the global reconnaissance organization: time is wasting

[rewind]

train to oslo today, 10:35am departure. when i'd purchased my ticket online, i'd selected the option to pick it up on the train ('hentig i tog' in norwegian) and had selected the 'minipris' fare option which was substantially cheaper than the other tickets. i wanted to get to the train station with enough time to ask a ticketing agent if there were any special stipulations (under 26, student, etc.) for the minipris fare and just wanted to confirm receipt of the ticket on the train.

woke up at 8:45am, later than i'd intended. franz asked me if i'd be joining him to the national gallery; i think he had misunderstood an earlier conversation when i told him i'd be departing today. sorry, sir, i'm leaving for bergen today; train leaves at 10:35am. despite the time, i didn't want to pass up the free breakfast. into the dining area; franz joined me five minutes later and told me he'd accompany me to the train station. very nice guy full of smiles. i excused myself from the table and told him i was going to pack.

9:05am. my level of comfort with hostel living has increased significantly over the past three months; i've become lax in maintaining my belongings in a neat orderly pile in the hostel rooms. pack pack, things spread all over. franz came into the room and asked if he could help me carry anything. no, i think i'm fine, thank you. he insisted however, and i gave him my daypack (containing computer, guidebook, train ticket reference number printout, and various other important things) to carry. the hostel was a five minute walk from the nearest tram stop; a ten minute tram ride from the city center and the train station. the tram came every twenty minutes; next at 9:20am. franz said he was going to start walking down to the tram stop. 'i'm slower than you.' and with that he left the room with my daypack. i stared at the closed door for about 10 seconds with mouth wide open before continuing to assemble my belongings. wow, i just entrusted my pack to an almost complete stranger. i imagined franz laughing maniacally while running quickly to his getaway car, a black bmw with tinted windows. he'd successfully hustled me and now had my confidential data. impressive. [for those of you who missed yesterday's entry; this is franz.]

9:15am. still packing. okay, franz had my daypack with computer and train ticket reference number printout and was most likely down at the tram stop. the tram was due in five minutes and it was going to take me five minutes to walk down to the hill. i need to move. everything in THE pack, still straining. strap it on, click click. quick survey of the room. looks good, nothing forgotten.

9:18am. outside, walking. in the distance, i saw franz standing at the tram stop. what a nice guy, he hadn't stolen my daypack. plenty of time, no problem, the tram wouldn't arrive right at 9:20am. i was walking briskly.

9:19am. i see the tram coming down the track to the tram station. [internal scream: noooooo!] wow, i don't think i'm going to make this tram. wondered if franz would board and wait for me at the train station or if he'd just wait for me at the stop.

it is at this point that the flashback ends and i promptly boarded my truck, a shiny black 1979 kenworth triaxle, and started hauling ass down the hill, my pack bouncing up and down on my back. three months on the road has done much to improve my load bearing capabilities and i was _running_ full speed down the hill... i had somewhere to be, copy? and damn if i didn't make that tram thanks to franz. he was up at the front obviously delaying the driver from departing; i cruised around the back of the tram and he saw me and smiled. onoard. sweating from the one minute burst of speed and adrenaline. i shook franz' hand and thanked him for doing whatever he did to hold the train. kick. i spend the next few minutes recovering.

at the train station i checked in with a ticket agent; no problem with my ticket. all was good. i said my goodbyes to franz and asked him for his address. thank you, sir. it's been a pleasure.

stocked up on some snapple refreshment. been into the fruit punch flavor lately. very tasty. refreshing and tasty.

i'd read that the train from oslo to bergen went through some amazing landscapes. while i was tired from the night before, i don't think i slept more than a minute. utterly beautiful snow capped mountains dropping down into icey blue lakes, gently pouring, flowing rivers narrowing to explosive rapids. if only i hadn't been on the train, i'd have stood until i became a chilling cold, burning the scenery into. pictures out of train windows are not worthy; pictures altogether are not worthy; they can't ever. i was going to extend my norwegian adventure.

the hostel is amazing and the rain gives me a chance to do some writing.