After waiting in the airport, taking the 1 1/2 hour flight to Gothenburg City Airport and catching a bus to the city centre, it was time to find somewhere to stay for the three nights I was to be in Gothenburg.

Unortunately for me, it began raining as soon as I left the bus station. After about an hour, soaked and tired, I managed to find the Tourist Information desk, and after taking a tram through town I arrived at a hostel. Ten minutes after I got to the dorm I was staying in, three Aussie guys came in and started telling me about the city and we got to talking about the hot Swedish chicks that were out in abundance the previous evening. There is nothing like talk of hot Swedish chicks to brighten the spirts on such a dreary day!

I wandered off to have a look around the local area, but it started raining again, so I decided to grab some food from a supermarket and head back to the hostel, to have a rest for an hour or two before heading out drinking with the three Aussies. Also in the dorm was an American guy, travelling around Europe by rail for a few months while on a break from College. He was travelling on a strict budget, so strict in fact, he only bought a loaf of bread for dinner. Thats it, just a loaf of bread. I offered him some of my ham and cheese to at least give it some taste, but he wasn’t having any of it!

About nine in the evening, Shane, Bazza, Min and I jumped on the rental bikes and headed to a local bar where they had heard it was to be a good night. We arrived during happy (two) hour period and drank some “cheap” beers. Cheap is cheap for Sweden I might add. Still around £2.50 a pint. After happy hour(s) ended we drank some more, and chatted to some locals, who all spoke English very well indeed. Although there was much promise of the famed Swedish blonde, it never really materialised. What did transpire however, is that Swedish people love to gamble. So much in fact that in the majority of bars, they have a number of slot machines, and even better - a blackjack table. I did have a little flutter, but I was losing until I clawed it back and decided to call it quits on level stakes. I was sure the beer was impeding my judgement when I called for another card when I was on 17!

About 2 a.m. my day caught up with me and I headed back to the hostel to get some shut eye after day one in Gothenburg.