What should I do next? Should I even continue at all? My need for community is so great that I am even considering ending my bike trip and finding a job with people. Or should I recharge my batteries at a festival? I want to figure that out today.
My more tangible goal today: to buy a rain jacket. In the morning, I tested under the shower to make sure that my current jacket had really reached the end of its life. It has. In addition to a few holes that I had overlooked before my departure, the seams are no longer in the best shape. I don’t want to get stuck in the Norwegian rain. Finding a suitable jacket for me will be a challenge. Two large bike shops (at opposite ends of the city) have nothing in my size. My shoulders are too broad for the largest women’s sizes, my hips too broad for the largest men’s sizes. A bit annoying, but also ridiculous. Norwegians aren’t that small. I happen to pass Odlo and find a jacket that is just right and affordable. I chat with the French salesman about cycling routes in Norway.
I spend the morning looking for festivals on the way to and in Oslo. I join Facebook groups and write to people. I would like a festival to take place here in Oslo tomorrow that just happens to be perfect for me. I find a small festival near Gothenburg that starts next Sunday. In the afternoon, I meet one of the organisers for a chat. The festival sounds nice and challenging in the right way for me. At the same time, it throws my plans a little out of kilter, as I “have” to move back south from here.
I spend the rest of the day baking a cake and mending clothes. The cake is a small thank you for my hosts.
I haven’t really decided what I’m going to do tomorrow. I’m assuming that I’ll move on, somewhere. And maybe I’ll go to the festival next week.
