As hard as it was, I came back. Admittedly the desire to just turn around on the drive to Gothenburg, before security at the airport, as we walked to the plane, as we shopped Amsterdam airport, as we passed security at Amsterdam and even as we walked out of Manchester airport arrivals was really strong.

But I returned. (mini cheer)

Super grateful to Liz for accompanying me on what started as a normal out and back trip.

This is me. The day before we left I got a call to go to Copenhagen for an interview so instead we drove South from Gothenburg, ferry to Denmark, hotel for the evening and interview number 1, went out for a drink and ended up getting wasted with some Danish car salesmen (well, Liz did. Ever the practical she saw the need for my soberness at the interview the following morning and dutifully drank my beers). Had interviews 2 and 3 then mad pack at the hotel followed by a huge drive North, ferry then up to the house where...

We found we'd been burgled. Yay. This is the village in which we have left our front door wide open and gone out for the day and had nothing happen, a village where you leave your bike unchained at the bus stop and it's still there when you come back. And we got burgled. The police were very helpful, if not a little funny about the house being freezing.

Anyway, cue much wine, West Wing and stressing, followed by some DIY to fix the lock and window (all without power tools too). Add in some Christmas shopping (floral Wreath through customs anyone?) and we were stuffed with coffee, waffles and vaniljbrod. Yummy.

I'm stressing now again over the PhD interviews in Denmark. I e-mailed to thank the profs/researchers for seeing me, but now I have had three ideas for a PhD which might be useful to them. Perhaps I should e-mail the researcher who seemed really approachable and fun.

The best part of the whole week (apart from the travelling, Rob Lowe accidentally sleeping with a hooker and the wine being decent) was Liz walking into a petrol station on the way back and ordering- in perfect Swedish- two lattes and paying for them, before thanking the attendant and saying goodbye. Did I not teach her well? Admittedly she's still very confused by Scandinavian languages, but there is hope yet.. perhaps more for her than me.

Oh, and I graduate on the 18th December, wearing a purple and gold hood, and I start work on Monday.