1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:01,760 Do you trust me? Do you trust me? 2 00:00:01,800 --> 00:00:04,200 And we're off. Woohoo! 3 00:00:04,240 --> 00:00:06,520 BEN FOGLE: 'Imagine starting life all over again...' 4 00:00:06,560 --> 00:00:08,360 Where is Ben? I'm needed. 5 00:00:08,400 --> 00:00:10,000 Ben, you are needed. 6 00:00:10,040 --> 00:00:11,840 '..leaving behind everything you know...' 7 00:00:11,880 --> 00:00:16,280 Just a bicycle, suitcase, no money, that's all I had. 8 00:00:16,320 --> 00:00:18,920 '..for something completely different...' 9 00:00:18,960 --> 00:00:20,480 Number nine, let me take this off. 10 00:00:20,520 --> 00:00:22,800 Number nine. Number nine. Number nine. 11 00:00:22,840 --> 00:00:25,400 'I'm Ben Fogle, and over the next few weeks, 12 00:00:25,440 --> 00:00:27,560 'I'm going to live with the incredible people 13 00:00:27,600 --> 00:00:29,000 'who've done just that...' 14 00:00:29,040 --> 00:00:33,160 I'm a born fighter, and that's what I do get a kick out of. 15 00:00:33,200 --> 00:00:36,600 For a long time, I thought I was stupid. 16 00:00:36,640 --> 00:00:40,760 But I'm a good salesperson, and I'm selling this mountain hard! 17 00:00:40,800 --> 00:00:44,040 '..in some of the most remote places on Earth...' 18 00:00:44,080 --> 00:00:46,040 There is no restaurants, there is no bars, 19 00:00:46,080 --> 00:00:47,280 there is no nothing. 20 00:00:47,320 --> 00:00:49,600 You know, we didn't think that we were gonna come up here 21 00:00:49,640 --> 00:00:52,400 and not see humans for three to four months at a time. 22 00:00:52,440 --> 00:00:56,680 '..and what it takes to live a new life in the wild.' 23 00:00:59,280 --> 00:01:00,760 Whoo! 24 00:01:00,800 --> 00:01:02,960 That is a quick way to take down a tree. 25 00:01:09,000 --> 00:01:11,400 'This week, I'm in Norway...' 26 00:01:11,440 --> 00:01:13,360 We're going to put you into work. 27 00:01:13,400 --> 00:01:16,080 '..staying with artists Trond and Robert...' 28 00:01:16,120 --> 00:01:18,720 I like to hug them. 29 00:01:20,720 --> 00:01:23,760 All sorts of thoughts going on in my brain right now. 30 00:01:23,800 --> 00:01:27,680 '..who made their move to the wilderness later in life.' 31 00:01:27,720 --> 00:01:29,560 He phoned me and said, "I have bought a house." 32 00:01:29,600 --> 00:01:30,920 And I said, "You are crazy." 33 00:01:30,960 --> 00:01:35,400 "Yes, I bought the whole property." Wow. Without even asking you? 34 00:01:35,440 --> 00:01:38,680 'And despite serious health issues...' 35 00:01:38,720 --> 00:01:42,240 I'm having Lebanese sweets and dialysis. 36 00:01:42,280 --> 00:01:44,240 I love the way you put it in that order. 37 00:01:44,280 --> 00:01:46,760 I'm losing the ability to walk. 38 00:01:48,880 --> 00:01:51,920 '..they're more determined than they've ever been.' 39 00:01:51,960 --> 00:01:54,160 BEN LAUGHS 40 00:01:54,200 --> 00:01:56,800 Life is wonderful. We have a wonderful life. 41 00:01:59,120 --> 00:02:03,000 My journey takes me over 600 miles to Oslo, Norway. 42 00:02:05,960 --> 00:02:09,640 It's then a drive of more than 100 miles northeast 43 00:02:09,680 --> 00:02:12,120 towards the Swedish border, 44 00:02:12,160 --> 00:02:15,920 into the vast forest-scape that dominates Scandinavia. 45 00:02:17,600 --> 00:02:19,080 It's called the taiga. 46 00:02:19,120 --> 00:02:22,680 This environment actually stretches all around the northern hemisphere, 47 00:02:22,720 --> 00:02:26,160 multiple countries here in Scandinavia, all around Russia. 48 00:02:26,200 --> 00:02:30,160 In fact, it's one of the largest forests in the world. 49 00:02:31,440 --> 00:02:34,360 'As I get closer, the forest gets more dense... 50 00:02:35,440 --> 00:02:37,680 '..and civilisation more scarce.' 51 00:02:39,080 --> 00:02:42,360 Norway is a family favourite of ours to visit. 52 00:02:42,400 --> 00:02:46,960 I even considered moving here myself when I was in my 30s. 53 00:02:47,000 --> 00:02:50,680 Now, what I know about the two people I'm off to visit today 54 00:02:50,720 --> 00:02:54,120 is that they made that move themselves 55 00:02:54,160 --> 00:02:57,120 but in their latter years, which is pretty brave. 56 00:03:02,400 --> 00:03:06,360 'From the road, it's a lengthy hike through the trees to find my hosts. 57 00:03:08,040 --> 00:03:11,680 'And I stumble upon strange objects.' 58 00:03:14,000 --> 00:03:15,360 Oh, wow. 59 00:03:17,160 --> 00:03:18,760 That is quite something. 60 00:03:21,560 --> 00:03:23,880 Hey-hey. I've come to the right place. 61 00:03:23,920 --> 00:03:27,400 Oh, for sure, you have. Welcome. 62 00:03:27,440 --> 00:03:29,280 So, we must have Robert? 63 00:03:29,320 --> 00:03:31,160 Yeah. Hey. How are you? 64 00:03:31,200 --> 00:03:33,680 Sorry. I'm a hugger. How are you? So nice to meet you. 65 00:03:33,720 --> 00:03:35,760 And Trond? Hello. Hello. Welcome. 66 00:03:35,800 --> 00:03:37,800 How are you? So nice to see you. Oh, the same. 67 00:03:37,840 --> 00:03:40,360 The same. This is beautiful here. 68 00:03:42,200 --> 00:03:46,000 69-year-old Trond grew up in these very woods. 69 00:03:46,040 --> 00:03:50,640 His mum was a dressmaker and his dad an accomplished embroider. 70 00:03:50,680 --> 00:03:53,400 Inspired by his creative parents, 71 00:03:53,440 --> 00:03:56,320 he travelled throughout Europe as a painter, 72 00:03:56,360 --> 00:03:59,640 where he met his now 61-year-old best friend. 73 00:04:01,880 --> 00:04:06,160 Robert grew up in Lebanon with an equally artistic background, 74 00:04:06,200 --> 00:04:08,600 designing graphics for television. 75 00:04:08,640 --> 00:04:11,080 The friends met in 2001, 76 00:04:11,120 --> 00:04:14,000 and it was their combined love of art and nature 77 00:04:14,040 --> 00:04:18,440 that encouraged them to set up a gallery in a Norwegian town. 78 00:04:18,480 --> 00:04:22,120 But 12 years later, the wilderness came calling, 79 00:04:22,160 --> 00:04:27,040 and they moved themselves and their art deep into the woods, 80 00:04:27,080 --> 00:04:30,680 buying 98,000 square metres of forest 81 00:04:30,720 --> 00:04:34,560 with eight buildings for £122,000. 82 00:04:36,040 --> 00:04:39,360 Have you done a lot of work here? Yes. Yes. 83 00:04:39,400 --> 00:04:41,560 And we're still doing it. And we're still doing. 84 00:04:41,600 --> 00:04:45,160 When we came, the house was autumn orange. 85 00:04:45,200 --> 00:04:46,840 And I work in the arts, 86 00:04:46,880 --> 00:04:49,880 so it was not possible for me to live in an orange house. 87 00:04:49,920 --> 00:04:51,520 It was like I was going crazy. 88 00:04:51,560 --> 00:04:54,120 So I said, like, "How much money do we have?" 89 00:04:54,160 --> 00:04:55,920 And he said, like, "Oh..." 90 00:04:55,960 --> 00:04:57,720 No. No money. We have no money. OK. 91 00:04:57,760 --> 00:05:00,240 We were able to have a little money, 92 00:05:00,280 --> 00:05:02,520 so we could take the cheapest paint we found 93 00:05:02,560 --> 00:05:04,280 and painted the houses white. 94 00:05:04,320 --> 00:05:07,040 So, we have been saving money now for 12 years 95 00:05:07,080 --> 00:05:08,960 to be able to repaint the house. 96 00:05:09,000 --> 00:05:10,480 Twelve years? Yes. 97 00:05:10,520 --> 00:05:14,520 The wallet really was empty. Yes. It was completely empty. 98 00:05:14,560 --> 00:05:16,760 But when you live here in the forest, 99 00:05:16,800 --> 00:05:19,080 there is no restaurants, there is no bars, 100 00:05:19,120 --> 00:05:20,440 there is no nothing. 101 00:05:20,480 --> 00:05:23,280 And I don't need to have more than two trousers, 102 00:05:23,320 --> 00:05:25,960 because when the one is dirty, I take the other. 103 00:05:26,000 --> 00:05:30,720 And usually, I also make my own shirts out of old bed linen. 104 00:05:30,760 --> 00:05:31,920 So... Seriously? 