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Holly vs the world

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hollyabroad

An Aussie traveling the world and getting her tourist on. A few home truths but mostly fun!!!

Hobbits

Ahhh, the day after auroras, waking up with the thought of “did that really happen?!?” Absolute awe. Now just to wait for the pics because if there aren’t pictures, it didn’t really happen right?!?

Both a bit overwhelmed and tired from a late night we got stuck into some good ol’ Finnish delicacies – well, the version from the local Kioski, heat n eat style from our kitchen with a snowy view…

Salmon soup, chicken & cheese soup and meatballs with mash… surprisingly tasty… or just really damn hungry…

Having not heard back from our 2 star Airbnb host, we had hoped to stay in our accommodation for a few hours longer to avoid the -17 outside, but low and behold Annikki (made that up) arrived to clean so time to leg it, out in -17 at noon with no where to go, luckily the Finnish get the whole drink coffee and veg thing. Their coffee houses are funky as hell and the coffee ain’t too bad either.

So having to wait it out til 3.30pm for our bus to Saariselka, after the coffee house got bored of us we dragged suitcases and all to the local shopping centre where our eyes did not deceive us, a rock n roll Mexican restaurant – never knew those two things belonged together until now! Cue gin… and a trip to supermarket to stock up on snacks for the road trip… and then some more gin… my first taste of the national Finnish drink Lonkero, which just happens to be Gin… knew I belonged here.. and you can buy it in the supermarket aisle… triple points for Finland!!

And in another plus for Finland, their bottle shops are called Alko, for reals… this place has my heart!

So bus station bound with Google leading the way, how the hell people got around before Google maps in this weather without turning into icicles is beyond me, but we trudged, dragging suitcases through the snow to the Linja-Autoasema and after some interesting conversation with a local who thought we needed advice on how to live our best life – we were off to Saariselka. I guess we did look that bad and the dude thought we needed it…

So after a breakfast of microwaveable goodness, second breakfast of coffee, elevenses of gin and I guess a lunch of gin, it was time for random supermarket snacks for luncheon and afternoon tea – Thai Green Curry Pringles, something chocolate, another thing chocolate then this green sugary bundle of yum – still no idea what it was, just tasted like green according to Kyles…

The bus ride was like crossing the Mountains of Moria, snow blizzard outside and Saruman trying to bury us in snow.. luckily takeaway cans of gin took the edge off the fear… somehow on a road we couldn’t see, our frickin amazing bus driver got us to Saariselka, and what do we know, our accommodation is at the local pub where there’s a roaring fire and karaoke!!

No surprises, we took two minutes to drop bags at our room and head to the local. We settled in fireside for a dinner of salami sticks and potato chips while indulging in a supper of Lonkero, which I renamed Loki after my favourite Avenger and then somehow my arm was twisted into singing Karaoke… after a Wonderwall warm up, we struck a chord with Don’t Stop Believing then our final ballad of I Got You Babe… of course we are both amazing singers, we didn’t at all clear the bar, just enjoyed the wild applause from our audience…

Yeah nah. Bedtime.

Thursday 3rd January 2019.

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Grateful

In all our chats before heading over to the UK, Kylie and I had one thing straight… the only thing we HAD to do was see the northern lights. Our whole trip to Finland revolved around what the locals call hunting auroras.

In all the research we did, it was clear that it all depends on the weather – clouds or snow means no auroras. Also depends on holes in the sun and sun dust?!? WTF. Us amateurs had no idea when or who would be the best to make our dreams come true.

Enter Mikko. During our visit to Santa Claus’ Village, while ordering the best Finlandish coffee vodka, Kyles mentioned to the bar man about wanting to see the northern lights. Twenty minutes later, we’ve organized a random dude to pick us up at 9pm and take us aurora hunting. Had he not had a decent Facebook page or Instagram account, maybe we would have been more cautious. Maybe not. Maybe I still messaged a friend with links to the dudes socials in case we went missing…

So after collecting our luggage, legging it back to our accommodation and smashing some hesburger, it was time to hunt.

Mikko was super entertaining and obvs not a psycho, he knew everything about hunting auroras, was all hooked up to the sites and groups that discuss the nights upcoming spectacle… let’s be honest, I just sat in the back, ate chocolate and drank Glogi while Mikko and Kyles did the real hunting…

So literally in the middle of absolutely nowhere we stopped and waited. Heater cranked, since it was a a cool -28.5 outside… Glogi, heater, chocolate, wait…

During the wait we learnt heaps about Finland, school is free, school lunch is free, university is free, even for foreigners – uh, stuff London, I’m moving to Finland… lowest crime rates, gender equality in their government since 1906 and was the first country to make a broadband connection a legal right (xtra info from Kyles).

