Two days of Italian History - Pompeii & Mount Vesuvius

A trip to Italy would not be complete without visiting the famous sites of Pompeii and Mount Vesuvius, situated close to Naples. I originally intended to see both in a day but slightly underestimated the ease of traveling around via Italian public transport.

Pompeii was first on the agenda for us. Many tourists coming from Rome are likely to find the sights of Pompeii familiar if they have recently visited the Rome Forum, the Colosseum or Palantine Hill in the Italian capital, as it's a similar hodge podge of ruins, old buildings, statues, housing structures and temples. Pompeii is perhaps most famous as the ancient city destroyed by a volcanic eruption of the neighbouring Mount Vesuvius, so it was a chance to get up close and personal with some history.

The Pompeii ruins

The remains of an old temple in Pompeii

An ancient stadium in Pompeii

After taking in the sights of Pompeii, it was time to complete our historical fill by visiting the infamous Mount Vesuvius. It took approximately 2-3 hours each way to reach Vesuvius from Rome, but well worth it for the gorgeous views, the smoky scenes at the crater top, an always-welcome scenic bus ride, and some much needed exercise.

The steep walk uphill the crater

The view of Naples from the crater

Some smoky scenes getting closer to the crater!

The city of Naples seen through smoke (quite hazy on the crater)

In contrast, it's quite clear looking towards the sky...

A view inside one of the craters of Vesuvius

A smoky descent downhill...

For many people (including myself), this was the first time they had encountered a dormant volcano. My friend was slightly surprised not to see anything resembling lava or ash, but when you factor in the fact that Vesuvius has been dormant for quite some time, it's not that surprising. It really just looks like a rocky mountain from afar, but I'm sure the legions of tourists flocking to it each year won't complain if it stays that way!

Some tips for your trip to Pompeii & Vesuvius:

- Go early, plan in advance: Pompeii and Vesuvius can be done in one day, but only if you know your schedule. Depending on if you want to do them as a day trip from Rome or prefer a more relaxed itinerary, you may wish to spend a night or two in Naples instead. I followed this schedule from a post I found on TripAdvisor.

- Decide which site you will visit first: We visited Pompeii first and then Vesuvius the next day. I would actually recommend doing them the other way around as Vesuvius is a bus ride away from a train station further down the line than the one close to Pompeii. In essence, if you're intent on staying in Rome, you'd be visiting Vesuvius during the morning, have a quick lunch, do Pompeii in the afternoon and then be back to Rome at night. 

- Choose the Pompeii/Vesuvius experience you want (or that you're willing to pay for): Your trip to Pompeii can be enhanced by purchasing an audio guide at the ticket desk, or by getting a tour from an authorised tour guide. Be sure to choose only a badged official that states which company they are from and be wary of scammers. When it comes to Vesuvius, you need to decide whether you want a brief 1.5 hour venture on the crater (the bus companies shuttle people on and off the crater as fast as possible for obvious reasons) or the full day hiking experience climbing all over the crater top. Again, that is a personal decision, so consider your finances, schedule and physical fitness to choose what's right for you. You might also want to look at Rick Steves' popular audio walking tours for detailed mp3 podcasts covering many European destinations. Best of all, they're completely free!

For the history buffs, there are also the nearby Herculaneum Ruins that can be seen. I didn't have enough time to see it on my trip, but some say they're even better than Pompeii.

Pompeii: Slightly disappointing given how famous it is. Perhaps a guided tour would have made things better. 3/5
Vesuvius: Stunning views and a once-in-a-lifetime trip to a real-life volcano make this a must-see. 4/5

What was your experience like in Pompeii/Vesuvius? 

Hotel review: The Savoy Hotel, Copenhagen

In my second hotel review, I take aim at The Savoy Hotel in Copenhagen, ideally positioned on the main city street of Vesterbrogade.


The Savoy Hotel, Copenhagen. Source: http://copenhagencitybreaks.com

The good:

• Location right in the city centre: The hotel is located on, the busy street in Copenhagen. It is surrounded by restaurants and shops, and is a short walk from both the central railway station and the shopping district in Copenhagen. This made it incredibly easy to find from the station and simplified our trips in and out of Copenhagen.

• The buffet breakfast was tasty: There was slightly less variety in the buffet breakfast in The Savoy compared to the Best Western, but the food was tasty and fresh. There was a good selection of breads cheeses, meats, juices, tea, coffee and fruit available, and I enjoyed more than a few Danish pastries to sweeten the deal.


• Staff were friendly: Staff made the effort to smile and greet us every time we entered and left the building, which was a nice touch.


• Luggage rooms were locked: Compared to the Best Western which used an unlocked baggage room opened by a switch at reception, The Savoy's room was opened with a key. This made me feel much safer when leaving my luggage there after checking out. Check out is at 11am.  

