Day 1 - Boogie Night

Well the first night here and a VERY late night but at least everyones here and intact. I'll sleep well today.

I decided to get to the airport in good time (as always) so my pop drove me into Nelson to catch the bus to Manchester. After playing a little Angry Birds on the iPhone, I noticed that the battery was depleting a lot quicker than I expected so I preserved battery power. For this journey I brought a book called 'Making Magic' written by a former Disney Vice

President about leadership and employing the right people - maybe it will work well when I begin my own business. I read a few chapters before I arrived in Picadilly Gardens.

As always when I set foot in Manchester, I rush straight to Bar Burrito to get a chicken burrito (no diet, no distance or time will change that). However, as I was TOO early, it was closed so I sobbed uncontrollably while I climbed on the airport bus. During the ride, I received a text from Katerina saying that she will be late and I had to find my way to the hotel by myself!! TERROR!! I am usually very nervous travelling alone and now in a non english-speaking country. This time though I had trusty iPhone to the rescue - within minutes I had the terminal map, bus schedule, station AND hotel addresses and some useful Finnish phrases - isnt future BRILLIANT!! I jumped off the bus feeling pretty good about myself (but stupidly minus two gloves :( )

Another aspect that I love about technology is printed boarding passes which allow you to get through to departure lounges MUCH earlier (and gives you time for a meal). Sadly, this was at Manchester terminal 3 (so no Frankie & Benny's and no Giraffe) and I had to make do with a canteen chicken balti. I used a little logic to charge up my iPhone by using the paid internet computers to get the charge but our money-hungry country BLOCKED the computers of that ability (data sticks ok, charging from it NOT ok EVEN though you paid). In a fit of frustration and fear of running out of charge, I left my cable there leaving the ability to charge it as well. Sob sob. My mind was concentrated on reading Mens Fitness while having a Vanilla Latte and Shortbread (reading about Gym Jones and organising month 2 of P90x) until it was time to get on the EasyJet to Helsinki.

I would have loved to sleep on the plane but as it is practically impossible (and especially on low-cost airlines) to I went on reading about leadership and also of entrepreneurs in the UK (Will Chase of Tyrells) and planning some life strategies. On the landing in Helsinki, the fog was really something quite spooky and the plane went from fog to LANDING!! (What a pilot!) I packed up and got off the plane into the -6 cold (although I didn't feel cold at all).time to climb aboard Easyjet to Helsinki.

Using the directions in the airport, I got on the bus with no problems and everyone (driver included) understood my slurry, Northern English. After 30 minutes and landing at the bus station, I fired up the GPS and followed the 1.5 mile walk to the Radisson Blu Seaside Hotel. This was actually a straight walk down a long road of small, cute shops which strangely had no real pattern to what they sell (glasses and toys, wood and medicine) and I caught a little shock walking past a house window when I saw a full skeleton sitting at a dining table. Katerina later told me it was for a design school (but decide for yourself).

Once at the Radisson, I went to reception and got the hotel room and sat watching Finnish TV until I received a call from Katerina saying she'll be a few more hours. This gave me the chance to watch Boogie Nights with Finnish subtitles while I waited (lol Dirk Diggler). After the movie, it was midnight and I stayed awake watching Deuce Bigalo: Male Gigolo. After THAT, it was then 2am and I went down to the reception to wait for Katerina to arrive (as meeting for the fi

rst time probably shouldn't be with a guy in his PJs asleep). 2am....3am....3:30am - I was starting to get worried but the calls couldn't get through - I decided to get some sleep and told the concierge to call me when she arrived. Yawn! Goodnight...

Day 2 - Lappi Dappi Doo

Today was the main day for doing stuff but as Katerina arrived at 4am, we both found a need to sleep until 10am (and as the breakfast buffet closes at 11, we had to get a move on). At the buffet, we had 30 minutes to stuff our faces so wescavenged like vultures on crack. I ate a lot of bread with ham and reindeer prosciutto, some sausage (or bratwurst) and bacon (or jerky) with mushrooms while Katerina put healthy me to shame by eating yogurt and lots of vegetables. This was all sloshed down with some coffee and we went out to experience Helsinki.

First though as I had lost my iPhone cable, I needed to drop by the Apple store to get a new one (which unfortunately I was somewhat fleeced on - a by-product of monopoly I guess). We then took off around the old town walk. Passing by lots of statues and churches it reminded me of Kiev with the gold topped towers (which I learnt from an advertisement that they are professionally goldleafed - the work involved!). We decided to go inside and take a few pictures.

The whole church was similar to ones I had experienced in Kiev, with icons and opulent surroundings but one disappointing difference - no people praying :(. I feel now after seeing the observant nature of the Ukrainians in their churches, I kinda think it builds an atmosphere that makes the churches more an experience (if you believe or not). I attempted to read a tablet on the wall but Katerina corrected my mistakes but its nice to have these mini-lessons.