105 00:05:31,960 --> 00:05:33,000 Yeah. Yeah. 106 00:05:33,040 --> 00:05:36,280 So, I buy underwear from time to time. 107 00:05:36,320 --> 00:05:37,720 From time to time. 108 00:05:37,760 --> 00:05:40,320 I won't ask you how many pairs of underwear you have. 109 00:05:40,360 --> 00:05:43,200 Oh, no. But fair to say, do you live quite a frugal life? 110 00:05:43,240 --> 00:05:46,680 Other people would probably say we do. 111 00:05:46,720 --> 00:05:49,080 But we have never felt that. No. 112 00:05:49,120 --> 00:05:50,960 We make our own bread. 113 00:05:51,000 --> 00:05:54,200 We go and pick fruits in the nature. 114 00:05:54,240 --> 00:05:56,880 Life is wonderful. We have a wonderful life. 115 00:05:58,880 --> 00:06:03,280 As well as foraging berries, the friends tend a vegetable garden, 116 00:06:03,320 --> 00:06:05,680 and their water comes from a 60ft well. 117 00:06:07,640 --> 00:06:10,360 It feels like a typical off-grid lifestyle 118 00:06:10,400 --> 00:06:13,920 if it wasn't for the artwork that seems to dominate the surroundings. 119 00:06:16,160 --> 00:06:18,360 So, this is our property. 120 00:06:19,520 --> 00:06:22,520 Wow. It really is like a gallery in here. 121 00:06:22,560 --> 00:06:25,040 You see here, there are some small hats, and they have a story. 122 00:06:25,080 --> 00:06:26,760 They're not hats, actually. 123 00:06:26,800 --> 00:06:28,960 They are brain warmers, 124 00:06:29,000 --> 00:06:32,680 because we had a period in our life where we met a lot of people 125 00:06:32,720 --> 00:06:35,160 that had really bad thoughts in their mind. 126 00:06:35,200 --> 00:06:37,200 So I said to Mr Robert, like, 127 00:06:37,240 --> 00:06:40,640 "My God, how shall we be able to warm up these brains?" 128 00:06:40,680 --> 00:06:44,440 And then I started to create these brain warmers. 129 00:06:44,480 --> 00:06:47,120 Can I warm my brain for a second? Yeah, for sure. 130 00:06:47,160 --> 00:06:49,600 This suits you, Robert. I don't know if this is gonna suit me. 131 00:06:49,640 --> 00:06:51,840 Oh, it's wonderful. You think? 132 00:06:51,880 --> 00:06:55,240 It's great. I thought you didn't like orange. 133 00:06:55,280 --> 00:06:57,480 THEY LAUGH That was the house. 134 00:06:57,520 --> 00:06:59,000 Oh, that was the house. The hat is OK. 135 00:06:59,040 --> 00:07:03,080 But this one here, this is actually the half of the fish. 136 00:07:03,120 --> 00:07:07,200 So I hope the other part of the fish blows warm air into your brain 137 00:07:07,240 --> 00:07:09,200 so you get good thoughts. 138 00:07:09,240 --> 00:07:12,200 I think it's happening. Do you think so? 139 00:07:12,240 --> 00:07:14,680 I think so. Do you feel it? 140 00:07:14,720 --> 00:07:18,360 All sorts of thoughts going on in my brain right now. Wow. 141 00:07:18,400 --> 00:07:20,080 Amazing. Great. 142 00:07:22,080 --> 00:07:25,240 'Their house dates back to 1834. 143 00:07:25,280 --> 00:07:28,200 'But it's surprisingly modern, 144 00:07:28,240 --> 00:07:31,880 'with several additions made over the last 200 years.' 145 00:07:33,520 --> 00:07:35,640 Did you both have to do a lot of work on the house 146 00:07:35,680 --> 00:07:38,800 when you moved here? Don't ask. 147 00:07:38,840 --> 00:07:40,640 That's a...? That's a yes? 148 00:07:40,680 --> 00:07:41,840 Yeah. Yeah. 149 00:07:41,880 --> 00:07:44,120 Everywhere, it was dark brown. 150 00:07:44,160 --> 00:07:47,200 I cannot stand it. Do you have a problem with certain colours? 151 00:07:47,240 --> 00:07:50,400 Er, how they put colours together. Oh, really? 152 00:07:50,440 --> 00:07:54,880 He's allergic to some combinations. Allergic to some combinations. 153 00:07:54,920 --> 00:07:58,000 Where am I staying? Am I staying in the main house? 154 00:07:58,040 --> 00:08:03,240 No. We are going to show you your cute little bedroom. 155 00:08:03,280 --> 00:08:06,240 The most lovely house on the property. Is it? 156 00:08:06,280 --> 00:08:07,960 Yes. I love it. 157 00:08:10,720 --> 00:08:14,240 'When they said house, they meant doll's house. 158 00:08:14,280 --> 00:08:17,200 'I don't think they realise that I'm 6ft tall.' 159 00:08:18,320 --> 00:08:19,800 Oh, it's... Mind your head. 160 00:08:19,840 --> 00:08:23,200 I need to duck down a little bit. 161 00:08:23,240 --> 00:08:26,920 Oh, I like this. That's beautiful. I'm gonna be very comfortable. 162 00:08:26,960 --> 00:08:29,520 It's a beautiful room. I simply love it. 163 00:08:29,560 --> 00:08:31,160 Thank you. 164 00:08:31,200 --> 00:08:34,320 I've been thinking there's a lot of buildings, a lot of land here. 165 00:08:34,360 --> 00:08:36,720 It's quite a lot for you both to manage. 166 00:08:36,760 --> 00:08:41,720 It is, but when we have youngsters like you, then we know what to do. 167 00:08:41,760 --> 00:08:43,840 We're going to put you into work. 168 00:08:45,520 --> 00:08:48,960 'My first job is to help clear out an old shed 169 00:08:49,000 --> 00:08:51,440 'which has become overgrown with weeds.' 170 00:08:51,480 --> 00:08:54,200 There's quite a lot to clear here, Trond. 171 00:08:54,240 --> 00:08:58,840 Yes, it's absolutely quite an amount. 172 00:09:00,320 --> 00:09:02,960 'I wonder how Robert and Trond ended up having 173 00:09:03,000 --> 00:09:05,560 'this huge wilderness property to look after.' 174 00:09:07,120 --> 00:09:11,400 We were living in a place in another village, 175 00:09:11,440 --> 00:09:14,960 and we were kind of tired of... of being there. 176 00:09:15,000 --> 00:09:18,400 And we were travelling here, and somebody said, like, 177 00:09:18,440 --> 00:09:20,960 "Oh, this property might be for sale." 178 00:09:21,000 --> 00:09:25,560 I was going to open an exhibition of my artwork 179 00:09:25,600 --> 00:09:28,400 on the other side of the... the biggest lake in Norway, 180 00:09:28,440 --> 00:09:29,960 so Robert stayed home. 181 00:09:30,000 --> 00:09:32,160 And then he phoned me and said, "I have bought a house." 182 00:09:32,200 --> 00:09:34,280 And I said, "You are crazy. Have you bought a house?" 183 00:09:34,320 --> 00:09:36,320 "Yes, I bought the whole property." 184 00:09:36,360 --> 00:09:39,440 Wow. Without even asking you? Yeah. Yeah. 185 00:09:39,480 --> 00:09:41,000 I said, "Fine, good. 186 00:09:41,040 --> 00:09:43,560 "Then we have a new challenge. Let's go." 187 00:09:43,600 --> 00:09:46,320 Wow. So, that was it? That was it. 188 00:09:46,360 --> 00:09:48,720 How did that make you feel? Wonderful. 189 00:09:48,760 --> 00:09:50,480 Because, like, yes! 190 00:09:50,520 --> 00:09:52,960 Suddenly, I'm going back to my nature. 191 00:09:53,000 --> 00:09:56,440 Suddenly, I'm going back to my childhood roles. 192 00:09:56,480 --> 00:09:57,880 So I was really happy. 193 00:09:59,840 --> 00:10:01,840 Do you want all these bits down? 194 00:10:01,880 --> 00:10:04,160 All these bits, we need to take down. 195 00:10:04,200 --> 00:10:07,360 'I always love getting stuck in helping my hosts. 196 00:10:07,400 --> 00:10:10,600 'But Trond seems especially grateful.' 197 00:10:10,640 --> 00:10:13,320 Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. 198 00:10:14,360 --> 00:10:17,400 Is a lot of the work here quite physical? 199 00:10:17,440 --> 00:10:20,560 Yes. In many ways, it is. 200 00:10:20,600 --> 00:10:23,080 And since I got my disease, 201 00:10:23,120 --> 00:10:26,040 I... there is things that is a little bit more challenging 202 00:10:26,080 --> 00:10:27,360 for me than other things. 203 00:10:27,400 --> 00:10:30,080 What... You say you've got a disease? 204 00:10:30,120 --> 00:10:32,760 Yes. I'm losing the ability to walk. 205 00:10:34,000 --> 00:10:38,120 'I'm shocked to discover that Trond has CIPD, 206 00:10:38,160 --> 00:10:42,480 'a rare autoimmune disease of the peripheral nervous system. 207 00:10:42,520 --> 00:10:44,000 'His legs have lost sensation, 208 00:10:44,040 --> 00:10:47,320 'and over time, he could lose his mobility.' 