Home Sweet Home

Not sure who is still following this. We have arrived home safe and sound. Was a long 2.5 days travelling with the 14hr delay out of Stockholm. Oh well, a time we won't forget. Arrived 10:30am Tues. Brian picked us up and headed home. It is odd being home. Just catching up on mail and the idea of being home. Everything great at home. Thanks to my wonderful neighbours for taking great care of my dogs, especially during the evacuation, and garden. Back to LIFE now. Still have a month before I go back to work, how lucky is that!
Kari

Stockholm airport

We have been delayed for 12hrs at the airport. Wasn't convenient to leave, so sticking it out. Have been feeding us for free in restaurant, somewhat boring 2hrs to go, hopefully. Mechanical problems, better here than in the air! We will arrive midnight in NY will be put up in hotel and fly out 7.30am, get to skip the Seattle connection and straight on to Van, thats a plus. Arrive Tues 10.45 not sure who will pick us up there, always a bus, we are very used to transit systems now. Other than this interuption it has been a wonderful time in Stockholm and area with the relatives. Weather has been incredible, we are all ready to come home.
See you sometime soon.

Brian's last night

Brian heads home tomorrow. Will walk him down to bus station 6.30am. The kids and I head to Uppsala 8.30 by train my cousins coming along. Will get a tour of the university there and then train to Gavle. One of my cousins is out of town so we will stay at their place, few days or so play it by ear then back to Stockholm. Accomadation has been soo.. wonderful all went so smoothly. While at my aunt Elsie's place met a neighbour visiting from Stockholm, Peter. He speaks very good English so was our translator, made a world of difference as my aunt doesn't speak much english. He met us today in town and toured us around Stockholm, great to have a local when seeing the sights. He came back here to my cousins and had dinner with us. Brian will be taking computer with him so not sure if will get to this again. If not see you in 10 days!
Can't believe it is coming to an end, I could stay longer!

Hello from Stockholm

'Thinking of you all at home, now the heat wave, has been quite a summer-so far. Europe is also having heat wave. Not here, just nice low 20's.
Had a busy (10 hr) day yesterday went to amusement park, rides comparable to PNE, kids did some wild ones! Walked alot around the east, west, south islands. (My cousin was our tour guide)We are living on the north. There seem to be bridges you don't even realize, as not very big water ways. The water and walking ways are so clean and brick roads. Huge yachts ferries cruise ships on the docks. Old old buildings quite amazing a beautiful city. Had a greek dinner out beautiful sunny evening. Today we will walk 30min to catch a boat. Go 2hr into archepelago to an island and spend a night at my Aunt Elsie's(Dad's sister) place. There the tics are so bad most carry lyme disease and like a menengitis disease. Here they are vacinated. We will have to check very well. My cousins are teachers in the nursing area and know sooo... much info. Swine flu here is very bad, ages in their 20's and healthy in hospital some near the end, and considering holding back start of school so all of Sweden can be vaccinated within 3 months, never anything like this done. Talk about it actually originating from Canada or US not Mexico. They are so interesting to talk to I could go on. Tina also does medical relief work and tends to disasters around the world.
Brian leaves Sun. From there the rest of us will go north to another Aunt's in Gavle and spend some time in Uppsulla and back here.