10 minutes ago I was alone in the DB longue.
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The city (well, Tromsøya) is cordoned off because of the Arctic race, so today is the laundry day. No laundromat at my accommodation, so I am using the one called "Clean Kokos" which is conveniently located in the same complex as the Biergarten. Having a non-alcoholic Mack Isbjørn while waiting. People here are seriously watching the race. Not me, I'm gonna read my book.
I had had troubles remembering the Statoil's greenwashed name, I would say "You have those vegan wraps at the Circle K petrol stations, Circle K, that's Statoil or whatever they're called now...". Until I saw that it is one of the sponsors of the race
For some reason my phone camera is making the Arctic race gay.
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For some reason my phone camera is making the Arctic race gay.
If you never hear from me again, these weren't blueberries.
In Lofoten I picked red berries and asked the hotel manager if they're lingonberries, she tasted them and said "no, those would give you GI upset". Hope she's still alive
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If you never hear from me again, these weren't blueberries.
In Lofoten I picked red berries and asked the hotel manager if they're lingonberries, she tasted them and said "no, those would give you GI upset". Hope she's still alive
How many times do I have to tell you, yes you, me, to not trust Google Maps navigation at a construction site?
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Kiruna mine has better mobile connectivity at 300m underground (500m under the original top of the mountain) than most inhabited places in Germany at the ground level.
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Here in the North people like making small talk. I do not mind, it's only while waiting for the bus. Turns out my Swedish is still so much better than my German, it is not as straining to speak it, I do not have to think hard about each word. I had learned Swedish for 4 years and passed the B2.1 exam in spring 2018.
However, Swedes do not like it when I say that the reason I didn't move to Sweden in the end is the pandemic mismanagement.
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Here in the North people like making small talk. I do not mind, it's only while waiting for the bus. Turns out my Swedish is still so much better than my German, it is not as straining to speak it, I do not have to think hard about each word. I had learned Swedish for 4 years and passed the B2.1 exam in spring 2018.
However, Swedes do not like it when I say that the reason I didn't move to Sweden in the end is the pandemic mismanagement.
Utter chaos with Norrtåg! A replacement bus to Gällivare was late and the train to Luleå left. The next one is at 15:55. People have other trains and buses to catch. Because we (multiple people) called the company, they made the train wait for us in Nattavaara and they're sending a bus to take us there.
Please never privatise essential services! It's an utter mess with all those for-profit companies in Sweden!
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Utter chaos with Norrtåg! A replacement bus to Gällivare was late and the train to Luleå left. The next one is at 15:55. People have other trains and buses to catch. Because we (multiple people) called the company, they made the train wait for us in Nattavaara and they're sending a bus to take us there.
Please never privatise essential services! It's an utter mess with all those for-profit companies in Sweden!
By not waiting for us for 10 minutes, they made everyone on the train wait in the middle of nowhere for 100 minutes. Now none of us on the train, not even the passengers who started in Gällivare, will make our connections.
I've been told that there's been a railway chaos in the entire Sweden the whole summer, not just in the North. So many interrailers who could theoretically return for free (a few eur for seat reservations) are flying back from the Arctic. By not making trains reliable they are forcing people to fly! We are paying more to ride trains, both in money and in time, we have to have 30 different travel apps, have to buy reservations from different services, have to deal with replacement buses, cancellations, too few trains that get fully booked quickly, missing connections (or paid accommodations).
So many places are not doable without a car! Esrange Space Center can't be visited without a car. Andøya Space Center is theoretically possible by bus, but I couldn't find a way to do it in a reasonable time frame.
If private companies can't make their trains run (at all, or on time) they should be nationalised. If private companies decide to only run the profitable routes, they should be nationalised! Hey, it worked once!
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By not waiting for us for 10 minutes, they made everyone on the train wait in the middle of nowhere for 100 minutes. Now none of us on the train, not even the passengers who started in Gällivare, will make our connections.
I've been told that there's been a railway chaos in the entire Sweden the whole summer, not just in the North. So many interrailers who could theoretically return for free (a few eur for seat reservations) are flying back from the Arctic. By not making trains reliable they are forcing people to fly! We are paying more to ride trains, both in money and in time, we have to have 30 different travel apps, have to buy reservations from different services, have to deal with replacement buses, cancellations, too few trains that get fully booked quickly, missing connections (or paid accommodations).
So many places are not doable without a car! Esrange Space Center can't be visited without a car. Andøya Space Center is theoretically possible by bus, but I couldn't find a way to do it in a reasonable time frame.