209 00:10:48,480 --> 00:10:50,480 But that's no problem, because if you can't walk, 210 00:10:50,520 --> 00:10:51,520 what can you do? 211 00:10:51,560 --> 00:10:55,280 Yes, you can crawl, or you can roll. So where is the problem? 212 00:10:55,320 --> 00:10:56,680 You're very philosophical. 213 00:10:56,720 --> 00:10:59,760 When you get sick, when you get seriously sick, 214 00:10:59,800 --> 00:11:02,520 it's so easy just to sit down and say, 215 00:11:02,560 --> 00:11:04,680 "Oh, pity me, pity me, pity me." 216 00:11:04,720 --> 00:11:07,120 Life has so many other qualities. 217 00:11:07,160 --> 00:11:10,120 For sure, I have days where things are not functioning very well. 218 00:11:10,160 --> 00:11:12,360 And for sure, I can get in a bad mood 219 00:11:12,400 --> 00:11:16,880 or feeling like, yeah, things are a little bit heavy. 220 00:11:16,920 --> 00:11:19,760 But then I think, like, "Nah, I cannot be here. 221 00:11:19,800 --> 00:11:22,120 "I need to work. I live in the nature. 222 00:11:22,160 --> 00:11:24,440 "I want to stay in the nature. This is my home." 223 00:11:24,480 --> 00:11:27,800 Now I see why it's so useful to get people like me 224 00:11:27,840 --> 00:11:31,040 to do as many jobs as we possibly can. Yeah. 225 00:11:31,080 --> 00:11:34,960 And even the smallest thing for us is really a big help. 226 00:11:36,800 --> 00:11:39,120 'Before I even got here, I felt uneasy 227 00:11:39,160 --> 00:11:42,960 'about two older people living in this remote forest. 228 00:11:43,000 --> 00:11:46,080 'And now I can't help but worry that they've taken on too much.' 229 00:11:48,040 --> 00:11:50,760 I'm sorry I'm not helping you. Don't worry. 230 00:11:50,800 --> 00:11:52,280 OK. Thank you. 231 00:11:52,320 --> 00:11:55,000 Stop apologising. That's what my... 232 00:11:55,040 --> 00:11:57,920 That's part of my role being here. Yeah. Yeah. 233 00:12:09,640 --> 00:12:12,200 BEN FOGLE: 'It's mid-summer in the Norwegian forest.' 234 00:12:12,240 --> 00:12:13,720 HE YAWNS 235 00:12:15,480 --> 00:12:16,840 Morning. 236 00:12:16,880 --> 00:12:18,960 'And getting to sleep wasn't easy.' 237 00:12:20,240 --> 00:12:21,960 This takes a bit of getting used to. 238 00:12:23,480 --> 00:12:27,080 It's almost light the whole night long. 239 00:12:27,120 --> 00:12:29,520 Sun just sort of dips a little bit, and... 240 00:12:30,840 --> 00:12:35,000 ..before you know it, it's morning at two in the morning. 241 00:12:35,040 --> 00:12:36,840 HE CHUCKLES 242 00:12:38,480 --> 00:12:41,760 'My hosts, Robert and Trond, are in their sixties 243 00:12:41,800 --> 00:12:46,200 'and look after nearly a 100,000 square metres of wilderness. 244 00:12:46,240 --> 00:12:49,280 'And I'm having trouble finding them for breakfast.' 245 00:12:50,640 --> 00:12:53,440 Knock-knock. Oh, hello. Hi. 246 00:12:53,480 --> 00:12:55,560 Can I come in? Welcome. 247 00:12:55,600 --> 00:12:57,480 Are you sure? Come in. 248 00:12:57,520 --> 00:12:59,040 So, what are you actually doing now? 249 00:12:59,080 --> 00:13:02,720 I'm having Lebanese sweets and dialysis. 250 00:13:02,760 --> 00:13:05,120 I love the way you put it in that order. 251 00:13:05,160 --> 00:13:06,800 How long have you been doing that for? 252 00:13:06,840 --> 00:13:09,560 Well, a little bit less than two years. Two years. 253 00:13:09,600 --> 00:13:12,320 It's called peritoneal dialysis. Mm-hm. 254 00:13:12,360 --> 00:13:14,600 And it's different from the haemodialysis 255 00:13:14,640 --> 00:13:16,320 that you do at the hospital. 256 00:13:16,360 --> 00:13:18,280 I can do it at home. 257 00:13:18,320 --> 00:13:20,480 I need to do it five times a day, 258 00:13:20,520 --> 00:13:26,680 every three hours, for half an hour, 40 minutes. 259 00:13:26,720 --> 00:13:29,200 That's quite... That's a big part of your day. 260 00:13:29,240 --> 00:13:31,680 Yeah. Wow. 261 00:13:31,720 --> 00:13:34,000 Can I ask why you need to do it? 262 00:13:34,040 --> 00:13:37,960 Nobody knows, but it's the kidneys... 263 00:13:38,000 --> 00:13:42,560 the kidneys have collapsed without any reason. 264 00:13:42,600 --> 00:13:45,080 It's... Yeah, I have to deal with it. 265 00:13:45,120 --> 00:13:48,400 Mm-hm. But psychologically, it was very difficult. 266 00:13:48,440 --> 00:13:49,640 I'm sure. 267 00:13:49,680 --> 00:13:52,880 It's... I cannot travel. 268 00:13:52,920 --> 00:13:55,280 I cannot go long trips. 269 00:13:55,320 --> 00:13:57,600 I need to be around the house. 270 00:13:57,640 --> 00:14:00,760 Do you always do this on your own? Or does Trond help? 271 00:14:00,800 --> 00:14:04,480 I don't need help to do this. I can do it by myself. 272 00:14:05,760 --> 00:14:07,160 And the cake? 273 00:14:07,200 --> 00:14:10,640 The cake, I do it also by myself. BEN LAUGHS 274 00:14:10,680 --> 00:14:13,280 He helps eating. HE LAUGHS 275 00:14:13,320 --> 00:14:16,480 So, the Lebanese cake is a nod to your heritage? 276 00:14:16,520 --> 00:14:18,680 Yeah. It's called "knafeh". 277 00:14:18,720 --> 00:14:20,120 Care to taste? 278 00:14:20,160 --> 00:14:22,560 Can I taste a little bit of this one? 279 00:14:22,600 --> 00:14:25,320 Is this Trond's that I'm going to be eating, or is this...? 280 00:14:25,360 --> 00:14:26,880 Am I gonna get in trouble? 281 00:14:26,920 --> 00:14:29,040 That's all yours. This is all mine. 282 00:14:29,080 --> 00:14:31,280 OK. So, what's in this? 283 00:14:31,320 --> 00:14:35,920 Cheese, vermicelli and a lot of sugar. 284 00:14:37,400 --> 00:14:41,160 Oh, wow. It's absolutely delicious. 285 00:14:42,880 --> 00:14:45,360 'Both Trond and Robert's health problems 286 00:14:45,400 --> 00:14:47,440 'have been shocking to discover, 287 00:14:47,480 --> 00:14:50,960 'especially as they're so far away from the nearest hospital. 288 00:14:52,600 --> 00:14:55,920 'Luckily, Robert's medical supplies are delivered here 289 00:14:55,960 --> 00:14:58,760 'without fail, whatever the weather.' 290 00:14:59,800 --> 00:15:02,960 That's everything? That's an amazing service. 291 00:15:05,000 --> 00:15:09,560 'I mean, I really do feel like I'm in a pretty wild part of Norway.' 292 00:15:09,600 --> 00:15:12,040 And then when I think about the health challenges 293 00:15:12,080 --> 00:15:18,840 that they both face, Trond, with his deteriorating hips and back 294 00:15:18,880 --> 00:15:24,040 and the fact that at some stage, he's almost gonna be unable to walk, 295 00:15:24,080 --> 00:15:28,280 and then Robert, with dialysis five times a day, 296 00:15:28,320 --> 00:15:31,960 that's a huge impact on their lives out here. 297 00:15:32,000 --> 00:15:34,680 I know that there's a huge amount of work that needs to be done here. 298 00:15:34,720 --> 00:15:37,880 I've already experienced a little bit of that now. 299 00:15:37,920 --> 00:15:41,640 But I'm wondering whether there are other people in the vicinity 300 00:15:41,680 --> 00:15:43,960 who can help them with those really big tasks. 301 00:15:45,120 --> 00:15:48,680 Come on, Ben. It's time to work. OK. 302 00:15:50,240 --> 00:15:53,640 'For now, I'm more than happy to be their helper for the week.' 303 00:15:54,720 --> 00:15:55,960 Oh, that's good. About there? 304 00:15:56,000 --> 00:15:58,680 Yep. Excellent. 305 00:15:58,720 --> 00:16:01,560 'And Trond is relieved to have a little respite.' 306 00:16:01,600 --> 00:16:03,360 Like that? A little bit longer down. 307 00:16:03,400 --> 00:16:06,360 There. Yep. That's good. If not, it will spread. 308 00:16:09,120 --> 00:16:11,760 Mmm. Are you enjoying having an assistant here? 309 00:16:11,800 --> 00:16:14,720 Yes. I can tell. 310 00:16:14,760 --> 00:16:18,240 'I just hope that I'm up to his standard.' 311 00:16:18,280 --> 00:16:21,160 You just throw this over there. 312 00:16:21,200 --> 00:16:22,360 Over there? Yeah. 313 00:16:22,400 --> 00:16:24,120 You just throw it into the nature. 314 00:16:25,760 --> 00:16:28,200 Not in the flowerbed. Not in the flower... 