P.E.'s Reviews > Beyond Sleep

From July 28 to August 5, 1960, the author attended a geographical symposium on glacial morphology and periglacial processes in Abisko (northern Sweden). The aim of the excursion was, in the words of publicist Arno van der Valk, 'to gain insight into the ice recession in the subarctic environment of the river Lule'. each participant shared a hotel room with one other participant; Hermans 'roommate was Torbjörn Fjellang, described by Otterspeer as "an amiable, quiet, simple geography teacher." Hermans then attended the nineteenth International geographical Congress in Stockholm from 6 to 13 August 1960. In July and August 1961 Hermans travelled with Fjellang on a study tour through Finnmark in Norway. This journey forms the basis of the novel. On July 8, Hermans and Fjellang arrived in Skoganvarre, where their two travel companions Harald Skålvoll (who was the model for Qvigstadt) and Per Akselsen (Mikkelsen) stayed for several days. Skålvoll and Fjellang had made this trip together before, while Akselsen, who studied geology, was Skålvoll's assistant. the four made three trips. The longest, according to Fjellang, 'was from 8 to 18 July from Skoganvarre via the Lievnasjavrre (lievnas Lake), the Vuorje and the Rævokløften to Ravnastua and Assebakte, and then across the water to Karasjok. A distance of about one hundred and fifty kilometers. Every day we walked an average of fifteen kilometers with heavy luggage: backpacks, sleeping bags, tent, food and instruments. Later we walked for five more days in the Kautokeino district and finally for four more days in the Solovomi area south of Alta." Hermans initially had trouble keeping up with the others: "it was clear that he was not used to walking in these terrain conditions with heavy equipment," says Skålvoll. "While crossing one of the rivers, he even fell, but fortunately he was not injured." as in the novel, The company also consisted of two duos in reality: Fjellang and Hermans climbed the Vuorje, the other two did not. They did visit all four Rævo-kløften (the gorge Valley from Chapter 34 of the novel), while in the novel Alfred and Arne have already split off from Qvigstadt and Mikkelsen. During the expedition, Skålvoll had aerial photographs, made available to him by the Norwegian Geological Survey at Trondheim, the Norwegian Geological Survey (NGU). The director was called Hvalheim (in the novel Hvalbiff).