The not so good

• Rooms were quite small: The rooms were significantly smaller than the rooms at The Best Western. Between me and my friend, there was little room to walk around and the bathroom door, when opened, touched the side of my bed. This is apparently quite the norm in Copenhagen due to the limited space, but it isn't a good feeling for a guest to have.


• Interiors quite drab: The rooms were quite monochrome and dull in colour, which can turn some people off. For me, it wasn't a big deal as I just wanted somewhere to sleep but I did notice it. Copenhagen as a city is quite bland looking apart from the Nyhavn harbour and some areas of the city so I guess it is consistent to say the least.

Other comments:

• Patrons are of an older demographic: The hotel had an older demographic compared to The Best Western, which catered to a broad range of people. I felt close to the youngest person there in a place full of middle-aged and older tourists. I wasn't uncomfortable or anything, but it does have an impact on the atmosphere. I didn't mind as I barely spent anytime in the hotel or mingling with guests.

Overall:

The Savoy Hotel
Vesterbrogade 34, Copenhagen
00 45 33 26 75 00

Location: 5/5
Facilities/Security: 4/5
Service: 4/5
Food: 4/5
Check in/check out: 5/5
Price: 3.5/5
Overall: 4.25/5

In summary: For an ideally located hotel with good, secure service and friendly staff, you might want to try The Savoy Hotel. Just be aware that the space in the rooms isn't the biggest and the rooms won't set your visual taste buds alight.

Tumultuous times in Tivoli Gardens

When you're stepping off a flight, you're often feeling jetlagged or sluggish. You just want to get off the plane and straight to your hotel to relax and unwind. The day I arrived in Copenhagen I felt much the same. Luckily, I didn't stay in the Savoy Hotel too long as my friend reminded me that it was the last day for the summer season at Tivoli Gardens - a garden/amusement park/shopping district hybrid.

Tivoli is quite something! Compared to amusement parks in Australia, Tivoli seemed gigantic, with its numerous rides, food outlets, shopping outlets (selling silver, jewellery, souvenirs, etc) and restaurants. There is a distinct Asian feeling to this place, with its Asian gardens and architecture. You could easily spend a whole day exploring the place, but for me and my friend, the main appeal was the rides. Note that the place really comes alive during the night, with the central concert stage often being used (a tug-of-war match was underway when we went there) and the gardens aglow in the evening making for some incredibly nice photo opportunities.


A strong Asian feeling pervades Tivoli Gardens

It costs 99 DKK to enter the Gardens, with additional fees of 1-3 tickets (costing around 25 DKK each) to go on the rides. There are also multi-ride tickets you can purchase for unlimited rides for 199 DKK. My friend and I purchased these as we worked out if you go on 3 or more rides, you are better off paying for the multi-ride ticket. And it ultimately proved to be insanely worth it!

The three rides I tried were one of the rollercoasters, Vertigo (a giant swing and spinning ride) and The Golden Tower, which drops you from a tall height. The most intense of these (for me anyway) was actually The Golden Tower due to the lurch you feel when dropped, comparable to a really sudden drop in an aircraft. The rollercoaster had its moments but was nothing unmanageable. Interestingly, Vertigo wasn't anywhere near as stomach-churching as I thought it would be - I found it very pleasant in fact. And the views of Copenhagen from atop these rides is simply unrivalled anywhere else that I went. For a video of Vertigo, click here.  It is exhilarating, thrilling and undeniably impressive. Here's a video from YouTuber showing what I experienced.

A major downside of this ride was that it made me feel nauseous for a good 30 minutes after getting off. This complicated things as I didn't feel like getting on another ride while I was feeling ill, and I had no motivation to keep moving. Instead, I had to sit down and breathe deeply for around 30 minutes until I felt better. I ultimately lived to fight another day, albeit with a giant grin on my face whenever I recall those fateful moments. Me and my friend still discuss it every now and then, and have a good laugh about my 'illness'.

Despite getting slightly sick, I highly recommend Tivoli for its one-of-a-kind rides, beautiful atmosphere and sheer abundance of leisure options for the casual traveler. I would stay away from the restaurants at Tivoli unless you want to pay the higher prices in this popular tourist site.


The Taj Mahal lookalike building at the front of Tivoli

Attraction details:

Name: Tivoli Gardens
Address: Vesterbrogade 3, 1630 København, Denmark
Directions: Tivoli Gardens is located on Vesterbrogade, which is the main city street in Copenhagen. You can't miss it, but if you do, it's near the fast food outlets (McDonalds, etc).
Rating:5/5. With so much on offer in terms of food, rides and entertainment, Tivoli is a must-see for anyone coming to Copenhagen, even if the rides can make you nauseous!

Hotel reviews: Best Western Hotel, Stockholm

Kicking off my irregular series of accommodation reviews, this debut piece is dedicated to the hotel I stayed at in Stockholm, a chain of hotels called the Best Western Hotel. Hopefully they prove to be of some help when you next stay abroad.

The good

• Spacious rooms – the rooms I stayed in are quite large by European standards. The hotel is divided into two buildings, one building in the same place as reception and another adjacent. We were in the adjacent building. The rooms are accessed via a pass card, which also activates the lifts.