If private companies can't make their trains run (at all, or on time) they should be nationalised. If private companies decide to only run the profitable routes, they should be nationalised! Hey, it worked once!
Well, could have been a worse place to kill 2 hours.
ETA: Not in the Arctic anymore 🥺 But I will return.
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There are construction works on the line, and I didn't quite understand the announcement (neither did the native speakers), it was mentioned that we had make a detour, and 2 hours were mentioned.
So I asked the conductor when we were supposed to arrive, and we are arriving exactly as stated in the schedule. So either the schedule accounted for it, or the detour lasts the same as the original route would last.
So another announcement was made (again in Swedish only) that we are arriving on time, not 2 hours later.
This is the state owned SJ.
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There are construction works on the line, and I didn't quite understand the announcement (neither did the native speakers), it was mentioned that we had make a detour, and 2 hours were mentioned.
So I asked the conductor when we were supposed to arrive, and we are arriving exactly as stated in the schedule. So either the schedule accounted for it, or the detour lasts the same as the original route would last.
So another announcement was made (again in Swedish only) that we are arriving on time, not 2 hours later.
This is the state owned SJ.
Stora means big, lilla means small, and we have just passed these 2 villages on our detour. Apparently I have the sense of humour of a 12yo boy 🤭
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Kiruna church is being relocated, in one piece, without disassembling it first. (Yes it is all the mine's fault.) Watch the live stream here: https://www.svtplay.se/video/KnDgQ9G/den-stora-kyrkflytten/forsta-dagen
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Kiruna church is being relocated, in one piece, without disassembling it first. (Yes it is all the mine's fault.) Watch the live stream here: https://www.svtplay.se/video/KnDgQ9G/den-stora-kyrkflytten/forsta-dagen
It is a beautiful church (saw it IRL 5 days ago) but why did they have to gold plate the statues? That doesn't go with the beautiful red wooden structure, and such kitsch is not commonplace in Lutheran, but Catholic and Orthodox churches.
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Pixel Buds with music and noise cancellation + Bose QuietControl headphones with noise cancellation over them and I can hardly hear the spoiled brat scream on the train.
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Pixel Buds with music and noise cancellation + Bose QuietControl headphones with noise cancellation over them and I can hardly hear the spoiled brat scream on the train.
SJ doesn't have much vegan food, just a taco wrap with hummus, and a bowl with cauliflower and hummus. I've had a vegan hot dog before I boarded the train, so I think I will wait until I reach the (lovingly nicknamed) Falafel City 🥰
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@rhelune what is falafel city?
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Germans at their best behaviour again. This time in the Royal Library cafe in Copenhagen. Not only did the gentleman cut in line in front of me because I was looking at the menu and not paying attention , but after he ordered and paid his lady materialised, and said she wanted something. He said he had already paid and she complained she would have to wait in line to order. Then she just ordered when it was my turn. I guess Germans act like that because they believe they would never run into the people they wronged again (they are abroad, and even in Germany they can get drowned in masses).
(I am able to say "Excuse me, I was next" but if it's just 10 min of my time I don't bother.)
Also, may I ask, who doesn't check with their partner/spouse if they want something before ordering for themself?
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Germans at their best behaviour again. This time in the Royal Library cafe in Copenhagen. Not only did the gentleman cut in line in front of me because I was looking at the menu and not paying attention , but after he ordered and paid his lady materialised, and said she wanted something. He said he had already paid and she complained she would have to wait in line to order. Then she just ordered when it was my turn. I guess Germans act like that because they believe they would never run into the people they wronged again (they are abroad, and even in Germany they can get drowned in masses).
(I am able to say "Excuse me, I was next" but if it's just 10 min of my time I don't bother.)
Also, may I ask, who doesn't check with their partner/spouse if they want something before ordering for themself?
There was an explosion in a residential building in Malmö. It only shattered the glass panes in the staircase, nobody was injured. At the time I was in The Vegan Bar, some 300m away, but didn't hear anything, and I do not think anyone else did either. Sure, the Vegan Bar is always full (many are non-vegans who only come for beer), and in the party district, but we would have heard a bomb?
On my way to the hotel I had to make some detours because the police had cordoned off half the block. A journalist was taking photos, but I couldn't see anything out of the ordinary.
https://www.svt.se/nyheter/lokalt/skane/explosion-i-centrala-malmo-ptvpjl
Don't worry, Malmö is safe. This is my 5th visit, and my third solo trip to it. I do know people who consider it dangerous (without ever having visited it) but I am sure it is only because of their Islamophobia.
BTW I had the whiskey marinated soya burger with a tofu egg and dipper potatoes:
