Like flying, but by train
Eurostar under the channel. One never knows what will inspire you. I’m a “member” in the sect Tågsemester (Vacation by train) on facebook. Like all groups that grow immensly (more that 233 000 members) it can sometimes get a bit… elitist. Which is a bit annoying, but the advantages by far exceeds the prickly atmosphere. You are if anything firmly put in you place by some of the “magnificent” moderators if they think you as about things before searching in the group first. I always thougt it was volontary to ansver the questions rather than putting people down cause they ask. All we want is to travel more sustainably.
My point is that soemone had posted that they travelled to London by train instead of flying, and how convenient it was. And on that particular day I was bored an checked… facebook. Thank you Londontraveller by train posting member of Tågsemester (VacationByTrain). I felt this was an intresting challenge.
I bought a Eurrail Mobile Pass with 5 travelling days within a month. First class to avoid travelling families with kids. So worth it. And as a bonus you can book seats in both 1:st and 2:nd class if the available seats are few.
Booking Eurostar with a Eurrail Pass

A small treat for 1:st class travellers in Denmark.

Eurostar
This is where it really reminds you of that 1. England is no longer part of the EU. 2. That taking the train to london also includes check-in, and check-in time. Yes, you’re recommended being at the check in 90 minutes prior to departure. I love safety, so I don’t mind. Without any fear of flying to mention, safety doesn’t really cross my mind since we’re on the ground. Me naiv? Very much exactely so, yes.

Standard Premier
I didn’t remember booking that kind of ticket, but obviously I must have. Yes, you do need to buy a supplement for the tunnel ride. The earlier, the less expensive. If you book last minute the price one way can be as much as €300 instead of the less than €50 since I booked two weeks in advance.
Again, with Eurostar from the city center one capital in Europe to the city center of another capital in Europe. Ca 2 hours. If that isn’t super convenient, I don’t know what is.

Freedom in a bag
I’ve written this before, and I’ll propably repeat it again and again and again. Nothing beats travelling with a bicycle as a companion. Yes, sometimes I get a slight bruise from lugging the bag on and off trains, but I promise, it’s worth it!

Comfort zone -not
This entire trip is a thought to be a challenge in doing the uncomfortable. I had great sucess in the matter. Will I do the uncomfortable again? Some yes. Some no. Some modified.
Since I like to travel more, I’ve got to make my budget stretch over a few trips. However… staying at airbnb when travelling alone like this, propably not. My strategy was to choose guest favourites in artsy suburbs of London. Being a host myself, and reading the reviews with a magnifying glass I felt I picked great places. A failure is in some way also a success, cause you learn something. I don’t know if this learning experience will add anything to coming trips more than to be more careful with hosts without a name, or hosts with profile images that are very… incognito.
Plans or… no plans
I thought I had planned with airbnb bookings in Brussels (3 nights) and in London (3+3) and finishing off in Amsterdam (3 nights). Plans like this I’ve learned is’nt that great for me. No I know for sure.
First, I used one of my bonus hotel nights in Copenhagen to get on an early train to Brussels. On the trainstation in Copenhagen, my train… was missing on the board due to a six day train strike in… Germany. The country right in the middle of my way to London. So my 3 night visit in Brussels shrunk to one night.
The great thing with that was that I could go back to Malmo to reduce my packing from my new Osprey Farpoint 65 with wheels to my smaller Osprey Fairview 40 travelpack that is perfect for carrying, but just 10 litres too small… (propably a great thing!). The larger backpack was way to heavy and unbalanced for the back of my bicycle. You try/live, and you learn.

From large to small

A Day & two separate nights in Copenhagen
This is another great thing travelling by train, from one capital to another capital in Europe. I’m slowly getting to know what I like on Copenhagen. In the end both my accumulated bonus nights were spent here… My first at Hotel Ottilia in the Carlsberg area. Looked like a treat when I booked, but was a bit of a dissapointment since I ended up in a room that felt more like a prison cell since the large window that was in the booking had… disappeared. And irl it was a bit too far off, that wasn’t a surprice like the lack of a window though. Another You travel, and you learn😊.

