Riding in Cars with Swedes (the people, not the vegetable): First in a series

Like this, but with more snacks

So, to my mind, there are two excellent, generally fail-safe ways to get to know people in the SCA that offer fewer humans in a manageable environment. One is to help out in a kitchen at an event - a small group of people working together toward a common goal is a great environment to both make new friends and feel useful. The other is to carpool to an event with relative strangers, which seems more terrifying on the surface (if you're like me), but often turns out to be a chance to meet your new best friends.

Here in Drachenwald, where lots of people fly in to the closest airport to a site (which may not be close at all, in real terms), there is plenty of opportunity to share a lift with people to the event. On the one hand, you're trapped in a small, enclosed space with strangers and no escape. On the other hand, if those strangers are Swedish, they won't be strangers for long and you might die laughing before you get there. 

I've done this a few times, now, and I have to say that it's rapidly evolving into my favourite thing. The range of discussion topics has been quite broad, and it's been lovely getting to know people I might not have otherwise met. And, if you're me, there is a lot of inter-kingdom anthropology when I ask questions about local traditions and ways of doing things, and offer up my own experiences - it's a fabulous opportunity to learn.

The only problem I've encountered, thus far, is that I've yet to partake in the Road Trip Ice Cream tradition, so I've made a note for next time. Which I hope will be soon.