Hello everyone,

The last couple of days the internet has been down here at the station. Apparently the thunderstorm they had in Kiruna has caused some problem and they are taking their time repairing our network. It is amazing how much you rely on the internet to be working, just to check the smallest thing you think hey I check that online… so I have found myself exploring the station a bit and finding out their equipment and socialising a bit with the folks on the station.

I have started doing my samples from Västerbotten however I am still waiting for a small grid to be able to count my viruses on the microscope, hopefully it will arrive soon. On to Abisko news, as you know we have only one supermarket and this place is rather interesting as it caters mainly for Norwegians! The Norwegian border is not too far away and they come here with their cars and buy shitloads of coca cola, sweets, meat and cheese. For them it is cheap here (however this supermarket is probably the most expensive in the whole of Sweden and as there is only one then they can charge whatever they like!). I am starting to dislike the Norwegians though as the shop does not really cater for normal Swedish shoppers (or the people that actually live in the village). Really I suppose I should dislike the owner of the shop, and from what I hear he is not thought of very fondly in the village due to high prices and the Norwegian friendly attitude. The shop keeper drives around in a brand new Mercedes Benz and generally shows of his money not on in a small place no wonder he does not have many friends.

Yesterday I visit the gym on the station for the first time and it is pretty good, reminds me a bit of the one in the Antarctic as it has a rowing machine, bike (no treadmill) and some weight stuff, pretty small but all good. It is nice of the station to have a gym for their employees and I get the general feeling that they like you to keep fit here. Maybe even they are sort of fitness freaks arghhh!!!! The village has bought two kayaks that they keep near torneträsk and I went in one of them on Sunday evening as it was glorious sunshine and the lake looked like a mirror, real flat so perfect for kayaking. I had never been in one before so it was cool fun, was out for about an hour and just enjoying the scenery. Once I got back into land I got demolished by mossies and I think they bite me anywhere they could so now I got tonnes of itchy bites that I cannot stop itching man they really get on my nerves (I know I have said this before but they can really kill a perfect experience and I need to mention them again so you all understand how bad they are!).

I have just managed to get a home phone number in my flat (+46 (0)980-40101) and also sorted out internet for my flat. I think it will all be up and running around the 15th of July.

Oh yea and I got a parcel with lots of goodies from my mum, absolutely brilliant and also TWO bags of polly (my favourite sweets)!!! Tusen tack Mamsen! And I got a wicked shower curtain from Jan Hinker Hartmann, I first spotted this shower curtain when Benny and I visited Jan in Berlin, as he had the same in his bathroom. It is a see through shower curtain in plastic and it has pockets on it so you can put photos/postcards/flyers in it, brilliant idea! (Check the photo of my new shower curtain). Tackar så mycket Jan!

Right that was all for now,

Take care

Christin