The Itinerary

The following is our itinerary as of today.  We plan to post details and changes as they occur.

April 18-19 - Travel from Jackson, Mississippi to Gothenburg, Sweden.  United Airlines to Charlotte and Washington Dulles, then Scandinavian Airlines to Copenhagen and Gothenburg.  Arrival at 8:55 a.m. in Gothenburg on Thursday, April 19.  Overnight Radisson Blue Scandinavia Hotel.

April 20 - Lunch and VIP guided tour at the Gothenburg Volvo plant.  Complete the process to accept delivery of a new white Volvo XC90 SUV.  Depart Gothenburg and proceed north toward Oslo, Norway.  Overnight accommodations to be determined (TBD).

April 21 - Arrival in Oslo 
This day begins a four-day excursion package called "Norway in a Nutshell".  Afternoon is at leisure.  Overnight at the Thon Opera Hotel, ideally located in the city center next to the Central Train Station, with easy access to the Bergen train the next morning.  (We will leave the new Volvo in a secure garage near the hotel.)

April 22 - Oslo - Flam Railway
Breakfast at the hotel.  Early morning departure on the scenic Bergen Railway through the Hallingdal Valley, via Geilo and across a mountain plateau to Myrdal.  Ride the famous Flam Railway, descending 2,840 feet in 12 miles, into the wild Flam Valley, passing spectacular scenery of waterfalls, mountain cliffs, tiny settlements and farms.  Upon arrival in Flam our afternoon is at leisure.  Check in at the beautiful Fretheim Hotel located across from the Railway Station.  This evening enjoy a delicious buffet dinner at the hotel.

April 23 - Flam - Voss - Bergen
Breakfast at the hotel.  Morning at leisure.  Flam is the beginning of an unforgettable 2-hour boat journey along the Aurlandsfjord and Naeroyfjord, the narrowest, most dramatic, and yet the most beautiful of the secondary fjords to the Sognefjord.  Picturesque farms and villages are nestled along the steep mountainsides, reaching peaks up to 4,500 feet.  The cruise ends at Gudvangen.  Continue by bus for one hour up the narrow Nearoy Valley, across the steep hairpin bends of the Stalheim Canyon Road, descending to the fjord village of Voss.  Here reconnect with the Bergenbanen, continuing to the colorful Hanseatic city of Bergen.  Overnight at the First Hotel Marin.

April 24 - Bergen - Oslo
Breakfast at the hotel.  Transfer to the Bergen Train Station, departing for Oslo at 10:28 a.m.  Overnight at the Thon Opera Hotel.

April 25 - Travel through Sweden
Breakfast at the hotel.  Travel south through Sweden, with day's itinerary and overnight TBD.

April 26 - Travel through Denmark
Cross from Sweden into Denmark, with day's itinerary and overnight TBD.

April 27 - Cross from Denmark into Germany.  Arrive in Haiger, Germany, which is the home of our friends Botho and Gisela Heinz whom our church supports as missionaries to Eastern Europe.  Botho and Gisela have graciously offered to "tour us around Germany" for a week, and we could not be more pleased to accept their kind offer.  As I understand what has been planned for us...

April 28 - Tour Martin Luther sites including Wartburg.  Overnight in Eisennach.

April 29 - Tour Berlin.  Overnight in Berlin.

April 30 - Tour Berlin.  Overnight in Berlin.

May 1 - Tour Cologne.  Overnight in Heinz home.

May 2 - Rhine River cruise.  Overnight in Heinz home.

May 3 - Tour Frankfurt.  Overnight in Heinz home.

May 4 - TBD.  Overnight in Heinz home.

May 5 - Depart Haiger and travel into southern Germany / Bavaria.  Overnight in Tyrol.

May 6 - Travel to Vienna, Austria.  In Vienna we will connect with Thomas and Mollie Gardner, who are completing an assignment as missionaries in the Vienna Christian School there.  Thomas and Mollie are a dear young Mississippi couple who were sent to Vienna by our church in Jackson, and who will shortly be returning with their three sons to our church, Thomas to serve as full-time Assistant Pastor.  Thomas and Mollie have also graciously offered to host us during a short stay in Vienna.  Overnight TBD. 

May 7 - Tour Vienna with Gardners.  Overnight TBD.

May 8 - Vienna - Haiger.  Overnight in Heinz home.

May 9 - Turn in Volvo in Frankfurt for shipment to USA.  Last overnight in Heinz home.

May 10 - Travel from Frankfurt, Germany to Jackson, Mississippi.  Arrival time 9:30 p.m. CDT.

We are deeply grateful to Paul Moak Volvo in Jackson for allowing us to act as their agent in accepting delivery of this beautiful new vehicle in Sweden.  It will be a privilege to enjoy it during our time in Europe.  We are also deeply grateful to our friends in Germany and in Austria for their remarkable hospitality.  

Every detail of this itinerary is, of course, subject to the Lord's approval.  We are mindful of Proverbs 16:9, "The mind of man plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps." We also think of James' instruction that with respect to plans we should always say, "If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that."  (James 4:15)  We therefore submit these plans to the Lordship of Christ, that He might be glorified in them and in us.