KTM-BKK-OSL-KRS

On 12 October 2018, after one month of working on the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for a proposed hydro-power project in Nepal, I flew back to Norway, from Kathmandu (KTM), via Bangkok (BKK) and Oslo (OSL), to arrive in Kristiansand (KRS). The 12 hrs. long leg from BKK to OSL was gruelling because of a back problem I had developed while sleeping on a bed with a joke of a mattress. This happend while working in the project area which is located in the far west of the country and up in the mountains of Himalaya. But that is another story!

I posted the following on Facebook, together with the map, on 12 October 2018:

"Up, up, and away! Via Bangkok and Oslo. Beginning to become a routine by now. Leaving one set of experiences, emotions, people, and countries behind, in order to engage with another set. Huge differences between Nepal and Ultima Thule, to be sure. But, on a fundamental level there are really very few differences. We are all humans, variations on the endless scheme of cultural and environmental adaptations that homo sapiens has evolved into. And, finally, one has to say good bye in order to – some time into the future – be able to say hallo, and continue the never-ending story of human interaction and communication. Take good care, Nepal! Welcome Ultima Thule (and later on Bulgaria)!"

Lars T. Soeftestad

Notes
(1) The map is limited in that it shows only the starting airport and the destination airport, and not the intermediary airports (in this case in Bangkok and Oslo).
(2) The quoted text refers to "Ultima Thule". This is how I often refer to Norway, my home country – it is far away from most places on the planet.
(2) This article was first published on Facebook, 12 October 2018.
(3) Image credit: Facebook.
(4) Permalink. URL: https://devblog.no/en/article/ktm-bkk-osl-krs
(5) This article was published 13 October 2018. It was revised on 26 February 2021.