Polar night

I guessed it was just a matter of time but today I finally found myself on the same flight as Sweden’s jet-setting foreign minister Carl Bildt (seated at the first row of course, but not boarding last as one would have expected).

Otherwise, 2014 has come to a good start after two very relaxing weeks on the Arabian Peninsula. Yesterday I conducted that long-dreaded interview for “Dokument Inifrån” and, even if I felt a bit robot-like sitting there in the bright spotlight, I think it will be a very interesting programme. Yesterday, I also had the chance to take the train back to Örebro for a couple of Staropramen and good talks about times past. It is somewhat incomprehensible to think that ten years will soon have passed.

As soon as the aircraft begins its descent into Kiruna, the sun will set and this very short Saturday will turn into dark polar night. The forecast suggests that some aurora borealis might be visible and I have the camera ready in my jeans pocket just in case. With the exception of a short Skåne-trip planned for the middle of the month, we intend to stay in the High North until 31 January when the winter clothes go back into the wardrobe and it is time to head out on the road again with Sri Lanka as our first stop. And for those wondering, we will indeed all come back to Seoul but first in the wee hours of 27 February - just in time for my annual introductory lecture for the incoming UPEACE students.