Unfortunate start to Norwegian leg
Spissøy,
Norway
Thursday, June 19, 2008
I almost did not make it to Norway today. I got up early, was all packed and at the station well in time for my 05:50am train to Waterloo Station. Like me, everyone waiting for the train had luggage with them, except for two couples all dressed up for the races at Royal Ascot.
When the train arrived at 05:40am I assumed it was early and boarded. But alarm bells rang when it left the station before schedule and when it stopped at the next station which was not on my route, I jumped off.
There I was, in a place called Blackwater - it might as well have been named Backwater - not a soul around, not even at the railway station. I climbed the stairs and started walking along a busy highway towards a cluster of shops. With a huge feeling of relief I saw a man enter the newsagent and I followed him inside, where I was able to get a phone number to call a minicab.
Explaining my dilemma, the operator told me he'd have a minicab there in 15 minutes that would take me to Farnborough where I could pick up the train to Waterloo - a 45-minute ride. A quick calculation and it started to look promising. I should be at Liverpool Street Station only 10 or 15 minutes later than I planned for the Stansted Express.
The minicab arrived as promised and I was back on track and at Stansted in plenty of time to check in for my Haugesund flight which was delayed anyway.
I arrived at Haugesund in driving rain and a temperature at 10C. Erling picked me up and we arrived at Spissøy where there was a roaring fire waiting and a hearty meal of chicken stew, potatoes and cooked homegrown vegetables of broccoli, carrots, snow peas and cauliflower.
