The helpfulness and hospitality of Scandinavians is so well-known that it seems terribly cliché to write about it. But the reputation is so well-earned and we have seen it demonstrated so admirably that I have to mention it anyway.
Thank you tram lady! As we prepared to board our first tram as backpackers the doors kept closing on us. I kept pressing the open door button while Todd tossed bags quickly through the doors. A young woman stepped forward and grabbed one of the 2 heavier suitcases, carried it on board and stowed it for us. I would have been grateful if she would have pressed the open door button, but this was totally above and beyond the simple act of kindness and much appreciated!
Thank you, Stockholm tour guide! As we approached the royal palace we stopped to get oriented and a kind gentleman stepped up and asked if we needed help. He then told us that the guard would be changing in the next ten minutes and walked us over and told us where to stand. He directed the boys to the bathrooms and the chatted with us for awhile until he took off to help others. He did this all simply because he loves his city and wants to make sure that everyone who comes there has a good visit.
Thank you, guide to the train station! We had stashed our stuff in lockers at the train station in the morning, but in the afternoon, coming from a different direction we decided to ask directions to be sure. In most cities, helpful people will point the way. In Stockholm, our kind guide took us the pretty way, past a church and walked us the whole 4 blocks to the train station and made sure we could find our train.
Thank you, Sophie and family! As we boarded the train to Oslo, we were a little nervous about finding a place for our stuff and for ourselves without any reserved seats. The train came in and we started hefting suitcases. Pretty soon, we noticed that we were hefting suitcases and children alongside another family and so we started schlepping each others’ things. They HAD reserved seats, but so did another couple that was already sitting in them. It turns out that the train had double booked. It was total chaos, but by the time things started settling down, the train was rolling, all the seats were full and our kids had made friends with this other family and were jumping around together. Sophie, the mom, was traveling with her 3 boys from Paraguay, where her husband is a diplomat, back to her home in Sweden. Her father was traveling this last leg with her to help. What a total hero to travel with 3 kids by herself for 2 days of almost non-stop air travel! They disembarked the train about an hour and a half outside of Oslo and waved on the platform as we pulled away. Sigh, another good-bye and the kids are getting pretty sick of good-byes.
And then there is the kindness of friends:
What a welcome sight to see Katrine’s face on the platform as we arrived in Oslo! Katrine and I got to know each other in a Mom’s Bible Study in Moscow. She and her family moved back to Oslo last July. It was great to see someone familiar again and to be staying in a home after nights of trains, boats and hostels! Thank you Masvie family!
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