Tough Guy Challenge 2010 - 31st January

Background information to my Crazy actions for doing this challenge: While I was back in Aus sorting out a new visa I joined up to a bootcamp fitness group in the CBD. After doing this for almost 9months I was pretty hooked and felt the best I had in years in terms of being able

to do things of a sporting nature. When I returned back to the UK I turned on the TV and saw this crazy tough guy challenge. I thought I would love to give that a go. Checking it out on the web I saw I had missed the 2009 event (obviously it was on telly). So I left it. That was until a mate Dan did the summer one and then proceeded to tell me he joined up for winter one. I immediately signed up that day (3^rd September to be precise).

After training for almost 3 months solid and having a practice in the cold waters of the arctic circle from our swim at Christmas time. I was feeling pretty good and felt I could handle the running no problem. Although we had not practiced the hill section.

The Weekend

We drove to Wolverhampton via Birmingham on the Saturday before the challenge so we could

have a bit of sight seeing and get to the hotel in enough time. We stopped off in Birmingham and had a walk around, realising how freezing it was we chose to have a wander though a museum and then head back to the car. We only saw a very few select streets. Hurrying back to the car to get out the cold and into the warmth we headed for Wolverhampton. Once arrived at our hotel they tried to change our twin room to 2 singles although there were 2 couples. In the end we got a double bed but was on the same floor as the function room. This gave us broken sleep until 2am in the morning ahhh lovely.

With our wonderful nights sleep we woke in the morning. Dressed for war we headed to the event. As I had donated money to the horse and donkey fund (they were being moved just for our entertainment) I was given a special parking spot at the front of the field and it was close to the start and finish line, the best £10 I ever spent on a donkey.

We walked into the registration office got out timing chips (to help calculate accurately how fast we were) and race numbers to be pinned onto us. We went and got a bacon burger ate that then had some time to walk around and check out parts of the field. More importantly have a look at the frozen water with an inch thick layer of ice on it!

Soon it was time to start the race. Dan and I were all numbered up and ready to go. Said our last good byes and kissed the loved ones away to go spectate.

It snowed at the start right before the event!

Standing there getting ready to race putting on the timing chip and pinning on my race number I could not have my big coat on to keep warm. It was only a matter of time before I would be freezing anyways. So the starters were called to their area. Dan and I headed up to ours, took off our last layer or warmth and said our good byes to the loved ones. The supporters left to find a good spot for photos and filming. We stood in the cold waiting to start for around 30-40 minuets. Finally it started the first group ran off. We moved to the front of our pack getting ready to sprint like mad men. Then we were off running and trying to sprint past people and getting a better placing.

As soon as the cold hit my eyes they started to cry. There I was running over rough earth with water in my eyes trying to sprint and pass people while not being able to see and trying to not twist and ankle. I made it onto the path where it was more even and my eyes were getting

better, we ran through ditches of frozen water, then up embankments, doing this 4 times. Then it was under or over logs all the time trying to sprint it out to get a good placing and keeping up with Dan. We kept running and making good ground going past people. We had decided that it was the beginning where the distance and places were made as the obstacles are where the bottle necks were to be. Running some more and getting ready to the slalom which is a 45 degree angle hill which you had to run up and down 8 times. This is where I kind of died. I lost Dan in the lead up and could not catch him due to the amount of people in front of me and did not have the muster to clamber up that hill quick enough to get to him. Reason for this I am going to blame London for not having many hills for us to train on. So I was alone for 2/3 of the course.

Running the rest of the course on my own and not knowing how hard to push as I wanted to make it to the end and not walk at any part I pushed on. Happy to still be passing people and walkers who had expelled too much. When it came the water obstacles was were most people stopped and had to find new levels of energy to go on. It was freezing cold in the water, they had earlier removed a layer of ice an inch thick from most ponds. The hard part were a series of ditches that you had to go in and out of. The hard part here was getting back out of the muddy water. Every time I got there and needed a hand there was someone with their hand on my butt helping me out. I would do the same to the person in front and if someone had helped me I would turn and lift them out. It was the fair way to do it.

