A disclaimer before I begin: I'm a terrible photographer. I haven't ever developed an "eye" for the correct lighting/framing to use, and quite frankly don't have the patience to try. However, what I lack in skills, I make up for in enthusiasm! My approach to photography is quantity>quality, so at least you can be sure that there is likely a photo illustration to everything I have to say.
A day in the life.
Every single email/message from you guys which I haven't responded to (sorry! I know I'm a terrible friend/communicator) has asked about where I live and work, so here's a summary:
I'm currently staying in a condo in the "suburbs" of Stockholm. I use this term loosely, as it's a relatively small city. With a population of just a little over 1 million, 2 million for the whole metropolitan area, the capital of Sweden is about one-third of the size of Toronto. Needless to say, the suburbs here are small and a quick commute into the city center.
I'm lucky enough that the suburb I'm in is a tiny town on a lake. This means swimming every morning before work! Yes, it's freezing cold. It's a struggle to get into the water every time, but I figure it's worth it as I lose any desire to crawl back under the covers after a quick dip in the ice water! This location is also really great because there are some really good trails for running in the surrounding area, and it's very quiet at night. It's also only a 3 minute walk to the train, which is a 10 minute ride into the city center. Pretty ideal, I think!
Walking out of my bedroom to this isn't half bad.
On traveling alone.
While I have been here many times before and right now am a working girl in the city, so am therefore not "traveling" per se. However, on the evenings/weekends I have been exploring Stockholm beyond my childhood knowledge of the place, so in that sense do consider myself a tourist!
Traveling alone can be fantastic. You set your own schedule, see whichever sights you want to, and only have to worry about your own bladder cycle. You can also make any last-minute changes of plans without any fuss, and whenever you're tired can head home. However, there are some setbacks you need to be aware of:
- Eating alone. This is difficult to navigate. If you go to a small cafe by yourself for lunch, and bring along a book/notepad, you will look cute and poetic. In my opinion, this is also cheating. Own the fact that you are alone, and take yourself out for dinner. Don't bring along a book, newspaper, magazine, or notepad, and keep your phone tucked away. Be prepared for everyone to think that you were stood up; keep your head held high when both waiters and patrons give you pitiful glances. There is no shame in being by yourself! Use this time wisely and people watch; that's what restaurants were really made for, isn't it?
The only thing sadder than eating alone is photographing food alone.
- Photographs by strangers. If you want a picture taken of you somewhere, asking someone random will be necessary. Luckily, my camera is pretty beaten up, so I don't see anyone trying to steal for it. If you own a nicer model be wary before handing it over, as it is likely that in a thick crowd it'll be easy for a thief to run away. More importantly, be prepared for every photograph taken of you to be awful. Strangers don't care how you look on film. Heck, they don't even want to be taking this picture but probably just felt rude saying no (if you say the picture is for your grandmother, you won't ever be turned down).
- Staying on schedule. This is tough when you're by yourself, especially for someone like me who is easily distracted by everything around her. For example, this past Saturday I woke up with the goal of traveling to Waxholm (an island in the archipelago) for the day. While walking to the train, I decided it was appropriate to walk into town instead as I wanted to measure how long it would take (2 hrs 15 mins, if you were wondering). When I got into Stockholm, I found myself in a crowd of royal wedding enthusiasts, and ultimately didn't make it out to Waxholm. While I had a fun day, I am still disappointed that I didn't take advantage of the amazing weather and go out to the island. Had a reasonable person been with me, they would have pointed out that google maps can easily provide a time estimate for walking into the city, and the day would have gone differently. Lesson learned: some distractions aren't so worthwhile, so choose wisely!
While there's much more to say, including actual information about what
I've seen and done, it will have to wait until another time!
