Days in the Hands of Mother Nature

by Mahmoud Dwikat (Palestine)

A leap into the unknown Palestine

First, I don’t travel much because of the restrictions on travel over the Palestinians. Anyway, there is a three-day-camping trip I will never forget all along. I was in an Erasmus+ student in Norway. That was two years ago and we went camping through a course plan. The course was called Open Air Wisdom and Ecology. The trip consisted of two groups; a Norwegian group with some other international students, the other group was all Belgians. The final number was thirty-two people directed by two Norwegian Professors of Biology and environment changes. We went Canoeing through three different islands in Strömstad city in Sweden, now and here the adventure begins; Day 1 We started the trip under a bridge in a narrow water path full of sea plants beneath. Beginning from a small shore on our canoes, you can imagine how attractive it could seem watching a big herd of rowing canoes in one moment. I still remember the crystal blue waters that turn into scattering glasses when we move the oars beneath them and the breathtaking nature on both sides. My companion was also Palestinian, Zuhair, Zuhair and I had no idea how to control the Canoe but we got the hang of it as soon as we copied the moves of the two directors. The experience was risky and unknown for us for we didn’t really know where we going, the whole group were taking the risk of the anonymous water tides and the strange uninhabited lands. “We were literally like the Vikings, anchoring in unknown lands letting the destiny decides our fate,” Zuhair said. The day was sunny and there was a nice breeze coming occasionally. We kept rowing in groups discovering places where we can moor the boats to take a rest and have lunch, but believe it or not we didn’t find a convenient place for this task. So we kept rowing for five hours more until we tied up our canoes in an island called Dafto-Valo as good as I can recall. The time was at sunset and the water was so calm that we didn’t hear the distraction voice of the oars when we “six international students” took a small ride on nearby. Finally we went to sleep in the tents inside the comfortable sleeping bags. Day 2 The sun rose up and the weather was partly cloudy and warm, the time was still morning and the whole group woke up early except for me. I was popular of being keen on with sleeping LOL! After I woke up, we headed into another island. The next day wasn’t as cozy as the first; the water turned into a rough sea as the one we read about in Hemmingway’s The Old Man and The Sea. I got stuck in muddy waters and we couldn’t get off the mud without the help of Aspen the director. Eventually we could make it to the other island in which we hooked fishing net to fetch different kinds of fish which I’ve never heard of before. We stayed there for three hours then we sailed our way off to Salto Island, I reckon that you know it or you heard of it once. The island is so big and covered with tall cone-shaped trees. Through or way to that island we fished to catch Ousters and snails in their seashells. We fetched a good number of them then we boiled them with seawater and yellow sea plants that turned into green after the boiling. I have never imagined how tasty and delicious Ousters can be. In the night we stood in a row before the Telescope to loot at two Spatial Orbs that we’ve been told to be checking Titan and Enceladus the two largest moons of Saturn. Finally, we built a bonfire around and stood beside to sing each in their language in a harmony. The next day we packed ourselves to head home. That was my best three days( days in the hands of mother nature).