Flight Details
Routing:
Date: 19 September 2003
Dep: Madrid Barajas (MAD)
Gate: C31
Boarding Time: 1200
Dep Time: 1230
Load: 100%
Seat: Window
Class: Economy
Aircraft: Boeing 737
Arr: Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS)
Date: 19 September 2003
Dep: Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS)
Gate: F09
Boarding Time: 1845
Dep Time: 1920
Load: 85%
Seat: 33K
Class: Economy
Aircraft: Boeing 747-400
Arr: Kuala Lumpur (KUL)
Date: 20 September 2003
Dep: Kuala Lumpur (KUL)
Load: 30%
Seat: 33k
Class: Economy
Aircraft: Boeing 747-400
Arr: Manila Ninoy Aquino International (MNL)
I have had considered Spain as my second home. I had fun. I have met some nice people and I learned a lot from my experience as a student in a foreign country. Bad moments, good moments I had. But on the other hand, I was excited to return back home to the Philippines and be with my family again. And I have a new education degree to bring home with me.
In fact, my flight back home was nothing to write about, hehehehhehe. I had some few tears when the plane took off in Madrid airport. I flew with KLM so a stop in Amsterdam was mandatory. I took a picture of the B747-400 that would bring me home to Manila but somehow the picture came out blurred. But as bonus, I was able to see the airport in Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) before heading back to Manila. Nice airport but nothing special. In fact, I did not pay attention to flight details because I did not feel like it. Anyway, back in Manila to start another chapter of my life...professional life...
The first thing I did though was to call, Tommy, the Swedish guy, and say thank you for letting me use his mobile phone back in Sweden. He was surprised when I called him up because he did not expect that I would phone him simply to say thank you...but I did and will always be grateful to such people...small things like these don't go unnoticed, hehehehehe!
Flight Details
KL1704
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines
Date: 11 September 2003
Dep: Madrid Barajas (MAD)
Gate: C36
Boarding Time: 1425
Dep Time: 1450
Load: 100%
Seat: 20D
Class: Economy
Aircraft: Boeing 737
Arr: Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS)
Dep: Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS)
Gate: C10
Boarding Time: 1910
Dep Time: 1930
Load: 100%
Seat: 25C
Class: Economy
Aircraft: Boeing 737
Arr: Gothenburg Landvetter (GOT)
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KL1158
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines
Date: 16 September 2003
Dep: Gothenburg Landvetter (GOT)
Gate: A16
Boarding Time: 1605
Dep Time: 1630
Load: 100%
Seat: 16A
Class: Economy
Aircraft: Boeing 737
Arr: Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS)
KL1707
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines
Dep: Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS)
Gate: D71
BoardingTime: 1900
Dep Time: 1930
Load: 100%
Seat: 23F
Class: Economy
Aircraft: Boeing 737
Arr: Madrid Barajas (MAD)
Beoing 737 in Gothenburg-Landvetter Airport in Sweden (click on the picture for the photographer's name)
“Hey, Manong... I arrived in
Me: "No direct flights so you have to fly to either Frankfurt or Copenhagen and take a connecting flight to Madrid...... would mean 7 hours of travel time........"
She said: "No, thanks! I'm tired, lol!"
That’s how my phone conversation went with my younger sister few hours after she arrived in
The plane landed at the Gothenburg Landvetter Airport at around 10pm and right after I collected my luggage, I proceeded to the gate where the airport bus was waiting. There is a Flygbussarna bus service from Landvetter into the city which runs every 15-20 minutes, and it costs about 75 SEK one way (140 SEK return), and it reaches the city in 20-30 minutes. It stops at several locations (first stop near Liseberg; final stop: the Nils Ericson terminal).
So I took the address book out of my bag and showed it (my sister's address) to the driver hoping he knew where it was. He told me he's not going to pass by that area but assured me to drop me off the place where to catch another bus going to my sister's dormitory. I thanked him for that and settled on my seat and simply enjoyed the ride going to the city centre.
When we arrived at the city centre, the driver dropped me off and gave me some instructions on how to get to my 'destination'. I also had to ask the people on the streets where it was and luckily many people helped me out, lol. I was the centre of attraction right there in the middle of the streets! I hate that situation but what can I do?
