BootsnAll Travel Network
Add this blog to: MyYahoo, Google, Bloglines, RSS


Archive for the 'Sweden' Category

« Home

Sweedin

Saturday, December 6th, 2008

I suppose my blog would be more interesting if I updated it regularly, but I’m pretty lazy when it comes to writing. Especially when I’m somewhere I love, I’d rather do other things. But I try.

I’ve been thoroughly enjoying my time  in Sweden (as always), and I’m sorry to be leaving it tomorrow night (but excited to get home). Over the last 2 weeks I’ve gorged myself on Swedish pancakes, curled up with good books, and been asked daily by Mormor if I had any laundry to be done for me (apparently, people in the normal world don’t wear shirts several times in a row without washing them.) On the first Sunday of advent, Mormor and I went to light candles for graves of family members. Almost every grave had a lit candle- it’s a strongly upheld tradition.

It feels amazing to be able to do all these things I’ve been missing for 5 months- accessing the internet for free, when ever I please, reading books that I haven’t found for free in hostel “book exchanges” (I’ve read some pretty terrible books on this trip trying to save money), not having to fear using the bathroom, eating home-cooked meals, not having to worry about needing to pay for everything from my bed to my water, and, most of all, being able to interact with someone I’ve known longer than a couple of days. Being with people you love and who love you is one of the best things in life.

I’ll be in Washington on the 8th! I’m incredibly excited. I’ll be home for 3 1/2 weeks, then I leave on January 2nd for Tanzania to volunteer at a Massae girl’s school. If I don’t update before then, have a Merry Christmas!

For fun

Countries I’ve visited: 8

Times I’ve been personally congratulated on Obama’s win: 6 (I didn’t vote)

Times I’ve gotten sick: 1 (heck yeah!)

Germans I’ve met: dozens upon dozens. Why does such a small country have so many foreign travelers?

Planes I’ve been on: 18

Planes I almost didn’t make: 2

Times I’ve almost been fined/arrested: 1 (watch who you hang out with in Laos *cough* Canadians *cough*)

Hours I had to spend in London’s Stansted airport with no sleep: 34

Books I lost before I could read the ending: 2

Posted in Sweden, Travel | 1 Comment »

Winter Wonderland

Tuesday, November 25th, 2008

I have finally made it to Sweden! Our plane had the pleasure of landing in a snow storm (after almost having to go to a different airport 200 km away because the runway wasn’t cleared). It was the roughest, scariest descent I’ve ever been on, and when the plane touched down it bounced around so much that half the plane literally yelled out in fright. When we stopped, every one broke out in to applause.

Obviously, it’s freezing cold here. The snow comes up to my knees. I’ve visited Sweden almost every year of my life, but never in so much snow. Of course, I’ve been traveling in warm climates for 5 months so the thickest item of clothing I own is a light fleece.

I’m staying with my wonderful, loving, amazing Mormor (grandmother) in her house in Uppsala, about an hour away from Stockholm. I’ve been making good use of her sauna to warm me up! My main goal of these two weeks is to not gain 90 pounds from her excellent cooking. On Thursday, it’s my uncle’s birthday so we’re going to fight our way through the snow to Stockholm to celebrate with dinner.

Posted in Sweden, Travel | 1 Comment »