helsinki... and beyond

besides just snowing yesterday there was more excitement afoot as both Stippe and Juuso arrived back from guatemala and I ate both karjalanpiirakka and ruisleipä for the first time in five years! pretty equal on excitement level don't ya reckon? It was really cool to see Stippe and Juuso. Juuso's arrival was super secret, not even his family knew (or know), only a few people were in on it. He'd been travelling for 2 years so pretty big deal. Mucked around in town most of the day then went over to Jere and Stippe's in the evening to hang out with all them lot and listen to deep and meaningful conversations about life the universe and everything while all six of us lay like sardines on a double bed!
Juuso stayed at Milka's house that night too. This morning i went to the doctor for my last vaccine before i hit south america (which cost HEAPS and was not nearly so exciting as yesterdays goings on) then bought my train ticket (which also cost HEAPS and also not exciting except for my excellent finnish to complete the transaction :p). Went back to milkas and chatted for ages til juuso woke up - wish i coulda slept like he did when i first arrived here. Then i just made it to the train on time. Managed to trip over my shoelace, which i had neglected to tie in my haste, whilst struggling along with my very top heavy pack and one-wheeled suitcase and fell in full view of everyone in the train carriage i was passing at the time. Musta been quite spectacular as well as embarrassing and a bit painful - have yet to inspect the damage except for some quite dirty knees. The worst bit was the guy walking behind me just walked right on by, coulda really done with a hand up as it was quite a challenge with a big pack on (which i'd already discovered a bit earlier when i went to pick something up with it on and ended up sitting on my bum instead. i laughed. juuso looked concerned and helped me up!)
All the nokelas were waiting in a line for me at the train station! Their place is in the woods about 17k out of joensuu i think arto said and is really nice, all bare, glowing wooden walls floors ceilings. Peppi is sooo cute and has no idea who i am, well i'm sure she's been told but she is only 6. Juuso (brother juuso this time) is talkative and lovely, mia hasn't said much yet but hopefully that'll change. Doing pretty well with the whole finnish business i think, definitely not perfect (nowhere close) but better than i expected! Def don't understand much when finnish people are talking full tilt with one another but never really did, sometimes i can follow the gist of it - least i think i can!
Ok this has gone on for long enough and gotta get up in the morning to go even further north in the morning -a further 256km to be exact! Spa time tomorrow apparently, can't wait.