Tuesday September 18th
I get up and go down to have the complimentary breakfast. Not too shabby though the coffee leaves a little to be desired. I go upstairs, grab my bags and check out. I call a Lyft — who can’t seem to find the hotel, circles City Hall twice before I flag him down — and head off to 30th Street Station, a classic Greek Revival rail station beloved by many including Brian DePalma who used it as a location in two of his films. A Philly guy showing off his hometown. We travel down Kennedy Boulevard toward the station.
How many times have I driven down this street coming or going from the train station over the past 45 years?
Amtrak from Philadelphia to Newark Airport is just over an hour. I hop on the Air Train and 15 minutes later, I’m in line to check in at SAS. Too early of course because the train schedules don’t match up to departure times but I’m there and ready.
Very ready to check my very overweight suitcase hoping I won’t be over the maximum weight limit. I’m prepared to pay. The counter opens. She hands me my boarding pass and checks my bag never bothering to notice that I am over the normal and at the maximum weight limit.
I breath a sigh of relief because my carry-ons are over the weight limit too. I was prepared to plead for mercy – I’m moving countries – what would you have me do with my camera equipment – my computer – clothes enough for two weeks while we camp out in Copenhagen. Thankfully that discussion didn’t occur.
