I made my first trip to Stockholm in September 2004. Back then I was working with Accenture, and travelled to Sweden three times. The following year I changed job and started working for a Swedish company. That wouldn’t have meant I had to travel to Stockholm too often. But as fate would have it I ended up working on two projects over 4 years that required me to work as much as possible from Stockholm. I think I have been averaging 20 to 30 trips a year since November 2005. This year alone (a relatively quiet year because of illness in January and February) I will spend over 85 days in the city.

I can let you in on a little bit of news though. My travel here is coming to an end. This trip should be my last one for a while. I am moving on to a new adventure in January. I amn’t changing employer, but what I do and where I do it is going to change a fair bit. I will still be travelling to Sweden I think, but probably only a couple of times a year. Exactly what I am going to be getting up to I will say more about next week.

In the mean time, I told the hotel staff that I am leaving them. For most of the last three years I have based myself in the Clarion in Sodermalm. It may not have been the closest to work, but I love the area and you do get comfortable in familiar surroundings. Having been here so much I do know most of the front line staff and they know me. So when I was here 2 weeks ago I told them that I was off, thanked them for their hospitality, and handed out boxes of chocolates to them as a parting gift. They knew I was back this week for the last time. And when I got here I was told that they wanted to say thanks and goodbye to me as well. Part of this is that they have put me in a very nice suite. Two floors of luxury, far beyond what I usually get. I had to take a quick video to show you.

Now if only it were like this all the time!