"Three months ago, my boyfriend Tom and I left New York for England to visit with my parents. We were there for a few days and then continued on a holiday trip in Norway. I had long wanted to see the land outside of Oslo, and we traveled with Hurtigrutten from Trondheim up to Bodö, where we rented a Tesla and via Lofoten we drove south, marveled at the nature, visited museums, saw sights and tried the food. We were at the Hardangervidda museum in Eidfjord, saw the movie and talked to the staff there, when I managed to persuade Tom to do what the Norwegians call 'gå på tur', and hike to Hårteigen via the manned cabins Vivelid and Hadlaskard. Tom never wanted to hike or tent, but here there were cabins on the way, and we could buy food there and cook it in the cabins. It was just three days with plenty of photo opportunities and it was a perfect opportunity for vlogging, as there's surprisingly few who have done that stretch.
So we only brought with us the light equipment they recommended; change clothes, extra socks, rain and windbreaker, sunglasses, sunscreen, candy and day trip food, and a couple of Nalgene bottles each with energy drink powder. We downloaded the hiking app on our phones and brought a pair of powerbanks each, and headphones. We got the bed linen and brought only the most important things like a toothbrush, toothpaste etc. Of course, Tom also had his camera and stuff in its photo bag with extra batteries lenses, filters, flash etc.
In retrospect, I know we were a bit too unprepared and the people in the cabins called us classic beginners. But it also seems common among Norwegians, and as it didn't worry them, we didn't worry us. However, I know I should have brought something more useful such as my own knife, warmer clothes and more food, but the weather forecast said fine weather, and I had no room in my backpack for a sweater.
It was beautiful and such an experience to go out into nature and how quickly it changed. It was exciting and so rustic to visit Hadlaskard. We cooked with others on a gas stove, and it's silly that we almost paniced about fetching drinking water in a bucket from the rapids outside.
We had two marvellous days in beautiful scenic nature, with picturesque elements of snow patches and mountains mixed with summer and green trees. We enjoyed some sweets, took pictures and filmed. We had a great time.
Until we stood up on Hårteigen and saw the storm approaching.
It had already been a long day as we left a little too late and held a slow tempo, due to photos and filming. But we hurried, and we had come down from the top and the parts where we had to use ropes and wires, before the storm was over us. We were so happy for our windbreakers, but we should've taken something for our legs as well. Shorts and shirts weren't good enough at such temperatures and rain, and our jeans were soaked. We had no choice but to continue walking towards Hadlaskard, but it was an adventure and it would be a good story from our trip to Norway, although Tom would probably never go hiking again.
But the rain just poured down and we both got so wet and cold, and when it started to thunder and we saw lightning strikes, it was no longer a fun adventure.
But there was only mountains and cliffs with some grass, mud and water that flowed. There were no places to take shelter, and except lightning strikes we saw no more than maybe 150m, so we lost the trail a couple of times. We had both slipped and lost our footing many times on slippery rocks and muddy ground, when Tom sprained his ankle and hit his knee on the rain-soaked rocks. It was probably not too serious, just a sprain, tender and hurting.
We decided we couldn't continue as we had, and took shelter behind a slightly protruding cliff and tried to let the storm calm down or disappear. It would give Tom a chance to rest his ankle and knee. The next few hours were absolutely miserable; wet and cold, and we shivered so much while we huddled against each other.
We were very worried as the storm didn't seem to end, but then the light turned funny, so we thought the storm were about to calm down. But that didn't happen. Lightning struck so close that we screamed and jumped, and we ran as fast as we could to get further down the valley. But the lightning strike fucked up our phones so the hiking app didn't work, and somewhere we lost the trail as well.
The weather finally improved, but we got lost and chose to endure the rest of the evening and night in just our jackets, but we didn't find a really good place. We found some shrubbery and used that and moss to get a little more protection and had the backpacks in front of us. Many hours passed but we had managed to doze of and were awakened by the sun in the middle of the night. Atleast the weather was beautiful and it quickly got warmer. We dried up, but we just wanted to get back to the cabin, eat and find a bed. We where knackered.
