Outside the window, sweeps the Göteborg pass by like a painting. Despite the train’s high speed I have time to see short glimpses of everyday life in the cottages, which sweeps past me. In one of the red houses, I see an older man cutting the grass in the garden. A few minutes later, sweeping a woman passing by walking the dog. That train ride feels like a plunge in the foreign people’s lives – if only for a few short seconds.
For the first time in my life I booked first class on the trip to Stockholm. When the call taker, on the other side of the handset, asked me if it is possible with a smaller table during the trip, regretted my decision. Since when do I care about how big the table is during the trip?
the smells of toast. Most likely, someone purchased a sandwich on the way to the station. Of approximately 50 travelers, I am one of five women in the cart. The majority consists of white-haired men who wear pants up to the waist using a belt. In a single corner is a middle-aged man, wearing a tight t-shirt, and watching a movie from their computer.
even as a child I learned to be grateful for what I have. My mother worked extra in the evenings, and my dad was proud when he bought a used book as a present for my sister and me. The happiest he was when he managed to find a studiebok because we could learn something from the reading. Despite the fact that the books most gathered dust gave me a sense of that the second best is good enough.
me on the SJ’s gräddhylla feels it is not as tasty as I had hoped. The atmosphere feels far too ancient to be able to enjoy. To me it feels ancient when travelers are divided into different classes depending on how much they can pay. The only positive with gräddhyllan is that it is significantly quieter. But this feeling grips also grabbed me when I visit fancy restaurants. Among the white tablecloths and staff who suit up on guests, I want nothing more than to be a fly on the wall.
Invokes the feeling class, or reflect only my own insecurities? It is a complicated question to answer.
Raffaella Lindstrom is a reporter at Today’s News and plan to travel in class 2 next time she takes the train.