Second time around -> second bonus night at Hotel SP34. Much happier with both the room and convenient location.


A bonus staying here (as well as at Hotel Ottilia) is the complimentary wine inbetween 17-18 in the afternoon’ish. Decent wine as well, in a comfortable setting.
A favourite, or two when in Copenhagen
Granola
The location at Vaernedamsvej 5 is nice, the interior is nice, the staff is pleasant, and the coffe and food is… decent. If you sum it up, it’s still one of my favourites. The danes themselves impress me greately sitting outide at plenty of cafés and restaurants while it, in my view it’s still winterish. Must be some of that Viking spirit, or a deep longing for spring.

Only looking…
The cute interior design shop DORA, opposite of Granola is also a small gem in town if you like to look at things not to buy while travelling. I myself consider most intresting shops as small galleries, and an opportunity to practise self control.

KLASSIK
Another store, that can even more easily be handled like a gallery. The first reason is that it’s used furniture of world wide well renowned danish designers. The second reason is the prices. Definately worth it in my opinion. I guess the staff can read all us visitors by our body language.
KLASSIK has two locations, and the most central one is on Bredgade 3.

Brussels
I’ve never been, and since I was taking the train to London I might as well make a stop. Very short…. and stayed in a great top floor room with my own bath at Alains place, through Airbnb. Happy.


Ixelles
The blessing of GPS and something holding the phone. One of the major, if not the greatest advantage of travelling with a bike, is that one is given a much easier time finding lodging. Three, five or six kilometres from the train station is nothing by bike. I imagine it’s much easier finding a budget friendly place, or a more intresting neighbourhood than the city center if your way of getting there by bike. On top of it, I get some exercise after sitting (on a train) for hours.
My pre-surfing made me intrested in Ixelles, since it’s supposed to be a very popular area of Brussels. Unfortunately I missed out on two of my nights there, byt was happy to get som tips from my airbnb host Alain for that ONE dinner in town. Cause staying in Ixelles gave that towny feeling.

Late dinner
At Le Petit Canon on Rue de Hennin 98, Brussels, a small super cosy wine bar with the perfect size tapas. A tuesday night and this bubbely atmosphere. Loved it!!
London
Yes, at St Pancras Int’l. I had repressed that I always get… frustrated to describe the (my) mental state mildly, when I’m batteling my GPS or… inability to understand modern technology. Leaving the station is easy, cause you’re given only a few options with (still) exit signs and you’re out. But as you know, reality has simply put, four major directions. The train station building might have different exits in relation to these directions.
It doesn’t help that my internet provider gives my quite a hard time connecting when I’m ouside of Sweden. In this day and age speed is of importance. It’s even more important for an impatient personality. That is me.
I had booked a lodging in the far off, and up & coming & artsy fartsy suburb of Deptford. At an airbnb host that gave me the first ever sour experience. Not only was it far (my own choice), it was dark, and apple maps… I know I’m supposed to use Google maps, but I don’t like the voice (again, my own shortcoming). The host all of a sudden changing check-in time an hour after his listed time due to an important job call. No… we didn’t really hit it off.
I booked a hostel for the following two nights, and cancelled my airbnb booking at my own financial loss. There are limits for my tolerance of arrogance. Left quite as a mouse before the break of dawn. Neat and clean as always since I’m very vain in relayion to how I leave things since I’ve been a host myself.
Hostelworld
I guess I was so stressed out by this sore experience that I didn’t check the hostels age limit. With the result that once handing over my passport, I was kindly rejected and offered some other names of hostals for…older people. Since I was so happy to be 19 km away from the Deptford experience I didn’t really care. I just booked a hotel through Hotels.com cause the revievs said the staff was nice. And the staff at Star Hotel at 97-99 Shepherd’s Bush Road, Hammersmith is SOOOO very nice.

