In the bleak midwinter ...

OK, so it isn't really midwinter. But it feels like it back in Helsinki, after a few days away in the UK and California.

I landed last night at Vantaa at 23:40, only 10 minutes later than scheduled but in a ghostly white landscape, several centimetres of snow on the ground and temperature of -5C. After my customary speedy exit and dash through customs, I waited for my luggage to hit the belt. And waited. The cold weather was slowing down the usually speedy ground staff and eventually, after an hour of waiting, my suitcase arrived.

Then outside to grab a cab. But there was a long line of passengers waiting for taxis and a rather intermittent supply. Forty five minutes later, I was inside a warm Volvo and on my way home. After an object lesson in why the Finns make such excellent rally drivers, we slid to a halt outside my apartment, just two hours later than my normal return time, and four hours sleep before heading to work this morning.

My only consolation was that, had that much snow fallen in the south of England where the rest of the family live, the infrastructure would have ground to a halt. And this morning, when I needed a cab to work, despite the still dreadful conditions, an SMS to Helsinki Taxi with my address got a reply within seconds even when the phone number was constantly engaged, then a cab arrived within 5 minutes. Driving home this evening, I was so glad I got the winter tyres put on before I departed for California. My only worry is how I'll drive on snow back in the UK, when I forget that my tyres don't have metal spikes fitted!