Our Trip to Norway

This is a lovely photo of NK and me. We took this while hanging out at the airport in Iceland.

My dad drove NK and I to the Minneapolis/St. Paul airport on Thursday. After one week of cramming as much stuff as possible in our suitcases I was relieved to have the packing behind me. I called Icelandair a few days earlier to inquire about luggage limits. I was told I could bring as many bags as I wanted as long as I brought my credit cards! We checked 6 large bags and one cat.

Days earlier on our trip to Iowa Forrest nearly meowed himself into a trance. We finally had to stop at a pet store to get him some kitty drugs (animal Dramamine). He was much more comfortable and calm after the kitty drugs - and my mom, NK and I weren't ready to leave him somewhere in Missouri. We drugged him for the trip to Minnesota and a little more prior to the flight/check-in.

My dad dropped us off - there are not any porters at the MN International airport...what the HECK? NK and I balanced two carts with 6 suitcases (nearly 60-70 pounds each), two carry-ons, two smaller bags, and Forrest. Luckily we arrived 4 hours prior to our flight. We encountered zero problems with check-in. I was so worried that there would be a last minute problem - with Forrest or the bags or a reluctance to let me leave the country with NK since I didn't have a permission letter from JH. NO PROBLEMS. There was not even a line. We had everyone in the check-in area watching our little train of bags. We had the entire process over in less than 10 minutes. TSA staff were so good with Forrest. And, Forrest cooperated when I too him out of his cage. Days earlier he nearly tore NK apart when he saw his kitty crate.

LeeAnn - thanks for coming to meet us at the airport. We had a great time visiting with you - and we hope you make it to Norway later this summer!

We also breezed through the security check point. They didn't even want to see all of my little baggies full of liquids and gels - and I was ready! My lipstick and gum were ready for viewing!

The plane was full. I knew it was peak season but surprised that a Thursday flight was full. A nice family sat next to us on the flight to Iceland. Their one year old sat on my lap for half the flight entertaining NK and I. She was as cute as a bug and she kept everyone around her jumping.

We have flown Icelandair before and we have raved about the service. Well, they weren't living up to their expectation. They were "short" crew members and while giving the first round of drinks they ran out of nearly all soft drinks by row 12 (our row). They served us luke-warm reindeer meat balls with unidentifiable veggies and a sauce I think was sweet and sour. Instead of keeping drinks readily available and instead of picking up the cabin (food, etc. - since the meatballs were a flop) they cruised and clogged the aisles selling perfume. Other travelers weren't entirely nice. NK and I just entertained ourselves and tried to keep the one year old from tearing apart our aisle.

The trip over Greenland was awesome. We some some great ice flows and glaciers (are these synonyms?). There was a big wave of snow blowing across the surface and only the tallest mountains were visible. These photos were exactly four hours from the MN airport.

We made it through customs in Iceland very quickly. The security check point coming off the plane - yes you read right - coming off the plane...made everyone leave food and beverages in a garbage bin. Some folks had bottles of wine, etc. purchased in MN and they were mad. NK and I opened our carry-on baggage and drank our drinks (2 bottles of water) as opposed to dumping them. Inadvertently I forgot - seriously - to toss our bagels and peanut butter sandwiches. Good thing we had them because we ate them on the next flight.

Security was a little perplexed the NK and I did not have return travel tickets to the US. The customs agent kept telling me "You can only stay 90 days". Whatever. My immigration meeting is next Tuesday! If I don't have papers within 90 days I will need to jump the border to Sweden which we plan to do the first weekend in September anyway. I assured the agent that NK is a dual citizen (US and Norway). Poor guy was confused when we walked away.
The coast of Iceland (2 photos)
The airport in Iceland has had a make over and since our connecting flight was delayed we walked around the airport. It was fun watching sleepy, zombie-like tourists sampling products made in Iceland. We tried to inquire about Forrest but we got the big brush off so I decided not to sweat it.

