Thursday, November 1, 2007

My early morning run

This morning at about 5:15am I head down to the spårvagn station(tram-train sort of thingy, the one in the link is at Brunnsparken where I go every day.That's the #7 going to Bergsjön), when I walk through the doors I look up at the screen to see the next one is comming in about 1 minute. Now I know it's usually a little off, so I start running down the escalator as fast as I can, only to get to the bottom and see the spårvagn leaving.

The escalator is like 2 or 3 normal ones long...I have to go way underground. So anyways, the screen down there said the next one in 10 minutes. I look at my watch and see I have plenty of time for it, of course I have no choice but to wait anyways if I want to get to work. So the #9 comes, I get on and stare into space in my seat listening to my ipod not caring about anything.

We stop and go through a few stops and along comes central Göteborg, Brunnsparken ( You can see many more pix of this beautiful city if you click the arrow at the top of the page on this link. I started at pic #19 looking at brunnsparken. It goes from 1-32 and yes it really is that beautiful here in the summer.) I get off and walk over the little waiting area and look at the screen there. All spårvagns are to come in about 45 minutes, but one will come in about 4 minutes, the one I need to get on directly to my job. I'm watching and waiting for that #13 to show up any second. I look up again, 1 minute to go. I know they don't go very often in the mornings but they were very slow today for some reason. Usually I can catch what I need every ten minutes.

Perfect timing I think, considering I have not long before I need to start work at 6am. I have to go and unlock the door because if I am not there on time then the other person working will be waiting outside in the cold air that comes off the North Sea...and trust me it's really cold!

So, that minute passes by and no tram, I look up to see it turn from '1 minut' to 'nu'..well I think, its not here NU!!! where the hell is it? I decide to wait about another 4 minutes. It doesn't show. I look at my watch and it is 5:45am. F&%king hell! I got 15 minutes to be there and I am nowhere near close, but maybe if I run I can just make it and not be too late.

So off I go,running down the street. I notice I am alone and that I had better turn off my ipod so I can notice things around me better. I see a man come out of nowhere on his bike right in front of me and I wonder where he came out of? the bank thats closed? Nah....

I look to my right and see the water that comes in off the sea through the canal that runs through the city. I think nothing of it and then next thing I know, passing right between the water and me is the #13 spårvagn. Oh for f¤¤ks sakes you've got to be kidding me right? Do I cry and keeping going, or give up and cry, or just go. I don't know what to do because I don't want this crap this time of the morning. I just go and tell myself it'll be ok. I keep running.

I really am alone and it's very dark. I turn around the bend and see a bus stopping at Domkyrkan and a man gets off, he looks at me, probably wondering why the hell I am running, in semi-heels no less. I hear only them clanking against the sidewalk. Then I look down and realize I hate the sidewalks here. They are pretty to look at but they can kill you. Its like walking on marbles. Shitloads of little stones make up the sidewalks. Who's idea was that???

I round the next corner, Grönsakstorget.....ok almost there. I look at my watch and I have 10 minutes. Hmmm I'm going to be pretty late, but I know a little short-cut. Do I chance it alone out here in this big city? Yes I do and I go for it. I keep running, I turn another corner and cross a little bridge. A woman is crossing it too across the canal. She's blonde, maybe 43 years old I guess.

My legs are killing me and I am sweating. I don't think I can run anymore. I'm going to be terribly late. I see Hagakyrkan and know it's a 10 minute go from there. I walk as fast as my legs will take me. I feel I have no energy left. I have 1 minute till 6am.

Crap. I start running again up past the University, around the corner. I see the golden crown on top of Skansen Kronan. They have a light shining up on it so you can see it at night. Cool. I keep going and after a minute I see my work. I run like hell and see mmmm.... I forget her name, she's pretty new, but anyways she was inside! Apparently Therese gave her a set of keys. Thank god!

First thing I did was take off my coat and make myself a latte. All day my leg hurt, my left one..ah well, thats what I get for running in semi-heels for about 25-30 minutes straight. Now I'm dead tired. It's 8:35 pm and I am wondering if I am going to make it through the next hour.

Paul just made 'kanel-bullar', but with a sugar-vanilla filling instead of sugar-cinnamon. They were good so I had some of those and my tea and here I sit...ready to fall over.

If you want, you can see a little video that was taken this past summer in Brunnsparken. The person holding the camera is missing the best part of Brunnsparken but I guess he only wants to show the spårvagns. Its HERE . I have to say that here in Göteborg, for the most part you either walk, take the spårvagn, or ride a bike. Better for the environment.

Sorry I made this post so long. I guess I had a lot to say.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

That's so typical with the bus/tram coming when you've decided to walk! Patience is virtue indeed. Anyways, I call it the invisible tram or bus when the billboard says NU and the freakin' ride is nowhere in sight. You had a long day and definitely deserve that kanelbulle your hubby prepared!

Perfect Virgo said...

Great story. In the UK there are no buses for ages then 3 come along all at once! Here in P.E.I. they only got buses 2 years ago and people are still suspicious of them.

Ms. Kimba said...

well the worst happened when i had to do it again today because this time the first tram i got on had issues! so i missed all the other ones at my next stop.damnit!

Maja said...

I think you should start wearing joggers to work!

Ms. Kimba said...

i think so too.