Tuesday 15th July

After we finished lecturing in Helsinki it was back to the port and onto another overnight ferry to Stockholm. We were crammed into windowless cabins (four of us per cabin) in the bottom of the boat next to the engine rooms and it was a relief to reach Stockholm. The approach to Stockholm by water is beautiful with hundreds of small islands each with the Swedes' summer houses and yachts moored outside. The Swedish police were on fearsome top form and breathalysed every driver coming off the ferry with a 'welcome to Sweden' message for each of us! A long ride to the lecture venue in the middle of Sweden with 35 Swedish equine vets in attendance to hear the full 5 hour programme of talks. There was a lot of discussion about back problems and how best to treat these, in addition to practical questions abut how to manage outbreaks of infectious diseases like flu and strangles. The local organiser did an amazing job and there was a supper for the speakers and delegates at the end of the evening's lectures. Tomorrow we are back on the bikes and off to Norway for an evening of lectures at Sandefjord.