Angry arctic birds

“Why lock the door? Someone might want to get in?” my friend answered when I inquired about the house door. People of Svalbard often leave their car keys in the ignition as well. Someone might need to borrow their car and locking it would just cause problems. The only time Geeba locks her house is when a cruise ship is in town, because tourists tend to think this is an exhibition island. A girl she knows came downstairs one morning and found a drunken tourist asleep on her sofa.

Earlier today I went for a walk along a shallow stream while Geeba was at work. The road was paved, but there were clay foundations on both sides of the road. I brought a skiing pole as I had been advised, and I felt quite stupid until an arctic tern flew towards me. I automatically lifted my pole and the tern flew off. Some Dutch tourists pointed and took pictures; I smiled, nodded and kept walking.

This is what Wikipedia says about the arctic tern: “It is one of the most aggressive terns, fiercely defensive of its nest and young. It will attack humans and large predators, usually striking the top or back of the head. Although it is too small to cause serious injury, it is still capable of drawing blood.” I walked on with the pole over my head, cute little angry birds flying on and on above my head. They made little screaming sounds and I tried to get through their hatching areas as fast as possible. Suddenly my phone went off, and I stopped to answer it.

 A few years ago I subscribed to Aftenposten, Norway’s largest newspaper, and one of their salesmen was now interested in getting me back, offering me an 11 week highly reduced subscription. After listening to him for a little while, I interrupted and said: “I am sorry it’s hard to concentrate right now, I’m on vacation in Svalbard and I’m being attacked by artic birds. I really do like your paper, so please continue to talk to me.” Starting Saturday I will have the newspaper delivered to our door.

I didn’t want to talk back through the area with arctic terns, so Geeba came in her borrowed car and took me for a drive as far as the road goes east. We drove past deserted coal mines and research stations, satellite receivers and up a gravel mountain. What a landscape! No green anywhere, beautiful clouds and an amazingly fresh daylight.