We saw Hårteigen clearly and seem to be going in the right direction, but we found no trails or signposts, but we could see paths. Now I know why our phones GPS didn't work, but then we thought the lightning strike had damaged them, and Tom was worried that his camera would be damaged, but it seemed okay. We understood that we were slightly lost, but we continue to follow the paths, because logically we should only need to go down and find the river. Tom's sore ankle made it slow going, and it really didn't help that we often needed to balance on stones. It was so damn cold to cross wide streams as we couldn't find the bridges, and we spent so much time trying to find the best place to balance over on rocks. Atleast the weather stayed warm, without much wind.
Tom realized that we could use the phone compass, and eventually we discovered the river. We knew we were on the wrong side of the river, but we recognized the other side. We compared with photos in the camera and were sure - that was where we went towards Hadlaskard. We hurried down into the valley, but had to move back upstream a bit to try to find the suspension bridge and Hadlaskard's buildings.
Neither the bridge nor the cabins were there, which made us scared and worried. It was freezing cold to wade across the river, and we were shivering. We had at least gotten used to it by then, changed into shorts before, so I could quickly wipe myself off and put on my pants on the other side. We continue to follow the river downstream. We found an old stone hut, and we were so completely knackered, and Tom's ankle was swollen and ached, so we chose to sleep one night at the stone hut while trying to dry our shoes and feet and bask in the sun. If the weather turned bad the stone hut would atleast be a good shelter, but we sat outside in the sun. We were so hungry, but there was nothing to eat and all our food was gone. To hopefully improve our sleep, we collect some shrubbery to lie on, and use the duvet covers and sheets as a blanket. "
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Tom? Where's Tom? If they came the same way up as I went down, it means that their car isn't here, as I should have seen it. I stayed quite close to where the map showed the path, the parking lot and the road down into the valley. Oh well, you can't get everything, and there should have been more cars there in that case. I would also prefer a more mechanical and different car than a Tesla. Jane's story is interesting and I'm starting to understand what happened to them. The night they spend at the stone hut, I sleep in my tent southeast of Vivelid. I'm maybe 8 km as the bird flies ahead of them, about 2.5-4 hours hiking, depending on backpack, but its not for certain that they would have seen me if they had passed. My gray tent can blend in well with the rocks, and I always try to set up discreet out of sight camps and a bit from hiking paths etc, if I can. If people don't see me, they can't be assholes.
They should have tried to get to the cabin west of Hårteigen, which is much closer, but I understand if they fixated on getting back to Hadlaskard. Had they gone to the other cabin, they probably wouldn't have come here to Alfheimr. Had Tom not injured his ankle and they had reached Hadlaskard and continued, they should have been ahead of me due to a higher tempo and more time spent walking. It would have been a completely different situation if they had come down to civilization before me.
Its both good and bad luck that the weather was nice, because it helped to dry and keep up their body temperature, but had it been partially cloudy with occasional light rain, I would have had my big orange rain cover on the backpack, and it would have been visible for many kilometers, and they might have seen me. Which is the point, it's part of my plan to be visible if I need to.
They havn't understood what had happened yet, even less than I did, but they should have caught up with me with such a light load, so Tom's ankle must have been bad, especially if they had to balance on rocks without hiking poles. Too bad they did not think about improvising and using the sheets as a bad rain and windbreak. I wonder where Tom is now? Two humans can really fuck up what I have chosen to tell and give impression of, and if they have split up, it will get worse. But if I find out now or in a quarter of an hour, it doesn't change anything, so time to be attentive, listen and let her tell her story without interrupting.
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"The next morning we wake up with our stomachs screaming and bad headache, but there was only river water to quench our thirst. However, we recognize where we are and Toms ankle feels better, so we start walking to reach Vivelid where we spent the first night, and on the way there were cabins or we might meet someone with food. We havn't walk for long before Tom stops, points and shouts; "Bootprints! Bootprints!", and we see that someone with boots has walked in the dried mud. So someone has been here the last day, because the rain should have washed everything away. The discovery makes us more confident that we're on the right path. We were so happy when we saw more footprints from your boots.
