Is there a grocery store inside Arlanda Airport?

Unfortunately, no, but there are convenience stores that stock cheaper food than the restaurants. If you're not able to hit up a grocery store before you get to the airport (they're closed, they're too out of the way, etc.), I would stick with the one on the ground floor at Terminal 5 Departures.

There are two of these guys, actually.

And one more past security toward the F gates

Whenever I arrive at a new airport, I never know whether or not the post security area is fantastically better than pre-security, and in this case I took a gamble. There are no other "cheap" food items outside of News | Deli, WH Smith, and Duty Free, Express, where both the prices and the selection were considerably "fancier". If you need to get anything, get it before security! (Except for water, of course.) 

Where to eat a cheap lunch in Stockholm, Sweden

Across the street from the Central Station, and about a minute's walk south, is the Vasagatan 18 stop where you can board the free IKEA shuttle to Kungens Kurva!

Monday-Friday (shuttle does not run on weekends)

Transit time: Approx. 20 minutes

Apart from supermarkets, this has to be the cheapest place I've purchased food in Stockholm, with prices ranging from 10 SEK for a simple side salad to 80-ish SEK for more filling meals. I picked up a 5 SEK coffee/tea cup by the register, and because of my poor Swedish, I don't know whether my free refills were legal or not. I had a small side salad, a densely delicious roll of bread, and coffee for ~ 14 SEK = $1.80 USD. Throw in free transportation and 7 levels of Dante's Ikea, and you have yourself a cheap day out! And even if you're not looking to spend your time in Stockholm at an IKEA, it's worth a quick stop for the cheap food, relaxed ambience, and free wifi.

Ikea Kungens Kurva Lockers

For 10 kronor (the tiny 10 coin), you can store a carry-on size bag at the lockers by the restrooms. And when I say bag, I mean, I literally had to squish my carry-on-approved backpack into the space, so it's likely you may not be able to store any type of luggage with wheels.

Many empty lockers were available at 11:30 AM on a Friday morning, but YMMV. There were around 48-ish lockers, all the same size. Pop the coin into the slot inside of the door before closing, and hold onto the key! Remember which locker you used, because the key doesn't have the number etched on there. Then upon retrieval of your bag, you get your coin back! 

Next: Where to eat a cheap lunch in Stockholm

Where is the Gare du Nord (Noord) Bus Station in Brussels?

Just below the Gare du Nord/Noord Station in Brussels (on Rue du Progrès), there is a multi-bus stop. 

And by below, I don't mean south on a map, but actually underground! 

You can purchase tickets for the Zaventem Airport (BRU) at the De Lijn office inside (credit card OK), and the bus stop itself is on the other end of the building, about a minute's walk away. 

Follow the sidewalk and look for the bus stop containing 471. There should also be a marquee showing upcoming buses and their times.

Down in the depths of the station, ye shall find it.

Are there luggage or storage lockers at the Visby Ferry Port / Pier / Hamnterminal?

To answer this much-wondered-about question: Yes, there are luggage/storage lockers at Visby Hamnterminalen (where Destination Gotland drops you off). 

In Departures, you can go up the escalator/stairs, and there are two walls worth of storage lockers opposite from the side where staff can check you in.

50 SEK can fit a carry-on bag (and a touch more, depending on your bag's squishiness), and 60 SEK is twice that size. If you're traveling with someone else, sharing the cost is definitely an option!

From what I gather, these are non-refundable deposits, although I never asked. On a lovely early July Saturday, there were barely any lockers taken up, so you should be able to store yours easily. But YMMV!

Prices are current as of July 1, 2016, so keep a buffer amount in mind if you can!

Booking Train Tickets in Japan

While I wish there was a website online where you could book train tickets in Japan, unfortunately no such place exists. But it's actually not an intimidating process, especially if you plan to use pocket wifi on your trip. If not, it's definitely still doable, but just requires a little more planning beforehand!

Step #1: Have an idea where you'll be, and where you'll want to go.

This can be as simple as going from Tokyo to Kyoto, or as specific as your exact hotel in Tokyo to a landmark in Kyoto.

Step #2: Google Map it!

Set up directions from your Point A to your Point B. Within the directions, there should be several options for routes, but depending on your time zone, you may see results that won't apply to your particular date and time.

Step #3: Hyperdia!

Using HyperDia, you can use the locations from the Google Map results to pinpoint the exact train numbers and departure/arrival times for your journey.

For JR Pass holders: IF you are going to be using a JR Pass, keep in mind that some of these trains/routes will be free with the JR Pass, but others will not be! When inputting your search parameters, make sure to expand "More options" and un-tick NOZOMI / MIZUHO / HAYABUSA (SHINKANSEN). And while you're at it, un-tick some of those other options to narrow down your search to only what you can get by on with the JR Pass.

