Back in Stockholm

I´m still suffering from a bit of a jetlag, but otherwise I´m feeling great and am of course really happy to be reunited with my beloved husband and pets in Stockholm. It´s early spring here, which means around 8 degrees celsius. A bit chilly for someone who´s newly arrived from Cambodia, but I do enjoy this break from the tropical hot season. It´s really refreshing to be able to go out for a long two hour walk without risking to die from dehydration. For the first time in a whole year, I´m wearing jacket, gloves, long sleeve sweaters, jeans and boots.  And although I´ve never, ever appreciated this cold Scandinavian climate before, I now love the feeling of wrapping a large scarf around my neck, pull down the cap and the cool wind in my face. No matter how much I love Cambodia, I must say that this change of climate and environment is lovely and really refreshing. Seems like my beloved Cambodia makes me appreciate Sweden even more. 

Janne has been very thoughtful and sweet as always; preparing my arrival by filling the kitchen with tons of my favourite Swedish food; Kvibille cheddar cheese, dark bread, snacks, candy etc. And on top of that a beautiful boquet of tulips - my favourite spring flowers. And he makes me delicious Swedish coffee in the mornings. I´m getting really spoiled here...!   

I was very happy to see that although I haven´t been at home for 8 months, our pets immediately recognised me when I walked through the door. All three of them greeted me in their very own warm, loving, personal way.  Polly Jean was of course the most intense one, she practically freaked out, made all those crazy bull terrier sounds, runs and jumps all over the place and shivered from excitement. She´s practically been stalking me for two days now, and won´t leave my side. The cats are of course much more dignified, and shows their affection in a much more tactful way. 

Another nice thing about visiting Stockholm is of course the opportunity to catch up with friends I haven´t seen in a long time. Yesterday, we had a visit from our dear friend Mats who very recently has moved back to Sweden from Greece. It was great to see each other again after spending the last couple of years in differens countries; him being in Athens, me in Phnom Penh and Janne in Amsterdam. Mats´ visit was the second "happiness shock" for Polly Jean this weekend, who almost couldn´t deal with any more excitement and showed off a very intense and contact-seeking behaviour for the whole time Mats was here. As soon a he left, she crashed out on the sofa, totally exhausted from all the excitement and emotions she has experienced this weekend. 

I´ll now be here in Stockholm for 2,5 weeks, flying back to Cambodia on the 30:th.  I´m actually having my annual New Year holiday now, as the the Khmer New Year - the biggest holiday in Cambodia, is being celebrated this week. I´m also taking the chance to take some more days off, as I´m in a great need of some rest and recreation. I´ll also work some days at our head quarter here in Stockholm, and also deal with some more practical things such as a health check-up, and boring but necessary paper work like tax declaration and renewal of my insurance. 

So all in all, this visit will be a combination of a lot of things and probably pass very quickly. So I´m happy to know that I´ll come back again pretty soon; by the end of June it´s time for my summer vacation which´ll mean 3-4 weeks in Sweden. Including the celebration of our 10 year wedding anniversary on the 27:th of June