315 00:16:28,240 --> 00:16:30,520 So you need to go and do that properly. I'll go and get it. 316 00:16:30,560 --> 00:16:33,120 I'm sorry, sir. Don't worry. I can take it. 317 00:16:33,160 --> 00:16:34,760 Excellent. 318 00:16:34,800 --> 00:16:37,480 Happy? I'm very happy. 319 00:16:37,520 --> 00:16:40,360 And still, there is plenty more to do in the garden. 320 00:16:42,360 --> 00:16:43,480 Lucky me. 321 00:16:46,280 --> 00:16:50,240 'I think Trond would agree that he loves to talk. 322 00:16:50,280 --> 00:16:53,680 'But Robert seems to be the complete opposite. 323 00:16:53,720 --> 00:16:56,480 'So far, I know little about his old life in Lebanon.' 324 00:16:58,840 --> 00:17:02,400 Lebanon is another life. War, mostly. 325 00:17:02,440 --> 00:17:04,120 From what age? 326 00:17:05,520 --> 00:17:11,640 The first memory I have of the war is I was, like, maybe ten years. 327 00:17:11,680 --> 00:17:14,800 We had school, and then there was bombing, 328 00:17:14,840 --> 00:17:17,120 and we didn't go to school. 329 00:17:17,160 --> 00:17:19,880 Remind me who the war was against? 330 00:17:19,920 --> 00:17:23,440 The war in Lebanon was very different branches. 331 00:17:23,480 --> 00:17:25,440 I was in South Lebanon, 332 00:17:25,480 --> 00:17:30,000 so it was mostly Israel bombing Palestinian camps. 333 00:17:30,040 --> 00:17:33,720 And we lived next to a Palestinian camp. 334 00:17:33,760 --> 00:17:37,240 Mm-hm. My father was so panicking. 335 00:17:37,280 --> 00:17:41,480 We were three children, and he didn't... 336 00:17:41,520 --> 00:17:44,640 He was confused, like, if something happens, 337 00:17:44,680 --> 00:17:48,720 would he be able to hold three and run? 338 00:17:50,120 --> 00:17:54,120 Or which one would he leave at home? 339 00:17:54,160 --> 00:17:56,440 So it was very, er... 340 00:17:56,480 --> 00:17:59,760 Traumatic. For your father, very traumatic. Yeah. 341 00:17:59,800 --> 00:18:02,640 How does that impact you in life? Do you...? 342 00:18:02,680 --> 00:18:04,320 Do you still think back to that period, 343 00:18:04,360 --> 00:18:07,760 or is that a part of your past that you try to forget about? 344 00:18:07,800 --> 00:18:11,320 I think this remains there all the time. 345 00:18:11,360 --> 00:18:13,400 It doesn't disappear. 346 00:18:14,600 --> 00:18:17,440 Er... it's my life, it's my memories. 347 00:18:17,480 --> 00:18:20,280 I was risking my life many times. 348 00:18:20,320 --> 00:18:24,200 When I moved to Beirut, for example, and, er... 349 00:18:24,240 --> 00:18:28,720 was planning to go one way, and then suddenly, 350 00:18:28,760 --> 00:18:33,400 something tells me, like, "Go the other way." 351 00:18:33,440 --> 00:18:35,800 And then there was a bombing. 352 00:18:35,840 --> 00:18:37,840 Had you gone that opposite way... Yeah. 353 00:18:37,880 --> 00:18:39,880 ..do you think you would have lost your life? 354 00:18:39,920 --> 00:18:41,880 Yeah. Wow. 355 00:18:41,920 --> 00:18:43,960 And do you still have family there? 356 00:18:44,000 --> 00:18:45,880 I have three sisters there. 357 00:18:45,920 --> 00:18:47,760 Do you ever go? Do you visit? 358 00:18:47,800 --> 00:18:50,000 I used to. Now I'm not... 359 00:18:50,040 --> 00:18:52,160 I'm not able to leave Norway 360 00:18:52,200 --> 00:18:57,280 because I'm on the waiting list for transplantation. 361 00:18:57,320 --> 00:19:01,400 And just to go back to that, if you're on a waiting list, 362 00:19:01,440 --> 00:19:04,960 presumably, you could get a call at any time of the day. 363 00:19:05,000 --> 00:19:08,240 Yeah. I have my luggage ready. 364 00:19:08,280 --> 00:19:14,720 I have a paper for the taxi that takes me to the hospital in Oslo. 365 00:19:14,760 --> 00:19:17,960 And I need to be there within four hours. 366 00:19:18,000 --> 00:19:20,320 Really? So if you get a call now, 367 00:19:20,360 --> 00:19:22,920 you drop everything, and you have to be there within four hours. 368 00:19:27,840 --> 00:19:30,360 There's a lot going on in Robert's head. 369 00:19:30,400 --> 00:19:32,200 You know, he has the pressure of dialysis, 370 00:19:32,240 --> 00:19:33,520 he's on the waiting list. 371 00:19:33,560 --> 00:19:37,520 He has to be on four-hour notice to get to Oslo at any minute. 372 00:19:37,560 --> 00:19:39,000 He can't travel. 373 00:19:39,040 --> 00:19:41,760 You know, it's a lot of weight on his shoulders. 374 00:19:41,800 --> 00:19:45,520 And Trond bears some of that weight. 375 00:19:45,560 --> 00:19:49,200 But I hope that he gets from this 376 00:19:49,240 --> 00:19:52,880 what so many people I've met over the years have found, 377 00:19:52,920 --> 00:19:56,960 the calming nature that comes from the wilderness. 378 00:20:00,240 --> 00:20:03,280 'This afternoon, Trond and Robert need my help 379 00:20:03,320 --> 00:20:05,120 'for a different type of job.' 380 00:20:05,160 --> 00:20:08,160 Be careful because the knife is sharp. OK. 381 00:20:08,200 --> 00:20:09,920 And what are we actually doing, then? 382 00:20:09,960 --> 00:20:14,040 We are going to colour yarn with the help of the sun. 383 00:20:15,200 --> 00:20:18,120 'By combining various leaves and bark, 384 00:20:18,160 --> 00:20:20,840 'the wool fibres can be dyed a variety of colours 385 00:20:20,880 --> 00:20:22,520 'using solar energy. 386 00:20:22,560 --> 00:20:25,120 'It just takes a bit of time.' 387 00:20:25,160 --> 00:20:28,240 Are we kind of layering it? Absolutely layering. 388 00:20:29,240 --> 00:20:33,600 'The dyed wool will eventually be used in their artwork.' 389 00:20:33,640 --> 00:20:38,600 It feels to me like for every big physical job you have to do 390 00:20:38,640 --> 00:20:40,840 just to maintain the property, 391 00:20:40,880 --> 00:20:43,520 you sort of get to do one creative job. 392 00:20:43,560 --> 00:20:45,520 It's all mixed together. No, in a way, it's... 393 00:20:45,560 --> 00:20:49,040 And what about if one of you isn't feeling well? 394 00:20:49,080 --> 00:20:52,200 What if one of you can't do your share? 395 00:20:52,240 --> 00:20:55,000 Oh, it's a pity that you're not staying here for longer. 396 00:20:55,040 --> 00:20:58,080 Because what I do if I'm feeling... 397 00:20:58,120 --> 00:21:02,600 mostly me because I can sometimes feel a bit sad or whatever, 398 00:21:02,640 --> 00:21:05,440 then I just tell people that today, I'm really sad, 399 00:21:05,480 --> 00:21:07,840 and I'm in a really bad mood. 400 00:21:07,880 --> 00:21:12,040 But you might help me, so things will change. 401 00:21:12,080 --> 00:21:14,600 Can Trond be a bit grumpy sometimes? Yeah. 402 00:21:14,640 --> 00:21:17,120 BEN LAUGHS I love... 403 00:21:17,160 --> 00:21:19,960 "Yeah." I love that. 404 00:21:20,000 --> 00:21:21,280 That's so Norwegian. 405 00:21:21,320 --> 00:21:23,000 Do you get irritable? Oh, yes. 406 00:21:23,040 --> 00:21:25,280 Oh, yes. Oh, really? 407 00:21:26,360 --> 00:21:28,880 How do you deal with an irritable Robert? 408 00:21:28,920 --> 00:21:30,000 I stay away. 409 00:21:30,040 --> 00:21:33,560 I stay away because I know it will go, it will pass. 410 00:21:33,600 --> 00:21:36,040 OK. And since we're running a business together, 411 00:21:36,080 --> 00:21:39,360 you need to kind of be able to read each other 412 00:21:39,400 --> 00:21:41,800 without using words all the time. 413 00:21:41,840 --> 00:21:45,600 You just need to look, and you see and you understand. 414 00:21:45,640 --> 00:21:48,000 I mean, you've both been working together for a long time. 415 00:21:48,040 --> 00:21:49,920 You must know each other pretty well? 416 00:21:50,960 --> 00:21:53,880 I'm wondering how you would describe Trond. 417 00:21:57,320 --> 00:21:59,520 No awkwardness here. 418 00:21:59,560 --> 00:22:02,560 Can I sit? Of course you can, yeah. Come on. 419 00:22:02,600 --> 00:22:03,840 I think... 420 00:22:03,880 --> 00:22:08,960 I think he is the most pure heart. 