We panicked when no cabins or buildings appeared. Neither the big yellow building on our side of the river nor those who were on the other side. We check Tom's pictures and it's just wrong. We were probably in shock too. We had no idea what had happened, and began to wonder if we had gone back in time. In any case, there were signs of some life because there was a stone huts for people, just as we saw when we went past the first time, but above all there were the occasional imprint of boots in the mud. Modern boots.
We reached the place where Vivelid should be, but there was nothing there, and somewhere we had lost the bootprints as well, but we understood that the person before us had choosed another path as we fought our way through the bog and the forest, and of course the walkways weren't there. We knew how the surroundings were there, but we didn't think about it. But, better forward than going back. The camera helped us find the right direction and where we should be going. I lost my shoe in the bog but Tom helped me dig it up. We washed off the worst in a stream before continuing on, because we were so close to where the car should be, and we had dreamed of the candy in the car, even though we were starting to assume it wouldn't be there. Our mood rose when we again found a path with the same bootprints that headed in the right direction. Tom compared with the pictures he took of the imprints, and they were the same imprint, so we must be on the right path. We were so happy to see your bootprints again, because the man with the boots knew what he was doing, and we became a bit obsessed with following in your footsteps, and we were worried if we hadn't see them for a while.
It was early evening when we finally see houses and people. We were so overjoyed, and ran forward and shouted and they came to meet us, but everything is weird. They are Vikings, just like we saw at the museum in Lofoten, and no one knows English. We meet Barki who owns the farm. He looked at our ears and that is when we look at theirs, and see that they have elf ears. We were both in some kind of shock, but were happy to have found people, get food to eat and we collapse as soon as they show us a small bed. That we were in a longhouse and that everyone we saw were elves and we had blankets and animal furs around us, was a problem for the morning.
I've often regretted that we just collapsed in the bad instead of continuing, or at least got up earlier in the morning. How different everything would be.
The next morning we woke up and enjoyd the simple breakfast. Everyone around us are Elves, and no one knows English. But some words turn out to be close enough to English and we manage to communicate with Barki through simple words and gestures. We understand that someone else in similar clothes and a big green backpack, a man with round ears and a beard, was there before us and he is in the village on the other side of the lake. The man with the boots, as everyone is barefoot or has leather shoes, and the man seems to be a hiker with poles and so on.
Unfortunately we didn't hurry, but Barki took us across the lake to the village I now know is Hildifjoer, and we get to meet Lagman Filison. We felt such anguish and panic when we understood that the man with the boots, Sejdmann Robert Arnesson, had left that morning on a boat, to go far south to something called Borgarsandr. We just missed you by a couple of hours. When we ask the Lagman when the next boat arrives, he only show all ten fingers five times while saying 'day'. So many days. We lost all hope as we realized that it was 2 months until we had the opportunity to follow. Where would the man have travelled by then?"
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It feels like I was lucky that they actually took their time, because it gave me more options and freedom, but at the same time it would have been nice to have their company, and someone to talk to. A group of three would also be a safer company to travel in. However, I doubt I would have been where I am now, with title, status and other things, and I'm confident that Iselin and Ciara would have gone completely different if Jane and Tom had been there. Talk about a huge 'what if?'. But I wonder why they didn't try to exchange something to be sailed to Kambsnes, they would've caught up with us, and probably after a day or two, as we stopped someplace along the way.
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"We don't know what to do, but after three days Lagman Filison tells us that we will need to help if we're going to live there until the boat returns, but we can borrow a small room and clothes.
We were not prepared for working on a farm. We met at University and my work is doing simpler restorations of paintings and frames, grouping together or finding matching works of art so that they fit together on walls and rooms, and among other things I paint and draw as a hobby. Tom vlogs and tries to become a photo artist. Tried. We're from well of families, so we were doing okay, but neither of us have worked on a farm, and never done such physically demanding work in our entire lives. The work days were so long! It was such a difficult transition to try to help on the farm. Lack of tea, coffee or nicotine didn't help. That first week was terrible.
