The power of fire

(Photos of the diary entry can be found at the end of the text).

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Crack! Hiss! Let’s open a can of Danish beer, the taste of which we have become accustomed to. “Cheers,” I say and clink glasses with Tanja. “Cheers,” she replies, putting her arm around my shoulder. “Are you happy to have found a place to spend the night in the middle of the wilderness again?” she asks quietly. “Absolutely. It gives you a bit of an adventure feeling.” “I’m happy to see you happy.” “Are you happy too?” “Yes. How could I be unhappy in such a wonderful place?” she replies, pointing to the mountain silhouette in the North Sea in front of us and asking: “Are those the famous bird islands of Bleiksøya and Forøya?” “No, they’re a bit further north from here, but there are lots of bird species on Vesterålen, such as razorbills, guillemots, shags, herons and even swans. This is one of the things the island region is known for. The fjord landscapes provide plenty of food for seabirds,” I explain as a sea eagle circles above our heads at that very moment. “The king of the skies obviously feels at home here too,” says Tanja, gazing up into the evening sky to follow the bird of prey’s flight path. “Do you know if there are any puffins on the islands?” Tanja wants to know. “Sure, they live here too.” “Will we see any of them?” “I don’t know. As far as I know, they prefer steep rock faces to nest in the niches and crevices that are found there. From what I’ve read, there are tens of thousands of pairs of puffins nesting on the bird islands you mentioned.” “I’ll never forget watching those funny-looking birds with their red beaks and feet for hours on Grimsey Island.” “You mean the tiny atoll of Grimsey between Iceland and Greenland?” “Is there another island called that?” “I don’t think so, but I just wanted to make sure I shared the same story.”

Until the sun has completely hidden behind the mountains, we sit there and reminisce. Then I jump up, grab the axe and go with Ajaci into the nearby forest to collect firewood for a campfire. “Take care!” Tanja calls after us. A little later, the first glowing sparks splatter into the gathering darkness. Because our mobile home is only a few meters behind us, we don’t need the fire to boil water, bake bread or prepare dinner. Lost in thought, we sit there and gaze into the hungry, lambent flames as if hypnotized. The silence of the seemingly untouched nature surrounds us, enveloping us like a silken cocoon. The longer we sit in silence, the more our senses sharpen. Suddenly we hear the gentle sound of the nearby sea, the babbling of the stream next to us, the distant call of a bird, the rustling of leaves as a light breeze blows through the trees, the pleasant crackling of the fire and the occasional loud crackling of the wood. “What are you thinking about?” Tanja’s voice interferes with the soothing background noise, which has been completely banished by human-made progress. “I’m just thinking about how we sat around the fire almost every day while crossing the Australian outback. How the fire warmed us on cold winter nights and how we cooked on it. There was something elemental about fire in those days. I think about the difference between lighting a fire just for pleasure or to survive. A survival fire, like the ones we had during our Australian or Mongolian crossings, had a completely different meaning to the one we have here at the moment. Somehow I love this important connection between people and fire. I believe that today’s earthlings, who have never been directly dependent on the power of fire, know what it means to them. Without the proper use of fire, humans would never have evolved to where they are today. For me, fire and man is one of the most important synergies. Even if it can sometimes kill, we can’t be without fire,” I reflect.

A gust of wind falls from the mountains into the valley and causes the flames to flare up brightly. I look up at the starry sky. In the south we recognize a black cloud front. “Is something brewing?” asks Tanja. “Hopefully not. I don’t know when the asphalt will be back. It would be bad if the road ahead sank into mud and we got stuck in it.” “You said the road is child’s play for the Terra.” “I did, but you know how it can rain here and how quickly conditions can change. But don’t worry about it. I’ll keep an eye out and, as I mentioned, we can always turn back.”

Tanja is in bed by 10 p.m. while Ajaci and I sit around the campfire and watch the stars. “Is that an aurora strip?” I ask, to which Ajaci replies with a friendly hum. “Indeed, those are the Northern Lights!” I say excitedly, jump up and rush into the Terra to get my camera equipment. Although we’ve had the pleasure of seeing the Northern Lights a few times now, it’s completely different every time. Fascinated, I sit there and watch the spectacle of the cosmic dance until it suddenly disappears, as if it was all just a ghost or my imagination. At midnight the sky is still colorless, so I retire to the Terra and lie down in the warm bed with Tanja…