Day 1. Childhood dreams

This day actually started the day before, Day 0, with the packing evening at my home. Packing and repacking due to different luggage size, weight and policies of different companies. Couple of missing items identified, to be organized on departure day. When people get into cars to go home, Agnese jokes about putting on make-up, as the main news channel will be interviewing us in airport. Yeah, right!

The departure day comes with Christmas feelings. Not that someone is giving presents, no. That crazy feeling that you need to finalize stuff. Work stuff, home stuff, technical stuff, administrative stuff, financial stuff and travel stuff. To be free from that stuff.

Eclipse instructions for kindergarten teachers- done. Cat. 13 arc-welders glass for safe watching- provided. There will be people watching at home the 77% version of what we will hopefully see in full.

Funny that most people are not planning ahead for such rare events as eclipses. But almost all of them are interested when they come. Even the taxi lady driving me to the airport.

As the group gathers in the airport, there is a camera-guy and microphone-lady nearby. Turns out Agnese wasn’t joking. We are making evening news and she has been giving interviews for another TV station and National radio as well. Expedition Solar Eclipse.

Flight to Rygge. Venus appears as the sky darkens while we wait for our train to Oslo. Another train to Oslo lufthavn. Finding the best spot to spend the night. Last meal before going to sleep.

Picnic in the airport. Reminds me of “Picnic on the roadside” by Strugatsky brothers. Notice someone has brought Lam’s “The Unbreakable”- Kristine. Funny how connections are made. It always silently awes me.

With late night arrival of Rudis, the group is almost complete- Anders will join us tomorrow.

There is another twist to that Christmas feeling of mine. Seeing full solar eclipse is one of my childhood dreams. Now I am going for it. You should, too.

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