Finland - a summary

I am so glad we decided to visit my pen friend, Tiina in Finland. It was amazing. The Finnish people from day one were wonderful - all the retail and airport staff interchange immediately to English the instant they detect your blank face. The homes are warm and cosy with central heating and triple glazed windows. It was in the minus temperatures the whole time but inside was always sitting around 23 degrees. Tiina and Seppo were most generous, refusing to let us pay for anything and taking us all around their local village and district. Their daughter Laura was absolutely gorgeous and can speak fluent English so was chief translater as Seppo knew no English and Tiina has only used English with my letters since leaving school. The other two children (young adults - all in their early 20s) spoke English to some extent but Laura has done a fair bit of travel and did her tertiary study at an English speaking school. 

Every night we had a sauna followed by a shower. This is as common as us kiwi's taking a morning shower. It was very effective in zonking us out and we slept very well. 

Tiina and I really liked each other and it was emotional to say goodbye. She wants to come to New Zealand now and I want to go to Finland again - in their summer. The photos I saw of their places in Summer were stunning!