Train: SJ 2000 from Stockholm C to Gothenburg C

After a short walk around a few blocks in downtown Stockholm, I took the short 3-hour fast train to Gothenburg. The train stopped briefly at track 10 at Stockholm C, then continued on making a few stops on the way to Gothenburg C. If you have a 1st class ticket or Rail Pass, be sure to check out the SJ lounge at the Stockholm Central Station upper level. No hurry in getting to the the track early, since this train doesn't originate here, so you will just be standing at the platform waiting. However, do get there early enough to find the listing on the wall that tells you where your coach stops on the platform so you don't have to run to it when the train arrives. The train will arrive right to left as you face the track on the platform, so the first class coach probably ends up around area A or B.
 

The ride was pretty uneventful and smooth, though possibly a little more side-to-side rocking that the ICE trains on most tracks. The coaches even lean to the left and right as the train goes around curves. There are lots of tunnels as you make your way out of Stockholm, as I found out trying to make a phone calls right after leaving the station, then basically rolling green (in the summer) hills, trees, and farmland all the way to the west coast. It is quite scenic. To me it looks a lot like Eastern Canada, or the North Eastern US.

The "3-course menu" was pretty basic, but a good sampling of Swedish food I suppose. 

We arrived right on time in Gothenburg, so I headed right outside the station to my hotel for the night.
 

If you like what you've read, please share! To email this article, or to share with your friends on Facebook or Twitter, click one of the buttons below! Also, keep up with SkiCat's latest travel rantings, sign up for our RSS Feed.

Lounge: SJ * Lounge Stockholm Central Station

I was briefly able to check out the SJ train station lounge at the Stockholm Central station. I pretty much just stopped in, used their restroom, organized my bags a bit and rested, then took some pictures and left. 

Technically anyone with a 1st class train ticket or rail pass valid for that day of travel can use the lounge. Interestingly, today there was no attendant. The door was locked, but there were people inside and everyone was just opening the door for whoever arrived. We all had no idea where the attendant went, but the lounge was supposed to be open, and had food and drinks laid out, so maybe there was an emergency...?

Anyway, the place is quite small, just a few small rooms, one overlooking the station below, one quiet room, one television room, and the food and drink area. There is no lift, so you'll have to drag any bags up the stairs to the upper level.

Definitely worth a look if you find yourself in Stockholm!

If you like what you've read, please share! To email this article, or to share with your friends on Facebook or Twitter, click one of the buttons below! Also, keep up with SkiCat's latest travel rantings, sign up for our RSS Feed.

Stockholm, Sweden

I only had a few hours in Stockholm before my train to Gothenburg, so I just wondered around downtown. I took in the sights and took a few random pictures of things.

TGI Fridays - and it's packed...

Very Old! and still in use. It has a snow plow on the front.

If you like what you've read, please share! To email this article, or to share with your friends on Facebook or Twitter, click one of the buttons below! Also, keep up with SkiCat's latest travel rantings, sign up for our RSS Feed. 

Train: Arlanda Express from Stockholm Arlanda Airport to Stockholm Central with a Eurail Pass

This is just a quick 20 minute express train from the airport to downtown Stockholm. It is normally 280SEK (~$40) each way, but it is free for Eurail or Interail pass holders. However, if you are arriving into Arlanda airport with a new yet unused rail pass, you need to get your pass validated by an SJ attendant before boarding or you could be fined. 

Unfortunately, there is no ticket window at the Arlanda Express station, only automated ticket machines. It wasn't obvious where I needed to go, and I found no information online about how to do it either. Finally, I asked the girl at the airport information booth in Terminal 5 and she explained that you have to go to the Arlanda C train station SJ desk first, then come back to the Arlanda Express station. Luckily, they are very close and you can just walk there through the airport.

The SJ desk at Arlanda C (Central) station is located right in the middle of Sky City (within sight of the Sushi restaurant). It looks like another airline jet bridge, but instead goes down underground to the train station.

