Scandinavia - Friday, September 11, 2015

Up at 5:30 and ready to start the day.  Deb up at 6:00 and we both are showered and out the door before 7:00, which is probably a record.  Down to the buffet breakfast and then our first snafu of the day.  Our car and driver was to arrive at 8:15. After a few anxious minutes, Jan, our driver from Wednesday arrives with his trusty Mercedes van, apologizing that he just woke up.  Not sure if he overslept, or that the service had to call him in due to another driver being a no-show. Either way, he was very fast and we arrived at the airport by 9:00!

We breezed through the check-in line, and then reached the security line. Long and slow.  Same for the passport control line, and then the rush to our gate.  By the time we arrived, boarding had already begun; no Duty Free shopping for this crew.

Next problem, the airlines had arbitrarily changed Deb's seat because she and I were on different record locators.  This was not something that they should have done and I think that particular gate agent now understands his error, even if English is not his first language. Of course the person they had assigned to Deb's seat now was confused, but we got it worked out. And the lucky part is that his seat mate, assigned to the seat between us, went to the rear and grabbed a window seat.  Deb and I then ended up with the only vacant seat on the airplane between us.

Take off was right on time; the pilot alleges that we will arrive in Chicago ahead of schedule. After take off, drinks were served and wine was served free.  Not sure why, but the first decent thing United has ever done in my years of traveling with them.

We arrive in Chicago on time, leave for Omaha on time, and arrive in Omaha 10 minutes early.  Abby is there to pick us up, and Josh Needleman is there to pick up Howie and Lee.  Time for one last photo and then our great Scandinavian adventure of 2015 is at an end.  We all survived, our friendship survived, and we are home safe and sound.