Ferry For Finland?

HELSINKI.

We're not sure of the welcome we'll get this morning so we get up bright and early. The cable has just been stowed away and the water tank filled as the first of the workers arrive at 8am. We get strange looks from them as we wave and drive away. We see several deer including one heading for the road in front of us. Fortunately, it turns away just in time.

Our breakfast stop is a layby in the sun on the way to Tallinn. Satnav has been programmed with an lpg provider on the outskirts of the city. They can fill any bottle because they have all types of adapters. He finds one to fit ours then realises that it is still too full. One benefit from the experience is that we now know how to check the liquid level (take the bottle out and tilt it).

Next, a stop down the road at a Coop supermarket for supplies. Except that it is a furniture store! A Maxima store is a couple of miles further on so we call there. Our research has shown that the cost of living in Finland can be 20% higher than the Baltic states.

Follow the signs to the ferry port and find ourselves at a deserted quay. A touch of deja vu from Dover last year. The girl tells us we have 8 minutes to board. We sail (pun intended) through the check in and the gates close behind us, two hours later we are in Helsinki.

We use the two hours to look at the next ferry, from Turku to Stockholm. The internet proposes 300 euro. Rosie talks to customer services on board and they find 200 euro as the cost. However, they can't book it so we have to visit the terminal when we dock. A couple of false starts and we find the right operative. We end up paying 159 euro, almost half the internet price. An incredible difference. Whilst we're paying, a young lad rushes up. He's missed the current sailing by 5 minutes and now faces a 3 hour wait for the next one. What a shame!

By now it is rush hour, so the suggested 15 minute journey takes twice as long. Still, it is worth it. We are on the banks of an estuary next to a sports facility and within 20 minutes walk of a shopping mall. There is also a bus service into the old town every 20 minutes. The difference between prepaying and paying on the bus is 2.80 euro and 4.00 euro. So, we find tickets in a kiosk at the mall in readiness for tomorrow.