“Travels to a Different Time” : 5July1975: Haparanda, Sweden: Air Traffic Controller Goes Nutso: Walking into Finland from Sweden

I talked to a former air traffic controller who quit because it was too stressful. This morning he woke up at 07:00 and was ready to depart but the front door was locked making me think what would happen if there was ever a fire. We’d fry to death. The poor guy was yelling and bashing against the door waking everyone up. Finally someone came and let him out. I am glad he is not landing my flight! Out with the Germans who were snaping their cameras like crazy. They are a bit older than me but very conservative. They’ll get married in three years, live in the suburbs having beer belles and each summer they will load up and take their children to Yugoslavia. After breakfast on the move again but the German was tailgating and we bashed into the car ahead of us busting our headlight and damaging the other car’s fender. We had to go to the police station and fill out an accident report. We reached Haparanda after lunch. Cool as there is a Haparanda just over the bridge in Finland. We checked into a youth hostel. I did a big wash and had a glorious hot shower. After dinner I walked into Finland to a disco and entered with my press pass and had a couple of beers on the house. I talked with a Dane and a Frenchman. I stayed until the club closed and in the midnight sun walked back to the youth hostel.