I'm back

So...it's been quite a while since I've communicated with you AND I owe you the rest of that story...but before I continue that story, I'll give you the brief on what happened during my hiatis:
1. No brain tumour....phew dodged that bullet - just one more follow up in Dec.!
2. Ran the half marathon in Ottawa on May 24th and finished it - you should have seen my doctor's face when I told her that I didn't want my last test to clear me regarding...you know #1 there...until AFTER I ran the half because I was training so hard and the medication she wanted me to take for the test was going to screw up my sleeping and appetite....oh well it all worked out.
3. Successfully climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro in July - it was AWESOME!
4. Swam in the Indian Ocean on my 40th birthday in August.
5. Company went under CCAA (creditor protection) the exact day I returned to the office after my holiday...that was a nice (sarcasm anyone) surprise.

Wow - I will expand on some of those in another post but now the rest of that story.

So I guess I left off with John Slavin from Scotland, a fellow from South Korea and me missing the last bus (Just outside of the Arctic Circle) and having to spend the night next to the river. John was the guy who had spent 10 years in a mental hospital because he went over the edge when his common-law wife left him and took his boys. During his tenure in the hospital his "demons" would come out in his painting. Because of that he told me he doesn't paint anymore. He has since come to terms with his previous life and agreed that his wife did the right thing.

How we started talking about his life was when I pulled out my book "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance". I was explaining how I had lost faith in folks etc etc and then he started sharing his life experience with me. At first, I felt EXTREMELY nervous but eventually, I think he noticed my nerves and explained to me how he had come to terms with his illness. I calmed down after that - but kept my distance across the fire.

The Korean fellow actually didn't spend the night at the river and opted to go find some cabins instead. The next morning he did come back to our camp around 5:30 or 6am. He was followed by a Finnish fellow. The Finnish fellow was very jolly and in his bicycle basket he had a beer for each one of us. John didn't drink and at the time I wasn't keen on beer - plus it was early morning - but the Korean fellow cracked one open.

The Finnish fellow constantly poked my shoulder and then pointed across the river and would say over and over again "Sweden, Sweden". He was a funny chap, happy just to see some travellers!

That morning the Korean fellow, John and I walked to the bus station and hopped on the bus to the train station. The Korean fellow went on his way to Santa's Village and John and I travelled together all the way into Helsinki.

I didn't see either of them again. John did restore my faith in people and the fact that folks can change and that we shouldn't give up on anyone.

The following day, I met my Mum at the airport in Helsinki and we travelled together to the Biomechanics conference at the University of Jyväskylä.

BTW the story is much more interesting when I tell it in person and show you the pictures!