If you read my previous blog, you know I was able to travel quite a bit in Finland and around Europe. Thankfully, all my travel went quite smoothly. In fact, the only real travel “hiccup” happened when I while I was still in the US; my flight leaving Boston Logan sat on the runway for 3 hours while we waited for the food delivery service, whose drivers decided to go on strike that day (but that’s a story for another day). Travel tip number one, bring food and something to drink with you, you never know when hunger will strike. That leads nicely into travel tip number two, be careful what foods you do bring, because apparently airport security can get a little suspicious of powders (like my armada of running fuel and supplements I lugged around Europe), which may require a mad dash or two to your gate if you didn’t budget in time for a full inspection going through security. Again, this happened while still in the US.
Thankfully, once I actually got to Helsinki, travel went much smoother. Local transport was easy to use, and unlike the MBTA, always timely. Though, it can be a bit tough learning the lay of the land, so a journey planner or Google Maps can come in handy when trying navigate around the city. Outside of Helsinki, my trips around Europe were a breeze, not even a flight delay! It wasn’t until my return trip home that I ran into anymore travel troubles. Heavy fog in London (shocking, I know) caused my flight in from Helsinki to be delayed three hours. Unfortunately, my connecting flight to Boston wasn’t delayed, so my nice leisurely three and half hour layover in London turned into a mad dash across the airport terminals to make my flight home. Travel tip number three, keep your carry-on light and wear your best running shoes, you never know when you’re going to need to sprint through the airport.
As for safety, fortunately Helsinki was a very safe city. But like any other major city, it’s best to be aware of your surroundings, travel with a group, and avoid certain areas, especially at night. The usual advice we all hear, but important to keep in mind, especially in a new and unfamiliar city. I don’t recall really ever feeling unsafe in Helsinki though, and became quite comfortable traveling around and exploring the city. Travel tip number four, don’t let the fear of getting lost or the fear of your new surroundings prevent you from getting out and adventuring around your new city, make the most of your time abroad!
