Friday, April 10

This morning we woke at 7:00. Irma packed the meats and cheeses from the fridge, we washed, and the four of us were outside at 7:45 waiting for our taxi. 

It arrived one minute early, driven by a very talkative Catalan woman. Irma practised her Spanish all the way to the airport.

We had breakfast in McDonalds, because it seemed to be the fastest way to get served coffee. I had the first Egg McMuffin I have had in a decade. I think the last one I had was in Honolulu in 2003.

We boarded the plane at 9:50 and most of us went straight back to sleep.

Now I have woken up to find us flying over the mountains where the Lufthansa co-pilot committed suicide last week, taking all his passengers and the rest of the crew with him. Happily for us, we seem to be maintaining a sensible altitude.

At Helsinki our bags will be almost first to arrive and we will march outside, say goodbye to Sampo, and wait for the 520 bus to Itäkeskus, which will arrive two minutes later.

Once we have unpacked and dusted, Jana will phone to say that we can collect the cat, and Sunshine will be collected. It will arrive at 19:00 desperate to go into the garden while we are desperate not to wait up until 1:00 to let it back in. 

We will compromise by refusing to let it out.