Aladdin's Northern adventure on Svalbard, Iceland and Greenland

SAS - Scandinavian Airline Systems - Polar flight SAS - Scandinavian Airline Systems - Polar flight

Date
Flight
Departure from:
Arrival to:
Time
29 June '15 SK4497
Longyearbyen
Oslo
04:40 -- 07:35
29 June '15 SK455
Oslo
Copenhagen
09:15 -- 10:25

Monday 29th of June 2015 and time to leave Svalbard with Scandinavian Airlines. One night in Helsingborg before flying from Copenhagen to Reykjavik tomorrow afternoon.

Date
Flight
Departure from:
Arrival to:
Time
30 June '15 FI205
Copenhagen
Reykjavik
14:00 - - 15:10

I'm booked for a whale watching tour tomorrow evening so I really hope they don't cancel any Icelandic Volcanoflights due to any volcano activity. I have much excitements to look forward to and I don't want to miss a minute.

The Svalbard cruise have been fantastic, but it was nice to get off the ship after 6 days on board. It is not like we have been lolling around in bed all day long.

One night at Elite Marina Plaza Hotel will do me good. Swedish spring rolls at Österns Pärla. What a Österns Pärla i Helsingborgdisappointment Österns Pärla turned out to be last time. But now they should be freshly redecorated and the Spring rolls should taste better than ever. Will there be time for smoked salmon and Skånsk new Icelandairpotato? Yet another Smiley on www.aladdin.st Hopefully!

Anyway, time to leave Svalbard behind and I have Polar Bears, Polar Bear baby, Puffin, Walrus, Ivory Gull, beautiful glaciers, mini ice bergs and a Blue Whale on my mind. Can it get any better?
Iceland whale watching
Iceland and the only wildlife I expect is the Puffin birds and whales. But of course, plenty beautiful nature and other exciting stuff.

And I'm pretty sure I will have an as exciting time on Iceland as I had on Svalbard. And I'm as excited to get there as I was to get to Svalbard.

But first of all a 3 hour flight to Oslo with SAS, nothing I'm looking forward to. I had a power nap during the afternoon yesterday otherwise no sleep and I will Yet another Smiley on www.aladdin.st hopefully sleep all the way to Oslo.

I arrived to the airport just as the airplane from Oslo arrived. And as no surprise, when the luggage and passengers were out of the terminal there was passengers behind at SAS service desk to ask for missing luggage. I can't help but being impressed by SAS. They must have had this flight between Oslo and Longyearbyen for several years by now, and still haven't figured out how to send the luggage.

They told me check in would open at 2 o'clock so I took the opportunity to upload my pictures on internet. More than 700 pictures and that gives an average of more than 100 per day. Time Longyearbyen Airportpassed quickly and I was the first one to check-in.

The girl tried to hold the seat next to me so if I'm lucky I will have the seat next to me empty. Safety was a pleasure, very friendly security staff and as the Singapore thing has spread all the way up here I gave them a full smiling green.

I don't think I have experienced friendlier airport security before, well, maybe at Suvarnabhumi International.

Longyearbyen Airport



There was a coffee shop/ Souvenir shop at the departure hall and I was soon sitting down with two cups of tea, a hot dog and a sandwich.

It was a nice airport, free internet and the coffee shop was staffed with friendly and pleasant people

I was getting tired, very tired and that is good and I can hopefully get a power nap on the flight to Oslo. Anyway, I will be very tired when coming to Helsingborg.

Longyearbyen Airport
Coffee shop/ Souvenir shop

Longyearbyen Airport
Departure hall

Longyearbyen Airport
Departure hall

Longyearbyen Airport
04:20 and time to board SAS Flight SK 4497 to Oslo

Longyearbyen Airport
04:20 and time to board SAS Flight SK 4497 to Oslo

Longyearbyen Airport
Last picture from Svalbard before boarding SAS Flight SK 4497 to Oslo

The rest of the passengers from m/s Quest arrived to the airport around 3 thirty and I was having a chat with my new friend from America. Suddenly at 04:20 it was time to board Scandinavian Airlines flight SK 4497 to Oslo. And I was almost first on board thanks to my Star alliance gold card.

