Travel Daze

 August 8th - just two weeks later than we first expected - we departed SLC intn'l for Norway. We made our first connection in Chicago by the skin of our teeth but in London we didn't have a chance so we took a later flight into Oslo. We made it sans one of our bags and had a great introduction to the mission by Bror Pedersen. who with his wife runs the mission office. We landed late on Tuesday August 9.

We went to the mission home where President Johansen met us just minutes after we arrived. His wife is in Utah for the third wedding of a kid in the family since they got here some two years ago. He sent us off with a great breakfast including my favorite - sweet goat cheese slices on wheat bread with good Norwegian strawberry jam on top. mmmmmmm! I realized how much Oslo has changed in 45 years. I didn't recognize anything. It has all been rebuilt. Tunnels, round-abouts, new rail lines, one giant railroad station...Wednesday August 10 found us taking one of the great train trips in all of Europe.

We pulled our heavy suitcases through a driving rainstorm and got them on the train. Just time for a picture with President Johansen. He sent us off with a great lunch and a lot of encouragement.

I love train travel - not as much as Sheldon Cooper mind you - but I enjoy the sounds, the rock and roll of the train and the vistas.

By the time we were up in the mountains of central Norway the clouds had departed and we were enjoying a spectacular journey. Backpackers and mountain bikers got on and off the train at several stops along the way and we passed others as our train criss-crossed their trails. There was water and granite and green everywhere.

And Glaciers....in fact there were four on the southern side of the tracks as we crested the mountians. Norway is a geologist's paradise not to mention a shuttler bug's delight. I'm not stereotyping here according to my friend Bill Quinn, who is 50% Japanese but a Japanese tourist, who was with us for about two hours, finally sat down and said, "I can't take any more pictures - I'm worn out!"

Once we started down hill into Bergen we picked up speed and made up a little lost time.

 We were met by the Bergen Branch Relief Society President, Elsa and a couple of missionaries who helped get us to our apartment, gave us our car and went food shopping with us. That was culture shock. Anybody for a Bell Pepper for $7.00 U.S.? She snapped this foto of us with her grand-daughter

Here's to you! Our first meal in Bergen. It was almost 10 PM and we still hadn't finished unpacking. I am in my jammies.

Today, August 11 was check in day. We registered with the police which finalizes our visas. We also registered with the Folke Register which makes us officially accepted into Norway. I got my birth number - didn't know I had one but because I have already lived here I do. Good thing too because it allows me to open a bank account and go to the emergency room or doctor. This foto is in the old part of town with Elder Bekker leading us toward the office for our next registration.

When we clean this apartment up we will send you a photo tour - we love this house. It is like living at IKEA - you'll see!