The Nordic/Scandinavia Tour!

On the way back home

2007-06-29T06:09:00.000-07:00

While I was chatting on line in a bar by Timo's place, he sent me a text message to join him at a bar. So I put myself in a tram and went to where he was at. There I partied with some Finns and I got so drunk to the point I got sick next day. I was suffering from hang over all the way home. But now I have arrived, safely, in 1 piece...

All I can think about is how I want to go back.

It was so nice.

But I am home now...

Final destination... Turku/Helsinki, Finland!

2007-06-28T09:15:00.000-07:00

Viking Ferry wasn't all that... Not that I got all that much sleep either. There I met a Swdish guy and a Morrocan women who came start talking to me. I suppose the cruise boat is really not my thing. After buying some duty-free liquor and strolled around the ship I crashed on the floor of the lounge area. A few doze ons and offs I have arrived in Turku, and the weather was a real bitch. Upon arrival, I was downright miserable. It was cold and raining. After spending about 2 hours walking around with my back pack, I found the train station wher I locked up my back pack and strolled the town around a bit. After a real good fish buffet and the last beer out of my daypack, I started to feel a lot better. Espedcially upon riding the Föri, the local ferry for about 1 minute and 30 seconds of free cruise, for some reason my mood sky rocketed.

Then I head to Helsinki, and Timo was wainting at the train station to meet me up. He happened to be very talkertive and friendly and his apartment has a great view. After a real good night sleep, I head out to Suomenlinna, the sea fortress.

Helsinki, although my last visit has been only for 2 days last time, it's the place where I have the most memorable moments... The visit that changed my life and turned my world upside down... Where I met Thomas... And... Vetto. Anbd the German students and an American girl, and an Irish guy, who taught me there's travel beyond weekend city breaks...

As I stroll around the city center, all the memories come back to me. The time I was munching all the fish sandwich with Thomas. How I broke the hostel curfew with Vetto and tried to fall asleep out on the park grass in his arms...

The fortress was beautiful. As I am walking around, and thinking that this is my last day of trip, I get a lump in my throat... Do I really have to go back? Too many thoughts come into my head but well... what can I say...

Tomorrow it all ends.

A day in Uppsala

2007-06-25T15:13:00.000-07:00

I took a day trip to the college town of Uppsala. Nothing spectacular but it still was pretty there. I was very happy to visit Gamla Uppsala, it was so nice and peaceful. I enjoyed the view of the castle from the hilltop and admired the magnifisant university building... Something I have never experienced... The college life and probably I never will...

Time goes by so fast when you are having fun. When I got back to James' home it was already after 11 pm. And I managed to find a place to stay in Helsinki. I will be leaving tomorrow afternoon and about to try what the Viking Ferry is all about... I am loosing 1 day due to travel but will have plenty of time to sleep in ferry....

Micro midsummer fest

2007-06-24T14:32:00.000-07:00

Per happened to be far more nicer than I have always thought of him. He was truly delighted to have me and 3 other peeps, Konrad, Erin, and James at his, well, his parents' place, where we had our own micro midsummer fest. Everyone got along great so no complains about the time spent but unfortunately the weather was downright nasty. But that didn't stop us from having our own fun. After we stayed at his place, I got a ride with James and came to Stockholm to stay at his place for a couple days. He was such a wonderful and easy going guy. We had a good time strolling around Stockholm and seeing modern art museum. I feared if it might bore him, but he happened to really love it. Tomorrow I will be on my day trip to Uppsala and I am looking forward to it...

From Oslo, Norway to Balestrand... And... Back to Sweden

2007-06-22T03:02:00.001-07:00

Haaken and Dan gave me such wonderful hospitality, and Haaken happened to be a wonderful cook. He threw us such a wonderful feast and we enjoyed the company of their colorful charactoristic friends. Then I was off on my way to get to see Fjord. Sognesfjord was beautiful, but far less beautiful than Lysefjord. I camped out for 1 night and got to hike up to the mountains before I headed back to Sweden. There Per was out to greet me. We are suppsed to get together with 3 other people so we'll see how it turns out to be.

