We were up really early - 0245 - so we were ready for the car which arrived at 4am to take us to Heathrow for our 5am check in and 6.15 departure to Stockholm (the first flight from terminal 5!)
On paper timings seemed tight but we even had time to go to the lounge for John to eat a bacon roll!
As luck would have it we met Lisa, a doctor from Lichfield, and our only travelling companion flying with us, in the queue - we stood right behind her and saw the telltale Naturetrek luggage tag!
At Stockholm we met our other companions - two middle aged brothers from Manchester - Jonathan and Tim and Nardine, an Australian who had just finished her masters in Copenhagen and on her last stop before heading back to Melbourne.
One of our guides Ollie appeared as we were getting acquainted and guided us to our minibus before taking us to the Green Hotel, Tallberg where we met our main guide Anders Ståhl an ex Swedish army officer turned naturalist and painter.
The trip to Tallberg took 3 hours and we were all glad to arrive at the hotel - we did however have a quick coffee stop enroute and were able to give a thumbs up to Swedish service stations!
The Green hotel is a really traditional hotel, lots of wood, traditionally dressed staff and with great views looking out over a large lake - it was easy to see why it is a favourite of Swedish royalty-
over the next four days it became our heavenly oasis in central Sweden.
Having quickly settled into our rooms we met Anders for lunch and a briefing on wolves, wolf tracking and other Swedish wildlife.
Today's picture is of the fantastic sunset we watched as the sun set over the lake while we took a break from our briefing.