Day 1. Still in Uppsala. Contemplating on Christmas and todays travel.
My brother turned 50 earlier this year. For a long time he has said that anyone who wants to celebrate me will have to come to the pub in Kimba.
https://www.kimba.sa.gov.au/page.aspx

Kimba is located on Eyre peninsula, South Australia, and the reason he wants to celebrate there is that he spent a year on a farm close to Kimba, some 30 years ago. So around midsummer this year me, our parents and my daughter started to plan the trip to Australia and decided to buy tickets and realise it. And here we are, a couple of days after Christmas making the last preparations and packing the last things. Tonight we leave from Arlanda, and about 30/35 hours later we will hopefully arrive at our first stop; Port Stephens, north of Sydney. I must say that we have had a wonderful Christmas, with our oldest son home from Chicago (where he studies), and with his girlfriend visiting Sweden for the first time. We had lots of good food, drinks, laughs, board games and we even went out riding kicksleds. A rather typical swedish winter-activity (and the kicksleds are even known from the swedish film Sällskapsresan Snowroller, accompanied by the famous word "In Sweden we call it a kick") Here are some pictures from the Christmas celebrations in Uppsala and at my parents´ place.

Christmas tree in Uppsala

Ornament

Ready for the smorgasbord on Christmas Eve

Allie and Axel

"Tomten" (swedish Santa Claus) came, spoke
strange dialect and delivered presents

  Alice in the dress from Musikhjälpen
Previously worn by Tina Mehrafzoon at P3 Guld gala

I expect most of the other photos from the travel itself with represent a warmer weather. It has been uncommonly warm for the season in Australia, I don't particularly like very high temperatures, but we at least trained a bit this summer when Sweden was uncommonly hot for a long period of time also. And I do look forward to this trip so much! I have never been to Australia, and all about it feels very exciting for the moment. We will first stay in a hotel in Port Stephens, and celebrate New Years Eve there, then we will go to Sydney for a couple of days before leaving for Melbourne. From there we move on to Adelaide where we will meet my brother and his partner, and the rest of the time we will spend with them in Barossa valley and the Kimba area. I also must say that I have had so much help from two friends while planning this trip: Anita, who lived in Port Stephens some years ago, and Christina who has travelled a lot to Australia and also lived there as an exchange student. All your advice, and cheering along the way really helped and encouraged me, so thank you!

Traditional chandelier from Gotland