Finally home! What a trip - such an amazing race!

We started our trip on 9th of December. First target was Obedience Nordic Championships in Stockholm. This time - however - trip didn't start as planned. On the second travelling day our car quit his job - gear box was gone and we were in the middle of nothing, in nothern Sweden in Härnösand. Thank God we had a caravan insurance and nice lady from Finland organized us help. We drove slowly to the neares bigger place Timrå, where we placed us next morning to the managers office of repaiment of Ford cars. Fist he was thinking to send us to Stockholm by our car, but after test drive decided that this car can't do it. Gear box was gone and the two nearest ones were in Helsingborg and in Köln. The new box was ordered from Helsingborg, and we took the rental car, Volvo V70, in order to get to Stockholm. Luckily we had reserved a hotel room from Stockholm Mässan!

Weekend in Stockholm was another story. Tarja and Zici did good job in competition. Some small unlucky things happened, but all things they were trained intensively were succesfull. Finland won guld in teams! Tico was in "Svenska Vinnare" show and got excellent. After Prize giving seremony in Sunday we packed our "tribe" to the Volvo again and drove back to Timrå.

Our car was there waiting for us to sleep on it. In the morning we started again the discussions about repairing it. They took car in at 10:30 am and it was ready at 5 pm. Now it was time to start an other trip! We were about 1000 km behind our original schedule.

We drove like hell and arrived south Germany, Bad Bellingen on Thursday evening. We stayed in the camping this night before driving to Delivier, Swizerland. We met first time Ana Pires on Friday when she picked us up from one traffic circle. It was time to get to know the Nox & Wisp puppies. The whole litter was amazing. They we all so brave and lively. They were running outside and playing inside. Having fun and fighting. Four boys and two girls. We had a possibility to enjoy Ana's hospitality four days. During those days we had both serious and fun discussions. It was so nice to get to know Ana. We both feeled like to being in home with her.

Quite soon it became clear which will be Tarja's puppy - Element! He also had already a name to give him. This great boy would be Welsh Riverdee Power Flix - called shortly Flix!

On Saturday we met also Natalie and Tao. After short training we moved to the Rund um Hund hall, where would be agility competitions on Sunday. Tico and Riitta were taking part to that meeting. With no big victories but a lot of fun! The way to the hall was a "littel bit" challenging, but Tarja managed the route with maps and good feelings. Swizz girls named her as a Tomtom girl

On Monday Ana had reserved a hall for four hours for obedience training and for puppies. Ana, Natalie and Brigit arrived at 12 and Tarja started to train with them. Great dogs, great handlers and what's most important - right attitude! The day was so fun! Also puppies got their training session in the hall. Flix was already eating the cones - so ready made obedience dog!! We also met Galine Feodorova, who came to pick one pup with her to Russia. When sitting in the coffee table, it was so amazing to listen how discussion was going fluently in Finnish, English, German, French and Russian. I suppose that most of the things came clear At least there was a lot of laugh!

After nice afternoon we followed local quide Ana back to her place. It was time for Finnish puppies vet an deworming. All paperwork was also done ready and finally we had time for marvellous dinner with Ana. Must say that I will mis her cooking!

On Tuesdayt 23rd morning we prepared car and everything for the long trip. Flix and Mikaela, like we called a puppy girl which was tarvelling with us to Finland, were placed safely to cage and we started long trip back to Finland. The puppies were great travellers both in car and in ferry. No fears - nothing. We drove in two hours steps and stopped to gas stations in order to take them out. Four long days and we were back to Finland. All the way from Swizerland through Germany, Denmark and Sweden to Finland. A little bit over 3000 km. On Friday 26th, we stopped about 40 km before Oulu to drop Mikaela to her new owner. Mikko will take good care of her. Flix will not live far away - so they have possibility to meet as often the owners want.

First thing what Flix did when arriving home was running! Little guy had gone four days in leach without running and he took all back! He was running and running and running! Inside and outside! Who cares if it is 30 cm of snow and -15 degrees cold! He was so happy and energetic - unbelievable puppy!! New house was not a big thing - they were aready people and dogs he knew!

This is a new start now for Tarja and Flix. I warmely hope that it will be a succesfull story. Flix is a special puppy after a very dark and difficult autumn. Future looks very light and full of action!

Big thangs to Ana and her friends in Swizerland! See you in the first puppyday