Is it really 2014 and am I really doing this Project still??? It started back in 2011 and I’m still going – mainly because the whole thing of capturing the moments throughout just one day really makes it one of my favourite projects to shoot for and compile. Maybe it’s also because I’m so useless at editing and blogging pictures from our travels and so this sometimes makes me do it – even if it’s just one days worth!!! So, yes, here we go again, another day on the travels of the Larmour Family…..

We flew to Finland for our Christmas holidays – I was so plain exhausted by the time we left that the big camera didn’t make it out of my bag as we got to Dubai airport at 3am, nor when we reached Helsinki at 8am so these top two at the two airports are iphone pics…We then dumped our luggage and set off to explore the city. The first thing you need to know about Finland in the winter is that there’s no sun…. no where, ever….. it’s gone into hibernation and everything is a bit flat and grey… as are my pictures to be honest… but, this project is nothing if not honest, and what you see is what you get!!Luckily it’s very pretty and grand, and there are Christmas markets to amuse you…

It was pretty chilly too…. well if you’re desert dwelling girls as we are…. demonstrated by Miss Indy the red nosed cold girl! Which we sang as we skipped down the street – to distract us from the cold as much as to keep happy and warm…..

until we reached a very cosy, welcoming establishment with warm and merry Christmassy drinks 😀

But it’s oh so lovely and Christmassy everywhere – bout not obnoxiously commercialised too – so, obviously having just been to the Christmas markets, and partaken in Christmas drinks our Christmas mood was taking over and so we popped to church – let me say, one of the most beautiful, simplistic churches I’ve ever seen… The Kamppi Chapel is a silent church and amidst the hustle and bustle of a capital city was an oasis of calm…. maybe not suitable for all kids, but Indy, who is a feisty little lady on many occasions, yet who also loves her quiet meditation time asked to go back again when we passed through again at the end of the holiday…

Following that we had curry for dinner (because seriously, what are vegetarians to eat in a country where their staple diet is pickled herring and reindeer?) and headed back to the station for our overnight train. Now anyone who’s followed on here for a while will know that I love my train journeys… people seem to screw up their faces is if sleeping on a train would be their worst nightmare but a 15 hour flight cramped up in economy class, or 15 hours with my own bed, a restaurant car, space to walk up and down, toilets that you actually could swing a cat in, access to my suitcase for pj’s and toothbrush – with a sink in the cabin no less…. no contest!!! And thankfully the girls love them too 😀 although I’ll admit they do get a little excitable (see pic below as they headed straight up to the top (3rd) bunk!!)

When we woke up we were in Lapland – the magical arctic land of Father Christmas, snow, christmas trees, snow, christmas trees, snow, ice, snow, cold, freezing cold, snow, chritsmas trees, snow, cold, ice, cold, some more snow and…… SKIING!!!!!!

But more on that another day – because it really truly was magical – and until then head on over to see a day in the life of my friend Nancy… until next month, Kirsty xx