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Published: September 2nd 2011
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An awesome writer, Neil Pasricha, author of 1000awesomethings.com, collected some awesome things in a book which is called the book of awesome. I found that book on the Hurtigruten ferry from Honningsvaag to Kirkenaes, the Norwegian city bordering Russia in the far North-West of this massive country. The book of awesome lists bigger and smaller things in life, which make life, well, awesome. This book had quite an impact on me for the next few days I was reading it, but let me just rewind to a day before I found that book.
I was rolling down the North Cape and was feeling very lazy after my power struggle the day before. The fog had vanished and I could see the landscape, which I could not see in the fog going up the climb. So I decided to see the neighboring city, a small fishing village with an all year Christmas cafe. I sat inside ordered hot chocolate and a Christmas cake, while my camera battery was charging. It takes a while for my battery to charge, so I spent some time there chilling, deciding to camp not too far away.
The waitress came over with more cake for
me. She said it seemed like I had been through a rough drive (She guessed correctly). Then she asked me if I would like to taste some king crab, since she already took some out of the fridge. I accepted and slurped the meat of the crab arm she had given me. Paying was not necessary, she said, when I left, since it had been a good day at the cafe.
Free things, AWESOME! (Especially in Norway, the most expensive country in the world)
When I came back later for my battery fully charged, I asked for a good place to camp. She thought for a moment while gazing through her own thoughts and she got the bright idea that I could stay in her fathers cabin on the beach. There was no lock, so I could just go there and sleep, make a fire, cook, whatever.
I went to the place and found a small charming little cabin with reindeer skin covering the benches. The house lay on the shore of a fjord pointing north, so I could see the midnight sun. I made coffee and some mashed potato dish while waiting for the midnight sun
to appear behind North Cape. And there it was, visible at 0050 for me. The feeling of satisfaction rousing through my body at this very moment was exceptional.
Midnight sun at the end of the world. AWESOME!
In the morning I gratefully thanked the waitress at the Christmas cafe before heading to the ferry in mention. I met Mark, a biking German, who was going to take the same ferry. I had a plan with this ferry and more or less, the plan was that I was not going to pay for this 100 euro ferry ride.
With a bright mind I acquainted the crew and asked for the manager. He was a handsome Norwegian at around 50 of age and I told him briskly that I heard of the possibility to work aboard. He smiled and refused immediately. I thought that the game was over, but the manager, Roy, suddenly fell into a gaze of past memories when he himself was a young traveler and was helped in similar situations. So he told me that I was not able to work there, but that I would not pay for being on board. I would be a
guest of his and he told that to his astounded crew members responsible for payments.
Getting a free 100 euro ferry ticket and not working for it. AWESOME!
Now I would have loved to do some work there, because it was getting a bit boring with the same beautiful seashores and Mark and I ran out of conversation subjects. And that's when I found the Book of Awesome.
Finding free stuff which actually has value. AWESOME!
So I decided to pull together my own list of awesome things, starting with those occuring when on a very long bicycle trip.
TADAAA:
Driving a long distance and reach your goal The feeling of accomplishing your goal of a day or a months biking is probably the essence of bike travelling. You put an effort in there to show those motorists that it can get done without the use of gasoline. The farther you put your target, when you reach it, the more you will feel AWESOME
First shower after a week You have been out there for seven or ten days and maybe you slept in the same clothes as you wore when biking.
A dip in a lake is all the closest you've been to sanitary condition. So when somebody open your home and offer you their hot and massaging shower spray (aw, come on...) you stand there for a 20-30 minutes in a whole other world. The shower the next day does not feel the same at all. It's actually boring compared to that first shower after a week.
Sneaking into a camping ground to steal a free shower is double up. Doing something forbidden and get that vitalizing stream of hot water. Even better is getting the perfect temperature.
After driving through rain for some hours and get really freezing before the shower creates the perfect climax for a shower of AWESOME.
Forgetting where you are and drifting off while doing miles on your bike You're in your home country, your next destination, maybe you are remembering a really funny story, when suddenly it strikes you, "WHOA, I am in Mongolia and I have just driven 10 kilometers since I checked last."
This usually occurs when there are no heavy traffic, no face wind, and some flat territory that makes it easy to just sail across the landscape like
a Harley.
When suddenly finding myself in the other end of the World, I feel that life is just a little bit awesome.
Tea and bisquits I have a terminal addiction. From beer, cigarettes, weed, I skipped cocaine and heroine and gone straight to the hardcore stuff that Russian grannies get their grandchildren hooked on from age zero.
My name is Martin and I am a cookieholic. And I dip'em in tea. That's the best way to get that tingling feeling of mushy butter-baked substance in my tummy. I can empty a whole bag for myself and I do not feel ashamed.
After a long day on the road there is nothing better than cracking a pile of your favorite pechenie and pushing one down your throat with the next one.
The biggest motivator on the road is food and coming to a new country with new kind of cookies on the store shelves. Then I am like a little kid yes I am.
Missing someone Driving in the same forested landscape for a whole day, your mind start automatically to remember those good times back home with your crew of friends with whom you have
inside jokes. That is the times when you know what you have and what you really want to hold on to in life.
When you are reminded of an epic story ...and just burst out laughing in the middle of nowhere in the middle of Russia. Awesome
Sleeping near a lake and skinny dip as the first thing in the morning ...Like god made you, but surely did not intend to.
When a place you would never expect to sell veggieburgers actually does Driving on a long stretch in Sweden without a shop or diner in sight, suddenly a burger palace erects in a small village. Here is served something called a vegoburger, but I know what it is. Maybe it is not fresh and perhaps its filled with chemicals. But it's awesome.
Fixing your own things Instead of asking your bike mechanic friend (Thanks Magnus) or finding the local bike service to avoid getting dirt on your hands, you pick up your tool and screw some screws and turn some knobs. Hey sometimes it actually works. I fixed so far my front brake, back shield, right pedal, left toe clip, oiled
my chain (what an effort) and felt pretty awesome after.
Seeing a campfire you put together for the first time ignite The feeling of being a man, straight up. When you peeled your own fish at the same time after a 180 kilometer bike trip that day, you don't only feel awesome. You SMELL awesome.
Now get out there yourself and do stuff that makes you feel awesome!!!
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