Bicycling in London
First, everything in traffic is on… the left side. This DID worry me quite before coming. But since my history has proven me being a not so great bicyclist, I’m super super super careful. I pretty much stay as far to the side and do not behave like my not humble self while talking. Or walking.
So, it worked. I had read somewhere in a bicycle traveller group on facebook that they don’t really appreciate bicyclists in traffic in England. Of course that fact was contradicted in the same group. I just kept in mind that i really shoud stay far out on the side.
Well… it appeared that there wasn’t much side to stay out in/on. But I did try my best, and I’m still alive. DO be careful while bicycling in London though, cause not everyone is as lucky as I was.

Observing other bicyclists in London
The vast majority bicycling in London are men, I’d say a rough estimate would be 98%. There are more female bicyclists the closer to the center you get. Another observation was reflective clothing of some sort, and 99,2 % wear a helmet. I’m so proud of myself preparing with a reflecting harness 🙂
No one gives any signs of where the’re going, so you get a 100% experience of here & now. You can’t focus on pretty much anything but where you’re going, staying safe, and where other bicyclists might be going. I’d say that was really a restful state for my brain, even if it doesn’t sound peaceful. It was.
Cycling safety -tips
Great recommendations, but one… no earphones. I have absolutely no objection and propably agree, but the use of a gps… becomes SO much easier with some kond of… earphones. I didn’t use my large Bose ones, but the AirPods. That worked fine, but remember I’m super careful due to previous accidents (without earphones).
Bike phone holder (GPS)
Another thing to keep in mind, remove your removable things from your bicycle, yourself. Or you might get some assistans in the matter. Non beneficial to yourself. I lost my GPS/Phone holder. Had to buy a new one that I actually prefere to my old rubbery one that had the consequence that I often stayed away from stopping for pictures. The new one isn’t universe gift to people like me, but it’s at least much better, and I stop so much more often for documentation😇. In the future there will be other kinds on my wishlist. But for now, I’m reasonably happy. Plus the staff at Decathlon on High Kensington Strees was so very helpful.
List of other peoples test of, or holder preferences.
Bikeshopgirl
New York Times
Outdoorgearlab
Bicycle lock
I got a new one since someone tried, but failed to steal Sally the bike in August. They managed to damage the chain though. Decided to get one of the folding ones. I’m not sure OXC is the safest, or within the less heavy category, but I really like it. Very convenient case that fits on my handlebar pole. Definately more lightweight than my other safe chains. I have to admit that I have lost two bicycles in Malmo, Sweden even though I’ve had the safest chains according to the insurance companies. I’m actually so tired of getting my every dag bicycle stolen (lost three on six years) that when I bought my latest one I sprayed it orange. I hope me writing about it won’t be a classic case of jinxing it…
Folding locks
Thebestbikelocks
Thebestbikelocks (another link)
Abus


Broken glass in bicycle lanes
Not like the roads in Italy (remember they have severe problems with garbage maffia), but OH my… there is not only so much glass, but it’s also very frequent with glass in the roadside bicycle lanes. Of course… I was lucky as always when I’m travelling with Sally.
There are no “roadside” pump stations either. Not that I expected any, but in Malmo (Malmö) where I partly live there are a reasonable amout of them. In Stockholm, where I also live, the’re hardly any.
Bicycle lanes in London
There are plenty, in all shapes and… qualities. Only for bicyclists (and the gig economy -food deliverers) separated from other vehicles, separated bicycle highways, only for bicyclists next to cars (that also park in those lanes), shared with buses, shared but to the side of the regular cars, shared inte middle of the road with other vehicles, separated lanes through parks, shared space with pedestrians along canals (advantage pedestrians of course <3). Many many options.








