A new chapter

Given that four years have passed since we last took the kids outside the Nordics, this weekend represented somewhat of a new chapter. Despite a broken de-icing truck in Umeå and strong cross winds at Heathrow, we made it in one piece to our London hotel room just before midnight. As often as I have travelled to London over the last couple of years, it is hard to beat the immediate joy that a red double-decker bus brings when you are six or comprehend how overwhelmingly big Paddington Station actually is unless you sit down on the ground next to a four year old. As the sky cleared up, we were even treated to some sunshine as we walked through St James' Park and along the Thames before checking out London Transport Museum.

After a whole day exploring the British capital, we took the Eurostar direct service to Paris Gare Du Nord. The last time I travelled with train under the Channel was back in 2007 with my dad. At the time, HS1 and St Pancras had not yet become operational so I remember that we had to take the train from “Waterloo International”. Thus, this trip also marked my first ride along Britain’s finest piece of high-speed railway.

In Paris, the February weather finally caught up with us and with the elevators of the Eiffel Tour out of service, the boys made an epic climb the 57 metres up to the first floor as the rain poured down from above. Nevertheless, it was with a rather heavy heart that Paul Andreu’s avant-garde terminal at CDG said its goodbyes.