So around midnight, Mikko made the call, “it’s time”. Nothing can ever prepare you for -28.5 degrees, just as nothing can prepare you for seeing the most beautiful feat of nature that ever existed.

Jumping out the car and staring into the sky, it appears as a green haze at first then slowly it appears in all its glory. I’ll be honest, in the pics, it’s clearer and more spectacular but for reals, it’s still bloody brilliant. It fades in and out and is called Eileen… because when you dance in the snow and sing “Come on Eileen..”, she appears…. for reals…

So no sugar coating the experience, it was cold beyond words, my lame arse Aussie boots were no match for trekking through knee high snow, I honestly thought I would lose some toes. Defrosting toes is pain beyond words. Luckily, there was a heated car to jump back into when the lights faded and it was time to wait again.

And thank god for Mikko who knew when to jump out to see Eileen and when to be patient. Other groups gave up on the night but we persisted til around 1.30am and I can honestly say it was the most beautiful, amazing thing I’ve ever seen in my life. So grateful that I’ve been in the position to do this. Grateful doesn’t even feel strong enough – thankful, privileged, lucky. So much so that my first born child will be called Aurora, worst parent in the world if it’s a boy…

Wednesday 2nd January 2019.

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WTF

Jumping off the train station you’d be forgiven for thinking we’d just disembarked from the Polar Express… snow, snow and more snow, still no Jon Snow though…

Arriving in Rovaniemi just after 7am, we were like kids on Christmas Day, having literally arrived in the official home of Santa Claus. We stashed our bags at the train station and headed for the jolly old man’s home. Having been lucky enough to visit the snow before, this was still something else. Trees covered in snow, cars covered in snow, everything had a thick layer of snow… and then amongst the fascination it hit… snow is farken cold, -11 cold, WTF!!

Rocking up at the Santa Claus Village well before anything was open, which was fair enough given the dude just had a really heavy workload, we killed time with a Finnish breakfast buffet, copious amounts of coffee and a view like something from a fairytale… through the blur of a crappy iPhone.

We hit up the old man straight away to get ahead of the pesky kids who hog Santa’s time – Kyles was sweet and just wanted to ask Santa to see her niece Paige next Christmas, I took a more pageant queen angle and wanted world peace. Neither of us will get what we wanted, dude didn’t even ask. Isn’t that part of your job description? Anyhoo, pics to come later, new age Santa gives you pictures on a USB and that’s one adapter I didn’t bring, damn would have been more useful than the curling iron I packed… here’s the creepy LEGO version instead…

Out and about in Santa’s Village, it really is magical. Fairy lights, snow, reindeer (yum!) and snowmen (sorry – snowperson)… and my fave, an ice bar! We were super touristy, paid to do all the overpriced things and didn’t care one bit… it was worth it!!

Check this out and try tell me you don’t believe in Santa!!

So the husky sledding was freakin awesome but heartbreaking in the beginning. Stay with me… walking up to Bear Hill sledding and seeing all of these glorious dogs tied up and yelping, broke my heart and then realised I was one of those arsehole people that hurt animals for my own entertainment. Didn’t sit well. Thank goodness Kylie is her awesome self and talks to everyone so we found out that these dogs love to run, the yelping is from having to stop and wait… the huskies (Alaskan, not the pretty hyped up Siberian ones) are born and bred to run over 1,000 clicks a day at up to 30km/h so pulling our heavy arses around is just part and parcel of what they love… hmm, did I fall for the tourist pitch, yeah, kinda…

Awww, you’re a good boy…

Anyways, after our sledding adventure with the incredible Tom Hardy (oh yeah…), it was the ice bar and all the vodka…

Hey Kylie, lick it…

… and of course, where there’s snow, there’s ice ice baby, ice planks and hammer time (that’s for you Pattie!)…

In case you’re wondering how to dress for -11, or -17 by the time we left, all that is required is: 3 x pairs of socks (the third an overpriced pair of wool ones from the souvenir shop that saved at least three toes), knee high winter boots, thermal leggings, jeans, snow pants, thermal top, jumper, ski jacket (hood up), snow gloves, neck/face protector, scarf and beanie… yes I’m full of Christmas pudding but looking like the Michelin man is just part of snow adventures… which is what I’ll keep telling myself…

Special thanks to Paula for lending me everything, would be coming back minus a few fingers and vital organs otherwise…this is how big our smiles are when we find an open fire to warm our cold arses on…

The scenery in Santa Claus village is other worldly – in that a good little Aussie lass without a sense of adventure would never in her life see such beauty in the snow covered trees, purple and orange skies, icicles and glittering snow, just wish my pictures could show just how mind blowing amazing it really is…

Oh yeah, and amongst it all, I found the wall… knew it was out here somewhere…

Our last adventure at the Santa Claus village was a 3km reindeer sleigh ride. When booking it in the morning for a 4pm departure, it seemed like good timing – obvs forgot that at 4pm it’s dark and around -17 degrees… the look on Rudolf’s face says it all: “Paybacks a bitch, this is for eating my brother…”

So for all our adventures at Santa Claus’ Village, the biggest adventure was our night time hunt for auroras courtesy of the bar man at the ice bar who Kylie made friends with… a dude we don’t know, picking us up in the middle of the night and taking us to the middle of nowhere…yeah, all kind of psychotic serial killer movie twists running through my head but must have made it back alive… unless its a ghost writing this, or the bar man… nah, he wasn’t this funny… (ok, we all know only my mum thinks I’m funny).

