Our little trip

We've got back from Tallinn today, yes for those who don't know, Tallinn is the capital of Estonia. I'm not going to bore you with all the details, but our first day getting to Tallinn started with some good luck and ended with a fabulous little weekend away: we arrived in Stockholm about an hour before the ship leaved, so as getting to the dock to leave takes a bus ride, first of all the driver let us both ride for free....ok, not like winning the lottery but we thought, hey that's good. Then, in a monstrous queue to check in at the port, potentially making us miss the ship, we bumped in to a couple who accidentally got 2 tickets for the check in queue (like a lottery number service, we got there when it was 103 and we got ticket 263....so a long wait), giving us number 136......again, not amazing but put another smile on our faces.....

So, a few drinks and laughs later, with not much sleep....put it this way, a tipsy Johanna screaming in the night thinking the boat is sinking 'my legs are flying above my head' were the words of my crazy lady.....didn't seem so bad myself, but lets just say if you are remotely sea sick, then don't go!! This was my first time sleeping on a big ship, called Romantika by the way, but the gentle rocking whilst lying down, was almost soothing.....well just ask Johanna (oh by the way used to friggin work on a cruise ship!!)

So we had a day in the city, beautiful place, medieval feel to it. Actually ended up going ice skating on a smallish rink in the middle of the city, unlike my fellow sexed companion, probably wasn't the most elegant sight in the world: me trying to pretend I'm an NHL skater with the grace of Torvill and Dean didn't prove too successful, more like Blades of Glory, but less homo.

The setting was perfect, we had a great time, found a street running parallel to the old city wall, which had some 'wise words' on signs...if you've been there before you know what I'm talking about. Had a cheeky gamble, a sneaky drink, a bite to eat and job done, a great little weekend.

Our baby has arrived

No, not the classic open your legs and out something pops shenanigans, more our car has returned, scratch free (and clean...well down one side at least). For those that don't know, it got keyed just over a week ago, was so pissed, especially as I'd just cleaned it!! But all is well now. Have Estonia is two days, cant wait......

Holiday!!

As it's the start of the year, you know the usual stuff.....well we are trying to put in to practise "start as you mean to go on". These past two weeks have been monstrous for me and J, full of presentations, reports....the full works. We celebrated El's birthday (a Greek girl on my course) yesterday and larged it at Varmlands, was nice to go out out (if you know what I mean).

Anyways, we've started cranking it up at the gym, it's soo good to be back in there, our pad is amazing, starting new immunology course on Monday, getting our car back Tuesday....everything is coming together again. It's great when all the pieces of the puzzle fit, we don't always get these moments in life so I am definitely making the most of them now. This brings me to the point of this post: We are going for a weekend break to Tallinn, the capital of Estonia!! Yey. Was a bargain too, just 380 :- for a cabin on the boat, we just need to take a sandwich or two, may be a coffee and job done!!

So this trip is less than a week away, going next Friday and coming back Sunday, all for less than 15 quid each......why not?!?

Here is a sneak preview of what to expect:

Ahh my brain hurts

So this last week (and the rest of this week) seemed to have drained to life out of me. Not only was our car keyed, got absolutely feck all help in my 'group' work, Johanna didn't get woken up by the alarm (that she set for 5.45 PM)......I had my second exam today. Well the good thing is the exam only took me 5 hours (out of a possible 6). The other people I spoke to also found it stupidly hard, so not all bad?!! I think a collective failure is on the cards.

Well there has to be some positives somewhere in there right? Well yes, there is actually. Firstly, I start my new course....in Immunology next Monday, should be fun (oh to be a moody bastard again, I have an exam two weeks after I start!!). We will get our car back looking all new (and not scratched). We had a little shindig Saturday night, which was nice. Erm...joined the gym, all good- great for the mind (well body as well...obviously). I am enjoying the sofa and T.V. in our new pad, which by the way is just lovely....thanks Malin. Erm....that's probably it for now, this week is going to be classic, just 3 presentations and 2 reports left..........and they say being a student is an opportunity to be lazy......I bet you I do more work than you do, you 9 to 5 gits.

