2 months, 62 days, 1488 hours, 89280 minutes, 5356800 seconds. This is the amount of time that I…
Times visited: 1
Cities visited: Helsinki
UNESCO sites visited: 1/7
Finland had always been high on my travel wishlist – especially the north, where I dreamed of hiking and camping under the midnight sun. So during my two-month journey through Northern Europe in the spring of 2015, I made plans to explore the north of Finland.
But then… travel happened.
While on the Faroe Islands, a fierce storm destroyed my tent. With no budget accommodation available in the north and no tent to sleep in, I had to change plans. Instead, I headed south to Helsinki, Finland’s capital.
Due to spending more time than expected in Norway and Sweden, I arrived in Finland with just three days to spare – and one of them was already booked for a day trip to Tallinn. To be honest, I didn’t make the most of the time I had in Helsinki. After two months on the road, I was utterly exhausted. Helsinki was my last stop before heading home, and I was mentally ready to go. On my first day, I didn’t even try to explore – I just went shopping. Classic burnout.
The next morning, I forced myself out to visit a few of the city’s stunning churches, but my heart wasn’t in it. I had planned to do nothing else for the rest of the day, but travel has a way of surprising you just when you need it. That evening, I met a few lovely people at my hostel who invited me to join them on a trip to Suomenlinna, a beautiful sea fortress spread across eight islands just off the coast. I said yes – and I’m so glad I did. The island fortress, the sea breeze, and the unexpected company gave me a much-needed lift. For the first time in days, I felt just a little bit inspired again.
I’m still daydreaming about northern Finland, and I can’t wait to make it my reality one day.