By Bob Van Leer

  (NEW YORK CITY, May 27, 1989) Our tour is now over and we left our hotel to start the long journey home. On the way to the Copenhagen airport I noticed price stickers on rather ordinary used cars on a lot - the equivalent of $12,691 on one and $7,744 on another.

  We boarded a U.S.-made DC 10 jetliner of Scandinavia Air Service (SAS) for the flight home. The weather was clear and bright and we left just a few minutes late. Our entire world-wide transportation network is a remarkable system. All the transportation for the whole trip was arranged before we left Gold Beach. Catherine Keusink of Pelican Bay Travel arranged the domestic portion which tied in precisely with the overseas accommodations arranged by the National Newspaper Association. This involved airliners from three countries, and a ship and train from two more nations. All of these went off like clockwork.

  On our return journey we crossed over Scotland and Ireland and after that the next landfall was Newfoundland, Canada and then down to John F. Kennedy Airport (JFK) at New York City. Here our party split up and all went our separate ways. Well, almost. Five of us couldn't get flights out until Sunday so we all stayed at the Hilton Hotel. Betty and I have a room overlooking the airport and there is almost always a plane landing or taking off.

  Passing through customs was a breeze. An elfish little lady customs agent asked what we were smuggling. I said, "Russian kopecks", and she waved us through. As we left she winked at Betty.

  We were gaining back the time we lost going east. Our eight-hour flight of 3920 miles crossed six time zones. In New York the time as this is written is 8 p.m. but, by Copenhagen time which we are now used to, it is 2 a.m.

  Tomorrow we are scheduled to catch an early morning flight for Louisville, Kentucky to visit Betty's parents as a last stop on the way home.