It’s 4:00 in the morning here in my hotel room in Oslo. What a joy to write that sentence. It feels surreal to be back in this country, and while the meat of our adventure is yet to begin, I am already reliving some of the simple delights that accompany being here.
Yesterday’s travel gauntlet, outlined in the previous blog, was exactly as arduous as it sounded, but my dad and I were fortunate to have conned our way—for the second time—into the first class cabin on both international flights. The selection and quality of the food we were served simply didn’t make sense given the conditions in which it was prepared, and rivaled the fare from exceptional restaurants. (The exception, unsurprisingly, was the coffee. Fair warning to readers who are unfamiliar: I am a longtime coffee professional, and I make no apology for my resulting snobbery. The unmistakable flavors of burnt microwave popcorn and cigarette ash are not ones I will long to relive.)
Once nestled into our one-night stay near the airport, and having taken a moment to partially revive ourselves, my dad and I enjoyed a nice dinner at the hotel restaurant. We discussed our plans and visions for the trip, and as we wound our way through the list of friends and family we hope to see while here, I was surprised: both by the amount I remembered (considerable) and by the amount I didn’t (astonishing). The ease with which my dad recalls names, faces, professions, and relations is of course an indication of the sheer amount of time and passion he extends to the relationships he has forged in Norway all these years, and his dedication merits the same admiration you would give to any person at the height of their craft. In many ways, this is his trip, and I am just excited to be along for the ride and to soak in these experiences that could never have happened without his work.
Later today, we fly to Sogndal, our Norwegian family’s ancestral home and the place from which I inherited my surname. (The waterfall—foss—in Sogndal runs very close by the family homestead, and is a powerful sight to behold.) There, we will be hosted by Geir and Marit, the first of many with whom we will reunite on this trip. I am looking forward to a second attempt at a mountain walking expedition with Geir this time around (readers of the 2019 blog may recall my having fallen into a river on the last one—and if you don’t, don’t worry, because Geir sure does), and some of my absolute fondest memories from the last trip were formed in the kitchen with Marit, where she showed me the ropes with some classic Norwegian recipes. I am very excited to see both of them again and am so deeply grateful for their hospitality.
More soon from Sogndal—and the next one will have pictures!
Where the Waterfalls Mean Home 