If you are arriving from Terminal 5, when you come out of the Customs area after claiming your bags, turn right and follow the signs to Sky city, you will go up one floor. Once you get to the restaurants, walk along the glass wall on your right for a few 100 meters and you'll see the station Arlanda C on the right. Go to the desk and show them your rail pass and passport, they will fill out their section and give it a stamp.
 

Once this is done, you can fill out the day on your rail pass if necessary, head back the way you came to terminal 5 and get on the first Arlanda Express train that you see. There are trains every 20 minutes.

Another note on the Arlanda Express. There are two stations that the train stops at on its way to Stockholm City Station. Arlanda South is the first one and it is below Terminal 5, the other is Arlanda North, which is located below Terminals 1-4. The train stops first at Arlanda South and is completely empty. Much of the time the train nearly completely fills up here. Then, when it goes to Arlanda North, anyone that gets on here will likely stand the whole 20 minute ride. So, if you arrive at Stockholm Arlanda Terminals 1-4, do yourself a favor and walk the short distance to Terminal 5, then board train there. you'll guarantee yourself a seat and have a more pleasant ride. 


If you like what you've read, please share! To email this article, or to share with your friends on Facebook or Twitter, click one of the buttons below! Also, keep up with SkiCat's latest travel rantings, sign up for our RSS Feed.

East and West Sushi - Stockholm Arlanda

Right before leaving on this trip, I had checked out lunch options at Arlanda airport. I found this Sushi place that I thought I would try. Turns out it was not too bad, for an airport location at least. I noticed a number of pilots and airport employees eating there as well, so surely they seemed to like it. I ordered a nigiri box and a drink. They provide miso soup free of charge from the large soup warmer near the register.

East and West Sushi is located on the Terminal 5 end of Sky City, the restaurant and shopping area between the international terminal and terminals 1 - 4. If you are arriving from baggage claim in terminal 5, just follow the signs for Sky City, ride the ramp/moving-sidewalk up one floor and you'll see it straight ahead. From the domestic terminals, you'll have to go all the way across Sky City, past the Arlanda Central Station entrance and it will be the last thing you see before entering Terminal 5 ticketing.

The next leg in this trip: Train: Arlanda Express from Stockholm Arlanda Airport to Stockholm Central with a Eurail Pass

If you like what you've read, please share! To email this article, or to share with your friends on Facebook or Twitter, click one of the buttons below! Also, keep up with SkiCat's latest travel rantings, sign up for our RSS Feed. 

Flight: SAS Economy London LHR to Stockholm ARN

The boarding process at Heathrow, at least for some airlines, is a bit different than in the US. They don't often tell you which gate your flight will leave from until about 10 minutes before the flight, just the terminal number. You can ask the attendant at the lounge if she will look it up on her computer, but on the big screens in the terminal it will just say the time until it changes to Boarding. At that time, everyone races over to the designated gate and queues up in a very long single line and proceeds to board in random order. No calling by groups, boarding rear to front, or windows then isles, just one big cattle call for the plane. I have no idea if this results in faster boarding, but it certainly results in more annoyed passengers.

By the time I got from the SAS lounge to the plane, about 200m away, I ended up about 3/4 of the way to back of the line. It seemed to take forever, since they were checking passports at the same time, instead of at the gate desk before boarding starts like in the US. Sure enough, the other two people were already in their seats, so they had to climb out to let me into my window seat. Then I had to squeeeeeze into the row and into my seat. I say squeeze because I really did have to work my way into the seat. These were the closest together seats I have ever seen on an airplane! Even worse than Delta! As you can see below, my 5' 8" knees were hitting the back of the seat ahead. Anyone on this flight over about 5' 10" tall would not be able to put their feet on the floor, they have to hang their knees on the seat back and let their feet dangle, or put them at a sideways angle. It is just strange that this is even legal...and that the plane can fly with that many bodies so closely packed.

