Helsinki, Finnland
So I finally arrived in Helsinki Sunday (23 July) afternoon. I checked into my hostel and went for a walk to find out where some things were. I needed to do several errands the next day and thought I could at least find out where the places were that I needed to go (it being late Sunday afternoon, every thing was closed). I went to a book store and did some research on getting a Russian visa. It sounded like a slightly laborious process, so I wasn't particularily looking forward to it. I also reserved dorm beds for Hendrik and Jens (at a different hostel because mine was full).
On Monday (24 July) my first task was to go to several different travel agents and ask if any could help me get a Russian visa. The first one could offer me no help but told me of a place that might. The next place was completely no help. Finally the third place I checked (tourist information) confirmed what the first place had told me about one place in town that could help. So I went to apparently the only travel agent in Helsinki that can provide Russian visas without doing some kind of package tour. They said the normal time frame for a Russian visa was 6 business days. So if I completed the process by noon Monday it would be ready next Monday (31 July) at noon. It was nearly 11 am and I needed to go back to my hostel to get a passport photo. I made it back to the travel agent just before noon (after 45 minutes of walking the fastest I could without running) and had the application filled out shortly after. So now I just sit and wait until Monday when my visa is ready. I was surprised how easy the visa process was once I found the correct travel agent. I could have paid 55 euros more for a faster service but I thought the 75 euros I invested so far was enough. But this meant I wouldn't have time to visit Tallin, Estonia which I really wanted to do. Later in the day I did some more errands including getting a haircut which I badly needed!! It feels so good to have short hair again. I also paid 6 euros for a load of laundry that I had to do myself and didn't include drying!!
On Tuesday (25 July) I had to change hostels because the one I was staying in was full. I walked around town during the morning trying to find a place with free internet and I went to the beach that afternoon which was packed with lots of beautiful women, of course. Jens and Hendrik arrived that evening and we went to eat at a pizza buffet. We all stuffed ourselves. We had a fine evening chatting and people watching in one of the parks.
On Wednesday (26 July) we went to see the olympic stadium and took the elevator to the top of the Olympic tower for some great views of the city. Then we went by a pretty cool, half-underground-quarried-from-granite church. It was warm out by now, so after lunch we decided to go to the beach again.
I'm having a hard time securing a hostel in St. Petersburg. They want me to print out a form and then scan it or fax it to them. Printing something is hard enough but to find a scanner or fax machine sounds either difficult and/or costly. I'm surprised a hostel asked this of backpacker types. They have to know that what they are asking is no easy task to do while staying in hostels. I know this is only the begining of things to come as soon my easy travel days will be over. Russia is going to be much more difficult to travel in....
On Monday (24 July) my first task was to go to several different travel agents and ask if any could help me get a Russian visa. The first one could offer me no help but told me of a place that might. The next place was completely no help. Finally the third place I checked (tourist information) confirmed what the first place had told me about one place in town that could help. So I went to apparently the only travel agent in Helsinki that can provide Russian visas without doing some kind of package tour. They said the normal time frame for a Russian visa was 6 business days. So if I completed the process by noon Monday it would be ready next Monday (31 July) at noon. It was nearly 11 am and I needed to go back to my hostel to get a passport photo. I made it back to the travel agent just before noon (after 45 minutes of walking the fastest I could without running) and had the application filled out shortly after. So now I just sit and wait until Monday when my visa is ready. I was surprised how easy the visa process was once I found the correct travel agent. I could have paid 55 euros more for a faster service but I thought the 75 euros I invested so far was enough. But this meant I wouldn't have time to visit Tallin, Estonia which I really wanted to do. Later in the day I did some more errands including getting a haircut which I badly needed!! It feels so good to have short hair again. I also paid 6 euros for a load of laundry that I had to do myself and didn't include drying!!
On Tuesday (25 July) I had to change hostels because the one I was staying in was full. I walked around town during the morning trying to find a place with free internet and I went to the beach that afternoon which was packed with lots of beautiful women, of course. Jens and Hendrik arrived that evening and we went to eat at a pizza buffet. We all stuffed ourselves. We had a fine evening chatting and people watching in one of the parks.
On Wednesday (26 July) we went to see the olympic stadium and took the elevator to the top of the Olympic tower for some great views of the city. Then we went by a pretty cool, half-underground-quarried-from-granite church. It was warm out by now, so after lunch we decided to go to the beach again.
I'm having a hard time securing a hostel in St. Petersburg. They want me to print out a form and then scan it or fax it to them. Printing something is hard enough but to find a scanner or fax machine sounds either difficult and/or costly. I'm surprised a hostel asked this of backpacker types. They have to know that what they are asking is no easy task to do while staying in hostels. I know this is only the begining of things to come as soon my easy travel days will be over. Russia is going to be much more difficult to travel in....
posted by Dustin at 12:36 AM
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