From Århus to Fredrikshavn to Gothenburg, Sweden

2007-06-17T10:52:00.000-07:00

I was fotunate I stayed at Uggi's place. After that first night, he didn't come home at all but his roommate Karin kept me great company. All people were so nice and kind there. I had a great time visiting around the town and Karin wanted me to stay some more but I had to move on...

She told me it's easy to hitch hike so I gave it a try and she was right. I got rides all the way to Fredrikshavn and thought about hitching ferry too but decided I'm pushing my luck too far so I paid for the ferry ticket and hopped on to get to Gothenburg, Sweden.

There I met up with Demian and Lisa. It's been about an year since I have seen this cute couple. Also at their place, there was Justin, a real cool French-Canadian guy who was also staying at their place and I had a great time hanging out with him.

Then it was time for me to move on again. I thought about hiching again but the time is running out. I will only have 4 days until I have to meet up with Katrin and Per back in Sweden. So I opted for bus.

There I got a place to stay at these 3 Norweighian lads, Haakon, Daniel, and Joe. They were in process of forming the band. I was pleasantly suprized at how incrediably friendly they are. It will be interesting next 2 days with them...

Finally in Viking Land! Arhus, Denmark.

2007-06-12T07:33:00.000-07:00

So I flew into Copenhagen. I was going to sleep in the airport but despite the late time, the airport was very crowded and I realized sleeping in there wasn't an option. I thought about finding a hostel bed but then I didn't feel like to bother. So I opted to crash on a park bench.

All was good. People won't stop going in and out of the park regardless of how late it was but hell, I was in Denmark, I knew no one would do anything to me. That is, until, this Morrocan guy came up to me kept on waking me up and talking to me despite he doesn't speak any English.

Why, oh why Morrocan guys won't leave me alone?!

So I switch the bench, and he kept on following me so I had to leave the park. It was 0430 and sooo bright. I gave up on sleeping and decided to head out to Arhus.

There I met up with Uggi. He was kind to pick me up at the train station. Not only he was easy going and made me feel at home, but his roommate Karin was also fantastic and they had a friendly dog, Titzo. I very much enjoyed sleeping out on his back yard for a bit. I was too tired for anything else anyway.

Next day I strolled around the town and visited a few sites. I am really enjoying this place...

From Holland to Berlin

2007-06-10T03:39:00.000-07:00

I was getting quite desperate to find a place to stay in Amsterdam because of my such a late arrival. Niels was my saving grace to come all the way out to the airport half-past midnight to pick me up and brought me home. We both had to leave early in the morning on our way but I was extreamly greteful...

Then I headed out to meet with Klaas, in Haarlem, only 15 minuts away from Amsterdam. Just the right outside and the atmosphere was entirly different. Again, right next day I headed out to Rotterdam and stayed in a camp ground for a day. Then I decided to go on a bike ride to Kinderdjik, the place of 19 windmills, and all was good until I lost the control of the bike and fall into the water... :( I wasn't hurt or anything but it was dead embarrassing.

The next day I went to Alkmaar to see the cheese market and arrived there quite late so I could only catch the last glimps of it. Still, it was beautiful there. Indeed, the rest of the Holland was nothing like Amsterdam and now I'm getting so fond of Holland...

Then I was flying into Berlin. I stroke a conversation with a girl who was sitting next to me in the plane and she gave me a ride to the subway station so I didn't have to take a bus. So I arrived in Caspar's place. At his place, I met 2 American girls and Itay, an Israeli guy who I hung out in the city with most of the day and had quite interesting coversations. Then I made some pasta to feed the rest of the crews in the evening and had a good time... Berlin was surprizingly interesting and this is the 1st place in Germany I actually didn't mind coming back to.

So now I took care of some of the laundry, and about to take a nap and be on my way to Copenhagen, Denmark. There I spend 1 day and will head out to Arhus, where I'll be staying with Uggi. But I haven't found a place to stay in Copenhagen yet so I'll see what happens...

Let the journey begin

2007-06-05T07:35:00.000-07:00

So, here it goes. Flying into Amsterdam and not sure about anything else. I'll see what happens...