2004-08-10 - Rest day at the Grayling River
A rest day at the Grayling River, sunny all day and extremely hot!
This morning, after checking the fishing net, which gave us another four fine graylings, I realized how we in the modern world, are overprotected. Not only that, be we´re far too comfortable and spoilt. We demand a life that has to be clinically clean, as physically inactive as possible, uncomplicated, stressfree and totally void of any danger. I´m convinced that this type of life, not only is physically and mentally unhealthy, I believe it to be the base of the boredom which is spreading rapidly in the modern society. Man today will not therefore, which I believe is essential for a sane society, experience the important contrasts of life, which makes life worth living. Take our present life as an example what I mean.
None of us slept to good this past night. Johan got acutely sick, threw all through the night and I didn´t sleep due to my worry over Johan and the pain in my back, caused by the stressful paddling. Therefore,we leave the tent, feeling knackered, get immediately attacked by the swarms of mosquitoes, meets the sun, we smile happily, take the canoe and check the fishing net, which is full of fish, we enjoy life even more and immediately starts the daily fire, made to prepare a lunch made of grayling and rice. During this time Johan tends the fire and the emvas. At the same time as I walk barefoot into the icecold river, washing umpteen dirty clothes. I feel content when I finally can leave the river, but enjoy as much the new, nice and fresh smell of clean clothes! Once up, gnats and black flies makes life real miserable. Suddenly a fresh mountain wind hits the camp,the pestering insects leave us for a moment. True happiness! For once, we can lunch without mixing with flying protein!
After lunch,we repair sandals, the equipment gets checked, we eventually start a new fire, we grill another to graylings from the morning, salty and nice, and have them as dinner together with pasta. Imagine if we hadn´t caught any fish, then we would have been forced to eat a muddylooking soup with rice. Suddenly it is sunset, the swarms of mosquitoes appear again and makes life miserable again. We flee to the cot and at the same time as Johan notices a movement in the net, breakfast is ready and once we´re protected from the mosquitoes we both agree that we live life to the full capacity!
Another stressful day in the canoe awaits us tomorrow. |
