Monday, June 6th 

9:35 am
I sat outside the transfer desk in Amsterdam Airport clutching my little stuffed cat and fighting back tears. For the first time in a very long time I remember what it felt like to be totally alone.

The past month and a half has been an absolute whirlwind of activity in my life. It started with final presentations and papers in my classes then moved into the stress of exam week. This stress quickly gave way to celebration as my friends and I let loose during our Senior Week celebrations. Then came Graduation, a weekend four years in the making. I hosted a party for family and friends the day before the ceremony (I was even lucky enough to have a very special guest attend from Norway) and on Sunday, May 22nd I graduated from the University of Vermont. The next week was a flurry of packing (sorry mom! I know I should have started earlier!), cleaning and moving.
The weekend after graduation I headed out to Nantucket with my brother for Figawi (the sailboat races), a generous gift from him to celebrate my accomplishments. When I returned home my week consisted of laundry, various appointments (from dentist to veterinarian, getting everything done before I headed out), packing and some real "adult" responsibilities.


Sunday, June 5th

The day had finally arrived! I was headed home! Home to Hegra, that is. The weather declined the whole drive Pittsford to Boston. Sitting on my evening flight waiting to leave the gate I pressed my face against the cold plastic wall and watched the droplets of water race down the window. We were delayed by 20 or 30 minutes because of "a small problem" that they had to "contact the maintenance crew about"
OK this flight is off to a great start.

Three cups of water, two movies, one airplane quality dinner and more than 7 hours later I arrived (late) to Amsterdam airport on:

Monday, June 6th.

My flight was supposed to land at 8:15 but we didn't arrive until after 8:30. My boarding time for my next flight was 8:50 and at that point I was still sitting in my seat in the plane stuck on the runway because our flight had to wait for another plane to leave the gate. Once I was off the plane it was time to run; I hated to be "that person" in the airport but hey, I had a flight to catch. The line to get my passport stamped was huge but they rushed anyone with a 9:30 flight or sooner up to the front, however, this was at 9:07 and there were more than 50 of us. I met two Norwegian women in line who were trying to catch the same flight; they were very nice and I was so glad not to be alone in this struggle.

9:13 am
Still in line, stressing.

9:17 am
Getting passport stamped, force a smile that probably looked more like a grimace.

9:18 am
Try to locate gate; realize it is almost as far away as possible (and for anyone who hasn't been in the Amsterdam airport, this place is massive).

9:18:30 am
Panic.

9:19 am
Estimated walking time to gate: 10 minutes.
RUN.

9:20 am
My flights scheduled departure time.

9:22 am
Arrive just in time!!!
Just in time to see my flight pulling away from the gate that is....

9:23 am
Hang my head and start towards the transfer desk... what feels like miles and miles back to where I just was.

9:30 am
Wait in the (thankfully short) line and get a new boarding pass to the afternoon flight to Trondheim... in 5 hours.
The two women I had met in line wound up on the evening flight.

9:35 am
(see above)

9:36 am
"Missed flights happen. Don't worry Ave. You'll get there."
Thank goodness for WiFi.
Thank goodness for iMessage.
Thank goodness for a big brother who is working nights right now in Boston and was up at 3:36 am (US time).

The rest of my morning and early afternoon was spent puttering around the airport, browsing in souvenir shops, people watching and going on a very extended quest for a power outlet, which this airport only seems to have one of (and at that it didn't even work).

My next flight starts boarding in 5 minutes and I'll be darned if I miss this one.

Next stop: Norway.