First Impressions - Wednesday, 27 May

After the long flight from Australia and a 3 hour wait at London Heathrow I was finally on the plane to Copenhagen. Thanks to the window seat, I was able to get my first impressions from the air.

Denmark is all islands with lots of farming country. What a pretty and neat sight from above. All those little fields in various shades of green, some in shades of brown where the crops had not yet started to grow and a couple of bright yellow ones that looked like crops of canola, with pale coloured tracks between were really a sight to behold. One thing that intrigued me were the tracks (headlands) right on the edges of the land where tractors would have to be careful to turn around and not drop into the water.

Lots of wind generators (also known as wind mills or wind turbines) were clearly visible and in more populated areas lots of dark shiny surfaces looked very much like solar panels.

Then of course, there was this incredibly long bridge between islands. Such a very graceful construction too.

Thick fluffy clouds were hanging around and the pilot mentioned there would be unavoidable turbulences. The approach to the airport started with a loop towards Sweden. That's where I spotted this other long bridge starting in Sweden and petering out in the middle of the water.

Luckily, the wind was stronger than the pilot had bargained on and he had to climb again and do another loop which gave me a closer look at this bridge. It peters out in the water because it goes into a tunnel which, as I later learned, surfaces at Copenhagen Airport. How very European. You want to go across the water? Just build a bridge. Simple as that.

My delight continued right on landing: The tarmac was flanked by meadows with wildflowers rather than close cropped barely green strips.

And where was my camera during all this? You guessed. In the overhead locker - and a tower of a man with a laptop sitting between me and it!

As I entered the Airport Terminal my jaw really dropped with amazement for the floor in there is the most beautiful genuine parquetry!

Ignoring the friendly advice of trainrides and 10 minute walks to the hotel, I headed for the other door, found the taxi rank and happily spent my first 200 Danish Kronen (about $50) on getting to the Copenhagen Island Hotel comfortably, quickly and most important of all, without having to lug the luggage. The freeway too, was flanked by meadows with little daisies, red poppies and other wildflowers. It is definitely Spring time in Denmark.

Checking into the Hotel at last. The room has the same parquetry floor as the Airport Terminal and there is a personalized welcome on the television screen. It is a welcome for both, my husband and myself because I had forgotten to tell them he wasn't coming. A little later on, the message was changed to my name only. These people are on the ball.

The first handful of Friendship Exchangers are already here, all out sightseeing already. Others are due to come in later tonight.

A few of us went out for dinner together. If the fun we had is any indication, we have a truly terrific two weeks ahead of us.