Wednesday 4 August 1999

Travel journal: Whopper Cheese at 8:00 AM. The night train from Kristiansand to Oslo was fairly uneventful. At least when I finally got into the train, shortly before it left the station. The sleep wagons arrived just before departure, and they were locked for good measure. I made my way through quite a lot of wagons, since my room (or locker, rather) was in the last one. In the far end of it, of course.

So the night was short enough before the conductor (or someone) came to shake me awake at 7:30. As usual in the morning, I was curled up in a ball with only my rear outside the covers. Perhaps I should sell advertising space on the backside of my boxers. At least my employer had shelled out for a single-bed room. (Actually it wasn't, but I got a two-bed for myself alone, which is just as good.)

I'm still lugging my luggage around, as the luggage lockers only accept a spesific and unusual amount of money. I'll continue buying breakfast till I have the correct change, I guess. The food here at Burger King tastes differently from McDonalds: It tastes more like meat, and also it tastes more like it is barbiecued (why can nobody except me spell this word right?) instead of cooked. I wouldn't been a regular here, but a few times a year is OK. I'm not a vegetarian, I just don't eat much meat normally. We're talking a few grams a day on average. So a whopping whopper cheese was quite a big kill. Then again, I hadn't really eaten since lunch yesterday. A couple yoghurts and such in the afternoon was all.

As I once again returned to the railway station for a pause, I chanced to meet Ageless Girl, who was looking for the hotel. Or so she claimed. The truth is out there. Anyway, I showed her the hotel, and we both checked in. As expected they did not have my room ready (though they had hers) but I got another one so I guess I should not complain. It sure was good to get the clothes off again. As soon as I am cooled down, I intend to walk over to the railway station and get the rucksack ... I only have the Toshiba and its case (in which I also carry around a few scientific magazines and a paperback). I guess I can leave the portable here for the minutes it takes to fetch the rest of the luggage (and munch a pizza slice or two - there is a place in Oslo City that has truly tasty pizza slices).

Oh yes, Ageless Girl is also planning to be an instructor, like me, so presumably I'll see her again this evening. She is sort of cute, highly religious and a good photographer. She is in her thirties, and still looks like she's 19 or so. This is some progress ... when I first saw her, some years ago, she looked 18.

Needless to say, I rarely left the side of Ageless Girl during the evening, but I'm alone now, in my hotel room, nearly naked and still hot. Because of the weather, that is!

Just found a red blotch on my left knee, like I recently skinned a patch of it. I do not remember any such incident, though. I don't like this proliferation of red spots on my surface. But right now there is not a whole lot I can do about it, except try to get enough sleep. And even that will be hard in this weather.