Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Yeah, yeah I know, we don’t really do Thanksgiving in neither Britain nor Sweden, but so what? It’s as good a reason to celebrate as any other and it also doesn’t hurt to take some time to think about all the things we should be grateful for. I’m spending my day thanking people around me and have also had a little prayer to tell God that, you know…I’m thankful!


It’s great because it makes you think about how many things there really are to be grateful for that you normally just take for granted, or sometimes even complain about. I don’t want to sound tedious here, but there are a lot of people who don’t even have food on their table. It’s quite painful to think about actually. That thought makes me feel quite guilty to be honest.

Today, if you see someone homeless or a Big Issue seller – give them some money!
Or even better – send some money to charity! It doesn’t have to be much, even just a little sum makes a difference. Do both!

I sometimes send money to a charity that takes care of unwanted or hurt pets and other animals. The staff works completely for free and I’m just so happy that places like that exist. Yes, I know, it might not “seem” as important as a charity that works with cancer or HIV, but that doesn’t mean it’s not important to support them. Someone has to think of the little ones as well.

Was going to meet some people in Putney tonight, but have been talked into going for dinner in Tooting instead. (Well, dinner feels more appropriate on Thanksgiving than just meeting up for a drink…) Nicola is organising for a group of people to get together once a week for either dinner or drinks in the Tooting and Clapham area where she lives. And two weeks ago when I almost went, but couldn’t face the long journey, I promised to come the next time instead.

I’ll explain what I mean by “long journey”. I think people who don’t live in London (and especially people living in places like Sweden) have a hard time understanding what that actually involves. I live in the west in zone 1-2 (depending on which tube I go to). Tooting is in the south in zone 4. The quickest way I can get there takes about 75 minutes. That means going there and then later, coming back, add up to a travel time of 2,5 hours! It’s a lot! The new Eurostar trains go to Paris in that time!

It takes equally long for me to pop over to my friend in south London and back, as it takes for me to get to Paris!

When you think about it, you realize how crazy it sounds! (Nicola, I’m not complaining about coming to your dinner babe – looking forward to it – I’m just contemplating the distances in London in general. It’s the same when it comes to visiting people in the east and to some degree north…don’t get me wrong x)

But what can you do? It’s a big city! Very big city even…

Well I guess, there are people who have got it worse. The largest city in the world is actually located in Sweden! (I know, you’re probably choking on your tea right this second, shouting obscene words in protest…that’s what normally happens when I try to point this out.)

But nevertheless, it’s true! Kiruna in the north of Sweden IS the largest city in the world. Not population wise (hehe..you must be kidding) but space wise! It really is! So I guess the people living there must have a worse time getting around than we do!

But then again, they’ve got really cool scooters and no annoying tourists in their way to slow them down, so they can just hover their way over the snow at light speed and then whoosh…they’re there! Something like that.