My friend Aaron travelled to Europe for a few weeks. He spent the first one in Denmark with his partner and then worked his way up north to visit me in Stockholm.

After his partner leaves, we plan a week long trip in Ireland with an overnight in Norway.

When we land in Oslo, we immediately drop our things off at the hostel and wander the city at night. It is relatively quiet. Our hostel is well located and so we don't have to worry about public transit. We walk down main arteries and back streets and note how expensive everything is, even by Swedish standards.

We make our way through the city and centre and eventually find the ocean. We enter a bar playing some live jazz. We slowly sip our beer. We feel of feeling guilty as, outside the bar window, on the floor above us, someone is changing on full display, curtains open.

We discuss private and public spaces. We think about the rest of the trip. It's just begun and I realize only now, I forgot my Canadian driver's license. We were supposed to share the driving load but Aaron will have to cover all of it. The thought is daunting.

A dull and desolate existence? Nay, least of all.

A man had everything; his powers above, his dreams, his loves, his wealth of superstition.”

Growth Of The Soil

Knut Hamsun