The Journey

Checked-in my luggage evening the day before, to make the 5 am departure less painful. This resulted to a movie like departure. When I was in security control I heard from the speakers: Kristina Toms, please proceeded to your gate immediately, you are delaying the flight. And so I was the last person to get on the plane.
Still feels like I am just going to another trip. As it starts exactly as most of my business trips last year. Flight from Tallinn to Riga. In last 12 months I have been to Riga airport 6 times and even spent a night there. So it is kind of like home already.
Next destination: Riga to Stockholm. 5 hours of waiting in Arlanda airport (which is definitely not my favorite one) whit ridiculously expensive coffee and internet. But on a positive note I was amazed, that although I haven’t practiced for 4 years already, I still understand a bit of Swedish and could even read the airport magazine.
First panic also accrued. While checking in in Stockholm, the lady says to me: the system requires that you have a return ticket as well for boarding. What? But, I don’t know when I am coming back? I was told I don’t need a return ticket for visa! After few calls, the lady takes my promise that I will not accuse the Turkish airways or demand them to fly me home, when I don’t get a visa in Jordan airport. And I get my boarding passes to Istanbul and Amman.

Around 4 pm I arrived in Istanbul. Turkish airways is way better than I thought. Good food and nice service. After 2 hours of flight delays I arrive in Amman. Visa takes forever, couse just in front of me there is a family: Arabic man, Asian looking Moslem woman and 7 children who speak finnish :).

I am picked up by 3 AIESEC guys here. I get my first cultural difference feeling. We went out to eat and suddenly I realized that the guys in the restaurant are looking at me. Then I realized that I am the only female in the whole restaurant. So I asked my guys - where are all the women? The women eat upstairs!
But I was sad I had been fed to well by Turkish airways so I could only try a little of the best humus and falafel I have ever had - food paradise!