Fly it did though. It took quite a while to get into the air, as the rain was still coming down and it was overcast. Once we got into the air and headed Southeast toward Denmark the clouds cleared up and it was quite nice. The flight took about 2 hours and was uneventful. They serve hot tea or coffee free, but they have a menu of sandwiches, salads, and soft drinks for purchase. 

We landed in Stockholm Arlanda uneventfully, though at the farthest runway so we had to taxi several kilometers to the actual airport over the horizon. EU immigration and customs was no problem, just the usual "Why are you here?", "When are you leaving?", STAMP, then "Thank You...Next".

Then it was time to go look for some lunch, get my rail pass validated, then head for the train downtown.

Next post on this trip: East and West Sushi - Stockholm Arlanda

If you like what you've read, please share! To email this article, or to share with your friends on Facebook or Twitter, click one of the buttons below! Also, keep up with SkiCat's latest travel rantings, sign up for our RSS Feed. 

Lounge: SAS Star Alliance Lounge London Heathrow

Ahhh, a hot shower after a long overnight flight...priceless! During my layover in London, I decided to check out the Star Alliance Lounge (formerly SAS Business Lounge) in Terminal 3 at London Heathrow. After all, it is completely free as part of my Star Alliance Gold status with United. I have been looking forward to this since I booked the ticket from Houston to Stockholm through London a few weeks ago. I was amazed at how little information there is about this lounge online, other than to say that it exists, and has showers.

After arriving in Terminal 4, I took the bus all the way around the construction of the new terminal (that has been going on for years...) to Terminal 3 (One cool thing about Heathrow is that when leaving the country on a connecting flight, you don't have to go through Customs, but you do have to go back through security. Many people don't realize this. I saw all kinds of people carrying drinks they brought from the plane or their originating airport. I'm sure London gets a significant amount of liquid rubbish because of this).

Once through security, follow the signs for Lounge B all the way through the shopping area to the far side beyond the information desk and gates 1-11. Inside the lounge, the service desk is just to the left of the entrance desk. They keep your boarding pass for your outbound flight and add you to the list. I lucked out and there was no one waiting, I was told that I would be next after someone finished, so it would be about 15 minutes. This was great, as I had been prepared to wait up to 2 hours if necessary since I had time on my long layover.

I sat down to log all my devices in to the free WiFi. They have signs all around with the current password. The speed wasn't bad considering the lounge was quite full and everyone seemed to be online. Within minutes they called my name to come get a shower key.

The standard shower rooms are small but modern and very clean, they serve their purpose quite well. They are cleaned just like a hotel room between each use, so mine was spotless. They provide towels, liquid soap, and lotion. There is a sign that says they can provide other toiletries at the desk downstairs...however, they don't tell you this when you get the key, so if you need something, be sure to ask before hauling your bags up the stairs!

There is no time limit that I'm aware of, though I'm sure after a significant amount of time, they will come knocking on the door to make sure you're still breathing...

After what seemed like the most awesome shower ever, refreshed, I headed over to the lounge bar for some juice and snacks before my flight to Stockholm. The food selection is a bit more than you would expect from a US airline lounge, but a little less than what you would find in a Lufthansa Senator's Lounge. No full bar, but they did have some wine bottles in the refrigerator nearby. I was hardly hungry after all the food on the flight over the pond.

If you are Star Gold, fly business class, or are a lounge member, next time you have a SAS or Air Canada flight out of London Heathrow check them out!

Next post on this trip: Flight: SAS Economy London LHR to Stockholm ARN

If you like what you've read, please share! To email this article, or to share with your friends on Facebook or Twitter, click one of the buttons below! Also, keep up with SkiCat's latest travel rantings, sign up for our RSS Feed. 

Flight: United BusinessFirst Houston to London

I just made it to my flight out of Houston IAH with minutes to spare, despite the usual things that try to keep me from doing so, like slow traffic, the malfunctioning automated check-in machine, a single TSA security line for the entire Terminal E, and various large people who stand in the center of the moving sidewalk with all their bags around them, completely oblivious to everyone else trying to make their flights.

