[Story time] How I almost slept outside in Sweden in 2009

In 2009, while I am just starting my professional career, Anh is in a gap year in Norway in Oslo. I went there the previous summer and this March we decide to meet fora weekend in Stockholm, Sweden.

At that time I was not yet the globetrotter I had become. My travels abroad can be counted on the fingers of one hand and this is barely the third time I have taken a plane.

The trip from Paris to Stockholm goes without a hitch. At the airport, I have to take a shuttle to the central station. I call Anh who has just arrived at the station with my French SIM card. The initial plan was to meet at the hotel but she proposes to wait for me. I have the presence of mind to answer her in the negative. The train station is probably big and it might be difficult to find each other. It is easier to meet as planned at the hotel a few minutes walk away.

Rather well seen since a few moments later, I have no network at all on my phone (and won’t have any more on the WE): impossible to call or send a SMS. Of course, this isn’t about WhatsApp or other instant messaging. The iPhone only came out in France the year before, mobile internet is still in its infancy and we both have standard Nokia.

I find the shuttle without difficulty and arrive at the station. It must be past 11pm since my flight landed at 10pm. It is dark, cold and it even starts to snow

Despite my legendary sense of orientation (now I won’t be able to live without Google Maps), I head to the hotel (I had printed the itinerary from the train station) and arrive at my destination after a few minutes.

And there, surprise! The reception is closed, impossible to enter the hotel. And no Anh on the horizon!

I go around and have to go to the evidence, there is no access open . If the fact that the hotel is inaccessible is a concern in itself, I am rather worried about the absence of Anh who should have arrived well before me. Still no network on my phone, I have no way to contact her.

Two Italians arrive and seem to be in the same situation as me. My English being then even worse than today, our exchanges are quickly limited

We find an intercom that seems to dial a phone number. Someone answers but cannot understand what they are saying.

In retrospect I am surprised to have remained calm: Anh is missing, I am stuck outside my hotel, my phone does not work, it must be midnight, it is snowing, … The situation is quite critical. I think I remember shouting “Anh” several times in case she was already inside.

I have no idea how long this wait lasted but it seemed like an eternity

Suddenly a person opened the hotel door. This person is… Anh… in a bathrobe! Enchanted vision.

The two Italians are very happy to enter. I have no idea how they got to their room.

Anh had arrived, without knowing it, a few minutes before the hotel reception closed. She was waiting for me in the room without worrying. It was only when she didn’t see me arrive and heard noises outside that she decided to come and see what was going on.

I have no idea what would have happened if Anh had finally waited for me at the train station. We would probably have had a hard time finding each other before we found the hotel with the door closed..

Since then, we systematically check the opening hours of the reception of our hotels and we make sure to arrive well before 😀