• The buffet breakfast was tasty and offered excellent variety – As I arrived on a Friday, the buffet breakfast for Saturday and Sunday operated from 7:30 – 11am, which allowed plenty of time to get a good feed before going on my travels. The buffet breakfast had a very generous variety of meats, cheeses, vegetables, breads, juices, coffees, teas, eggs and more. I particularly liked the local touch of having two varieties of herring available for sampling. I worried about the cost of purchasing the included buffet, but it proved to be incredibly convenient and economical. It made things so much easier to not have to worry about breakfast each day, especially when we could eat as much as we wanted.


• Staff exceptionally friendly – A hotel is meant to have excellent customer service, but there is good and then there is excellent. I broke a glass during the buffet breakfast and the staff member quickly cleaned it up, no questions asked. Staff were cheerful and friendly, and always willing to help.


• Mineral water included – The room came with complementary mineral water, which I gladly took advantage of. Surprisingly tasty and refreshing!

The not so good

• Late check in time – Check in is only offered from 3pm onwards, however we arrived into Stockholm at 11am. This meant that we had to drop our bags into the luggage room and then explore the city for around 4 hours before coming back to the hotel. This wouldn’t normally be a bad thing, except for the unlocked luggage room we were forced to use (see below). Check out is at 12pm.

• Unlocked luggage rooms – The luggage room to store our bags is unlocked by a switch at reception. However, during the day time it was unlocked so anyone could really enter the room and rummage through people’s luggage. This was disconcerting to say the least, but there wasn’t really anything I could do about it in the situation.

• The location – The hotel is slightly far from the city centre, around a 15 minute walk from the central railway station. For domestic flights this would be okay, but for an international flight, I did start to feel the pinch lugging around my 20kg worth of suitcase luggage and carry on backpack.

• The room safe malfunctioned slightly – I chose to use the in-room safe to keep my passport and laptop safe. Unfortunately, there was a malfunction with the coding system so the safe wouldn’t open on one occasion. This required me having to call reception and have them open the safe. Staff took around 5 minutes to come to my room, and a further 20-30 minutes to open the safe. Worryingly, the safe was opened by a key belonging to a different room’s safe, which does not seem too promising from a security point of view

Overall:

Best Western Hotel, Stockholm
Döbelnsgatan 17
Stockholm, Sweden

Location: 4/5
Facilities/Security: 3/5
Service: 4/5
Food: 4.5/5
Check in/check out: 3.5/5
Price: 4/5Overall: 3.83/5

In summary: If you’re looking for a relatively affordable hotel with great service and an included buffet breakfast, you can’t go wrong with Best Western. However, be warned that your luggage isn’t necessarily secure if you arrive a few hours prior to check in and that the room safe may in fact be 'too safe'.

Traveler truths: Helsinki

This is a new series I’m starting focusing on important insights derived from my travels. These are simple, useful tips and observations I’ve obtained on my travels in places where I've stayed a significant period of time (i.e. beyond 3 days and usually at least a week) that helped me, and will hopefully help you too. First up, Helsinki.

1. Helsinki is a haven for nature lovers: The sheer abundance of lakes, forests, paths and parks make Helsinki a treasure trove for those who like the outdoors. No wonder Helsinki is called the ‘land of the thousand lakes’. The air is clean, the surroundings picturesesque and the views amazing. The people are proud of their green surroundings, and regularly venture out of the busy city centre to the neighbouring islands (e.g. Suomelinna, Rajasaari Island, Seurasaari) or take a ferry to nearby Talinn, Stockholm or Norway. The Nuuksio National Park, an hour from Helsinki, was one of the most breathtaking places I’ve visited and full of postcard-perfect views. You should join them, and be prepared to leave the city. It is definitely worth it.

The beautiful nature of Helsinki

2. Helsinki is a walkable city: Although you can buy a public transport pass for the bus, metro, trams or train, Helsinki is easily navigable by walking if you want to keep your costs down. There is only one line on the metro, which suggested to me that public transport wasn’t exactly essential. I walked around Helsinki and to all of the many attractions on foot, and spent a good few hours each day walking. My legs got a workout, and I saved on public transport fares. Helsinki is just large enough so you don’t get bored in a week, and small enough for you to cover it on foot. Just allow plenty of time to reach and return from your destination (resting as needed) and you should be fine.

3. Many of the museums are free: Helsinki has a network of seven large museums that always have free admission. What’s more, the Finnish National Museum is free on Fridays from 4-6pm.

Discoveries from the free City Museum of Helsinki

4. Cyclists are respected and well taken care of: Helsinki is an incredibly liveable city, and very hospitable to cyclists. Walking areas are divided into sections for pedestrians and cyclists, reducing the risk of collisions and providing cyclists an incentive to get on their bike. The fact that Helsinki is quite small as a city makes a bike a very handy and convenient option for getting around. Melbourne could definitely learn a thing or two to cater to its burgeoning cyclist community.