So we made it back alive but I’ll save the hunting auroras update for when we have all the glorious pics from the bar man… auroras on my dumb arse iPhone looks like this:

Wednesday 2nd January 2018.

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Hel on earth

So when Hel only has 3 hours of sunlight per day and is obsessed with fairy lights (see previous post), wondering through the streets for a day is like living in a magical winter wonderland. Although today the snow is more of a sludge and it’s rain instead of a blizzard… gotta think positive and get into the spirit, and three layers of thermals… this is what dressing for a day out in Hel looks like… in suitable clothing…

Being our super duper trip planner, Kyles had today’s roster of sites lined up while I was still soaking up the zzz’s… after a quick excursion to the local for cheap brekkie pastries (keto is way too pricey in Finland, will roll home) and to gawk in awe at the pickle selection (also LOVE pickles)… it was out and into it…

Cue ice rinks, markets, Presidential Palaces, Cathedrals, an icey harbour, saunas, the Helsinki Sky Wheel, and of course, fairy lights… and me with my SLR camera being a photographer wannabe…

And there was Glogi… warm fruity tea with nuts and raisins… which did kinda made us a bit nuts with renditions of made up songs about Glogi… but anyways… stumbling across the Old Market Hall with all the Finnish foods was amazeballs, not usually one for food spam but kinda couldn’t help myself, one of everything please… start rolling…

And then we discovered that reindeer aren’t just for pulling a jolly fat dudes sleigh, they are delicious too! Reindeer kebab for dinner…

So 18,000 steps later… some possibly in the very early hours, it was onto our sleeper train, heading to Rovaniemi and the home of Santa Claus, shit, wish I didn’t just eat his reindeer…

Tuesday 1st January 2019.

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Straight to Hel

New Year’s in Hel? Why the Hel not.

Nothing like a 4.30am wake up call to get the party started but if you were never asleep, is it really a wake up or a get the Hel up call?

So we legged it to Gatwick in the early hours, with enough time to shove our faces with the only thing that cures the morning grumps, bacon…

So now we’re on a 3 hour flight to Helsinki – hence the Hel references if you’re still a little behind – just licked spilt Gin off my iPhone screen so I think that’s a prelude of the night to come… stay tuned…

Quite literally, landing in Helsinki and still in a bit of a jet lag haze, looking out the window on decent and wondering if the white walker army is close, I swear we just flew over The Wall.. wake up!!!

The first introduction to Finnish people… the dude at Immigration, right out of my Fireman calendar and spoke my language.. “How are you mate?”, his response, “Eh…”, right back at ya.

Getting a little (a lot) lost legging it from the airport to the train to the tram and finally to the Airbnb, host looks like a damn model, where the hell are well? Not my kind of hell…

But yeah nah (they don’t get “yeah nah” in Europe), we got our New Years kits on, apparently us Aussie girls think wearing fancy dresses and heeled boots out in snow and ice for New Years is a fab idea… not so smart, but pretty… through beer goggles maybe…

So I love my white walker contacts and wear them at every loser chance I get. Out in Helsinki, people aren’t fazed, it’s normal to look like an apocalyptic zombie, I like this place…

Without any definite plans, winging it as only us Aussies say, headed to the Nepalese restaurant downstairs for sustenance to meet our gin intake then onto a secret bar that’s so secret it’s a secret you’re standing up outside for a damn hour before they let you in… anyhooo… the gin was good, the secret passage way in was kinda cool and the price of the gin, well, it was gold plated gin after all… (no pics cos it’s a rule that they are just too cool for pics)…

Heading outside to catch New Years in all its glory, we quite literally stumbled into a blizzard…

…its was freakin amazing, I’m mesmerized by snow and probs only known by my nearest and dearest, I LOVE fairy lights… Helsinki is the capital of fairy lights. Snow + fairy lights = happy holly. Proof is in the picture fail that turned into a video, was actually smiling with teeth, I never show teeth unless I’m 200, no wait, 500% happy… can’t recall last time that happened. Check my pics on FB, when was the last time I showed teeth?? (Please don’t check, that’d be kinda weird…)

So anyway, the point of the long winded tail is that when the clock struck 12 and 2019 kicked off, I was in a bar, drinking gin with my bestie, looking out through a massive window at snow, fairy light and fireworks… and I’ll never be able to wipe that smile off my face!! And would never want to.

