Surviving Ikea

They moved the Ikea out to the middle of no where and built it huge, an exact replica of the one in Edmonton South Common.

It started like this:

Kasper and I went to take the bus. We walked to Hlemmur and asked how we would get to Ikea. It was simple, we were told, take the 1 to Hafnarfjörður, then hop on the 21.

So we caught the 1, and sat and sat and sat. An hour later we got to Hafnarfjörður, apparently this is not a very direct route.

Then we waited and waited and waited. After 20 minutes a 21 pulls up that says Ikea on it. That's right, Ikea gets its own bus and I doubt they pay for it.

The 21 whisks us away and drops us, along with about 10 other people, at the edge of the monster Ikea parking lot.

Kasper and I decide to eat first. It is well past lunch now and we are hungry. We go up to the restaurant and stand in line, behind at least 50 others, to get our salmon. We eat.

Then how to get back down stairs? I wanted to leave Kasper in the play area but some Ikea planning makes this difficult. The only escalator runs up stairs and the elevator has no buttons up stairs. You are stuck!

We ended up just waiting for someone else to come up in the elevator so we could hop in and go down.

I manage to ditch Kasper in a play land. I was hoping he would run off a bit of energy, but all the kids were watching a movie.

Back upstairs I go. I followed the maze until I get to the shelves and find the ones I want. I write down the numbers to find them later in the self service area.

I keep walking until I get to the place to pick up Kasper, half way through Ikea. He had watched the Iron Giant. I was happy for him because he likes this show.

The 2 of us continue our journey, picking up things we never knew we needed along the way.
The we get to the self service area. I find the shelves and parts that I want - that was the easy part.

What was not easy was getting them off shelves, some of which were over my head, and onto our trolley. The cabinet box was over my head and weighed 45 kilograms. I thought I was going to end up killing myself trying to get that down and I have Kasper running around behind me yelling 'don't worry mom, I got the cart'. I was worried.

I got almost everything I wanted, minus one cabinet (I could not get it down), and headed for the checkout.

We made it, stood in line a while then paid. It went smoothly. I was happy I did not have to put all those pieces on the conveyor belt.

Next we dragged our purchases over to the delivery counter and waited some more. The home delivery was arranged smoothly and cost much less I anticipated.

Next! We got in line for the spare parts. We wanted extra of the spikes to hold the shelves in place and several people (including someone who was working that day)had told us that Ikea gives them out free.

When it was my turn I went up to the counter and explained what I needed. They gave me a few, then charged me 500 Kr for them. I am a little angry because everyone said they are free, so why should I pay?

I paid it, by this point in the day I just wanted out. I had heartburn and was feeling nauseous from the place.

I called Davíð who agreed to come pick me up so I would not have to spend the evening on the bus. I thought that while I was waiting I would grab some of those super tasty Swedish meatballs.

We went to the food store and got a basket of goodies. I went to stand in line, behind at least 30 others, to pay and waited for ever. Finally my turn came up and the cashier told me I had to go back to the regular cashier to pay for these things.

I really wanted the meatballs. I dragged my basket back to the other line ups and waited my turn. When I got to the cashier she told me I was in the wrong line, I would have to go back -to the one I started at! I told her I was just there and they sent me here. She said I could not pay there, I would just have to go back to the other line and she would call and tell the other one that I had to pay there, if that makes any sense.

At this point I had really had it. I usually consider myself calm and reasonable, but I was about to throw an ugly tantrum and start yelling.

I walked away. I left the food on the counter and walked away. A cashier called after me, but I just could not take anymore.

So now I am home, with out the Swedish meatballs that I was looking forward to, but I have a small amount of sanity left and that is OK.

I SURVIVED IKEA!