We continued our circular route talking business and opportunities while passing by a stuffed reindeer outside the Finnish souvenir shop. We both stopped to give it a nice stroke (as Reindeer skin is a tactile experience in itself) and decided to take a break and have a coffee

in Waynes Coffee (a chain here). We sat with our Cappuccinos and talked about where to go in the evening and about the funny kid sitting on the table next to us with a chocolate pudding face (memories). We glanced at some of the clothes shops on our way back to the hotel.

As the Raddison was a good quality hotel and Finnish, they had free sauna for the guests and as saunas are a given in Finland, we spend 30 minutes sweating out our troubles (ok bad expression) in the mens and womens saunas. Fortunately, there were no other guys in my sauna so I had the chance to add LOTS of steam and totally steam myself like a lobster. Suffice to say when we both came out of our separate saunas, we looked like a special in a seafood restaurant. We went to the room and got changed for our evening out.

Before the trip, I discovered a nice looking restaurant serving Lapland food called (creatively) Lappi. Sadly the waiter informed they were booked until 8pm so we

had to find a place to hang out or eat at instead for 90 minutes. We walked into the centre andfound a couple of interesting places (like a bar dedicated to VitaminWater) and Mexican and Italian foods but Katerina said I must eat Finnish. We stopped in a super stylish bar populated with suits and furred up Russian women that reminded me of Ivana Humpalot from Austin Powers (but then again I was furrier than them in my super warm jumper). As the beers were €7 a pop, we were well happywith just the one and we walked back to Lappi for dinner.

We were seated and looked through the menu. In my infinite curiousity, I punted for the reindeer fillet with rosti, celeriac creme and rich wine sauce. Katerina tried the fish of the day (perch) with bulgar wheat salad (which was mighty tasty too). One thing we noticed while we were both enjoying our meals was actually how small our portions were compared to EVERYONE else in the restaurant. This was further enhanced by our Lappish cheeseboard dessert (which shocked even her). I guess its not much of a saturated fat hit though.

We walked back home, watched 'America's Sweethearts' on the TV (with subtitles) and got a relatively (to yesterday) early night.

Day 3 - Caveman Fashion!

Final day here on the short stay :( still was nice to get another country onto my big long list and another flag to sew to my travelling jeans.

Woke up today a little earlier than the day before and Katerina was about to escape the room and beat me to breakfast! That blaggard! Fortunately I quickly changed and then we went down together to the buffet. Today I decided to stick with the yummy bread products but added cloudberry jam and also a tasty find of rye porridge (I usually have porridge but this was substantially more filling). Another unusual discovery was at the toilet just before I left - while washing my hand I was looking for the soap dispenser and found there was no button. Upon closer inspection the bottom of it had a nipple and you had to 'milk' the soap into your hand. Compared to the other curious happenings, this was quite up there.

As we'd covered the majority of walkable sightseeing on Saturday, we walked into the centre and did a little shopping. Firstly, we had to book the tickets in a little hidden car park in the north of the city with minibuses and russian drivers that operate the unofficial buses into St Petersburg. Listening to them I realised it was probably time to brush up

on the Russian again. Katerina showed me where my bus was to set off from and we stopped for a latte in the train station and talked about cookery (subjects huh?).

We moved on to Stockmann department store to see lots of contemporary Finnish

design. I would have loved to purchase the functional and collectable shaped teasets but as one cup set you back approx €50, I decided to hold back. The store had a restaurant on the 8th floor of which I tho

ught we would get some nice panoramas of the city. Unfortunately the 'design' of the windows reminded me of battlement windows on medieval castles so photo ops were at a minimum. Katerina purchased another healthy salad and introduced me to dark rye bread (but apparently STILL not as dark as Russian can get). We talked more on traditions and business until we got itchy feet to move on.

As it was almost time for me to catch my bus back, we had a small amount of time

to check her emails in a nice little cafe which was very Northern Quarter but finally one had free Wifi to use the iPhone to its max. I sent a couple of messages and had a mocha and found a free magazine on Helsinki as a momento and we relaxed finally before it was time to go.

We said our goodbyes and I got on the Finnair bus to the airport. I played a little Angry Birds and checked the Facebook (yes addicted!). I got off at the wrong terminal but as I was almost two hours ahead of my flight time, I had ample time to walk and take my time. I msned my friend Fjo and shared the trip (and visiting her in Oslo may be the next trip). I moved through to the departures lounge.

Even though Helsinki was an airport that Easyjet flew to, it was

actually a really large departures lounge with a lot of designer and souvenir shops. As I had not purchased any, I had a gander around. I got some Moomin stuff for mum, some unidentifyable foodstuffs (as it was in Finnish) and had a slight moral dilemma over buying a Reindeer skin and bear pate for myself (but how many times can one have that?). I used my change to buy a VitaminWater (as they seem to be a staple of Finnish shops) and some SALTED liquorice sweets (unusual to say the least again). Finally got on the plane at 9:30pm and napped and read my way through the 2:40 trip back home. Through customs in no time (as no hold luggage) and met up with dad to go home and talk about the trip.

Another interesting holiday with new experiences, another meeting of an internet friend whom is kind and friendly and time to look towards the next horizon. Watch this space :D