Two trip highlights to Canada from Jeff

 

Almost missed both my first flight and our last flight!

 

About the first flight, Jeff's trip to Canada started with a 6:00am flight out of Prague.  Yeah, that's early.  An early flight meant a very early wake-up for a taxi scheduled at 4:15am.

 

Didn't happen that way.

 

As it turned out, Maylia happened to text me by phone (twice) at 4:30am (late night in Canada).  Unlike the alarm clock, Maylia's texts woke me.  Waking at 4:30am meant I was already late for the taxi to the airport, let alone any chance to clean up for the long haul.

How it panned out: I immediately called the taxi service, who confirmed he's still parked below.  "Please, 10 more minutes."

I made it to the gate with 15 minutes to spare.  Whew.

 

About our last flight (this past Sunday afternoon), we all are in Frankfurt to return to Prague. Weary from two flights already, we decide to break for food and coffees.  After going through security, we still had a full hour, so "no problem" to stop at a restaurant.

But typical for a weary family of four, time got away from us fast.  We were just cleaning up from lunch when we hear the announcement "...please come to the gate immediately."

Oh hell...we're at the top of Terminal A, our gate was A38 and our flight lifts in 10 minutes.  We had to sprint to have a chance. Maylia had a backpack and the stroller w/ kids.  I had carry-ons in each hand.  So the sprinting began.

Until up to gate 30, 32, I was generally ahead by 50-100 feet, but Maylia was closing on me, dodging between folks with our full 2-seater stroller.  Most memorable part was hearing front-seater Ella screaming behind me "Run, Daddy!, RUN!!"

We made it with seconds to spare.

 

 

We're home now.  Almost fully unpacked.

 

Kids are excited to be home, really enjoying their toys and the park playgrounds again.

 

Not so much for us, but jetlag has hit the kids pretty good.  Mattias more so than Ella.  Our first two nights home have meant Mattias waking up once or twice, first being only a hour or two after going down for bed.

Worse for Mattias is the fact he's at a tough age for long-distance goodbyes.  While Ella fully understands she's in a different city, Mattias just doesn't.  And so when he wakes, he cries because he believes his Baboo & Yaya (May's parents) should be in the flat.  So, you could say he's homesick without understanding why.  Skype & video are helping.

 

A lot to share about our vacation, but we need another 2 nights to unpack, dump pictures and write.

Until then, just remember "Run, Daddy, RUN!!"

 

 

Parkers in Prague Once Again

Just a quick a note to say that we've made it safely back to Prague. Tired, but otherwise fine. We'll post some photos of our time in Nova Scotia as soon as we dig ourselves out of our suitcases!

Jeff About to Leave for Canada

It's 11:40 pm. My flight lifts at 6:00am tomorrow morning.
I gotta pack!!

Happy Anniversary to me & Maylia!

Eight years already.  It's a good start.

See you this weekend, honey!

I'm on the Beach in Nova Scotia!

Coolest. Picture. Ever.

Thanks gang - very sweet of you!

Sure wish I were there with the Tribe

I hear Catharine, Dave & Owen were up in Nova Scotia last week. Jeff, Michelle and Erin are there now. Sarita and Caesar are arriving soon. Ugh...

I'm going outside for a bike ride with some friends.

But it's still not the Tribe. I miss you gang. Hope to see you next year.

-j

Summing Up the Nordics Roadtrip

Summing up the trip:

Day 1: Left Prague. Stops in Dresden and Berlin, Germany. Slept in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Day 2: Wandered Copenhagen. To Helsingor - ferry to Sweden. Some sightseeing Swedish coast. Wandered & slept in Oslo.

Day 3: Drove through Norway countryside to Sweden. Drove clear down to Malmo, Sweden, where we slept.

Day 4: Hustled out of Malmo. Drove thru Denmark, through Germany and to Prague.

The Plan

As I said a couple days ago, the plan was simple: visit Oslo & get back within 4 days. Sightseeing in between Prague and Oslo was optional. Mostly we wanted a journey through the Nordics, but reaching Oslo was the goal.