After these there was more running and more climbing and crawling to be had, sometimes under

barbed wire or cargo netting trying desperately not to get snagged

but to still keep up pace, back into more water and then over logs. It was finally time for the full head dunk under the ducking boards. This was by far the worst part of all. If you can imaging an ice cream headache times by 1000 then that’s where your at. It was so bad you brain can not function immediately after. I came up after my final duck (you have to do it 4 times) and just kept on moving, you could hear all the people around screaming as they dealt with it in their own way. Mine was to just grip my fists and channel internally, I got out of the water and started running straight away to get the blood flowing and the pain in my head to stop.

Running on and not feeling where my feet feel. It was as if I was stomping just to move but when

I looked they were actually feet movements and not the stumps I thought I was placing. There were more height obstacles on the way which I managed rather well and feel my fear of heights going, or it could be all the adrenalin and competitor in my urging me to go on. Only a few more parts to go and a couple of swims in the freezing water. I finally made it to the finally hill just as my legs were cramping up from the Freezing cold they were experiencing. I pulled myself up that hill and then slid down the other side and over to the finish.

When I had fished I was given a foil like blanket, my medal for finishing and sent to the showers. In there they gave us coffee or tea. I took the tea option, they had packed it full of sugar to get us all going with the glucose we had lost (they did give you jelly babies on the course if you wanted them). It was quite a sight to see all the grown and very muscular men who could not control their bodies as the cold was shaking their hands severely. Tea was splashing about everywhere; this was at time good as it warmed my hands for a while. I walked over to the showers and decided not to get under as I had nothing to get changed into as I had left all my clothes in the

car (we had parked so close we thought it would be fine to go back there). I could not find Dan or our supports. I walked outside and around but could not find anyone just as I was walking back into the shower room for the warmth it offered I found Dan. He wasn’t doing to well with the cold but soldier on we soon found the supporters and Kieran ran back to the car for me and got my bag of clothes so I could go back to the warm shower room and water to get changed in. It took me ages to try and get my shoe laces undone as my hands were frozen solid, I could not feel a thing.

No real injury. I was surprised not to get bad cramps in the water. The only problems I have had were sore toes from using them so much, bruises on my shins, legs and knees. The top of my foot had some issues but is all good. The training had worked on my arms and legs as neither of them were sore from the running or use in excess.

Now that I look back on it, it was a really good day. Did not feel as though I was going for that long and the joy does come after you have finished. Not for the fact that it is over but the fact that you completed it. To know your body and mind can handle that level of endurance and cold (all be it self inflicted). This is the reason most people come back year after year wanting to do it all over again and get a better time. Will I be one of these people… maybe but will I be allowed….probably not!

So the information you really want to know is how well did I do? Well here is my place and time. At time of posting this blog

Placing: 939 out of 3675-5000 (hard to get exact number as not published)

Time: 02:12:07

I found this below quote written by someone who attended the day as me and I thought that it had summed up a very interesting point of the race that was so true of that day I wanted to share with you all.

“The spirit shown by the competitors to each other was inspiring. It is

one of the only races where the most common refrain is "sorry" when someone knocks into you. This was enhanced by the helping hands when trying to get out of the stream or out of the ponds. “

If you want to do it next year let me know….or sign the petition to let Kieran to allow me to go only weeks before the wedding!

Glen

Wales - Cardiff – 15-17 January

Having been back in London for 2 weeks we felt like we had to get out of the city and get away. The place chosen was Cardiff. This was for 2 reasons 1. we had never been to Cardiff before and 2. My (Glen) mate Greg was over from Sydney to visit his lady friend who was living on the other side of Wales.

Kieran and I got a bus there after work on the Friday night. That bus trip was alright it only took 3.5 hrs and Kieran got to sleep most of the way while I read a book or listened to music. The worst part about travelling at night time is we could not see all the sights L, ohhhh and the usually amount of freaks which travel on busses. If we were not saving loads of money by travelling this way we would have gotten the train.

We arrived in Cardiff, found out where we were and then headed for the hostel to meet Greg and Wendy. When we got to the hostel we found it to be really nice. It is easy to say it is the best hostel I have stayed at. They even had a Free pizza night one night! How cool is that, sure we only got a few slices each but that is still an awesome thing to do for the guests. The breakfast which was included in the price was really good to.

While we were in Cardiff we had to do the tourist sights and we went and saw the castle, walking around with audio guides trying to learn the history about it but finding it all to boring. After this we headed to a pub for some lunch. This pretty much ended out Saturday with a look in the souvenir places and a general walk around. We were more there for a catch up than to be 100% tourists. On the Saturday night we went to a bar called 0degrees which was a microbrewery which served its own beers. The brew was actually in the pub with the tanks around us. What a great way to save space.

