想去北歐旅行好多年了，好不容易今年夏天內心有一股強烈的反動力，讓我想要去一趟長途旅行，於是夢就這麼成真。雖然跟團的行程不允許我完成太多速寫，不過我還是抓到一些空檔，在速寫本裡留下記錄。
I'd been dreaming of traveling to North Europe for years, but I was daunted by the cost. This summer I felt the need to do something big, and thanks to it, I made it to my dreamland. The choice of traveling with a tour group didn't allow me to sketch wherever I went; however, we were given some freedom every day, which made it possible for me to leave some records in my sketchbook.
搭遊輪欣賞挪威第一大峽灣松恩峽灣時，大家紛紛擠到最上層的甲板上拍照，我則留在溫暖的第二層，隨著眼前風景不斷變換，把看到的景色組合起來。
When taking a ferry across Sognefjord, the most spectacular and renowned fjord in Norway, everyone fought for a place on the upper deck to snap away. Longing for the indoor warmth, I stayed on the second deck to sketch whatever I saw as various landscape appeared in front of my eyes.
遊輪停在巴利斯川德之後，我們入住岸邊的古典飯店Kviknes Hotel，沿著岸邊是一間間設計典雅的社交大廳，我的團員們忙著用手機上網，而西方人則看書、喝紅酒聊天，能偷一小時觀察後者的悠閒，對我來說是珍貴的喘息機會。出發前我的身心過度運轉，所以在旅行中放慢無疑是種紓解。
We were blessed with the opportunity to spend a night in the classical hotel Kviknes after we got onshore at Balestrand. The best thing about the hotel is a row of differently-designed lobbies facing the water and the mountains afar. My travel mates were busy swiping their smartphones while our Caucasian counterparts concentrated on reading or chatting over a glass of red wine. I did not dislike my fellow travelers, but I was relieved to blend in with Westerners as I stole one hour to sketch them.
Before I left, I over-functioned mentally and physically, so it was a heaven-sent gift for me to slow down my pace and do nothing.
清晨是我每天最開心的時刻，一早起來用我的方式去探索北歐，呼吸新鮮清涼的空氣。巴利斯川德的週日早晨寧靜遼闊，雖然我只有半小時，圖也畫得歪歪扭扭，但是一看到這張速寫，我馬上想起當下的感覺。
The early morning was my favorite part of the day every day because I was able to explore North Europe in my own way. When I went out for a walk near the shore, I was all alone, surrounded by fresh air and vast quiet. I had only half an hour when doing this sketch. I was in a hurry, and I know it was a mess, but the image reminds me of the wonderful moment.
今天要整理照片的當兒，才發現某些照片被記憶卡吃掉了，我剩下的不多，卻也很多。這是在卑爾根港的山上俯瞰海岸的景色。
Today when I was about to go over the photos, I found that those of the first two days aren't there anymore. I do not feel especially heart-broken though. After all, I still have a lot, including the memories. This is a postcard on which I drew the view of Bergen harbor.
再度搭遊輪遊覽挪威第二峽灣蓋倫格峽灣，它走秀麗路線，前一天在松恩峽灣沒出現的海鷗紛紛現身，窗外整片都是飛翔的白海鷗。我速寫眼前的韓國旅客，看他們聊得很入神，不過導遊安迪擔心我們錯過甲板上可見的風景，不禁提醒我們山壁上的瀑布是不能錯過的景點，於是在看了一眼之後，我就把七姊妹瀑布放進速寫。
Besides Sognefjord, Geirangerfjord is also famous though it's not as grand as the former. However, the seagulls we had been looking forward to seeing the previous day miraculously appeared. In fact, they came in flocks. I focused on observing the Korean tourists sitting in front of me, who seemed to have a good time conversing. However, our tour guide Andy was so worried that we would miss the landscape that he came to remind each of us not to skip the waterfalls. Thus, I decided to put the Seven Sisters Waterfall in my sketch after taking a look.
在里耳哈默的早晨，去旅館旁邊的森林散步，回到飯店吃早餐，突然收音機傳來Ed Sheeran的Think out Loud，這是阿嬤過世那一天我一直聽的歌，所以忍不住想阿嬤也跟我來北歐旅行了吧，於是我留了個驚喜給下一位客人。
In the morning in Lillehammer, after taking a walk in the woods, I returned to the hotel for breakfast. Then Ed Sheeran's Think out Loud found its way into my ears from one far corner of the restaurant. That is the song I was listening to repeatedly on the day my granny passed way. I couldn't help doodling on a napkin and left it as a surprise for the next guest.
