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Ol n' Ben around the world
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Location Date Europe 
1492297200 Africa 1492297200 Asia 1462662000 North America 1126393200 -
Location Date France 1492297200 Portugal 1492297200 Russia 1439506800 Norway 1409180400 Germany 1409180400 Svalbard And Jan Mayen
1408921200 Netherlands 1368399600 Iceland 1345330800 UK 1273100400 Italy 1029798000 -
Location Date Nordeskjoldbreen 1408921200 Pyramiden 1408834800 Lykteneset 1408748400 Skansbukta 1408662000 Kapp Wijk
1408575600 Coraholmen Island 1408489200 Sefstrombreen 1408402800 Ekmanfjord 1408316400 Svea 1408230000 Wahlenberg 1408057200 Boheman 1407970800 Bore 1407884400 Nansen 1407798000 Ymerbukta 1407711600 Longyearbyen 1407538800
Today is day off !
No wake up call at 10 today so that everybody can rest. Most of us wake up between 12 and 13.
We are having late breakfast when a boat arrives. It is so surprising to hear someone else. Indeed we haven't met anyone since Svea campsite.
Two men are on board : they represent the Governor of Svalbard (Sysselmannen in Norwegian) and were patrolling in the bay when they saw our campsite. They are very friendly, and they ask us who we are, where we come from, and they make sure that we can protect ourselves from polar bears. They also tell us that goose hunting started the day before, so they are checking that everything is fine since.
We offer them coffee and continue to chat a bit.
When leaving, they make a stop at Harald's but the house seems empty.
During the afternoon, we decide to wash ourselves. Some of us go to the river nearby, when the most courageous go swimming in the arctic ocean :-) I also decide to shave as I can no longer stand the itching !
The washing and shaving process is all the more enjoyable than the weather is sunny (again !) and the air quite warm.
Feeling clean and smelling good is an exquisite experience after many days without any bathrooms ;-)
We decide to make a fire for the night to come, and then we try our luck and visit Harald's. We brought a bottle of whiskey in sign of friendship ;-) But the house is still very quiet and no one answers when we knock on his door. We leave a note and the bottle on the door step and walk back to our camp.
We all prepare dinner. We also adjust our watches in order to gain 4 hours, as planned. Thus it is already 20h, and time to have dinner :-)
R.'s injury is better and we should be able to leave the next day.
Tonight, O. and I have the shift from midnight to 4am. I don't go to bed at midnight and prefer to stay with O.. With all the branches and wood pieces found on the beach, it is easy to keep the fire alive. Fire is absolutely necessary as the "nights" start to be cold.
At 2 am, O. goes to bed and I stay alone from 2 to 4. The sun hides itself behind a large mountain, which was not the case the day before. It goes down quickly !! Lights are still amazing though.
Around 3:30, a seal comes close to the shore to say hello, and then swims towards Harald's cabin. At 4 am, I wake C. up, who was not asleep, and I quickly go to bed and fall asleep in my hot sleeping bag :-)
-------------
FIGURES OF THE DAY : 0km of kayak but a clean and rested team ;-)
No wake up call at 10 today so that everybody can rest. Most of us wake up between 12 and 13.
We are having late breakfast when a boat arrives. It is so surprising to hear someone else. Indeed we haven't met anyone since Svea campsite.
Two men are on board : they represent the Governor of Svalbard (Sysselmannen in Norwegian) and were patrolling in the bay when they saw our campsite. They are very friendly, and they ask us who we are, where we come from, and they make sure that we can protect ourselves from polar bears. They also tell us that goose hunting started the day before, so they are checking that everything is fine since.
We offer them coffee and continue to chat a bit.
When leaving, they make a stop at Harald's but the house seems empty.
During the afternoon, we decide to wash ourselves. Some of us go to the river nearby, when the most courageous go swimming in the arctic ocean :-) I also decide to shave as I can no longer stand the itching !
The washing and shaving process is all the more enjoyable than the weather is sunny (again !) and the air quite warm.
Feeling clean and smelling good is an exquisite experience after many days without any bathrooms ;-)
We decide to make a fire for the night to come, and then we try our luck and visit Harald's. We brought a bottle of whiskey in sign of friendship ;-) But the house is still very quiet and no one answers when we knock on his door. We leave a note and the bottle on the door step and walk back to our camp.
We all prepare dinner. We also adjust our watches in order to gain 4 hours, as planned. Thus it is already 20h, and time to have dinner :-)
R.'s injury is better and we should be able to leave the next day.
Tonight, O. and I have the shift from midnight to 4am. I don't go to bed at midnight and prefer to stay with O.. With all the branches and wood pieces found on the beach, it is easy to keep the fire alive. Fire is absolutely necessary as the "nights" start to be cold.
At 2 am, O. goes to bed and I stay alone from 2 to 4. The sun hides itself behind a large mountain, which was not the case the day before. It goes down quickly !! Lights are still amazing though.
Around 3:30, a seal comes close to the shore to say hello, and then swims towards Harald's cabin. At 4 am, I wake C. up, who was not asleep, and I quickly go to bed and fall asleep in my hot sleeping bag :-)
-------------
FIGURES OF THE DAY : 0km of kayak but a clean and rested team ;-)
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