I visited my 22nd country – Sweden - just over a week ago and managed to spend a couple of nights in jail, jumped into a freezing river and stood on a beach while it was snowing (completing number 27 on my list of 30 Things to Do Before 30) - overall a successful few days! 


My brother, sister-in-law and I headed off to Stockholm for a few days to catch up with Brad’s friends Karin and Daniel, and even though it was freezing cold (literally), gloomy and rainy – it was such a beautiful place – and I can’t wait to go back in summer.  Oh - and the cranes look like giraffes (see the top photo) - I may just move there!



While there Brad, Casey & I stayed at Langholmen Jail (http://www.langholmen.com/) - a maximum security prison that was closed in 1975 and converted into a hostel.  I adored this place – it had so much personality - the rooms were called “cells” (we were cell 309), there’s copies of the inmates pictures & crimes in your room, all the windows are barred – plus it gave me the prison experience I’ve always craved without the criminal record!


We took an amazing boat ride around Stockholm –with the most lovely guide – who translated everything into English so literally it had me in hysterics.  Karin and Daniel also took us for the most traditional of all Swedish activities - a sauna and then an invigorating dip in a freezing river.  Now anyone who know me knows how much I love cold temperatures – so it was only the knowledge that I might never get the chance again that forced me to jump off a snow-covered jetty into the freezing water below.  Apparently the water temperature was 4 degrees Celsius – and it doesn’t get much colder - and looking at the photo above you can we're practically smoking - that's how cold it was outside!


After a truly bumpy airplane ride home (people were holding hands across the ailses – and even my brother got a little nervous) – we arrived back in London – where I took Brad for a special, special treat - a Chelsea football match.  Now Brad had declared ours a Chelsea family years and years ago (long before any Russians started pumping money into the club) – so this was a truly special moment of family bonding – plus a chance to watch Chelsea win 4-0 (something they haven’t been doing much of lately).  So all in all a lovely few days.

BTW – the title of this blog is a funny little website we found while in Sweden and making a very mediocre effort to learn some Swedish (http://www.francisstrand.blogspot.com/ ).  Worth checking out if you're hanging to learn Swedish in many, challenging lessons - and let's be honest - who isn't...