The trip from Iceland to Norway got off to a tense start for NK. They had inadvertently ticketed us for an exit aisle. Since NK is not old enough to sit in an exit row we had to wait until the entire aircraft was seated and they told us that we may not be able to be seated together. NK got big tears in his eyes and the flight attendants quickly moved some folks so we could sit together. The airplane was not an Icelandair plane - and because I was slightly worried we were on the wrong aircraft I asked the flight attendant. Apparently, Icelandair has way over sold tickets for the high travel season (summer) so they had to rent planes and crews from an airline for hire in the US.

We were the last two passengers off the aircraft because the flight attendants had stowed our carry-ons at the rear of the aircraft and we were seated toward the front. My feet had swelled so much I couldn't get my right shoe on. It took me 5 - 10 minutes to jam my foot in my shoe. I considered walking barefoot through the Oslo airport. So we hobbled to the baggage area. My feet hurt and NK was mostly sleep walking.

In the baggage area a lady was walking around carrying Forrest in his crate. She had been looking for us. I spotted her on the far side of a crowded baggage area. I waved until she saw us and made her way over. Forrest was VERY happy to see us. The lady, a veterinarian took Forrest into her office and gave him a check-up. She said he was in great shape. She let us scratch his nose through the door of the crate before she departed with Forrest to the quarantine an hour away.

Five of our big bags turned up. A nice older gentleman helped me stack 3 of the 70 pound bags on my cart. We waited until all the bags were out and just when I was ready to report a lost bag a trolley pulled up with band instruments for a band which had been traveling on the Iceland to Norway plane. Sure enough I had them double-check their band instruments and my lost bag was on the trolley under a tuba.

Slowly NK and I exited the baggage area. JH was standing front and center on the other side of the doors. What a relief. After 9 weeks of packing and selling we made it to Norway. It sucked that we had to leave Forrest with the authorities but we hope to collect him soon.

Two people and a cat arrived in Norway today

We are now all in Norway.

LL, NK and Forest arrived around 1 PM local time. Forest went to the catjail (kennel) while we wait for the results from the lab at K-State. We loaded up the suitcases and started the drive (1.5 hrs) to Gjovik. LL and NK fell asleep on the drive, then walked inside to nap a little more at the apartment.

To get them and the suitcases here, our landlord let me borrow his trailer to hitch on the back of the car. That worked out quite nicely, as it would otherwise have been very challenging to fit it all into the car, and it would most likely not have been a safe way to travel.

Well that is just a quick status update for now.

Moving Day

We hit some speed bumps with our second moving company. They "tried" to arrange the move for Monday, June 11th. It didn't work so they "tried" again for the 13th and then "tried" again for the 14th. By the day of the 14th my spirits were pretty low. As I stated on the earlier blog entry, it gave NK and I more time in Wichita. The moving company said we were all "GO" for Monday the 18th. On the 18th the shipping container never came. It came on the 19th. Luckily, the 5 man moving crew showed-up on the same day to pack the container!

NK and I slept Monday night in chairs at the house. The only chairs that were not designated to be packed. Instead of a hotel - NK really wanted to stay at our house.

We had a great final few days in Wichita. We saw friends, and we enjoyed some of our favorite Wichita locations. We went to see the Keeper of the Plains. It looks great - we really enjoyed it.

The crew packed and packed the container full. Completely full. Sadly, 1/2 of our furniture and nearly all of our books didn't make the container. I spent an hour on the floor sorting through books and I salvaged the work books JH needed for work - and a few of our favorites.

A lot of tears and dust later - the truck pulled away. I received a phone call about 4 hours later and the freight/crate was unloaded in the rail-yard at Kansas City.

Our neighbors purchased some furniture items and the rest will be sold and donated. We have 6 big suitcases and 2 pull-ons. Clothes, personal items and books will make the trip on the plane with NK, me and Forrest the cat.

Then the phone call came. The K-State/USDA lab is backed up and Forrest may not be able to make the trip. After an hour of tears and near hysteria I got my wits back and we started planning. Within the next 24 hours Highland Park Vet Clinic in Topeka, the Norwegian Agriculture Ministry, JH, me and my mom worked out a plan. Forrest will make the trip to Norway but he will be quarantined until K-State gets done with the blood tests and Highland Park fax the results to Norway. Ok - we can deal with that challenge.

