Tag 108 - Arlanda Airport, Sweden (28.04.2020)

Since our last blog post from Kuala Lumpur, several days have passed and many things have happened in the meantime. That's why we want to bring you up to date and share our thoughts with you:

The time after Easter in our apartment was not really different from the days before. The only excitement was a fire alarm in our residential complex, which forced us to evacuate from the 30th floor down the fire escape. So the workout was done for the day :)

The Malaysian government then decided on April 24 to extend the lockdown ('Movement Control Order' = MCO) at least until mid-May.

In addition, certain parts of Kuala Lumpur were placed under an 'Extended MCO'. In these areas, the military had barricaded all entrances to residential complexes with barbed wire, and no one was allowed in or out. Food was distributed by the army and police.

Since one of these neighborhoods was near our residential complex, it was decided to have the entire complex disinfected from the outside and inside for two days. Therefore, we were not allowed to leave our apartment until two days later, when the more than 30 floors had been disinfected.

However, during this time we never felt unsafe or threatened. After more than 40 days in our apartment, we finally wanted to go out, take a walk, and enjoy nature again.

The decision to postpone our world trip for the time being, leave Southeast Asia, and return to Europe was not easy for us. However, the situation in many countries is currently deteriorating due to the lack of tourism. In Thailand and Bali, for example, the locals are in extremely difficult situations, as many have lost their jobs and are on the verge of ruin due to the lack of income. The long-term consequences in these regions, such as poverty and increasing crime rates, are not yet fully aware to many people in Europe.

After long consideration, we therefore booked one of the last remaining flights via Qatar to Stockholm.

And then on Michi's birthday, it was time.

After our backpacks were packed, we took a taxi to the airport at around 6 p.m. We were lucky because the military was busy with dinner, so we were able to pass the roadblocks on the empty highway without any problems.

Therefore, we did not have to use our pass, which we had received from the German Embassy.

When we arrived at the airport, the huge international terminal was eerily empty. Only about 50 other travelers were hoping for flights to their home countries.

We waited here for a total of 6 hours next to Chinese people dressed in full-body painter suits and eagerly looked at the display board, on which 95% of the flights were shown in red as CANCELED.

After we were able to convince the lady at the check-in counter after a longer discussion that we, as EU citizens, were allowed to travel to Sweden, we were able to check in our luggage and take the 7-hour flight to Qatar without any further problems.

We were lucky, and at 2:35 a.m. our plane actually took off.

With only about 15-20 people on board, we enjoyed an excellent flight with excellent service from Qatar Airways, as there was basically one flight attendant per passenger. Despite the circumstances, we even received the food we had previously ordered online.

The layover in Doha went smoothly as well. After 4 hours of waiting, luck was once again on our side. Our flight had not been canceled, except for a few remaining connections to Europe!

After another 6-hour flight on the almost empty Airbus 350, we landed on Swedish soil around 12:30 p.m.

We were a bit nervous because we were not sure if we would be allowed to enter so easily due to the current situation.

The immigration officer looked at our passports, glanced at us briefly, and then said in almost perfect German with a smile, 'Germany? How are you? Welcome to Sweden, have a great time!' - We were super happy and a bit perplexed at how smoothly everything went.

After more than 30 hours of travel time, but overjoyed, we grabbed our luggage and headed to the nearest airport hotel to finally fall into bed there.

So we chose Sweden, not like so many others who decided to return to Germany.

Sweden has been on our travel list as a desired destination for a long time. In addition, we can move freely here thanks to the liberal measures.

We are aware that traveling in 2020, and probably also in 2021, will not be the same as before.

However, when we decided to go on a world trip, break all ties in Germany, and boarded the plane to Thailand in January, we consciously chose to embrace the unknown. This also includes facing challenges and overcoming difficult situations.

Therefore, we see the situation as an opportunity, which we will all grow from and look back on positively in a few years.

Our 3 months in Southeast Asia have shown us more than ever how important it is to be grateful. Instead of complaining about things we currently cannot do or do not have, we should be much more satisfied with what we have. The experiences and encounters with people have shown us that there are always small things to enjoy. It is also easier to live when instead of seeing crises and problems, we see opportunities and possibilities for personal growth.

We do not know what the future holds for us - but that's exactly what, in our opinion, makes life worth living!

In the next few weeks, we will enjoy the Swedish spring and our regained freedom!

In this spirit - See you soon!

Bianca and Michael