As we headed straight for the pillar of a bridge, I tried to recall Algis’ advice. We sat in a shaky canoe on the Raudna river and collision was unavoidable. But with the best will in the world, I couldn’t remember what Algis had told us to do in case the boat tipped over. The chatty local, who had picked us up in the darkness with his rickety car, had shared with us so much that morning. From facts about nature to the number of children which he could push into a canoe in one minute (30).
I did know that the water was freezing cold. I didn’t have to go under for that. It was the end of October. Winter was upon us. You may be wondering, dear reader, why we went canoeing in the first place? Wouldn’t it be better to stay in, with a good book and a cup of hot cocoa? In other words, wouldn’t be better to be normal? Thanks for the concern, but our mental health is fine. No, we explored Soomaa National Park, one of the wildest areas in Estonia, of our own free will. More specifically, it was a birthday present for Anete from my parents. If we ended up wet, or worse, it was all their fault.
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