I spent a fair bit of time online today. I’m trying to find some accommodation in Stockholm during March. I want something which is more than a youth hostel room, but not quite a corporate serviced apartment. I don’t think I want to share, but maybe I do. I’m not sure about that. A studio would be good, with a small kitchen in the corner, and maybe with a lovely view. I think I’d like it to be on Sodermalm, or at least somewhere reasonably close to the city.… Read the rest “Travel Planning”
Twelve months ago, as I was travelling overseas the film “Mamma Mia” had just opened. Everywhere I went, Mamma Mia seemed to be following me. It’s interesting how in some countries ABBA was the drawcard, in others it was the stage-show, in some it was the Hollywood cast, and in Hong Kong, it’s Tom Hanks as producer who gets top-billing. Meanwhile, the small Norwegian town of Narvik (near where Frida from ABBA was born) claimed to have the “World Premiere”.
I’ve had some amazing experiences with public transport over the last few months. I’ve been to modern cities. I’ve been to old cities. I’ve been to highly developed western economics. I’ve been to emerging former communist states. I’ve been to “super cities” in Asia. And guess what they all had? An integrated, effective public transport system. In most cases, the trains/trams ran regularly up until midnight, and all you had to do was buy a daily, weekly or monthly ticket and everything was covered.… Read the rest “Public Transport”
This morning, over breakfast at the hostel, I recognised a guy I saw in a bar last night on Sodermalm. “Hello”, I thought to myself. That’s a bit freaky. And then as I got on the train this morning, I recognised another guy I’d seen in a bar a few nights ago. And then today I saw a young guy and a girl I recognised from Narvik last week. And then tonight, wandering around Sodermalm, I recognised the woman who I’d seen playing at one of those lunchtime concerts.… Read the rest “My Best Investment”