It was the last day. Mom and I went down to breakfast as usual. I did let Linda C., and Linda H. know that I did want to go shopping with them. Their plan was to hop on the ferry back to Skansen to visit the gift shop of craft items right in front of the park. The bus was picking us up at 1:35 so there was plenty of time. Evie joined us for this excursion. We took the ferry, waited around for the shop to open, shopped, hopped back on the ferry. This was a very close call. We needed to purchase our tickets for the ferry ride and we only had 4 minutes before the ferry left and we would have to wait for the next one but we managed with only 1 minutes to spare. As we exited the ferry, we passed Karin and Ellen making their way to the bakery right by the ferry.
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Back at the hotel, I quickly finished packing. We had to be out of the room by 12:00 and it was already 11:53. I don’t think I have ever thrown myself together that fast before. Down in the lobby we were sitting, waiting for the bus. Karin brought back the best cardamom cookies for everyone. They melted in your mouth. Mom got to enjoy then as well which was awesome.
When it got to be about 1:30, we all started to get a little worried. A quick call to Thor and we found out there had been a mixup and we would have to arrange our own transportation. Karin and Ellen decided not to wait and called for their own taxi. This was just about the time I realized I had left my white fleece in the room. The manager had the concierge calling for three taxis for the rest of us while we went up to check the room. This was all I needed, to leave something else behind. It would have been losing something in all three counties if I had but I retrieved it. The hotel staff was great.
The three taxis arrived quickly. I was in the first cab since I was paying for all three. We arrived at the airport and I paid our driver. The second taxi arrived and told me to pay the third driver first because his credit card machine was having issues and needed to be restarted. I paid the third one while everyone else headed into the airport. The second cab driver was still having problems. I was getting very nervous since we were already over half an hour late getting to the airport. We had only 2 hours before take off. He kept fiddling with the machine, trying to get it to work. He then said he would take cash. All I had was American. He said he would take $60.00 but there was only $3.00 in my wallet. The rest was in the airport with my mother. He finally told me to go inside, he would fix the machine and come find me. That was about 10 minutes later. The driver and I ran to his cab (yes, I was running) where he put my credit card through.
Back inside the airport, Mom and Linda K. were having problems pulling up our tickets since we were on the same reservation. I tried and everyone else’s names came up except ours. It took a few tense moments standing in the wrong line before Mom walked off to ask someone. I turned around to follow her with my eyes and saw the sign for the SAS Check In & Baggage. That was the line we needed to be in. Still not sure of what was happening with our tickets, Linda K. went to find Linda C. so she could call Thor and find out what had happened. I was still in line and it was moving. I started to panic even more because I needed Linda K. to check in since we were all on the same reservation. The line next to ours was for luggage and Linda H. was waiting there since her luggage tag did not print out at the kiosk.. Karin and Ellen were in the same line with Linda H. I told them I was looking for Linda K. I was really getting frantic and needed her and her passport. When she got the message that I needed her and hurried back, the line stopped moving. We looked at the desk to see that no one was in any of the three stations doing check in. That was about 3:15. I thought at this point that we would never make it to the 4:30 plane and we would be stuck in Stockholm. Finally, two desk agents arrived and things moved more quickly. I asked the agent about a wheel chair for Mom and Linda K. since these had been requested when the tickets were purchased. She sent us to Information to wait for security and the wheelchairs. Linda H. saw us waiting and joined us. The wheelchairs arrived with only one attendant who began pushing Mom. Linda H. began pushing Linda K. The good thing about having wheelchairs is the speed in which you get through security since you can jump the line. We picked up Linda C. and Evie to go through security together. We got through security just fine, however our wheelchair attendant was picked for a security check.. We then were able to push ahead of everyone waiting to board the plane. Standing on the gangway, waiting to enter the plane, Lee and Victoria arrived in their wheelchairs. Now after this mad dash through the airport trying to get to the plane on time, takeoff was delayed waiting for thirty passengers from a connecting flight. The plane finally took off at 5:00 and I began to worry about our connecting flight since the pilot announced we would be arriving thirty minutes late in Chicago.
Luckily, the wheelchairs were waiting right outside the door of the plane, rather all four wheelchairs with attendants to push them. Mom and I were the first ones in our group to exit the plane. The young man attending to Mom’s wheelchair was all business and he wasn’t waiting around for anyone. I have never been through Customs and security so fast. It was great and a weight was lifted off my shoulders. He went so fast that we got to the next gate with an hour to spare. We sat for a while waiting for everyone to join us. Linda C. and Linda H were the last to arrive. Linda C’s. suitcase was the last one off the plane and Linda H had some difficulty finding hers initially. Someone had removed it from the conveyer belt and just left it sitting on the floor.
