UK Trip - Part 1

As Elk's Street followers will know, Dad has been 'in the wars' a little lately, so I decided to make a brief trip to the UK to see him.

In Kouvola, my path crossed with the new Helsinki-St. Petersburg 'Allegro' train.

I set off from Elk's Street in the early afternoon and spent the night at a cheap(-ish) hotel near the airport, Hotel Pilotti. This was the same place Henry and I stayed in on our trip to Malaysia in summer 2007. It was a horrendously early start the next morning, not because the plane was leaving particularly early but rather because of having to allow for all the security checks.

The flight arrived on schedule and I got to Mum and Dad's in time for lunch. After lunch, it was off to the game - Everton vs. Sunderland!

Part of the main stand of Goodison Park .

The Blues on the attack.

The final score.

As can be seen from the final score above, a good time was had by all!


In Preston, some things had changed, and others hadn't.

Dad in his chair - the unhealthy peanuts replaced by the more healthy 'Fruit Pastilles'.

Mum - still knitting.

The following day, after a two day drive across Europe, Esther and family arrived from Switzerland.

John and Mark.

James.

Esther and Paul.

Hannah.

John had to go back to work so, having delivered everybody, he flew back to Switzerland, leaving his family and the Mercedes van in Preston.