On the Sunday we walked down to the harbour as it turned out to be a nice day for a walk. While down there though it turned bad and started to rain just as we went on a boat cruise around the harbour, seeing all the sights of the manmade harbour which is Cardiff. This was interesting to learn and really about the only thing interesting to learn. The other things we heard were boring. It was a nice ride around and for only £4 not to bad. After we had our cruise and lunch we had to head back to the town as our bus was leaving at 3pm. It was time to say good bye to Cardiff.

The bus home was not so good it was a 4hr bus ride stuck in traffic. The company was good hanging out with Greg and Wendy but the bus had its heaters on the whole way home. We asked if the driver could turn it down or off. To which he replied yes, there was no change to the heat. Finally when we were almost at the bus station another passenger asked for it to be turned off and the fans on. To which the driver complied. We were sweating the whole way home. But no one else dared say anything.

New Year 2010 Estonia and Latvia

Day 1 Helsinki-Tallinn December 29th

After arrive at the ferry terminal our guide from the Christmas tour handed over our ferry tickets and then left to get her own ferry home. We were to meet our next guide on the other side in the Tallinn port. We had some time to kill before getting on the ferry. There were 6 of us going on this next trip. The 5 of our friend group and 1 person from the tour a German named Christian he was a top guy.

Once it was time to board we went through with our packs on our backs and not done up properly as we thought it would be a short walk….we were wrong. The walk was so long to get on the boat and just when you thought it was over we turned a corner and had to go up an escalator. Finally getting on the boat we had missed out on all the good lounges. We found a small table we could sit around. With Kieran needing to lay down when we travel for long time on the ferry we went hunting and found a nice lounge she could chill on in the back of the boat. Unfortunately there was not enough room for the others. The boat ride was smooth and the 2 hrs didn’t feel that long at all. Arriving at the medieval capital of Estonia, Tallinn, we properly strapped on our bags for another lengthy walk off the boat and into the terminal. We found our guide, Kieran and I had previously met him when enquiring about the trip at the TNT travel show, so we knew who to look for.

Getting taxis into town and walking to our hostel, it was a really cool hostel with groovy art work all over the walls and cool mirrors. We dumped our bags and headed out for a walk around the town. That night we had dinner in a Russian restaurant.

Day 2 Tallinn December 30th
After breakfast we went on a city walk with our tour guide for the 5 days taking us on the walk. We had a nice long walk around the old town and its medieval streets. It is a very pretty on town. We finished off around lunch time. Been the English people we have turned into when on holidays you must consume alcohol with every meal. We found a nice restaurant a German pub. We had our few half steins and a shed load of meat. We felt sorry for our German companion but we really needed some meat and it was the best priced place we could find. After our lunch we headed for the city museum which turned out to be closing in 50 mins. Kieran and I decided not to go and we would walk around and look at the tourist shops. Getting briefly lost we eventually found our way and saw the things we wanted to. Heading back to the hostel for a warm up before going out to dinner and some more beers that night. For dinner that night we had seen a nice restaurant called Chicago’s. It looked pretty fancy but the prices were ok. We decided not to book a table and let fate decide. We dressed up walked all the way there. There was no one waiting at the door, no matradee so we walked in and thought it must be a ‘seat yourself’ place. This we tried but failed. We almost got a table only to be told it was reserved and they put the reserved sign on the wrong table. So we were kicked off. With that fine dining experience failed we tried to go to a authentic Estonian restaurant which upon arrival found it was full. While Shelley was inside finding out how long the wait would be we worked out the menu was pretty expensive. So instead we ended up at a snitzel house…..sorry to our new German friend. We ended the night we a few beers in a bar, amazingly this bar sold crown larger and VB….didn’t see anyone order a VB though!

Day 3 Tallinn-Riga New Years Eve December 31st
Heading for Riga from Tallinn by bus, we took a big taxi to the bus station as it was too far to walk. We had our bus tickets and we waiting for the deluxe bus to arrive. Being very sceptical of what a deluxe bus was in an eastern European country. We were surprised when we had loaded our bags and were looking for our seats to find out we were in a separate section to the others on the bus. Yes we had a glass/Perspex wall and door separating us from the commoners. We even had a 2 tables for the 8 of our seats which was perfect for card playing. No surprise to see that the people in the back section with us were all foreign tourists. It was probably the best bus journey I have ever had and definitely the best 5hr bus journey ever.

