Here I am on the plane, heading to Sweden via Copenhagen.
I have to say, it was with an immense sense of relief I finally got on the plane, sat in my seat (window, three to myself, thank you universe) and turned my iPhone on to airplane mode. It was quite the flurry of last minute emails and frantic calls from work, texts to friends and calls from family. I think I may have finally pushed my super casual, laid back organisational style to the limit. After a hectic few weeks at work, preceded by an intense couple of months, I took it right to the wire, only getting back to Sydney after visiting my family on the Central Coast at 11.45am. 90 minutes to pack, shower, find my camera and get on a train to the airport where I checked my baggage without a queue (suspect I was the last), fielded last minute crisis work calls, hugged my awesome twinny who came with me to the airport, rang my mum (mandatory before getting on an aeroplane), found the bathroom (ditto) and joined the last stragglers boarding the plane. Not a recommended strategy, probably won’t do that again.
I do hope I didn’t forget anything (other than my toothbrush, which I already remembered I didn’t pack).
I scheduled this first time trip to Sweden to visit my friend, aka ‘Sverige baby’ (Sverige is Swedish for Sweden) two years ago. We met at a Meetup event, a Kubb BBQ – ironic no? An Aussie and a Swede bonding at an outdoor BBQ playing a Swedish lawn game. She was working in Sydney for a year (at Ikea, for real) and went back to Sweden in 2010. I promised to come for a visit after I had been to India (check!). Now we will spend three weeks exploring her beautiful country, as we did mine a few years ago.
We did quite a few road trips together back then, including the Great Ocean Rd, Victoria and in Tasmania, as well as a visit to Melbourne. I’ve missed her a lot since she left Sydney. We are similar in some ways but really different in others. I like the side of myself she brings out – do you have friends like that? With her I feel less earnest, more sassy. Less zen, more gregarious. Less earthy, more sensual. Is this Swedish Donna? I don’t know, but since the past few years of my life have been filled with a lot of work and professional projects, I am really looking forward to four weeks of holidays and the time I will share with my friend, her fiancé, her puppy and meeting her family and friends. Helvete ja!
Latest posts by Donna (see all)
- Kosciuszko Full Moon Adventure - April 29, 2018
- Camping Getaway at Chichester State Park - September 2, 2017
- Moutain Bike Riding Down Mt Lofty - January 27, 2017
