The Wild Ride - AMA RUNWAY

OSLO – The stopover

The economic stopover A paragem económica (Em Português AQUI) We couldn’t leave the old continent without taking advantage of the perks of European low-cost travel. Well, to secure an affordable trip for the desired dates, we had two options with crazy layovers. We opted for an independent layover, spending a night in Oslo, which would give us more time for final preparations. We left at dawn, heading to the cold city. A few hours of work from the airport. A 10-minute transfer to the hotel that costs more than the flight from London to Oslo. After demagnetising two room cards and deactivating an elevator, nothing beats a hot shower and a comfortable bed to crash in. THE BEST PART – THE BREAKFAST Well-deserved rest, and in the morning, one of the best breakfasts of my life—but only 15 minutes to enjoy it. Unfair! Why was I so lazy to get up? Why didn’t anyone warn me that such a feast was waiting for me? The truth is, I didn’t expect such a varied and delicious hotel breakfast. Perfectly cooked eggs in multiple styles, bread, croissants, cheeses and cold cuts, fruit, salmon, etc. I hate wasting anything and want to try almost everything. But I couldn’t. If anyone stays at the SCANDIC OSLO AIRPORT and the chef is the same, please wake up early and enjoy what I couldn’t! We left for the airport with time to spare, only to discover that the line for LA was huge and the check-in time was absurd. THE COOL GROUP Out of nowhere, a lady asked if I was part of the group. What group? The group of tired people waiting for a flight? The group of people who are exhausted, half-dizzy, and lost in time zones, mentally calculating everything that will be needed or possibly forgotten? Turns out, the lady had only seen my protective jacket and thought I was part of the group she was looking for—a group of crazy adults on an organised Harley motorbike trip through California. I wasn’t even prepared for my own adventure yet, and I was already being identified as part of the community. Suddenly, I was surrounded by motorcycle fanatics, who out of nowhere started talking about engines, seats, and destinations with me just because I was wearing an Alpine jacket. Another proof that appearances deceive, and there I was, immersed in an unlikely environment. Doubts began to arise. Was I in the right place? They talked about the good things and the difficulties—the challenge of hitchhiking, the hardness of the seat, the wind, the heat, etc. The more I listened, the more doubts crept in. A feeling of regret started to bubble up, even though I saw them all excited for their adventure. I felt out of place, like the odd one out. Since I was the oddball, I became the court jester, someone to chat with to pass the time and distract from the long wait. Until a kind soul realised that at this pace, we’d all miss the flight, and they decided to open more check-in counters and speed up the process, creating special lanes so we could rush to catch the plane, which was almost leaving empty. Yes, this happened in organised Europe, in a punctual and efficient Nordic country. The rush was such that, of course, I ended up losing something. The thing I always lose, but this time I lost both: my gloves! Brand new, with tags, with a guarantee, with protection. The most expensive gloves I’ve ever had, and I never even got to use them. CELEBRITY MIRAGE Before boarding, a figure caught my attention because of how different he looked. A tall guy with style passed by like a celebrity, and for a moment, he seemed like Harry Styles. If he had taken off his sunglasses, maybe I could have confirmed I was wrong, but everything about him looked like Harry. But I’m terrible at recognising celebrities. After failing to recognise Mr. Rowan Atkinson, the eternal Mr. Bean, I no longer trust my facial recognition instincts. And obviously, Harry Styles wouldn’t be there travelling on a 12-hour low-cost flight from Oslo to LA. Maybe it was his double. THE BENEFIT OF BEING ON A BUDGET Anyway, I was lucky not to have paid extra for front-row seats, which were full, and ended up in the less populated back section, where there were six seats for two people. In other words, a long chaise for each of us—a kind of executive experience for the poor. I believe the gods were signalling that I needed to rest well for the adventure I was about to embark on. A luxury breakfast, unexpected comfort on the flight… sooner or later, I’ll have to pay for this. Thanks, Norse, for the trip! I didn’t know about you, but you’ll now be a go-to on my trusted list. Uma viagem para recusar Não podíamos deixar o velho continente sem aproveitar as regalias das viagens low-cost europeias. Pois bem, para conseguir uma viagem acessível, para as datas pretendidas tínhamos duas opções com escalas loucas. Optamos por uma escala independente, passando uma noite em Oslo, o que nos daria mais tempo para a organização final. Partimos de madrugada rumo à cidade fria. Umas horas a trabalhar desde o aeroporto e um transfer de 10 minutos para o hotel que custou mais do que a viagem Londres-Oslo. Depois de ter desmagnetizado dois cartões de entrada e desactivar um elevador, nada como um banho quente e uma cama confortável para cair. O PEQUENO ALMOÇO DOS DEUSES Descanso merecido e pela manhã um dos melhores pequenos almoços da vida mas apenas 15 minutos para o desfrutar. Injusto! Porquê tanta preguiça ao levantar? Porquê não me avisaram que estava à minha espera um manjar daqueles? A verdade é que não esperava um pequeno almoço de hotel tão variado e saboroso. Ovos perfeitamente cozinhados em múltiplas versões, pão, croissants, queijos e enchidos, fruta, salmão, etc. Não gosto de desperdiçar nada