5. The Finnish are a reserved people: In comparison to Melbourne or other areas of Australia where people will openly engage you in conversation without being prompted, in Helsinki people will pretty much leave you to your own devices unless you actively ask them. It's not a bad thing or anything, but if you need something, you really do need to make yourself known.

Andy’s traveler rating – Helsinki

People: 4.5/5
Liveability: 5/5
Attractions & Culture: 4/5
Nature: 5/5
Cost of living: 3/5
Weather: 3.5/5
Public transport: 4/5

Overall: 29/35

Stockholm: Skansen, Djurgården, and Sodermalm

After exploring the Stockholm Gamla Stan Old Town yesterday, I ventured out of the city centre to the Djurgården island for a relaxing day out at the Skansen Open Air Museum.

The first open air museum in the world, Skansen is a tribute to the history of Sweden. A composite attraction filled with old-fashioned buildings, a zoo of some sorts (featuring lynxes, seals, elk, reindeer, wolverines, wolves and general farm animals) and numerous interactive sites to relive the old way of life – a pottery store, a glassmaking workshop and store, a bakery with delicious pastries, a Skansen shop with traditional Manchester, food products and more.

As an added bonus, Skansen also offers some nice views of the Stockholm city centre.


Skansen Open Air Museum - traditional Swedish buildings


Skansen Open Air Museum - traditional Swedish buildings


Lynxes in action

Attraction details

Name: Skansen Open Air Museum

Directions: Skansen is a short walk (20-30 minutes) from the city centre in the south west of Sweden. There are also numerous buses going to this popular tourist attraction.

Rating: 4.5/5 stars. Highly recommended for history buffs or those wanting a fun day out.

Traveller’s tip: Combine your visit to Skansen with a trip to the adjacent Djugardden garden and park areas and the famous Vasa Museum to get the most of your visit. Also try to bring your own food to avoid paying the overpriced fares for food and drink.

With Skansen done and dusted, it was time to find somewhere to eat. Encouraged by positive reviews of the chic Sodermalm area and its popularity amongst the young trendy folk, we decided on Östgötakällaren, a German restaurant highly rated on TripAdvisor in the vicinity.

With its attractive German décor and moody lighting, the place was very cosy. Many patrons could be heard enjoying the restaurants surroundings or indulging themselves in the adjoining bar.

I settled on the fish and shellfish casserole with a touch of saffron, which was served with an aioli sauce and garlic bread, while my friend chose beef with a red wine sauce and potato mash, washed down with a German wheat beer.

My expectations weren’t that high, given it was rated in the 100s of best restaurants in Stockholm, but I was in for a shock. Upon taking a bite of the casserole, the heady flavours of the soup were so intoxicating so as to cause me to exclaim in surprise. It was a real ‘Ratatouille’ moment for me. Tasting further, the fish and shellfish were so delicate and flavourful I was literally awestruck for a few seconds. I couldn’t believe what I was eating – the food was simply on another level. This also proved true from sampling my friend’s beef – with the meat unbelievably tender and succulent. Combined with the crusty garlic bread and aioli, it was a winning dish.


Fish and shellfish casserole with saffron, aioli and garlic brea

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Fish and shellfish casserole with saffron, aioli and garlic bread

Service was brisk and attentive, although I detected a slight annoyance from the waitress when I didn’t choose to order a starter or a drink.

Name: ÖstgötakällarenAddress: Östgötagatan 41, 116 25 Stockholm, Sweden
Price: Mid-range 3/5
Service: Very good 4/5
Decor: 4/5
Food: Excellent 4/5
Rating: Very good 4/5

Sunny sojourns in Stockholm

After rounding out my terrific week in Helsinki, it was off to Stockholm to continue the next phase of my Europe 2014 trip.

The journey to Helsinki Airport was relatively straightforward, with a 5 minute trip via the Helsinki Metro to Sornainen Station and then a 15-20 minute ride on the 615 Bus to Helsinki Airport. Flying Norwegian Air to Stockholm was a very smooth and pleasant experience, as comfortable as one can be on a budget airline. The flight gets bonus points from me for not only leaving before its scheduled departure due to availability in the sky, but also for including free Wi-Fi on board! I had a great time with Norwegian and would gladly fly with them again. Within 45 minutes, I had touched down in Stockholm's Arlanda Airport.

Getting from Arlanda to the city centre was a little more challenging. You can get from Arlanda to the city via the Arlanda Express (a high speed train - around 25 euros one way) or the Airport Bus (cheaper at around 12 euros one way - similar to Australia's SkyBus). The Arlanda Express is a rip off for a one-way trip so the bus is highly recommended. Tickets can be bought from the machines (note: the machines only accept credit card) or can be purchased on board the bus itself. The trip takes around 40 minutes one way into the city.

