Details of Travel






The process of traveling always seems to me to reveal a tedious layer of details that includes a hyper awareness of What time is it? Where are we supposed to be? Where’s that document? What number is my seat? And on and on. Those details obscure the wonderful adventure of travel, the delight, the possibilities, the fun. So the “travel day” of Wednesday for Kaelen and me with all its details and rushing to wait and sit morphed into Thursday and vanished when we arrived at Gardemon airport in Oslo and saw  Vivi and Erik waiting for us in the crowd outside the Customs and Baggage Claim. The process of traveling then becomes  the warmest hugs that dissolve the years and the details of  living separate lives. Twenty years after I first arrived in Oslo to meet my Norwegian “family”   I have returned and I am delighted to share the experience with the latest generation of my/our “family" with my grand-daughter Kaelen. The only detail that seems to matter in that instant is “We are together again.”

And what is the first detail that frames our arrival in Norway? We drive from the airport arrival to the grocery store favored by Vivi to let Kaelen pick out what she “prefers for breakfast” and what she would like to eat as we begin our adventure in Norway. I immediately remember the efficient feeling of the Meny Grocery Store. The underground parking that leads to the entrance of  a well stocked store. Vivi and Kaelen march off purposely. Erik and I meet them at the self check out. Kaelen has chosen two different fragrant and seeded breads, lovely strawberries and juices. Vivi has picked up a few essentials for her kitchen. I am amazed to see how easily Kaelen takes charge of the self checkout process!

When we arrive at the “flat” it is lunch time. Those of you who have visited Vivi and Erik in Oslo know how cozy and comfortable it feels to enter Olaf Bulls Vei 13C. We are greeted enthusiastically by Rex and Kaelen is delighted to meet him. Erik settles us into our spaces to unpack and Vivi quickly arranges a lovely lunch with the breads, cheeses and fresh veggies from the store. We sit in the blue and white kitchen totally focused on the details of that marvelous bread , butter, ham and prawns. And for me, a rich coffee. The best welcome!




Vivi and Erik have clearly been thinking of how best to make Kaelen feel welcomed. Erik shows her how to use the soda making machine and she makes an orange pineapple concoction. Then they announce that if Kaelen and I don’t feel the need to nap after our flights, we can “take a little stroll” so Kaelen can see the Holmenkolen the famous ski jumping area that is the most visited tourist attraction” in Norway. And Rex needs his walk.  So off we go!

The “little stroll” turns out to be a two hour walk up the hills and paths from the flat to the ski jump. We pass the school where Axel, Vibecca and Are went to elementary school. We stop since two girls want to greet Rex. Victor, Vivi and Erik’s eldest grandson, graduated from the school and Nikolai, Victor’s 10 year old brother, is currently a student there. We continue on and walk through neighborhoods of new and very elegant houses. Clearly there is  prosperity here in Norway!

We arrive at the Homenkolen and it is amazing.  Several teams of young people are in training running up (!!) the bleacher sections alongside the jump. Yipes! Others are down below us practicing the target shoot of the competitive biathalon teams. Kaelen and I feel like we have just competed in some sort of training to walk here! Vivi and Erik insist we try the Ski Simulator so we did…we entered a “ride” in which we experienced what it feels like to race down the Holmenkolen at competition-speed. Norse land entertainment!

We walked home, had dinner and Kaelen put her head down on the table and fell asleep at 7:00 pm. I helped  her into her cozy bed. Vivi, Erik and I spent the evening of Summer Solstice light on the terrace overlooking the Oslo Fjord as the lights below us flickered on.

The details of plane travel seem far behind us. Tomorrow there will only be the details of sight-seeing in Oslo.





Comments

  1. Winter Hill ScienceJune 21, 2019 at 10:16 AM

    Wow, I feel as though I was there with you both! I would love to hear from the young traveller as well :)

    ReplyDelete

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