OH MY GOSH! Why am I being tested so? I thought at least with the leader handle I could gently drag my suitcase around the rest of this trip without scraping a hole in it, paying extra for cabs vs. walking to & from my hotels, then research good deals on new suitcases when I got back, but it obviously thought otherwise. As I was very slowly leaving the train station in Oslo, I got on the escalator and the leader handle promptly came off in my hand! I had to catch the monster before it hit the lady in front of me! I found a cab, 100NOK minimum fare, and my leisurely morning before getting on the train to Stockholm will now be shopping for a hard-sided suitcase, in the most expensive exchange rate in the world vs. the dollar. At least with breakfast ending at 10am, that means I should be able to shop one block over in the main shopping district & be back in time to repack by checkout at noon, then the 1:30 train to Stockholm should be easy. I do have my duffle bag still, but that won't fit everything, especially my laptop case, which I have been stashing inside my suitcase for safety & theft deterrence, plus the breakables I already have bought for people, plus the cider for the Windsor Castle Pub tasting on the way back.
Otherwise my day had its other ups and downs, but had finally ended on an up note before this, which will be a separate post. I am now back at the First Hotel Millenium in Oslo, and the poor guy at reception was kind enough to suggest some luggage stores and to look up the Stockholm train schedule for me, since I forgot to find a schedule before I left the station when my handle came off in my hand! I think I'll keep the handle as a souvenir since what could I do but stick it in my purse & keep going?!? 2 hours wifi for 40 NOK will allow me to vent, so I can start the new day afresh tomorrow. Maybe I'll find the coolest suitcase ever that will last me another 20 years AND be teal? We'll see...
Next will be the actual sightseeing post..."Norway in a Nutshell = fickle weather!"
