Saturday, January 21, 2017
Preparing for trip to Trollhattan, Sweden to participate in the International Bandy Federation (FIB) World Championships, B-Pool. So very happy to have prepared in advance with most of my gear washed and packed several days ago. With an afternoon flight, this gives me extra time this morning to wrangle the rest of my belongings before a mid-afternoon flight. I've cleared the refrigerator with some left over sandwich fixings, so have packed myself a sack lunch to enjoy while waiting at MSP (Minneapolis-St. Paul) airport and Delta flight to AMS (Amsterdam).
1230: called for Uber transport to MSP, and estimate pick up in less than 10 minutes. These new arranged transportation services have made getting to/from the airport so easy and relatively cheap. The 11 mile (18Km) has very little traffic and I am at the terminal in about 12 minutes for $19.
1300: I have cleared the security checkpoint with zero wait, seriously, there was only one person walking thru the queue in front of me and I went direct to the agent to process passport and boarding pass. I have no issues with my carry-on backpack with lunch, electronics, toiletries and my coffee brewing apparatus. The departure gate is very close, and they have made major improvements to the retail areas and the departure lounge is full of single seat booths and high-top bar tables. Each seat has a built-in I-pad where travelers can place orders for food that is delivered directly to your seat. There is a retail area set up similar to a grocery store with fresh fruit in addition to all the other trappings that are found in most airport convenience stores. I am the first of our group of four USA Bandy game officials to arrive, so I break out my sandwich, potato chips and clementine orange. The other referees begin to arrive as I am preparing to begin my airport tradition of brewing a small batch of coffee.
The portable heating element takes an extraordinarily long time to get the water hot, and I figure this is due to very low amperage being fed to the convenience outlets that are located at each seat. As boarding time approaches, I complete the brew. Our departure is scheduled for 15:18, and I am seated near the rear of the Delta Airbus A330-300 by 14:55, and we take off at 15:30 with on time arrival indicated.
1715: I enjoy these international flights, for each seat is equipped with seat back monitor with free movies and video provided. First beverage service includes complimentary beer, and I select Sweetwater IPA from Atlanta. It is not too bad, but a little sweeter than I prefer, but better than any of the mega-brewery alternatives. Dinner is served shortly thereafter, and I select the spinach ravioli with a glass of red wine. Th dinner includes a shrimp (3 of them) salad, garden salad, dinner roll, cheese and cracker. The ravioli is quite tasty. I hope these two alcoholic beverages will assist me getting some sleep during the overnight flight.
1750: dinner is complete and there are still 5 hours, 21 minutes remaining to destination. I settle back in to complete the most recent in the series of Jason Bourne action thrillers.
2200: the cabin lights come back on, and the flight crew are delivering a breakfast which of Orange juice, greek yogurt, orange+cranberry roll with orange marmalade and of course a cup or two of coffee.
Sunday, January 22, 2017
0615: we're on the ground and expecting a 10 minute taxi to our gate at the gigantic Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam. We have a very quick layover, so we deplane and head for passport control. There is a full queue for the non-European travelers, and I note that there is only one station open. The agents are directing those with 0700 departures to jump the line in order to make their flights. Our boarding is scheduled for 0730, and it looks dire. Shortly, three additional agents arrive for their shift, and the line begins to move along. No worries. We clear passport control and begin our long walk to our departure gate which, of course, is located at the very end of concourse B. The morning walk will do us all a bit of good to work out the kinks after a nine hour overnight flight.
0815: dawn is breaking as we walk down the jetway and stairs to the tarmac where our KLM Cityhopper, Embraer 195 awaits. The temperature is just below freezing (-1 C) and the cold air infused with the fumes from the kerosene jet fuel is crisp in the nostrils as we make our way up the stairs and into the aircraft.
0850: we are served a wonderful egg salad sandwich for breakfast. The packaging for the sandwich extols the virtues of this particular chicken farm where the happy chickens live in wonderful conditions. There is full description inside of the packaging.
The 90 minute flight is uneventful (the best kind), and we break out of the low ceiling of clouds just above the treetops. Amazing that the precise navigation technology has us lined up just a hundred feet above the runway. I do have full confidence for my father was a pilot, my mother a flight attendant, and brother is also a pilot.
