As I found out via Google Maps, the 'post office' (I don't even know what to say instead of post office) is located in the Skärholmen business park, and I need to switch between T-bana and buses in order to get there, should take me about 35min. Isn't it incredible - before the Internet came along for everyone we really had to use telephone books and paper street maps, and if you are unlucky you had to call the bus service to get the timetables. Now you just click twice and get all of your needed information. But, I suppose, travelling the world is not as adventurous anymore as it was for e.g. Alexander von Humboldt.
To find a small basement office of the Swedish Post in a huge business park is an adventure itself, too! But after taking the wrong turn three times I finally found it - surprise - opening hours are from Mo - Fr 3pm to 6pm??!! I could not believe it. I thought I should get there by 10am, just to make sure they are open.
So I had to waste several hours, but to waste time in the biggest shopping area of Sweden shouldn't be that problem and with IKEA nearby everything is OK. So I headed back to the shopping centers and saw beautiful flowers right next to the ugly company buildings and there were also small water streams between the buildings were ducks raised their ducklings.
I was amazed how many things you are able to see when you have time and you are in the mood for it. Next stop was at IKEA to get myself several cups of cheap coffee. Nowhere is coffee cheaper than at this place = 5SEK or 50Cents with free re-fill. I was glad that I brought my Swedish papers, so I could use the time to learn the first chapter of my coursebook (Introduce yourself), which I already know how to do that, so it added my vocab training to this study session.
On my way back to the 'basement office where they store and distribute parcels and letters' - *lol* managed to avoid post office - I passed by an outdoor factory outlet shop and saw big bargains on trekking gear and cloth. Because my plans for the Scandinavian summer do not only consist of attending language courses! I am also planning on the Island in the Sun Festival at Åland, and going up north to Swedish Lapland for a hike and camping trip (mostly to practice managing my new camera). While I was walking, I was thinking about my future here and in general, and the first thing that came into my mind was - is it a good idea to buy a lot of stuff when you have to move all your things around every now and then? This isn't a good attitude, because I will not live a life out of the suitcase and constantly moving around from one shared flat to the other. I came here to find my place and my new journey - I guess moving stuff inside Europe is not that complicated and so I bought a small tent and ultralight sleeping bag for about 450 SEK!
What a relieve as I saw my parcel (in one piece)! But as the 'office clerk' handed the parcel to me it came into my mind, that I am in the middle of nowhere, lost in a business park, need to find a bus stop somewhere near because this parcel is heavy (10kg) and huge (64cm x 40cm x 26cm). I don't know how I made it to the bus stop, from the bus terminal to the Metro and from the Metro to my room BUT right now I am wrapped in my cosy snooze blanket (I missed it so much) and my wardrobe is packed with cloth ;-))
As a side comment - I hope I get used to the Sunrise and Sunset Times for Stockholm soon, because waking up at 3:20am every day cannot be healthy!
This pic I took at about 3:25am today and sunrise was roughly 15min later!
It is wonderful to have so much light because you can spend your whole day outside, but a few hours of sleep every day would be nice, too!
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