Baggage handling at Arlanda

Arlanda Airport is (according to my experience and everyone I know...) the worst airport in the world on luggage handling. Usually you have to wait almost 1 hour to get your bag from the moment they start unloading the plane and now I am not just that unlucky person who always gets their bag last. No, everyone is waiting for a long time. They do give you plenty of time to think about how difficult it can be to transport bags the few hundred meters from the aircraft to the conveyor belt. I am an engineer and do not consider myself the most stupid person in the world, but I can not figure it out.

When I arrived from Switzerland a few weeks ago I had a surprising experience. I got my bag within 10 minutes from when I arrived at the belt! My heart was filled with hope and I thought that finally they had changed the routines and from now on it would be like a dream to come back home.

This morning I came back from Chicago. I was in a little bit of a hurry because I had to make it to a meeting in the office. But light at heart I thought that today I would be out of here in no time. I came to the conveyor belt and at the display it said that the luggage would arrive within 6 min. Perfect, I thought. After about 10 minutes they opened the door in the wall and sent out 5 bags. I am sure these were only dummy bags that disguised staff went out to pick up only to keep people happy for another few minutes. The door in the wall was closed again. This is mentally very frustrating. After 15 minutes or so they opened the door again and out came a few bags. Do not think this was all of them, no, again they closed the door. After a few of these turns and 30 minutes later I finally got my bag and I was not the last one!

Since I travel quite a lot I have to learn how to handle this without going completely crazy. Instead of being very stressed and angry I think of stories about what the staff is actually doing behind that wall. How they are coming up with ways to trick us instead of actually getting the bags. It is now a joke for me and my friend and it makes us laugh instead.

Room with a view no6 - Seoul

Last week I was on a business trip to Seoul, South Korea. This was the view from my hotel room at the Imperial Palace Hotel. We stayed in Gangnam with a with towards the city centre. This picture was taken early in the morning. The Seoul Tower is on the hill in the centre of the picture.

Diary

In Adelaide earlier this year I got caught in the rain. I happened to pass a pub just as it started to pour down. What to do? Of course I ended up at the bar with a beer. This was early afternoon and I was really planning to stroll around town. Instead I decided to catch up a little on the diary which I had not written in a week or so. I had to use the camera and look back at the pictures to remember exactly what had happened what day.

As I was sitting there the bartender asked me if I was travelling. He said that he also loves to travel and always writes a diary when he is away. We ended up talking about our favourite travels and dream destinations between orders from other guests. I eventually ordered food and stayed much longer than I expected. I don’t remember his name or what he looked like really and I could not give directions to where the pub is. But the episode is still stuck in my memory as one of the good afternoons in Australia.

To see someone writing in a pub or café I thought would keep people away. I would probably think that this person is concentrated and does not want to be disturbed. Maybe the diary is just a way for a travelling person to shield herself from the surroundings for a little while without having to sit in a boring dorm room or messy hostel living room. Not that this was my meaning when I wrote my diary during my last trip. I normally just thought it was more inspiring and fun to sit somewhere people were moving than at the hostel or hotel. So I am glad everyone is not like me and starts talking anyway and that it sometimes starts to rain and change your plans.

A great side of life

After finishing the last emails I closed the laptop. I looked out the window and we were closing in to Zurich Airport. It had been cloudy in the northern parts of Europe but here the sun was going down and spread its golden light over the hills surrounding the city. It made me smile, I am on holiday.

As I was walking to the baggage claim I saw this picture many times. I think I like this country…

Alain de Botton at Heathrow

Alain de Botton has got access to Heathrow airport during one week and will write a book about what he sees and experiences. I love that idea, airports are so fascinating! I want that book!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/arts_and_culture/8208951.stm
http://thefastertimes.com/travel/2009/08/19/tft-exclusive-alain-de-botton-reports-live-from-heathrow/
http://www.vagabond.se/Redaktionellt/Nyheter/Resenarernas-egen-filosof-skriver-bok-pa-flygplats/

Room with a view no5 - Taipei

Taipei 101

Taipei 101. For some reason I am extremely fascinated by high buildings. Usually the first thing I find out in a new city is where I can get a good view. Taipei was no different. The first time I visited Taiwan I was only there for one night and the only thing I really knew about the place was that the city featured the highest building in the world (well, the highest officially opened one at least..). So the only plan I had for the afternoon was to visit this famous building. I went up to the viewing floor before the sun set and stayed until it had become dark and all the lights were out. Magic.

The pictures here are all from my hotel room at the Hyatt which is just across the street from Taipei 101. Very convenient for someone with my interests.

The base of Taipei 101 which is a very fancy shopping center

View towards the City Hall

Ice Bar Stockholm

The only time you really do touristy things in your own city is when people are visiting. This weekend my dive buddies from the Nai'a in Fiji, Harry and Hana, decided to come and see me and Stockholm. Tonight we went to the Absolut Ice Bar. I had never been there since as a Swede living here you don't normally choose to go to a place where it is always around - 5 degrees. You get enough of that during the winter. And I have been to the Ice Hotel a number of years ago and was quite satisfied with that. But now it was time to check it out.

Hana and Harry

Self portrait

When you go into the bar you are given a coat. They do not expect you to stay more than 45 minutes and I think we made it to 40. At that point my toes were frozen and desperately craving sunshine again. We had good fun in there though, drinking out of the ice glasses and enjoying the ice art.

Of course the drinks are served in ice glasses.

There were plenty of beautiful details.

If you have never been to an Ice Bar I can really recommend it. But do wear socks...