We get up, finish packing our cases with toiletries, and then make our way to the front desk. Time always seems to go so fast in the morning so we've lost a little bit of time but we're scraping through. We need a quick check-out to catch our tram.
"Mr Holland, thank you for staying with us. You have mini-bar expenses and a dinner for two in our restaurant, correct?"
"Ummm, no. We haven't used anything from the mini-bar and we haven't been in the restaurant at all."
The phone rings and the front desk girl takes the call. It's an enquiry that lasts for a little while and it's making me anxious about time. She finishes and continues with the check-out costs:
"Is this your signature?"
"No, it's not. That's not even my name that is printed there. I can show you my licence."
"Ah, ok. It's ok, I believe you."
*tick tock*
 |
| Mum can't reach the floor |
The tram takes us to Lelylaan rail station and I need to buy train tickets. I can't find any at the bottom of the stairs so I go running upstairs but there are no ticket machines to be found. I ask a girl and she says they're downstairs. I go running downstairs, out of the main area, and behind a pillar. Here it is. Unlike all the other train ticket machines that I've used in Amsterdam, this one only accepts coins or a local debit card. Shit. I only have notes and credit cards! I do have a few coins but after a quick it doesn't look like I have enough. I go running around looking for another ticket machine. I find one but it's a different train system. Then I see a guy at the first ticket machines so I run up to him and ask if we can use his debit card and I'll pay him with cash. He is very helpful and says "sure!" I tell him that I don't have enough coins so he takes a look. He must be magic because an extra Euro appears in my hand, which means I have enough now... or I had enough the entire time. I buy the tickets and we're set. Meanwhile, the suitcases that I'd taken part-way up the stairs earlier are now at the bottom. Mum says, "oh, I thought we needed to go somewhere else. Sorry!" I carry each of them up the stairs one at a time just as the train arrives. I'm hot, panting, and my back is killing me.
 |
| Halo of plane in the clouds |
Check-in at the airport and the flight over were quite unremarkable except for premium economy on the plane. For a one hour flight, it hardly seems worthwhile having anything other than economy. However, there were a few premium economy seats yet we could see no difference between theirs and ours, including the service. Quite odd but worthy of a remark.
Ahhh, Copenhagen. What a beautiful city! We've arrived! Well, we've arrived at the airport. No immigration, no landing card, and a flimsy customs process. One youngish looking guy is pulled away from the stream of people leaving so he can be questioned but apart from that, customs is invisible. Where's my passport stamp, damn it?!
The train from the airport is crowded but we make it safely to Østerport train station. We ask an elderly lady about to mount her bicycle where our street is. She doesn't know but if it's in the new area then she believes it isn't too far. Besides, she said the taxis are too expensive so best to walk. Easy done... we're at the serviced apartments after walking 1.1km dragging suitcases behind us! The apartments are great: a home away from home. If only we could have held out with the laundry, as there is a washing machine and dryer in our apartment. It even comes with its own resident spider on the balcony.After settling in, we work out how to go back into the city for a look around. A bus only one block away takes us all the way in. Considering the problems we were having without Internet in Amsterdam and Paris, we decide to head straight to a phone shop to grab a pre-paid SIM. We need to look up the map to find the telco stores so where to go? We're hungry, too, so we stop in for some local cuisine: McDonald's. The little cheeseburger meal comes with two cheeseburgers each. We're extremely full now. We look up the maps and find a telco nearby. It is in a shopping centre on the opposite side of the major train station. It doesn't seem too far but it's Saturday and the shops will probably close about 5pm so we'd better get a move on, as it's currently 4:15pm. We enter the train station hoping to come out the other side but there's no exit on that side so we go out again after wasting some time wandering around. The shopping centre is a little further than expected and we don't arrive until right on 5pm. Luckily, the shops are open until about 6pm.
"Can I have a pre-paid SIM, please?""Yes, sure."
"Oh good! I really need Internet. It's driving me insane not having info at my fingertips!"
"Oh. You can't get data on these SIMs. You need to sign up for a 12-month contract to get Internet. Sweden is the same. Germany may be the same."
"Bugger... yes, I've come across this in France, too. As a tourist, I don't need calls or SMSs, I just need Internet to find things."
"Yes, I know. Sorry. You can't get it here in Copenhagen. Well, you can use data on your pre-paid SIM but it ends up being 20kr/MB (about $4/MB), which is very expensive."
What is up with Europe making it so difficult for travellers to get Internet on their mobiles? The UK does it no issue. Oh well.
We head back to the train station to go home. Mum needs to look something up so we again stop at McDonald's. All of a sudden we hear major chanting coming from the platforms and it's drawing nearer. It's a chant from sports team supporters. Obviously the young guys who support the losing team have their tail between their legs as they quietly join the food queue at Maccas. Shortly after, the winning team come along and their chanting is horrendously loud as it echoes throughout the enclosed train station. They're carrying their Heineken with them and approaching our area. One of them starts to become aggressive and pushes a supporter from the opposing team's supporters. He tries to start a fight but thankfully the other guy bends over and covers his head but doesn't respond. I quickly usher Mum outside and around the shop to safety. Then the aggressors take it to a new level: they set some cardboard and plastic on fire and put it on the floor of the train station. They chant around the small fire and take photos of it and themselves. It's pretty scary. There doesn't seem to be anybody that they'll yell at or leave alone. Mum is still fiddling with her phone to get information.The danger is now over and there's only the smell of burnt plastic in the train station. We catch the train back to Østerport and then wait for the bus. There are mosquitoes everywhere at the bus stop. The bus comes along and takes us back to the block where our apartment is. The driver is nice enough to inform us that the bus won't be running tomorrow morning until 11:30am. Hmmm, that changes our plans for tomorrow somewhat. We walk past the mini-supermarket and realise that we need to go grab some minor food for dinner and breakfast but it's closed. Feeling a little beat, we arrive at the apartment and I try to connect to the Internet to find out where we can eat. I open the balcony door and take the laptop to the edge to reach the wifi reception. Oh, the supermarket closed only twenty minutes ago. It will be open tomorrow (Sunday), though. I guess we can go shopping since the bus won't be running. However, there's nothing to eat tonight unless we want to pay $24 for a basic sandwich. Let's just have the Pringles in the mini-bar.
Copenhagen isn't as welcoming, romantic, or fun as it was six years ago.
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