Over the big pond

Hi, it's the jet-lag-ish Ferdinand speaking... I've now arrived to Taika Sedai's home in Helsinki, Finland's capital, and I'm soon off to sleep. First I'm going to tell you briefly about the trip overseas, and our time in Seattle before that.

After Anni we traveled in Sonea Sedai (of the Blues) and Adan's car from the Anni site to Seattle. They're both British, and really really friendly! Taika Sedai decided to spend a couple of days touristing in Seattle before returning home, and see the city and its sights. In this picture I'm in our hotel room, making notes where we should go in Seattle:

We saw the usual sights, the Space Needle (where she unfortunately had already been with Riley Gaidin, and other Tower folks before Anni, so she wouldn't come up there with me), the Pike Place Market and some shopping places. She also bought the whole Sanderson Mistborn series AND Elantris from a bookshop there. And we also visited the library, of course. And we accidentally bumped into Sonea Sedai and Adan in one souvenir shop! Incredibly small place that Seattle... :p

It was a nice couple of lazy touristy days, and then we'd have to take the plane first to Frankfurt, Germany, and then to Helsinki. The first tricky part was to get me past the customs people (I don't have a passport!) but we managed to get those officers believe I was an innocent stuffed bunny toy. Have you ever tried not to blink when those people are looking at you??? Not an easy feat, I tell you!

Okay, we got into the plane, and the first part of the trip was loooooong, some 14 hours in the plane!!! But at first I just watched, the clouds were so beautiful:

Then we had to wait some in Frankfurt. Here I'm chilling at the airport:

But finally we got moving again, and the 3-ish hours from Frankfurt to Helsinki wasn't really hard at all. When we arrived it wasn't difficult to get past the Finnish customs (I was dead tired after the long journey, so pretending to be a toy bunny was laughably easy this time!).

I was in for a shock, though: SNOW! And cold, brrrrr.... I had Taika Sedai take this picture, but right after I demanded to get inside her jumper again. She might be a bit bony, but I needed the warmth!

Now I really must get some sleep, and might be absent for a while... I noticed Taika Sedai has some really interesting books on her bookshelves. I think I'll try that Dostoyevsky first.... Good night, folks, or 'hyvää yötä' - as they say here in Finland.

zzzzzzzz....................

Anni 2009!

Cassie Sedai took me to meet some nice folk at TarValon.net Anniversary party in Millersylvania park in Washington (13.-16. February, 2009). The party was fun, and I also tasted some extraordinarily delicious beer and learned new skills! Enjoy the pictures!

Here I'm watching Cassie Sedai and Soro Gaidin and Riley Gaidin (or his hand) write stuff in some Brown journals.

Here I'm saying goodbyes to the awesome Cassie Sedai

And meeting my new host, Taika Sedai from Finland, Europe. I'm going to travel overseas for the first time in my life!!! EXCITED!!! (Taika Sedai liked to carry me around inside her jumper. I'm not complaining...)

Riley Gaidin was also one of my favourite seats, as you can find out in the next pic. He's got a good sense of humour, and besides he's an awesome cook.

I also tasted some Rogue-labeled beer, which suited me quite nice. Don't you think? There are some Finnish salty candies nearby also, but they were simply gross, eurgh! Though Taika Sedai obviously liked them, can you imagine!!

And finally, I helped Natalya Sedai (of the Whites) do some knitting. I might actually like it you know... But first I'd have to think what it does to my image as a tough, adventurous, drinking rogue.

As always, the Anni was too short, and we all had to leave the Millersylvania park. However for me it meant new adventures! First to see Seattle with Taika Sedai, and then the long long flight to Helsinki, Finland! I'll keep you posted!