Author: hvehkama

Safe and sound, the ICE caught up the five minute delay and we made it to the Hamburg-bound train in Göttingen without any trouble. They announce World Cup football results in the German trains, that I call service. Spend the morning awaiting for Germany-Serbia game by sorting email. Tonight, or technically tomorrow morning 3 AM… Continue reading Arrived in Hamburg

Lectures finished for now, and as a celebratory move, instead of staying the night in Frankfurt, we decided to make the epic “Ticket to ride” -journey from Switzerland to Hamburg in one go. We’ll see how tight the change at Göttingen proves to be, but there is always the next train. Frankfurt Hbf structures impressed… Continue reading Freedom of the Interrail pass

Amazing how students come up with surprising questions and also answers time after time. The biscuits -especially the coconut ones- at the coffee break are delicious here. This is hopefully compensated by the the fact that the forest around provided lovely opportunity for a run, topped with trees cut by beavers and other wonders of… Continue reading Forest, bisquits and football near Zürich

Lectures of day one done, local organiser Judith prepares brilliant tea. Climbed to the belfry of the famous cathedral, BTW the most visited tourist attraction in Germany. I might prefer the Hohenzollern railway bridge next door, but it is a close call. Girls’ night out with asparagus, hard talk and ice cream. Italy drew with… Continue reading Full day in Cologne

Just in time to watch Germany-Australia, have some Kölsch and peppermint tea. Street party still going on outside the hotel accompanied by beeping and honking everywhere- it is a pleasure to be amongst the winners for once in the context of football- though I hope to get some sleep at some point.

Fellow scientists, has anyone measured the difference in natural light properties at different locations in the world. I mean, even at noon on a clear day the light is quite different in say, New York and Leeds. What does it depend on? Aerosol content yes, but we are speaking enough about those little bastards this… Continue reading Light conditions- not only in Paris

London offered a milder, mango-based seafood curry, not that brilliant world cup football and meetings with good friends, moreover a strong need to go there for a longer time. I am grateful for scientific career providing me (so far:) with 1.5 home cities and home countries. What I feel most acutely now is however a… Continue reading Non-lecture stops at London and Paris

With yesterdays curry still invigorating my body and mind, heading to give the Leeds lectures. Must keep the schedule in shape to finish well before the kick-off of the first world cup match at three o’clock this afternoon. Lots of English flags in cars and on balconies both here and in Manchester.

From Hanna’s point of view this was a perfect travel day: ferry from Dublin (where we arrived last night from Galway) to Holyhead, then couple of trains to get to Manchester. Well, nearly perfect, since they were not steam trains. Nice scenery and incomprehensible station names. Meeting old friends in the form of a colleague… Continue reading Travel day Dublin-Manchester

The first 2-week train tour has begun! We will start with a one-day course in Galway. The trip has started well: we have taken a picture with us and the two writer-Wildes (the same statue as in Tartu) and had delicious seafood with Margaux. The local organizer Colin O’Dowd is acknowledged.