Day 1, Wednesday:
The flight was smooth, and I'm always the happiest
when everything lands without a hitch. Ida had to
translate everything the pilot and flight attendant
said, because I didn't understand a word. I would
have thought that on a flight going from the UK
to Sweden - English would have been the first
language that was spoken, but it was the opposite.
We arrived around 11 Swedish time,
and I got through customs OK.
The typical questions were asked - how long, why,
etc.
Stamp # 12 in my passport. Done. Good to go.
We made our way through the airport, bright
yellow tunnels with foreign signs and faces.
One of the first words I learned was 'utgang'
which means 'exit'.
Her mom met us out in the parking lot,
and as soon as our bodies met the crisp Swedish
air,
we instantly felt a chill.
It was cold! See-your-breath kind of cold.
As we drove through the streets, along the
motorway,
and down residential lanes, all I could think of was
how similar everything looked to America.
I still couldn't understand what most of the signage
was for or promoting.
I was surprised at how green it was.
Billions of pine trees,
touching the sky with their heighth.
Her mum stumbled over what to say,
but we all managed fine.
After about half an hour of driving,
swapping into a different car for Ida and myself,
we began following her mum to her flat.
In the middle of a conversation with Ida,
we see a lot of commotion ahead of us -
and out of nowhere a deer goes flying into the air,
stumbling and spinning,
and then eventually getting up to run
off into the forest.
Her mum hit a deer - a big deer -
but it all seemed to be fine.
We dealt with it,
and then eventually made our way
to her cozy (and warm) flat.
It was decorated differently
to what I had expected.
Hardwood floors, large, curved
grey sofa with tons of cushions and throws.
A large red rug that they brought back
from Tanzania,
modern slick furniture mixed with African furniture,
sheep skin chairs, candles, and paintings.
It was quite something, in all honesty.
Though it was late, we were both starving.
Her mom made a lovely creamy fish soup
(minus the prawns and muscles on my behalf),
and we filled ourselves full.
I got the spare bedroom to myself,
which was full of white furniture
and a lot of Ida's old belongings.
I curled myself into a ball,
and dozed into a deep sleep preparing
myself for Thursday.
