Rejected; Secured.

For weeks I've been weighing options with train travel from Trondheim to Lillehammer.

Surfing the web, I discovered an early-morning express train. Choosing the 4-1/2-hour non-stop trip over a 7-1/2-hour one that stops at all the towns along the way was easy. Plus, arriving about 1 PM in Lillehammer would give us the best part of the afternoon to tour southward with my host parents.

My question was: How to return our rental vehicle to the Trondheim agency office that opens at 10 AM? The agent suggested parking the car in their lot, putting the keys in the drop box and heading to the train station. That works if we allow enough time to cover the distance between those two points before the train departs.

To purchase the tickets, I considered an online international train service. They guaranteed reserved seats, offered a $10 insurance option against loss, theft, etc. and promised two-day mail-service of the tickets to my home address for $157 each. All this could be put on my American Express card.

For fun, I googled "NSB" – the Norwegian Rail System – to compare pricing. I discovered a bargain when booking online using an option called "Minipris." For each train departure, NSB reserves a number of select seats that sell for less than half price. The catch? The tickets are good only for the specified train departure, must be purchased at least a day in advance and are non-refundable. These tickets can be collected at the station service desk, ticket machine or on-board, as specified by the buyer upon purchase. When I hesitated, Dan said, "What's trouble? At that (minipris) price, you could buy another if you have to and still come out ahead."

I emailed the ladies for commentary and received a response to try the minipris. By the time I confirmed that these minipris tickets were fully reserved seats, I missed out on the chance to upgrade for an extra $12 to "Komfort" seating offering free coffee and tea, Norwegian newspapers and internet hookup. Those tickets had sold out.

With time ticking, I opted for the 299 NOK ($60) standard seating, entered my vitals and VISA card information (NSB doesn't take American Express) and clicked on "Buy Ticket."

I waited for my card to clear. A message appeared: "Card Rejected!" I double checked the information I'd entered against my card and tried again. Same thing: "Card Rejected!" I tried calling the 1-800 number on the back of the card for assistance and received the message about this card being invalid.

I gave up. Moments later, the phone rang. Dan called me from work. "Did you try making a purchase in Norwegian currency? The VISA company just called me about a transaction."

I assured him that I was indeed trying to book six tickets through the Norwegian Rail System for about $360. He said, "I thought so. Try again. They said it'll go through."

It did.

Rejected; Secured.

In Short: Make sure to alert your credit card company before traveling overseas to ensure your transactions will be accepted.

Small Details

I am a writer and a photographer – not necessarily in that order.

While volunteering me to lead his relatives on this trip, Dan also assigned me to take lots of photos of houses: rooftops, foundations, walls, floors, windows, fireplaces, trimming details and more.

"How am I going to cover all that with my little camera?" I asked.

In response, he bought me a 2 gigabyte memory stick. (My 1 gig memory stick holds 700+ photos.)

I have two rechargeable batteries with which I alternate use. Each takes up to four hours to recharge and gives about two continuous hours of shooting time.

"I'll need to re-charge my batteries daily for that," I said. "Norway uses two round prongs in their electrical outlets."

Dan got the message and supplied me with a properly equipped converter – half the size of the one I used as an exchange student 25 years ago.

Time and technology change Small Details!

Ask – Again

After reporting to the ladies on the hotel booking, taxi/shuttle options, luggage storage, train tickets and more, I asked for aid:

"If anyone has the opportunity to practice driving stick-shift: "go-for-it" and let me know. I will try to find an opportunity for myself before we go."

I referred them to the blog entries about our rental vehicle and request for driving help from Tora.

A year ago when our group met, no one claimed recent experience driving a manual-transition vehicle. In recent months, I hadn't had an opportunity to try and hadn't heard that anyone else in our group did. Therefore two weeks ago, I wrote Tora and casually asked for help if someone was able. To cover the bases, I expanded my request to our group.

To my surprise, I received a reply that one gal's last car was a stick-shift. She and another gal planned to practice before the trip.

Hooray!

Now we will work on familiarizing them with road signs and driving rules in Norway – giving us a little more independence and flexibility with that 3-day leg of our journey.

How things open up when one decides to Ask Again.