GPS for bicycle routes
I’m SOOOO impressed. I’ve been lugging Sally the bike along on many trips the last couple of years. When using the GPS and clicking on the vehicle bicycle there are abolutely no directions only for bicycles. But in London, there is. It worked beautifully.
With my totally sucking internet provider, the GPS might… NOT be working at times. I become a creaking baby within seconds due to sooooo many ecperiences of my poor internet connection while travelling. No, it doesn’t improve much if any when I choose net manually.
Apple or Google maps?
I know… it’s easier getting to where you’re planning on reaching by using Google. I don’t know if it’s because I’m used to the fuckery fuck Apple maps, or if it is ageing or personality that make mw unwilling to change. I just DO NOT like google maps with GPS. Planning a trip, of course I use Google maps. There we have it… while planning / looking at a map, I don’t need to listen to english in swedish. Niether do I get to hear this “person” telling me to make a right when it’s obvious that I’m supposed to make a left when I look at the screen. Do I have myself to blame for mishaps? Partly, yes. But I’m very unwilling to take ALL the blame.
Redlights & Flow
Of course I will not give advice of ignoring redlights. I’m just thinking that during my six days & 189 km/117 miles in London one has to spend quite a while at redlights. In the suburbs without the (ULEZ -see below) my estimate is that I spent ca 30% of the time getting somewhere at a red-light. Again, I’m in no way suggesting to break them, I’m just saying. Furthermore, can you imagine how much of the Co2 that could be cut by creating much more of a traffic flow. Especially if you wen’t through the… agony of giving the low emitting vehicles benefits. Yes, I’m 100% bias due to using a bicycle as my main city transport, and… that my profession is in sustainability, and the last one… IT IS healthy to use your own physical body as part of the transport. Your brain also (don’t worry, I do know that the brain is part of the body) get a good go by using a bicycle and/or your legs for transport.
The Ultra Low Emissions Zone (ULEZ) for London
Since I pretty much started with Pancras station to the suburbs in London it was super busy, and not very friendly. Returning more inwards to the city center, the bicycling demografics (mentioned above) changed. The tempo, and space as well. In a day or so I started thinking… there must be some kind of environmental traffic zone tarif. Or at least some kind of congestion fee.
Yes, 15 sterling pounds if you drive within the congestion zone Mon-Fri 7-18, or Sat-Sun 12-18. If you drive an electric car, there is no charge.

Seriously, it made a huge difference for me (and everyone else I guess). Both the amount of cars trafficing the road and therefore the available space for me. The co-operation inbetween trafficants was less aggressive. And the air qualitry was significantly better that what I remeber it like as a teenager visiting London. Yeeeeey.
Bicycle CPR
Sally was making more noice than she usually does. And she DID get a renovation and service after the attempted theft in august. London isn’t filled with bicycle shops like in Malmo. But thank you GPS and the big searech engine😊. Found CycleCare Kensington. Not only did “the guy” have the time to assist almost right away, he also gave her possibly the last repair possible before takiong her to a welder… I totally forgive the mechanic for having NO understanding of why I love this bike SO much. She’s my best travelbuddy ever!! Still, all my praise to this store and the mechanic!!

Ps. the mechanic didn’t want his face in the image.
The Canals
Yes, if possible, always find a stream of some sort and follow. London is full of canals. Some of the “floats” there seem more “dead than alive”. For sure, the’re alive, but very untidy on the outside. My imagination tells me there is a micro ball room on the inside, but the outside is to keep uninvited not intrested in joining the dance.
If you bicycle along them, where possible, keep to the side and give way to pedestrians. Somewhere you can’t even ride your bike, at other places you can but some pedestrians act as if they assume you’re not allowed. Or they were just raised NOT to share. Yes, some people got that served for breakfast, but most were taught that charing is an amazing tool for constructive social interaction.
I love riding along canals. I also really fancy sharing.





Ps. If “hostile” weather, avoid The Thames, cause it magnifies the unfriendly wind chill factor.
Contemporary art -or the Emperors new clothes
My general intrest in art varies from better (more technically & artistically skilled) street art and contemporary. Sometimes art, and especially contemporary art can be very provoking. I guess that’s a good thing. But less enjoyable. But it’s like everything else in life, what you see comes from your own inside…
Saatchi Gallery
At King’s Road is one of my absolute favourites. In the parts of the world that I’ve visited. This time, as well as many other times I feel like I manage to visit just inbetween upcoming exhibitions. Meaning very little to see. But if nothing else, the wooden floors in the gallery are amazing!!
The admission at Saatchi Gallery varies, but starts at 10 brittish pounds.