Arriving early to the Best Western Kom Hotel before the 3pm check-in time, we decided to do a brief walk around the city and Gamla Stan Old Town area, which like its Tallinn counterpart, is filled with colourful architecture, quirky shops and numerous restaurants of traditional Sweden. After a quick sandwich in one of the nearby shops (115 kroner ~ 11.50 euros! - yes Stockholm is expensive), we continued our walk around the Old Town area, passing several of the picturesque Swedish islands dotting the landscape before returning back to the hotel around 3pm.


Gamla Stan Old Town in Stockholm

After taking a valuable rest to rest our aching feet, we were stumped on places to get some dinner that wouldn't break the bank. Researching on TripAdvisor didn't yield anything promising except an American Stakehouse so with nothing else in mind, we simply had a walk around to see what we could fine. We noticed a cheap kebab place offering dinner from 39 kroner which we both teased the idea of momentarily while I searched agonisingly for an ATM. Surprisingly for a major city, whether it be through my own ignorance or obliviousness, it took around 10-15 minutes to find an ATM! With my cash in hand, we set out to visit the kebab place but chickened out when we noticed it was completely empty (not a good vibe).

We were about to call things quits when I noticed a sign for a Thai restaurant - Jai Thai Food - promising free Wi-Fi and discounted dinner from 89 kroner (originally 159 kroner). It was better than anything else we had in mind so we took the plunge - and we weren't disappointed. We both chose the Panang Noodle Curry, and I added in a Rekorderling Strawberry Lime Cider for added effect, with my friend opting for a Swedish beer accompaniment.

The restaurant had a really cosy, peaceful vibe complete with faux palm trees, LED Christmas lights and a Thai atmosphere that made you feel right at home and want to linger for conversations. The food was delicious and incredibly good value in Stockholm, exceeding all of my expectations.

Helsinki: A Day of Two Islands

To round out my last day in Helsinki, I decided to tick off a few more of Helsinki's attractions - again a combination of man-made and natural. Ducking quickly into the Kamppi area near the city centre, I headed into the Kamppi Chapel of Silence (free admission) for some reflective thinking with a higher deity of some kind (I'm an Atheist). Next, I proceeded to the Temppeliaukio Church, more commonly known as the Rock Church (free admission) for its distinctive origins from rocks. It's very small so there's not much to see apart from a few photos.


The interior of the Rock Church

After these detours, I was ready to move onto the main course of the day - the Seurasaari Island and it's traditional Finnish buildings of days gone by. However, after walking along the west coast of Helsinki, I came across the Rajasaari Island and couldn't resist a brief pitstop.

Attraction details:

Name: Rajasaari Island
Directions: A short walk along the Merikannontie Road, continuing along the west coast. I estimate it would take around 15-20 minutes walk to get to from the city centre. 
Admission fee: Free
Rating: 4/5 stars

A popular spot for dog walking, sunbathing and swimming, the Rajasaari Island is full of scenic views and beautiful flora (I spotted some roseberries) and fauna (swans, etc). I highly recommend it for a pure dose of Mother Nature away from the city.


Rajasaari Island


Rajasaari Island 2


Rajasaari Island 3

After taking in the views, I proceeded further along the coast to the Seurasaari Island, which depicts what life was like in 1600s Finland through a series of preserved old buildings, churches, windmills, farms and the like.

Attraction details:
Name: Seurasaari Island
Directions: Continue walking along the west coast of Helsinki past the Foliosovagen Rajasaari Island and you will see signage pointing you to Seurasaari. Alternatively, the number 24 bus from the city centre goes directly to the Seurasaari Island as its last stop. The bus takes around 20 minutes all up.
Admission: Free (excluding entry to any open museums and restaurants/cafes)
Rating: 4.5/5 stars
Traveller tip: Take some food and have a picnic there to properly enjoy the views.

The next 2 hours was spent simply drinking in the history and atmosphere of the buildings and learning about Finnish history by reading the signs dotted around the attractions. Compared to the relatively commercialised Suomelinna Island on the opposite side of Helsinki, I found Seurasaari to be immensely peaceful, organic and beautiful. Tame hares and squirrels are regularly scene scampering around amidst the herb-rich forests, making for an interesting hybridised journey of history and nature.


Seurasaari Island


Seurasaari Island


Seurasaari Island 3


Seurasaari Island

Helsinki: Man vs Nature

On my sixth day in Helsinki, I visited a combination of 6 total man-made and natural attractions: the Kamppi Chapel of Silence, Finland National Opera Building, Helsinki Winter Garden, Olympic Stadium & Tower, Helsinki Central Park and the Hietaniemi Beach & Cemetery. I only explored the Winter Garden in depth so that's what I'll cover below. Despite the equal combination of man-made vs natural attractions of today's visit, it is becoming quickly apparent to me that Helsinki is a nature lover's city. It is called 'the land of the thousand lakes' after all, with lakes, parks and forests frequently dominating the landscape.

