Travhell

Today I am back in the Reading office after a few great days on the run. However, the week did definitely not start as I had planned.

This was my itinerary for Monday a week ago:

Guildford - Coventry

6:12 – 6:52 Train from Guildford Station to Reading
7:10 – 8.22 Train from Reading to Coventry
8:30 – 8:45 Taxi from Coventry Station to the Ericsson site at Ansty Park
9:00 – 17:00 Graduate training in Coventry

This is what happened:

6:00 @ Guildford Station


I turn up in Guildford in good time to get the train to Reading, only to find out that the train was cancelled. The next train departed half an hour later, ensuring that I would miss my Coventry train in Reading.


7:20 @ Reading Station

I knew that the next train to Coventry would depart one hour later, so after a breakfast sandwich in Reading I took the 8:12 train instead. I also sent a text to my colleagues, so that they would be aware of my late arrival.

My estimated arrival in Coventry is now 9:22. Not ideal, but still reasonable. Unfortunately, the following announcement came on the PA after the train had rolled on slowly for a while:

“If you are wondering why we are moving slowly, this is because of a freight train hanging around the area. We will be able to overtake it shortly.”

The expected arrival at Birmingham New Street Station (final destination) would occur 20 minutes or so later than planned, according to the announcement.


Approaching Coventry:

Cheery PA Announcement: “I am sorry, but unfortunately a train is blocking our platform at Coventry Station. This means that we will not stop at Coventry or Birmingham International. So you will be joining us up in Birmingham instead!”

Great. I thought. This could not really go any worse. We were told that a train taking us to Coventry would depart 10:10, and we actually reached Birmingham just in time to take that train.


10:08 @ Birmingham New Street Station

However, the following announcement sounded at Birmingham Station: “Unfortunately the train to London Euston has been cancelled due to a fire on a train at Coventry Station. Further announcements will be made once we have more information.”

Great. I sat down waiting and after 1 h and 10 mins (11:20) I finally got onto a train that would take me on a 20 minute journey to Coventry Station.

PA Announcement by the cheery Virgin Trains steward:

“Good morning everybody. We seem to have lost our crew, so we won’t be running a catering service on this train. We seem to really have a great day!”

Two minutes later:

“I am sorry, but I forgot to tell you where we are going today. But as much as I like magical mystery tours, here are our stops on our way to London Euston….” (stops announced)


11:40 @ Coventry Station

I get to Coventry 11:40. I am very hungry and looking forward to lunch. After a few minutes of waiting in the taxi rank, I eventually catch a cab. This cab looks older than any of the other cars available. But I thought that he probably knew what he was doing.

I had been told by a colleague that the taxi journey would cost me around £15.

After getting into the car, I find out that the driver does not know where the Ericsson office at Ansty Park is, so he asks me for a post code for his sat nav.

“CV2 2TF”, I tell him, specifying the last two letters using a makeshift interpretation of the NATO alphabet.

After 40 minutes the taximeter shows £25, and still no office in sight. He is asking me repeatedly whether that really is the right postcode.

After a while, I get to see it on a note where he had written it. The note says CD2 2TF. As there is no such post code, he looked up the region CD – which apparently is quite south of Birmingham.


Around 12:45 @ The Completely Wrong Motorway

When I see a sign saying Birmingham International Airport, I realise that this is probably very wrong. The taxi driver was nice though, and it was partly my fault that he did not get the postcode right.

He switches of the taximeter when it is showing £58 (700 Swedish Kronor), saying that it would not be fair to charge me that much.


13:40 @ Ericsson, Ansty Park

After nearly two hours, and some help from my sat nav, we reach the office. As I only had £23 in cash – he was happy to accept that. I was also given a book by this Muslim driver on why you do not have to say goodbye to your brain when becoming a Christian(!). Very kind of him and I will read it properly at some point.


After Arrival

I managed to get out some of the training, although I only got a couple of hours of it. As Jonas (the other Project Management graduate from the UK) and I were departing Birmingham to Stockholm (via Copenhagen), we had to leave 17:00. This as our flight would leave Britain at 19:00.