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Towards the end of the world

A perfect trip to be refused Uma viagem para recusar (Em Português AQUI) After a period of pandemic isolation, with constantly changing restrictions, and after spending time longing for the old routine, I received an invitation for a trip that was easy to refuse, yet tempting. WHY SHOULD I GO: It was an opportunity to explore a continent that was new to me. The America. That one colonised by Europeans that now has a mix of legacies. Where we find relics of ancient peoples, indigenous traditions, prejudices from less noble eras, and cultural influences from other parts of the world. It’s also filled with social and political conflicts, where some pursue superpower status while others fight to survive extreme poverty. A continent forced to receive what it both wanted and didn’t want from across the Atlantic. This is how I see the American continent, shaped by its contrasts. What has always fascinated me is its cultural diversity and what has grown from it. Despite the negative aspects of colonisation, I believe all this cultural blending has resulted in a wealthy continent, particularly in art, fashion, food, and music. America isn’t afraid to use colour, to mix flavours and sounds. It’s the continent of distances, where nature is as generous in what it offers as it is drastic in what it destroys. My favourites come from there: colourful Mexican embroidery, Argentine tango, U.S. pop art, Panamanian bananas, Colombian coffee, and even Brazilian music. WHY SHOULDN’T GO: For all these reasons, the invitation for this trip was indeed tempting, if not for the fact that it was offered as a ride on an off-road motorbike. Yes, this detail means that I could only have half a suitcase of clothes, a backpack for essentials, a laptop for work, and a very hard seat. No doubt that it was a trip to refuse. And I did refuse it. So many times I said no. I explained all the reasons I didn’t want to go. But I was not strong enough. So I said yes. Yes to give it a try until I realise it wasn’t for me, or perhaps until I changed my mind and decided to continue. This would be a crazy journey for some perfectionists, with so different expectations. This was the kind of trip I wouldn’t even dream of taking, but one that real life pushed me toward. CHANGE OF MIND: So, I committed to trying, to confront my fears and prejudices. It would be a few days in California and some more in Mexico to get a better sense of the culture outside the luxury resorts. I packed a dozen pieces of clothing, two pairs of shoes, and a strong will to step out of my comfort zone. It was time to embark on the adventure of travelling and working remotely with only the bare essentials. For this to happen, I had to renew my passport, pack up the clutter of my normal days, and set off with a backpack on my shoulders and a healthy portion of craziness. Uma viagem para recusar Depois de um período de clausura pandémica, restrições em constantes alterações, depois de um tempo a matar saudade do que era rotineiro, surgiu um convite para uma viagem fácil de recusar mas tentadora. PORQUE SIM: Uma experiência para conhecer um continente novo para mim. A tal América que foi colonizada pelos europeus e que vive agora com uma miscelânea de heranças. Por lá encontramos relíquias de povos ancestrais, tradições indígenas, preconceitos de épocas menos nobres, influências culturais de outras partes do mundo. Também não faltam guerras sociais e politicas, onde se busca o super poder ou se sobrevive à pobreza extrema. Um continente obrigado a receber o que queria e o que não queria, do outro lado do atlântico.. É assim que vejo o continente Americano, desenhado pelos seus contrastes. Pois o que sempre me chamou a atenção foi a diversidade cultural e o que nasceu dela. Apesar da parte negativa da colonização, penso que toda a mistura cultural deu origem a um continente bastante rico principalmente em arte, moda, comida, e música. A America não tem medo de usar cor, de misturar sabores e sons. É o continente das distâncias onde a natureza tanto é generosa no que oferece como drástica no que destrói. Muitas das minhas preferências vêm de lá. Os bordados coloridos Mexicanos, o tango Argentino, a arte pop dos Estados Unidos, a banana do Panamá, o café da Colômbia, ou mesmo a música Brasileira. PORQUE NÃO: Por tudo isto, o convite para esta viagem era bem sedutor, não fosse ela oferecida à boleia de uma mota todo-o-terreno. Sim, uma viagem apenas com direito a meia mala de roupa, uma mochila para os essenciais, um computador para trabalhar e um assento bem duro. Obviamente esta era uma viagem para ser recusar. E recusei. Insisti na minha recusa. Expliquei todas as razões para não querer ir. Recusei até ser convencida a tentar. A pelo menos experimentar até perceber que não é para mim, ou até mudar de ideias e decidir continuar. Esta seria um viagem de loucos e para uns loucos talvez demasiado perfeccionistas com diferentes expectativas para tal aventura. A tal viagem que nem em sonhos me metia, mas que a realidade e a oportunidade me empurrou para tal. MUDANÇA DE IDEIAS: Então comprometi-me a tentar. A confrontar os meus medos e preconceitos. Seriam uns dias na Califórnia e uns quantos no México para conhecer melhor a cultura fora dos resorts de luxo. Agarrei-me a uma dúzia de peças de roupa, 2 pares de calçado e vontade de sair da zona de conforto, para entrar na aventura de viajar e trabalhar à distância somente com o estritamente essencial. Para que isso acontecesse foi preciso renovar passaporte, empacotar a tralha dos meus dias normais e sair com uma mochila às costas e uma boa dose de loucura.