Check-in was a bit of a pain, the automated machine refused to scan any document that I had, and then claimed not to know anything about my flight, so I had to flag down an attendant to check my bag and print out my boarding pass for my connecting flight on SAS from London to Stockholm. Bag checked, I headed for security, where they had only one single queue open. It took me nearly 30 minutes to get through, which is unusual for Terminal E.

On the way to the gate I quickly stopped by the main United Lounge to grab a drink and some fruit for the flight. At the gate the boarding had already started, but even after I waited through the passport check line, then the actual boarding line, we still had about 45 minutes to get settled before they closed the door. It takes a long time to get everyone on board a 777, so they start about an hour before departure.

Front Cabin

Once seated, the head purser introduced herself and our attendant asked about preflight drinks. I ordered orange juice and just tried to relax a bit and read over the menu. I had read that United recently upgraded the meal options for BusinessFirst flights, though other than 4 instead of 3 options, it looked exactly the same as before. I ordered the usual steak option and asked that it be brought all at once as soon as it was ready. I tried this before and it was awesome, just eat, be done with it, then relax or sleep the rest of the flight!

Executive All-At-Once Option

We took off right on time, they brought out the drinks and nuts right away, and sure enough, my meal was ready a few minutes later...steak, salad, and two giant cocktail shrimp. I considered asking for more shrimp, but I was stuffed already. I even forced myself to NOT order ice cream afterwards. They bring this cart around with bowls of ice cream, and nearly any topping you could want. It is very tempting, but if I was going to have any hope of sleeping on the flight, there was no way. I learned that lesson the hard way...

So Called "Lie-Flat" Pod

After eating, I went to change into gym shorts and a t-shirt, then put the chair down into bed position. These things look so awesome in the pictures, I swear they are the biggest let-down once you try one. I'll give you that they are way better than coach seats, especially when they are upright, but they are contoured, don't quite lay all the way flat (contrary to the advertisements), and the headrest is fixed right where your pillow should be so your head is raised up. Also, due to the dip in the center where it pivots (resulting in more of a V shape), you can't sleep on your stomach since you would be bent backwards. Anyway, again, I hate to knock them compared to the alternative, but for like $4,000 (if you were crazy enough to actually pay for them, rather than upgrade) it seems like they should actually be FLAT.

About 1.5 hours before landing they turned on the lights and began serving a two-course breakfast. First, a bowl of fruit and yogurt, then a bowl of Cheerios and pastries, with juice and tea.

First Course Breakfast

The flight went fine, we arrived in the London area on time, but there was a pattern delay due to rain, go figure, we were about 15 minutes late to the gate. Once the doors opened, I hightailed it to Terminal 3 and the SAS/Star Lounge for a shower before my SAS flight to Stockholm.

Next post on this trip:    Lounge: SAS Star Alliance Lounge London Heathrow

If you like what you've read, please share! To email this article, or to share with your friends on Facebook or Twitter, click one of the buttons below! Also, keep up with SkiCat's latest travel rantings, sign up for our RSS Feed. 

Hotel: Renaissance Austin

I stayed one weekend night at the Renaissance Austin in the Arboretum recently. I used to live in the area, but had never stayed there before, so when one of my category 1-4 certificates was about to expire, and I needed to take a quick weekend trip to Austin, I figured this was a great opportunity to check it out. The Renaissance is a category 4 hotel so it was a great value too.

Hallway view from front living room/office

When I arrived to check in, the parking lot was completely full, and teenagers in formal dress and tuxedos where everywhere. I thought to myself, this is going to be "great"... However, when I checked in, the receptionist told me there was a prom that night, and she would put me in one of the top front rooms which were set back away from the atrium. I guess this was sort of a Junior Suite, with a small sitting room or office in the front, and a bedroom on the other end after the huge bathroom, so there really was no noise at all. I hardly noticed the event going on.

