NSHDA EUROPEAN TOUR 2001, 2003, 2004 & 2006 Stockholm & Helsinki TRAINING, TOURNAMENT, TOURING, & CULTURAL EXPERIENCE
SATURDAY, JULY 29 ALL TEAMS 6:00pm Arrive O'Hare Airport 9:05pm Depart O'Hare Airport for Stockholm Scandinavian Air Flight 946. If you are using different transportation please be at the Clarion Sign Hotel by 1:30pm on Sunday July 30 th.
SUNDAY, JULY 30 ALL TEAMS 12:30pm Arrive Stockholm Arlanda International Airport 1:45pm Bus Transfer from airport to Clarion Sign Hotel 2:15pm Arrive at Hotel and Check in 3:00pm Players Bus transfer from Hotel to Ice Rink for practice 6:30pm Players return to hotel. 6:45pm Player Dinner at hotel Adults on own for dinner
M ONDAY, JULY 31 ALL TEAMS. 7:30am Breakfast at Hotel 8:15am Players Bus transfer for training 9:00am Parents Sightseeing tour of Stockholm and Vasa Warship 12:30pm Parent lunch in downtown Stockholm 4:00 pm Players arrive back at Hotel 6:00pm Player Dinner at hotel Players chaperoned by guides 7:00pm 2003 & 2004 Parent Dinner in Stockholm
TUESDAY, AUGUST 1 ALL TEAMS 7:30am Breakfast @ Hotel 8:15am Players Bus transfer for training 10:00am Parents tout of Drottningholm Royal Place 12:30pm Parents Lunch in Stockholm 2:00pm 2003 & 2006 Exhibition Games 3:10pm 2001 & 2004 Exhibition Game 4:30pm Bus back to Hotel 6:00pm Player dinner at Hotel 7:00pm 2001 & 2006 Parent Dinner (01/06 players to be chaperoned by guides). 2003 & 2004 Parents on own for dinner
We head to Helsinki 8:00am Breakfast 10:30am hotel check out There will be tours to: Grona Amusment Park, Skansen Open Air Museum, or the Abba Museum Or you can sightsee on your own 3:00pm Bus to Silja Line Cruise Terminal 4:45pm Cruise to Helsinki 5:15pm Dinner on Cruise Ship
8:00am 9:55am 10:15am - 12:00pm 12:20-12:35pm 12:45pm Breakfast @ cruise ship Arrival in Helsinki Helsinki Sightseeing by bus Ferry to Suomenlinna Fortess Island Lunch @ Suomenlinna 1:30-3:00pm Tour of Suomenlinna Fortress Island 3:20-3:35pm Ferry to Market Square 4:00pm 4:30pm 5:15 6:15pm 6:35pm Check-in to Hotel Scandic Grand Marina Bus to arena Team Practices Bus to hotel Dinner on your own
Each player will be provided with a team polo and ball cap that must be worn to all games. Each player will also need khaki shorts that must be worn to each game.
For all teams the schedule will be released approximately 30 days prior to the Tournament. After the award ceremony on Sunday all teams will travel to the Gustavelund Hotel for a traditional Finnish sauna, swimming, and dinner.
All Teams 8:00 am breakfast at the hotel 11:00 am check-out and load luggage on buses 11:30 am Bus to Helsinki Airport (dependent upon flight times) 2:25 pm Scandinavian Air Flight 709 to Stockholm 4:35 pm Scandinavian Air Flight 945 to ORD
Stockholm Breakfast included for players and guests Lunch is included for all players and guests Dinner is included for all players at hotel. The parents have an included dinner Helsinki Breakfast included for players and guests Dinner is included at hotel for players and guests except first night.
