Last week was exactly one month that we moved to Amman! It passes by so fast...unbelievable. So this week was Katja's turn to go and get some blood at the Ministry. So if everything turns out right she should have her residence permit soon :-) But the highlight was another one this week: it was the wedding in Sweden of our good friends E.L. and N.T. Their wedding was in Kalmar, as small city in the south of Sweden. One thing upfront: it was amazing! everything was nice! Nice weather, nice people, nice ceremony, awesome venue... I don't find words to describe how great it was... but one thing after the other... oh, no another thing: if you ever want to travel with me, think about twice, as every time I travel somebody in an airport f*$s up my luggage or a plane gets delayed or both or god knows what... So I guess you already know what I am gonna tell you... Friday 0005 the cab driver picks us up at our appartment and drives us to Queen Aliah airport as we plan to leave Amman at 0230 to be in Frankfurt at around 7ish and to fly on to Kopenhagen. We arrive on time, no big thing at the airport, we check in and clear customs in no time. We then hung out at the airport waiting for our flight that was scheduled at 0250. Unfortunately it got a bit delayed and so we took off with some 30/45 minutes delay. That was enough that we arrived in Frankfurt where we just managed to go through customs and walk to the other gate where the plane was already waiting. Those who ever flew through FRA know that this is not good... your luggage will end up somewhere else as you will finish your journey.... we arrive in Kopenhagen and guess what: luggage in Frankfurt... I usually don't mind but showing up at a wedding dressed casual felt in a way strange to me ;-) so we went to the arrival service where they filed a report and told me that there was no direct flight from Kopenhagen to Kalmar and that was the reason why they would send it from Frankfurt to Kopenhagen, from there on to Stockholm and from there than to Kalmar airport... yeah right... I was not planning to see my luggage again... the fact that they ask you to fill your home address (ja, the one in Amman!) did not inflict to much trust in the whole thing...they said that in case they would not manage they would send it back to Amman... So I then asked on what flight they would send the luggage and they told me that the luggage should be sent on the afternoon flight arriving KPH at 1410. I decided to stay at the airport to wait for the luggage and try my luck. Of course nobody could really tell me if the luggage would then be in Kopenhagen... on the top we had the train tickets already booked and payed and as we book the non-refundable we decided that Katja would go on and I'd wait at the airport. In the meantime it was around 11 o'clock...Katja left at around 1230ish and I spent another almost two hours at the airport.... 1410 the plane landed and I had to call a service desk from a special telefon. I called in at 1415 when I saw that the plan had landed. The next train was leaving at 1510 so I needed to get my stuff quickly! So guy takes the phone on the other side and told me to wait and that somebody would come to pick me up. What actually happened. He took me and got me to the conveyer belt where he told me the luggage should come out ...if... so I sat down and waited and always hoping for a) my luggage and b) to get the thing done before 3 p.m. as I wanted absolutely to catch that train. The next two trains would be almost double the cost than the one I wanted to catch! When you wait for your luggage you understand what they were trying to explain you at highschool about the relativity of time... so I was sitting there and staring at the stupid belt hoping to see how it would spit out my two pieces of luggage. Belt start to run... business luggage first and then stops....starts again... no luck..stops again...endless minutes (that what explains the relativity of time ;-) you wait for your luggage arrives it seems to last endlessly but at the same moment you are running against the clock and I saw myself being forced to buy a freaking expensive ticket on the later train! next round starts... belt starts ... no luck and the belt stops again.. less and less people were standing around the belt as most of them obviously already got their luggage. All the sudden it starts again and I spot my luggage! YES!!! I grabbed it and now I just had to wait for Katja's luggage. Lucky enough it appeared right after mine :-) I took both and run to the desk where I had to tell them that my stuff arrived and they could close the file. I told them that my stuff arrived, turned around and run towards the ticket machine for the Swedish Train. Running with two pieces of luggage is fun I tell you, especially in a packed airport... if one of those I hit the feet or yelled at to screw himself per coincidence reads this blog: sorry, please do accept my apologies but I was on my journey for already some 15 hours and was not in my best mood anymore... So I managed to buy a ticket and even to board the train on time... but of course there is always something.. the train was overpacked!!! Totally jammed and stuffed!!! People standing everywhere. So I had to squeeze in with my two pieces of luggage and I already saw myself spending the next three (!!!) hours standing. Short after having started they announced over the loudspeaker that due to a technical defect they had to run the train with two wagons less... TACK SA MYKET!!! (Thanks a lot in Swedish...) Luckily enough after the first stop some people left and I managed to get a seat. I sat down and a young punk girl and a worker took place in front of me... with all due respect but one of both (I did not mange to find out which one) should have taken a shower or/and should have washed the clothes... they just smelled!!! Cool another two and a half hours sitting in front of a skunk... :-( So the train starts and I tried to convince me that sitting in front of a skunk with pink fur was better then standing all the way to Kalmar. Again the loudspeaker voice turns on: " Due to a technical defect we have to change the train... at the next stop you have all to leave the train and catch the one standing in front. Tak for your understanding and apologies for the inconvenience." make your math and find out that I was on traveling now for some 16 hours, being tired and sitting in front of a skunk... call it bad karma or whatever you want ;-) so all out, I grab my stuff and pull it on to the next train. Lucky enough it was a new train with enough wagons so that a) I had my seat for sure and b) the skunk was not sitting in front of me anymore... I arrived in Kalmar at 7 p.m. again, make your math...the cab driver picked us up at midnight the same day means 19 hours (!!) to get there! Excuse my French but this trip was endless pain in my lower back... but lucky enough my honey was waiting for me at the train station and we went straight to the hotel and everything was good again :-) We arrived at the hotel which is a small but wonderful place. There is something I have to mention about my train trip: the scenery is breathtaking...water, forest, trees, flowers, islands and green plants everywhere! You cannot imagine the impact these pictures had on me after having been in Amman for one month where everything has the color of the desert... it was just fantastic and both, Katja and I said that we want to come back here again to enjoy the southern part of Sverige.
So the hotel was really nice. Check the picture ://www.choicehotels.no/hotels/hotel?language=sv&hotel=SE025&language=no
We arrived and took first a shower as after 19 hours you just want to take a shower I tell you... after having freshed ourselves up we went downstairs and sat on the big terrace that is built over the sea (you see the water through the cracks).
It was still sunny and the weather was FANTASTIC. Endless sun and warm temperatures! People started to get in and finally we had dinner outside and later we moved on to watch the game. In the pub the whole group sat together and we enjoyed a fantastice spanish/swiss/italian/swedis/polish/serb party! it was real fun I tell you. We went back at aroud 1 o'clock and finally I hit the sack at 1.30 a.m. after having left Amman 25 hours before... I had a really good sleep...
Next day the next fix point was 1510 in front of the hotel dressed up. Means; all morning time for shopping as they are having sales season :-) we walked around in Kalmar and enjoyed the city and shopping the same time. Around noon we had a quick lunch and then we had enough time to put the head down before getting ready for the big day of our friends. We got there on time and the bus drove us to the castle which is located a little bit outside the city. A unbelievable place for a wedding... just breathtaking... imagine this castle surrounded by water, with big wonderful rooms and a chapel. The weather was unbelievably nice... sunny and aound 30 degrees but with the breeze from the sea it was just beautiful.
The ceremony started and it was very nice and emotional. The couple was just beautiful. Stay tuned for part two tomorrow...
Take care where ever you are in this world and a big hug from Amman!
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