Sara Hammerzmith

I started off the day fairly early with a meeting with the city, which followed by suitcase-hunting. I’ve finally managed to make up my mind about what suitcases I want for Australia, as I want to upgrade my “suitcase” wardrobe, and most importantly, add another two (one big and one cabin) so we can make sure we have everything with us.

Aside this, I’ve spent the day looking at hotels for Sydney and Melbourne. There’s a lot of things I need to take into consideration, we need to think about what would be best for going for the fests, but also what would be the best for just tourism purposes. And what cities? How long? How many travel days?

It’s a lot to take into consideration. Especially, when we also have a concert to attend this weekend, a concert I haven’t even thought about.. and it splits me. It’s Mötley Crües final show ever, and I found myself ruining everything I had planned because of stress.

Oh well. Shit happens, right?

// Sara

Today has been what feels like the longest day in history. I started working early, really early this morning and then I got home, took a shower and continued on with my second job of the day. Of course, internet has been fucked over, so I couldn’t really do all the things I had planned to do while working which sucks.

Because I had planned to look for hotels. And I was going to do it now, but I’m all too tired. I’m going to do a small, small attempt but I have a feeling it will fail.

Tomorrow is a full day as well. Meetings, missions and work. And that reminds me.. I have a package to pick up at the post office. Oh god. AND OH GOD WE LEAVE ON SUNDAY. Oh god. Oh god.

// Sara

Today has been quite the ride. We have been working all day long – doing missions all over the county, making that cash. We’ve run a lot of errands – mostly looking at suitcases before our travel. I need to get a new proper suitcase beside my zebra one, and I’ve spotted a very nice purple snake-skin colored one, and a proper cabin baggade bag which is in white/brownish/blackish color. Cheap and nice! I want to have a stand out color in order to recognize it better at the airports, as well as preventing people from stealing it.

The second of all, and perhaps the biggest thing I’ve done today, is actually getting myself a new phone. I love my white Sony Ericsson Xperia whatever it is, but truth to be told, it’s not holding it together anymore. The frame has been broken, the home button has actually gotten loose and are taped with duct tape, but most importantly, it can’t save pictures properly, it can’t show things on website and things like that… and it felt a bit like… between buying an extra camera or getting a new properly functioning phone by simply extending my contract… it’s worth it. Don’t get too excited though – I won’t be surfing more because of this.

We wrapped this entire and exhausting day up with what could possibly be the best rehearsal session in this bands short history. We’re still doing “I’m Eighteen”, but out of nowhere we picked up the pace and made it almost twice as fast as the original, and we barely failed. That, my friends, is progress.

Now, I’m at home, about to go to bed really early because of a surprise job shift tomorrow.

// Sara

We applied for the VISAs today, once and for all. Might be weird you say, that we bought one of the flighttickets before even having a visa, but I’ll tell you right away that our flighttickets are completely refundable in case shit happens, and seeing it was only four spots left on the flights we didn’t have much of a choice.

And rather having to refund my tickets, than being granted a VISA I can’t even use.

So aside this… QUEEN + Adam Lambert was announced for Swede Rock today. It’s kind of… Huge. If you ask me. Like… I could never have dreamed about a booking like that, and it’s beyond amazing. Sweden Rock next year will be a killer.

Isn’t it fun though… We have an Australian trip upcoming, yet all I can think about is festivalsummer. Australia, do you wanna know something that pisses me off? I’ve literally walked around here, wishing for Epica to come to Australia… and today they announce Australian dates. ONE MONTH AFTER WE LEFT. Fucking hell. I’m really pissed now. It’s like all bands just decided to not go when we are there. Fuck them.

// Sara

So today we did it. Finally.

The first round of flight tickets for Australia, are booked. It was… quite the process. First I couldn’t decide on what loyalty card I should use – Etihad or Brussels Airlines? I eventually went with Etihad. Then I had to choose meal for the flights, which also became painful as hell. What do I want? Asian or a fruitplatter? Eventually, I managed to decide.

And then, seats? Where do we wanna sit? I managed to decide on some spots, even though it took some time.

Seriously, having me do things like this is actually a burden, seeing I can’t make up my mind about anything.

