After a layover in Stockholm, we board our flight to Bergen. Traveling in Europe to smaller airports is not for sissies. You have to lug your small carry-on up small steps onto a small airplane and put into a small overhead while younger people watch you and do not offer any help at all. And did I mention, we are big American people LOL. Thank God for my trainer Andrew, I am strong woman! And I impress the man in the seat behind me when I lift my bag out of the overhead bin without any help. However, when we arrive in Bergen and it is pouring rain and windy and walking down the 10 steps off the plane, treacherous is the word of the day.

Viking is amazing! They are ‘Johnny on the spot’ before the customs area by baggage claim, outside customs waiting for us, and leading use to the bus that will transfer us to the ship. I am impressed with the personal attention – and – the bus only carries 10 people (on a bus for 40) shuttling us to the Viking Ship Jupiter. We pass through 7 roundabouts and 5 tunnels just to get to the port of Bergen. Quite unique but reminds me a little of Iceland and Scotland – oh, yeah, we are at the very north latitudes onthe North Sea.

Easy boarding process onto the ship, short safety talk, then to our room to unpack what I carried around for the last 30 hours. Explore the ship a little.

The reward – a martini in “Paps – The Explorer Lounge.” Quite the explorer worth celebrating.

Our luggage arrived when we came back to the room after grabbing a lite dinner in the World Cafe – no requirement for dressing up.

Collapsing in bed and feeling good about the next couple of weeks – agonizing international travel is totally worth it once you arrive at your destination!