1000: we have gathered our luggage and there are two drivers at the land side of the airport with the tournament logo sign and USA Bandy to transport us in their two cars a little over an hour up the canal from Gothenburg to Trollhattan. While the sky is overcast and grey we are still able enjoy the scenery of southwestern Sweden featuring large outcroppings of granite rocks, small farm fields and pine woods. There is quite a lot of heavy industry located along the canal with a long history of heavy manufacturing including Saab and Volvo automobiles.
1130: we are all checked into the hotel. The two women referees are booked into one room, the other assistant referee is booked into his double occupancy room and his Chinese roommate will arrive tomorrow. I have the new luxury of a single room, for my position is now that of FIB Match Delegate/Supervisor. I quickly unpack my bags, set up another coffee brew and jump in the shower. We have just over an hour until one of the other FIB Match Delegates picks us up for a short drive to the next town where we will watch an U-20 Elite league bandy match.
1300: We gather in the hotel lobby and drive the short 15 minutes to the town of Vanersborg and their indoor bandy hall. (image).
This will be a great opportunity for all of us to observe the professional Swedish referee crew work the game. There have been some changes to the referees system of control which will be very important for us all to observe and implement for the tournament which starts in two days time. The game is very good with the visitors enjoying the better of the first half. The team managers obviously make some changes, and the second half is more equal and the intensity has ramped up. We are luck to be accompanied to the match by the FIB Delegate who is also a member of the Swedish Bandy Federation and a leader of their elite referee training committee. He is also an old friend from several of my previous FIB tournaments including my first men's tournament in Moscow 2008 and women's tournament in Irkutsk, Russia 2012. After the game, we visit with the referee crew in their locker room, and have a very short discussion before we depart back to hotel. Upon arrival at the bridge to cross the canal next to the hotel, the gates are dropping as a large ship is making its way up the canal toward the big Lake Vanern (inland sea). The drawbridge raises, and we must wait a few minutes for the ship to pass.
1630: the USA bandy officials are now getting quite hungry and ready to eat and get some much needed sleep. We are able to get some Swedish Krona (8.9 SEK/US$) from the ATM across from hotel, and we begin the short one block walk up the street to Muang Thai a small restaurant that we saw upon our arrival and sounded much more interesting than the ubiquitous pizza places that seem to dot small towns across the world. We all order some curry with rice (95 SEK / $11) and enjoy dinner before we all begin to 'hit the wall' that is jet-lag. It has been a long day.
2000: I have done some organizing of my room and electronics and decided to look thru the television for a moment before going to bed. I find a broadcast of the BBC World Service in English, so watch that for a while to catch up on the news and begin to set up the WiFi on my devices. Shortly, I find myself asleep, so turn off the lights for a good night's sleep. Tomorrow, the tournament begins for the game officials with rules review, education on tournament protocol, written rules and physical skating tests in addition to the opening ceremony that will be held in the local park near hotel adjacent to the canal.
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Preparing for trip to Trollhattan, Sweden to participate in the International Bandy Federation (FIB) World Championships, B-Pool. So very happy to have prepared in advance with most of my gear washed and packed several days ago. With an afternoon flight, this gives me extra time this morning to wrangle the rest of my belongings before a mid-afternoon flight. I've cleared the refrigerator with some left over sandwich fixings, so have packed myself a sack lunch to enjoy while waiting at MSP (Minneapolis-St. Paul) airport and Delta flight to AMS (Amsterdam).
1230: called for Uber transport to MSP, and estimate pick up in less than 10 minutes. These new arranged transportation services have made getting to/from the airport so easy and relatively cheap. The 11 mile (18Km) has very little traffic and I am at the terminal in about 12 minutes for $19.
1300: I have cleared the security checkpoint with zero wait, seriously, there was only one person walking thru the queue in front of me and I went direct to the agent to process passport and boarding pass. I have no issues with my carry-on backpack with lunch, electronics, toiletries and my coffee brewing apparatus. The departure gate is very close, and they have made major improvements to the retail areas and the departure lounge is full of single seat booths and high-top bar tables. Each seat has a built-in I-pad where travelers can place orders for food that is delivered directly to your seat. There is a retail area set up similar to a grocery store with fresh fruit in addition to all the other trappings that are found in most airport convenience stores. I am the first of our group of four USA Bandy game officials to arrive, so I break out my sandwich, potato chips and clementine orange. The other referees begin to arrive as I am preparing to begin my airport tradition of brewing a small batch of coffee.
