I left on Norwegian airlines....a little overweight.....I spent my first half an hour at the airport just shifting things around between my checked bag and carry-on. I had two hours plus to kill so there was no rush. I was prepared for about 50lbs but I quickly found out 20kilos is only 44 lbs....and what they say they mean.
There were quite a few people waiting for this flight. Many with sunburns ( Norwegians ) returning home after their Disney/ Florida vacations and fewer of us Americans ready for an adventure to the land of snow and Trolls.
The Dreamliner 787 was a very nice aircraft and my hosts (who also sent me my ticket) also reserved me an isle seat on an exit row so I had now issues with leg room. Being 6'4" I often am really cramped on airplanes. The seats were a comfortable gray leather which actually reclined a good 6" or so. The lighting system was very unique they could change colors and actually set the mood throughout the flight. You actually lost track of time as we flew. Which is good when you are flying all night. "7 hours and 45 minutes the captain announced,"first in Norwegian and then in English. This was the first time it really hit me....I am going back. To a country I came to love and a family just as much. As I sat there I started to think about the years that have flown by....." Why had it taken me so long to go back to this special place? These special people?" Money...time...family responsibilities....a little bit of everything I guess. One thing did hit me like a rock.....the year I spent with the Skilhagen Family in the little town of Namsos could never be relived....it was such an incredible year in my life I was almost nervous it wouldn't or couldn't live up to what I had experienced before. Of course it would be different...30 years had passed. Things changed there in Norway just as the did for me at home in the US. It was then I realized the memories of an 18 boy were just toes ...wonderful memories. Now at 49.... I would have new and different ones. This has become the reason I am wanting to write down my experiences. I don't have a year this time....just two weeks.
I arrived in Oslo at 5:45 my time...but 11:45am in Norway. I had a two hour layover in Olso and
hopped on a quick flight to Trondheim (50mins) and Boom there I was going through customs
excited to see Yvonne and her family.
You see 30 years ago when I lived with them...Yvonne was only nine years old. Now she is a mama herself and has a little girl Elise who is just the same age as she was then. When I walked out of the gate there they were...Yvonne, Karsten, and Elise...waiving Norwegian Flags. What a welcoming....I was very tired, excited, and nervous all at the same time. What a feeling....we grabbed my bags and head for home.
We arrived at their home, just outside Trondheim, in an area called Tiller. The live in a very nice friendly neighborhood with many families living there. It is very comfortable here.. They have a beautiful three bedrooms plus guest room home with decks both front and back. I am sitting her on the back deck writing. The time is about 9:15 in the evening...it is slightly overcast...but the sun is nowhere near ready to go down. It actually takes some getting used to. Karsten an I actually stayed up watching the World Cup game last night until almost 12:45 at night....but as I went down to my room I had to close the blinds because it was still light out.( about what it is like at 8:45-9pm in Florida)
From the back deck @10pm
I found myself struggling to remember Norwegian as we eat pizza for dinner... and then things get blurry as I went down for bed.....tomorrow the adventure continues.....
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