THE EXTREMITIES OF NATURE AND DIGITIZATION IN NORWAY Merely 15 minutes before take-off, well past the boarding time, I was still running about the gates of Oslo airport to find out where exactly I could board my flight. The countdown for take-off had begun and a lone attendant stood at gate a-10, eyebrows raised at "Ms. Venkatesh?", who thought she had missed her flight. But right then I was directed to enter-albeit, there wasn't much time to dwell on this accomplishment because, "boarding complete" and it was time to relish the views of the fjords from above. Even at 11:30 pm, sunlight glittered like gold on the Norwegian sea below. It was no time to sleep in this land of the mid-night sun, but to dream with my eyes wide open. Excited by the prospect of having 24 hours of daylight to explore, I had made up my mind to make the most of my time and set-off on a ferry ride after the flight, arriving in the Lofoten islands at 3:30am! But unlike me, the Norwegians had mastered the art of sleeping soundly under dazzling sunlight. The lack of public transport at the odd hour decreed an exhausting long walk from the ferry port into the town of Reine. Having ample time to kill before even requesting an early check-in, I decided to rest in one of the cute cabins that serve as a local bus-stop. Trust Norway to be a safe-haven for solo-travellers! Finally at 8 am, I dialed the guest house. Alas, being extraordinarily digitized, they could only send out hourly One Time Passwords (OTPs) past the allocated time. It was going to be hard to stay put until afternoon because the wee hours had passed and spending any longer in my 'temporary accommodation' wasn’t a great idea. Nevertheless, the Norwegian wilderness offered great company and I set-off to hike the nearby Reinebringen hill which was crumbling under a fatigue, more colossal than my own-the cause of which became apparent to me only later. The trail was impossible to locate. Conceding after 3 attempts, I hurried back to the town for a prompt check-in, which involved retrieving a key from a safe box, opening the main door and unlocking the treasure-my room. Such heights of digitization, where the possibility of breaking-in is as remote as the island seemed unnecessary! Add to this, the Norwegian habit of carrying a Mattepacke (packed lunch) everywhere- next day's breakfast too, was daintily set aside in the kitchen, with my room number on the tray. It honestly felt like being transported to a future that is not far away. In those moments of disconcert, the warmth of a human voice and the regularity in nature's cycles like day and night became evident. Fortunately though, in walked another girl with a huge backpack. But getting chatty with the 36 year old from Montreal who backpacking through Europe only left me feeling dismal-more than the Reinebringen that would not let me conquer it, earlier that day. She wasn't even going to attempt the famous hike because as unknown to enthusiastic hikers like me, it has been bearing our weight without any complaints. With the number of local tourists seeking an adventure having grown exponentially in the last few years, the steep, rocky trail leading up to the 450-odd meter hilltop viewpoint is battered from landslides caused by overuse. As a measure of responsibility, the municipality of the islands warns tourists of taking the path up at their own risk. Donors are being requested to step forward for reinstating the trail. This level of responsibility towards nature, it seems is harder than just climbing the Reinebringen! Lofoten being picturesque all around, I dropped the idea of hiking up the rightfully miffed giant. A walk in the surrounding hamlets, their beauty precipitated by the unpredictable weather was enough to fill me with awe. With sod-roofed houses and conventional ways of fishing still in practice, it was hard to let the disappointing factors overshadow the enthusiasm of unwinding by strolling in the prevalent shadow of the Viking era. 96 hours shone much light on the irresponsible tourist in 4 days, because where were the nights!