUN. It was June and the sun doesn't set here for a good few weeks.
My journey began in Copenhagen. After dealing with some business I had with a local Mayor, I stayed with some friends and we visited the Viking ship museum.
Shortly before crossing the Oresund Bridge between Denmark and Sweden, I felt it was my duty to stock up on beers and whiskey. In the supermarket a lady saw me messing with a marker pen and some cardboard. Not only did she know I was hitchhiking, she also knew exactly where I was going - SWEDEN. The simple act of buying alcohol was the giveaway. From here on it was government controlled SystemBolagets and Vinmonopolets.
Every time I hitch across this bridge I learn something new. This time I learnt that it was the longest border-crossing bridge in the world.......cool!
My lady dropped me in the centre of Malmø. A couple I met in Storegaten ask me if I need a place to stay. I was actually meeting and staying with someone else, but that was weird and kind.
The next day I met up with Eric in nearby Lund - famous for its university and cathedral.
I dont know if the point of this story is to tell you about how amazing my 2 months was in Scandinavia. Or just how lucky I am.
Mostly though, I think it's a tale about how generous and kind the people of Scandinavia are.
None of what I did would have been possible without help of all these people:
