On my way to the "free land" and the first touch of Bangkok

I left from home at noon Finnish time on a Sunday 16th of June and my first flight was to Amsterdam. The 2.5 hours went really fast and all of a sudden I was already enjoying my morning latte at this huge airport in Netherlands. The smell of an airport, people in a hurry or just waiting, kids excited, happy people going to vacations, last calls to flights, excitement etc. Those are some of the small things that airport always reminds me of. The second and final flight to the destination took 10 hours and it was plain torture the whole time. Next to me was sitting this weird Norwegian man who reminded me of Mr. Bean..

Arriving to Bangkok I was a bit nervous since I basically hadn't slept at all.. I was supposed to find to my friend Marie's office somewhere in Bangkok.. My first impression at the airport from local people was that they all smiled a lot! They loved kids when they saw a family walking past. Also they were happy to help you even though they didn't have a clue about the thing you asked about.. When I was waiting in the line to go to the passport check up this guy working there to manage the lines asked me where I was headed cause in the arrival card you needed to have an address on it which, of course, i didn't have. So he just wrote there Khao San Road which is the most famous backpackers street. While waiting my stuff I actually noticed how many backpacks there was..

Well anyway, I got my backpack pretty soon and headed to find this red line which is the airport rail link. Somehow I managed to buy a ticket after changing money first. The ticket was like a casino chip. When you went into the metro, train or skytrain you showed it to the machine and you got in. When you left the area you dropped it into this hole and the gate opened up. That way everybody needed to pay every single trip. Also, when I bought it I had to select where I d be getting off. I guess the price depended on about that too. I got of at Makkasaan station and changed into a dark blue line, MRT route. One local woman told me that she is impressed to see me traveling alone and wished me a great holiday when I got of at Lumphini station. I walked around 20-30 minutes sweating like a pig (a finnish saying translated. :D ) trying to find the office! It was so hot all though it was only around +32..

Bangkok and it's huge skyscrapers

I found the place pretty easily after all when I was patient. I waited Marie for a while and headed to eat with her at this cozy small restaurant in between the huge skyscrapers! Marie went back to work and it was now time for me to find her apartment in Silom. I took a pink taxi and it cost me around 1,5euros for 5 to 10 min ride.. Not bad. I also ate soup, chicken and rice, ice tea and dessert for around 3 euros.. The St. Louis Mansion was a bit more difficult to find but by accident I eventually found it! Big building with 11 floors and a rooftop pool with the view of Bangkok. Not bad either. + they also had a treadmill there, just for me! (click the pics to get them bigger!) 

When Marie got of from work I quickly did my packing and got ready to go to a skybar with her. We took a mototaxis to a hotel called Vertigo with this moonbar on the top of the skyscraper. It was beautiful! To get there we had to walk through this amazing hotel lobby and halls..

59 floors.. + you needed to walk couple of floors to the bar.. :D

After having expensive drinks there we started to head towards the bus station by taxi.. And it took a lot longer than expected but we finally got there. At the bus station we had a quick snack and I bought water from 7eleven (the most famous supermarket chain). My bus to Chiang Mai was supposed to leave at 10pm but it was a bit late. At the station we met a french girl Emilie who was also traveling alone. She had been living in Australia for the past six months and was traveling for three weeks before heading back to home. The bus was supposed to be this VIP bus with your own tv screens and all. Well it quite wasn't. At least we got blankets and the seats could be turned over like you were almost laying down. Also we got small snacks like water, juice, cookies, bread etc. I can't remember at what time the bus eventually left but I fell asleep pretty soon after. 

I rarely make any compliments about myself but now I gotta say that damn I was happy, excited and proud of myself when I didn't get lost once in the huge city wandering all alone trying to find Marie's office! :) The feeling of finding the building was just great! Trust yourselves people! :) 

Thailand here I come!

Exams are over, couple of more shifts left at work and then I'm heading to the airport to start yet an other adventure, only this time to conquer Thailand in two weeks!

Lately (or still, my friend would say..) I've been very busy with two works, practising and my personal trainer studies. Well, now I'm happy to say that they are over but I'm gonna miss our perfect class that we had. I had the exams on Sunday and already on Tuesday I had my first meeting with a client. It was so awesome! So this week I've been doing some extra shifts to get in touch with clients. On top of all these things I've been trying to plan my fall with ringette season and all work that I'm gonna have! Little stressed but mostly excited!  