421 00:22:09,000 --> 00:22:12,960 There is no hidden things going on. 422 00:22:13,000 --> 00:22:15,720 It's what's in goes out. 423 00:22:15,760 --> 00:22:17,880 A heart of gold. 424 00:22:19,280 --> 00:22:23,360 And, Trond, I'm wondering how you would describe Robert? 425 00:22:23,400 --> 00:22:28,640 I think Robert, one of his really nice qualities 426 00:22:28,680 --> 00:22:31,760 is that he is able to calm me down 427 00:22:31,800 --> 00:22:36,520 when my brain are thinking too creative, too quick and, like, 428 00:22:36,560 --> 00:22:39,640 I can have 100 creative ideas at the same time. 429 00:22:39,680 --> 00:22:42,600 To deal with somebody that have offered their life 430 00:22:42,640 --> 00:22:44,760 to the arts isn't easy. 431 00:22:44,800 --> 00:22:47,360 So he also... It's a nightmare. 432 00:22:47,400 --> 00:22:49,600 He has really a good heart. 433 00:22:49,640 --> 00:22:51,720 So I think there was something very good 434 00:22:51,760 --> 00:22:53,640 when we met in Athens at that time. 435 00:22:53,680 --> 00:22:58,520 It was meant to be... in a way, in the name of the arts. 436 00:22:59,800 --> 00:23:04,520 Yeah, I think so. So he's just, er... perfect. 437 00:23:06,680 --> 00:23:10,040 'I'm beginning to see that art looms large. 438 00:23:10,080 --> 00:23:13,160 'It seems to seep into every aspect of their life. 439 00:23:15,160 --> 00:23:18,440 'But there's also a co-dependency in their relationship, 440 00:23:18,480 --> 00:23:21,520 'and not just because of their health issues. 441 00:23:21,560 --> 00:23:24,440 'There's clearly huge affection for each other. 442 00:23:24,480 --> 00:23:26,440 'Perhaps there's more to their relationship 443 00:23:26,480 --> 00:23:27,760 'than they're letting on.' 444 00:23:29,360 --> 00:23:31,280 The more I get to know them, 445 00:23:31,320 --> 00:23:33,200 the more I understand that, actually, 446 00:23:33,240 --> 00:23:36,200 at the heart of this is this really beautiful friendship. 447 00:23:36,240 --> 00:23:39,800 I think it's fair to say there's probably more to that friendship, 448 00:23:39,840 --> 00:23:42,800 maybe, then they want to tell me. 449 00:23:42,840 --> 00:23:47,080 But I'm also aware of the cultural sensitivities. 450 00:23:47,120 --> 00:23:51,000 You know, Lebanon and Norway, and... 451 00:23:51,040 --> 00:23:55,360 It's not for me to ask what they don't feel comfortable saying, 452 00:23:55,400 --> 00:23:58,920 but we all make our own impressions, and I think it's rather beautiful 453 00:23:58,960 --> 00:24:04,000 that they have this extraordinary friendship, 454 00:24:04,040 --> 00:24:08,160 and it's as tight as any other I've ever seen. 455 00:24:08,200 --> 00:24:09,600 I don't need to know any more. 456 00:24:09,640 --> 00:24:12,240 I just know that they're great mates. 457 00:24:12,280 --> 00:24:14,680 Yep. Yep. A lot of orchids. 458 00:24:14,720 --> 00:24:16,520 Beautiful. Mm-hm. 459 00:24:27,160 --> 00:24:30,800 BEN FOGLE: 'I'm staying with artists Trond and Robert 460 00:24:30,840 --> 00:24:33,080 'at their remote homestead in Norway. 461 00:24:34,200 --> 00:24:37,000 'So far, I've been helping with the physical chores 462 00:24:37,040 --> 00:24:39,560 'that have become too difficult for them. 463 00:24:39,600 --> 00:24:41,440 'But today, I've finally been invited 464 00:24:41,480 --> 00:24:45,120 'into their inner sanctum of Trond's art studio.' 465 00:24:47,600 --> 00:24:51,280 Hello. Hey, Trond. Oh, good morning, good morning. 466 00:24:51,320 --> 00:24:53,000 You're up early. Oh, yes. 467 00:24:53,040 --> 00:24:55,600 Are you ready to work? 468 00:24:55,640 --> 00:25:00,080 'Trond has assured me that we'll start with some beginner level work. 469 00:25:00,120 --> 00:25:01,920 'By simply adding paint to a gel plate, 470 00:25:01,960 --> 00:25:05,000 'we can try out various abstract designs 471 00:25:05,040 --> 00:25:07,440 'that are then printed onto paper.' 472 00:25:07,480 --> 00:25:09,320 Are you making this up as you go, 473 00:25:09,360 --> 00:25:11,200 or have you pre-planned what you're doing now? 474 00:25:11,240 --> 00:25:13,760 All my work is finished in my head before I start. 475 00:25:13,800 --> 00:25:19,000 But as an artist, it's always really important to remember to experiment. 476 00:25:19,040 --> 00:25:21,680 I mean, you've always been artistic, have you? 477 00:25:21,720 --> 00:25:26,320 Yes. I had a period in my life where I wanted to be normal 478 00:25:26,360 --> 00:25:29,200 because, like, everybody was so normal. 479 00:25:29,240 --> 00:25:31,320 My friends, they were all farmers, 480 00:25:31,360 --> 00:25:33,680 or they were working in the factories. 481 00:25:33,720 --> 00:25:36,120 It didn't suit me at all, 482 00:25:36,160 --> 00:25:40,400 because, like, normal for me is either a hairdresser or a waiter. 483 00:25:40,440 --> 00:25:42,400 And then I start to think, 484 00:25:42,440 --> 00:25:46,240 "Can I stand this for 40 years, in the head of people?" 485 00:25:46,280 --> 00:25:48,480 And the answer was very easy. No. 486 00:25:48,520 --> 00:25:51,480 And then I decided to go for the arts, 487 00:25:51,520 --> 00:25:56,680 and I had kind of fully backing up from my parents. 488 00:25:56,720 --> 00:25:59,360 So it was just to go. 489 00:25:59,400 --> 00:26:01,400 And I never regret. 490 00:26:01,440 --> 00:26:03,680 Let's try it, Ben. OK. 491 00:26:03,720 --> 00:26:07,040 So, I put this like that? Yes. Yeah, almost. 492 00:26:07,080 --> 00:26:08,200 You cannot move it. 493 00:26:08,240 --> 00:26:10,360 See here, the plate? Yep. 494 00:26:10,400 --> 00:26:11,640 And see here, the plate? 495 00:26:11,680 --> 00:26:14,520 See, I thought it would look a bit nicer if... 496 00:26:14,560 --> 00:26:16,400 if it was just a little bit off centre. 497 00:26:16,440 --> 00:26:19,240 OK. OK. You are a little bit fashionista. 498 00:26:19,280 --> 00:26:21,760 OK, that's fine. I'm a fashionista. 499 00:26:21,800 --> 00:26:23,880 Look at me, you can see. Yeah, yeah. That's fine. 500 00:26:23,920 --> 00:26:26,120 'I might be dressed like Trond, 501 00:26:26,160 --> 00:26:29,600 'but I don't have the same belief in my artistic talent.' 502 00:26:31,120 --> 00:26:33,040 Yep. Shall we try it to see? Yep. 503 00:26:33,080 --> 00:26:35,000 So, I now lift off from there? Yes. Lift off. 504 00:26:37,640 --> 00:26:40,880 Wow! Oh, yes. 505 00:26:40,920 --> 00:26:42,720 Is that...? Did you want that bit there? 506 00:26:42,760 --> 00:26:44,320 Yep, yep. Did we want that bit? 507 00:26:44,360 --> 00:26:47,840 Do you see, it's like a fish? Yeah, I do. 508 00:26:47,880 --> 00:26:48,960 How did you do that? 509 00:26:49,000 --> 00:26:50,680 Is that just luck? No. 510 00:26:50,720 --> 00:26:53,600 BEN LAUGHS Happy with those. 511 00:26:53,640 --> 00:26:55,960 Will they go up in the gallery? Can I see the gallery? 512 00:26:56,000 --> 00:26:57,880 Yes. Let's go there. Yeah. 513 00:26:59,240 --> 00:27:02,480 'Trond and Robert actually have two galleries. 514 00:27:02,520 --> 00:27:05,960 'By opening their doors to the public during the summer, 515 00:27:06,000 --> 00:27:07,520 'they earn just enough to keep going. 516 00:27:08,520 --> 00:27:13,080 'The old barn has also been turned into an art and culture centre. 517 00:27:13,120 --> 00:27:16,240 'But it feels more like a museum.' 518 00:27:16,280 --> 00:27:20,560 On this first wall here, this is my family history. 519 00:27:20,600 --> 00:27:23,640 So, are all of these your family? Yep. 520 00:27:23,680 --> 00:27:27,320 Here is my grandmother, and she has become a pillow. 521 00:27:27,360 --> 00:27:29,120 Of course she has. What was her name? 522 00:27:29,160 --> 00:27:31,320 Beata. Are you on the wall? 523 00:27:31,360 --> 00:27:33,080 I'm here. Oh, look. 524 00:27:33,120 --> 00:27:36,960 I started the first day at school in a pink busserull, 525 00:27:37,000 --> 00:27:39,320 which is traditional, because I hated the blue, 526 00:27:39,360 --> 00:27:42,360 and the watch of my sister because mine was broken. 