The Team

Both I and my coworker and fellow expat, Eng from Malaysia are bacheloring it this summer. So we've been hanging out together more to keep from pining for the wives & families.

We felt a third person would really help. No local volunteers. Eng asked his friend from university who likes to travel and lives "nearby." Ngiik Yan flew over from Ireland to visit Prague for 2 weeks and also the roadtrip. Our team of three clicked.

Soon after we started, we settled into 3 roles: driver, navigator and kitchen. Eng and I switched back and forth between driver/navigator. Ngiik Yan was the backseater, doling out supplies, pointing out photo opps.

Oh, a 4th member of our team was "Amy", the GPS. Amy's voice was sweetest when she complained I was driving too fast. Amy was very helpful (when she wasn't being annoying). Amy was very adverse to water routes.

Anytime Eng or I told others about our plan, all we heard was "Oslo? You're idiots for trying." After some time, we figured Europeans are just naysayers when it comes to long-distance driving. Well, we showed them, even idiots can finish as winners! haha

Stats

Left: 8:30am Friday morning

Returned: 8:00pm Monday evening

Odometer: 3,400 km (2125 miles) (= Boston-Chicago return trip)

Main staples: 10 liters water, 5 large loafs milkbread, 7 Redbulls, 12 bananas, chips...

Issues in Hindsight?

-Mistook a line on a map as a bridge; took ferry instead.

-Just "Bezine" petrol means 91, not 95 "Super," so the mix triggered check engine light.

-Rental engine was governed to 160 km/h (100 mph); made for slow driving in Germany.

Successes

-Made it back safe and sound.

-Showed those naysayers. :-)

Pictures

I gotta say, after only 1 day home, I look at the hundreds of pictures and movies and my head is swimming trying to remember "where and when was that windmill?"

I'll use only pictures from those I'm confident about...and I'll just post what I felt were highlights (so, no pictures of the car rental place).

After only 2 hours on the road, we stopped at Dresden. Glad we did. Beautiful interior of ...some place. (Main trouble with sightseeing on the fly: "Wow, that's pretty, what is it?")

Driving through Berlin, I just happen to drive through Checkpoint Charlie.

Long first day of driving, before taking a break on our ferry over to Denmark.

Copenhagen is one of my favorite places in the world. And Nyhavn ('new harbour') is my favorite part.

Little mermaid from the H.C. Andersen's story is a must-see in Copenhagen.

Short drive from Copenhagen is Helsingor to see the Kronborg castle. Maylia and I had visited this before moving.


On the ferry from Denmark over to Sweden. Leaving Helsingor and Kronborg castle behind.
Fast food break brought us to Sweden's "Max" burger joint. In Sweden it is disclosed how much CO2 or "greenhouse gas" must be released to make your meal. Am I supposed to feel guilty?

My contributed 3+ kg of CO2 was delicious.

We did it - we reached Norway! Yes, this is a "border" for Schengen area countries. All five we visited are part of the Schengen area, so we don't show ID or even slow down.

After a 2nd long day of driving, I decide to have a congratulatory beer.

Nordic countries are expensive, even by European standards. Only after messaging with Dennis in SanFran that I realize this cheap Heineken beer was $10!

Oslo has some nice sights. I'm not sure what this is, but I know we parked very near it. :-)

Walked into a hotel in Oslo and saw this old artwork of Tivoli in Copenhagen, just the view and road we were driving on the night before.

Again, very nice sights in Oslo. This park was popular, even as early as we got there. I still have to find out what it was. Many statues, most in series to express different stages of life and relationships.

My favorite one - crazy man with 4 kids.

When we left Oslo to start our way back, we avoided the highway until reaching Sweden. Took a couple hours more, but we saw some beautiful countryside.
Reaching Malmo, Sweden near Denmark was the goal for day 3. We were tired, but glad to see another great locale. Much quieter than Copenhagen.
From Malmo, Sweden to Copenhagen, Denmark, we took the Oresund bridge. A fun ride as half is a bridge, then half as a tunnel. Wild to watch as the water seems to rise to you (in our direction, that is).

