Our first flight together

Had a few more days in Cologne, visiting friends of Caroline, going out and many great hours making love. On Tuesday we took the train South, to visit Caroline’s mum who lives near to Stuttgart. I really like travelling by train… talking, kissing, and listening to music…and all sorts of strange people to look at to. We shared the carriage with Mr Splendini and his assistant, who was unfortunately not well and caused quite a commotion during the trip.
It was good to meet Caro’s mum and her brother. Her mum was nice and tried her best to talk to me in English, even if its not her strong point. Florien was friendly and took a walk with me across the fields near the house, speaking very good English and telling me about his life and interests. Unfortunately both Caroline and I picked up a bug and were very ill during the night and were very week for a few days. Can’t remember ever being so ill…first time I’ve ever lost 1.5 kg at Christmas! Anyway, it was good to be there and see where Caroline had grown up and meet her family. On the Friday we took a plane from Stuttgart direct to Stockholm. This was another first…first time we were travelling on a plane together. And we spent a lot of time talking about the options for our future together…in the neutral air space between Germany and Sweden. It made me feel very emotional…had tears in my eyes…looking into the eyes of this very special girl I love.

Christmas Eve

I can see it’s a big mistake to not keep up with my blog entries, as I’m having problems remembering in which order I did things over this Christmas period.
Being back at Caroline’s flat in Cologne felt very good and being with her 24 hours a day now seemed very natural to me. On the Saturday, we made plans for the coming days and did some shopping for food during the day. I put the final touches to my rhymes for Caroline’s presents and attached them to her already wrapped presents. Caro had organised tickets for us in the evening to the Köln Philharmonic Concert Hall to see a Christmas performance by Bach. We met Friederike and Matias who were also at the concert. It was a really good performance and a special thing to do at Christmas… I was a little tired and nodded off just a few times during the first half… but I was refreshed during the interval with a glass of Champaign and the second part was more enjoyable… especially with my girlfriend by my side.

Christmas Eve was such a great day for us both. We really spent the day as we had planned, together and at our own pace…the way we wanted it to be. We spent the morning in bed and opened the first of our presents together. We had a late breakfast and went for a walk into the city centre. It was only a few degrees plus and we followed the river up to the Cathedral, which we decided to visit and take a look inside. It was quite dimly lit inside, but various areas were lit up with candle light and looked very pretty. I suggested we each light a candle too, and that we could remember someone. I could see Caroline was moved by this moment and suspected she was thinking of her father. I held her and we left this great church together, both perhaps with a tear in our eyes, thinking of the ones we had remembered. We jumped onto a bus and got home quickly, both keen to get warm again and continue our Christmas day. We opened the remaining presents… mine included a backgammon game, which Caro had made herself… I was very impresses with this one. Then we made wonderful love together, celebrating this special day in our own very special way. In the evening we cooked salmon and ate our Christmas dinner together… then later on, we went out with Friederike and Matias to a club and danced to disco classics until late into the night. This really turned out to be one of the best Christmas Eves I have ever had… thank you Caroline… this was special.

Friday...on my way

After a very busy week, I have at last left work...I need this break and I need my girl. Just some last minuite things to fix...take Hannah and their stuff over to their mums...and finish packing. In a bit of a rush now...dont forget the things in the fridge! and my book and the Christmas presents. Throw my bag on my back, and head for ths airport bus...just in time...I catch the one I wanted to get. Check in, pass security...and relax...on my way. I call Caroline and we agree to meet at the airport, wonder if she will make it to the airport in time this time? Call my Auntie Carol and my Dad and say Happy Christmas...and sit n write rhymes for the presents to Caroline...looking forward to being together with her for Christmas. On the plane...write and doze...land a little late... and Caroline is waiting for me, and that kiss, that hug...my love, it´s so good to be in your arms again.

Christmas Market

I landed in Munich, then a short wait and a 1 hour flight to Cologne. No time to waste, I take a taxi from the airport to get to her flat as quick as possible. As usual we had a beautiful evening together and woke in the morning having enjoyed our loving hours in the bed together. Caroline was attending her course on Sunday, so I sat in bed and wrote some stuff on my PC, read and had a relaxing time. Then I walked around her neighbourhood

And took a few pictures of Cologne and found the Starbucks where we should meet up. I like this feeling of sitting in a café and reading and waiting for my girlfriend to turn up and come in and give me a kiss and a hug. We went to one of the small bars and had a coffee and a light snack and wrote Christmas present lists together (another first for us). Then we went to a traditional German Christmas Market and enjoyed the atmosphere, found a present for my sister and drank a mug of Gluvine…very Christmas’y.

We had a great evening together…ate some food and talked about lots of big and small things in our lives…and then to bed. We got up together and I left for the airport. Leaving her is easier these days…and I knew it would only be 2 weeks before I would be back for the Christmas holidays.

A week in Delhi

It’s strange, but after all my travelling, this is my first trip to India. I’ve wanted to visit India for a long time, but never got around to it, so I was pleased to get the chance to make this first trip with my work. The visit was as usual mostly work, but I had the chance to get a little taste for what this great country has to offer. My boss Magnus has been working on this project for some years and now its time for more of us to get involved. The flight via Munich to Delhi was business class, so a little more comfort than usual, but I arrived with much less sleep than I needed on Tuesday morning in New Delhi. The hotel was centrally located and had quite a neat trendy design and the room was very comfortable.