Tuesday evening the 19th we loaded up and headed out of Wichita. We no longer live in Wichita. We have now left Kansas.

We spent a couple of days in Topeka packing our bags and getting some sleep. I had been running on very little sleep and a lot of STRESS for several days.

We are visiting friends and family and loving it. The farewells are tough. More details on our final days in the US to follow...

This double rainbow appeared last Sunday.

This last week hasn't been that fun.

Primarily because of the mess with the movers - and I am sitting here not being able to provide a lot of support to LL. She is doing an awesome job at sorting out all the details. The movers are scheduled to show up tomorrow, so I am praying they will be there, and that everything wil work out. Then hopefully, we will see our stuff again in late July or early August.

After a week of summer the weather pattern changed a little. They forecasted snow up in the mountain passes, and they got it right. Some of the guys at work that have accumulated some experience with the local weather said 'Snow in the mountains, well then we'll see snow at Raufoss'. Yes they were right. Thursday as I looked out of my office window, there was snow falling. It didn't accumulate here, but it sure did up in the mountains. So from 85 F last weekend to snow and back to 70 F yesterday - I thought KS weather was supposed to be wacky.

The picture below is from a vantage point 1/2 mile from the apartment. Looking North along lake Mjosa

For Father's day - a friend back in Wichita sent me some great pictures of LL and NK.

Thanks Jon!!

It's now less than two weeks until we'll be re-united. I can barely wait.

Final Days in Kansas

The last time we sat together on our front porch in Kansas, April 28, 2007. NK and I are really missing the big guy in gold.

We are on our second moving company. The first shafted us - or at least tried to engage in unscrupulous behavior before JH said 'show me our money'. The second company was supposed to have packed our stuff YESTERDAY and loaded today. No go. It is now rescheduled to take place on Monday, June 18th. After a lot of tears and drama and JH nearly jumping the first plane back to Kansas...we got our groove back.

Staying in Wichita a few more days means more time with our Kansas friends, and less time with family further north. Breathe...breathe.

NK and I took some photos of our yard in Kansas to show JH. Our lilies look great. Not the best year for our roses but they smell wonderful! The gooseberries are ripening and I have ate a few dozen! The yucca blooms were both beautiful and fragrant.

The rose bush and lilies were pre-Myklebust. Remember when we brought the yucca from Iowa? And we planted the gooseberry bush as a little plant and it is now 4.5 feet high by 6 feet wide. We planted flowers, berries, fruit trees, willow and fir trees. JH, can you believe how many blossoms our magnolia had this year?

Summer arrived on June 2nd

Today summer made it to Gjovik - a cloudless sky and 70-ish degres.

With a few exceptions May was miserable - about 50-55 degrees F, gray and rainy, some mornings you even had to scrape ice of your windshield - and I did see snow fall, but not accumulate.

Today, they got the forecast right - and summer is here with several more nice days forecasted.

This week I went to meet with the people running the Adult Norwegian Language classes. So now, LL is signed up for classes - starting in August. They mentioned that there is another couple of ladies from the US in the program, but a lot of the participants are from Eastern Europe, Asia or Africa. They meet for about three hours a day - and then do self-study. The initial 250 hours should take about 17 weeks.

LL is doing a great job back in Wichita getting everything packed. While I currently feel bad about all the work she has to complete for the move while I am here, I will be the one envying LL her well-deserved vacation after she gets here. School starts on August 22nd, so I hope she can get well rested before that.

I am scheduled to take one week of vacation this summer, then I have some flexibility to work in hours (before or after I take time off), so we will have the opportunity to extend some weekends to travel around and get to know this place. Hopefully summer will stick around, and views like the one attached can be enjoyed on a regular basis. In the center of the picture, on the lake one can see the S/S Skibladner (you have to open the picture to see anything but a speck) - one of the oldest steamships still in use. I'll get a close up later.....or you can take a look at this website http://www.skibladner.no/engelsk/

Gjovik is to far South, to see the midnight sun, but as the second picture shows, one doesn't need a flashlight to go for a late night walk for the next few weeks if the weather is nice.