After arriving in Riga we walked to our hostel. Upon arrival at the hostel we each got a free beer (I got 2 cos Kieran doesn’t drink beer…score) and a talk about the city and other activities available. It was a bit annoying as all we wanted to do was to check in and have a shower and get ready for New Years eve party. Finally they could check us in we went got ready and then headed to our dinner for the 7 of us at an Irish bar which served Indian food. While eating our Kormas and Marsala’s we had the option of going on a river cruise or we could go back and go to the parties with the hostel. As the cruise was a taxi ride away and unsure of what the cruise consisted of we decided to go the way of the hostel. We got our free beers, tried to finish them before having to leave.

So the plan was to go with the hostel group to the park to ring in the new year, see the fireworks have some champagne and then head off to a club. We started to follow the crowd making sure our group stayed together. After the leaders were a bit unsure of where to go, we finally made it to the park with only 5 mins to go before the count down started!! Next thing we knew the count down had started and it was 2010. kissed and photos were had. Now it was time to go find this champagne we were told about. Finally finding the big group and having our 3 glasses we all headed off again as a big heard through the streets of Riga. We walked for what felt like 20 mins. Coming up to a hotel we though hmm the club must be around hear soon. Nope we were only at the hotel as they had a taxi rank. So they were putting everyone in a taxi to get to the clubs

As our guide had been there before he said we could probably just walk to one of the clubs on the sheet as he had been there before. Saying it was only 4 blocks away. What we didn’t realise was that a block is pretty big in Riga. We headed off and made our way to the club. It was pretty good a nice good size a couple of rooms but most of all it had dancing people and music, the best way to complete a new year eve.

Day 4 Riga New Years Day January 1st 2010
As all New Years days start for us, with a very long sleep if. Well if you can get it, it is long. This time we arrived back at 5am after getting a taxi from the club. We got up at 11 and went and got some lunch/breakfast back at the Irish pub cos we all know a full English fry up cures all aliments. The lunch took for ever to come and as a result we were late for our walking tour. The guide was happy to wait as it was all of us and 1 other person. We finally left the pub with food in our belly and ready for a day out in the cold.

The City walk went on for a long time. We saw a lot of sights and a lot of interesting buildings. I picked up only a little bit of history but not too much. We stopped at a café for some warmth and we tried some balsam it is a herbal liquor and doesn’t taste too bad but it is strong and I had mine in coffee which wasn’t the best idea I ever had on food decisions. Kieran had hers on ice cream and didn’t like the taste either. Maybe I will retract the it tastes ok and move that to the doesn’t taste to good at all basket.

After the walk was over we headed back to the hostel for a bit of warmth, we decided to go to a local restaurant which is said to be cheap for dinner. It was an interesting system. You just go through the food section like it was a buffet but everything you put on you plate has a cost so you might get a steak and chip and they will charge you for both items separately. So Kieran and I went up together and got a load of food including a beer and coke and it only came to £10 which I think was pretty good value. Desert only cost 50pence bargain.

We ended the night pretty early with a cocktail at the skybar or Riga which had views all around the city. Was a nice location and we were living it up with the high rollers of Riga…not that we were dressed fro the occasion.

We left the following day (January 2nd 2010) we had an early morning get up had leaving the hostel at 7:30am to go make our 11am flight home. The bus ride from our hostel to the airport only cost us 80pence. We were at the airport with time to spare was not held up and had an ok flight home. Sad to see the holiday over but was happy to wash our clothes again.

It was a wonderful 2 weeks off work and a great part of the world to see. I wonder how it would be in the summer with better weather but more people.

XMAS December 18th 2009

LAPLAND (Northern Sweden and Finland)

Pre amble
for Christmas we decided to do a Sweden and finish Lapland tour for 9 days with 7 friends from London 2 of which are brand new house mates of 1 week and also only landed in the UK for 1 week. We all made our own way to Stockholm independently. Where the tour begun. There was Craig (a new 1 weeker) Kieran and I travelling from London together, Dan and Shelley (living in London for almost 2 years) who arrived via Norway, Siobhan (another 1 weeker) flying independent from Heathrow, and Nat (been in London over a year) and flying independent from Heathrow also.

