My first day in Oslo


Woww what an experience. I was a bit nervous as it was my first trip abroad and my first experience in flight. First when i entered the airport I was informed that the flight was delayed. I thought what a great start!!!! After I checked in and finished my security check I realised that I had not taken any cash in Indian rupees and all I had was the dollars given to me as allowance. I had to spend like 2 hours there and luckily there wasnt much I needed then. Around 1.15 there was a call to board the flight. When I was waiting to enter the flight I watched the Jet airways flight that was the first time I was watching a flight so close wow what a view

On board the experience was nice a monitor to watch your favorite movies. The pilot's name was Ian Grant and the calmness and confidence in his voice gave me the confidence (I was so terrified after boarding it). The journey began with a window seat I had booked using the online check in (unfortuntely it was near to a wing :((). But the view below after takeoff was amazing with the night view of chennai with all the lights lit giving a fantastic view of chennai. I was tensed for a while and after that got used to the constant humming of the A330 engine. I took a nap after having a veg wrap offered by the air hostess. Woke up to have a breakfast and it was a terrible combination of idly which was strange looking to say the least and some vermicelli. The fruit salad was the only bright light in the breakfast and I asked for tea which came out as a black tea and was a terrible choice.

We landed at the Brussels international airport. My first step outside India and boy it was great. It was a high tech city. The security check was robust and meticulous. After the security check i was heading towards my terminal for the Scandinavian airlines flight headed towards Oslo. I walked and walked and finally reached the terminal where I was to board the flight. The airport was mostly empty as it was a weekday I guess. But the display of some of the latest cars by some of the world's leading auto makers made feel that I was in a auto show or someting. BMW 555d, Audi A1, Toyoto Xaris (not sure about the name) and mercedes were all displayed. I was missing my camera which was in the main baggage.

I was waiting there for boarding the flight which was like a 2 hour wait. I roamed around the airport and was looking around all the flights and I was overwheled and  was just wondering whether I was dreaming or something. It was around 10.30 when I boarded the flight and the flight was scheduled to leave at 11.05. I was just reading a magazine in the airline stating that the Scandinavian airlines was the third most punctual airline in the world. And on dot 11.05 the flight departed for Oslo. This was also a window seat and with only me in that row with 3 seats. It was a fantastic view of the city of Brussels from the aircraft. Flying above the clouds and to view the landscape below was a fantastic experience and all my inhibitions about flight experience was completely changed. It was a great experience and I couldnt stop admiring it. The flight attendants on board the airline were just fantastic. A guy and a lady, the guy had a great attitude and approach and the lady was having a great smile. The journey was short (~2 hours) and I landed in Gordeman airport which was situated outside Oslo. I had to catch a train to the National Theatret station.

At the airport I waited to collect my luggage. I collected my baggage and needed to call Donna to inform that I was there. I tried calling from a payphone and it was of no use and the 50cent Euro I had used was wasted. I aked a guy there whether he knew to use it and he also did not know how to use it. Then I asked a lady at an information counter how to use the payphone and she offered me to use the phone to her desk. I informed Donna that i will be there in 20 mins. I went to get a ticket and the counter there did not accept dollars. So changed the 100 dollar bill I had at the foreign exchange there and got 530 Kroner (30 kroner was commission out of 560). I got the ticket and headed towards the station to catch the local train. The train was scheduled to arrive at 2.08 and no prize for guessing it came at 2.08 on dot.

I had my baggage covered with a plastic sheet at the chennai airport, I guess everyone was having a strange look at my baggage. I got into the train and was heading to National theatret. I had no idea where it was and I spoke to a guy next to me and he told with a smile where was the station located. I reached the station and called Donna and managed to find her after some calls from a payphone. We walked towards the apartment and all the vehicles including buses stopped to give way for people to cross the roads I guess this will never happen in chennai. We reached the apartment, placed my baggage and headed towards a restaurant to have our lunch. We managed to find a restaurant and ordered something which costed 12o kroner. After lunch I headed back towards my apartment around 4 pm and had a nap. When I woke up it was still bright I thought I would have slept for an hour or so. When I looked at the watch it was 9 Pm and it was like evening here. I started preparing my dinner myself for the first time and here I am typing my experience after my dinner (rice with some pickle and pudina mix).

I still cant believe I am in a different country and typing my experience about it. But here I am doing it. The sun has set here and I am looking forward to work from McKinsey office tomorrow morning. Looking forward to a nice experience working there