For the next 4 hours I would be practically wandering around the city in search of that dormitory asking God knows how many people along the way. Luckily, many locals were helpful. And at around 2am, I finally found the place! So I went to the front door and hummm, just to discover that there was nobody at the lobby. Apparently, the dorm has no reception area and only the students could go in. What the ........... ! What should I do? How can I get in? No choice, I went back to the streets to look for a public phone or something. I was dead tired...
I had to phone my sister so she could give me the code to open the door. No phone booths to be found. The road maintenance guys saw me again (earlier they helped me find the address). They asked me how could they be of help again, lol. I explained to them what happened and that there was no public phone in the area and this guy, Tommy, volunteered to offer his mobile phone to call my sister. Wow, I told myself what a nice gesture from a total stranger. After talking to my sister (who was also surprised...was my purpose to surprise her after all, lol), I offered to pay for that call but he declined and told me it was a pleasure doing a favor for someone whom really needs it, hehehehehe. I thanked him and went back to the dormitory to see my sister. Whoa! happy to see her again!
The next day, time to conquer Gothenburg!
Gothenburg is a mid-size city but so cosmopolitan. Even more so than its rival Stockholm. I like its size and I like the atmosphere inclusing the parks and the citylife as a whole. If given the chance I'd choose to live here. As an authentic probinsiyano, I think this is the right city for me. It is a relatively big city but it retains it small city feel. And more importantly, as they say, the city is known as a friendly place and I myself can attest to that. One impression I have on Scandinavian countries is that people tend to be helpful to tourists (or maybe I look as if I really need some help, lol). But whatever the reason is, it's highly appreciated and I would do the same if someone needs my help especially if he's not from here and he'd ask about directions and all those stuff.
The centre of Gothenburg. If you want to explore the city, this is the place to begin your adventure. From here, you can go to any part of the city. Most of the city is best explored on foot because the main attractions are near each other (anonymous photographer)
Gothenburg tram....blue...same as in Zurich.......I especially loved my tram rides from the dorm of my sister to the city centre. It's a cheap way to see the city. Gothenburg has a famous network of trams that covers most of the city. With over 150km the Gothenburg tram is the largest light rail network in Scandinavia. The main tram hub is Brunnsparken ('Well Park'), where you can catch trams to all parts of the city. It is near (one tram stop to be precise, or a 2-minute walk) to the train station (anonymous photographer)
Oppps, careful........"Puede na bang tumawid?"
Feeling free at the University of Gothenburg's campus
Me and my sister in front of the UG's library. I did some of my assigned school works here because there was a free internet access even to outsiders, hehehehe.
Two days after, another surprised came.
When I was checking my air ticket, I learned that the date of departure from Gothenburg was wrong! It says there I was to be in Sweden only for a day! I had to rush to the airport and had it changed! Affffff, must be the airline system error or more probably negligence on my part for not checking it before leaving the travel agency. Everybody was in a hurry and it totally slipped my mind. Anyway, going to the airport (and back) was a treat for me because I had the opportunity to enjoy the sceneries outside the city centre. It's a forested area (I like temperate forests!) so it was a visual feast for me. Maybe a camping activity would be great or simply be there and enjoy the tranquility of that beautiful place.
I enjoyed Gotherburg. If given the chance, I would live there...
Flight Details
UX9005
Air Europa
Date: 04 September 2003
Dep: Madrid Barajas (MAD)
Gate: Not indicated
Boarding Time: 2145
Dep Time: 2215
Load: 100%
Seat: 21A
Class: Economy
Aircraft: Boeing 737
Arr: Palma de Mallorca (PMI)
Boeing 737 of Air Europa in Palma de Mallorca (by Andre Oferta of Airliners)
UX9016
Air Europa
Date: 05 September 2003
Dep: Palma de Mallorca (PMI)
Gate: A09
Boarding Time: 2050
Dep Time: 2110
Load: 100%
Seat: 28A
Class: Economy
Aircraft: Boeing 737
Arr: Madrid Barajas (MAD)
Flight back home to Madrid was OK. Many passengers were children and I sat next to an elderly man who did not know how to fasten his seat belt. I helped him out because I found him nice. The flight was uneventful and nothing to write home about.
I was happy to see my friend again. After all he was the reason why I went to that Mediterranean island for a day; it was just to meet up with him. Flying to Mallorca in the midst of my exams and spend a day on the island to meet him up and his friends was a gesture of gratitude for what he had done to me when we were in Portugal. Yes, I would do such things for a nice and helpful person and much more for a friend.
And many would agree that staying in Mallorca for a day is not bad at all, and flying Air Europa too!
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