Unfortunately, I’m not the calm, cool and collected person that Sigve
is. When something unplanned for and unexpected happens, he’s just that, calm, cool and collected. I’m not.
We got to Barcelona Airport early on Monday, and had plenty
of leisure time before our flight home.
Half an hour before the scheduled
departure at 5.10 pm, we were told that a bomb threat in Amsterdam had delayed
all flights out of Schiphol, and subsequently all flights to Schiphol. The
captain and another flight officer mingled with the waiting passengers at the
gate, giving out information and answering questions. At least one hour delay.
We settled down to read. At 5.30 pm I went to the desk
to ask about internet connection, and just happened to mention our connection
to Stavanger. Big stir. No, we would not make that connection, and we had been
rebooked on Lufthansa (we were on KLM) via Frankfurt, departing in less than an
hour. “Go to belt 6, pick up your suitcases, go outside, check in again at
Lufthansa, go back through security and the plane leaves at 6.35 pm.”
This is where the not being calm, cool and collected comes in. I took off, Sigve
could barely keep up with me. Fould Belt 6. No suitcases. Asked at Ground Force
information. They recommended we wait another 10 mins, if still no suitcases,
we should file missing luggage report, and just fly. So done. The conveyor belt remains empty.
Then being told we had
waited in vain anyway as they had refused to open the cargo hold and offload
suitcases, when already being so late. I know this sounds weird as we are
frequently told that they have to offload suitcases if the owners are
not on board. Anyway, starting paper work, describing the suitcases etc.
Computer system goes down. The guy says ”go, I will call you with the reference
number in a few minutes.” We go, through costums to arrival hall, departure
hall, and to Lufthansa check-in counter. The guy looks like a question mark,
but hands us our boarding cards. Gate? Check the screens! The luggage guy calls
with the reference number.
Security. Fortunately no waiting. But since we last went through
security, I had bought a bottle of diet coke, now stowed in my purse. We had
also bought our quota of duty free wine, and had stowed some of it in our
carry-ons. Unpack, rearrange, remember to take out computer and other liquids
too. Exept for the coke bottle. I go through the screening portal. Beeping, and
I’m wearing the same as before. I know I have no metal on me. Body search, shoe
screening. Then, pointing to my purse, ”Do you have a bottle in there?” I’m
like a question mark before it dawns on me. Of course I do. ”Mam, you can not
take that through with you!” As if I don’t know that…
Repacking, stowing, stuffing. Running.
In hind sight, it must have totally unnessecary to go out and then back
in, especially since we had no suitcases to check. But nobody said that, I did not think, I was
going on auto pilot, just doing what we were told.
This flight is delayed too, so I get a five minute breather. We did not
get seats together, so I ask the air hostess if changing is possible, and it
is. She notices that I have been running, and as I stow my carry-on, I tell her what has
happened. ”Can I get you something to
drink right now?” Bless her.
The light is fading, and I get my last outdoor shots of the day out of the plane window.
Frankfurt. Just enough time to make the next flight. But
my adrenalin rush is over and my feet will not move faster than a slow walk. The lady at the transfer desk says that they are boarding in 10 mins, and "you need to get there fast". Fortunately the tunnel has an moving walk-way.
Delayed again. Arrived in Stavanger at 00.10 am.
Heaven knows where our luggage is. The reference number
from Barcelona gave my name as Irina Ivanova. The luggage guy said that with my
blond hair I looked like I could be an Irina Ivanova. It did not feel like a
complement. Somewhere in Russia a person called Inger-Marie Sæverud must be trying
to claim her suitcases.
Our friend Einar was waiting patiently, and drove us to his house where
our car was parked. Got home at 03.15 am. A few hours sleep. Sigve went to
work, and I started my day having my morning coffee in a hot bath to unwind
from it all.
Sometimes I wish I was the calm, cool and collected
person that Sigve is...
I'm so grateful for:
* Getting to go away together on a much needed vacation
* Meeting awesome people who became wonderful friends
* Being safe
UPDATE:
Our suitcases were delivered to us two days later :-)