I have not found much use for the gold card, but I'm almost certain that it gives me an empty seat next to me (when available) When I checked in I asked if the flight was full and the girl told me Thai Airways gold cardthat there were a few seats available.

I asked if I could have an empty seat next to me, she looked annoyed with my stupid questions. But when I gave her my passport and gold card she told me that she would put me on an aisle seat.

The window seat was occupied and the seat between us would be empty. I said thank you and left.

It was a terrible flight to Oslo, I was dead tired but it was impossible to sleep because of the Oslo Airport, Gardermoenworst case of “restless legs I have ever had” It lasted during the whole flight and I was almost dead, but very very relieved when we arrived to Oslo.

I went to the SAS lounge as I had about 90 minutes to kill before it was time to board SAS flight SK 0455 to Copenhagen International. And I have time for some breakfast in the lounge. It is about Oslo Airport, Gardermoen55 minutes between Oslo and Kastrup so I will arrive to Elite Marina Plaza Hotel around 2 o'clock and I will miss their very good breakfast.

Getting off the plane was very nice and I had expected to be one of the last to get off as I was sitting in the back of the plane, but they opened the door in the back as well and I was off the plane in a jiff. I was walking over the tarmac and it was not any summer weather, but it was much warmer than on Svalbard. I was wearing shorts and shirt only and it was kind of comfortable.

Oslo Airport, Gardermoen
We can get off the plane both forward and aft

Passing immigration and security and the first thing I ran in to when I was through security was Oslo Airport, Gardermoenyet another “feedback” machine.

I found my way to the SAS lounge and I started by pouring 2 cups of tea. I took some fresh bread and a huge piece of liver pate, not as good as the liver pate from Skåne. But it was OK.

I topped the liver pate with bell peppers. Second helping and Oslo Airport, GardermoenI changed the bell pepper for pickled cucumbers (Skåne staajl, not as good, but OK)

I boarded SAS flight SK 0455 to Copenhagen. Aisle seat and a few minutes later the couple from Skåne took the seats next to me. We were on the same train and they got off the train in Malmö and I continued with the train to Helsingborg.

I checked in at Marina Plaza and I was in my room, the same room I had last time around 12 o'clock. Österns Pärla HERE I COME!

Well, I had not been long before there was a girl coming in to my room with a bag of candy. I asked what this was for and she told me they gave this to members of the hotel.
- I'm not a member and I'm on diet
- You can wait with the diet until you finish the candy, she suggested
Spring rolls at Österns Pärla i Helsingborg
I had my spring rolls, finally. Not two, not four, but six, yes SIX Swedish spring rolls. Must be the best spring rolls in the world. I walked around town for an hour or so looking for soft ice Warm smoked salmon at Elite Hotel marina Plazacream without any success. Also good with a constitutional to make some space for salmon and Skånsk new potatoes later on in the evening.

I left my room to go to see if I could have some smoked salmon at Kitchen & Table. I decided to check out the restaurant at the hotel, and they had smoked salmon and new potatoes.

The first thing I discovered was that it was “warm” smoked salmon. I was disappointed but it turned out to be very good. It was so good so I asked for a second plate. No third plate today and I was back in my room 30 minutes later.

I had asked for a 8 o'clock wake-up call and I will leave Helsingborg around 11 o'clock. And I'm pretty excited. Arriving to Reykjavik around 3 o'clock. At my hotel 4 o'clock and I will Yet another Smiley on www.aladdin.st hopefully be at the WHALES OF ICELAND – A GIANT EXPERIENCE around 4 thirty. The Whales Aurora Reykjavikof Iceland exhibition is the largest of its kind in Europe, and possibly the world.