The lounge was not open on Saturday night or Sunday, but that was fine, I was leaving first thing anyway. I headed down to the gym. There is a separate elevator in the back, and I walked all the way around the upper balcony looking down on the festivities below. They also have an indoor pool and an outdoor pool, both are modern and well maintained. There are outdoor trails accessed through a door in the back of the exercise room. They appear to go all through the woods behind the hotel.

Interior of the atrium

After my workout, I headed back to the room to get cleaned up, check up on email, and grab a few pictures. 

The next morning I had my breakfast delivered to the room. It showed up right on time and was very good. Checkout was simple, and I headed over to Starbucks to get some writing done, then head for a lunch engagement.

As you can see the room was quite nice, especially being completely free with the certificate. I would definitely stay again, especially if I had family with me.

If you like what you've read, please share! To email this article, or to share with your friends on Facebook or Twitter, click one of the buttons below! Also, keep up with SkiCat's latest travel rantings, sign up for our RSS Feed.

Pre-packing is finished!

This weekend I did my usual Stage I packing I call "pre-pack", which includes filling all my liquid containers, gathering various additional non-clothes items (like chocolate power for mocha cappuccinos, which are not common in Germany outside Starbucks, McDonald's, and some train stations), various electronic cables, plug adapters, chargers, and of course all important documents like lounge membership cards, passport, train tickets, etc. All these things are put in their proper containers and piled into my suitcase for safe storage until actual packing time.

When I have a few weeks notice and I am working from my home office, this usually happens the weekend before the trip. With short notice, or when returning from one trip for a couple days then flying out again, it might do it all in one day. Actual packing of clothes, travel pillow, and the like usually happens the night before, or the morning of the trip if I leave later in the day.

I have found that splitting up packing stages lessens the rush before heading to the airport, since I have everything organized beforehand. It is also a good opportunity to discover things I need to go buy, before it's too late to do so!

Do you have a formal packing routine, or are you a "throw it in the bag on the way out the door" kind of packer?

If you like what you've read, please share! To email this article, or to share with your friends on Facebook or Twitter, click one of the buttons below! Also, keep up with SkiCat's latest travel rantings, sign up for our RSS Feed. 

United Airlines Waitlist Notification for Confirmation XXXXXX!

Yay! I got the following great surprise the other day in my inbox:

"We're pleased to let you know that your request for an upgrade from Houston, TX (IAH - Intercontinental) to London, England (LHR - Heathrow) has been confirmed."

That means this seat:
...instead of:
                   

Of course that is always good news, but the surprise was that it happened a week before the flight. Since I booked the flight a couple weeks ago, I have been watching that same flight through mobile.united.com to see how upgrades were going in the weeks before. So far, every week they have been clearing upgrades only about an hour before the flight leaves, even when there are clearly 10 or more seats still open. I suppose they are holding out hope that someone, anyone, will go ahead and buy a ticket at the full last minute price. I find this very frustrating, since I don't know going to the airport, or even sitting the lounge before the flight, if I am going to need to get food, or if I'll have an actual bed or a coach seat that night.

On my flight two weeks out, there were about 16 open seats (out of 50) on the 777-200. That was more than the other flights had so I was confident that I would be upgraded, barring any bad weather or other issues in the days before the flight that would cause others to be bumped to my flight. Even so, I had expected to have to wait until right before boarding to find out for sure, which is stressful on top of traveling in general. Now I'm all set!



If you like what you've read, please share! To email this article, or to share with your friends on Facebook or Twitter, click one of the buttons below! Also, keep up with SkiCat's latest travel rantings, sign up for our RSS Feed. 

Hotel: Austin Marriott South

I had an opportunity to stay two nights at the Austin Marriott South a few weeks ago. While it looks a bit dated and worn on the outside (contrary to the cleaned up photo from their web site below), it is actually quite clean and modern on the inside. I have stayed in other Marriott properties in that same area before, but the look of that building has scared me away till now, and I prefer Residence Inn for this kind of stay anyway. This time the company I was meeting with booked the room, so it was a chance to try something new.