Eventually, I helped indoors; in the kitchen, with the clothes etc, after they stopped laughing at me. They saw how terrified I was of the animals, and I barely ventured into the barn or pastures. The horses were no problem. The chickens were bad enough, but everyone laughed when the fucking geese chased me. It's easy for them who grew up with it, but for me chickens are something I buy slaughtered from a store. Chickens shouldn't pick on my hands and cluck at me, but geese are the worst. Horrible vicious animals. They ambushed and chased me as soon as I stepped outside, and they gave me several bruises. Tom helped with the farm's chores and he was well trained so it was easier. We both like to go to the gym, but I mostly train overall fitness and flexibility, while Tom went for fitness and muscle. I didn't like the looks that he got from the elf women, and he insisted on working topless because it was hot and he was sweating. Most of the men did."
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Just giving up like that and wasting time, was a big mistake by them. It seems like a bad memory for Jane, but all of us have had more or less problems since we arrived here, but one thing annoys me:
Gods, if you exist here; I know I technically made that wish when Jane and Tom was already here in Alfheimr, and I hope you still grant my wish, but I asked for humans with useful knowledge, and its more a problem than a compensation that you fulfilled 'sexy woman'. Artist, photographer and vlogger are not what I needed for my Academy right now. I appreciate your humor, but more useful knowledge, please? Pretty please? K!Tkx!Bai!
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"We'd been there for more than a week when it was another washing and bathing day, and I was going to surprise Tom with freshly baked buns, but I discover Tom enjoying Dagny and her 'buns'. I got so mad at him and I refused to have anything to do with him. While I stormed out, I shouted he needed to find someplace else to sleep from now on. His explaination that it wouldn't happen again and that I am his true love, fell on deaf ears. Liar. I had suspected he'd been unfaithful before, so I refused to believe him, and while I ran to the room and I took off my engagement ring. I was so disappointed and mad at him, because we only had each other in this horrible Elven world, and he let me down after our years together. Just discarded when there was a willing young woman nearby. I spent that evening crying and feeling so very lonely and isolated. I couldn't even talk to anyone.
Another week passes. At the end of each work day, Tom drinks mead with the other men, before seeking Dagny's company, who was so willing. I realize it really is completely over between us, and say it to him; that he has thrown away the years we've been together, and if we return to New York he must move out of my apartment immediately - he's not allowed to sleep there even one night. He has a week to collect his things before I donate them.
Astrid and Lova - the other two maids - tried to comfort me despite the language problems. They said there are better men to marry, and that I'm unusual and pretty. They've never seen anyone looking like me, and wonder if I havn't seen the looks that men have given me? Of course I noticed it, but I don't want to be a one night stand or a fuck buddy, and they are sweaty, dirty and stink. How can they only bathe once a week? And what says they're better than Tom?
Astrid told me how they both had sex with you that first morning, and how afraid Lova was of insulting such a powerful guest. But I understood that you could at least make yourself understood better than I do. "
My story surprises and to some extent confirms things Arnesson probably already knows, and it strengthens his ego. Astrid and Lova whispered how they had sex, as if it were the most sinful secret in the world, but their world is so small. It makes me angry that both he and Tom have it so much easier here, and both quickly took advantage of it for sex and to have more women. Why can't one woman be enough? When the opportunity exist, men just want more and more. Chauvinist Pig.
In any case, Arnesson has been much smarter, more creative and so very manipulating. He has skillfully adjusted to this world, and taken the maximum advantage of his opportunities. Wandering Magician is smart, and I find it hard to understand how he's already done something important enough for the King to grant him his own islands, and made him a King with his own little Kingdom. I can only imagine how big his harem will be in a year. But, he is still a modern man from Sweden, and it feels so very good to be able to talk to someone again. Someone who really understands me and can understand the change. He might be a bastard, but I need his help.
He probably won't just let me paint and teach art, and I don't have much choice. He will be so greedy to put his filthy wandering hands on my body, and I feel disgusted that I'll surely need to have sex with him. Hopefully I'm not his type, but I'm a pretty female, and most men don't need more than that. Considering how willing his harem seems to be, it probably won't be that often, and they are younger beautiful elves so they certainly appeals to him more. Bloody chauvinist pig.