Just got back from Hudø. I'm tired. There's a brand of spreadable chocolate called Sjoko. There's also spreadable caramel. I just misread that as camel.
Well, that was fun. Got to take a trip on the viking ship (which happens to have a rather large motor in it. I guess it's just a compact version of the times when viking sailors would strap five hundred horses to the boat and get them to start swimming), which was interesting. I never knew how they worked the sail before.
We also had competitive rowing, which is quite entertaining when not a single person on your team has done coordinated rowing before (including the drummer). I never knew so few people could hold a rhythm.
Then there was the treasure hunt, which my team eventually just gave up on after suffering two injuries and getting tired of rock climbing. The dark-clad pirate enthusiast singer is still limping a bit.
As for accommodations, I first went to the wrong colony. When I got to the one I was supposed to be in, all the rooms had already been taken. Some of the girls were asked if they would be willing to share a room with a guy (there were a couple rooms that had only three beds taken up, and those were occupied by the feminine gender), but that was of course a fleeting joke of an idea.
So, after a little searching, two more rooms were found. These were spacious, had only two beds each, and were stocked with sinks, cabinets and desks of their own. I ended up in one of these.
But wait, there's more. After a bit of looking around my new room, I found an odd key. I tried it on the cabinet, but that wasn't the right one. I tried it on the desk drawers, but those were all blocked.
Then I saw an odd box on the wall, and stuck the key in. Unlocking it was a little bit tricky, but I managed. Then I saw what was inside.
The power box.
Before you ask, no, I did not succumb to temptation and start flinging switches with malicious glee. I did have some fun with a slight side effect of it though.
The room was directly adjacent to a little open entryway for the rest of the housing complex. One door led to my room, another led to the other "deluxe" room, and the central door led into the main section where all the other rooms were.
On the second night, I decided to go to bed a bit before everyone else. I was tired, and I wasn't getting anything out of the crowd that I wanted. I made my way back to my building and into the room, where I started looking for a light switch.
Well, I found one. Except it didn't turn on any lights in my room.
The entryway was flooded with light as its own personal bulb flared into glory. Two girls who had just entered the entryway and were making their way to the main structure gave shrieks of surprise as they were blasted with light and the image of a groggy me standing in the doorway.
I smiled at them politely and said "excuse me".
This, of course, was solid gold. I waited at the door until I detected someone passing, and then I would shut off the light. The first time I did it, I spooked some guy who started warbling as he shook the shock off.
The second time was perfection. I could hear a couple girls walking towards the entrance from inside the building, and I settled in for the pounce. They started across the small area when the lights suddenly go out. There's an "oy!" of surprise, and then they slow down and wait for their eyes to adapt to the darkness after what is certainly either a power failure or some sort of timed "lights out".
Then it turns back on again. There's a light titter of laughter at whatever mistake caused the slight lapse of light, and then they start off again.
Out goes the light. They stop, there's a little more laughter at the unusual electrical display. The light pops on again, and one of them jokingly mentions "ghosts".
It is at this moment that I put on my best "EEEeeeheehee!" face and open the door just enough to stuick my head out. I chuckle maliciously, and howls of laughter erupt from them as I retreat back into my lair.
I would have to say, bloody well done.
I ranked up a couple other points with the female persuasion that day. Just the little things that have a funny way of being worth more than you give them credit for.
I gave a thorough foot massage to one girl who had tired feet after this one activity that had everyone running around the island. Foot massages are a great way to get in good graces, as they're not exclusively lovey-dovey in their purpose and thus do not have much pressure associated with them.
But then I came across a new and remarkably effective means of getting a good reputation. I was sitting next to a group of girls during the evening singing and fire. I had positioned myself behind the first row of them so I could look over the shoulder of one and read the songbook to get all the lyrics for the current song.
There was a stack of songbooks behind a rock down near the fire, but this was more rewarding.
Anyways, after a while of sitting like that, the second row arrived and took up position next to me. After some time, the girl sitting directly adjacent to me started toying with the hair of the one holding the songbook. All good fun.
I was finding innovative ways of making the absolute most of my jacket, and exposing as little skin to the rigid air as possible. One of these attempts was apparently rather entertaining to the assembled group, so I made the most of it.
Anyways, after a while of this, I realized I must have significantly warmer hands than the girl next to me, who was still tying braids and other unusual things into songbook-holding-girl's hair. I warmed my hands on my stomach for that extra kick, and then motioned for her to give me her hand.
Something as simple as a hand-to-hand warmth transfer managed to get several coos and other appreciative noises from those witnessing it, and also one mention of "I've got a new best friend". She also had to show off her new warm hands, something which sounds very strange in text.
So, yeah. Foot massages (well, extremity massages. Hands are also good) and small heat transfers. Unfortunately, both of those newly-realized talents have become a little more difficult with the return to a school environment.
I also don't have a power box in my room anymore.
But, hey. You know you've got it good when one group of girls agrees that you are "tøff" (lit. "tough". Often used as a Norwegian version of "cool").
Another group told me I looked like Brandon Lee in "The Crow", just without the makeup. I'm not sure how to take that.
EDIT: Just did some more counting. In this entire building, first and second floors, there are 38 girls and 18 guys. You'd think I would see more of them.