Wandering Oslo and Other Intrepid Explorers: Part Two

Part Two:

And the Fram and the Kon-Tiki Museums

What is it with these Norwegians? All these boats! Ropes and expiditions! Crazy men who don’t know borders! 

The Fram was built especially to withstand the crushing ice of the Arctic, in fact to be pushed up by the ice. They did it – Nansen succeded in drifting with the floe of ice across the Artic. And he and friend set off from the ship to make a mad dash to the North Pole by sled, and succeeded. You can see the  reinforced front, a propeller that could be lifted up, a very excellent and happy cook, and snug quarters, complete with piano and gramaphone.These Norwegians—they know how to survive long winter nights. They did it!

And Amundsen on the Gjoya found the Northwest Passage. I touched both of these boats. Crazy Norwegians!

And Thor Heyerdahl – he didn’t know how to swim and never learned to sail. But the Kon-tiki did it – proving you could harness the current from Peru to Tahiti and that maybe some Peruvians did populate Polynesia. And the Ra II boat was modeled from the reed boats at Lake Titicaca. (I can vouch for that having been there!)

Next stop: how am I to cope with this constant wandering? 

The month in Norway is ending and I've been bouncing from coast to coast, hostel to cabins to home... It can be a bit disorienting. Even though I found the map for Oslo, there really is no map for the art of wandering. 

Well, I could be like the Norwegians – tough guys!! And be disciplined. See the picture of Thor—sitting on raft writing. Comrades around him. Lousy conditions, but he was disciplined enough to do it. 

And so can I. 

My wandering has a purpose. A story. Even though it started with an abrupt chance in life circumstances, it really is about my choice, my freedom, my journey. And I honor my journey! (I'm talking myself into courage, my friends.)

So, it may not be to the North Pole or Polynesia but after seeing the fjords, intrepid explorers and a Norwegian physician I'm ready for Portugal!

(But first, have to find the bus home...)