Text – Ramona Mraz, Alana Harris-Hatschek & Giulia Heuser
Photo – Ale Mora
Illustration – Ramona Mraz
What makes you feel in tune with nature? Is it difficult hikes? Traversing mountain ridges? Cozy bonfire gatherings? Gazing up at the immensity of the cosmic magic above our heads at night? What is that feeling? Some combination of curiosity, wonder, or play? The sense of being small? Connection to your senses? Feeling like a kid again? There’s a lot of focus on the opposition between this feeling and the more “logical” ideas we use to define the human world: grids, rules, control, taxes. The strange ways we’ve adopted to understand our planet not in terms of our relationship to it, but in terms of its “services.” But we rarely focus on what we have in common.
If I were to say to you, I discovered this new species, but has the most elaborate behavior rituals I have ever seen! It migrates hours outside its established population habitat to set up a tiny home and roam around aimlessly in the mountains. It makes super enchanting noises out of vibration boxes and moves its body in random movements that are in tune with its rhythm. It likes to jump in freezing cold lakes even though it has warm-blooded thermoregulation and then bask in the sun even though it can’t photosynthesize. It puts on little patterned fabrics to stay warm and takes little images to show its community when it comes home. You might think this species is adorable!
I have a theory that this adorable-ness is part of the perspective that can help us understand the innate inseparability of human and planet.The Kreklingsus festival may be a perfect example of human connection to nature in a wholesome display of playful celebration: Humans wandering around to marvel at the beauty of the world with no other purpose than to wonder. To sing and dance and celebrate what it is to be alive. This core of human nature: connection and curiosity. And what it is to be in tune with nature is exactly what it is to be in tune with our human nature: A beautiful expression of weird, random, and adorable.
There’s something magical about firsts, and our first camping experience happened to be at a small festival in the mountains. An adventure full of surprises and unforgettable moments. It didn’t start out perfect, but it’s a trip we’ll never forget.
We arrived late at night.Of course… In true novice style, we managed to forget that head torches need batteries, so there we were, standing in the pitch-black mountain night with no clue how to set up our tent. A great start, right? It would have been if we had any camping skills. Luckily, help came in the form of some friendly Norwegian pro campers who saw us struggling and stepped in like absolute legends.
Once we were all set up, we settled into the cozy camp atmosphere. The smell of campfires filled the air as groups played card games and shared stories. There was a short-lived moment of limbo and spontaneous dancing before we called it a night. Feeling the festival vibes beginning to sink in.
Arriving in the dark meant we had no idea where we had pitched our tent. The next morning, as the sun began to creep through the fabric, we unzipped the tent to an incredible sight. We were just two meters from the edge of a crystal-clear lake, with sheep wandering by and towering mountains framing the horizon. It felt like stepping into a painting.
Without hesitation, we decided to dive straight into the lake for a morning swim. The water felt like it was about four degrees, an icy shock that woke us up better than any coffee could. But as we swam, surrounded by breathtaking views, the cold didn’t matter. It was one of those rare moments where everything feels perfectly right.
After breakfast, we set out on a 10km hike along the mountain ridges.The hike offered us even more stunning views, this time over the fjord below. By the time we returned, the sun was fully out, and everyone was ready to jump into the lake again. The day taking on the carefree energy of a summer camp with friends.
The evening came with a cozy atmosphere that fit the surroundings perfectly. The festival’s stage was set up right by the lake, and as the sun began to set, Goofy Geese and Drea filled the air with acoustic guitar and soft melodies. We all huddled around the stage, joining in with songs when prompted, watching the sunset as music echoed across the water. It was intimate, magical, and heartwarming.
As the evening unfolded, the stage turned into an open mic night. People took turns performing, and soon, we were all dancing together. The music and excitement took over, making us forget how cold the mountain air had become.
As if the night couldn’t get any better, the northern lights made an appearance. It was my first time seeing them and it felt like the perfect way to cap off an already dreamlike evening. Wrapped in blankets, we huddled around the campfire as greens and purples lit up the sky. We sat in awe, watching nature’s greatest light show dance above us.
The northern lights, the music, the campfires, and the shared moments with friends, old and new, all made our first camping experience one for the books. It wasn’t the smoothest start, but by the end, it felt like the perfect adventure.
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