FRIDAY, JUNE 10TH – TRAVEL FROM NORWAY TO FAROE ISLANDS:
Three hours sleep and off to the airport to fly to Oslo, Copenhagen and Faroes. Check in was relatively easy and the flight left about 20 minutes late. It was less than an hour flight. We had about a 3 hour layover in Oslo and the took another one hour flight to Copenhagen.
We had to pick up our bags and recheck them for the flight to the Faroe Islands. One of my bags didn’t make it but arrived just as I got in line to fill out the claim. It is always really difficult to figure out where to check in for Atlantic Airways. We had to walk to a different terminal and wait about half an hour for the check-in counter to open.
The ticket agent wanted us to use the kiosk until I explained that we had lots of large musical instruments to check. The agent we finally got after having two other people cut in front of us was nice and patient. The line for security was extremely long and when we were finally cleared, everyone was very hungry.
We learned that our flight was going to be one hour late so we all split up to find food. Several of us ended up at a Thai restaurant. Although it was extremely slow, it was really good!
We also got the good news from Lindsey that the requirement for COVID testing before flying home has been cancelled!!! Very welcome news!
It was a really long walk to the gate and just as we arrived, it was announced that there was a gate change which turned out to be an even longer walk!
Our promoter Allan had to go to the hospital today for an inner ear problem. I talked to him just before departing and he was much better. He also confirmed that there is not a lot of wind like the weather app is saying.
Heather performs tonight and I hope the light rain doesn’t hurt her attendance.
The landing in the Faroes is always very “dicey” but I think today’s won the lottery. We were making the approach when a huge gust of wind caught the airplane and I thought we were going to turn upside down! Seriously. Never experienced anything like that and it happened twice more although not quire as severe and the first time.
We were all thankful to be on the ground but it took an exceptionally long time for the bags to come out on the belt. At least everything arrived.
It is cool and rainy but the wind isn’t gusting as high as I thought it would be on the ground. We have a tour bus for our stay here and a nice driver. Took about 45 minutes to drive to the hotel.
We have stayed at this hotel many times but it has been renovated and is much nicer than our previous stays. One pretty big problem is the fact that the restaurant at the hotel is closed due to a lack of staff! So, there is only one little “café” in the lobby area where we can eat our meals and their menu only has a few items on it — some of them very “strange” items!
Got everyone checked in and Howard, David, Julia and I will meet Tummas for lunch at 11 am. He’s taking us to this fabulous restaurant where he took Carlene Carter when we were here previously. I told everyone to eat a big lunch because dinner was going to be a challenge!!!
Jude
| SATURDAY, JUNE 11, 2022 – PERFORMANCE AT SORVAGS COUNTRY FESTIVAL, FAROE ISLANDS:
Got about 4 1/2 hours sleep and still feeling good. Found a little sign in my room that says they have a self service laundry. Checked it out and they do! It was free and hooked up to a cool machine that automatically adds detergent. I got all my clothes washed and dried before leaving for lunch with Tummas and his wife.
They also have a fabulous gym but this morning it was full of soccer players! Hope to work out tomorrow. I called Heather and met her in the lobby for a few minutes. It has been years since I have seen her! She had a fabulous show last night and all the fans stayed in the pouring rain. She used Hallur’s musicians and said they were awesome.
Lunch was at an amazing restaurant — Katrina Christiansand. Tummas has taken me there before with other artists. Not only is the food amazing but it is a really old house that has so much history.
Had to go to sound check as soon as we got back from lunch. It is almost an hour drive over and back so it was time for dinner when we got back. The weather was the nicest this afternoon that it has ever been on the afternoon of this festival.
Unfortunately, the weather turned ugly again by the 10 pm show time. It is cold and raining and the place is packed. I guess when you drink as much as most people in the Faroes, you don’t notice the weather. Or you get used to it because it is almost a daily occurrence. It was a truly great show!
We were back at the hotel by 1 am and have a 12 noon departure to the airport tomorrow.
Jude
SUNDAY, JUNE 12TH – FAROE ISLANDS TO COPENHAGEN: The time seems to be flying by! Not a lot to write about for Sunday and Monday.
We departed the hotel at 12 noon for the 1 hour drive to the airport. Got everyone and everything checked in and as I was going through security, I developed a migraine! Since I was already in line to have my bags scanned, I had thrown away my bottle of water. I was panicking that I would not be able to take my medicine quickly enough to avoid getting the headache. Once I cleared security, I rushed to the nearest store and bought a bottle of water. Thankfully I was able to take the medicine before the “halos” went away. If I don’t take it before the halos disappear, I will get a crippling headache and my left side will go numb!
Flight left about 10 minutes late and it was “smooth”, even though the wind was blowing really hard in the Faroes. We landed, collected all our bags (everything came in!) and walked to the Clarion Hotel connected to Terminal 3 at the airport. Go everyone checked in and then we all split up to go various places for dinner. Most of us ate in the hotel restaurant. I had Ramen again and it was pretty good.
Walked over to the airport with Stephanie and Randy but most of the shops and restaurants there had already closed because it was 9 pm.
Have to get up at 5 am tomorrow morning for a 7:00 departure to walk to the airport.
MONDAY, JUNE 13TH – COPENHAGEN TO VIENNA:
Most of the group took advantage of the great breakfast buffet before we walked over to the airport for check in. We arrived at the Austrian Airlines check in counter and the ticket agents would not allow us to all check in through one agent. We stood in line for almost an hour as the agents seemed to be spending an unusually long time with each person checking in. We finally made it to the counter and the lady we worked with was awesome.
After getting everyone checked in, we had to take the musical equipment to the “oversize” belt. Then we still had to go through security screening. We had arrived over 2 hours prior to our departure time but were very worried we were going to miss our flight. The line for security was showing an hour to process. We moved at a snail’s pace until we finally arrived at a point where people with “Fast Track” were allowed to move to a much shorter, faster line. Not everyone in our group had “Fast Track” privileges but I told them to go through anyway and it worked.
The flight departed a few minutes late but arrived on time. Jurgen – our promoter – was there to meet us. All our luggage and equipment arrived on our flight. We had a cargo van and two passenger vans for the short drive to the hotel. The hotel is nice and located directly across the street from the venue which is very convenient. After getting everyone checked in, Jurgen and I walked to the venue to check things out. It is a beautiful facility.
We learned that the restaurant in the hotel is closed due to COVID related staffing shortages and there really doesn’t seem to be any good restaurants within walking distance. David found a place by the hotel with “protein” bowls that he said was good. I met him at around 6 pm to try and find a restaurant for dinner. We walked to an area that the hotel and the venue representative said had lots of great restaurants. However, we didn’t find even “one”! Then it started raining really hard so we decided just to go back to the restaurant where David had the protein bowl and eat there. It was really good. When we got back to the hotel, Jim was in the lobby and heading to a “Kebab Stand” for dinner. He said there was a convenience store next to it so I walked over with him to check it out.
Was able to get quite a bit of work done today which relieves some of my “stress” for being gone so long. Our next two shows are in Austria – Vienna and Graz – and then we bus to Germany for one show – and then back to Austria for two more shows in Linz and Salzburg. So thankful we do not have any more flights until we fly back to the USA. And even more thankful that we do not have to take any COVID tests or fill out the Attestation Forms!
Jude |