BTW, the bar forgot the tail bit of the menu but the window and snow and gin… that was really the point of this pic… liar…

Monday 31st December 2018.

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The Hangover

Didn’t wake up with a random baby and face tattoo but the details of the previous night were rather sketchy… explains yesterday’s rather short blog post.

Nothing like burgers and cheesy fries to cure a hangover. And copious amount of Pepsi. And Pringles. And Toblerone. No wonder my pants are splitting.

Quick tour of the Newcastle beaches before farewelling Pattie and back on the train to London ready for the 5am wake up call…

Cheers Newcastle, we’re paggered from neets on the toon but aye, ye was propa bonny and us lass’s had a belta time. Did I get it right Pattie??

Sunday 30th December 2018.

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Noocasle

Not an overly eventful day, spot of shopping in the city, picked up the most beautiful pair of shoes I’ve ever seen in my life – forgetting that £79 isn’t actually a bargain.

But just driving and walking around Newcastle, there are old churches, spectacular architecture and of course, a damn Castle in the city center so of course every moment is amazing. I love cities in Europe, so much history and beauty on every corner.

So thank goodness for the ease of the day, the night was the complete opposite. Geordie wedding party, just asking for a gincident. Headed out to Sunderland and caught up with Patties mates for the wedding party of Louise and Elliot. Felt a little awkward before rocking up, not having actually met the couple but needn’t have – amazing couple and awesome group of people. Dancing, drinking, eating, drinking and walking/crawling through the hotel door at 6 something am…

Saturday 29th December 2018.

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#castlechallenge

Bacon buttys are heaven. Bread. Yum. Egg. Yum. Cheese. Yum. BBQ sauce. Yum. Bacon. Yummers. Recovery food of champions, or the severely hungover.

After Star Wars and bacon, there were castles. What started as popping by Alnwick Castle turned into the castle challenge – how many castles can we visit in one day??

The answer is 6, not including the halloumi castle…

First stop, Alnwick Castle, just don’t be an Aussie and pronounce the l ie the w or you’ll get a swift hiding from the Geordie locals. Being the place where Harry learnt to fly, had to wear my overpriced Gryffindor jumper, also because it was cold AF.

Second stop, Chillingham Castle where the sunshine turned it on, apparently I bought the weather with me… always thought I was more of a storm…

Then onto my equal favourite, Lindisfarne Castle on Holy Island. It was like stepping into a movie about King Arthur or the crusades. The road over can only be used when the tide goes out, and damn be sure not to be driving back across when the tide comes in… didn’t get right up to the castle but the priory ruins and cemetery were stunning, so much history, could feel the lost souls.

Next was Bamburgh Castle, looked like the Red Keep from Game of Thrones and of course getting all excited again about seeing Jon Snow for reals…

Haloumi Castle was by far my favourite. The deep fried roast chicken not so much…

Warkworth Castle was a quick pit stop, then onto Tynemouth Priory and Castle. Really was all castled our but in awe of being able to leg it around in a few hours and see so many. Can’t think of another place in the world where that’s possible, lucky poms.

The nights plans to head out on the toon in the Georgie Shore quickly turned into a snooze fest, quite literally. Ten minutes into a movie on the couch and Kyles and I were catching zzzz’s.

Friday 28th December 2018.

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Lush aye?

A jet lagged Holly and hungover Kylie catching a 9am train to Newcastle, what could go wrong?

How about splitting the seam of my pants along the butt while in the middle of King’s Cross Station, standing for the 3 hour train ride or realising you’re going to end up on a fetish YouTube channel when the sign on the mirror in the train toilet says “go on, give us a smile”… and I didn’t even find platform nine and three quarters…

Wasn’t all bad, coffee and truffle eggs in a cup saved the day and my sanity.

Good things come from the Aussie Newcastle, like my favourite band, so pretty high expectations and looking back the day after, it didn’t disappoint.

Having being renamed Sheila and Matilda by our man Pattie, it was my chrissie present of Roger’s Profanisaurus that set the scene for the night to come.

Two Aussie lass’s out drinking with the lads of Newcastle. The before shot…

Quickly realised gin wasn’t the reason I couldn’t understand the lads, they have a Geordie language of their own and it’s the most entertaining damn thing I’ve ever heard, and not understood…

Aye pet, that’s bollocks, gan to toon ta get mortal… cue staring blankly…

Needless to say the pub crawl through Tynemouth was epic with little photo evidence so well and truly, what happens in Tynemouth, stays in Tynemouth… especially since asking one of the lads to take a picture of you and your bestie ends up with a camera roll of this….

Two Aussie lass’s out drinking with the lads of Newcastle. The after shot…

Thursday 27th December 2018.

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