A pleasant surprise in Norway

MY daughter and I were on cloud nine after receiving an invitation to address an international academic conference in Norway. Arctic University, which was hosting the event, sent us an email with a photo of the person deputed to pick us up from the airport. We guessed that he was a student or a member of the clerical staff. When we landed at the airport, he welcomed us with a signboard raised above his shoulders.

The flight had been tiring, but the cherubic smile on his face made us feel refreshed. He promptly picked up our luggage and we followed him to his car. Hardly had we covered 10 miles when he stopped, walked up to a gas station and bought snacks, bottled water and cookies for us.

Just near the entry gate of the university, he stopped again, got us registered and gave us two cards. After driving another half mile, he stopped once more, opened the boot, brought out our bags and placed them inside the rooms allotted to us.

We kept wrestling with the thought of tipping him for his professional and courteous demeanour, but strangely enough, no verbal exchange took place between us. As he took our leave after handing over a booklet of instructions to be followed during our stay, we were astonished to watch the midnight sun in all its glory.

From the next morning till the conclusion of the conference, we found ourselves immersed in Nordic culture — the land of fjords, Vikings, and, of course, Henrik Ibsen, popularly known as the father of modern drama. To our surprise, the food served to us was weighed on scales before being put on our plates. People around us loved walking, taking Hurtigruten rides in the seas and savouring reindeer delicacies with the choicest wine.

Seven days passed as quickly as seven hours, and soon we were asked to assemble for a concluding function followed by a grand dinner. Soon, it turned into a musical gala. I couldn’t resist the temptation of playing the famous Punjabi song “Dhol Jageero da…” on my mobile phone, which I placed before the mic on the stage so that everyone could hear it. Within no time, the Scandinavian delegates were seen dancing to the beats. All of us wanted bhangra to go on and on — until a bell suddenly rang. It was the signal for everyone to resume their seats.

The master of ceremonies got up to invite the Vice-Rector of the university to present the vote of thanks. Lo and behold, he was none other than the man who had received us at the airport! It was a pleasant surprise for us to learn that he was Nils M Knutsen, a renowned professor and a recipient of Norway’s top civilian honour.