TUESDAY, JULY 3RD – SWITZERLAND TO DENMARK:
We left the hotel at 7:30 am for the 2 hour bus ride to the Zurich Airport. He took the “scenic” route up around the pass (small, winding roads through the mountains) because there was less traffic that route. We only hit bad traffic right before reaching Zurich but still arrived at the airport by 9:30 am.
Check in was SOOOO much easier because of checking everyone in online last night. They did get nailed for 10 pieces of excess even though I was able to check one extra bag for them. Airlines really stick it to travelers with their excess fees.
Flight from Zurich to Amsterdam was on time and smooth – just the way I like it. We had a 3 hour layover in Amsterdam. After a quick lunch, I took Howard into the Lounge to take care of some emails. Flight to Billund was also on time. KLM is really a nice airline to fly. We landed and all our bags landed with us. That’s always a concern any time we fly through Amsterdam. Our “hosts” were there to meet us but Stig – the guy we have worked with for years who booked this date – got confused on our arrival time. He did meet us at the hotel in Holstebro though.
The hotel is a Best Western and it is really nice. I made sure there was an elevator and wireless in each room before I gave everyone their room keys. After I got all the “paperwork” settled, Stig helped me take my bags to my room. Guess what – the elevator only goes to the first floor. Then you have to take the stairs to all the other levels. I’m on the FOURTH FLOOR!!! But, wireless works in my room. J
We had dinner in the restaurant. We had selected our food that morning so that the hotel had it waiting for us. We thought we wouldn’t arrive until around 9 or 9:30 pm but were actually at the hotel by 7:30 pm. I didn’t think the drive was as far as they had indicated. Good to know because they wanted us to leave for the airport at 4 am on Friday. Now we can wait until around 5 pm.
Dinner was good but a little strange as is all “local” food. The dessert looked fabulous but I didn’t have any. Now I wish I had. It’s midnight and I’m hungry. Will go to bed and forget about it….hopefully.
Show tomorrow is outdoor and weather is supposed to be sunny and 70 degrees. NICE!
Jude
JULY 4TH IN HOLSTEBRO, DENMARK:
Trust me, it’s just another day here in Denmark. I would have forgotten it’s the 4th of July if my friends had not sent me messages from the U.S. I can’t remember the last time I was home on July 4th! L
Susan and I went for our one hour power walk this morning. We went to the park where the venue for our performance tonight is located. We had to make several loops, but didn’t get lost! We finished up the walk by going down the walking street with all the shops which is located right in front of our hotel. (convenient for shopping on our day off tomorrow!).
Came back to the hotel and ate breakfast and took a shower. Then Susan and I walked down to the bank to change money and to the local “market” to buy water. When we got back to the hotel, the internet was out. I tried all my “troubleshooting” but nothing worked. I talked to the front desk and they argued with me that it was my computer – not their internet. Told them it was out in all 10 rooms. They finally agreed to re-set it and it started working.
Walked over to the venue to check out where merch would be sold and then came back to hotel to work until dinner time. We have to eat dinner at 5 pm because we have to leave for the show at 7:15 pm. Dinner in Europe is NOT a quick process. We started at 5 pm exactly and the guys who had dessert were still waiting at 6:45 pm. The menu was the same last not…not many things to pick from. L
This morning only 1,000 tickets had been sold for the 4,500 seat venue. But when we got there tonight, it was “over sold”. Bellamys had a great show but I think the real “entertainment” was taking place in the audience. Some pretty drunk fans out there….and Elvis came to the show. I KNEW he was living in Denmark. LOL. The promoter and I went on stage before the Bellamys performed and pretended to sign a contract for them to return next year. Audience loved that. Susan sold both boxes of the cds she brought with her before the show half over. Excess charges for flying them over her are just too expensive to bring what she really needs.
We were back at the hotel by around 10:30 pm and tomorrow is a day off. Going to the gym for a “real” workout tomorrow morning.
Jude
FRIDAY, JULY 5TH – LAST DAY IN DENMARK:
I totally FORGOT to write my road report last night. Talk about STRESSED!
I got up and had breakfast and worked until it was time to meet Susan to go to the local Gym. I was able to check everyone in “online” and get good seat assignments. Susan was not feeling good, so I started out on my own to try and find the gym. Surprisingly enough, I didn’t get lost. It was quite a walk – about 20 minutes – but worth it. Great gym. I worked out for over an hour because I was so happy to have found a real gym. Walked back to the hotel and “shopped” along the way. Still trying to find an orange teddy bear for Zac and something that is purple, snaps, and goes round and round (where she came up with that, I don’t know!) for Zoe. I told her I was having a hard time finding it and she informed me that if I couldn’t find it, just bring her a swimming pool! I actually found something “close” and purchased it.
Walked over to the Post Office to mail everything home since I can’t add any “weight” to my luggage. Then back to the hotel for a shower and early dinner with the group. I had set it for 6 pm because it takes a minimum of 2 hours to get the food and eat it. Never seen a hotel THIS slow with service.
The hotel had told us we had to move all the equipment out of storage and into a room on the street level by the “night entrance”. They said the front desk shuts down at 11:30 pm and the night cleaner finishes and leaves at 2:30 am. We are supposed to leave through the night entrance after we get our equipment out of the room. My fear is the cleaner will forget to leave the door open for us. Should be interesting!
Worked in my room for hours and finally got in bed around midnight with a 3 am wake-up call! Short night….
Jude