1715: I enjoy these international flights, for each seat is equipped with seat back monitor with free movies and video provided. First beverage service includes complimentary beer, and I select Sweetwater IPA from Atlanta. It is not too bad, but a little sweeter than I prefer, but better than any of the mega-brewery alternatives. Dinner is served shortly thereafter, and I select the spinach ravioli with a glass of red wine. Th dinner includes a shrimp (3 of them) salad, garden salad, dinner roll, cheese and cracker. The ravioli is quite tasty. I hope these two alcoholic beverages will assist me getting some sleep during the overnight flight.
1750: dinner is complete and there are still 5 hours, 21 minutes remaining to destination. I settle back in to complete the most recent in the series of Jason Bourne action thrillers.
2200: the cabin lights come back on, and the flight crew are delivering a breakfast which of Orange juice, greek yogurt, orange+cranberry roll with orange marmalade and of course a cup or two of coffee.
Sunday, January 22, 2017
0615: we're on the ground and expecting a 10 minute taxi to our gate at the gigantic Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam. We have a very quick layover, so we deplane and head for passport control. There is a full queue for the non-European travelers, and I note that there is only one station open. The agents are directing those with 0700 departures to jump the line in order to make their flights. Our boarding is scheduled for 0730, and it looks dire. Shortly, three additional agents arrive for their shift, and the line begins to move along. No worries. We clear passport control and begin our long walk to our departure gate which, of course, is located at the very end of concourse B. The morning walk will do us all a bit of good to work out the kinks after a nine hour overnight flight.
0815: dawn is breaking as we walk down the jetway and stairs to the tarmac where our KLM Cityhopper, Embraer 195 awaits. The temperature is just below freezing (-1 C) and the cold air infused with the fumes from the kerosene jet fuel is crisp in the nostrils as we make our way up the stairs and into the aircraft.
1000: we have gathered our luggage and there are two drivers at the land side of the airport with the tournament logo sign and USA Bandy to transport us in their two cars a little over an hour up the canal from Gothenburg to Trollhattan. While the sky is overcast and grey we are still able enjoy the scenery of southwestern Sweden featuring large outcroppings of granite rocks, small farm fields and pine woods. There is quite a lot of heavy industry located along the canal with a long history of heavy manufacturing including Saab and Volvo automobiles.
1130: we are all checked into the hotel. The two women referees are booked into one room, the other assistant referee is booked into his double occupancy room and his Chinese roommate will arrive tomorrow. I have the new luxury of a single room, for my position is now that of FIB Match Delegate/Supervisor. I quickly unpack my bags, set up another coffee brew and jump in the shower. We have just over an hour until one of the other FIB Match Delegates picks us up for a short drive to the next town where we will watch an U-20 Elite league bandy match.
1300: We gather in the hotel lobby and drive the short 15 minutes to the town of Vanersborg and their indoor bandy hall. (image).
1630: the USA bandy officials are now getting quite hungry and ready to eat and get some much needed sleep. We are able to get some Swedish Krona (8.9 SEK/US$) from the ATM across from hotel, and we begin the short one block walk up the street to Muang Thai a small restaurant that we saw upon our arrival and sounded much more interesting than the ubiquitous pizza places that seem to dot small towns across the world. We all order some curry with rice (95 SEK / $11) and enjoy dinner before we all begin to 'hit the wall' that is jet-lag. It has been a long day.
2000: I have done some organizing of my room and electronics and decided to look thru the television for a moment before going to bed. I find a broadcast of the BBC World Service in English, so watch that for a while to catch up on the news and begin to set up the WiFi on my devices. Shortly, I find myself asleep, so turn off the lights for a good night's sleep. Tomorrow, the tournament begins for the game officials with rules review, education on tournament protocol, written rules and physical skating tests in addition to the opening ceremony that will be held in the local park near hotel adjacent to the canal.
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