Summary
Extreme sauna-ing is a brutal sport and I have to admit that I'm not particularly pleased to be a contestant. But, for better or for worse, this is my family vacation and I've got no choice but to go through with it. We've come all the way from California to compete. My brother was in the first round - he lasted three minutes and six seconds - and he's now hoarsely shouting encouragements at me. His skin is glowing red. My mom and step-dad are also in the crowd; our family traces its roots back to Finland and we thought that this would be a fun way to explore our Finnish identity and bond as a family.
For me, it is the end of a journey. I have competed in some the world's wildest competitions in order to answer questions about my life. What should I do for a living? When will I be ready to have children? Will my Mom ever stop annoying me? By running backwards, sumo wrestling, fighting bulls, and arm wrestling, I've been able to answer those questions. Now, in the sauna, I realize I'm done. I'm ready to stop taking so many risks. I see with life-threatening clarity that I've had a good life, and that despite my mom's insistence on package vacations, she's been a great mom. The sauna has crisped away all my needless sarcasm. I just don't know if I'll survive to tell her that.See the full content of this document
Extract
Exploring the Baltic
It began with the Vikings. Over a thousand years ago, they plowed the waves of the Baltic in their longships. Then came the German merchants, setting up Hanseatic ports.
But long gone are the sleek longships and bulky medieval Hansa boats. Now the Baltic accommodates a new breed of explorers: modern day tourists who, in ever-increasing numbers, fill cruise ships of every description.From relative obscurity, the Baltic has emerged as one of the world's leading cruise destinations, third in popularity after the Caribbean and the Mediterranean. In the last five years it has experienced an av...See the full content of this document
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