Brisbane floods

I haven't had time to write a lot but decided that I will now make a post so that I will later on remember what happened and what I felt. These are my experiences of the floods and certainly not as dramatic as for some people of which I am very grateful!

After math

I was getting spam and I don't feel comfortable telling my life story to the whole world anymore so I closed my blog. Now it's only with username and password.

After being in China for 24 hours... or less it was time to hit the road and visit  the Great Wall of China! We had taxi booked in advance and OFCOURSE even though we had alarm our heads were tuned to European time and feel so fast asleep that once waking up we were already 15 mins late to the taxi...

Lucky for us the Taxi driver was waiting... told him we just woke up... gotta get dressed... dragged the kids out bed... well you all know what's it's like in the morning... + jetlag... oh bother...




We did get everyone inside the taxi fairly fast... Thenon the way out of the town...Once we got to the Wall... Breakfast... NOODLES at ... Hmmm 10 am LOL

I was so happy that we got there... My fault I fell asleep again and just was too jetlagged to realize anything...



We knew it was a walk.... or a climb... So we took the cable car up This is when we were coming down LOL






Blond kids are famous in China... Luka was constantly photographed even without permission. Here they asked to take a photo with Luka. Neither one of them seem too fond of it LOL



And yes we are there!!! Yet another dream come true!

I must say that I would prefer going there alone, hiking on the 'lost'  parts or something. With kids even this one was pretty hard. Laura started saying that mummy my feet tremble.... it feels weird...  So LOTS of climbing up there!!  It was also very humid there. Everyone was sweating like pigs. I think it was about 36 degrees plus humidity. Good exercise for Brissy summer LOL

I loved it. It's been my dream to see the Great Wall of China and I did see it!!

All together China was a positive surprise. I loved China, I hated the traffic since they are CRAZY they drive on you and the only warning you get is horn even though you got green light!! Never been so scared going around with kids....

BUT more pics of THE wall to come LOL



Even though it was foggy I'm surprised at how good the pics turned out...'




Little ones <3










Down from the wall... no wonder so many million people died building it...  It's high, humid in summer. freaking cold in winter...




Kaj on THE Wall

All together stopping in Beijing was definitely worth it and HUUUUUGE thanks to Tuomo and his family for letting us stay at their place. Thanks to Jiri for helping us out in navigating and finding food to eat (no English menus LOL).

I will remember this all my life. I can't believe I was in China!!!

Us and our humble pile of suitcases (one trolley is not in the picture LOL). 5 times 20 kg and 5 times 7kg That's a lot of stuff!!




Arriving to Beijing was really easy since my colleague Tuomo had arranged everything ready for us. (Thank you Tuomo and family you are anytime welcome to Brissy!!!). It was really so great that we had all arranged since I can only imagine the hassle with us, pram, taxi, no-one speaks english at  the airport...



Our view from the 26th floor... 'What??? 26th floor????' Kids were gobsmacked





The architecture of Beijing was really amazing. Just a few shots of strange building... this one was the Cheese house (our name for it...) A little bit further down the street and to the left was the Finnish Take 5 bar... pics of it to come later....


















And the world's second largest outdoor srcreen.....




Ahhh, and the Scandinavian (Finnish) Take 5 bar. This is where the Finns meet I heard. Of course during the happy hour DD




They even had some real Finnish menu items... Hmmm where is my Rahtari card LOL




We had heaps of local (mild said Kaj) beer which I thought tasted really good!





And the local shopping centre.... If I missed some pictures is because I can't see them with this internet connection we have... I know I downloaded them but it just shows a res cross

I'll add explanations later... If even this post will be successful with this connection LOL

Before starting our holidays and heading to Beijing we of course had to visit some friends and stay at my parents house for a while. Naturally Linnanmäki was also one of the destinations. Here a few pics...







Hahhaha, Aleksi in the rollercoaster up up up, about to go doooown... Serious looking little fella




At my parents house we we're looking at old photos and next day I was going through some old boxes and found the exatcly same dress as my mother had worn years ago. In the picture below our Laura wearing the very same dress!! And it's still in perfect condition!!



Little cutie Laura <3



Also found lots of other old pictures and had to 'take photos' of them. Here me and my brother Timo who looks a lot like Luka at this picture actually




And me very serious looking, but I just love the 70's clothing... lovely!!



I also love the 70's prams!! Me at wintertime... Around 75-76 I'd say?



Back to this summer and just before leaving we were at our grandparents summer cottage and I finally took Aleksi and Laura out to lake.

Goodbyes are always hard, but now I somehow 'know' that we will see again and it's not the end of the world. One year goes by so fast and we have the rest of our lives to live. Few years of that is just small piece.

Before landing to Brisbane again we we're in for a lovely holiday via China, Beijing and Singapore!!

I've been told that sometimes it needs a while 'back home' to realize what you really want. To us returning has been exactly that. I think we just needed to do this. Now I know what I am 'missing' from Finland and am much more capable to cope with it knowing that it's just momentary. It _will_ pass. I'm not so keen on 'Karjalanpiirakka' or 'Ruisleipä' anymore , BUT when you can't get them 'every day' you suddenly start to _miss_ them?? Why??

Well now I'm prepared. When the 'Karjalanpiirakka' hunger hits... I'll convince myself that I won't be able eat more than 10 anyway Or then I'll make 50 of them and eat so much that I won't miss them anymore. Sari V. you must teach me how When the heatwave in Australia hits, I'll remember the day after New Year when we were driving back from Juva and our feet were freezing in the car althought the 'heater' was full on. Well it was -32 degrees.

What I have learned is that when it's too hot, it's too hot no matter what you do, and when it's too cold, it simply is too cold no matter what you do. Brissy seems to be quite a good combination of not too cold and not too hot year round. I'd rather take 4 weeks of 'too hot' than 6 months below zero....

So much for weather There are other things that make a difference. Finland is not the same anymore. They say education is amongst the best in the world which I must wonder looking at the young people nowadays. Then again in Australia they say education sucks, but yet the kids are more well behaving, why?? Not to speak of the economical situation of Finland.

Not thinking of any of social, weather or other aspects Australia still wins. I only have this one life to live. It has been given as a gift to me and I will live it full power and do what my heart says.



In the pic Marja and me filling our humble plywood box... again =) THX Marja for help! <3

I do realize that this is not good for anyone of us. You do need to have your 'home' somewhere, long term. So if I even suggest moving back to Finland, please spank me!!

Finland is my home country. I will always miss it, but I do know that I don't want to exprerience winter again... Well I do, but when I decide so, not  every year without asking 6 months in a row!!!

In the end it's not about the weather ,it's more, something deeper. I could live in both countries, but something drives me back to Australia. I don't know what. They say you loose your heart to Australia once you visit it.... It just might be true.... I can't wait to see the magnificent nature again!!

I feel tired. My neighbor said today that you've had quite a year... and she doesn't know the half of it. Yes we've had quite a year, but I think we've had quite a life too since we met. I just realized that if someone is 18 years old they could be my children and that next 'big' anniversary for me will be 40. So where did the years disappear?