Saturday, February 25, 2006
Cold Cold Cold
I didn’t leave the grill house at 0400, the place was too crowded. I left at 0230 Wandering about for 10 min before I found the seemingly “perfect” place to stay for the night. It was a wooden tunnel at a playground. I tried to sleep but it was just too freaking cold. And the initial thought about a tunnel being a good place to stay was wrong. I got some protection from the wind initially but the wind through the tunnel is terrible. Can you imagine squeezed into a one-meter long play tunnel, curled up like a dried shrimp and thinking whether you will survive without freezing into an ice popsicle? I woke up after tossing for 20 min. Then I found another wooden house at another playground. Better? Yes! I got shielded from all directions but it was still too cold! I decided to go to STF hostel to try my luck. This was at 0330 and sub-zero temperature in the street of Kiruna. It was locked. I thought I could try to get indoor. But not too bad… There is a small space prior the hostel’s entrance (Picture below) and so I stayed. It was better than the playground but it was still very very cold. My feets were bitten by the cold air; even two layers of woolen socks and snow boots were no match for the freezing temperature. I made the best use of the situation: there was an electric supply socket; I plugged in my laptop and watched some Chinese drama. Quite an experience to watch drama in this cold.
I was lucky; I heard the sound of a taxi’s engine and had a feeling that something is going right for me. This was at 0530. A couple walked to the door and opened it from inside. The door of the hostel, actually, wouldn’t open till 0900 but this couple who checked out at odd hours had actually helped me! And yes, I am finally in a warm place after more than 3 hours in the cold. I thought I could get some sleep but the plot of the show kept me awake. End of the cold ordeal.
I was lucky; I heard the sound of a taxi’s engine and had a feeling that something is going right for me. This was at 0530. A couple walked to the door and opened it from inside. The door of the hostel, actually, wouldn’t open till 0900 but this couple who checked out at odd hours had actually helped me! And yes, I am finally in a warm place after more than 3 hours in the cold. I thought I could get some sleep but the plot of the show kept me awake. End of the cold ordeal.
# posted by William : 7:30 AM