Business wise, the week was very intense, with an almost continuous schedule of meetings with our Indian partners and the Indian Railways. The railway in India is the largest in the world and being the largest single employer in India and the world, it’s a big organisation to get to know and work with. It’s also a separate government ministry with a complex political and bureaucratic organisation. We made several visits to the ministry building to have meetings with the board members and ministers. It’s a large building where life revolves around finding room numbers and waiting patiently for people. The Indians have a special style when it comes to meeting procedures. Usually you enter their office and sit in a small sofa group, while the current visitor conducts their business. Then, when their finished, your invited to join him at his desk, or he might join you on the sofa to have a cup of tea. Drinking tea is a central part of almost every meeting in India, some times also with some food. Most of the senior staff have an army of assistants, who hurry in at the push of a button, to bring tea of food of documents or what ever is needed.

We had planned to try and meet a least one of the 3 government ministers for the railways. We had a good chance to meet one and he was in the parliament that day, which was debating an important amendment to a railway bill. His under secretary was a very nice guy and had helped us to meet people in the ministry during the week. He said the minister would return after the parliament, so we came back later in the afternoon, but we were then advised he had gone directly to his residence after the late session. The secretary asked if we would like to see the minister at his residence. Yes we said, a little surprised by the question. And so off we went with our taxi, which had waited for hours outside for us, which is apparently quite normal! At the ministers residence we were introduced to him and sat in his reception room where we were offered whiskey and small things to eat. He was very social and as we talked about our project and India. He explained a little about his political role. It’s expected that politicians in India are available to the people, and so such meetings were an everyday part of his job as a minister. It was quite an experience and key lobby meeting for us.

As usual we had very little time for our selves. We did manage to go for a walk one lunch time and visit the bazaar at Connaught Place, a sort of centre point for Delhi. It’s quite a run down area with shops and stalls and an underground bazaar. Having found some things to buy, it was fun to bargain and haggle with the traders and it seemed quite easy for us to negotiate down the prices. I also bought a pair of Levi jeans which were about half the price you’d expect in Sweden.

Not so unexpected...most things around the streets are very dirty and there are people sleeping at the side of the road and small children run along side you and beg for money. It’s hard to deal with this and feel comfortable with it while were living in our luxury hotel next door to all this poverty. There are still more than a third of the Indian population living below the poverty level, which is just 1 dollar per day! At the end of the week I am tired and looking forward to flying home. I will stop in Germany on the way and spend the rest of the weekend with Caroline in Köln…so much looking forward to this and to cuddling up beside her and sleeping.

More Firsts...

Looking back to this weekend there are some special moments to remember and some more firsts to document. Like the meeting at Arlanda…again the most sensual kiss when Caroline arrived. Also those special words whispered into her ear…I love you…this is such a special phrase. We were naturally very passionate following this 3 week gap since we last met. And the beautiful love making in my bed that night showed we both had been missing each other. On Saturday morning we eventually got out of bed and had breakfast, before going into Stockholm to do some shopping. We went to the old food hall on Östermalm and then did some sort of Christmas shopping together, which was a first. We then went to see a film together. A great first…we both love films and it seems we have similar taste in what we want to see. We chose a Woody Alan film, Scoop, which was funny and Woody Alan was just great in his role too. That lovely Scarlett Johansson was also in the film. We cuddled and kissed and enjoyed the film together...I just love watching a film with my girl sitting next to me and her hand on my leg…never knowing when it might move up my thigh.

After the film we went home and I prepared a curry, the first time I have mode one for Caro. We were a little short of time, so I had to rush it a little, but it was quite good and Caro seemed to like it. After dinner we met up with Josip and went into town to go bowling. This was also the first time Caro and I have been bowling together. Happy to say she was good at this too…and I played quite badly and Josip wiped the floor with us with a row of strikes and high scores. After a drink or two at a bar we arrived home at around 12.

The Sunday was a nice mixture of morning intimacy, discussions and meeting up with Jonas and Pia and to see their new born baby Axel. He was very sleepy and well behaved and we enjoyed a 1st of advent fika with them. Again we are saying goodbye at the airport and its in some way easier…now we can believe in our loving relationship and the knowledge that we love each other, and that we will see each other again soon. I am happy to make Caroline smile with joy, when I confirm that I’m ready to share all her “baggage” of life and her past and that together we will deal with our life, love and happiness together.

It was great

This was just a great weekend. My girl from Köln is like a supply of oxygen...I feel so happy with her by my side. I'm off to India for a week on business, so I should find some time to write about the weekend. There were some great moments...a few firsts...I need to put them into words, and remember :)

A reason

Sometimes I wonder why I am here…living in a foreign country, working for a Swedish company, trying to remain British in a sea of Swedes…
but then I remember that its not important where you are in the world, what’s important is that you enjoy your life and that there is someone else in your life that matters….and if your lucky, someone who cares and loves you. That’s what makes it all worth while. And I’m lucky enough to have a special person in my life and she’s coming to see me this weekend…and that’s what matters just now. Can’t wait to see her and kiss her at the airport…I know she’s also looking forward to that kiss, that long embrace…and another weekend together in each others arms.