Winter in Estonia

On several occasions when waiting for the bus I was thinking to myself that this winter survival in Estonia is by far the most extreme thing I have done during the past 15 months. The continuing cold and deprivation of light.

 On my arrival back home I was greeted with -15⁰C. At 4PM it was as dark as night. Usually the moon should reflect from the snow and make the winter nights quite light, but it was cloudy. When changing planes in Finland I had gone out for 2 minutes. It was enough to develop a fever the same evening. Oh you poor tropical kid, the parents consoled me.

I was determined to take up the challenge. As soon as the fever was over in 2 days, I started sleeping with an open window. Warm blanket and a cold room is a great mix. I restarted an old habit of finishing each shower with a minute of screaming and hopping around under the cold water. At least one should make an effort. Nevertheless, try as I might, when having to wait for the bus 5 minutes, 10 minutes, I was:

1.       Daydreaming of the heat records happening in Australia as I’m freezing here;

2.       Repeating in a whisper “This is not normal, this is not normal, this is NOT normal….”

3.       Thinking to myself “Oh, let’s breathe through the belly and feel how the warm air on the inside reaches every last inch of my limbs”. 15 seconds later “I do not feel any warmth at all. This is not normal, this is NOT normal”.

4.       Imagining how I will defeat the cold when moving to live in Estonia by buying the warmest long thermal underwear that I saw in Sportland – meant for -25⁰C and cost 100 euros. Ha! F you very much, you cold, you! Oh you wanna blow some freezing air straight to my face – I’m gonna wear a bloody skiing mask!

Yeah, that’s a weird feeling to have the naked skin of your face open for the elements in -15⁰C. When visiting my friend Karen in Tartu, we went for a get-sober-walk the next day after a “something pink” party. It was a bright sunny day and beautiful. After 10 minutes I told her my face hurts. She told not to worry. Soon you get a mild cold damage and you no longer feel the pain. And it worked! 

Few days later something amazing happened. The temperature rose to - 5⁰C. As I was going to the bus station I was so pleased. How cozy and, dare I say, warm it is!