On Wednesday night at work a started realizing that I'm leaving in four days! I only got a raw sketch where I'm gonna head out but that's pretty much all. Usually I'm really well prepared and thought about pretty much everything.. Now I just started searching my passport and printing tickets.. I got no idea about things like adaptors, phones and sim cards, clothes what I need to take with me etc. I don't know the time difference or what I'm gonna do when I arrive to Bangkok.

Most of the people who hear that I'm going alone tell me that I'm crazy. I disagree. I've traveled quite a lot and I got a friend in Thailand at the moment. I'm gonna meet people and I think it's actually really revealing to go alone (all though I've always had a blast traveling with someone) but now I can go wherever I want whenever I wish. If I feel like going to some Thai gym or laying in a hammock for a week, that's fine.

Since I've been quite busy lately I haven't thought about the trip a lot and when I have, I've been nervous but now I'm getting so excited! The only thing that I'm a bit worried is that I'm gonna get so bored to myself on the way there during almost 16 hours.. :D During the past few days I've been trying to read a lot about places and things to do. I've also thought about what I definitely wanna see and experience during the two weeks.

Here is couple of things a wanna do and experience:

-hammock, me, drink, palm trees, see and paradise beach!

-long neck tribe in the north

-full moon party

-thai gym
-massages! (I've been practising almost every day and I feel like my body needs some days of and time to recover. What a better way to do that on a beach, enjoying the sun and massage! )

This is what my plan looks now...

-On 16th I'm gonna leave from Finland (can't even remember at what time my flight is..)

-Arriving to Bangkok on 17th in the morning, then I might try to find my friends office to get a key to her apartment..

-In the evening I'm gonna take a bus or a train to the north to Chiang mai

There I'm gonna stay maybe 3 days or so and then head back to Bangkok to catch up with Marie and go together to south. Surat thani or somewhere to catch a boat to the islands on the east side: Koh Tao, Koh Phan-gan and Koh Samui.

Full moon party is at Koh Phan-gan on 23rd.

..after that I've got no idea about my plans! :) Maybe I'm gonna spend the last weekend in Bangkok and on Monday 1st of July my flight is gonna leave for back home.


This is it, the last post before leaving. Next time you are gonna hear from me either on the road or then I'm gonna do it in the old fashion way and write diary first and then update it here when I'm back at home. We'll see! Stay posted! :)

(picture borrowed)

Summmeeer

Today I read my latest post, once again. Now I'm gonna write a little bit about how did I feel then, what about now and have things changed somehow since the post in March.. Let's get started..

Well first, the snow is finally gone! Thank god, I would have lost my sense soon.. The last days have actually been warm in here. And just today I noticed that almost everything is already green or getting more green every day! It feels so good to see the sunlight! :D

Ringette season ended for us very well! I'm proud of my team and happy to tell that we won bronze medals on a really tight game against Raisio! Not once had we won the team before this season, and we won on overtime! The next season has already just started but I've been busy with stuff so I've just been practising on my own. It was a huge struggle once again for me to decide where to play.. I struggled with the pros and cons for weeks before I made up my mind. I decided to accept the offer I got to be an assistant coach / player in Hyvinkää.

My greek friend Dafni moved here in the end of Feb and I've been so happy to have her in my life here! I've been so happy to hang with her and get to know all the greek exchange students that live here for now! And also couple of other people from different parts of the world. They have showed me a totally different side of having fun and exploring Helsinki. So many places here that I've never been in or seen. Every time I'm with Dafni, I can be myself and have a great time speaking a little greek, having a coffee some place or just hanging at my work place! Couple of days ago my other friend from Athens came to visit us here! I'm so excited but at the same time a bit sad since next Saturday Lazaros AND Dafni are both leaving for good.. :(

To get back where I started from, the previous post. I read, again, the article that was included in the previous post about why we should travel while being young. It just makes so much sense to me, it's written perfectly! Basically it feels like it's written to me! Maybe referring once again to the article or just to my feelings of missing Greece, Athens, friends, home, food, culture, summer etc. etc. etc. I bought the tickets back to Athens for two weeks in August!

