HIGHTLIGHT OF THE DAY: Checking in my bag in St Petersburg and it was only 23kg
BUMMER OF THE DAY: Saying good-bye to new friends – I hate good-byes at anytime
BUYS OF THE DAY: Hair ties at Helsinki airport – I have been looking for these for weeks!
WORD OF THE DAY: - Sparcorchy – goodnight – sleep tight in Russian
Happy Birthday to my God-daughter who turns 4!
You know, I have always told clients how expensive it is to use your mobile phones for calls once you were overseas. I have only ever used my phone for text messaging on any of my trips. The one time I did use the mobile, I was on a ship in Alaska (so satellite coverage), international charges plus call charges and the call cost me $200!!! Needless to say there was also some alcohol involved for me to even think that it was a good idea at the time! So I don’t use the phone for calls. BUT in saying that I am now on a pre-paid plan with my mobile and your god-daughter only turns 4 once, so I placed a call back to Australia and wished my beautiful Tessie a happy 4th birthday. Not only did I speak to her, but I spoke to Zoe, Sandy, Jason (as a silent clown) and also my best friend. All in 8 minutes, which doesn’t sound long, but those precious minutes did seem to go on forever, and to hear all their voices was a great way to start my day! All for the grand price of $11.00, the best money spent to date on the trip. The beauty of pre-paid it will cut out once my credit has been used - so no more $200 bills!!!!
I was up till 1.30 packing my bag for airline travel. After 4 weeks of just throwing things in where they fit and carrying extra plastic bags of stuff on to trains, I lost some precious space. I decided I had to get rid of some things. I knew this would be a natural progression as my trip went on, things I did and didn’t use could either be posted home or ditched along the way. So I had to leave the 2 packets of Aussie Koala bears that I had bought, my bear hat that I bought in China and my noise machines that I had bought along for my Contiki tours. Well after re-packing, sharps in the checked luggage etc… I was able to save the noise machines from the bin and back onto the packed list – well for now anyway!
My transfer arrived promptly at 8.30 and after the 30 minute drive I found myself at St Petersburg International airport. I had arrived a little early, but it is better that than the other way and running late. There were 2 security check points to just get to the check-in counters and as my flight wasn’t even listed yet, I settled down in the check-in area and jumped onto the free internet that seems to be the norm in Europe.
The check-in process for me is always a little stressful, as I am just paranoid my checked bag is going to be overweight and then the embarrassment of trying to get the bag underweight, while the people behind you huff and puff, I could just think of nothing worse. BUT as I am travelling on a 5 continent round world ticket, I am entitled to 2 pieces of luggage for 17 flights on this ticket. So at least I have a backup plan, and I can always take off the smaller backpack of the larger bag and hope to god that would bring me under. The counter opened, and when I hoisted my backpack onto the scales I held my breath and look at the weight screen, to see 23kg neat come up and I was able to exhale. I couldn’t fit another thing in my backpack – so I should be confident that it won’t be able to get any heavier, but it is still stressful all the same.
Customs through St Petersburg is not much to write about. The airport itself is very small and not much chop, with only 10 gates and only a handful of small duty free shops and a small sitting area. It also has a TGI Friday’s where I purchased a large (super large) coke for $7! I guess airports are all the same when it comes to the cost of food at airports. The flight from St Petersburg to Helsinki was only 35 minutes. Finnair were really good. There is plenty of leg room and they have high arm rests, so for the ‘wider’ person they are much more comfortable and not as embarrassing when your leg pops up the arm rest! 1 hour and 40 minute transfer in Helsinki for my flight to London. Helsinki airport looks near new. It is a large airport that in my terminal had a food court, heaps of duty free shops and also some of the gates had like sun lounge chairs for people to rest in! They looked really comfortable, but needless to say there were no free ones to try out for myself. Free internet here as well, and there were plenty of power points around to charge your gadgets if needed.
We left Helsinki 40 minutes late, as London Heathrow was congested, so rather than have us flying around in circles over London, they notified us when we were about to leave, so we spent this sitting on the plane. Fly time from Helsinki to London was 2 hours and 40 minutes. They had a movie show on drop down screens every 4 rows and we were served light refreshment for the flight, but you could purchase food if you wanted something more substantial.
I haven’t passed through London Heathrow for several years but damn customs was super busy. There must have been 15 flights all land at the one time, as it was mayhem in the customs hall. This is the one time that ‘other passport’ sign got me to join the shorter queue, and this is used loosely, as I still waited 45 minutes to get through. The upside is that when you finally come out to the baggage terminal your bags are already on the carousel and you can make for a quick exit. I was banking on some form of transfer company being at the terminal, and knowing they are generally with the car hire kiosks, I found it pretty fast and booked a return transfer for 40GBP and got to my hotel around 6.30pm.
I am staying at a hotel called Tune. It is based like a hostel, in the regard that if you want internet, you pay extra, if you want TV, you pay extra, you want a towel, and you pay extra. So you can tailor your stay and the price will vary depending what you add onto your reservation. In saying that the costs for the extra services are not that expensive. To add unlimited internet was only 10GBP, unlimited TV was only 10GBP and the towel was 1.50GBP for the total stay of 4 nights. Located across the river in Westminster, this is actually a really good location. It’s not really in the touristy area, there are more locals around. There’s a laundry down the street, a tube station, food store and takeaway chicken place across the road, Waterloo is just around the corner and a post office also not far. What else does one need?
It is good to be in an English speaking country again – for a short while anyway. I need to get some washing done and some down time for 4 nights I am here. I’m also doing some leg work with a map for the Embassies I will need to visit when I come back in July for my visas.
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