Caroline Bach2 Comments

“You don’t have an ESTA? Ha!”

image

So, in case anybody ever googles this:

YES, you definitely need a US visa even if you are only going to be in Miami airport for two hours.

Surprise! Never heard of anything like this. Anyway, the extremely unpleasant British Airways lady in the check-in counter wanted to cancel my ticket. I asked her to wait, ran off, and did the ESTA visa at the NOVIA counter in the airport, they were sweet, helpful and made me pay 25€. Apparently I was the fifth person today with the same issue. Uhm, what about a little information box on the website, airlines?

So I’m London bound now, let’s hope there will be no more surprises – apparently I need to declare my luggage and get my last boarding card in Miami as well. Because BA just couldn’t issue it here. Just because.

Oh, British Airways, are we really going to continue fighting in this irrationally destructive relationship of ours?

I’m very excited by the way. And my mom is the best in the world. Ciao!

Caroline BachLeave a comment

The list

image

Almost all items on the list of lists have been ticked off. In two hours I’m boarding a train to the airport with the beautiful wooden floors.

My biggest dilemma? Which external harddrive to bring. The almost full one, or the empty one? I can’t seem to live without my database, but who really needs 2TB of stuff? “But what if I need one of my photos from 2006? Or want to listen to the Pink Floyd discography?!” Life is complicated sometimes.

I do actually have bigger things to worry about right now – speaking Spanish again after an entire year of maningue, muito bom, posso, agora, então, isso, depois, obrigada and many, many boa tarde’s, for example.

Here’s part two ofthe packing process, by the way, all packed now:

image

“What, you’e only bringing 23kg’s + carry-on?!” Well yeah, and myself.

Caroline Bach1 Comment

Ordnung

image

I experience a weird kind of pleasure from having everything perfectly under control, maybe my last name makes me slightly German after all.

I have to show you my beautiful packing list tomorrow. It’s based on a master list that I adjust according to what the aim and destination of my trip is. It’s so pretty and nerdy! Oh, excessively meticulous? Me? Nahh.. haha

The kind of travel I’m packing for now is one of the more difficult types. I need formal and neutral office wear, skirts for sunny afternoons, casual beach wear, happy dancing dresses, long-distance bus wear and some warmer stuff for air-condition abused areas. Different kinds of cities, different kinds of meetings, different kinds of awesome. And I will have to look like a person almost all of the time as well.

I’m actually bringing my trainers this time as an attempt to keep on moving and get out of the office sometimes. And then there are the gadgets – a thousand essentials. I mean, who could ever do without an extension cord, a portable battery-pack, a mini luggage-scale or a USB hub?

Caroline BachLeave a comment

A proud mother

Iina caught me taking the photo of a little girl in Changara when we were there in November last year to film for a Finnish fundraising event.

I was a facilitator, translator and reporter at once, and had a very fruitful time with the team and the people we met. The mother was one of the more interesting personalities I have met on my way, with a contagious laughter and very strong presence, she was proud of her children, proud of her house, very sharp minded and not even a tiny bit shy. An absolutely fantastic woman.

The gala and videos were aired on Finnish TV yesterday, I will share them with you if UNICEF Finland gives me the permission to do so.


Photo credt for photo above: Iina Kuustonen

Caroline Bach1 Comment

Om nom nom nom Malmö

Leonie crossed the bridge yesterday to help me out with a big piece of cheescake. Later on in the evening, the girls came to hug and say goodbye at the really nice Chilout Sushi Lounge where Jesaja was playing funk beats and the baked sushi rolls were really, really, really good.

Today has been a lovely day in the sun. With more of that mind blowing cheescake from Pronto Coffeehouse. My last weekend in Malmö, I can’t believe it.