But, it’s finally booked. Australia, here we come!

// Sara

After working in the stable for the first time in what feels like forever, I took myself some time to play The Sims. In reality, I’ve been playing The Sims 4 quite a bit these past days, about an hour a day just to get Anna to the next level.

So basically, what has happened, is that Anna at first finished her tech carrer, not as a gamer but a developer, I think. don’t remember what the title was, but it wasn’t the gaming side. She then sped through the entire athletics career, as a professional athlete (I really don’t care for body building).

So now, I’ve finally started another Get-To-Work career. I debated a bit between investigator and doctor, but eventually decided for doctor since I personally care more for investigating, and therefore, decided to save all the fun for later.

She’s only on the second level for now, and I’m still trying to get a hand of things, but it’s pretty fun so far. It feels like I just recently learned to get around the science lab, and now I need to learn the hospital… It’ll be fine, I’m sure!

Now, bed. I’m dead tired.

// Sara

So, I’ll start off by telling you guys some good news. I’ll start working day at one of my evening jobs from next week, and that is BEYOND awesome, because seriously, the longer days, the better. This lifts quite the rock off my shoulders actually, it means Australia isn’t so half out of the reach as it feels.

Speaking of which, I’m currently trying to update my iPod with all the latest record release I’ve missed. And I’m realizing this is going to take FOREVER, so I think I’ll stop here. It’s about eight new albums I have yet to review, and I hope I have time to do it about next week or so. Might make this blog a bit more interesting too, right?

Anyway. I have stablework tomorrow, so I kinda need to call it the day now. Tea and The Hunger Games waits for me.

// Sara

Good news people!

We have finally found our flight to Australia. We have yet to book it of course, which we will do in the next couple of days, but I’m so relieved that we’ve finally found that one plane that will ultimately take us to our destination, and to finally have decided on which aircraft and everything to use. I feel a bit funny about it because of reasons, but I’ll have to look into and deal with that later.

Australia is with this looking more and more possible. Or possible, more like it’s actually happening. It seems like it might do so on the expense on a few other planned shows, but at least we never cancelled anything up until now.

So yeah. Biggest adventure is about to happen, and I’m beyond excited. Speaking of which, I’m already starting to plan the next one. Ahh.

// Sara

It just occured to me that it’s about two weeks left until Nightwish and Mötley Crüe.

And it fucking scares me, let me tell you. I need to put a lot of my cash in the bank I guess, because the hotel isn’t yet paid for. And that reminds me, I have to check so we really have buses. Maybe I should bring out my little checkbook to make sure everything is alright.

And you know… it’s not a lot left now. Only three shows or so left this year, before we embrace a whole new year of new concerts, festivals and other endeavors.

It is a bit scary to think about. With that said, I’m not going to go to shut down, clean a bit in my room and make some schedules for work. Work work work…

// Sara

So, after a long, long, LONG wait, Sweden Rock has finally announced the first 22 bands. They are as follows;

Twisted Sister – Thank God. While I will go to some festivals that actually includes them, I was still a tiny bit worried that I wouldn’t be able to catch them on their farewell tour. So I was more than happy and welcome to see them coming to Sweden Rock as well, although I must admit that I wasn’t too surprised to see them on the bill.

Amaranthe – You know, the fun thing here is that I had a feeling they’d be on Sweden Rock, and so I started to wish for it. And here they are, announced! It’ll be good seeing them again.

Other bands were; King Diamond, The Hellacopters, Avantasia, Blind Guardian, Satyricon, Loudness, My Dying Bride, Dan Reed Network, Finntroll, Legion of the Damned, Gun, Eclipse, Bonafide, Twilight Force, King Witch, Robin George & Dangerous Music, Dan Baird & Homemade Sin, Tribulation and Pedalens Pågar.

And oh. One more.

LORDI

You see, I didn’t even notice Twisted Sister or Amaranthe when I saw those five letters appear. Lordi. I mean.. Amen kind of hinted about it already in Brighton, but I didn’t really expect it to actually happen, since Sweden Rock seems to hate Lordi. But here they are. And I am SO excited to see them on my homefield.

//Sara