My Time At Arlanda

Written on Sunday:

Today is the day we were supposed to begin our ten-day adventure in Paris.  Right now we're sitting in a hotel in Stockholm.

The day began successfully, with our flight from Lulea to Stockholm going off without a hitch.  At Arlanda airport, we realised quite late that our SAS flight to Paris had been cancelled.  That was at about 2pm.  We were directed to stand in a line to re-book our flight and also to try re-booking over the phone and internet.  All day the phone and internet services were out, so we stood in the line for four hours.  It was just pretty boring.

Around 5pm, we were told that everyone going to London should just go away because they wouldn't be able to go tonight.  Later still, we were told that they wouldn't help people unless they were going home.  That means NOT US, but I guess our situation doesn't suck as much as some.  We rang up a hotel and were lucky enough to get a room at short notice, and we just took the train into the city and a taxi here.  The SAS phone lines open tomorrow morning at 7 so we'll try calling then.  We're keeping in good spirits but it's a bit annoying.  We'll be okay.

I've been waking up super early every day due to jet lag.  I'm hoping tomorrow will be okay finally!

I AM IN PARIS

BUT I HAVE TO GO TO SLEEP NOW

SRY

THIS IS SRS JETLAG

OR MAYBE

because i got up at 4am.

OH GOSH IS THIS GOING TO BE FOREVER.

Knitted leggings: complete!

Made with this pattern.

I'm in Sweden!

On Tuesday morning, I left on my epic journey to Sweden to have my holiday with Charles!  I travelled for 34 hours in total!  It was crazy!  I was all worried about my flights and all of my worst fears came true.  It was the most horrible experience ever!  I felt like total crap for days!  However, I did manage to meet some wonderful people on several planes who were kind to me when I was sick.  So that's one positive.

Wednesday morning, I arrived at Lulea airport to find Charles waiting for me.  It was the best thing ever to see him!  I was kind of jet lagged but we had to go and do stuff together!

He had a rehearsal for the School's Christmas Concert, which I sat through with him.  The two other percussionists here are good friends with Charles and have been hearing about me nonstop for months, so they were happy to meet me finally!  After the rehearsal, Charles and I walked into town and had a hamburger for his lunch and my dinner.  We went back home to his apartment and I fell asleep instantly!  My body clock was all wrong!

Thursday, there were two performances of the Christmas concert, one at 2 and one at 7.  I attended both!  It was a great concert.  After the second concert I was falling asleep in my chair so I had to be taken home.

Today, we went into uni to play some pieces for a composer friend, and then a group of us walked into town.  I was intending to get Charles some curtains and myself a jumper.  Double fail!  I got a pretty top though.  Now we're home, having baked a cake and dinner and now we're watching episodes of Xena!  It's way late and I'm still awake, so I feel I'm doing pretty well.  Tomorrow there's big plans for group hangouts with all of Charles' friends yay!

Weather: when I arrived, the weather was clear but super cold, like -16.  The past two days have been really snowy and windy but relatively warm (only -4).  It's kind of fun!  A little annoying to get snow in my face but not too bad.  I enjoy the novelty of this weather.

Okay back to Xena!  Photos when I take some!

*Here's the News*

So recently, my plans to take over the world have been going very smoothly.  Things have been progressing at a modest but steady pace.

Last weekend I went to Sydney with my brother and sister-in-law to see The Aquabats!  They have been my favourite band for YEARS, like DECADES.  My brother is older than me and I just liked whatever he liked, so I got into the Aquabats when I was like 8 years old.  They were AMAZING and SUPER RAD and I had a great time!  The Aquabats are superheroes from Aquabania!  They wear masks and superhero costumes!  I highly recommend looking them up!  MC Bat Commander (the frontman) said "When you dress like this every day, you start to feel a little weird... because it's just so AWESOME, you feel kinda bad for everyone else!".  Man I love the Aquabats.  Here's me and my brother (I was super enthusiastic and the Sydney humidity + hot venue made my hair go stupid).

I finished my knitted long johns!  They are truly warm and super great.  They are itchy, but not as bad as I'd thought, and they would easily fit a pair of tights underneath to shield my legs from the scratchy wool.  I ran out of the lovely brown-y wool and couldn't find any more in the shops, so had to improvise with my stash for the last 15cm or so.  They now are brown brown brown brown brown BLUE brown BLUE WHITE BLUE WHITE.  Awesome.

Tomorrow I'm graduating!  I shall have a BMus/BSci(Psych) this time tomorrow.  I do plan to do Honours next year, but my parents wanted me to have a ceremony and retrieve my certificate now because they're worried I'll abandon my degree and flee to Sweden.  That fear is perhaps not JUSTIFIED, but at least valid.

And I leave for Sweden on Tuesday!  I'm almost all packed!  Wow!  The travelling time is like 28 hours, so I won't get there until Wednesday evening (Canberra time).  I'm a bit worried about my flights (freaking out a bit) because I'm so inexperienced at doing stuff like that.  What if I feel sick?  What if I get lost at Bangkok airport?  What if I'm next to a smelly person?  It could be TORTUROUS.  But then I'll be there and it will be awesome!  Seeing Charles again is going to be so ... relaxing.  I feel as though I've been uptight and on the edge since we parted.

Here are some half-frame Diana Mini shots of Perth... only just got them developed and scanned (lazy Chrissy).  Enjoy!  I'll post pics of my long johns soon etc.

This is breakfast AND morning tea.

This one looks like a full-frame photo but I swear it isn't!  Train.

This is at the Perth Botanical Gardens.  I like that I'm a ghost in the second frame.

So... turns out that dress is really short?  It didn't seem that short at the time.

I really liked the ground fountains.

Train station!  Interesting!

Okay that's all for now!  More fun times later!