Thankfully, our taxi found Coventry Station, and our train stopped at Birmingham International. In addition, our flights departed on time and we were ten minutes early arriving in Stockholm Arlanda. Our Stockholm taxi driver knew where our hotel was, and I hit the bed just after 1 am local time. Phew!

All this was written on Thursday night onboard the flight to the UK from Stockholm.

Today Simon has:

Listened to an announcement in Guildford about a cancelled train - that did not affect him!
Read stuff on the new Ericsson website, particularly this section
Noticed that he has all reasons to be proud of the place where he works

Where the Action is…

…or perhaps; where is the action?

I do apologise for the lack of blog posts. I have been thinking lately about updating this blog with a more customised look. In addition, I am hoping to connect my mobile to the blog again. This would make a huge difference as I always have plenty of time to write when travelling. I also have plans to write more about what I think, as this blog so far has been very much about what I do.

Work is going well. Ericsson is a great company and I do not mind the Reading commute, as it will all be worth it in the end. I trust I am in the right place.

In the upcoming week, Jonas (the other Project Management graduate) and myself will be going to Sweden for some training in Ericsson's Project Management Model (PROPS). It will be great to show Jonas my home country, and Stockholm is one of my home towns as well!

The joy of writing has really hit me in the last week or two. I really look forward to write more with my new fountain pen - and that the ink will remain calm and not attack my clothes...

In a week's time I will also have my keyboard back. Really looking forward to start playing music (well, technically) again.

More later, my friends.



Today Simon has:

Listened to Natalie Imbruglia's Left of the Middle
Read about pens, and bought two!
Noticed that it is raining outside

Work Starts Soon

On Monday I will start a working for 'real'. I am really excited about starting with Ericsson, and I hope I will feel as excited about things in a few weeks' time.

The current flat is good, but too expensive for me and I hope to get a cheaper one this spring. So please let me know if you are interested in flat sharing from April and onwards.

Guildford is a beautiful place, and I have found myself a good church. Interesting times ahead!


Today Simon has:

Listened to a box with ten Kent CDs
Read about taxation in Britain
Noticed that the tax year does not end when the year ends =/

How I got to know the Meaning of X

A friendly way to sign off a letter in Sweden is to write ‘kram’. Kram is a word than means hug. When I moved to the UK I was introduced to the ‘x’. I had no clue what it really meant, so when my dear female coursemates were texting me and finished texts with various amounts of ‘x’ – I responded in the same manner. Later I realised it probably was not the most manly way to deal with it.

One day I asked my course mate Jenny what the X really meant.

Me: You know when you finish a text; you sometimes put an X at the end. Why’s that?
Jenny: It’s a kiss.
Me: Oh…

Then I remember an awkward moment of silence, before we changed conversation topic. I do not really know what kind of answer I expected. And being an internet veteran – online since 1997 (oh yeah!) – I cannot understand how I had failed to spot this before.

I probably should also explain that in northern Sweden it is not customary to give friends a kiss on the cheek when you meet. The aforementioned hug is a more common way to greet a friend. This implies that a kiss - unless referred to a kiss on the cheek - is a kiss is on the mouth.

Oh, and the first times I was introduced to the Mediterranean-style ‘one kiss on each cheek’ concept I nearly headbutted the poor girl in confusion…

Today Simon has:

Listened to nothing
Read nothing
Noticed the rain

The Update

Ok. I admit. I should write here more often. Lately seem to have put all my words into either assignments or emails. Anyway, assignments are now over. University is actually formally over in the middle of July - that is when my graduation is.

Dissertation went well (I hope!). With God's help I also found a suitable job for myself, but I won't reveal any more details until I have signed a contract. I am happy to tell that it seems to be the job of my graduate dreams.

This summer I am tourist infoing it at the Tourist Information Centre in my hometown (Åsele). It is likely my last summer as Tourist Adviser, but it has been the most enjoyable summer job possible. Not all people get the privilege of working with The Stick and Slyve Homegreen ;).

Last week I did some interpreting Swe-Eng for a group asylum seekers that were taken on a bus tour past the sights around my hometown. Working with refugees is something I really really enjoy, and I hope I can get some time to do voluntary work within that area in the future.


Today Simon has:

Listened to Air
Read some computer game text
Noticed how God is good, even though Simon has felt so and so.