I would like to take my readers on a little adventure! An unusual one, really. This off-topic post will not be about witches and demons, dystopia yearnings, or anything alike these things. Distant lovers might be mentioned here and there, because I invite you to travel 2000km up north with me, cross the Baltic Sea, and go on an adventure in a frozen landscape!
Don’t worry, I won’t into the typical travel and life style blogger. I’m simply sharing an experience that was important to me and will hopefully inspire others. And since this is as much Layla’s blog as mine, I can tell you that my witch was totally overwhelmed here and there, so let’s get to it.
My trip to Finland was a work trip possible through for my work as a museum educator in Germany. It was already my second trip of this kind, but this was the first time I went all on my own into a country I don’t know anyone in. I am 30 years old now, so that’s probably not such a special thing, but it was a huge adventure for me.
And there were a lot more first times waiting for me on this trip! For the first time ever, I took a night train. Since I had to follow strict green travel rules, I was not allowed to take a plane to Helsinki. Since ships are also not green enough (which is very sad), I had to cover a certain part of the journey by train. So, I took the night train to Stockholm.
Night train to Stockholm
I must admit that I have always romanticized spending a night in a sleeping compartment. I even wanted to take the famous Transsiberian railway (before Russia attacked Ukraine). However, I will never book a sleeping compartment again. I felt so uncomfortable in the little space available (I could barely sit on or stand next to the bed), my tongue went numb. Yes, that can happen.
The other person in my compartment was a friendly older woman, who tried to convince the train guard to give one of us another spare bed, since we both felt so claustrophobic. The complaint was registered under both our names, and suddenly the head of the train guards wanted to see me and approached me speaking Russian. Having a Slavic family name has always been an adventure, but this was a first. From the way the guard spoke to me, I could tell that she expected a tough and confident customer trying to negotiate a service not paid for. I felt even more uncomfortable.
Accepting our fate in our small compartment, Gundela told me a bit about herself. She was a retired professor for the history of religion on Sweden, which I was fascinated by!
I spent the night driving sideways on this very old train. It was shaking and loud, and I woke up every two hours, checking on my phone where on the map I was. Somewhere in the middle of Denmark, the bright lights of a construction sight woke me up. At around six in the morning, the lights from the central station in Malmö woke up both of us, and Gundela told me that we must have been delayed and would not be in Stockholm on time. This expected delay was the reason why I would not take a ferry the day of my arrival, but stay in a hotel for one day, and take my ship the next day. You don’t want to miss your ship and be stranded!
A day in Stockholm
This one night I’ve had in Stockholm was a surreal experience.
Stockholm is a beautiful city, and I want to come back soon to truly explore it.
Still, being there only for one night, in a transit situation, still recovering from the claustrophobic night train while also waiting for the ferry was more difficult than I thought.
I had booked a hotel close to the ferry terminal, so I had to find my way through a snowy, muddy city with a very large suitcase and the determination to not take a taxi but use public transport, and also, to avoid lifts. I managed to, in the end, but felt both very emotional and had terrible back pain. After leaving my luggage at the hotel, I drove back into the city center, had a lonely coffee, and eventually went to a grocery store, where I bought a supply of Pringles and apples that would last me for the next three weeks.
Crossing the Baltic Sea
After my one surreal night in Stockholm, another first time was waiting for me! My first time ever to be on a ship for longer than a few hours. My first time traveling in an own cabin, sleeping on a ship! And all of that on my own. I can’t tell you how nervous I suddenly felt when I was waiting for check-in. I felt a headache starting, and once again felt terribly lost.
At the check in, I received my ticket after showing my booking confirmation. Until then, I had been stressed about when and where I would find out my cabin number! I was glad to see that the ticket was also the keycard to my cabin, and also opened up all the barriers until there. The only reason why I did not carry my large suitcase up the stairs this time was a friendly and huge family that took me with them into the lift. They probably saved my back.
From there, I walked through the gate and entered the ship on deck 7. I carried my luggage up to deck 9, and found my cozy cabin. I had booked one with a window as a precaution for motion sickness, since I don’t know if I am sensitive to that or not!
The 17 hours on board a ferry where the most comfortable part of the journey. Although monitoring my stomach constantly, I soon relaxed and simply enjoyed myself.
I wandered around the ship, had a coffee here and there, and enjoyed the view. We were driving into the night, through ice sheets and small island, and it was so beautiful!
Shortly before Mariehamm, the ship began to shake a lot more, but spending more time outside saved me from feeling any discomfort. Except for the freezing temperature of -11°C.