Attraction details:

Name: Helsinki Winter Garden
Directions: A short walk from the city along the Mannerheime Road.
Admission fee: Free
Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Founded in 1893, the Garden contains over 200 species of plants. A rose garden outside leads you into a conservatory of different themed rooms of plants, including palms and cactii. The plants are beautiful and obviously lovingly cared for, with many different species growing side by side. There is enough here to occupy you for around 2 hours. The location of the Garden is ideal, with the Olympic Stadium & Tower and the gigantic Helsinki Central Park within walking distance.


The Helsinki Winter Garden

Eurasia Day 3: Nuuskio National Park

After yesterday's visit to the scenic Talinn and its centrepiece Old Town, Eurasia 2014 Day 3 represented a distinct change of pace. Away from the worries of civilisation, our destination was the Nuuksio National Park, a national park just thirty minutes by car out of Helsinki. Filled with dazzling views, pindrop silent forests, and challenging but learly-marked trails, its an essential destination for any traveller to Helsinki.

Attraction details:

Name: Nuuksio National ParkDate visited: 14 September 2014
Admission price: Free (Haltia Nature Centre admission is 7 euros, with buffet lunch for ~10 euros but I did not stop there)
Directions: Take the bus or train to Espoo, then the 85A bus to Nuuksio National Park (there are several stops at different entrance points to the park). The trip takes around 1 hour each way. For directions and a map, head to the Outdoors in Finland website. The regional bus ticket for 5 euros each way will cover your trip to Nuuksio National Park and back. Rating: 5/5 stars

The Nuuksio National Park is a welcome respite from the busy rhythms of city life in Helsinki. Containing few tourists, clearly marked paths for walkers of all skill levels, numerous BBQ spots for a picnic lunch (or marshmallow or two) and enough scenic views to fill a shop of postcards, Nuuksio is a top-notch example of the serenity and awe-inspiring power of Mother Nature. Personally, I took a trip with a friend for around 4 hours visiting a small section of the park with a brief break in between for lunch, but the park is immense and would easily occupy a full day if you're up for some serious trekking.

Just one of the gorgeous views within the Nuuksio National Park

In short: Visit Nuuksio National Park for a diversion away from the city centre, some jaw-dropping views and some quiet time alone with only the company of the odd walker and the thoughts of your own head.

Eurasia Day 2: Day trip to Talinn, Estonia

On the second day of my Eurasia 2014 trip, an expedition to Talinn, the capital city of Estonia. Aside from maintaining my perfect 1:1 ratio for days in Europe: new countries visited, I found Talinn to be a pleasingly modern and fast-paced city compared to its more relaxed cousin across the gulf in Helsinki. Just a fifteen minute walk to the harbour followed by a two hour ferry ride from the Helsinki mainland, Talinn proved to be well worth the wait.

The Tallink Ferry we took to Talinn (2 hour journey each way)

Attraction details:

Name: Talinn Seaplane Harbour Museum / Talinn Old Town
Date visited: 13 September 2014
Admission price: 10 euros (includes entry to both the internal exhibition and the external ships) / free
Directions: From one of the harbours of Helsinki, take a ferry to the Talinn Harbour. The Talinn city centre and Old Town area is around 15 minutes walk. The Seaplane Harbour Museum is also a 15-20 minute walk from the Harbour, but in a north-west direction.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars / 5 out of 5 stars

 Deciding on the 7:30am ferry to Talinn was a little punishing to be sure, but it ensured me and my travel companion were well into Talinn by 9:30am. And what an experience it was! Traveling by ferry to a new country (a routine activity in Europe I'm told) on the Talink Ferry, I was surprised to find not a collection of seats on a deck, but a multi-level structure boasting a perfume store, a Super Alko store for purchasing alcohol (a favourite past time of the Finnish who regularly travel to Talinn for cheap booze before ferrying it back to the mainland) and a buffet restaurant for the passengers on board.

Instead of heading directly into the city, we ventured first to the Talinn Seaplane Harbour Museum, a maritime museum that opened in 2012 after being transformed from an airplane hanger building. Along the way we passed many visually appealing buildings that foreshadowed the colourful monuments dotting the Talinn Old Town of our afternoon.

In comparison to the Estonia Maritime Museum (which seems a little mainstream), the Seaplane Harbour Museum seems targeted towards maritime enthusiasts, with an internal exhibition containing numerous life-size examples of real submarines, articles of warfare, seaplanes and ships. In this part of the museum, you are able to walk through the numerous rooms of a seaship (including cabins, kitchen, engine room, steam room, bathroom, captain's room, etc) and a submarine. Interestingly, there is an interactive airplane simulation where you can pilot your own aircraft, a section for you to dress up in nautical clothing, and a model submarine for you to explore, putting you directly inside the mind of a nautical professional. External to the building, there is the gigantic submarine Lembit you can walk through. I walked out with a renewed appreciation of the difficulties of the nautical lifestyle.