Anyway, first I'm gonna graduate to become a personal trainer (I already finally finished my studies on physiotherapy and also on gym instructor) on the beginning of June and a week after that I'm heading to my first adventure of the summer: conquering Thailand alone for two weeks! I really dont have a detailed plan yet, just a raw sketch about where to head and what to see in some places.. I'm gonna probably think about that a week before the actual trip.. :)

Then I'm heading back home to work for a whole two weeks ;) and then head to Barcelona with my friend Mira for a week. Or as we call it our "practise or boot camp" ;)

And, after that trip I just found out that I have an opportunity to travel to Gothenburg for one weekend FOR FREE in August! Our company is having a Nordic convension in there and they are gonna pay for everything! + I even get to train hard in there for one day. Perfect!

Even though my summer sounds only about traveling I'm also training really hard since my eyes and mind are still on the national team. The next and at the same time the last camp before the final elimination of the last players is held on the 24-25th of August. Then it is it. Time of the truth. Do I have what it takes to make it to the team or not. Will I make it or be one of the last players to be sent home. In August it will be pretty much exactly two years that I've been thinking and stressing about the national team and the next Championships. Counting  players, evaluating myself and hoping for the best. Partly because of that I booked myself tickets to Athens on the next day after the camp. It was kinda like a gift to myself to relax and forget about it for a while. It might be that I'll be in Athens when they will announce the team. If I'll make it, it will be one part of the dream come true and even more perfect to be in Athens then. On the other hand if I wont make it, I think it'll be easier to deal and cope with it in Athens since I've got other things on my mind there also. We'll see what happens.

For now, I'm just gonna enjoy the last week with all my friends here in Finland and wait for the weeks to pass and countdown to Thailand to begin! ;) 

-Wheresoever you go, go with all your heart-

Confucius

YOLO

I've been suffering from a huge travel fever lately, surprisingly.. I've been talking with friends and they all tell me to get out there to explore the world and the planet. Oh, and it really doesn't help since there is absolutely no sun in here. I have already forgot how it looks like and feels like. Last year, while being in Athens for my exchange (can't believe it's already been a year!), the first time at the beach was on the second of March.. Now, we are almost in the middle of March and we got about -5-15 and so much snow that I'm starting to wonder if it's ever going to melt away. Couple of days back it was actually one of the rare sunny days and I could even see dry asphalt! I was so excited that I even took a photo of it! ;) 

18.3 and still so much snow! :( 

My greek friend moved to Helsinki to do her Erasmus here so I've been really lucky since I can have some greek culture into my boring days and weeks. Greek coffee, music, language and cheek kisses have become a routine to me by now. :) 

Even tho my weeks are mostly boring; two jobs, trying to finally finnish my thesis and graduate, I still got something important going on also. My team finally made it to playoffs and the big and important games are on! It's a huge opportunity for us to try to win the Championship! Of course not forgetting how big chance it is for the national team's players to play well and give proofs for the coaches..

Regardless of that, not a day goes by without me thinking about traveling or looking at google maps and exploring new places which I'd want to go.. I found such a good finnish article about what do the 50 + people regret in their lives. The first point was: that they didn't travel enough 91 %! 

For those who can understand finnish the arcticle is below. 

What do you regret?

Couple of weeks back one of my facebook friends posted one article that I fell in love with! I've read it at least four times and for me it's inspirational, cause I always worry about things and hesitate whether or not I should travel. I can find pros and cons from every view from my life why I should or shouldn't travel. When I read the article, one part of it was like reading about myself. And basically it just hit me; I don't wanna be like that, I don't wanna be a coward who just talks about the ideas of traveling but never has the guts to fulfill the talks.

"I told her to travel. Hands down. No excuses. Just go."

"Yeah, but.." 

"This phrase is lethal. It makes it sound like we have the best of intentions, when really we are just too scared to do what we should. It allows us to be cowards while sounding noble."

Read the whole article below. It inspired me.

Why you should travel young?

The article was actually one of the last things that pushed me to do something I've dreamed of but never thought I would have guts to do it. I bought tickets to Thailand and I'm gonna pack my backpack and leave for an adventure ALONE on 16th of June for two weeks of traveling around! I'm so excited! I haven't planned anything yet, just decided that I'm gonna buy the ticket now. Τωρα η ποτε!  ;)

Last day with Marie in Finland :/

On Friday the 8th we woke up late in the morning  since we had some sleep debt from previous nights... This was the day that my friend wanted to try ICE SWIMMING. I had already figured a place for us to do it but when I called there turned out it wasn't that simple. In order to swim in the ocean (in the little hole) you needed to be a member of the club?!?! They didn't just allow you to try it once and pay for it. After calling to several places in Helsinki and near I found a place for us to do it. We drove to Vantaa Kuusijärvi (lake) where we could do it. We paid 5 euros for using the sauna and then headed to the locker rooms. It was so freezing already at the door when we walked outside. Just five minutes before we had winter clothes on and now we were basically without anything! 