527 00:27:42,400 --> 00:27:45,360 I was not bullied at all (!) 528 00:27:45,400 --> 00:27:50,040 'Trond's connection to these woods goes back generations. 529 00:27:50,080 --> 00:27:53,440 'His mother was born just 400 metres away, 530 00:27:53,480 --> 00:27:56,720 'and his grandmother went to school in what is now his house. 531 00:27:58,120 --> 00:28:01,360 'I wonder what triggered him to leave his life in town 532 00:28:01,400 --> 00:28:03,560 'and return to his childhood home.' 533 00:28:04,880 --> 00:28:09,000 The whole of this village was, like, on this kind of machine. 534 00:28:09,040 --> 00:28:11,360 What's it called? Walking chairs. 535 00:28:11,400 --> 00:28:14,240 Zimmer frame or the wheelchairs. Yeah, yeah. 536 00:28:14,280 --> 00:28:17,040 And the steps of people was like this. 537 00:28:17,080 --> 00:28:21,680 And I said to Robert, like, "I cannot stay here any longer." 538 00:28:21,720 --> 00:28:25,080 And why? What...? What was it? 539 00:28:25,120 --> 00:28:27,680 You see your future in front of you. You see your future. 540 00:28:27,720 --> 00:28:30,280 Suddenly, it was, "This is the future." 541 00:28:30,320 --> 00:28:32,920 And it was like, our brains are not that. 542 00:28:32,960 --> 00:28:36,360 My God, we are still far away from being there. Let's move. 543 00:28:36,400 --> 00:28:39,440 I'm curious. How old are you both in here right now? 544 00:28:40,600 --> 00:28:41,760 Six? Six. 545 00:28:41,800 --> 00:28:43,040 HE LAUGHS 546 00:28:43,080 --> 00:28:46,000 I don't know what about you, but I feel like I'm six. 547 00:28:46,040 --> 00:28:49,800 But what was it then about a kind of more rural life 548 00:28:49,840 --> 00:28:52,280 or a more wild life that appealed to you? 549 00:28:52,320 --> 00:28:54,360 Because I had this kind of... 550 00:28:54,400 --> 00:28:59,240 I needed... without explaining it, this need to go back to the nature. 551 00:28:59,280 --> 00:29:03,760 This need to be surrounded by the trees and the flowers 552 00:29:03,800 --> 00:29:08,040 and the butterflies and the humblebees and the mosquito, 553 00:29:08,080 --> 00:29:10,600 even if I hated it from time to time. 554 00:29:10,640 --> 00:29:13,800 I just needed to be there. It was kind of a missing part. 555 00:29:15,560 --> 00:29:20,360 'There's clearly a link between Trond's desire to return to nature 556 00:29:20,400 --> 00:29:24,720 'and his memories of being six, when he roamed these very woods. 557 00:29:24,760 --> 00:29:28,200 'And now he wants to share these feelings through his art 558 00:29:28,240 --> 00:29:30,760 'and by inviting people into the forest, 559 00:29:30,800 --> 00:29:33,480 'creating an art trail through the trees.' 560 00:29:33,520 --> 00:29:40,200 This is maybe the most beautiful thing in the whole art park. 561 00:29:40,240 --> 00:29:42,840 And I like to hug them. BEN CHUCKLES 562 00:29:42,880 --> 00:29:48,920 It's my proof that nature tells you that it doesn't matter who you are. 563 00:29:48,960 --> 00:29:52,920 What matters is that you can love each other for whom you are, 564 00:29:52,960 --> 00:29:55,640 even if you are a spruce and a birch tree. 565 00:29:56,680 --> 00:30:00,960 They should actually not be able to love each other, but they do. 566 00:30:01,000 --> 00:30:04,280 I feel I need to hug. You absolutely have to hug them. 567 00:30:09,520 --> 00:30:14,800 'Maybe art can change the world. Trond certainly thinks so. 568 00:30:14,840 --> 00:30:16,600 'And for his current project, 569 00:30:16,640 --> 00:30:20,200 'he wants to build a village of human-sized ants nests 570 00:30:20,240 --> 00:30:22,520 'to encourage people to be part of nature. 571 00:30:24,560 --> 00:30:27,680 'Even if it means sharing it with the insects.' 572 00:30:27,720 --> 00:30:30,000 And people can come from all over the world 573 00:30:30,040 --> 00:30:31,680 and bring their sleeping bags 574 00:30:31,720 --> 00:30:34,800 and just be in the nature in small little nests. 575 00:30:34,840 --> 00:30:36,400 Wouldn't that be great? 576 00:30:36,440 --> 00:30:38,080 Yeah. What, so next time I come here, 577 00:30:38,120 --> 00:30:40,960 I'll be able to stay in one of your human ant nests? 578 00:30:41,000 --> 00:30:43,320 Maybe. Who knows? 579 00:30:44,360 --> 00:30:46,240 'If I'm being honest, I don't really know 580 00:30:46,280 --> 00:30:48,880 'how to build a human-sized ant nest, 581 00:30:48,920 --> 00:30:52,520 'so I'm relieved to find Trond has other helpers.' 582 00:30:52,560 --> 00:30:54,840 Hi, Odd, nice to meet you. 583 00:30:54,880 --> 00:30:56,880 Vidar. Hi, Vidar. I'm Ben. 584 00:30:56,920 --> 00:31:00,040 This is my really great art team here in the valley. 585 00:31:00,080 --> 00:31:01,360 And usually... 586 00:31:02,360 --> 00:31:04,040 Usually, they do as I say. 587 00:31:04,080 --> 00:31:05,920 THEY LAUGH 588 00:31:05,960 --> 00:31:08,600 Would you both describe yourself as artists? 589 00:31:08,640 --> 00:31:10,560 Do you like art? No. 590 00:31:10,600 --> 00:31:12,320 No? No. No. No. 591 00:31:12,360 --> 00:31:14,600 I'm a good helper for Trond. You're just... 592 00:31:14,640 --> 00:31:15,960 You're a helper. Yeah. 593 00:31:16,000 --> 00:31:17,680 And you have the vision. 594 00:31:17,720 --> 00:31:19,920 Absolutely. So, I present the drawings, 595 00:31:19,960 --> 00:31:23,480 and I present the ideas that I have for how to do things. 596 00:31:23,520 --> 00:31:25,480 And they say, "No, this will not function." 597 00:31:25,520 --> 00:31:27,320 So we do it another way. I said, "OK." 598 00:31:27,360 --> 00:31:29,880 Because I need to be also a little bit open-minded, 599 00:31:29,920 --> 00:31:32,920 because they know more about kind of things, 600 00:31:32,960 --> 00:31:35,000 structure of things than I do. 601 00:31:35,040 --> 00:31:37,360 It's important, also, to listen to others, 602 00:31:37,400 --> 00:31:41,720 even if it can be very hard for me sometimes, I admit. 603 00:31:41,760 --> 00:31:44,840 BEN LAUGHS Do you enjoy helping Trond? 604 00:31:44,880 --> 00:31:46,920 Yes. I think it's exciting. 605 00:31:46,960 --> 00:31:50,040 That's also why I like to work with this art team, 606 00:31:50,080 --> 00:31:53,600 because I can have the wildest idea, and I see it in their eyes 607 00:31:53,640 --> 00:31:56,560 that they think, like, "He's a little bit crazy, but, OK." 608 00:31:56,600 --> 00:31:59,080 Do you think he's a little bit crazy? 609 00:31:59,120 --> 00:32:01,240 A bit. A bit. 610 00:32:01,280 --> 00:32:03,400 He has a lot of ideas. Yes. 611 00:32:03,440 --> 00:32:07,080 I talk with Robert, and he says, "How is he?" 612 00:32:07,120 --> 00:32:10,040 He's 24/7... Thinking. 613 00:32:10,080 --> 00:32:12,760 Constantly. Constantly thinking. 614 00:32:12,800 --> 00:32:15,480 THEY LAUGH Yep. So, that's how it is. 615 00:32:17,600 --> 00:32:19,880 'Robert and Trond only have a handful of neighbours. 616 00:32:21,720 --> 00:32:24,560 'So they're incredibly lucky that Odd and Vidar 617 00:32:24,600 --> 00:32:27,120 'are happy to lend a hand when needed.' 618 00:32:28,280 --> 00:32:31,840 What's really reassuring, neighbours can be on call 619 00:32:31,880 --> 00:32:34,400 just in case, you know, imagine mid... 620 00:32:34,440 --> 00:32:38,400 mid-winter here with Trond's limited mobility, 621 00:32:38,440 --> 00:32:39,960 if something happens with Robert, 622 00:32:40,000 --> 00:32:41,720 and they suddenly need to get somewhere, 623 00:32:41,760 --> 00:32:43,080 they can't get to the car. 624 00:32:43,120 --> 00:32:45,520 You know, there are so many worst-case scenarios, 625 00:32:45,560 --> 00:32:48,680 and for me, it's very reassuring to see that they've got Odd 626 00:32:48,720 --> 00:32:51,120 and the other neighbour so close, 627 00:32:51,160 --> 00:32:55,000 who are not just willing to help with the art but also, 628 00:32:55,040 --> 00:33:00,000 you know, are kind of neighbours who are checking in. 629 00:33:00,040 --> 00:33:02,320 Where is Ben? I'm needed. 