“Message in a Bottle: 7-Year-Old’s Letter Found 19 Years Later”

– It’s strange, but I still remember that day, says Oda Mikkelsen Vålstuen (26) to Dagbladet.

On 3 October 2004, almost 19 years ago, she was visiting her grandparents at Åsta in Åmot in Innlandet.

For what she believes was both the first and last time, the then seven-year-old girl got help from her father to write a letter and send it in a bottle post in Glomma.

On 17 May, almost 19 years later, she was contacted by an unknown number.

– Travels 12 mil

In the message, Vålstuen was asked if she was the same Oda M. Vålstuen from Elverum who had thrown the bottle in Glomma on October 2004.

To the newspaper Glåmdalenwho first mentioned the case, tells the finder, Jan Rune Hansen, that it was his three-year-old granddaughter, Anne Scheen, who, together with him, had discovered the bottle at the water’s edge by Norsfossen in Brandval.

The bottle, which now had to be opened with pliers, has therefore traveled around 12 miles and passed several rapids and power plants before it was found again 19 years later.

In the handwriting of a seven-year-old and in block letters, the following is written in the letter:

“Hello! This bottle mail was thrown in Glomma by Åsta on 3/10 -04 by Oda M. Vålstuen from Elverum. Call if you find it”

Oda’s father has told her that he used glue or silicone in the cork to make sure the bottle was properly sealed. She had also written down a telephone number on which she wanted to be contacted by the finder, a number which admittedly is not the same as the one she has today.

– You don’t have the same time perspective as children, so the expectations of how long it would take before someone found it turned out to be completely wrong, smiles Vålstuen.

– But then it was eventually forgotten.

Startling discovery

Will pick it up

Today, Oda Vålstuen is 26 years old, lives in Oslo and works in Ås. She thinks it is incredibly nice that someone has found the bottle after so many years.

She thinks it is extra nice that there is another little girl who has been able to share this experience with her grandfather.

– I don’t know if people send bottle mail anymore. Both for environmental reasons, but also because there is perhaps so much else that takes up time. But I enjoyed such activities so much, so I hope children get the chance for these kinds of experiences today too, she says to Dagbladet.

When she is in these parts, she plans to bring her father to collect the bottle.

– This has brought back so many pleasant childhood memories. Jan Rune said I just had to pick it up, and I will certainly do that. One day when it’s convenient, I’ll take my dad with me to pick it up.