This blogpost is way overdue (as well as most of the blogposts that will follow this one) much due to my laptop shutting down, but also due to the trip being so long and having so much happening, that I didn't know where to start and what to write. It would have been best to have written it immediately after it happened, but alas. Anyways, for archival purposes, here it comes:
We set out 15th of June from Trondheim to drive to Denmark and attend the Star Wars invasion of Legoland, Billund. We left in two cars, with me, TK-8505 and TD-6237 in one car, TB-3444 and spouse in the next.
We started early, filled the cars full of armour and provisions and headed for Oslo, where we would meet up with TI-2097 plus spouse and take the ferry to northern Denmark.
TD-6237 arranged for us to have walkie-talkies in the cars, so we could communicate and plan our stops, as well as keep eachother entertained.
The ferryride (danskebåten) was very nice, we bought our quota of liquor, ate as much as we could at an expensive buffét, took a few drinks while watching "danseband" playing in their peach-coloured suits, and went to bed giggling like little schoolgirls.
Since denmark is a pretty small country, the drive down to Billund didn't take long, and we were quartered in small huts not far from Legoland. Many other troopers from Nordic garrison and other Garrisons in Europe would soon join in.
We had TK-7995, Morten from Denmark, and TK-2959, Mathias from Sweden join us on our porch, and we collected our weapons for a group photo:
TD-6237 doing some last minute fixes, fixating the weathering on his Sandtrooper:
Early the next morning we gathered in front of the back gates:
When inside we left our gear in the huge tent which was our basecamp and changingroom, and walked to the entrance of the park ( a ten minute walk) and inside the cafeteria for a morning briefing and a little breakfast. Afterwards we walkked back (another ten minutes) and changed into our gear, before walking back to the entrance again (ANOTHER ten minutes,) for the opening of the park, where we lined up in squads and Darth Maul walked back and forth in front of the gates, where hundreds of people were waiting outside. Eventually Darth Vader showed up and "forced" the gates open, and we marched behind him to a backstage area.
During the day the different squads (groups of five) were given assignments across the park, usually patrolling different areas mingling with the public. And we had two parades per day, one early and one right before closing.
Other than that we could do as we wanted to, and peruse the park at our own leisure.
With a park filled with guests, and over 100 troopers from 501st Legion, spirits were good, and we had a great time.
After the last parade, we lined up for a group photo:
In the afternoon we met up with some troopers back at the huts and walked to nearby Lalandia, an indoor city with restaurants, minigolf, arcades and the huge waterpark Aquadome including the awesome waterslide we took on the day of our departure. We ate at the restaurant, had some drinks and walked back to the huts where we continued to hang out.
Needless to say, the next day was a little more sluggish than the first, but we were up damned early (07:30 if I recall correctly), and we proceeded with the same procedure as the day before, meeting up at the back gate, changing into costumes and walking to the entrance. This time we arrived at the front gate just as the park had opened and just started to mingle with the guests and take photos with them.
This day though, during the first parade we made a stop at miniland for the Star Wars area, where Jake Loyd (young Anakin Skywalker from The Phantom Menace) was a special guest and they had a small ceremony for placing down a LEGOfigure of his character in one of the exhibits. A small interview with TV and some photos later, we marched on.
It was a bright sunny day, with occasional showers. Spirits were high and the mood was great, although people were a little sluggish from the night before.
After our chores in the park were done and the park had closed, we would all gather in the restaurant in the Castle for a debriefing, some speeches, exchanging of gifts and good times. Jake Loyd was a special guest during the dinner, and many took the opportunity to get things signed, I myself got the small LEGOfigure of him signed.
When the dinner was over and it was time to retreat back to the huts, we mingled around the huts and made some new friends.
A lot of people left that same night, but we stayed an extra day. We took the opportunity to explore Aquadome the next day, an experience we always will remember, what a great place! The Tornado waterslide was INTENSE! And the outside bubblebath was soothing in the rain.
After Aquadome, we drove on to Hamburg in Germany, where we would spend a few days, and I celebrated my birthday with a small group of five people at a bierstube eating schnitzel. Germany was nice, but we had another troop in Oslo, Norway awaiting us, so we slowly but surely drove back visiting Denmark on the way.