Day 1 London – Nyköping (Sweden)
Tonight we flew out of London only 1 hr late and with a fire alarm evacuation at the airport. We didn’t get off to a great start either with our flight not showing on the board and the people at the desk telling us the flight was not ours. Only to find out it was an we had to run Amazing Race style to catch the plane. Arriving in Skavanska only 1.5 hrs out of Stockholm we decided to stay the night instead of getting a bus to drive us there so we hoped in a taxi and went to our hotel. Where we could sleep the night away and did we what!

Day 2 Nyköping (Sweden) – Stockholm (Sweden)
This morning we awoke with a lazy start to the day. We had a rough idea of the train times and which one we wanted to catch. Heading down for some breakfast only to find that the hotel spread was the classic cereal and meats for around£7 we though against it and went outside for a look see, ended up with a McDonalds lunch menu as we were 5 mins late for breakfast L. Eating our foreign big macs and juice. After breakfast (lunch style) we got a taxi and headed for the train station. Stood in the queue for our tickets, yep only 1 machine and about 5 people in front of me. With only 8 mins until the train came. Kieran took her self to the platform and I fumbled with the machine, finally printing them and then having to leg it, again amazing race style. We got to the platform with 20 sec to spare as the train pulled up. It was only a 2 carriage double decker with the first class on top and us commoners on the bottom. We crammed ourselves into the last 3 seats on the train. Trying not to let our legs and bags block the isle or stop people from getting their much wanted toilet stop and hot drinks and chips. Yes we had the best view in the house. With the view whizzing past behind us at a very fast pace.

We sat there for our 1hr20 until we arrived at Stockholm central when the whole train unloaded and it was quite packed by the end. Leaving the station to get our bearing and direction of the hostel we trudged down the street as it started to snow on our heads. Stopping every few meters for Craig to take a picture (a trend to continue until the end of the tour and I think for every holiday he goes on). Finally making it to the Hostel and walking down the stairs of death with a loaded backpack. Surviving the stairs down we find that reception is unmanned due to a 2 hrs lunch break. Knowing that Dan and Shelley had arrived their earlier we wandered into the hostel in search of them. Finding our friends and room we put our bags down. Checked in and got our bed linen. The funny thing about these countries is we had to pay money to get the bed linen it was not included in the price of the stay and they would not let you use a silk sleep sheet as the only thing. After this we went over the road to the supermarket and purchased some food for breakfast.

That night we walked around the town for ages trying to find a put that Dan found of sum American guy in Oslo, Norway to be a good cheap bar. Feeling hungry and cold we wanted to find it soon. We walked for a long time with no luck so as you do in a foreign country to go to an English style pub and eat the same damn food you eat at home but for a much more expensive price.

Day 3 Stockholm
We woke up today had some cereal we had bought the previous night. Natalie who was Kieran’s friend was landing today. Kieran decided to wait for Nat to arrive and then she would come find us. As Kieran had been there before and been to the same places we were about to go see. So we put on another layer and headed out for a walk around the old town.

First we went to the Vase Museum which is home to an old (1600 century) ship restored and it truly was amazing to see.

Finally the girls met up with each other and me and the others headed to a Christmas market and Ice + Fire show to meet up with them. Finishing the night with a ride on the Stockholm metro to get us back to the hostel with a stop at a supermarket for some Food for breakfast and lunches, and some light beer. Reason for light beer is that alcohol is government run in Sweden so Supermarkets can only sell lower than 3.5%.

The hostel was no fun, no real common area, no alcohol no talking past 11pm. No stove only a microwave! This made cooking our pasta and meatballs an interesting experience.

Day 4 Stockholm December 21st - Tour start
We met at the departure point to get on the bus which was to be our home for the day and night. Upon signing in our tour guide mentioned I had a very nice lastname…that has never happened before but thanks dad. So we started our 1,236 km journey to Kiruna it was to take around 15hrs and it did, starting at 2pm and ending at 7am. We watched some movies. At around 10pm the bus pulled into a truck stop and we all piled out to get burgers. We were told to be back in 30 mins as they were making out beds! Yep that’s right we got to sleep lying down on a bus. It was a unique feeling with your head pointing the direction you’re driving with no seatbelts on. I got a few solid hrs of sleep, which was only after I accepted the fact I was going to die by a bus smash and me flying full body out the front window.

