This year on my travels I decided to type up some thoughts etc while on my journeys... I posted it on facebook as I went, and I'm just far too lazy to come up with something original... so here it is.
Aug 18
The airbus picked me up, and within minutes the driver informed me he was a musician who would be performing at a week long Pagan festival north of toronto. He makes mention that the the people there are happy and people in "real life" ate bitter assholes.
He has a book entitled "the mysteries of Druidry" laying on the floor of the bus
Toronto Pearson airport finally has wifi. Free, I mean.
The woman at the Finnair check in counter informs me that my bag weighs 14kg, and I think I've packed everything I ever like to wear. What are people crying about when I tell them they only get 20kg??
My bag gets checked all the way thru to Paris and i'm able to grab a change of clothes to land in Paris with. Forgot the toothbrush but somehow have a massive tube of toothpaste so I'll be okay.
Realize that Swiss Chalet has a 300% mark up on their Rickard's Red after ordering a drink. Don't care since really there isn't any other bar to go to here. Remember after security that all the "good" stuff at this airport is after the duty free section.
Thoughts while travelling
Aug 19
Slept most of thr flight had an empty seat between me and the old Asian man sharing my row. Hope he didn't mind I took over the seat. Slept in about 100 dfferent contorted positions due to there being about an inch from my knees to the seat ahead. Can't speak for the food as I skipped dinner. Breakfast was a stale bun with some turkey type meat and some cheese and somthing vaguely resembling lettuce. No free wine :(
Woke up when they announced the "breakfast" and coffee (yay coffee!!) and was treated to views of fjords and the craggy coast line of northern Norway. Incredibly beautiful and just seeing it from the plane makes me think Norway deserved to be on my list of places to visit.
It's neat to see the roads snaking thru the rugged terrain, bridges spanning the bodies of water. Can't really imagine what possessed people to settle way up here with limited access to the world. I have a feeling that unless you go off to school or catch the travel bug you likely stay for life.
2:52pm
On the bus to the city centre to meet Atte. Pretty sure a girl just got on with a hula hoop. In it's own carrying case. Is hula big here?
From what I could tell from the plane, finland is covered in tall evergreen trees. I could have sworn I was landing in northern Canada. Maybe everything north of the 49th parallel is covered in evergreens?
Can't read a word anything says. Probably a good thing I'm just going to the city and back. Correction- only words I recognize are ones that ikea has named stuff after like Malm. Don't know what/where that is, just know my entire bedroom set is names after it.
My little camera appears to be broken, thank god Adrian loaned me his for my underwater housing.
Aug 20
10:15am
Rafe was rigjt, helsinki is awesome- the people are friendly and the city is beautiful. I think I have a crush on the city.
Learned Sweden is the other official language and the signs are in both languages. Which explains the familiar ikea words.
Moomi is a famous childrens cartoon character. Must bring something with him home for Wylie.
The free wireless at HEL made me angry.
Finland is definitely canada's cousin-the people love to go to the cottage, BBQ, and drink beer.
J'ai mal à tete parce-que je (enjoyed) trop des boissons dans Helsinki!!
Enjoyed a picnic with reindeer meat, meatballs, wine and fruit at suomolinna (sp?) and walked around tr fortress. Met up with some of Atte's coworkers randomly and a night of drinking proceeded.
6:06pm
Getting from the airport to the gard de Nord was okay. After standing in an epic line I was able to use my rail pass to get from cdg to the city. Saved me 8.70€!
Made friends with an old French man that vaguely resembled robin Williams if he was French and less hairy.
Figured at gard de nord I would be proactive and book my train ticket to Cannes saving myself having to do it Sunday morning. This consisted of waiting in the wrong (long) line about 4 times. Once I was finally able to book my train (only 3€!) I was off to figure out the metro and get to the hostel to drop my stuff off and freshen up. And find some food, since the sandwich given to me on the plane wasn't doing much anymore.
Found the hostel, found my room-4 european floors up!! and dumped everything on the bed.
Checked up on Internet and went for a walk to find food. I think I have language stage fright because I panic when I have to speak French. Went back to the room and had a short nap.
Left again with camera in hand in search of the louvre, as it appeared within reasonable walking distance. Grabbed a chocolate croissant to eat. Found a street, rue st Denis, with no cars and too many places offering crepes for 1€. I think I know what is for dinner. Resting my tres fatigue pieds dans la fountaine a la louvre.
9:08pm
After the louvre I walked down the champes élysées...all the while singing the nofx song in my head. Unfortunately I didn't make a friend like the song is about.
My feet were killing me, but I figured I should maybe go look at the eifel tower while I was relatively close. Strolled over there, marvelled at the massive lines to go up to the top...and then laid on the grass for a bit. Took the metro home and stopped at the very conveniently located grocery store. Bought some bread, turkey, Italian mozzerella and some yogurt. Oh yes, and a tall can of beer. Made a very unexciting sandwich and now laying on my bed trying to decide what to do next. Should check out the lights of Paris but my feet are just completely dead.
Tomorrow thinking I'm going to do the bike tour I'd read about, as I really don't think I can handle anymore walking!! leanot with my flip flops and not until I get some serious sleep!
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