So I am back home! It feels great, weird, bizarre ..and in a way like I never left. My life here and the life I had back in India is so different.
Well, after my last post I did go out and tried to enjoy Colaba and Bombay a little before it was time to head back. I went on a horse and carriage ride ... Got offered hashish from a drug dealer for the last time, and women from a pimp for the last time. Had the urge to punch them both really hard in the face ...but I just ignored them and walk away.
I did buy a few of those giant balloons from the salesmen that I was so annoyed with a while ago ...I did buy some magic balls from this guy named Amaad, that had tried to sell me those for four months now.
I had my last dinner at Leopold's.... and since it was crowded I had the opportunity to share tables with Lotta and Lisa, two young girls from the Netherlands. They had been in India doing volunteer work, and were also going home the next day. I also spent parts of the my last evening with Vincent and Santosh from my hostel, at the Sports Bar in Colaba.
Early Sunday morning I took the taxi to the airport. I was worried that i would have overweight luggage, so I brought an empty cardboard box so I could mail some stuff home. I had been trying to get a scale so that I could weigh my luggage, but a normal bathroom scale is as rare as a garbage bin in this city. So I wasn't able to do it.... and guess what, I had 17 kilos of overweight! Daaarn! ..and no damn post office in the airport. I almost got stranded in Bombay for an uncertain time because I almost had to cancel my flight. I had to solve the 17 kilo overweight somehow... in the matter of minutes. I panicked and got upset and had my emotions running. I already wore extra clothing with extra big pockets, that I now had to stuff even more. ...and with some magic, supportive Finnair crew and by throwing some stuff away I managed... I probably wore 20 kilos of luggage in the pockets of my clothes, and I got away with an extra carry-on in the form of a plastic bag, plus things I stuffed in my lap top bag. ...I looked like no other at that airport.
Then I had to cut in line and hurry through the many security checks (with very surprised guards). I was the very last one to board the plane ...in fact, the plane was waiting for me, and when I boarded they announced on the speakers that all passengers were now on board. Of course I had my seat almost in the very back. I still can't believe that I actually made it. (This was the short version of what I had to go through).
In the airplane I sat down by Henrik and Nadia, a really cool young Swedish couple from Stockholm that I had met while back in Bombay, and once again yesterday, and again at the airport. We talked about our experiences from India, and about various aspects about Indian culture and politics - both good and bad.
The plane went through Helsinki, Finland on the way back too ...and I was able to breath sweet Finnish air once again. At the airport I was able to hear good ol' Göteborgish accent being spoken again ..and that melted my heart and I was even more ready to come home.
My parents, my brother Jonny, and my friends Alexander and Emelie welcomed me at the airport. Alexander and Emily had a bottle of Swedish Julmust soda, Swedish candy, and Swedish gingerbread cookies for me... so nice :)
I was also greeted by the cold and rainy West coast Swedish weather. But it was all good. I was back home! ...and wow, I suddenly got the feeling that Christmas was actually on the door step!
I will continue posts for a while and write some post India thoughts.... and other thoughts about the India issue. Please read them :)
Well, after my last post I did go out and tried to enjoy Colaba and Bombay a little before it was time to head back. I went on a horse and carriage ride ... Got offered hashish from a drug dealer for the last time, and women from a pimp for the last time. Had the urge to punch them both really hard in the face ...but I just ignored them and walk away.
I did buy a few of those giant balloons from the salesmen that I was so annoyed with a while ago ...I did buy some magic balls from this guy named Amaad, that had tried to sell me those for four months now.
I had my last dinner at Leopold's.... and since it was crowded I had the opportunity to share tables with Lotta and Lisa, two young girls from the Netherlands. They had been in India doing volunteer work, and were also going home the next day. I also spent parts of the my last evening with Vincent and Santosh from my hostel, at the Sports Bar in Colaba.
Early Sunday morning I took the taxi to the airport. I was worried that i would have overweight luggage, so I brought an empty cardboard box so I could mail some stuff home. I had been trying to get a scale so that I could weigh my luggage, but a normal bathroom scale is as rare as a garbage bin in this city. So I wasn't able to do it.... and guess what, I had 17 kilos of overweight! Daaarn! ..and no damn post office in the airport. I almost got stranded in Bombay for an uncertain time because I almost had to cancel my flight. I had to solve the 17 kilo overweight somehow... in the matter of minutes. I panicked and got upset and had my emotions running. I already wore extra clothing with extra big pockets, that I now had to stuff even more. ...and with some magic, supportive Finnair crew and by throwing some stuff away I managed... I probably wore 20 kilos of luggage in the pockets of my clothes, and I got away with an extra carry-on in the form of a plastic bag, plus things I stuffed in my lap top bag. ...I looked like no other at that airport.
Then I had to cut in line and hurry through the many security checks (with very surprised guards). I was the very last one to board the plane ...in fact, the plane was waiting for me, and when I boarded they announced on the speakers that all passengers were now on board. Of course I had my seat almost in the very back. I still can't believe that I actually made it. (This was the short version of what I had to go through).
In the airplane I sat down by Henrik and Nadia, a really cool young Swedish couple from Stockholm that I had met while back in Bombay, and once again yesterday, and again at the airport. We talked about our experiences from India, and about various aspects about Indian culture and politics - both good and bad.
The plane went through Helsinki, Finland on the way back too ...and I was able to breath sweet Finnish air once again. At the airport I was able to hear good ol' Göteborgish accent being spoken again ..and that melted my heart and I was even more ready to come home.
My parents, my brother Jonny, and my friends Alexander and Emelie welcomed me at the airport. Alexander and Emily had a bottle of Swedish Julmust soda, Swedish candy, and Swedish gingerbread cookies for me... so nice :)
I was also greeted by the cold and rainy West coast Swedish weather. But it was all good. I was back home! ...and wow, I suddenly got the feeling that Christmas was actually on the door step!
I will continue posts for a while and write some post India thoughts.... and other thoughts about the India issue. Please read them :)
2 kommentarer:
Oh my goodness...I can totally relate to the overweight thing...I think that was the first time Jon really got annoyed with me was when I had several coats on, pockets full of rocks and other heavy stuff and 2 heavy carryons plus 2 personal items packed with books (I did the max luggage allowance for both of us) on top of that, we had a layover in england, and also in chicago. Jon was so annoyed that I almost broke up with him the day after we got back, but my mom convinced me to give him another chance...
are you used to the extreme temperature change now? it is 50 degrees farenheit here, but I am shivering, after adapting to 110 degree summers
After sweating for too long, I am conent with the cold weather back in Sweden :)
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