Bergen Booking

Over the July 4th weekend, I researched Bergen lodging options online. I weighed the benefits of a money-saving hostel over a classic hotel, emailed both for information on late-night check-ins, a luggage-check area as well as convenience for a shuttle vs. taxi drop-off from the airport located 30-45 minute from the city center.

All things considered, I booked us at a hotel located about 1 km (a 10-minute walk) from the famous Fish Market and next door to the famous composer Edvard Greig's home. Who knows? We may be able to sit out in the hotel garden and catch the end the concert held each evening at Greig's home.

One thing's certain: we will have our one-night hotel "treat" – including an American breakfast the following morning. After checking out of our rooms, the hotel allows guests to stow their bags in a luggage-check room. That means we can travel "hands-free" during our day-tour of the city. We'll also be able to order taxi service to take us out to the Hurtigruten terminal where we'll board our cruise ship and sail that evening.

Through an international hotel website, I secured three rooms for our Bergen Booking!

Ask

I have a problem. I like to do things myself. It is difficult for me to ask others for help. Why? I don't want to be a bother.

That's one reason it took me two weeks to write Cousin Tora with the latest information on our trip. I thanked her the card she sent in April extending her generous arrangement for lodging, site-seeing and a family gathering during our visit. I answered her questions about us six ladies. I also explained details of our arrival in Trondheim. I included my host dad's appraisal of the rental vehicle situation, including the manual transmission.

I put down my pen and I prayed:

If this trip was reversed – so that I was waiting for incoming visitors – would I help? Of course, if I am able – was my reply.

Most people like to help. But if no one asks, those needs go unknown.

After a long meditation, I wrote on to Tora.

"That means we must practice driving a stick-shift car because such vehicles are not so common here in the USA. If there is someone who can help us with the driving, that would be suitable. But we'll take it all in stride."

I asked Tora's advice on whether we should wait two hours at the pier for the rental agency to open and come with the vehicle or if we could walk on a leisurely site-seeing tour to the station.

A huge burden lifted, as I signed, folded, addressed and mailed this envelope at the post office. Whatever, Tora's reply matters little compared to the giant step taken for me to ASK.

God has a plan!

Vehicle Verification

Today my host dad sent me a short email verifying the rental vehicle situation.

Whether Svein spoke to the Trondheim representative before or after I did, I may never know. But in his email, Svein verified the Trondheim representative, his telephone number and the reservation number – all information I had gotten four days ago. Svein also noted he used his own credit card to hold the vehicle until we arrived and could present the card used for payment.

He arranged for us to be picked up at Hurtigruten pier with a vehicle for six adults and their luggage. His only regret was that such a rental vehicle comes only with manual transmission...

I am touched and wonder what all this means. One thing is for sure: Time to brush up on stick-shift driving skills or ask for help.

Vehicle Secured

"There's nothing like waking up to (someone speaking) Norwegian in the morning," Dan chided. I sighed, "Sorry, but I had to call the Trondheim office before 7 AM here to take care of our rental vehicle."


Two weeks ago, I emailed the auto-rental agency in Verdal to confirm prices and availability on a van for six. The representative replied everything was as stated in the quote I received from her in March. However, she did need a credit card number to secure the booking. I refused to send the information in an email and tried the telephone number at the bottom of her message. That number failed. She ignored my next email question for her direct number. Instead, she asked again to email my credit card information.

Frustrated, I called my host dad and asked for the number he used months ago to speak with this Verdal representative. My host dad said he would try calling and get back to me. I waited a week. Then I began researching the Norwegian telephone system and discovered, the number on the Verdal representative's email was "toll free" – in Norway, of course. I googled the Verdal office and found a direct telephone number. I emailed the representative, explained the "toll free" number trouble and asked whether the telephone number I'd found on the website would connect me to her.

She replied: If you want to call direct, use this telephone number xxxxxxxxxxx. I researched the city number and discovered it to be a Trondheim number. Since it was late in their day, I decided to call the next day – today – in our early morning hours.

"Well, at least that's settled," I told Dan. "I talked to a man in the Trondheim office. He listened to my story and understood my concern about sending my credit card number in an email. He took my booking, answered my questions about a drop box for an early return so we could catch the early morning train to Lillehammer, gave me the reservation number and said he didn't need my credit card number.

"What?" I said. He replied: "Just bring your credit card along with the reservation number when you come to the city-center station."

Rental Vehicle Secured!