630 00:33:02,360 --> 00:33:04,080 Ben, you are needed. Coming. 631 00:33:06,000 --> 00:33:08,280 So, I don't get it in my head. So, this needs to... 632 00:33:08,320 --> 00:33:10,120 Go into that one. 633 00:33:10,160 --> 00:33:12,960 I'm too short for this. THEY CHUCKLE 634 00:33:14,440 --> 00:33:16,000 OK. 635 00:33:16,040 --> 00:33:17,480 Hooray. 636 00:33:17,520 --> 00:33:19,760 I just have to stand here for the next year, do I? 637 00:33:19,800 --> 00:33:23,000 Part of the art? Oh, this could be an artwork. 638 00:33:23,040 --> 00:33:25,720 Yeah. Like a natural parasol for you. 639 00:33:27,480 --> 00:33:31,520 But, actually, to tell the story of the flies, instead of a parasol, 640 00:33:31,560 --> 00:33:36,360 it would be a giant fly net going all the way down. 641 00:33:36,400 --> 00:33:39,320 Now you put me to an idea. BEN LAUGHS 642 00:33:39,360 --> 00:33:43,000 Now you really put me to an idea. BEN LAUGHS 643 00:33:43,040 --> 00:33:45,200 Do you see? It's infectious, this art thing. 644 00:33:48,720 --> 00:33:54,160 Art really is everything to Trond and Robert, but so is nature. 645 00:33:54,200 --> 00:33:57,520 I can't imagine them doing this anywhere else. 646 00:33:59,240 --> 00:34:01,760 There are so many things conspiring against them 647 00:34:01,800 --> 00:34:03,480 when it comes to their health, 648 00:34:03,520 --> 00:34:06,680 and yet here, nature is giving back to them. 649 00:34:06,720 --> 00:34:09,120 It's giving them this tremendous canvas. 650 00:34:09,160 --> 00:34:13,920 Not just to carry on creating and being inspired, 651 00:34:13,960 --> 00:34:20,040 but also when it comes to giving them space, 652 00:34:20,080 --> 00:34:23,800 giving them time, giving them energy. 653 00:34:23,840 --> 00:34:27,320 Giving them sort of optimism, I suppose. 654 00:34:40,480 --> 00:34:42,280 'After a morning of hard work, 655 00:34:42,320 --> 00:34:45,560 'Trond has promised to take me for a swim.' 656 00:34:45,600 --> 00:34:49,200 Ben. It's time to go to the lake. 657 00:34:49,240 --> 00:34:50,480 Oh, look at this. 658 00:34:50,520 --> 00:34:53,000 You've got wheels. For sure. 659 00:34:53,040 --> 00:34:56,080 When my legs are out of order, I use this one. 660 00:34:56,120 --> 00:34:57,320 BEN CHUCKLES 661 00:34:59,160 --> 00:35:01,200 'It's just a short walk to a stunning lake 662 00:35:01,240 --> 00:35:04,280 'that Trond used to come to as a child. 663 00:35:04,320 --> 00:35:07,720 'He would fish in the summer and ice skate in the winter. 664 00:35:07,760 --> 00:35:09,440 'It sounds idyllic.' 665 00:35:10,560 --> 00:35:12,880 What's the sign there say? "Here, we are swimming. 666 00:35:12,920 --> 00:35:16,400 "The one that is comfortable without swimwear." 667 00:35:16,440 --> 00:35:17,800 BEN LAUGHS 668 00:35:17,840 --> 00:35:21,040 You're pulling my leg, I know. No. You have to. 669 00:35:21,080 --> 00:35:23,680 You can go naked. I'm gonna... Do you know what? 670 00:35:23,720 --> 00:35:26,040 I've got children, and they get so embarrassed. 671 00:35:26,080 --> 00:35:27,480 Why? 672 00:35:27,520 --> 00:35:29,880 How did you do the upbringing of your children? 673 00:35:29,920 --> 00:35:31,400 BEN LAUGHS 674 00:35:31,440 --> 00:35:33,480 I'm more embarrassed because you are tanned, 675 00:35:33,520 --> 00:35:36,240 and I am whiter than a cream cake. 676 00:35:36,280 --> 00:35:38,120 BEN LAUGHS 677 00:35:44,800 --> 00:35:46,600 BEN LAUGHS 678 00:35:48,600 --> 00:35:51,240 I think you're... you're kind of beached. 679 00:35:51,280 --> 00:35:53,920 Can I just remind you how shallow it is here? I'm swimming. 680 00:35:53,960 --> 00:35:58,040 BEN LAUGHS 681 00:35:58,080 --> 00:36:00,680 'Watching Trond splash around in the lake, 682 00:36:00,720 --> 00:36:04,920 'I can see why he claims to feel six years old inside.' 683 00:36:06,480 --> 00:36:08,640 Does this remind you of your childhood? 684 00:36:08,680 --> 00:36:10,880 Very. Very, very, very. 685 00:36:10,920 --> 00:36:15,400 Because I had many years where I wasn't here, actually. 686 00:36:15,440 --> 00:36:17,400 Which is kind of a little bit sad story, 687 00:36:17,440 --> 00:36:19,960 but it's a part of my life. 688 00:36:20,000 --> 00:36:21,640 Why were you not here? 689 00:36:21,680 --> 00:36:25,160 Er, my father and uncle, 690 00:36:25,200 --> 00:36:30,280 they drowned in this lake, out there, in '81. 691 00:36:30,320 --> 00:36:31,840 In this? 692 00:36:31,880 --> 00:36:33,360 In this lake. They... 693 00:36:33,400 --> 00:36:34,440 They drowned. 694 00:36:34,480 --> 00:36:36,080 They drowned. Yeah. Yeah. 695 00:36:36,120 --> 00:36:38,680 It was in October, so they were out. 696 00:36:38,720 --> 00:36:41,480 They had been here, putting yarns for fishing. 697 00:36:41,520 --> 00:36:44,240 And they were coming up to pick up the yarns. 698 00:36:44,280 --> 00:36:47,960 And then probably, without knowing, we don't know, 699 00:36:48,000 --> 00:36:51,080 but one of them probably got a heart attack or something 700 00:36:51,120 --> 00:36:52,840 and fell over. 701 00:36:52,880 --> 00:36:57,960 And the other was trying to rescue. So they both drowned. 702 00:36:58,000 --> 00:37:01,000 I'm so sorry to hear that. That is awful. 703 00:37:01,040 --> 00:37:04,480 Yeah, it took a while before I wanted to go here, 704 00:37:04,520 --> 00:37:08,960 because I felt like... I didn't want to go into the water. 705 00:37:09,000 --> 00:37:10,160 So, what...? 706 00:37:10,200 --> 00:37:12,040 I mean, I wouldn't blame you 707 00:37:12,080 --> 00:37:16,400 for never wanting to come anywhere near the lake, let alone get in. 708 00:37:16,440 --> 00:37:19,320 It started, actually, with one summer 709 00:37:19,360 --> 00:37:22,240 that I decided I'm going to dip my toe in the water. 710 00:37:22,280 --> 00:37:25,960 So I did that. And then it was up to the knee. 711 00:37:26,000 --> 00:37:29,400 And then two years after, I could walk, 712 00:37:29,440 --> 00:37:32,720 and then suddenly, one day, I felt like, I try. 713 00:37:32,760 --> 00:37:36,480 And I just said, like, "I just need to do it," 714 00:37:36,520 --> 00:37:40,080 because I need to kind of progress. 715 00:37:40,120 --> 00:37:44,520 And now, you know, we're in this amazing lake, 716 00:37:44,560 --> 00:37:48,920 getting cold, washing, it's kind of... it's kind of... 717 00:37:48,960 --> 00:37:50,960 you're using this to nourish you, 718 00:37:51,000 --> 00:37:55,280 and yet it took something so precious from you. 719 00:37:56,360 --> 00:37:57,880 Mm. 720 00:38:05,040 --> 00:38:07,320 I never thought about it that way. 721 00:38:09,400 --> 00:38:12,080 But, er... it did. 722 00:38:13,520 --> 00:38:15,520 I hope that's a beautiful thought rather than... 723 00:38:15,560 --> 00:38:17,960 I hope you don't take that... Yeah, for sure. No, no, no. 724 00:38:18,000 --> 00:38:21,600 But I hadn't thought about it the way you said it. 725 00:38:21,640 --> 00:38:24,720 So a big thank you to you for that. 726 00:38:24,760 --> 00:38:29,600 Because then I'm still one step more cured, in a way, 727 00:38:29,640 --> 00:38:33,280 for what happened, so that's good. 728 00:38:37,120 --> 00:38:40,560 Kind of feel a bit bad that I sparked that emotion. 729 00:38:40,600 --> 00:38:42,520 It shows it's still very raw. 730 00:38:42,560 --> 00:38:43,960 I don't know that I could have 731 00:38:44,000 --> 00:38:47,400 the same forgiving relationship that Trond has. 732 00:38:47,440 --> 00:38:50,280 But I think in terms of this layering of his relationship 733 00:38:50,320 --> 00:38:53,760 with the natural world and... 734 00:38:55,240 --> 00:38:59,640 ..the landscape that he has chosen to make his own, 735 00:38:59,680 --> 00:39:02,040 I think that speaks volumes. 736 00:39:02,080 --> 00:39:06,480 That he is not only willing to forgive it but to embrace it. 737 00:39:10,800 --> 00:39:13,680 'It's my final day staying with Robert and Trond. 