Information increases pain

Information increases pain. Oh yes. Two exhilarating news.

About half of the flights from Heathrow are cancelled due to snow. How can it be that in the same circumstances the Gatwick and Stantead airports manage to dispatch all flights? It's proof of Heathrows inability or unwillingness to fix the problems they faced in Christmas 2010. So, if you want to be on the safe side, avoid flying from Heathrow from October to March.

This is only a discomfort. We'll get to South America sooner or later. The other piece of information is more unnerving. Rio de Janeiro's police is on strike. A similar strike in Salvador caused an extreme increase in murders and violent assaults. Yes, you guessed it, they want more money and this is the perfect way to pressure the government, one week before the carnival. Their wages are very low and their demands are absolutely justified. Still, I'd prefer not to get shot.

Almost, almost..

With the excitement of soon heading for new adventures comes the urge to write here every two hours.

The main thought at this moment is that the conception of time is funny. When we were children waiting for something to happen in one week's time was torturous. Now I meet friends I haven't seen in 5 months and everything is like it has always been. When we part, I say "See you in July!" and that's fine. No big tears shred or promises of never forgetting the other person.

There are three reasons why it's easy to leave.

1. I've done it before a few time so people and I are more used to it.

2. Even though there are issues and problems I could tackle, I know people here will be more or less fine without me for now.

3. I don't have a mortgage, a husband or a dog waiting for me here.

So off I go while I still can.

Energy boost

You know the feeling when your vacation is about to end and you feel like you still have loads of things to do? Well, that's what I'm experiencing now. Apparently time is never enough. During this past week I've cooked and cleaned more than I have done during my entire "holiday". Mum has been very happy and my brother has done his homework on his own initiative several times. It's been a good time.

Now there are still some things to be done. Tomorrow I'll go once more to Turku to take the judicial oath. It's a technical remnant. The oath enables me to apply to a year-long traineeship at a court, which gives the title of "vice judge". An official occasion, I'll have to wear a black suit, swear the oath and then walk backwards out of the room! Out of respect, they say..

Most likely I wont become a judge nor will I have any actual benefit of this but then there are a couple more "important" people who have seen me. Who knows, maybe I'll be accepted for the traineeship (I could ramble about the selection procedure of the the traineeship but I better not). Dad comes along and we'll visit two friend's of his. A nice way of spending the last days here.

One week.

Countdown

Two weeks. In two weeks I'll be sitting in an airplane for 12 hours flying from London to Rio de Janeiro. Then it is time to be soaked up by the carnival atmosphere of Rio and to avoid thieves in the best possible way.

The facts are the following:

- Departure: February 14th, route Pori - Helsinki - London - Rio.
- Return: June 28th, route São Paulo - London - Helsinki - Pori.
- City: Córdoba, Argentina
- Home: No idea. My official contact in Córdoba is supposed to arrange me a place to stay but probably I'll get a place the same day I arrive. Mañana..
- Employer: Campo de la Ribera. More on this later when I actually know what it is all about.
- Post-travelling: Bolivia
- Finance: Hoping that the subsidy from the government will suffice. If not, it's a good thing I'm not a big spender.

The battle with my backbag has also begun. How to pack for a hot (Rio), temperate (Córdoba) and cold (Bolivia) climate and still have the bag weigh less than 15 kg? Beats me... Jumping from a Finnish beautiful winter to a hot steamy Rio summer is nice of course but it's wonderful to be here too. Time flies and soon I will too.

Two weeks.