Have Arrived in Stockholm

Either the flight from Tokyo to Stockholm (with a layover in Frankfurt) felt endless, or the wait for our luggage at Arlanda Airport seemed to drag on forever. I can’t recall ever waiting thirty minutes for the baggage carousels to start moving here. Even the typically patient Swedes, who usually don’t mind queuing, looked a bit exasperated. When my luggage finally appeared, I made a snap decision: I’d splurge on the high-speed train instead of taking the cheaper, but still efficient, airport bus. After nearly fifteen hours of travel, I was desperate to check into my hotel, shower, maybe enjoy a beer, and then collapse into bed.

Further frustrations awaited. A Spanish-speaking family struggled to navigate the Arlanda Express ticket machine, and an older American couple fumbled with purchasing a travel card, unsure of their needs and armed with multiple malfunctioning credit cards. “If you’re unprepared, step aside,” I might have muttered under my breath.

Finally reaching the hotel around 7pm, I settled into the Hilton for a couple of nights. Although I’ll be spending most of my time in Stockholm at a cozy AirBnB, I decided to indulge in a few creature comforts after the long journey. As you can see from the photos, the views of central Stockholm are breathtaking, and the bed is possibly the most comfortable I’ve ever slept in.

After watching the sunset over Lake Mälaren, I retired around 9:30 or 10:00, keeping in mind I’d been traveling since midnight Stockholm time. Waking at 3:00am, I was greeted by the lingering hues of sunrise painting the city in beautiful colors. A few hours later, I’m fully rested, well-fed from a delicious breakfast, and equipped with a Swedish SIM card. I feel ready to embrace this next phase of my holiday.