738 00:39:15,000 --> 00:39:17,360 'And it's also opening day for their gallery, 739 00:39:17,400 --> 00:39:21,360 'so whilst I'm still here, they're putting me to work.' 740 00:39:21,400 --> 00:39:23,720 This one? You need to check that there is no flies. 741 00:39:23,760 --> 00:39:25,240 OK. We are good? 742 00:39:25,280 --> 00:39:27,080 I will make sure. 743 00:39:27,120 --> 00:39:28,600 'There's also a little gift shop 744 00:39:28,640 --> 00:39:32,320 'which sells small items the pair make during the winter.' 745 00:39:34,000 --> 00:39:36,800 How many people come here? 746 00:39:36,840 --> 00:39:43,000 During the summer season, we have between 1,200 and 1,500 visitors. 747 00:39:43,040 --> 00:39:44,720 Wow. That's a lot of people coming. 748 00:39:44,760 --> 00:39:47,240 It's a lot of people coming, yep. So we work quite hard. 749 00:39:48,480 --> 00:39:51,200 'Trond is in charge of this part of the business. 750 00:39:51,240 --> 00:39:54,840 'And as always, he wants everything just so.' 751 00:39:54,880 --> 00:39:58,160 And you see here, there is a soap that's on a diagonal. 752 00:39:58,200 --> 00:40:00,400 Not good, as you see. 753 00:40:00,440 --> 00:40:01,880 As you see here, 754 00:40:01,920 --> 00:40:05,560 the distance between this one and this one, no good. OK. 755 00:40:05,600 --> 00:40:09,000 'Robert runs a cafe inside their house. 756 00:40:09,040 --> 00:40:12,080 'It seems to have the smallest menu in Norway. 757 00:40:12,120 --> 00:40:13,720 'There's just tea, coffee, 758 00:40:13,760 --> 00:40:18,160 'home-made jams from foraged fruits and waffles, 759 00:40:18,200 --> 00:40:22,080 'made with a secret recipe from Trond's grandmother.' 760 00:40:23,520 --> 00:40:26,560 Does it ever get stressful for you? Yeah, all the time. 761 00:40:26,600 --> 00:40:27,960 All the time. 762 00:40:28,000 --> 00:40:31,040 Even if I have one customer, I get stressed. 763 00:40:31,080 --> 00:40:35,040 'With such high standards comes a lot of work. 764 00:40:35,080 --> 00:40:38,400 'I can't imagine what it must be like for just the two of them.' 765 00:40:39,560 --> 00:40:42,520 What happens, actually, when you need to have your dialysis 766 00:40:42,560 --> 00:40:44,840 if there are lots and lots of people here? 767 00:40:44,880 --> 00:40:49,600 Trond tries to hold them in the barn... 768 00:40:49,640 --> 00:40:53,120 Mm-hm. ..until I finish with the dialysis. 769 00:40:53,160 --> 00:40:56,240 I've got this image now of you distracting people, 770 00:40:56,280 --> 00:41:00,040 trying to keep them just for that extra 15, 20 minutes. 771 00:41:00,080 --> 00:41:03,160 For sure. He has no problem talking. 772 00:41:03,200 --> 00:41:06,920 You surprise me by saying that (!) THEY LAUGH 773 00:41:07,920 --> 00:41:11,000 Hi. Hey. Hello. 774 00:41:11,040 --> 00:41:13,320 Right, so, is everyone coming into the gallery? 775 00:41:13,360 --> 00:41:14,960 Gallery first, then waffles. 776 00:41:15,000 --> 00:41:17,080 The famous waffles. Gallery first, then waffles. 777 00:41:17,120 --> 00:41:18,640 The famous waffles. OK. 778 00:41:21,040 --> 00:41:24,800 I will explain a little bit to you here 779 00:41:24,840 --> 00:41:28,560 about a little bit of the items we have here on the wall. 780 00:41:28,600 --> 00:41:30,160 Come in. Come in. 781 00:41:30,200 --> 00:41:32,240 'The tour has something for everyone. 782 00:41:32,280 --> 00:41:36,200 'An amazing mixture of art, Trond's personal history 783 00:41:36,240 --> 00:41:40,720 'and artefacts showing the local heritage of the Forest Finns, 784 00:41:40,760 --> 00:41:44,440 'an ethnic group of Norwegians that Trond descends from.' 785 00:41:45,800 --> 00:41:49,080 All of these tools used once to work the land. 786 00:41:49,120 --> 00:41:54,400 All mixed in with new art, old art. 787 00:41:56,200 --> 00:41:59,800 They've sort of turned everything from practical tools 788 00:41:59,840 --> 00:42:03,200 into a form of art themselves. 789 00:42:03,240 --> 00:42:04,640 Love that. 790 00:42:04,680 --> 00:42:09,880 These are Trond's summer socks, knitted by his fair hand. 791 00:42:09,920 --> 00:42:12,200 These are the brain warmers. 792 00:42:12,240 --> 00:42:13,400 So, these are... 793 00:42:13,440 --> 00:42:16,760 These keep you happy. Nice. 794 00:42:16,800 --> 00:42:18,600 'Despite my hard sell...' Some waffles. 795 00:42:18,640 --> 00:42:21,600 '..I think everyone is keen to sample the famous waffles.' 796 00:42:21,640 --> 00:42:24,800 Look at that. With the secret recipe. 797 00:42:24,840 --> 00:42:27,160 Even I'm not allowed to know. OK. Thank you. 798 00:42:27,200 --> 00:42:29,920 And I'm gonna go and get some jams for you all. 799 00:42:32,880 --> 00:42:35,280 I'm really glad that I have seen them both 800 00:42:35,320 --> 00:42:38,240 in a sort of social situation. 801 00:42:38,280 --> 00:42:41,680 Cos Trond in particular holds court 802 00:42:41,720 --> 00:42:44,920 and loves being the centre of attention. 803 00:42:44,960 --> 00:42:48,280 But also, to see the dynamic between him and Robert. 804 00:42:48,320 --> 00:42:51,360 'Robert working quietly behind the scenes, 805 00:42:51,400 --> 00:42:53,240 'proudly making the waffles. 806 00:42:53,280 --> 00:42:58,120 'And, you know, they really are an amazing team.' 807 00:42:58,160 --> 00:43:03,240 And above all, they're using art to inspire others 808 00:43:03,280 --> 00:43:07,920 and to bring people out from Oslo and other parts of Norway 809 00:43:07,960 --> 00:43:12,160 to come and immerse themselves 810 00:43:12,200 --> 00:43:15,080 in their unique world here. 811 00:43:18,120 --> 00:43:20,600 'It's time for me to leave. 812 00:43:20,640 --> 00:43:23,920 'I've been inspired by my week with Trond and Robert. 813 00:43:23,960 --> 00:43:27,680 'Although my artistic skills haven't improved very much.' 814 00:43:29,240 --> 00:43:31,080 Hey. Hello. 815 00:43:31,120 --> 00:43:32,520 I'm afraid it's time to go. 816 00:43:32,560 --> 00:43:33,640 No. Yes. 817 00:43:33,680 --> 00:43:35,440 Already? Give me a hug. 818 00:43:35,480 --> 00:43:36,600 Oh, for sure. 819 00:43:36,640 --> 00:43:38,880 Thank you so much. You're welcome. 820 00:43:38,920 --> 00:43:42,160 Robert, thank you so much. You're welcome. 821 00:43:42,200 --> 00:43:45,000 What a fun week. You've surprised me. 822 00:43:45,040 --> 00:43:46,760 Oh? You've made me work hard. 823 00:43:46,800 --> 00:43:48,600 Yes. You've made me laugh. 824 00:43:48,640 --> 00:43:50,480 That, too. My God. 825 00:43:50,520 --> 00:43:52,600 So, what will you remember us from, then? 826 00:43:52,640 --> 00:43:53,960 Art. 827 00:43:54,000 --> 00:43:56,600 And not the nature? No. I think... But that's the thing. 828 00:43:56,640 --> 00:44:01,960 You have curated this beautiful life that balances both. 829 00:44:02,000 --> 00:44:05,840 And I can't tell you how much I'm gonna think about you. 830 00:44:05,880 --> 00:44:08,440 Will you let me know as soon as you have that beautiful new kidney? 831 00:44:08,480 --> 00:44:09,640 Absolutely. Yeah. 832 00:44:09,680 --> 00:44:10,720 Thank you very much. 833 00:44:10,760 --> 00:44:12,080 Keep being yourselves. 834 00:44:12,120 --> 00:44:13,720 For sure. It's been so much fun. 835 00:44:13,760 --> 00:44:16,040 Bye, now. Safe journey back home. 836 00:44:16,080 --> 00:44:17,360 Bye. Bye. 837 00:44:22,280 --> 00:44:24,560 'I'm in Montana...' 838 00:44:24,600 --> 00:44:27,960 In the wintertime, we have avalanches and deep snow. 839 00:44:28,000 --> 00:44:30,280 '..living on an extreme mountaintop.' 840 00:44:31,800 --> 00:44:34,720 Can you endure another five winters? No. Probably not. 841 00:44:34,760 --> 00:44:38,840 'Will this extraordinary family overcome the odds?' 842 00:44:38,880 --> 00:44:41,160 Our journey started, but, boy... 843 00:44:41,200 --> 00:44:42,760 HE LAUGHS 844 00:44:42,800 --> 00:44:45,680 ..it wasn't the journey we thought it was.