Helsinki, signing off Saturday August 16th

We're just about packed, re-organised, tidied, checked, turfed, left-luggaged, mobile-d and looking very schmick. What with M's posting championship yesterday (not 8 kg but 8.9 kg!), and the purchase of another suitcase today (which we have left at the hotel where we will spend 36 hours before beginning our home journey) we're looking very trim. I can't tell you yet how many items we'll be carrying - I hope for merely 7 or 8, especially as we packed away our heavy jumpers and M's overcoat today. But anyway, when the Dodgy Brothers Travelling Circus hits the train-tracks tomorrow morning at 7am, we'll be down to the least amount of stuff we've had so far. We DID find one or two things we could have dispensed with, after we'd done the suitcase transfer, but in the overall scheme they don't take up much room - nothing like the kitchen bag (coffee pot, grounds, teaspoons, rice crackers, paper plates, etc), OR the fan. OR the teddy bears... and I see the forecast is for warmer weather, and rain, so we dare not ditch the fan yet.

I think I owe you a few more Helsinki stories - I'd better finish packing, showering etc before I hit the laptop for this. We'll have to be pretty slick in the morning, and the only (the ONLY) way I can manage that is to be 99% prepared the night before. With only brain-death-strength tasks needed to get out of the hotel. I know I was a lovely baby who slept, and this ability has stayed with me most of my life, but the morning brain-whiteout and bleeginess is difficult when I need to be razor-sharp mastermind. I'm not telling what it takes to achieve! Dad, SHHHHHHH.

Seeya in a minute... so far, today brought to you by buckets of Chanel No. 5 Hair Mist, which I nearly managed to resist at the Stockman Mall yesterday, but ... nope. I do likes my Chanel No. 5....