ELECTRICITY Sweden & Finland, like most other European countries, has a 220-volt AC power supply and uses two-pin continental plugs. Visitors from the United Kingdom will need an adaptor to use electrical appliances with three-pin plugs, while visitors from the United States and/or Canada will need a transformer in order to use 110/125V appliances. STORE OPENING HOURS Most stores are open Monday - Friday from 8:00am to 6pm, and on Saturday from 8:00am to 12:00(noon). The large department stores and shopping centers have longer opening hours (9:00am-21:00pm) and are open on Sundays. TIPPING Apart from fast-food outlets, most cafes and restaurants have table service. A tip of 5-10% is appreciated in tourist restaurants. Euros customarily round up to the nearest euro, or 50 cents if ordering just one drink. The usual protocol is for the waiter to tell you the total food bill and for the customer to say how much they want to pay, with the tip included, as they hand over the payment. Even if paying by credit card, cash tips are preferred.
Pack light especially clothing. You will be schlepping your bags without help at least part of the time. Take good, sturdy walking shoes /sneakers for all of our tours and sightseeing. The weather will be in the high 70's - 80 s during the day and mid 60 s at night. Pack a light jacket (even though it is summertime), as evenings can be cool, and rainstorms spring up unexpectedly. The rinks are very cold. Make sure the players all have enough under garments for all the hockey games they play. The Plane Ride: Minimize your carry-on luggage. One backpack is fine for the plane. Move around. This is especially important on this long flight to prevent your body from aching due to low circulation. The long midflight stretch on overnight flights is an excellent time to take a stroll up and down the aisle a few times. Drink plenty of water (keep the players away from soda/pop). The air in a plane is much drier than desert air, and will dehydrate your system. Protein bars are particularly helpful on a long-flight. Most airline meals tend to be low in protein and high in carbohydrates. Sleep... When you board the plane, change your watch to the destination's time. Since we fly at night and arrive the following day, try to sleep! Bring earplugs, eye shades, and sleeping pills. Force yourself to stay awake the first day upon arrival. Each of these things accelerates your acclimation to the new time zone. Light exercise also helps. At the Hotel: Appliances use different electric currents in different countries. You may hear that hotels will loan you the plugs you need to use your appliance; don't count on it. You will also need an adapter to plug the converter into the outlet. Best advice: Wash-and-wear hair is a good bet. Chances are you won't run into anyone you know. Hair dryers are often standard in hotel rooms. The tap water is very clean and drinkable. Bottled water is also available everywhere we go. We always suggest that each team collectively (at the end of the trip) chip in for a Tip - for the guides and bus driver. Please plan on $40 per person for Stockholm and $60 per person for Helsinki. There is free WIFI internet in the hotel lobby. Time Change: Stockholm time is a 7 Hour difference and Helsinki is an 8 hour time difference.
Make sure you have a valid passport for entry, departure and travel to Stockholm & Helsinki. Your passport must be valid 6 months past your return date. Make copies of your passport, credit and insurance cards, identification and itinerary. Leave one set at home and one in your hotel room and keep the originals with you. If your passport has been stolen, be prepared to bring proof of your identity (for example photo ID, such as a driver s license, old passport) and proof of your citizenship (a birth certificate) to the embassy. There is no need to carry your passport with you at all times. Credit cards are convenient and international purchase transaction fees usually offer the best rates. Check with your bank for individual fees. We would also suggest you contact your credit card company before departing so they know charges will come from Sweden and Finland so they not be interpreted as fraud. Larger wireless carriers such as Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile have plans that will allow you to use your cell phone overseas or provide you with a phone with global service. Check with the company by phone or on the Web. Not all local stores have the information you need to get this service. What about the Hockey? The tournament will offer some very challenging hockey competition against various teams in Europe. These trips are more than just a hockey experience; it s a cultural experience for the kids and really can be a trip of a lifetime for the players and their family. There s a whole different hockey world out there, and a trip like this exposes players to the different ways of playing the game. If you look at the NHL, two-thirds of the most skillful players are from Europe. The emphasis in those countries are more on skill development and skating, passing and shooting versus a physical and structured style that is more common in the U.S. We are certain the kids will not realize the magnitude of everything, but as they get older they will remember and say Wow, we did that?