Day 5 Kiruna December 22nd
We were woken in the morning with the bus coming to a halt outside our hostel in Kiruna a town in Lapland north of the Arctic Circle. Arriving so early in the morning we piled into the hostel to where we had our breakfast waiting for us. After we ate up checked in and got some new clothes on we went for a walk around town seeing what shops were open and got some more food supplies at the supermarket.

After our lunch we had our 3 hr dog sledge booked. We got suited up in special snow suites to keep us even warmer. We headed out to sit on our sledges. Kieran and I were with our friend Natalie. The dogs were barking like mental and then we started and they were very very quiet and loved the sprinting as they took off. We stopped at what was meant to be the halfway point for some coffee and cake in a tepee around a fire. This was amazing and kept us super warm and made a nice break of the ride. Now I know people to talk about this with the dogs and sledges that when they run you don’t want to be on the front as they can shit and run at the same time. This was not true for us but we did catch some stinky ones in the face. There was only one dog that had to go while he was running and it is an amazing sight to see happen. No more detail will be given.

That night we had a night out in the town and buying 500ml beers for 60SEK which is about £5.50 or $10 turned out to be a very expensive one.

Day 6 Kiruna December 23rd
We started the day with our hostel breakfast and getting ready to go on out 3hr snowmobiling ride. This was amazing and we had a machine which 1 person could ride as all the others were doubled up. When the leader was not looking we could hang back from the group and then floor the snow mobile up to full speed (at one point I had it up to 50km) and then go over some natural jumps! Wooohooo. We were back at 1 for lunch then had free time until 3pm when we visited the world famous Ice Hotel in Jukkasjärvi, a small village just outside Kiruna. They had amazing art rooms in the hotel that people had sculpted. We could walk into each and every one of these. It would have been amazing to stay there but for the price for one night which is the same as our monthly rent…this was never going to happen. After we had explore enough we hung out in the bar, where we did not buy a drink as it was 110SEK which is almost £11 ($20). That night back at the bar in the town which had a band.

Day 7 Kiruna-Inari December 24th
On Christmas Eve we leave Kiruna in the morning and we will travel until we reach the holiday centre outside the small town Inari in Northern Finland 568 km over 8hrs. We had lunch over the boarder in Norway. We dined on Swedish sausages and potato salad. Lucky we had our bread on the bus and made sandwiches with them. The surroundings are beautiful, deep forests and a frozen lake next to the hostel. That night we cooked our dinner of microwave meat balls and pasta, don’t knock it till u try it people.

The night ended with drinks and a toboggan down a hill for a few hrs.

Day 8 Inari December 25th
On Christmas Day After a sleep in. we had our breakfast and then showered and did some cross-country skiing, and had a go at ice fishing. Glen totally hated the cross-country skiing and it was rubbish. The ice fishing wasn’t much better but we didn’t pay for that one and just used someone else’s rods (which looked like toys) for the photos. Only one person caught anything and it was no surprise the amount of noise we were all making and how long you had to sit to get a nibble. That night we had Christmas dinner which consisted of slices of cooked pork, veggies and gravy and a quark for dessert. It was yummy we had to supply our own alcohol which we picked up in Kiruna, in Sweden alcohol above 3.5% is sold in government run liquor stores as a result it costs loads to buy anything there. I paid double for my whisky what I would have paid in the UK but the port I bought was almost the same price..crazy! That night we were give our secret Santa gifts from Santa Claus. Glen got a small bottle of German made sparkling wine and some tobacco you just keep in the top of your gums. Kieran got a shotglass and key ring from the ice hotel. All presents had to be 6euro or less.

What a good Christmas.

Day 9 Inari December 26th
Today we had a nice lie in and then headed out to a reindeer farm owned by a Sami family then return back to the hostel for a meatloaf lunch after which we went to Siida which is a Sami museum and culture centre. Sami is the name of the original inhabitants of Swedish and Finish Lapland. It was good but we were given too much time there and I quickly got bored. That night after our dinner of meatballs and pasta we headed to the sauna to warm up and then ran to the frozen lake for an arctic swim. The arctic swim was described to us as a “must do activity when visiting Finland”. We did this several times running from sauna to frozen lake trying not to slip on the way down or into the lake itself. The water as you can imagine it really really cold but refreshing as you have come from such heat. Running back is worse as you have no towel or anything and just have to run with the snow burning your frozen feet, getting your hand stuck to the door as you try to turn the handle. Then it is back into the warmth of a shower and the sauna. Very refreshing.

