Right now I am sitting on the Amtrak train from Washington DC bound for New York. It has been a long day with meetings, the temperature reaching 26 c and with a humidity level reaching 80%. Unusual circumstances in early May. Even though I have had a good and interesting stay in US it feels good to go back to Sweden tomorrow after 6 days. All good so far. The WiFi connection on the train works perfectly and it allows me to read the news. Top story today is the, by now, famous ash cloud - it's alive.. again and it is moving south! Somehow I just got a feeling that this ash cloud has a personal "vendetta" against me for some unknown reason. It is following me where ever I go. It allows me to leave Sweden in good order but it wont let me back in. At lest not the easy way.

On thursday the 15th of April I took the morning flight to London. When I landed at Heathrow I found out that we where apparently the last plane that landed on Heathrow before the airport was shut down. I was scheduled to take the morning flight back the very next day. As you understand, this was not the case. I was being held hostage in London for the whole weekend until my employer managed to get a buss that could transport me and other colleagues that also where stranded in London back to Sweden. Being held hostage in London over a weekend is maybe not the worst place to be trapped in, just imagine North Korea or something in that direction. But when you have plans you want to get home. The question now was - how badly do you want to get home? 30 hour bus drive did not sound attractive at all, given that the airport could open any minute. On the other hand the airports could remain closed for the next few weeks - no one knew. I got on the bus and did my time. It went better than expected, but I don't want to do it again.

So what happens if I get trapped in New York? Just playing with the thought of taking the bus to Nebraska, over to Russia, stopping in Moscow and then continue to Stockholm is exhausting. That trip will last for a month or two! The alternative could maybe be a cruise ship of some sort, that sounds a whole lot better. Still I just want to get on my plane tomorrow and get home. So please ash cloud, I have done my time let me go home.