I´m finally here....

SO I AM FINALLY IN SWEDEN!!!! ... and I can finally update my blog after I had some difficulties in that I forgot both my username and password (making it slightly difficult to access this page!!!!) Something only I would do...but the problem is now solved so I will begin this blog from the start ... the flight from Australia to Japan.

DAY 1
I arrived at the airport at the lovely time of 6.30am in the morning. After checking in, the family and I headed to the restaurant area where we had breakfast and just chilled out for about an hour until it was time for me to walk through the doors. So I said my goodbyes, including my goodbye with Marine who will be leaving Australia herself tomorrow (Thursday) morning and this is where my trip really begins ...

The flight to Japan was a long one and with me being unable to get any sleep I settled for watch movies (Bridge to Teribithia and the Holiday) and playing solitaire for most of the trip. The girl I was sitting beside was amazing. She managed to sleep the entire trip, waking only twice when I needed to go to the toilet. So after about 10hrs of doing nothing I arrived in Japan, where I would be spending the night.

A little daunted by the fact that it was up to me to make my way from the plane, out of the airport and to the hotel, I managed just fine. I have to say that I have never had to cue up to get to the allocated gate at an airport before. Two other Qantas planes landed at the same time and so of course, mine was the last to land meaning we had to sit and wait for about 20 minutes for the other planes to find their gates before we could. So then coming through customs was also a long process with so many people heading the same place as me. I jumped in the line to come through customs and after about 10 minutes realised I had not yet filled out the form required so had to leave the line and make my way to the table where the forms were. I finally managed to figure out how to fill in the form, with a little guidance from one of the staff and so made my way back to the line, which had grown in size ... more time waiting.

Finally, feeling hot, sweaty and tired, I made it to the baggage reclaim, where I once again had to fill out my form, this one was a lot easier. I only had to wait about a minute before my bag came out and then with nothing to declare, walked straight through.

The next challenge was then finding where the shuttle bus to the hotel I was staying at left from. But with the help of the lady at the information desk, that took no time at all, and I even managed to make it in time for the 8pm shuttle instead of the one and hour and a half later.
On the shuttle to the hotel I met a guy (names were never exchanged so he will just be referred to as "the guy") who had also flown from Aus on the same flight as me. He was in transit as well and on his way to New York, then onto Holland for his sisters wedding. We had a nice chat and I think he must be studying to become a doctor as he told me he´d done an intern at the Hospital in Shepp when I mentioned that I came from near there! So that helped to pass the time until we reached the hotel.

Check in at the hotel was fine and I headed straight for my room where I showered (which was not too pleasant and experience as the showers do not cater for taller people) and then tried unsuccessfully to check in with my parents at home. So unable to do that I decided that I would call it a night as I would have to be getting up about 5.45am the next morning in order to head to the airport.

Day 2
All I can say is thank god for my wake up call and the easy to set alarm clock in my room because at some stage during the night my phone, which I was using as an alarm, went dead as the battery went flat! So anyway, I woke up in time and checked out at about 6.45am and caught the 7am shuttle back to the airport. On arrival to my terminal I was informed that check in for my would not be until 8.30am! So I could have slept in till about 7am and caught the 8am shuttle!! But today was going to be a day where I would spend a lot of time waiting in airports ... I just didn´t know that then. So an hour after I got to the airport I was able to check in and due to the fact that I was traveling in Business Class to London, I managed to jump all the cues and I was also informed that I was able to use the British Airways Lounge. So after checking in I head straight for the lounge where I had my breakfast and sat and watched the planes land and take off.

My flight to London was delayed by about 30mins so I was relieved when I was finally able to board the plane. Business Class was fantastic. The seats reclined into a lying down position so I managed to get about 5hrs sleep during the flight. I didn´t managed to watch any movies because unlike Qantas, I couldn´t pick and choose when to start a movie and I couldn´t be bothered working out exactly when the movie finished so I could watch it next time it started, so I went without. The flight wasn´t too bad and the food in business class is much better. I´m not looking forward to making the return journey in economy!!!

So I arrived in London at a bit after 3pm and had to transfer from Terminal 1 to Terminal 4 where my flight to Copehagen would depart from. By the time I arrived a Terminal 4 it was a bit after 4pm and my flight wasn´t due to leave till 7pm so I found the gate it was supposed to be leaving from and made myself comfortable. After 2 and a half hours of waiting I found out that my flight´s boarding time was delayed for about 1hr and 10mins. So I settled myself in for the wait. After another 30mins I found out that my flight was now leaving from a different gate ... at the other end of the airport ... so I picked up my stuff and headed to the new gate (at least it gave me something to do because by then I was bored out of my brain!!!!). Finally at about 8.15pm we were able to board the plane. We were then delayed another 30mins however because of the weather (it was raining and windy). So finally at about 9.15pm (2hrs and 15mins after my scheduled flight) we left for Denmark.