Guess what?

If looks could kill hey? Why do I get caught out in these moments? Trust me the camera always lie!! I was drying the gloves on the table...honest. This pic was taken from Salen over Xmas, just a little post to say we are going again, sooo sweet. Bring on the start of April....we are going to see some pro's huck themselves on some big arse jumps etc....with prize money of 50K for winning, I suggested to Johanna to enter, or my Bro in Law......think the prize money wouldn't cover the hospital bill.

Well....det var allt.....back to my Swedish reading......Djungelboken....oh to be 5 again

My New Apartment

The time has come for me and Johanna to move in together. All I can say is thank f**k for our car....we only had to make 3 trips to take all our crap. We unpacked it all, found a home for almost all our bits and managed to hook up the internet.....most peoples track records with computers are bad.....mine, probably very similar, but all sorted.

The pic is just of our living room area, beats a single room, with shared stuff!

Just a quick update, that was all....oh yeah, I passed my first Microbiology exam too......what a day

Cliche as it sounds

Well I've been away for a while, had an awesome Xmas and New Year, speaking of which is really the basis for this post.

I ended up at Skansen in Stockholm this New Year with my fiancee, last year I was sitting in the Briar Lee in Bethel, Maine celebrating Swedish, English and American New Year (works well because of the time differences), having a few beers (you know, the usual), but this year was different. Again, I can't recall when I had a New Years in England, as have been fortunate to almost be abroad every year (shows how lucky I am really), so can't complain.

Johanna has for a while wanted to go to Skansen for New Years- No it isn't like the Sydney Harbour Bridge, or the 'hype' of Vegas or London say, but has a more traditional feel. It isn't full of pissheads, scantily clad (ok, dressed like a slag) underage wannabes, more just a real feeling for a New Year. Was really cosy.....as soon as you enter the paths all lit by candle guide you to the top of the park, all uphill, in almost pitch black, with people all around you. Although not religous, sitting on top of this hill lyes a beautiful wooden church, surrounded by many quaint buildings, leading to the main stage- where the action takes place.

For those that don't know about the lay out of Skansen, just click here....then you'll understand about the views etc.

Anyway, apart from the odd Frenchman asking us to move to take a piss where we were taking photos, the night was really good. We'd been walking all day in Stockholm and were knackered really, but dressed in our snowboard gear (no not the helmets and boots you muppet) we weren't put off by the snow, the cold temperatures and the hunger pains (ok, the last one I made up).

Long story short, the night went well, it was televised on Swedish T.V. as it always is, yes me and Johanna did wave to the camera, but feel our efforts went unrewarded, however the most traditional part of this whole thing is the final poem, read as a countdown (well more a count 'up' to 12...good job I know my Swedish numbers) in Swedish (obviously), however now I know the poem is a translation of a Lord Tennyson poem, 'Ring Out, Wild Bells' from 1850.

I guess the cliche bit which I am coming too is solely based on one line from this poem. Now New Years for those who need a kick up the arse to change, should do so, it's a fresh start, may be to change something we don't do, or should do. We all set resolutions, from 'losing weight' to 'getting drunk more' (possibly?!)....the point is, however sad to me, it takes another year, another loss of time to realize we need to do something more or different, at least we should all take this opportunity to do something new for this year. We've all made mistakes, we all want something we haven't got just yet.

Make sure you New Year's resolution is something that makes a difference, may be not just to yourself, but to someone else. For those that need a fresh start, now is the time, start as you mean to go on........as Tennyson once wrote: 'Ring out the old, ring in the new'.

Happy 2008

As it was dark, the camera is useless as images are mostly blurred, so here is the entrance to Skansen, don't expect Spielberg quality.....