I was up early and finished packing before we headed off to the airport for our last flight within Greenland, flying over most of the distance we had covered during the trip. Upon reaching Kangerlussuaq, we dashed off to Meet Nini, JP’s wife. Taking us to her comfy workshop, where she carves design expressions out of animal horns, she explained the process of carving animal bone jewelry.
Greenlandic by birth, Nini left Greenland when she was a year old and was brought up in Denmark. Before her marriage, I considered myself Danish, she added, her big brown eyes sparkling tenderly. The urban exiles we undertake for work and opportunities don’t always leave us content and she shifted back to Greenland bidding her high profile Media coverage life with MTV farewell.
Sharing her designs with us, Nini, added, ‘I have started liking circles and smooth curves more, since the past few weeks. Earlier I loved sharp triangles.’ She had a Caribou horn elegantly knotting her hair in place, piece she had first crafted on a vacation, something that got her interested in the art, something confirming to what her initial design preferences were.
We did a round of filming outside, our last take for the series and headed for the airport. Soon we were bidding a great friend Apu goodbye who was off to Nuuk to meet his girlfriend. We had almost managed to miss our flight, boarding at the last minute. We reached Copenhagen by night and everyone was tired, but our spirits were still high.
We went to Tivoli’s, gallivanted the streets; pub hopped, soaked in Copenhagen craziness, and marveled at the trip. Few hours, and I’d have to catch my morning flight back, bidding adieu to a great mentor and amazing friends.
Dan was heading off to Berlin, and Rich was staying back in Copenhagen. Simon and Jas were leaving the next day. I was devastated at having to say goodbye to my friends. I was grateful for their company and all that I learnt from them.
Each time I’d see a documentary, I’d see a Dan at work, with or without a bruised ankle. Single handed content production is tough, and Rich and Dan were amazing with working on their feet, adapting to situations as they came and striving constantly to share what they saw. The final documentaries we see on television is a lot of grit and hard work. I am going to miss them both, and Rich saying, ‘On top of the World’.
Simon has been my friend philosopher throughout this trip, and he truly is the original nomad. I was grateful to him for founding World Nomads and giving so many dreamers a chance to go and explore. I was going to miss him and his stories.
Being a part of the National Geographic team was intense, a waking dream of sorts, something which has changed me as a person, giving me a new perspective for my own work as a photographer, inching me closer to my dream. I am going to miss Jason’s guidance immensely, and wish we were going for another assignment.
I had met some great people on this trip, many of who I will stay in touch with, many of whom I was grateful to for their time. The trip had been rough for sure, but everything else will seem easy by comparison.
Greenland was tough, brutal but beautiful beyond belief. Its coldness compensated by the warmth of the people I met there.
Goodbye Greenland, you were amazing.
