I'm realising how extraordinarily privileged I am, in terms of people I know. I have so many unplanned adventures gifted to me, like Norway. And friends who simply step up next to me when they see I need help ... because I'm not good at asking.
When I head off on these adventures, I'm only packing my camera, my laptop and myself, nothing more usually. And best of all, I get meet more marvelous people who often become new friends.
And so it goes.
These days in Norway have been spent on the edge of Ren and Egil's world, sharing the house with their lovely friends ... Becky and Japhet, Joshua & Jonah.
And at their wedding I met some of the 'legends' I had heard stories about, people I was so glad to finally meet ... like Lydia Lápidus Radlow, who is as marvelous, or perhaps more marvelous, than I could have imagined.
I met and photographed Richard Pierce, the writer and poet, and count myself extraordinarily fortunate to have been introduced to his writing. I have been dipping in and out of one his books, Bee Bones - 'sharing' it with Becky (whenever she puts it down) but will buy my own copy when I'm back home.
I met Richard while he was photographing an iron gate at the church and then photographed both he and his beautiful wife, more than a few times.
So many people met on this visit. I had the luck to sit next to Kjetil and Sølve, with Odd, Marianne, and Kristin, making the dinner so very enjoyable.
And then there is Sissel, captured in the photograph at the top of this post. Isn't she truly divine. And her husband, that guy from Scotland, I adored him too, and his stories.
This morning, Marcelle messaged me, offering to pick me up from the airport when I return to England and I almost cried with gratitude. I had mapped out my route, and was fine with it but to be picked up and taken home ...that's truly unexpected. And so very very kind.
And so it goes ...