Yesterday evening, I met old friends in Stockholm over a beer at the very nice Czech pub Soldaten Svejk. I know both Krister and Dag from the University of Journalism in Gothenburg, 16 years ago. Wow, time flies. I also met Anna, a friend from Brussels.

And, on my way to the airport this morning, after having had breakfast with Lotta and Per (their hospitality knows no limits), I stopped by Lena and Ulrik in Sollentuna. They moved to a new house with their little son Alexander. It was great to meet them and get an update on their and our mutual Swedish friends lives.

 

Right now, I am sitting on the airport in Istanbul, and it is 22.30. I am dead tired. I arrived here already 18.30, local time, so I took the train into the city to kill some time. I arrived to the Sultanhamet district when the prayer call started, and since it is Ramadan, a lot of people where having a picnic in the grass close to the Blue Mosque, having their first meal since early morning. I joined in with some take away food, a stuffed aubergine. Very nice.

 

Now, I just have to kill another 90 minutes, before my flight to Dalaman leaves. There, I have to wait another hour for the rest of the sailing crew to arrive from Sweden. Then we will check into our sailing boats and finally get some sleep. Who said being a travel journalist was easy-going?