In Sweden, every Swede is given a personal number which is a 6 digit number (DOB: YYMMDD) followed by a 4 digit number (3 digits and a checkdigit). If you ask any Swede what it is, they won’t tell you but you can be sure they’ll know it off by heart. This number is basically like the National Insurance number of the UK or the social security number of the USA except with more prominence. It is used frequently when making purchases, using the healthcare system, getting jobs or other government branches. Getting a job is something I would like to do whilst here so I got one of these numbers, however I had to say that I would be staying here for more than a year, which confused me. EU citizens have the right to work in any country, but Sweden will not give you the number without you saying you’ll be here for more than a year. The obvious solution was to twist the truth slightly.
Today I am also in Sundsvall. It is 03.01am. Last night (night of the 22nd) I set off on a night train (natt tåg) from Borås to Sundsvall, with 1 change. I’d booked a bed as it was an extra £10/12€. These trains are hot, so unless you’ve booked a bed, take some lightweight clothing. Shared a triple bunk with 2 other Swedish guys which were interesting to chat to. One was crossing the country in search of jobs due to the recession kicking him (and his masters degree) in the face twice in one year with the redundancy boot. The other guy was going on a state funded ski instructors training course.
The train was an experience, each bunk had a radio and a cabin call bell. Ideal if you find that your room mates are crazy and indeed want to hurt you as there are hefty train staff on board to deal with such incidents. There was also a shower, a bistro and a state of the art on-board cinema. The cinema was broken which is a shame because the film was ‘How to lose friends and alienate people’. Onwards. Arrived at 4am (sleep deprived) and thought about sitting in the station. It was full of sleeping homeless people and I didn’t feel like being rude and disturbing them. I saw that the fast food restaurant across the street had its doors open which was great so I carried my 35kg suitcase, two rucksacks and bicycle across the street to the door where the guy simple said we’re shut. A guy tried to convince me he was a taxi to take me somewhere to which I thanked him and said I was going to go and buy some food instead.
The petrol station was full of strange people and had a kind of stand up café. Now I’d planned the day before that I would get there at 4am and check into my hostel at 10am. That was 6 hours after arrival and soon after standing in the petrol station I realised that me and my bags weren’t going to make it. So I called a taxi and wound up in a cheap ibis hotel which cost me £50 for the night. But I wasn’t going to stand in the middle of Sundsvall any longer. They let me check in very early as the room was empty and I slept. Explored Sundsvall a little, not enough to report on but we’ll find out later today.
Night!
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