Back in Finland, it's soon time for the rescue team to depart from Santa Claus' Village.
Santa asks, 'Have you packed all your things you need on your trip to Shenzhen?'
Brown Bear yawns his response, 'I think so'.
Passport, visa? And money?
Magpie responds quickly, 'Yes.'
Travel insurance document?
Fox's response is full of confidence, 'Absolutely.'
Mobile phones and the chargers?
Reindeer Rudolph wonders,
'Chargers?! Oh, sorry, got to go get one immediately from the inside.'
What about business cards?
Reindeer Rudolph turns around and continues, 'Oh,... I see. Of course, I'll go get a lot. We'll have a good chance to promote Christmas while we are there.'
Yes, you will. ...Sunglasses?
Fox answers, 'Sunglasses?! Do we really need them? It's the beginning of December, it's so dark all day round these days, so we can't see the sun. Can we?'
Sure, you can, not here though, but there you can, certainly. It's close to the Equator, you know. The length of any day is almost the same there all year round. In December they have dry winds and a dry climate in South-East Asia, including Shenzhen too. So they don't have a lot of clouds there either. Which means it is often sunny at daytime.
And besides... you'll fly high above the clouds, so it's kind of sunny most of the time
there, don't you think.
But you Brown Bear, you never need any sunglasses. You sleep the darkest time
of the year in the winter and you are on the move when we have a lot of light and
nightless nights in Finland in the summer. You are quite used to sunlight, aren't you.
Brown Bear is a bit puzzled and asks, 'Santa, will we need any umbrellas there?'
My dear Bear, did you fall back to your winter sleep when I was talking about the fact that there are very many sunny days in Shenzhen in December?
Oh, I see. Sorry.
No need to be sorry. We woke you up from your hibernation for this trip, so you must be a bit sleepy still, mustn't you.
Yes.
And remember to take your down jackets with you.
Magpie remembers his visit to Shenzhen just a very short time ago and looks a bit amused because it was quite warm there. Santa may really be getting old after all.
'Down jackets?! What for?!'
It's really cold high up in the air when you are flying.
Magpie wonders, 'Really?!'
If your feathered friend Whooper Swan was here now, she could tell you about the very cold temperatures whenever she migrates and flies very high above. It's always cold high up there.
Magpie says, 'Oh, I see. I'll go get them for us.'
Fox adds, 'And I'll fetch a digital camera.'
Santa says, 'Good thinking. Then you can take photos and show them to me when you are back.'
YOU ARE READING
Weigh Out Way-In
General FictionThere is an unexpected turn in the story that drastically changes the course of events and, in the long run, even the lives of those involved. Magpie, the first to be involved, suddenly finds himself in the world so unlike his own. Will he find his...
