Påske skitur

There is one very cultural Norwegian experience that in all my 3 years and 9 months total living in Norway I have never experienced. That is the Easter time cross-country skiing trip in the mountains that ALL weegies take.

I guess it has been my own culture that has blinded me to the wonder and joys of this event... you see, I have always believed that cross-country was for old people or those scared of flying down a hill at high speeds :-) Well, I tried my first go on cross-country skis in December. It was so traumatic that all I seem to recall is a vague recollection of falling in the snow with these long sticks on my feet. Luckily my Norwegian "mom" (only in caring for me, NOT in age) was there to help me learn. Have you heard that all Norwegians are born with ski's on their feet? I believe it is true and saw evidence of it as many youngsters whizzed past me yesterday.


As Luck would have it, our group included a man from Iraq. Although he has lived in Norway for 10 years, he was not born with skis. I was happy to have someone more at my level, to build up my self-confidence. The first 2 hills were terrible! How I missed my snowboard... and wondered why on earth I was trying to do this. I got a nice bump and bruise on my leg somehow in the process of falling down the hill.

After some time I began to get better balance, and no longer felt completely unnatural with these long sticks under my feet. I began to work on the way I skied, instead of just trying to survive the experience! Buy the time we stopped to make a fire and roast some hot dogs, I was reviling in the revelation of this great way to enjoy sunshine and fresh air (the foundations of the Norwegian culture). On the way back, I was able to whiz down the hills as suddenly repressed skills from downhill skiing 15 years ago, came back to me.

Luckily for me, I was in good shape, since our "short trip" ended up being over 9 km!! I have blisters on both heels to prove that I gave it all I had...