And I hope I have the time to visit the AURORA REYKJAVIK - The Northern Lights Center, Aurora Reykjavik, allows you to experience the Northern Lights in a completely different way. Before it is time to take off for the whale watching in the midnight sun at 20:30

When I came home from Romø Mærsk on the 8th of October '15 I discovered a big envelope in my post box. Log book and a video from the Polar bear Quest adventure on Svalbard June '15. And of course, the log book and video contains our Guides pictures so it was nice with a different view than from my own pictures. ENJOY!

Polar bear Quest Log Book
Click HERE to read the Polar bear Quest log book



+++++++++++++++
Tuesday 30th of June 2015
and the called at 8 o'clock and I have time for the best breakfast in Öresundstågtown? before leaving for Copenhagen International Airport with Öresundståg around 11 o'clock. Iceland next, will my luggage make Icelandairit this time?

Flying with Icelandair and they will Yet another Smiley on www.aladdin.st hopefully get my luggage on the pplane. Not like SAS, Icelandic Volcanoseveral years flying to Svalbard and they have missing luggage on every flight. And I tried to claim 2200 Norwegian Scooby Dollars for the stuff I bought in Longyearbyen.

They would reply in 4 to 6 weeks and one thing is for sure, I will avoid boarding any Scandinavian Airlines flight again.

Very bad service at least to say, but this I can learn to live with. But people that never learn from their mistakes, just going on and on foocking up and well, no respect at all. Luckily enough I don't have any more flights with SAS in my itinerary. And the volcanoes on Iceland, I hope they stay sleeping for another 4 weeks until I have left Iceland behind

I got on the Øresundståg leaving Helsingborg @ 11:12 and Jeeze, I have never seen so many strollers before. The train, or at least the car I was in was full. And I was really happy that I had bought the “terrain going” Samsonite model in South Africa. Now I can walk over all over the Kastrup, Copenhagen International Airportstrollers with my “terrain going” Samsonite when it is time to get off at Kastrup, Copenhagen International Airport.

Kastrup, Copenhagen International Airport is right up there with Honolulu International with the worst airports.

No check-in, only machines. And then you had to go to drop your luggage. I really don't get it, then I could as well have checked-in when I dropped my luggage. IcelandairOf course, the machines didn't work and they told me to go to SAS desk. I asked if Icelandair was a member of Star Alliance as I thought they Kastrup, Copenhagen International Airportwasn't members. I was told by two different girls at the airport that they were members of the Star Alliance. I found this strange and I asked for how long they had been members.
- Very very long

I made it through the baggage drop and security adventure. Icelandair flight FI0205 is departing from Gate B3. 30 minutes and I walked to the gate, passing a vending machine with Diet MAX. Out of stock and I could see that there were plenty of the Diet MAX in the machine. Vending machine not working.

I stopped a girl in Copenhagen Airport uniform and I told her that the machine was not working
- I don't work with the machines
I pointed at her uniform
- You work on the airport
- It is external company running the vending machines
It was none of her business and I told her that I had TOLD HER and now she could tell someone Icelandair flight FI 205 to Reykjavikabout the problem so it could be rectified until next time I'm around.

She looked at me like I was crazy. Well, that is a good job, just walk around not care about anything while things fall apart around.

Not the spirit I'm looking for. You are representing the airport and should be happy to get a report about something not working properly so it can be rectified. Booyaa!

There was a coffee shop at the gate and I had 2 smoothies and a red Danish sausage. I spent 30 Icelandair flight FI 205 to Reykjavikminutes at the coffee shop up dating my web page and time turned very quickly. Boarding was pretty quickly and when I stepped on board Icelandair's flight Fi 205 I discovered a sign “WI FI ON BOARD”












This is the big thing now, WI FI on the plane. But I remember 15 years ago and it was pretty common with internet on board. But it disappeared and now it seems to come back again

I will try their internet with my LG phone and I can kill time surfing the internet. I took my seat Icelandair flight FI 205 to Reykjavikin the aisle and I had no hope of having an empty seat next to me as the flight was full.