The airplane hangar turned Seaplane Harbour Museum in Talinn 

At around 12pm, we headed into the Talinn city centre for lunch, and were rewarded with views of the Town Square and its myriad winding alleys, cobblestone streets, quirky shops and vibrant architecture that formed the 'Old Town' district. There is also  We stopped at a quaint restaurant named Porgu, which is situated in an underground cellar you need to walk down to reach. The relatively low prices, sparse crowds (we were the only people there for 30 minutes or so) and free WiFi were a great motivator for my culinary beginnings in Europe. My mustard and honey baked chicken fillet with mashed potatoes, pak choi, sun dried tomatoes, and creamy mushroom sauce (9.5 euros) was a delicious blend of hearty flavours, while my friend's smoky duck fillet, sweet potato mash, black plums, baked cherry tomatoes, sugar snap peas and pomegranate sauce looked positively drool worthy (washed down with a decilitre (100mL) of Hoegarrden beer).

Delicious cheap food in Porgu (honey mustard chicken)

After our brief pitstop for lunch, we continued through the Old Town streets, went inside one of the countless churches and browsed some of the surrounding shops before proceeding to the Upper Lookout spot over Talinn's Old Town. The view was simpy breathtaking! The day came to a close with market shopping and some very European people watching via a park and cafe detour for some chocolate cake and tea.

A highlight of the day was the Hare Krishna procession we saw enter the park just as we were leaving. They sing a semi-catchy song complete with drums, singing and dancing to the two repetitive words of 'Hare Krishna' - an interesting diversion to say the least. The 4:30pm ferry back to Helsinki deposited us back to the mainland around 6:30pm.

The picturesque views of Talinn Old Town from the Upper Lookout

In short: Visit Talinn for some cheap food, the UNESCO Heritage Listed Old Town and the breathtaking views. The ferry is around 18-40 euros depending on the time and date and ferry company chosen.

Qantas...the (former) spirit of Australia?

I officially kicked off my Eurasia trip 2014 with a Melbourne to Helsinki flight (via Hong Kong). As I found out, the once formidable Australian national carrier was no longer the leader in international long-haul flight service, with variances in food and service delivery bringing its rating down a notch in the ever-competitive airline industry.

Flight details:
Date: 11 September 2014
Airport: Melbourne International Airport, Terminal 2 (International Departures), Hong Kong International Airport
Class: Economy
Seat: 54D (MEL - HKG, aisle seat), 52C (HKG - HEL, aisle seat)
Plane: Airbus A330
Rating: 3..5/5 stars (Qantas),  4/5 stars (Finnair). Both flights were on time.

The good - Qantas 

• Helpful and knowledgeable airport staff: My flight had a 6-7 hour stopover in Hong Kong, so I had to clarify if I would need to check in my luggage again or proceed straight through to Helsinki. The Qantas staff member that checked me in was very clear in explaining that the latter applied in this case.


• Friendly flight attendants and customer service: Cabin crew were incredibly responsive to my every need and always had a smile on their face.  On my flight, I asked for two servings of cup noodles and was greeted with a smile and an obvious willingness to keep me happy. They did not get flustered despite a pair of women repeatedly ordering extra food and snacks.


• Bilingual staff and service: Being a flight into Hong Kong, there were numerous Asian passengers so it was great to see a staff member fluent in both Cantonese and English on board the flight. All announcements during the flight were made in English, followed by a translation in Cantonese.


• Investment in mature staff members: It is always nice to see an airline that appreciates the value of experience. I would say there was maybe only one cabin crew member under the age of 40 on my flight, which is in line with the comments of a friend that described Qantas as an ‘oldies’ airline.

The good – Finnair

• Food quality: Compared to Qantas (which conveyed a feeling of cheap eats for economy savings), Finnair’s food had a strong sense of cleanliness and freshness. Flavours were more restrained in line with a European bent, with salad, bread, butter, cheese, crackers and water dominating the menu, and a delicious slice of apple pie with a delicate sweet sauce that had me wanting more. I didn’t feel ill at all after eating Finnair’s food as I had with Qantas (although I do tend to overeat on flights – what can I say, I’m a foodie?) and in fact, it even contributed some way towards improving my upset stomach within an hour or so of eating.


• Bilingual staff and service: Operating out of Hong Kong, there were two staff members speaking fluent Mandarin and English, which made it easy for all passengers to be attended to.


• Very smooth and enjoyable flight: No noticeable difficulties or bumps, as it should be. A good flight is like travel insurance – if things go well, you shouldn’t notice anything at all.

 The bad – Qantas:

• Variable food quality: Food quality was all over the map. The sweet and sugary food tended to be a hit (their Cadbury hot chocolate with marshmallow transported me right back to my childhood, while the dark chocolate mousse with salted caramel fudge was simply to die for) while others were just downright awful (the bread served didn’t taste fresh, and the main meal I chose of chicken and leek pie with peas and sweet potato mash was more than a little gluggy). Overall, it added up to a feeling of ‘good but not great’ when the package is hit and miss rather than a home run for the taste buds.  The food also had a tendency to veer towards the unhealthy end of the spectrum (mousse, hot chocolate, salted snacks when the fresh fruit promised on the menu ran out before I was served!) which wasn’t too pleasing to the stomach, as I found out later while waiting in Hong Kong for my onward flight.

