To the Wharf

Early today,
I spoke with
the hotel's
front desk
to arrange
transport
to the
Hurtigruten
pier for
our 6 PM
boarding.



The desk attendant assured me the cab company could provide a vehicle large enough for six ladies and our luggage.

She called Norgestaxi to arrange for our 5:30 PM pickup at the Grand Terminus Hotel entrance.

We returned from shopping, picked up our luggage from hotel storage and waited in the lobby looking for a mini-bus.

Who was more surprised when our driver came inside to wave us out to the sidewalk?


We? At his wagon – with rumble seats – that could fit six people, including the driver.

(Where was our sixth lady to ride - on top?)


Or... he? At the amount of our luggage.

(Hello! We are six tourists boarding the Hurtigruten. Can you say: Norwegian Sea? Brrr!)

For about 15 minutes we wondered whether we were in southern Europe – listening to ranting and raving during his cellphone call to headquarters where the message had gotten screwed up and later watching his wild body language as he waved down another taxi for help.

"Are you from Bergen?" I asked as he drove three of us (and our luggage) through the rush-hour traffic and watched in his rear view mirror for the taxi assisting our three other ladies. He said, "Yes, born and raised here in the city. Excuse me –"

The driver gestured and shouted out his open window at a young woman talking on her cellphone totally oblivious to backing up traffic as she walked in the middle of the oncoming lane.

Upon receiving our driver's "advice" to get out of the street, she shouted back: "Yeah, yeah... whatever."

"You must have seen a lot of changes here through the years," I said attempting to calm his temper.

Our driver replied, "Yeah, yeah... We call that one: Blonde. But some of the others are good."

As we pulled up to the pier, I asked him about tipping - once an uncommon practice among Norwegians. Our driver said, "That's for you to decide. But who would refuse?"

I paid him cash. He made change. I gave it back to him for taking us To the Wharf.