My Scandinavian Adventures
by knittinkitten at 10/6/2008 4:33:22 PM
I ARRIVED, MY LUGGAGE DID NOT!
About 4 hours into our overseas flight, I hear my name……Ms……..(It’s the Flight Attendant)…
I replied, “Yup, that’s me…what can I do for you?”
She is standing in the aisle, at my elbow. The plane is in flight…we have been out of Chicago for about 3 hours now. I was just about to settle back for a nap, having had my powdered decaf coffee and looking forward to catching a few winks before we arrive in Stockholm several hours and a large time zone change later.
This can’t be good news I’m thinking.
“Maam, your luggage is not on this flight.” Oh my goodness, has she been down in the luggage bay checking luggage…How does she KNOW this little piece of news?
I see she is holding a list with about 6 names on it…and, I see one of those names is MINE.
“No maam, we just received a phone call from the Captain of another SAS plane that it is aboard his craft. “ Hmmmm,” I say…”do you have any idea where he’s headed?”. “Yes, maam, he’s headed to Copenhagen.”
“Oh Great”,. I quip to her, How long do you think it will take for me to receive it?”
“Don’t worry”, she replies…he’s got a stop in Copenhagen and will be in Stockholm later this afternoon.”.
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“Well, thanks for letting me know”, I say, as I seriously wonder if it was better to have told me NOW, with 4 more hours of flight for me to worry about it, or for me to have found out when I went to luggage pick-up. I’m not happy about this, but my many years of Tour Directing saw my luggage go, several times, to destinations for which, I’m positive it did not have a passport. And, each time, it had been about a 3 day delay before it was in my hands again.. Once, it actually arrived HOME before I did…I lived out of my carry on and items the airline allowed me to purchase.
I digress now to just prior to our departure….the Captain announced that we were having a slight delay…he told us that the Baggage Crew was having some difficulty loading some odd-shaped sports equipment. It seems that there were some VERY long poles they were attempting to stash in the cargo hold….Poles, he told us, that had to be loaded on this flight because they were destined for Beijing….
So, now we all know that pole vaulters, partaking in the Olympics were concerned about their equipment. Obviously, they soon solved their problem, because it was not long before we began our flight.. However, at THAT time, I had no idea that I WAS PART OF THE SOLUTION…..
Our flight was routine….and, by the way, the food served was delicious , the coffee was hot and tasty. …Scandinavian Airlines…I salute you…it was my first flight on………..
We arrived, on schedule early the next morning…at Stockholm….thankful as I was that I had been able to catch a bit of sleep, I was still concerned about customs…Customs was a breeze….not too many foreign visitors…
However, after bottling and labeling all my prescription medicines, according to instructions, AND carrying scrip for them all, it was kinda disappointing that neither at Orlando, Chicago nor Stockholm, no one seemed a bit interested in the “drugs” I was transporting around the world. After all they put us through….placing liquids in 3 oz. Bottles, throwing away our water…which, purchased in safe areas and still unopened, in addition to paying MUCH too MUCH for it, couldn’t possibly have been in touch with anyone trying to taint it…and, of course, the indignity of walking around barefoot because they had to run our shoes through an x-ray machine.
Now, of course, I’m thankful for the safety precautions taken on our behalf, so I’m not really complaining…But, ya gotta admit, it enhances the story a bit…
I skipped Baggage Claim, of course, and went directly to Lost Baggage. Soon several of us were explaining our problem and since I had seen the Flight Attendant’s list, I filled in the attendant regarding the problem.
Actually, it was truly handled politely and efficiently and, the clerk made a phone call to my friends who were standing just outside the exit wondering why I was delayed. They handled the entire matter in Swedish and then the Clerk explained it all to me.
I knew the afternoon arrival in Stockholm would not be convenient to us because we were immediately leaving for their countryside summer home at least two hours away.
Needless to say, the day went very slowly, and although I had a 3 day supply of necessities in my carry-on, one DOES wonder if they’re ever gonna see their luggage again.
Later in the day, we were informed that it had, in fact, arrived, but would not be delivered until the next day. I am now located 2 hours outside Stockholm…beautiful, beautiful countryside…much like our own northern or, perhaps, New England countryside…at a quaint summer cottage…
It’s located in a little village….the streets are not paved….I do not see any street signs, no mailbox as we pull in the drive…and, no name and street number located anywhere.
Other cottages on the street were all barn red….a colorful sight, but perhaps not, to the poor guy who will be delivering my luggage…However, there was a yellow cottage across the street…a slight ray of hope….that the luggage delivery man…if he found the village, AND the street, would realize that their cottage was directly across the street.
There was also a horse in the field next door…but, who the hell know where that horse would be when the delivery man arrived…One cannot give directions , “We’re directly across the street from the gray horse”, now can we.?
The next morning we arise early…hell, on Jet Lag, I was awake and hungry at about 3 am….I was treated to my first true Scandinavian breakfast…and, was VERY impressed.
My friends graciously entertained me daily with magnificent meals.
My friends, not wanting to leave anything to chance, contacted a delivery service utilized by the airlines, and were happy to learn that the man assigned to deliver my luggage, was quite familiar with the area and assured us that the luggage was in good hands. He knew the yellow cottage…and, yes, he even knew the HORSE!
Much relieved, we set out on our first day’s journey through Sweden. I will describe some of our travels in another article.
I must comment here that there is a DEFINITE reason why we’re instructed to take a 3 day supply of necessities in a carry-on bag. However, they neglect to tell us that it is simply IMPOSSIBLE to fit every NECESSITY into that small bag they now weigh, and some airlines even charge us to carry on. Well, on second thought, perhaps men can manage, but I doubt that many women can….for a 3 week journey? Who are they kidding?
For a successful ending…at about 5pm , as we were turning into their street, we could see the delivery truck exiting their driveway..having placed the luggage in their garage… We waved to each other as we passed by, and at least three of us breathed a sigh of relief.
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