I had a Chinese next to me and he was travelling in a big group of tourists from China.

I have been flying with Chinese tourists before and this had been a terrible experience. But this group was very nice and I enjoyed my flight. The internet was a very nice time killer. And they had Diet MAX on board and I had 2 cans during Icelandair flight FI 205 to Reykjavikthe flight. My new friend from China next to me had one can.

Flying during the day time, we also had to retard our wrist watches by 2 hours. They had an aurora borealis light show on their ceiling during the flight. I also saw some pictures with Icelandair planes painted like the aurora borealis. And I’m Icelandair flight FI 205 to Reykjavikpretty sure this would have been nice to watch if the flight had been during the dark hours.

The flight lasted 3 hours 10 minutes and the time turned pretty quickly. It was way better than the SAS flight between Oslo and Longyearbyen. But even though the flight had been OK it was very nice when we touched town at Reykjavik Whales of IcelandInternational Airport. I expect to be at my hotel around 5 o'clock and my plan Aurora Reykjavik - The Northern Lights Centeris to visit the Whales of Iceland museum and the Aurora Reykjavik - The Northern Lights Center exhibition.

And then I will finish my first day in Reykjavik with the Whale watching in the midnight sun with Elding. And just by clicking HERE we will soon find out if my plan worked out as planned. And to save downloading time we can also choose from the below links.

Iceland Day 1: Whale watching in the midnight sun

Iceland Day 2: Reykjavik City Tour and whale watching

Iceland Day 3: Gullfoss, the beautiful double “Golden Falls” and geyser Strokkur

Iceland Day 4: Snæfellsnes Peninsula

Iceland Day 5: Látrabjarg with the Puffin

Iceland Day 6: Western Fjords and waterfall Dynjandi

Iceland Day 7: Icelandic horse show and Whale watching

Iceland Day 8: Volcano craters and swimming in hot water

Iceland Day 9: Dettifoss

Iceland Day 10: Glacier Lagoon - Jökulsárlón

Iceland Day 11: Going back to Reykjavik



       
                  

OK, it has come to my knowledge that we have senior citizen visiting my web page. How hard can it be? So it's not very easy for them to see the blue coloured links to the next page.
Jiffy (also jiff)

noun [in SING.] informal a moment: we'll be back in a jiffy.

ORIGIN late 18th cent.: of unknown origin.

So as you understand, in a jiff pretty much depends on your internet.
So I put a “Next” button here and I hope that there isn't any problem to understand how to use that one. So just CLICK the “Next” button on your left hand side and you will be on the next page in a jiff!

Marunong ka mag-tagalog? Walang problema! Magpunta sa kabilang pahina pindutin ang “NEXT” button sa itaas

Faites vous parlez le français? Pas de problème! Pour arriver à la page suivante faites s'il vous plaît un déclic le bouton “Next” ci-dessus!

Haga usted dice el español? No hay problema! Ver la siguiente página sólo hacer clic el botón “Next” encima!

Farla parla l'italiano? Non problemi! Per vedere la prossima pagina lo scatto per favore giusto Il bottone “Next” sopra

Sprechen sie Deutsch! Kein problem! Wenn Sie die folgende Seite sehen wollen gerade klicken der Knopf “Next” oben!

คุณพูดภาษาไทยได้ไหม ไม่มีปัญหา ถ้าคุณต้องการไปหน้าถัดไป ให้กดปุ่ม “Next” ข้างบนนี้

Вы говорите по-русски? NJET PROBLEMA! Просто нажмите синюю кнопку "Next" с левой стороны и Вы моментально переместитесь на следующую страницу!

E ni Svenskar och inte förstår Engelska så ska ni skämmas. J och Björn, med det menar jag inte att alla mina stavfel ska ältas varje gång vi träffas.

Flag of Skåne / Skånska flaggan Well, the flag of Skåne, just a BONUS flag.


                                       

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