Day 10 Inari-Helsinki December 27th
Today we left Inari and travel the 1,156 km - about 15hrs to Helsinki on the way we stopped at Rovaniemi to visit Santa Claus at his home on the Arctic Circle. The thing with visiting Santa as you can expect it is a totally tourist place. Our bus load was the only adults there without children. As we had a nice walk around a looked at all the Santa/Christmassy things. We lined up to go walk through Santa office. This was the most bizarre part of the whole experience. On our walk up to get our photo we passed ship wreaks and a big swinging clock all the constant sound of ropes on a ship. I am not sure what all that had to do with Santa though. So we lined up for ages to get our picture which not many people wanted to buy at 28 euro! After that was done we had some time to walk around the tourist shops and get a bite to eat for our very late lunch/early dinner comprising of a burger and chips for 8euro which left us feeling hungry. We hoped back on the bus and continue south towards Helsinki. We watched a few movies on the bus before we pulled over for the seats to be made into beds yet again. At our stop we had some more burgers to eat and a look at the local wildlife. All the teen ages in the town we stopped all look like they were rock stars with crazy hairdos and clothing…..I think I realised I might now be getting old. Again with the fear of death I didn’t sleep the best, although I did get some.

Day 11 Helsinki December 28th
Waking up this morning with the bus driver being lost and going in circles and looking for a spot to pull up. We had arrived in Helsinki in one piece. We popped our bags in storage (I should say cramming them in) and had breakfast in the hostel. Kieran and I were lucky as our room was ready and we could check in early, this meant we could shower and have a refreshing day to go walk around the town instead of having to spend the day in yesterdays 24hr clothes.

We headed out in the town to see the sights. We were going to head over to an island which has an old fort on it. Before doing so we walked around the markets and tourist shops. In the market shops we found a lot of people selling reindeer meat and some bear pate in tins. Getting our tickets from the machine and sitting on the boat a whole 15mins before departure, we wanted to make sure not to miss as they come every hr, plus it was warm in there.

The boat rind over was fun and 3.80 euro totally worth it just for the ride there and back. Walking all over the island in the cold and at some points snowing was a bit much but still good to have a look at some of their history, (the fort was built to keep the Russians out is you cared). As the museums were closed or cost money to get into (which we had none of) so we decided to just go back into the town and get some lunch. First we had to find an internet café to check in for our flight and print board cards. If we did not do this our airline Ryan air would charge us £40 each for them to do it!!! The lady at information told us that the council city hall have free internet to use and we can print 5 pages for free. Perfect and amazing they let us print for free and in colour!.

With the knowledge we had checked in and would not be spending more money we headed to find a Finish pub to get some nice warm lunch and a local beer or 2. Dan had found through information the location of a brewery (just a pub). We headed out not know the epic walk it would entail. Finally finding the brewery in a shopping centre of all places! We went up to the bar only to find they don’t serve food and only drinks. Failing to get lunch we headed to the food court, yep that’s us world travellers sampling the local delights of the food courts in foreign shopping malls. As always happens when over seas you decide upon pizza or another non local food for some strange reason. Having trekked so far we could not leave without going back and having a beer we would have failed. Beers were good!

Kieran and I left early as the others wanted to go look at a train station. We experience the shopping in a supermarket to get more items for dinner that night. As we had bought an all day travel pass at the ferry terminal we made the most of it and caught 2 trams back to the hostel. Money well spent to get us out of the cold.

After a yummy Thai green curry and rice which was pretty good coming from a can! We headed with the group to the pub for our final night with the group. Starting the night in an Irish pub and happy hour with a band, once being kicked out of there at closing time we headed to a karaoke bar….the only thing open at that time of night. Was very strange they do not have a entry fee but they do have a coat check policy which is your entry fee as you have to check it in. they do a sweep through of the pub and if you have a big coat they take it and make you check it in. Another strange thing was in the karaoke bar they would not let you take photos of your friends singing. We never found out the reason for why they were so against the use of cameras in there.

Was a good end to the trip!

Day 12 Helsinki December 29th
Today we ended out Christmas tour after breakfast which we did not make as too many beers and sleep was more important than getting food in our bellies. We had to check out by 11am too. Having a nice slightly extended shower and packing my bag I was good to go.

