It is 3.36am on our second morning in Sweden. It seems that as in London my mind has kept in the habit of waking at first sign of light despite the fact that the sun seems to be rising a good 5 hours before the time I am used to! I am debating whether or not to go out for a jog but don’t yet want to tire myself out before the day has even started. Maybe in an hour or so.

I don’t know how I can successfully describe in words the beauty that is Sweden (or at least the Sweden we have been lucky enough to visit so far). Last night when walking back to the little house I am sleeping in, I looked up to spot the moon but instead came across more stars than I have seen in my life, and I am someone who has spent many a night star gazing! Whilst driving from one town to another I look out of the window to see more the fir trees taller than the highest skyscrapers you can imagine, and there are thousands of them too.  Even when walking up the path to the family house we have been invited to it seems that my nose tingles with excitement from the scents of the freshest harvest I again have ever come across, though in this case I must admit I do not often go around smelling harvests! I think after this trip I will do so more often. 

The Views of Norrby's Fields and Lake.

You can’t deny that this area of Sweden, as for many other parts of the country I am sure, has money or wealth of some sort and I used to believe I would prefer to visit countries that may be a little less well off (was this me being ignorant for adventure and experience?) but what has dawned on me is that this affluence doesn’t seemed to have changed the beautiful values that Sweden has grown up with. Family is important, and not in a political and “pressure of duty” way like I believe many indian families will come across on a day to day basis, but instead they have pure appreciation, respect and love for those that mean something to them. Maybe anyone who has this element in life is blessed with a different type of wealth, maybe that’s why everyone seems so happy here and not because of the fortune of Swedish kroners they sit on…though a combination of the two must be nice!

We are here to say goodbye to Nai and though it could have felt a little daunting at first the idea of her being all the way in Scandinavia, visiting the country and meeting her beautiful friends and their families seems to have reassured both my Nanima (grandma) and my immediate family of any doubts we could have ever have had before. In fact now it makes so much sense why she wanted to move! How could you not fall in love with such a healthy happy country?

Mum and Daughter on a Swedish Summer's Day

We have now landed in Stockholm …. More Sweden Posts Definitely To Come …. But I keep finding only a few moments here or there to connect to internet!

Mi Casita en la belleza que es España

Its been a while since I've written a proper post. Its not because I haven't been enjoying life, in fact I think my lack of writing may be due to a happy acceptance of life in a spanish summer. After moving from London and the buzz of city life I am sure at first I felt the need to convince myself I was filling my time with events and moments that would then justify my reason for leaving the cool capital and this blog in hindsight will have acted as evidence of that. Now, I realise it is a fantastic way to remind myself that life is cool wherever you are. I'm pretty lucky to have youth, health and happiness on my side so why should I feel the need to compete different parts of my life against each other.

Its rather weird to think that having settled into a little bit of a routine; going for nightly swims and jogs, creating  rather epic lunch time salads and evening experimental vegan delights, exploring our magical city and its surroundings on weekends .... I now am packing to move away again. This weekend will be the last one that my family spends together in Alicante (ie the three of us) in a good year. I really don't understand where the time has gone...

Its been a lovely couple of weeks after Nai's graduation filled with cuddles from new born babies which just catapulted me in to a mood of broodiness and complete and utter fascination that everyday we bring in to the world these beautiful tiny little beings who so innocently just lie in their mum or dad's arms not yet knowing that there is a whole world out there further a field than the boobies of one's mum. We also got to celebrate my dad's birthday which I seem to had forgotten last year but gladly we could make up for it in style! With walks along one of our coast's most stunning beaches, paella by the harbour, mojiots in a newly discovered  and rather generous happyhour bar and ending the weekend with a perfectly spiced tarka daal - what more could you ask for when you have good company, good food, good drink and a perfect location?

I used to think I could never move back to Spain and that as much as I loved the place, it would feel like I was taking a step backwards. Though of course I want to see and experience as much of the world as possible and plan to make this happen, I've come to realise that there is no way I couldn't be happy here.

I hope I write another post before leaving for Sweden but if not than at least it is in writing how much I have enjoyed my time in this little gem that is my home in Spain :)