How to survive the… museum shop
No no no… don’t do it. The shop IS part of the visiting experience. I wich there vas some kind of museup shop vaccine available instead of Anonymous group therapy in the matter.

And I DO want to be rewarded a medal of honour for only buying this. Two cards for two very special friends <3.

Cause as you can see, the damage could have been MUCH worse.


Whitechapel Gallery
Oh yes, I brilliantly managed visiting inbetween exhibits… meaning I was totallt left to… visiting the museum shop here as well.
Admission at Whitechapel Gallery starts at 12,50 brittish pounds.

I guess a medal of honor is a little bit too much to ask for in this case. With traces of the teenage skill (fueled by hormones an that invincible feeling of persuasion -of a parent- to buy something totally uneccecary and at times way too expensive), I came out with a book.
I’m sure you understand the set up of… pitiful me. Plus only one bithday card for a special friend.


Are you ready
For Guerilla Girls at Tate Modern? I’m so dissapointed in myself for not being more angry. With that said, I have an advanced emotional register, ask my students…
What is the most obvious in this, unfair or stupid? My general intellectual approach to inequality is to ignore it, and go for what I/you want. I guess that is me avoiding the problem, and for sure… it’s a very mild reaction to inequality amongst women and men.

Tate Modern
Is a bit too grand for me, but I would never miss going while visiting London, cause sometimes they DO have some exhibit that really pleases me. This time… for sure!!
The admission at Tate Modern is free.



Ieeeeey, noooooo…..
My gosh what a challenge this was. This time I ought to be rewarded the GOLD medal of self control. One of my absolute favourite colours is… orange.




Tokyobike
In Shoreditch is not a museum shop, but it might just as well have been. Cause a bicycle in itself IS art in motion. Forget about Muhammad Ali. I had to gear up… and use my “If you think about this tomorrow, you can buy it“. Oh yes, I DID. But universe was kind, and the store was closed when I went back on the last day before departure. It saved me about 174 brittish pounds.

You know that feeling…
of being something that the cat dragged in. First of all, this store is so cool it doesn’t need a sign. The staff will completely ignore you, since they pretty much know you won’t buy anything. A bit like the Prada flagship in Manhattan NYC in the late 90’s. We DO forgive them, cause we’re just so very happy to be able to… attend.
I also forgive them for wanting to be a more exclusive MUJI. I’m 100% sure that they hardly sell any bicycles.


Please
Admire my strength.



What about the food?
Me and my planning… I was supposed to have ONLY inidan food for dinner for a week. Cause there is nothing like indian food in London. Or is it a case of watching a favourite movie from 25 years ago?
I DID have indian the three first nights. It was tasty, but not knock out like in my plan. So I abandoned indian for the rest of the week. Looking back, I propably should’t have done that. I had read about the less noticed Drummond Street and the authentic indian food one could find there. It was a tiny road, but I’m glad I went, otherwise I propably have had a feeling of missing out. Even though… it wasn’t THAT special. In my view.
England itself isn’t really praised for it’s culinary art. But being a multicultural country, and especially London have everything. I think I fucked it up by having too high expectations, and bicycling too much. Refueling in time to be specific… if you don’t, you pretty much corner yourself in relation to where you end up.
Yes, you read it right. If you read inbetween the lines. I didn’t get any food worth mentioning. The oat lattes at all the cosy cafes, that also was part of my plan, was shinging with it’s absence. I DO accept the blame for this, since being hungry AND choosing a place IS not the best combination.
Other “eat & drink” observations
In the “city” you will only find places (touristy ones) on the main streets. If there are local gems on the side streets, they hide exceptionally well. Forget about finding an independent café, a cosy hole in the wall restaurant or wine bar on a backstreet. I guess the rents for “shops” and such need plenty of flow.
Bye Bye London
Six nights in London, that could easily have been shrunk to four. But now I know 😊

Amsterdam next
The last and only time I visited Amsterdam I was 25, and hated it. It couldn’t possibly be THAT bad. Since I love bicycling as a way of travelling, or rather discovering, it’s pretty much compulsary to give Amsterdam another try.
Arriviving late afternoon I booked three nights at another praised Airbnb host. The height of the cielings must be massive 😊
Anne Frank Haus
Another compulsary, and in my case, main mission in town. It’s absolutely UNREAL to walk around in a house that has made such a historical impact, unreal!

