Good afternoon Norway

I grabbed a little something to eat in Philadephia and when I was done, I leisurely strolled to the gate for the trip to Oslo. As I got there, they were calling for the first passengers to board. I thought I had an hour left to board, until I realized that Philadelphia is only 6 hours behind Oslo, not 7. Oops! Good thing I like to get where I'm going with a lot of time to spare.

The flight went very well. It was quiet and comfortable. Almost everyone slept on the flight, including me. I got about five hours of sleep or so. We then got a pastry for breakfast. The landing was very smooth, once again.

Our plane actually landed 30 minutes early, so I thought I'd try to catch an earlier bus to Gothenburg. I got through passport check and ran to the baggage claim area. The bags were already being loaded onto the belt, but mine took a little longer. When it finally arrived, I grabbed it and took off as fast as I could go. I told you running would be involved!

I hopped on the fast train to downtown and thought I would have about 10 minutes to get to the bus and board. Alas, the train that should have taken 19 minutes took 26 instead, due to a signal failure down the line. That gave me four minutes to run for it.

I bolted out of the train, down the stairs, and into the train terminal. The signs directed me towards the bus terminal, just across the street. I weaved in and out of people who were walking. I hit the overhead pedestrian bridge that connects the two places. It is outside and the air felt fabulous. It may be colder than I'm used to, but when you are hot and sweaty from running, it's the best.

I finally made my way to the bus station and found the departures information. Two minutes late. Ah! So close!

At that point, I was gasping for air. It was so hard to breathe, I was coughing with each breath trying to pull more air into my lungs. Then I heard wheezing, deep wheezing. The kind I haven't heard for several years, so I sat down on a bench to relax and resign myself to the fact that I missed the bus. But I gave it a good go! Nearly took the life of me doing it, but I tried!

Suffice it to say, I didn't really get any decent pics of Norway.

I'm currently on the bus I was scheduled to take. The one I knew I could get to in time. They have free wifi (I love this free wifi stuff!). The bus should arrive in Gothenburg about fifteen minutes before Jenny's performance is set to begin in Lindome. That means I will be late.

Sorry to everyone who will be there on time! I tried my best to be there before it started. I'll try not to disturb you too much when I arrive late with my baggage click-click-clicking across the floor and echoing in every corner of the church.

Hello Philly!

The flight boarded and it was a smooth one. :) One gentleman said he had been waiting on a flight to Philly since 9 a.m. due to weather, but when we touched down,the weather was better. It was sunny. There was a little wind on landing, but the pilots set the plane down beautifully.



And, as you can see, the view was gorgeous! (Psalm 19:1) It's easy to see we live in an amazing world when you fly.


The airport here is bright and clean. People are walking around here and there. Some are rushing. Most are taking it easy and strolling around. It's a steady but laid back pace here at the PHL airport.





I also enjoy the rocking chairs they've set up around the airport. I'm sitting in one right now and everyone else around me has taken a liking to them as well. All the rocking chairs are being well used. There are also several places to eat and shop. And free wifi, which I always like.




My flight to Oslo is on the board and listed as on-time. Yes!

At the 'port

Sitting here at the airport gate. My bag passed the weight test and it's sitting somewhere waiting to be loaded on the plane. I passed through security and was pulled out for a random screening. It didn't take long. They just did a small pat down. My laptop was in a bin sitting at the end of the rolling x-ray machine the whole time. I was watching it, hoping no one would take it because that would make this blog very difficult to write! But, as you see, the laptop is safe and sound.

People look stressed here. I'm not sure if it's just the stress of traveling or if the flight to Philadelpia will be delayed. The screen says on-time, but they've been having a lot of rain and wind lately in Philly. I hope it doesn't delay the flight, but everything looks like it's going smoothly from this end.

The crew has arrived and they're fueling up the plane. I suppose that means boarding will begin shortly...I hope! So, we'll catch up in Philadephia!

Picking a seat is an artform

Over at the Aceboards, a user named Green Grass 24 started a topic about flying, which got me thinking about all things airplane related. It also reminded me that I haven't picked my seats for the flights to Gothenburg. And, as you all may know, picking the proper seat is an artform.

First, you have to think about the type of airplane you're in. What configuration are the seats? Is it a "two/aisle/two" configuration, a"two/aisle/three/aisle/two"? Maybe it's the amazingly long "two/aisle/four/aisle/two" configuration. How much room is there between you and the seat ahead of you? What about the seats next to the bulkhead? They offer more room but no window or room under the seat for a carry-on. Or the exit row? Do you choose it and hope they don't boot you to another seat because you look like a little powderpuff who couldn't open a jar of pickles? Do you want to be close to the bathroom or as far away as possible so you don't get blocked by the "waiting line"? Or how about engine noise? It's louder in the back than the front. Then, there's the most important question: Window, middle, or aisle?

This is no fluff decision, folks. Your behind is sitting in a seat for several hours. You don't want a bad seat.

To answer all these questions, SeatGuru is an excellent resource to use. If you've never heard of it, check it out. You'll always find the most comfy, coushy option available for the flight.

I like a window seat myself. A right side window. It lets me prop my head on the side to snore. Eh, I mean sleep.

What do you look for in an airplane seat?