1.
14 hours after takeoff in Cambodia, we arrive in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, our last stop over before Copenhagen. Our stopover is only for around an hour and the airport is very big, so we are meant to be moving pretty quickly. Nevertheless, when I see the giant christmas displays in the main area of the Airport I immediately stop and pull out my phone for a picture. Without stopping Lex loops his hand around my arm and starts dragging me towards the next gate (which ironically ends up being the wrong gate and we end up sprinting all the way back where we came from and down the opposite direction).
When we finally reach the right section we spy the ticket collection which has recently been updated to mostly automated machines - unfortunately as our flight had so many connections ours needed the personal touch. We jump in the line (I use the word line loosely as it consisted of two other travellers) as an attendant is quick to apologise for the delay. After two minutes, we reach the ticket collection whose attendant apologises again for the delay of two minutes, and hopes it will not inconvenience us. Alex and I look at each other incredulously. I suddenly feel so sorry for the Dutch backpackers travelling through Sydney International.
We wait in line for a few minutes as the attendant ushers in a few more dragon boats from the mini lake. Overhearing our accent he stops us just before we jump in. "Are you Australian?" his deep voice booms out. Lex and I glance at each other before answering "....Yes?"
"I'm not sure I can allow you on this ride" Okay, now a little worried, Lex quickly asks why not.
"Our roller-coaster is turning 100 next year and the only coaster older in the world is the one in Melbourne which is 103" Oh.
"If it makes you feel better" Alex replies, "Your clock tower over there is older than our country"
The attendant grins and with a chuckle lets us through. "Touche"
"Dammit you mother-fruitcaking bastard! Why won't you stay up!?!" I try in vain again and again to attach the walls of my gingerbread house together. I tried following the recipe for the icing glue on the back of the box (although as the instructions were in danish I'm not sure I was entirely accurate). I tried fixing the recipe when it more resembled water than icing - which just left me with twice the amount of watery icing flavoured liquid.
Finally Lex made a toffee which was successful in holding the smaller chimney together - but so far, not doing so well with the larger wall pieces. Finally I throw my hands up in frustration - and although I am sorely tempted to, resist the urge to throw the lot at the wall. Instead I go double or nothing and dump the entire 500g of icing sugar in my sugared liquid icing wannabe. Fingers crossed I begin to stir. If it works we'll have ourselves some glue, if it fails - well I guess we can dip the gingerbread pieces in it like some wacky fondue. Quickly the icing begins to thicken until I look down and my watery glug has become beautiful fluffy icing. Scooping a heap onto my finger I try the new icing and break into a huge grin. Looks like we're in business!
As I gaze up at the scores of our latest run of the surprisingly awesome haunted house style water track ride that is also a lazer tag, something strange catches my eye in the reflection. I grab Lex's hand and pull him into a run - during which he does not miss a beat in the consistent stream of gloating as he had crushed me by a good several hundred points (I maintain my lightsaber gun was faulty!). As we round the corner I screech to a halt and start giggling maniacally. Ahead is a purely fairytale based ride - taken from Hans Christian Andersen's tales, one of which includes a flying suitcase. Why am I giggling like a loon? The attendant raises his eyebrow at us (note: the median age for this ride is around 6 1/2) as we jump into the next car - which is a giant flying suitcase! Life is a fairytale!
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| photo by: ccarlstead |
5.
*Thump* *Rumble* " Shit!" *Thump*
Our second night in Odense, we were in furious battle with our awesome Couchsurfing host Agata, and her two teens in a completely family friendly game known colloquially as "Deep Shit" named aptly as every point you get, is how many feet of shit you are standing in. It was crazy addictive and soon became heated as we slammed cards on the table, swore at near misses, and boogied in our seats to lucky wins. Finally I was hailed winner standing in only 12 feet of shit, which was favourable compared to the 90 or so feet Alex was drowning under. This imagery keep us entertained for far longer than it should.
6.
Outside we stare up at the display windows reverently. "Have you ever seen something so beautiful?" I ask. "Shhh you don't want to scare it away!" Alex whispers with equal wonder. It is our very first Disney TM store - currently decked out in it's Frozen finest. Inside is many frantic parents desperately trying to finish their Christmas Shopping before tomorrow, Christmas Eve. As we wander around the store we stand back admiringly as if in a museum. We may have looked like crazy people, but that hour on a cold winters night remains one of my favorite memories of Copenhagen.
Click here to check out more photos of Denmark
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