they only talk when something needs to be said, which is not often.

Wonderful! What a different place the world would be if the majority of humans were like that! ... wonder if the good folks of remote N. Sweden smoke weed :D ... and I wonder if people make friends with the Elk.

I used to be really scared of ticket checkers - have hidden myself in many train toilets to avoid their claws. The one I met on the Danish-Swedish line was very understanding, and didn't make me cough up :)