Hit "Search", and see the search results!

Step #4: Print!

If you're a normal, sane person, you would just print out your chosen route information and hold onto it for when you arrive in Japan (because you won't be able to book anything without setting foot in a train station)! But what I did at this point (just in case) was write each of these station names: "Tokyo", "Omiya (Saitama)", and "Ikebukuro", in Japanese and put those in my travel notebook, just in case something happened to my route printouts. And just to be considerate to the train station staff. But the staff at train stations can read English perfectly, so it's actually not necessary!

Step #5: Arrive in Japan and make your way to a train station

If you will be booking Shinkansen tickets under the JR Pass umbrella (i.e. not paying extra for tickets on JR routes), you'll need to purchase those tickets at a JR Office. BUT, not all of your routes will be Shinkansen! Local trains can be taken over short distances, and in those cases, you will just have to head over to those platforms, show your JR Pass, and you will be granted access through the turnstiles.

Step #6: Find your departure platform at the station

For people who take public transpo everywhere, this is self-explanatory. But the general steps toward finding your way to the right train consist of:

A) Braving your way through Robot Planet from Futurama to your destination by referencing signage above each set of turnstiles. This may involve walking around a lot if you only do drive-by glances like I do. 

*Note: Google Maps can also help with this step! They tend to be very exact when it comes to which wing of the station you should head toward. But if you don't use pocket wifi or data, you'll need to wing it.

B) Showing your JR Pass to the people at the turnstile. 

So much easier to have that pass.

If you end up needing to buy a ticket for a non-JR station, you can use one of the kiosks to the side, and in that case you'll just feed the little ticket stub into the turnstile before you go in. Remember to pick it up once you've walked through! You'll need it to get out at the arrival station.

C) Waiting behind the platform line until your train arrives.

What I loved about Japan was how orderly it was, even during rush hour. Lines were to be respected!!! Even now, I'm still ultra paranoid after Korea, a no man's land when it came to lining up for public transportation. Almost everyone has a story of a fierce 아줌마/할머니/grandmother who exerted massive physical force to push her way in front of them in line.

Though I can't say I don't miss it there. It was such a funny and lovely place, and I always look back at those times with a loving nostalgia. 

Hello Muse Review: Part 3/3

Click for Part 1

Click for Part 2

After what felt like forever... It finally came!

For some reason, I expected the package to be a small parcel, but it ended up being about 3 ft x 2 ft! The "photo frame," which I thought would just be an A4 paper-sized frame, was actually a super large and lovely piece of wall art, in the most perfect style fitting of our photo aesthetic!

Just a corner!

Inside were a photo album with our pictures in a pleasing order, and a CD in a nice case with all of the retouched pictures!

I'm sure the experience differs depending on the studio and the dress/tux rental places, but Hello Muse was perfect each step of the way. I'd give them 5/5 stars for sure.

Sposa Monique (the bridal dress shop)
Several dresses from the online sampling were gorgeous, but maybe because I was a size 4 instead of a 0 or 2, they wouldn't have fit me? I wasn't blown away by the selection, but there were a couple of dresses I thought were very pretty. Out of the 5 I tried out, I really liked 2, and didn't like 3 at all.

I was asked about the general aesthetic I was looking for, and they picked dresses that were suitable, but I didn't see the ones from the online sampling for some reason. And I guess I would rate them 3.5/5 overall.

Arco Baleno (the tux shop)
Supposedly this is where some celebrities go to rent tuxes, and even though the interior isn't the most posh, they do have a crazy selection of blazers/jackets, some plaid, some checkered, and in tons of colors. They also include several bowties, but the selection was supplemented by Sposa Monique's bowties (we rented a tux from each shop), and for that I tip my hat to Sposa Monique as well. My husband isn't a super picky guy, so we'd probably rate it a 3.5/5.

Soon Soo (hair/makeup salon)
It was very, very crowded, and they shuffled us around quite a bit. I don't get bored easily, so I was fine just sitting and waiting and looking around at the other people getting ready for their own weddings. They didn't do what I would have liked for my hair, but I blame myself partially for not being a more bossy person, and I sort of just trusted them instead.

Just like I do at most hair salons.

The makeup was pretty heavy, but in the photographs, it turned out well :) 3/5!

White Africa (photography studio)
They were definitely patient with us. They made us feel at home and we enjoyed the experience overall. I can never be as glamorous and as gracefully dignified as most of the people they photograph, but I am as God made me.

I'd rate the photographer at about 4/5! or 4.5/5!

Hello Muse made it all happen! They get a solid 5/5, of course. I would love to go back and get more pictures taken someday, maybe for an anniversary years from now. I would go with a different studio and different wardrobe rental boutiques, just to see what else is out there, but I would def book with Hello Muse again!