Variable food quality: Featured here are dark chocolate mousse with salted caramel fudge, chicken and leek pie with peas and sweet potato mash, mixed salad and coleslaw, crusty bread with butter and cheese and crackers

• Ignorance of basic tiered passenger status for boarding: Despite clear signage and two distinct queues for economy and first/business class, passengers in the economy line were allowed to board the plane first. This defied basic passenger status rules and the annoyance on customers’ faces was all too plain to see.


• Occasionally jumpy in-flight: Without any notification of any turbulence, I noticed there were instances where the flight became bumpy enough that I had to hold onto the rail of my chair for stability. While I fully expect this feeling during take off and landing, I do not enjoy this feeling out of the blue, especially if there has been no notification of any encountered turbulence.


• Impression of being old and dated: Unfortunately, the presence of older, 40 plus cabin crew contributes to a feeling of Qantas being past its use by date. I have to admit that I think most passengers prefer to be served by someone relatively young and attractive (taking flights is a people-watching exercise in addition to transport from A to B) so Qantas isn’t doing itself any favours here.

The bad - Finnair:

• Customer service delivery a little flat at times: The menu was unceremoniously half-shoved in my face, with writing in Finnish and English, and an awkward wait for the cabin crew member while I had to decide between a vegetarian or a meat dish. Qantas’s approach in handing out the menu at the start of the flight wins out leaps and bounds here. The male cabin crew member also threw out my tray prematurely, before I had a chance to finish my water. Attention to detail counts!


• Toilets incredibly small: This complaint isn't isolated to Finnair as all airlines tend to have small toilets in principle (space is tight after all), but the Finnair toilet seemed especially small. I'm naturally a small person and I was struggling for room, so I can't bear to think how a larger person might handle such a confined space.

How to improve – Qantas:

• Invest in a younger, more nubile workforce: Having a younger profile in the airline’s ranks might help turn around dated associations of the airline, and inject some much-needed energy into its flights. Currently, Qantas’s age-is-best approach jars with Virgin Australia’s bevy of front-loaded young and attractive staff fleet (featured in a new TV advertisement here) and Jetstar’s now-familiar ‘star jump’ pose. This will also help develop a pipeline of future Qantas leaders for the organisation.


• Get food quality right: I’m a big foodie myself, so food is a massive part of my flying experience. And with a full-service airline, I have high expectations of food. So it’s disappointing to see that Qantas (despite a nicely presented menu card handed out at the start of the flight) is content with occasional stabs at greatness with its food. That just isn’t enough to be competitive against heavy hitters such as Cathay Pacific, Etihad and Singapore Airlines, so it’s worth taking the time to get the ingredients and the taste right.


• Treat your loyal customers properly: Loyalty begets loyalty, or so the mantra should go. Leaving Business/First Class customers stranded while Economy passengers board first is an alarming oversight, indicative of a need for further staff training in customer loyalty marketing and retention. Qantas may have the leading Frequent Flyer program in the country, but any name and brand can be destroyed over time if customers feel like they aren’t being appreciated properly. Your Business and First Class Customers deserve the red carpet treatment once in a while, so give it to them.

How to improve – Finnair:

• Take more time to learn from and understand your passengers: Customer service is ultimately similar to a relationship – the more of an effort you make to get to know someone, the greater the things you notice and hence, the greater the value you are able to add to the customer’s life through helpful suggestions or in-flight recommendations. My water would certainly never have been thrown out by an attentive cabin crew member!

 The obligatory Finnair #wingshot

A passenger remarked to me prior to the flight how empty the gate was for the Qantas 9:35am flight to Hong Kong, At the time, I simply laughed off the concern by telling the lady that we were just very early for the flight and that the crowd would pick up soon. Indeed it did, but only to the point that there were still very pronounced vacancies on the flight – nearly half of the seats were empty. In my row of four seats, the three seats next to me were unoccupied. Needless to say I didn’t complain, as I was able to push up the empty seat rests and sleep with my full body extended. Best sleep ever! Perhaps it is an omen of customer distrust in the wake of Qantas’s recently reported loss of billions of dollars last financial year. Although CEO Alan Joyce says the ‘worst is over’, perhaps the worst is yet to come.

In short: Qantas succeeds overall on its friendly and mature staff base, but outside of this, it is really hard to recommend the airline over its long-haul full-service competitors. Once a reputable pillar of strength in the Australian aviation sector, Qantas clearly has its work cut for itself to regain its former level of greatness and reach the heights it scaled so easily in the past. In comparison, Finnair impressed with its emphasis on clean and fresh-tasting food and smooth flight trajectory, but could improve the warmth and attentiveness of its customer service delivery.