After a 3am rise, we were quickly away to the airport in Edinburgh, where we got ourselves checked in and headed upstairs for breakfast at the same cafe we have used several times before.
Our KLM flight to Amsterdam was on time, leaving at 6am, and our connection from Amsterdam to Helsinki also left on schedule, so were in Finland by 1pm local time.
After suffering the coldest June for more than 50 years, I had been hoping for better weather on our arrival, and we were not disappointed. Every single time we have come here in July, the weather has been sunny and warm as we arrive, and it was the same again this time- 24c at the airport, and, as we headed north, picking up Anna's parents and sister, with son Arnold too at Lahti train station, the weather just got better and better, with the car thermometer telling us it was 27c as we approached our cottage again!
Keith and Anna's mum enjoy the new sofa!
It's great to be back here, and also great to have been welcomed by Petri and Sari!
We were greeted by Sari and her family, who had been staying here for the past two weeks before us. It was also great to see some really nice improvements to this already fabulous place! Our host Timo has added a beautiful large rattan sofa and new decking, perfect for enjoying the lovely sunshine here. After a super dinner, the Auramo family headed off and we started a session of sauna and swimming. It's hard to describe the sauna here to folk who aren't used to it, but the wood-burning stove produces such a lovely even heat, and even at 60c, you sweat wonderfully! Eventually, late in the evening, we headed to bed, happy and contented!
Wonderful view from the jetty!
Anna and Olivia feed the resident mallards!
Late evening smiles from Sandy and Olivia.
Sandy diving into Lake Palvajarvi. Note the faraway bank- I will have a photo soon that shows off the zoom lens on my camera...
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