1 September

Ah, all times come to an end.
This morning I rose and performed the normal ablutions, and was then down for breakfast at 0630. All the usual crew turned up, except that Tosh didn’t – she was already on her way back home, having started at the earlier time of 0345. The couple from India were brief with their breakfast as they were the first to leave, then a few others were able to linger as they left later. I went up to try uploading photos again but still had no luck. For some reason, the upload freezes on the first photo at the 68k mark (they are usually 200-300k) and then the program quits. I hope it is just through the hotel here, but I will keep trying anyway.
I was back down in the lobby at just after 1000 and said goodbye to the majority, who were leaving to return via Copenhagen and Tokyo. As they went on the bus, I went on the tram, got my day ticket to wander (which is valid for twenty-four hours from time of issue) and went into town on the No. 6 tram. I wanted to get some more money and change money into Roubles, so I got some more Euros and went to the Money Change and got a few Roubles for my foray into Russia. On the way I saw the bus going by, so waved and got seen and then got a few responses.
Then I went out on the No. 10 tram and saw some familiar sights and a lot more new ones. At the terminus, I indicated to the driver that I would be staying on and he let me pose for some photos in the cab of the tram. So I got to drive while away – but a Helsinki tram, not a car or bus (yet!). I gave him a pin and he gave me a voucher for a cheap Hesburger meal (more later).
I went back into town and then went around on a No. 3 tram. I had been advised by another passenger that that was the most scenic route. Back into town by about 1330, I went and redeemed the voucher (and €6.70) for a €8.50 Biiiiig Hes meal. It nearly defeated me and I had to stop a number of times – my only consolation was that it was most likely the last time I will have such a meal before I get home (partly because the breakfasts have made me put on weight and I have to lose that).
Then I called in at the Post Office to find out about posting my SuperMoose and horse home. I got the box (I find that each country has different size and closing requirements, so it’s both easier and lighter to buy them in the country they are being sent home from) which I thought would suit, then returned to the hotel to find … a post office one hundred metres west! I parcelled everything up and went to the post office with the Customs Declaration filled out and found it was actually cheaper than the central office quoted. It should arrive at Fran’s place before the end of September.
Then I went back to town and rode the No. 4 tram around. By the time I finished that, I was feeling tired so came back to the hotel, tried to upload the photos (agh, still no luck, but I have posted a picture saying that I have them and will be trying) and processed today’s, did some washing (I hope it will dry before the morning) and wrote up this blog. I am determined to get to sleep early so I will be refreshed for the next section.
I will be going up to Inari and then Murmansk. I have no idea again of Internet access, but given the situation so far I am hopeful. However, if I am not, there will be a lot at one point – I arrive in St Petersburg on 18 September and will be phoning my sister each Sunday afternoon (Adelaide time) and am sure I will get some form of access by then (I go via Moscow, train from Murmansk overnight, and then a cruise along the Volga to St Petersburg). If not, then it will be bulk emails when I can access a terminal. My email is dougmullett@gmail.com if you want to get in touch.
Bye for tonight!