Book your ticket
Yes, you need to book a ticket to be able to visit Anne Frank Haus. I’m travelling OFF season, so I did get a ticket. I had no idea it might be difficult. I could choose inbetween 9 in the morning, or 17.30 in the afternoon. It’s a great thing, cause too many people in this building wouldn’t only have been unsafe, it would also have risked “damaging” the experience of being here.
No photography
It’s wierd that I of all people felt this was a blessing. Not that everyone followed that rule, it still made a difference that most people did. The atmosphere is very silent which helps the personal impact of being in this historically important place.

The impact
It’s also unreal that this dairy is actually written, and saved for the world to read. And how everyone pretty much know about it. Annes journal is propably as well known as the book Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky.
Anne Franks journal have been translated to more than 70 languages.

I didn’t even try
To resist this museum shop. I had to buy the bag. And the postcard. For myself.



Art & Food
The things that if anything adds content to ones travelling… The weather being a storm, fucked up my visit to outdoor NDSM. I couldn’t for (almost) my life hold the bicycle straight. Gave up, and sat down in a restaurant and ate the worst burger of the last five years of my life. Pretty much all the restaurant by NDSM are very generic. My advice is, take the ferry back and eat somewhere else.

Yes… I googled for cosy cafés and decided to opt for what was mentiones as Amsterdams most instagrammed café, C T Coffe & Coconuts. I really have no clue to what makes me like some cafés over others. But I do guess expectations do play a role. If it wasn’t for my tremendous fortune of finding a seat next to the Café Cat, it would have made NO impact what so ever.
The environment is an old theatre in two levels, and an open up to the ceileing layout. Me putting the place down is an absolute favour to you, cause this will give you a totally different expectation.

Cats
First of all, I do NOT support animal tourism. Second, don’t touch an animal unless you have it’s consent, or know the animal very well. The’re not ours cause we live on the same planet. This cat clearly did NOT want to be handled, so I just sat and enjoyed it next to me. No cuddling.

Eurail & the Railplanner app
I don’t even care that it might be less expensive to travel on single booked / bought tickets than having a Eurail pass. I’m not saying it is more expensive, but from what I read in the facebook sect Tågsemester (vacation by train), with planning and buying your tickets way in advance it might be cheaper without the different versions of Eurailpasses available.
I get a difficulty breathing if I need to make a detailed plan that I have to follow on my spare time. My work life is as detailed as it can be, and that’s enough for me. Don’t get me wrong, I love pre travelling by reading, looking at maps and costs and seasonal climate of different places. As well as finding out the more sustainable way of getting myself to these different places. I end up not even being intrested in 65% of the places I’ve read about.
But when you’re cold, and the weather forecast of a destination looks like this…

… the Eurrail pass and the Railplanner is more than a blessing. When does the next train out of town in my home direction leave? Oh, in two hours. On a bicycle it only takes minutes back to the Airbnb lodging, another 15 minutes to pee and pack my bags.



Home sweet home
Not quite yet. I’m relearning how to travel. Or more how to calibrate travelling. It’s easy to exaggerate when lying down in the sofa with my Ipad at home.
Since my plan was to challenge the idea of going to London, you travel by plane, and take the train instead. So far, It was a great decision. But I should have gone straight, and not tried to squeeze other places in to the route.

The teenager in me
Open my backpack, and let it unpack by itself 😇
Ps. One little thing… I have two more traveldays on my Eurrail pass. Travel, or not travel?
Ps#2 I didn’t like Amsterdam. Too much garbage. Too many tourists (yes, I know… )
