NORSK

R u n e _ K r i s t i a n _ E l l i n g s e n
Rune Ellingsen (d.o.b. 3rd of January, 1974) is a trained journalist, and he grew up on the island of Rost in Lofoten. He is currently studying for his Master of Arts degree in International relations at Khazar university in Baku, Azerbaijan. He will have the study, as well as the around the world project as main priorities in the coming years. He became known to the media a few years ago, first as press and information officer in the Norwegian Infantry Battalion in Kosovo, the later as editor of the student newspaper at the Regional university of Bodo. Rune has so far visited around 25 countries in his job as a journalist. See also his resume and my CV for more formal, detailed information.
Rune says:

- I have always enjoyed doing untraditional things, things that are off the beaten track for most people. Or doing traditional things in an untraditional fashion. Even though it sometimes means that you have to take a chance and venture into unknown territory, frightening as it may be. My good friend, the artist, is a very contemplated young man. During a late evening discussion about traveling in the Caucasus, then in Baku, Azerbaijan, he smilingly uttered the following:

“There is no reason not to take a risk, just as long as one feels lucky”
(Fabian Heffermehl, painter)

Finn Olav “Finni” Olsen and I have been childhood friends and hung out together as far back as I can remember, since long before we first went to school. In the latter part of the 1990es, we started discussing making a long trip together. We talked about traveling with the Trans-Siberian railway and many other things.

But none of the travel projects we discussed, felt completely right. Either they were not spectacular enough, they were not exotic enough, or they wouldn’t get us far enough. This around the globe project was born in the late summer of 2000, when I bought Knut Frostads book about his project Innovation Kvaerner, which completed the Whitbread around the world in 1997 – 1998. It was only then I realized that it would actually be possible for me to go around the world in a sailing yacht, a thought that had never struck me before. In addition, previously I had only spent a few hours under sail in my entire life.

I mentioned the idea for Finn Olav, who immediately adopted the idea. We went to the library and borrowed the book Sorgenfri. Like so many others before us, we were very inspired by their tales from the seven seas a decade earlier.

Since then we have spent every moment available together and separately, planning, thinking, discussing, dreaming and organizing the project, that came to be known as “Underveis”, or simply “Underways” as it would be in English. I traveled, worked and studied intensively abroad during this period of time, bur especially in the summers we spent the light polar nights working together on this project. Usually, we would sit and work until the very morning.

The summer of 2002 we had reached the point were we decided to leave for the high season the 20th of August 2006. This was a date that committed the both of us. We knew already then that if we didn’t manage to break lose by then, it would be difficult to realize the trip. We saw plenty of examples in the internet and media about expeditions that planned and organized, and then they lost their courage when the departure date came closer. Even though they had bought a boat and even quit their jobs. In addition we are not getting any younger, so we both knew that it had to be done now!

At this point I was studying at the Faculty of Journalism in Bodo, and had some leisure time available for planning. At some point I started mentioning our plans for some friends and potential sponsors. The response was overwhelmingly positive. It was only then I realized that this crazy idea was actually doable!

The rest is already becoming history, and by the end of August, we are setting sail with a steady course for the unknown. Six years of dreaming and planning is becoming reality, a fantastic feeling that surpasses most other things. And as we keep saying to each other; We will be too late to discover the world, but maybe we can contribute to rediscover it? There are countless unique experiences, places and people out there, just waiting to for a visit by us and S/Y Underveis. And hang in there; We are on our way!

Rune

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