In February 2023 I encouraged you to read a book that tells about Antarctica. For the challenge I picked up a book written by Norwegian Stein P. Aasheim (in Finnish). I am not sure if it is translated into English but it tells about Vegard Ulvang, Jan-Gunnar Winther, Stein P. Aasheim and Harald Dag Jølle 's expedition to follow in Roald Amundsen's ski tracks to the South Pole to celebrate its 100 anniversary.
This books smells like sweat, stew woolen socks and testosterone. I have never ever read a book like this. Definitely not my genre. I picked it up for the challenge by googling books according to the theme. This seemed interesting so I borrowed it at the local library. Right on the begin I started to think how on earth I can ever finish it. The language and style are so different compared to what I am used to and I do have read all kind of books -except these. I had difficulties to stay on the track. But then I don't know what happened. Feeling that I was trying to ski in Sahara and pulling a pulka behind me started to ease. I don't know if the style got easier or did I got used to it but it turn out easier to stay on the track right behind them.
I am happy I found this book and I can only say not many 60 years old can do the same as Aasheim while it was hard enough for the younger ones too. It was an ordeal indeed but I am sure they all remember it with love and the dust of the difficulties fade away during the years passing by. I also must admit these men are the most brave South Pole explorers as they only didn't do it but did perhaps even more brave and challenging thing: They spoke aloud about the difficulties they faced and for sure -because of that- save several lives after their expedition despite before them the others had been just silent about it all what called the death into the camps.