There were no more problems for the rest of the trip. We arrived in Richmond fifteen minutes early. Just as our luggage arrived, so did our transportation back to Mom’s house.
When it got to be about 1:30, we all started to get a little worried. A quick call to Thor and we found out there had been a mixup and we would have to arrange our own transportation. Karin and Ellen decided not to wait and called for their own taxi. This was just about the time I realized I had left my white fleece in the room. The manager had the concierge calling for three taxis for the rest of us while we went up to check the room. This was all I needed, to leave something else behind. It would have been losing something in all three counties if I had but I retrieved it. The hotel staff was great.
The three taxis arrived quickly. I was in the first cab since I was paying for all three. We arrived at the airport and I paid our driver. The second taxi arrived and told me to pay the third driver first because his credit card machine was having issues and needed to be restarted. I paid the third one while everyone else headed into the airport. The second cab driver was still having problems. I was getting very nervous since we were already over half an hour late getting to the airport. We had only 2 hours before take off. He kept fiddling with the machine, trying to get it to work. He then said he would take cash. All I had was American. He said he would take $60.00 but there was only $3.00 in my wallet. The rest was in the airport with my mother. He finally told me to go inside, he would fix the machine and come find me. That was about 10 minutes later. The driver and I ran to his cab (yes, I was running) where he put my credit card through.
Back inside the airport, Mom and Linda K. were having problems pulling up our tickets since we were on the same reservation. I tried and everyone else’s names came up except ours. It took a few tense moments standing in the wrong line before Mom walked off to ask someone. I turned around to follow her with my eyes and saw the sign for the SAS Check In & Baggage. That was the line we needed to be in. Still not sure of what was happening with our tickets, Linda K. went to find Linda C. so she could call Thor and find out what had happened. I was still in line and it was moving. I started to panic even more because I needed Linda K. to check in since we were all on the same reservation. The line next to ours was for luggage and Linda H. was waiting there since her luggage tag did not print out at the kiosk.. Karin and Ellen were in the same line with Linda H. I told them I was looking for Linda K. I was really getting frantic and needed her and her passport. When she got the message that I needed her and hurried back, the line stopped moving. We looked at the desk to see that no one was in any of the three stations doing check in. That was about 3:15. I thought at this point that we would never make it to the 4:30 plane and we would be stuck in Stockholm. Finally, two desk agents arrived and things moved more quickly. I asked the agent about a wheel chair for Mom and Linda K. since these had been requested when the tickets were purchased. She sent us to Information to wait for security and the wheelchairs. Linda H. saw us waiting and joined us. The wheelchairs arrived with only one attendant who began pushing Mom. Linda H. began pushing Linda K. The good thing about having wheelchairs is the speed in which you get through security since you can jump the line. We picked up Linda C. and Evie to go through security together. We got through security just fine, however our wheelchair attendant was picked for a security check.. We then were able to push ahead of everyone waiting to board the plane. Standing on the gangway, waiting to enter the plane, Lee and Victoria arrived in their wheelchairs. Now after this mad dash through the airport trying to get to the plane on time, takeoff was delayed waiting for thirty passengers from a connecting flight. The plane finally took off at 5:00 and I began to worry about our connecting flight since the pilot announced we would be arriving thirty minutes late in Chicago.
Luckily, the wheelchairs were waiting right outside the door of the plane, rather all four wheelchairs with attendants to push them. Mom and I were the first ones in our group to exit the plane. The young man attending to Mom’s wheelchair was all business and he wasn’t waiting around for anyone. I have never been through Customs and security so fast. It was great and a weight was lifted off my shoulders. He went so fast that we got to the next gate with an hour to spare. We sat for a while waiting for everyone to join us. Linda C. and Linda H were the last to arrive. Linda C’s. suitcase was the last one off the plane and Linda H had some difficulty finding hers initially. Someone had removed it from the conveyer belt and just left it sitting on the floor.
There were no more problems for the rest of the trip. We arrived in Richmond fifteen minutes early. Just as our luggage arrived, so did our transportation back to Mom’s house.
In spite of all the problems and issues I experienced on this trip, I did enjoy it and learned much about the three countries we visited. I feel my appreciation for other places and cultures has expanded. I did fall in love with the Norwegian brown cheese and was so excited when I found it in the grocery store the next day. I even turned the lady that works at the cheese counter on to it. She actually opened a package just so she could taste this very different cheese and loved it as well.
I hope you have enjoyed coming on this trip with the group this year.
Just to let you know, my Kindle showed up at the hotel in Stockholm on July 30, 2018. I wonder if it will make it to Richmond before I leave for beach week.
Just to let you know, my Kindle showed up at the hotel in Stockholm on July 30, 2018. I wonder if it will make it to Richmond before I leave for beach week.