I managed to sleep for most of the hour and a half it took to get to Sweden. We landed at about 11.30pm and after another 30mins of coming through customs I arrived in Denmark and met Martina and her mum Åsa, who unfortunately also had to wait the 2hrs while my flight was delayed. It was so good to see them. Martina hadn´t changed much ... just become blonder!

So we jumped in the car and headed home to their house, about 2hrs and 30mins away. By the time we arrived home at about 3am it was already light, it started getting light at about 2am, so I was able to get a good view of the house. After getting my bags to my room and being given a brief tour of the house we all piled into bed at about 3.30am and my god was it good to lie down in a bed!!!

Day 3
My first day in Sweden!!! I woke up, surprisingly, at about 11am and unpacked, showered then went down for breakfast. Martina had already been up for about an hour before me. I had an awesome breakfast of fresh home grown strawberries ( and I have to say that Swedish strawberries are the best I´ve ever tasted ... so sweet and red!) and banana. We then decided that we´d head into Gothenburg to check it out and I had to get a few things as well, such as a lip balm because I think mine left me at Gate 1 in Melbourne while I was waiting for my flight!

So we caught the bus into town and had a look around. We had kebabs and falafels for lunch and sat in a park, listening to a band from Norway who were performing about 50 meters away. After lunch we met up with Åsa and came home again. After about 2hrs back at the house, and packing my bags again, we loaded up the car and headed out to their summer house, about 25mins from their house.

So we got to the summer house at about 5pm and met Martina´s Grandma and Pontus (her brother) there. Their summer house cannot be accessed by a car and to get to the house you have to walk over some rocks for about 200m. It´s really pretty though (I´ll try and upload some photos of it next time to show you). That nigh for dinner Martina took me to have a kebab pizza, which despite initial thoughts, was quite nice. We then settled in and began watching the 3rd Lord of the Rings movie before a friend of Martina´s (who was on exchange in Wollongong while Martina was in Aus) and lives in the house next door to theirs came round with two of her friends to play the sing star, at about 10pm. 2hrs later they left and I was finally free to crawl into bed.

Day 4
I woke up at about 8am (shock, horror, I know for all those who know me) to find it raining outside. (The rain is yet to stop but they´re predicting fine weather on the weekend). Martina and I spent the day in front of the TV watching a mixture of Swedish and English movies, which was good. We did make it out once for a walk around the place, in the rain, which was fun. I can´t say much else happened apart from watching a Swedish show that night where they have guest artists come on and sing songs and they also have songs that the audience sing along to (it reminded me of Carols by Candlelight) which was held in Stockholm and then watching Midsummer Murders. So by the time we got to bed it was about 11.30pm.

Day 5 (today)
After waking up at about 7.30am, Martina, Åsa and I have come back to their place where Martina and I are staying the night and I think Lars (Martina´s dad) will be joining us. I haven´t seen him yet as he´s been away working in Denmark. So today Martina and I headed back int Gotenburg and visited the art museum. That was interesting however when we left it was raining, and since both of us were pretty much dead on our feet (it was only about 11.45am), we decided to head home to watch more movies and rest.

So since we´ve been home I´ve had a 2hr sleep, I couldn´t keep my eyes open, and Martina´s gone for a run. It is now about 5.30pm and so we don´t have many plans for tonight apart from eat and do not much, watch the TV most likely. Tomorrow we are heading back to the summer house and we´ll be there till Sunday. Martina´s cousins and aunt and uncle will be joining us down there too sometime on the weekend so I´ll get to meet them. Then Monday´s my birthday and as of yet we haven´t planned anything. I don´t know what I want to do so I´ve left it up to Martina to plan.

Now I have finally updated this (sorry I know it´s sooooo long, but hopefully slightly interesting). I probably wont be able to update it again till next week and I hope to uplaod some photos by then for you too look at as well. I think I´m going to go and join Martina in front of the TV and just chill out for the rest of the evening. (I think I´m still recovering from my Jetlag, but it hasn´t been too bad thank god). Hope all is well with everyone in Australia. I´m definitely thinking of you all.

Oh and for mum and dad, my understanding of Swedish is already improving. Must be all the Swedish movies!

Vi ses
Alice
xoxo