FREEZINNNGG

Gotta say that even tho it's a maniac thing to do you do feel somehow fresh and light after doing it! :) If you are even a bit crazy you should try it! ;)

Then it was time to see the last sightseeing places in Helsinki that I could figure.. This Sibelius thing monument was rather near my place and there are always a lot of Chinese people there so I figured it's a place worth seeing..? :P There was no one there, except a lot of snow without any paths..

Sibelius monument

Then we drove to the biggest beach in Helsinki, Hietaniemi. And yes, we actually do have beaches. During the summer months (mostly July only) it can even get warm in here.. Now as you can imagine the beach is covered with snow. When we went there and were standing on the beach Marie asked me: "where is the beach and where is the ocean?"... 

Beach, Marie and the ocean..

After seeing "the beach" we were so cold that we decided to crab something to eat and since we were so close to the center we drove there, parked the car and went to eat tzatsiki and greek salad. ;) Later we went to my practise once again in Hyvinkää and when it was over we headed home to get changed and to spent the last night together. :/ We headed to the irish bar, and since it was Friday, it was already full of people after ten o'clock. We had a great night which we won't forget easily. ;) The service at the bar was pretty cool and we ended up going to an after party with the band, some random dudes and the bar workers in the band flat which was right next to the bar. We took a taxi to home around 6 am and and slept little over an hour and then headed to the airport. 

It was so sad at the airport to say goodbye to her, again. :( I hate being so far away but I'm happy for the technology since we can what's app to each other every day! I'm also happy that Marie got excepted to Bangkok for six months and I'm planning to visit her in June! I'm so excited and I really wish I can do the trip! So long for now and let's wait for the next adventure.. :P

Sightseeing, fun and partying :P

The next morning we were so tired and slept rather late and left for the center around noon. It was time to go explore Suomenlinna. Too bad it was SO COLD and WINDY that I knew it would be absolutely terrible there since it's on the sea.. We walked through the center to the place where the raft leaves. We looked the timetables and saw that we would either have to spent almost two hours there or only 40 minutes. We agreed on trying to see the place in only 40 minutes. It didn't help that I didn't remember the places on the island that well even though I actually visited the island couple of years ago.. :P The way to the island took 20 minutes or less and Marie and also me got to admire these huge ice blocks in the sea.

Me and Marie in Suomenlinna

After literally running across the island in 40 minutes  we ran to the raft and made it easily :) Then we walked across the center to Temppelinaukio Church, in which I had never visited before. :) It was peaceful there, so quiet. Which was tough for us not to laugh or speak in there..

Pretty soon (like in five minutes) we got enough from the silence and left towards the center. On our way to eat we stopped at Makuuni which is a film rental place with LOTS of different candies. We were planning to eat candy, rest a bit and watch the movie PS. I love you and listen to its Irish music. :P Then we went to eat to Memphis restaurant in Kamppi and I finally used my 30€ gift card there which I had had over a year.. :P The food was really good and then we left to my place for a movie afternoon. The afternoon went fast since we both fell asleep almost immediately in the beginning of the movie. I woke up just in time to see the end credits.. :P 

Then we took it easy and started to get ready for a night out, again.. And the place wasn't that difficult to figure out since we wanted to hear Irish music and one of the bartenders had asked us to come.

Yes, French people always find french speaking people even from French colonies. No other comments on the pic. Sorry Marie, I had to ;) 

We had such a good time that we even left for an after party and ended up coming home in the morning.. We rested for couple of hours and then headed to the central railway station's ice skating rink to skate. :) We expected some company but never got any. :( so much for trusting people, again..

After an hour of skating or so we were hungry for GREEK FOOD! ;) We walked to Kamppi's greek restaurant Minos to eat. It was SOOO refreshing to hear and speak greek! Although they didn't have that many greek food on the list but at least we got to eat tzatsiki and greek salad.

After "logariasmo parakallo" it was time to rush home just in time to get changed and eat little more to leave to Hyvinkää for my practise. I was happy that my teammate agreed on driving. We were a full car towards our practising place in Hyvinkää. :)