Check-in was simple, and I was immediately upgraded to a junior suite on the Executive Lounge Level due to my Gold Status. This meant free breakfast and snacks during my stay. The lounge breakfast was fine, not as large a selection as the Residence Inn, but sufficient.They also had some wine and liquor available self serve in the evening.

The stay went smoothly, the staff was pleasant, and the property was very clean and modern inside. I would definitely stay there again.
 
If you like what you've read, please share! To email this article, or to share with your friends on Facebook or Twitter, click one of the buttons below! Also, keep up with SkiCat's latest travel rantings, sign up for our RSS Feed.

The Perfect Pillow - Don't Leave Home Without It!

Many years ago, I had a snowboarding accident and I injured my neck. Years of physical therapy, various chiropractors, pain killers, and stretch exercises have helped, but I still regularly have pain in my neck. Of course, sitting in front of a computer for 8 or more hours a day doesn't help much either.

I have a special ergonomic office chair that helps, I have learned to raise my monitors to a certain height, as well as having my keyboard and feet just right, with good posture when working. All of this helps quite a bit, and I can now almost avoid having any problems when I work in my home office.

However, one thing that can bring on a recurrence of pain, is a bad night sleep with a pillow that is too thick or thin. Since I travel a lot, that means I encounter all sorts of beds, airplane seats, and pillows. Because of this, I now carry my special pillow with me everywhere. I rarely travel without it, unless I know the hotel I'm staying at and which kinds of pillows they have, just as I never leave home without my iPhone.

Fortunately, the pillow is fairly small, it is filled with synthetic down, and compresses to an impressively small volume when all the air is pressed out. I always zip it up in a washable, hypo-allergenic, pillow cover, then a regular high-thread-count pillowcase of a color that the cleaning staff at the hotel won't confuse with their bleached white. I put it in a zippered Space Bag, then roll it to about the size of an American football. Then just pack it like any other item in my carry-on, or check it when I check a larger bag.

This is one of the more well-traveled pillows around. Counting driving, trains, airplanes, and cruise ships, it has probably clocked over 400,000 miles and still going. I have only left it behind once, in Miami, and the hotel staff was nice enough to FedEx to me, no charge! I also lost one pillow case when a maid, apparently not noticing the $50 600-threadcount, tan Egyptian cotton pillow case was any different from the others, swapped it out for a bleached white hotel special. Luckily, it was easy to pick out from the sea of white in the hotel driers, and was promptly returned to me washed and pressed, with apologies from the hotel. I actually thought it quite funny, though since that event, I generally hide it in my bag each day, so it doesn't get lost.

I suppose it will be time to get a new one soon, though I'll miss it as my trusty travel companion all these years!

What about you? Do you bring a must-have travel object with you on trips?

If you like what you've read, please share! To email this article, or to share with your friends on Facebook or Twitter, click one of the buttons below! Also, keep up with SkiCat's latest travel rantings, sign up for our RSS Feed. 

End of "Home Time": Great Travel Summer Brewing

It has been a while since my last post. I have been enjoying a few months off from traveling, time to get some things done around the house, spend some quality time with the family, and recharge. There where a couple quick trips to Austin for a day or two, but no flights and nothing interesting. Now I have an exciting summer of travel planned starting next week.

First up, a work trip to Germany where I will be squeezing in side trips to Stockholm, Sweden, trains to Göteborg, Copenhagen, Amsterdam, Brussels, Eurostar and the Chunnel to London and back (just because it's awesome!), then a few other places around Germany over two weeks.

Right after I get back, two weeks holiday with family in Ohio, then my wife and daughter spend a week with her parents while I work some at the home office, then I am off to another conference in August.

Should be a busy few months. And, believe it or not, I will actually be working most of the time!

If you like what you've read, please share! To email this article, or to share with your friends on Facebook or Twitter, click one of the buttons below! Also, keep up with SkiCat's latest travel rantings, sign up for our RSS Feed.