We were to continue our holiday with the New Year in the Baltic states. As it was part of the same company we had a taxi booked and headed for the drive to the ferry terminal for our ferry to Estonia. Trip continued under New Year tour.

Hungry - Budapest November 6-8

The reason for going to Budapest was for a London mates low key not said out loud stag party.

Apparently a lot of stag do happen over there and they can get you in trouble if they know why your there. Not because you are on a stag do but all the shady characters out there to take advantage of blokes on such weekends. So I went there with 3 blokes, just for a mates birthday and a weekend away. When we landed we got a taxi from the airport to our hotel it was a pretty long ride into the town. We were staying on the Buda side of the town, this was the older but not so happening part. We stayed in a very nice hotel and the rate we got was much much lower than what they advertised on the front desk.

Going up to our rooms and then heading straight out onto the town. We were there to make the most of our weekend. We flew in on a Friday night. On our way to the hotel we saw and interesting happening bar above the train station. Best part was it was just next door to our hotel so we didn’t have to walk far in the freezing cold. It was a really good night with good music and lots of cheap drinks.

Saturday

Waking up late we headed out into the town for some tourist time and lunch. After eating we

walked around the town not to much going on in the centre on a Saturday. We found a hop on hop off option but decided not to do that as it would eat up too much of the day and we only had Saturday to make the most of it.

We headed over to the castle for a look around. Bought tickets to go on the funicular up the top to see the views and look at the castle. I think we paid too much for the funicular of £9 each and the ride only went for 2mins max. If you go use the ramp to the left, the walk will take no more that 10mins and you save your money. So up we went, took our photos while at the top.

Once we were up there, we came across some crazy old guy who was trying to get us to listen to him in his broken English and wanted us to go on a walking tour with him. We told him no and he was adamant we were going with him. Started rammbelling some more then we said no again and walked away, he then decided to abuse us to make us come back. It didn’t work, we got a bit of a laugh out of it and he moved onto the next group to try and get money out of them. While

admiring the views we noticed the time and decided not to go into the castle, that it looked good enough from the outside. We rushed back down the hill taking the walking option. And hoped in a cab who charged us double the normal amount. We had decided at the top of the hill that it was time to go to the Baths!

The Szechenyi Bath baths were amazing; going there to end of a day of walking around still hung over, but even better yet it was the best way to start a night of parting. I seriously think every city should have public baths, if they are natural or night. Just so you can sit there before you start your night of mayhem to get your refreshed and recharged. Although I didn’t do any research before going away as the others had booked it all and I was leaving it in their capable hands, they forgot to mention I would need swimwear. It was just give that it is something you

always take, even to countries with temps of 5 degrees celsius at the time of visit. This I now do. So I went in my undies. Not to bad as they were the cotton boxers. I looked like I was wearing European swimmers so it was all fine in the end. NOTE: look after your towel we took our from the hotel and some one swiped one of them!

Leaving the baths feeling refreshed after running from the cold to the hot to the cold to the hot. We headed back to the hotel to get ready for a night on the town. We headed out to dinner and then onto a club that we didn’t know the exact way. On our way to the bar we ran into these 2 girls that wanted to take us to a bar they knew which was good and cheap. Playing along we walked with them until it was our street. We left them unhappy that they had not reeled us into their trap of their seedy bar where they force you to pay money to leave muuuhahahah take that scammers. (yes it is a common ploy used to get stupid men stripped of their cash) We went into the bar we thought it was only to find out it was too small and ended up being the sister café to the one we wanted.

Finally we got to our club/bar. It felt like we were walking into a butchers. Through a side door

in a warehouse and then pushing our way through big heavy plastic curtains we were inside. This place was not as good as the one from the night before. Sure it looked the part and seemed pretty funky inside. Although the major draw back was there were a few locals and mostly tourists, even some kiwis who had freshly landed from NZ. The chicks behind the bar where not impressed at all when we went to order in English and slammed our drinks down and never gave us a smile at all. We kicked on that night to some nightclubs in the area finally making out way home in the early hours of the morning.

Sunday

With another sleep in of some sort, we checked out took our bags and headed into town for some tourist shopping and lunch. After our walk around and purchasing the tourist crap we needed to. We headed to the airport where we spent the few hrs before our flight using the last of our Hungarian forint buying beers. It was a gr8 weekend and I think I couldn’t have seen Budapest any better. Cheers boys!!