Back in Denmark

Monday was our last full day in Norway. And it was wet. Yes, we managed to make it out for a walk around the town of Vigeland, but that was it. Otherwise, it was just wet.

Then on Tuesday, we actually got some sunshine for our ferry crossing to Denmark. We went into Kristiansand early and found some free parking about 3 kms from the center of town, then walked into town. Our ferry departure wasn't until 4:30pm, so we had lots of time to wander around.

Here are a few shots of our wet Monday...

We got out for a walk in the rain.

The Loch Ness Monster?

This is Norway, not Scotland!

Ruth with the monster.

Three naked women sculpture.

We saw this older American motorhome.

Just a dull day.

So it was nice to wake up to a bit of blue sky on Tuesday. We drove into Kristiansand, found some parking, and walked into the port area. 

One of the things we had to do this day was to figure out how to claim the tax refund for the laptops that we had bought while in Norway.

I had read conflicting reports about the procedure, and some said you had to get a customs export stamp on the forms before you present them to the Global Blue office on board the ferry. I was trying to figure out where to get this stamp.

This is where we will all be lined up to board the ferry in the afternoon.

The AIDAnova cruise ship is in port.

Ferry departure lanes.

We went and wandered around the central part of town for a bit...

This building reminded us of some that we saw in Merida, Mexico.

The city theater.

This artist had an imagination. Or some good drugs.

The area most of the cruise ship tourists head to.

The AIDAnova.

Pucker up!

We went to the ferry terminal and spoke to the office there about the VAT refund. They said they thought everything was done on board the ship. But the paperwork I had specifically said that the paperwork had to be stamped for "export validation" and I figured it was customs who had to do that. 

So we went to the customs office, but the guy there didn't seem to know anything about it either. There was nowhere else to ask about it, so we just assumed it would all happen on board. I mean, they must have some kind of procedure because we couldn't be the only ones doing this.

We walked back to Max, and returned to the ferry terminal where we were then allowed to wait in line.

Motorhomes waiting in line for the ferry.

While we had been in the ferry terminal asking about the VAT refund, we overheard another couple asking to buy motorhome tickets for today's ferry. But they were told they were sold out, and there was no more availability until next Sunday!

You don't see many European motorhomes this big.

Look at the height of this one compared to Max who is parked the other side.

Our ferry departure was scheduled for 4:30pm, but apparently they had a bad head wind and the boat was late arriving. It was actually 4:35pm when they started boarding us.

Boarding the Superspeed 1 ferry.

Ruth took a video for you...

First order of business was to deal with this tax refund thing...

All of the paperwork said we had to have the unused goods available for inspection to get this VAT refund, so we had to lug the boxes with our new laptops with us to the reception desk onboard. There, they said they can't process it until after 5:00pm. So we hung around until 5:00pm and it was actually the lady working for the ferry at the reception desk who took our paperwork. They never "stamped" anything, and never asked to see the items. And she didn't work for Global Blue, or customs. Such a joke. However, she says that the refund will show up on our credit card within 3 to 4 weeks. I'll be surprised if it does, but Ruth seems fairly confident that it will.

I was able to run back downstairs to Max and put the laptops back inside so we wouldn't have to carry them with us for the three hour and fifteen minute journey.

The AIDAnova

Heading out to sea.

Our last view of Norway.

The seas were pretty rough.

First ones off the ferry at Hirtshals, Denmark.

We parked up outside the library and will use the fast free WiFi this morning to get our new laptops set up. We still need to get an adapter so that we can charge them while inside Max. Of course the new laptops have European style plugs, and we only have an American style inverter outlet. So hopefully it won't be too difficult to find one somewhere.

So, we are going to spend the next couple of days getting down to Germany. Planning on being back at Max's home base in Dulmen, Germany on August 1st, give or take one day either way.

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