The time has come to….

…hit the button.

Im alive and well and currently hiding from the sun in a dark and dingy internet cafe in Tallin, Estonia. I think I have started to develop a dissorder that is the complete opposite of Seasonal
Affective Dissorder (SAD). It just strange here and always light. In fact, this week on the 23rd the Estonians (like the Scandinavians) will be celebrating Mid Summers day – the longest day the year! Aparently this involves staying awake all day, fire and beer – an unusual but potentially fun combination.

So what have I been doing since the 14th of June? …heres a quick summary.

On Tuesday night we (me and my Australian room mate) attempted to party in Helsinki. Unfortunately though – The Finns do not like to party on Tuesdays and so the night ended without much to talk about. However we did meet two plesent Finnish students and a guy from Nigeria.

Wednesday started with a Sauna (I like saunas) and was followed up with a morning on the beach and a walk in the park. However, after turning pink after about 10 minutes I had to retrear to wonder how it is that we are such a pale nation? In fact, is there another nation in the world who as white and burnable as us? We are further south than Scandinavia and all normal rules of life suggest that we should be browner + but oh no. Maybe the Irish? They are white people.

I managed to entertain myself in the park looking at a bunch of crazy animal type creature statues and a bunch of middle aged people doing aerobics in the park. Hundreds of them jumping around doing excersices that just dont look strenous – or neccessary in public.

Wednesday night we did manage to party and the Auzzie (I havent remembered the name of one single person yet) went home with a hot Finnish girl. I went home to my random domitory to share with a Macedonian alcaholic and and Finnish nurse.

BTW – youll be pleased to know that the Finns didnt escape the shitting crazy frog!

Thursday was mostly a day of being tired, being confused (due to my lack of planning I didnt know where the ferries leave from, what time, or how to book one) and travelling. After overcoming the ferry issues I jumped on the quick (2 hour) and cheap (17 Euros) ferry to Tallin. This arrived at about 17:00 and I met another Auzzie and found a hostel before 17:30 – good work. Whatsmore the reciptionist was one of the cutest girls I have ever seen in my life so naturally, I convinced myself that she gets asked out by every second traveller in Tallin and said nothing. The hostel, called the Old House is small but just like a home and right in the center of the Old Town.

I settled down for a pint of ´Rock´ and wrote my diary and then in the evening went out with the auzzie and another English guy who, having just left the army, was travelling accross land (via Europe, Russia and China) to Singapore from where hes flying to Australia.

Tallin is actually a really nice change after the quiet and not very impressive Helsinki. The old Town is stunning and perfectly kept and is probably the nicest town ive seen so far in Europe. Its almost like arriving at a themepark town and most of the staff working here dress in funny medieval rags. Add to that a huge number of great resteraunts trandy bars and beautiful women and its a pretty good place. Also its much livelier than Helsinki, most places are open until 6am, drinks cheap (and often buy one get one free) and you can get a full restraunt meal 24 hours a day!

Its also quite interesting and Estonias 1.3 million people are a 60/50 split between Estonian and Russian and the two groups both tend to stick to there own areas etc.

So since arriving here Ie switched hostel once, met 1 Auzzie, two other English guys and a great French bloke who maps pollution in the Baltic sea. We have also met up with a bunch a friendly local guys who we have met up with every day since Thursday. I have been living on random meals ranging from McDonalds to pork stew with dumplings.

Random Things

The two most popular beers here and called Saku and A la coq. They have never heard of Stella Artoirs or Kronenburg!
I think hi heels and dresses (often very mini) have been made mandatory by Estonian law
Nobody I have met here seems to trust the Russians (I suspect this is unfair but I havent got to know any yet – so ill keep you posted)
Keyboards here are just strange and a blody pain to type on
Ive just discovered the fantastic hospitalityclub.org
My phone now works abroad
As usual I have no idea where im going next but im going to be in Estonia for a while then Sweden
Like elsewhere in Europe – it is perfectly acceptable to play songs on the radio with couruses like “Burn Mother Fucker Burn”
My two little toes have turned into BIG blisters and I cant walk.
My typing fingers hurt
We forgot to pay at a resteraunt and made the poor waitress cry (of course went back and paid)