把現學的挪威語「謝謝」說給高大紅頭髮的男侍者聽，他害羞地微笑一下，立刻用挪威語回我不客氣。
I thanked the tall waiter with red hair in Norwegian. His mouth broke into a shy smile while he replied, "Bare hyggelig," meaning "You're welcome." in Norwegian.
挪威山間的小路不好開，有一天希臘司機Kostas不斷得倒車、讓車，他也不時地得一個人開著車追逐搭遊輪的我們，說再見的那一天畫了一張卡片送給他，他說：You are so sweet!
It's a challenge to drive on the winding mountain roads in Norway. Sometimes coach bus drivers are confronted with other gigantic buses, so their skills are constantly tested. Our Greek driver also had to drive all by himself as we traveled by train or ferry. On the day we said goodbye, I gave him a hand-drawn card. He was so touched that he said to me, "You are so sweet!"
從鄉間回到大城市奧斯陸，有種失落的感覺。早晨的奧斯陸吹著冷冷的風，一下子我找不到可以畫的景色，八點之前沒有什麼人潮，基本的角色是跑者、腳踏車騎士、穿西裝拎著傘的上班族和海鷗、鴿子。
I felt lost when returning to Oslo. Compared with nature, there are mostly buildings and more buildings. On the windy morning, I was at a loss about what to sketch. Before eight o'clock, there weren't many people near the harbor. Basically, I saw runners, bicycle-riders, office workers in suits with an umbrella, and seagulls/pigeons.
離開奧斯陸前的中餐在高級的格藍飯店吃色彩繽紛的三明治，每一份都是紅配綠，不是燻鮭魚或蝦配生菜，就是紅紅的肉配綠蔬菜，視覺效果百分百，但在下著雨的城市裡，顯得有些冰涼。
We had our last lunch in Grand Hotel before leaving Oslo. It was a sandwich feast. Every sandwich is a combination of red/vermilion and green, a piece of toast with either salmon or shrimp or meat piled high together with veggies. The food was visually stimulating, but on a rainy day, it felt cold.
很久沒有在機場裡放肆速寫，而那一天出現在我眼前的乘客每位都有自己的時尚品味，自成一片風景。畫完之後，身旁的女士在我起身時給我會意的微笑，好低調的善意！
I hadn't sketched to my heart's content in airports for long. Yet, the passengers I encountered that day all possessed idiosyncratic fashion tastes. After I was done, the lady sitting next to me gave me a knowing smile, which is the low-key friendliness typical of North Europeans.
從奧斯陸到南方的哥本哈根，都市景色變換成有工業感的陽光城市，住的旅館房間有落地窗，早晨和傍晚不斷有跑者和腳踏車騎士從窗前閃過。
Arriving in Copenhagen, we were impressed by the industrial feel of the city, apart from the sunshine. The French window of our hotel room framed joggers and bicycle-riders on the move.
之後幾天的旅行在各國首都裡穿梭，面對高高低低的建築和人群，我卻不知道要畫什麼了。
During the second part of our journey, we flew from one city to another. Facing the cityscape and crowds, I no longer knew what I could draw.
旅行回來一個星期了，腦中很多記憶還是停留在北歐的旅行，有時候我努力地抓住回憶，有時候則是北歐情境的再創造。週末去植標館上工，順便帶了一包在波羅的海遊輪上買的HARIBO軟糖給孩子們當獎品，活動要收尾的時候，我們全部都沉浸在吃軟糖的新奇感裡，孩子們也是，媽媽們也是，當下我感覺北歐的旅行又復活了。
It has been a week since I returned. There are still many vivid memories in my head, some of which I make an effort to cling to while sometimes the moments just recreate themselves in my daily lives. I took with me a bag of HARIBO bought on the cruise sailing across the Baltic Sea as the prize for the kids to the herbarium this past Saturday. At the end of the workshop, all of us, children, mothers and staff, got carried away by the excitement of eating gummy bears. At that instant, I couldn't feel more North European ...
