The freedom of not knowing what to do next (Or the fear thereof)
When I landed in Stockholm last Saturday, in my head I was counting down the options of what to do next. My first idea was to still go to the hotel I was staying in, washing, changing, coffee, maybe checking in, if possible. I would pay the 20 Euro for an early check in. Whatever! I was tired! I barely slept on the plane despite the melatonin pill I had taken before.
I checked my reservation on the phone for directions on the free airport pickup they offered and froze a little. It was glaring at me: Airport pickups are free but have to be reserved in advance. My head was rerouting. Okay, I can get there by myself. Google was my friend.
How to go from here to there? It takes two separate buses. Well, that’s a no! I don’t like buses much. It’s not that they are uncomfortable, or anything, but they are not my favourite public transport option, because I needed to figure out the stops and keep track of the route because I might not understand the announcements. This adds some nervousness into the mix that I usually avoid.
I scrambled a little. I can wash and change in a bathroom at the airport. A train to city center is an option and then see from there. I had one agenda point on this day: my very first drop in session at a local BJJ gym. The initial conversation was smooth, and they seemed super friendly and welcoming. But I have never done this before and, hence, wanted to come mentally prepared. But the drop-in did not happen before 11:30 am. It was 8 am now. I had time. That’s freedom, isn’t it? A lot of freedom, and in this case, a little too much freedom.
I was thinking of checking out a hotel gym to take a shower there, but that also involved using several buses and I could not be bothered with that.
Before overthinking it too much, I went to the bathroom at the airport. A change of clothes, a splash of water and a washcloth in the face, teeth brushing and deodorant applying later, I felt better. Train next. The airport train (Arlanda Express) in Stockholm is one of the most convenient things here. I got my ticket from a machine and went to the tracks below. Sitting on the train, I wondered if I should go to the ABBA museum in the morning, but I dismissed the idea. It wasn’t sufficient time before I needed to move to the gym.
Having a coffee, maybe a little breakfast, would probably clear things up a little more. At the central station there are some options and I quickly decided for one and walked over. Easy enough! I stayed there until I needed to leave for the BJJ gym and had my first drop-in rolls. It was glorious! The people there were so nice and welcoming, and I decided then and there that going to BJJ sessions while travelling is probably one of the coolest things you can do. Also, the immediate connections over the sport you love are just beautiful. I got some really nice rolls in.
I even tapped a blue belt. But let’s be honest, he probably gave me that arm bar. And I got a shower. For the next time I will bring towels, because seriously, if I forget something, it had to be a towel.
Eventually, I even decided not to bother with the ABBA museum, but to just get Fika, because honestly, after a full night of flying, I was not a dancing queen anymore. Also, in all honesty, their website did not let me book tickets. I tried three times while already on the way and eventually decided that if the website is not cooperative, I prefer not to bother with the actual place. Funnily enough I was already kind of on the way, stopped in my tracks at the central station and decided to just do something else.
I feel traveling solo gives you so much freedom, that rerouting, redeciding and choosing what works best for you, is so much easier. I feel a lot less obligated to follow through with initial plans if they don’t suit me. That does not mean that I scrape it off the list of things I want to do. It means I keep it for the next time I am visiting Stockholm. It will not be the last time anyway.
The moral of the story:
- Read your bookings properly because then you won’t forget to book an airport pickup.
- If you don’t know what to do, settling down, changing, washing, and then thinking about your options is the best step forward.
- You don’t have to do anything if you don’t want to.
- A coffee and a snack can clear up a lot and can anchor you really well.
A more structured approach usually suits me better. I like having a plan, even if it is more of a rough idea of a plan. Also, on a usual trip I have my way to the hotel perfectly planned out. I did not do it this time because I had contacted them before to ask for an early check in and they had been a little dismissive on this with the typical “We cannot guarantee, you can call the day before”… As if I would call them! At this point I had decided that it wasn’t really necessary and found other options. Also, I had been to Stockholm before, so I can wing it a little more as well.
Why this more unstructured approach this time worked, was because of this previous experience and the BJJ drop in session. I had one anchor point. Everything else could be flexible. It still made me scramble, but it also gave me freedom, and for this time, that was okay.
Looking 4 Adventures 
Leave a comment