When I woke up in the middle of the night, I looked out of the window to orient myself. It was completely dark, except for a beacon here and there … and a weirdly glowing cloud hanging directly over the horizon in the north. Yes, there I saw my first northern lights ever.
In Helsinki on my own
When arriving in Helsinki, I was almost sad to leave the ship. It was such a pleasant experience to be on board! Also, I felt as if I had already lived through such an adventure, and the real reason for my journey had only just begun. I was in Helsinki!
Arriving at 10 AM means that there was still time to spend until my hotel room would be ready, so I left my luggage at the storage room at the hotel, and I explored the city covered in snow where I would be working for the next few weeks. Also, when finally entering my hotel room, I did not carry my luggage up to the fourth floor, but capitulated and took the lift. I would have collapsed otherwise!
The work project I was there for took place at the local zoo, which is a wonderful place. Located on a small island in the Baltic Sea, the landscape is dramatic. I enjoyed seeing the education done there, and also on my own there always was enough to see. One landscape was more beautiful than the other! It was wonderful.
Another highlight for me was an animal I could see at the zoo which I had never seen before! A was lucky to see the Manul living at the zoo. Her name is Mimi, and she rarely ever comes out. As a Manul, Mimi is good at dealing with the cold, but does not like the snow, since she is used to cold but dry climate in central Asia. I had never seen a Manul in real life, so that was another first time, and it warmed my heart!
Helsinki is a beautiful and cozy city. It has all the things usually nice about a capital, but it is quiet and slow despite all of it. The old architecture in the city center, the churches, the bridges and boats, the tram, and the frozen sea are beautiful and elegant either way!
Although everyone in Helsinki seems to be fluent in English, I still very often was challenged by being all on my own in this unknown city. Then again, I was also amazed by how easily places became familiar, because I had been there more than once and made a little experience there. The café I went to when waiting for my room, the supermarket I used to go to every few days – suddenly these places mean something!
Still, I often found myself feeling highly emotional, especially in the evenings, when this cozy city began to glow in the dark. I was happy to be there, but always only one thought away from feeling lonely. Travelling completely alone is a challenge for me, but I am glad I took it.
Sometimes, I had to call my mother, especially when my back protested. I woke up one morning with a biting pain, and called my mother because I was worried that I had injured myself so badly, I would wake up paralyzed. This, of course, did not happen. I just needed a hot water bottle. Being alone 2000km from home makes the possibility of seeing a doctor a lot more terrifying!
Surprising things in Helsinki
Let’s start with the bus I had to take on my way to work every morning! After entering the Metro at the “University of Helsinki”, I left at Kulosaari, and took a bus to the zoo. On my first morning, I was patiently waiting at the bus stop … and the bus just went past me. Confused, I looked after it, and, since I was in a hurry, decided to walk the rest of the way. So, 30 minutes through eyes and snow.
On my way back, however, I saw that people waved at the driver to make him stop for them. I honestly didn’t even think about that! But it worked. Not a single bus missed me ever again.
Also surprised and puzzled, I very often was by the language being so different than anything I know. Finnish does not belong to the same language family like most other languages spoken in Europe, so the structure is very different. I very often missed my bus stop on the way home, because I did not recognize the name in time!
A nice surprise was the large public library available in the center of Helsinki! Oodi is a public space not attached to a university and free for anyone to visit. There areas for children, books in different languages, a café, and the place is always full of people, even if just to take a nap!
It was nice to see such a positive public space as a library. I don’t think I have ever seen anything like it!
Another thing that surprised me, although it probably shouldn’t have, were the prices for food. I searched very long for a lunch under 20€, since I was a little bit on a budget.
Even more glad was I that I had brought a but of equipment on this trip. My portable kettle saved my life more than once. Looking like a thermos, security checks don’t pay much attention to it, and it holds enough water for a soup, two cups of tea, or a hot water bottle. While battling my back, and the cold, I needed it a lot! It helped me to almost cook a good meal alone in my hotel room.
What an adventure!
I am so glad I did this! It was such a challenge, but I think it was a needed one. Alone out there in the wild, new thoughts and feelings can surface, and I think it can be important to let them.
Just in case you were thinking about it, I can assure you that Helsinki is worth a trip. It’s such a cozy, calm, and friendly city with beautiful nature all around!
Also, I found out that I am fit for the ocean on my way home, since we had to cross a heavy storm and my cabin was shaking so much, there was a tickling in my stomach, but I actually enjoyed. I listened to music while falling asleep in the middle of a storm.
I am the kind of person that enjoys leaving my comfort zone and overcoming myself. I need that! And still, now I am struggling with calming down at home again. I hope, writing this post will help.
Mistress witch writes 