That's it from me. Thanks for reading.

Home Sweet Home

Got in safe & sound a few minutes ago. Home sweet home. May have to go for a bike ride while still daylight out. Need to stretch the legs.

It was kinda fun for me to e-mail little updates along the way.

Of course, I'll be posting some pictures later.

-jeff

Last update til home

Berry battery critical, so off it goes.
I'll post a quick "Got home okay" when home tonight.

Later!
-j

p.s.  Loved reading all of Jeff K.'s comments in a row.  :-)

"Oh, oh."

Just south of Berlin, we noticed our checklight engine light came on.
We pulled over, ate and let it cool a bit. Checked oil & coolant... "allas gut."
On our way to Dresden.  We'll see.

Near Berlin

Getting there...

On Ferry

-back to Germany.  Docking soon.

Good night

We're going to sleep early tonight.
Big day tomorrow.

Malmö

Getting to play tourguide for here (and Copenhagen) thanks to job trips.
Been wandering, checking out little square and main square.  Will get bite to eat soon after crossing the canal.  Hope to see Turning Torso building tomorrow.
Thought about dropping in on work contacts, but ...why?

Getting hungry -bye

Cruised Norway heights

We were in no rush to leave Norway today.
Instead of highway, we chose scenic routes to get back into Sweden.
Couple times our path took us on winding mountain roads, then down to marinas.  Well worth the (much) added time.
Right now close to 4pm, we're zipping thru Sweden. Should hit Göteborg in an hour.  Amy says we'll get to Malmö by 8pm tonight.
We'll sleep there, then tomorrow will be busy: cross over to Denmark, then Germany, then Czech Rep. to home.

Bye bye Norway

Lunch

Had a hotdog with shrimp topping. Now continue journey... Beautiful countryside along the way

Good morning, Oslo.

Up and ready. Poking Amy for suggested sights, eating bread and grape jelly (thinking of GiGi).
Oslo is chilly and the sky was bright at 4 something.

Oslo night life

-we found it.
Were a bit worried, but then we found Karl Johans street.
Cool crowd. Not rowdy like last night but a mellow, young crowd.
Now strolling the docks before we head back for bed. 

G'night

Almost to Oslo

We just tanked up (4th time, I think now).

It's 7:15pm now.  Still in Sweden, but right now just 20 km from Norwegien border.  Amy says we'll hit Oslo by 9pm.  

Loving the Nordics.

Gotten some e-mails like "We're/I'm jealous."  Let me reply to the effect of "grass is always greener" - I'd easily give up this trip for a taste of lobster in Rockport or Pugwash.  :-)

So, so, so close...

Environmentally Unfriendly Lunch

In Sweden, you choose burgers by their CO2 output. Unreal.

Ferry, too

Where's that confounded bridge?

Yeah, minor glich in planning. For Sweden, we thought we'd be crossing by bridge. Ah, no.

Ferry from Helsingor it is. No need to double-back to Malmo just for a bridge. Almost same price (275 vs 340 DKK). And we're farther north here.  So, ferry it is.

Did I ever mention how I'm not a fan of boats? It's a big one, though, so I'm cool.

Helsingor & Kronborg castle

Too tempting to be so near. Couldn't pass through Helsingor without stoppong at Kronborg.  Ever read Hamlet?  Here you are -

Maylia will remember this place from 5-6 years ago. Plus, then May & I took the ferry hop over to Helsingborg, Sweden. 

About to Depart Denmark

Saw little mermaid, H.C. Andersen's best known character. Also wandered Nyhavn (new harbor).  Very brightly colored canal district like some Newfoundland fishing village.

As much as we like Copenhagen, time to go.  We'll pass through Malmo, Sweden this direction and head straight for Oslo, Norway by tonight.

7-11 breakfast it is.

As a party city, Copenhagen puts Prague to shame.  But it's no morning city. Most people stumbling, still drinking cans of Tuborg.
We set Amy to find Den Lille Havfrue (little mermaid statue).

Good night.