Traveling

We decided to share some of our traveling experiences, as we all enjoy traveling very much. In our opinion traveling is also a sign of freedom and we are extremely lucky to have this privilege. Traveling is not only a way to get away from all the mundane stress, but it also broadens our aspects on different things. It is a way to learn things you aren't able to learn here in Finland.

Here are some places we have visited and enjoyed more or less.

EUROPE

St. Petersburg, Russia

I visited St. Petersburg in March 2015. We went there by train, which took about 3,5 hours. During our stay we visited several world-known places such as the Winter Palace, the Church of the Savior on Blood and the Peter and Paul Fortress. Inside the Winter Palace you can find thousands of paintings and statues which are divided into different sections by its origin country. If you happen to visit St. Petersburg you should also see the Church of the Savior on Blood, which was spectacular.  The main street, Nevsky Prospect, is full of different stores for shopping. Visiting St. Petersburg was a great experience and Russian's eventful history could be seen everywhere. - Annika

London, United Kingdom

I stayed with my British friend Lauren last summer when I visited London. She showed me many nice places, especially ones that tourists don't know about. Camden Town is by far my favorite place in London. Its colorful street art, diverse food stands/shops and lively atmosphere are just a few of the reasons why you should most definitely pay a visit there if you're ever in the area. South Bank is a nice place to go on an evening walk and for a quick bite. You also get a beautiful close-up view of the London Eye. - Sofie

Rhodes, Greece

Rhodes is one of Greece's largest islands and a real paradise. I travelled there last summer with my family. We stayed in a small town about one hour away from the "capital" of Rhodes, Rhodes City. The beaches were incredible and the water was clear and blue. One of my absolute favourite places was Lindos, a small town full of small white houses and narrow streets and surrounded by the sea. Rhodes City was also very nice, especially the Old Town which was surrounded by huge stonewalls. Inside the walls you could find similar narrow streets and alleys as in Lindos. The Greeks were extremely nice and the food was absolutely delicious. - Annika

AFRICA

Tunisia

I'm half Tunisian so every Summer my family and I spend a month there at our summer house. Tunisia has a special place in my heart because it's like a second home for me.

What I love to do there is spend time with my whole family, go to the beach, eat spicy food and enjoy breathtaking views.

For tourists I recommend visiting the capital, Tunis. Sights like Sidi Bou Said, Carthage and Tabarka, which is also another lovely city. - Dina

Tanzania

I've visited Tanzania twice, in 2007 and 2008. Tanzania was incredible. It's definitely the place to visit if you want to be in peace with no other tourists. We were on a week-long safari in the national parks (Lake Manyara, Serengeti, Ngorongoro). I haven't been to zoos since my visit to Tanzania. Seeing animals in their natural habitat made me realize that keeping wild animals in captivity is not good. The food was also amazing and very exotic as you can assume. Tanzania is a very safe country compared to many other African countries e.g., you were able to walk on the streets without any worries about being robbed.  - Katrin

ASIA

Shanghai, China

I went to Shanghai with my mother two years ago. It was actually quite an extempore trip. We were there for five days. It was my first time in Asia so I was anxious to travel there.

What I liked about Shanghai was all the cool skyscrapers, which we don't have here in Finland. Also the food there was delicious.

A lovely place we visited was China town. It's a place everyone should visit to get a real taste of the Chinese culture. -Dina

Goa, India

In India, which I visited in 2013 because my dad was working there, the poor and the rich are separated with fences. I visited Goa, the richest region in India, and still, I wouldn't say it was anything near rich. Goa's largest city Panjim was very pretty with a lot of beautiful churches, shops and markets, but also very restless. During our stay we went fishing with a local fisherman, saw dolphins and spent a few hours at a secret beach, these were all very memorable experiences.

There are many pros and cons in visiting third world countries, such as Tanzania and India. Often they're heavily polluted and with lots of litter thrown on the ground. There are a lot of nice and expensive hotels for business or vacation purposes that have high security and good service. But when you walk outside the hotel area reality hits. And it hits hard. - Katrin

NORTH AMERICA

I visit the United States of America practically every year with my family, so I've been to a lot of different states and cities there. One of my favourite places in the States is South Beach in Florida. It has a laid-back summer vibe all year around and it's not so much of a touristy place as Miami. We usually rent an apartement there, so I've learnt to know the area quite well. Lincoln road is filled with shops, but if you want a good place to eat at, I would head to the Art Deco District and find a nice restaurant there. I also love New York, the Manhattan area to be exact. It is definitely one of my favourite cities in the whole wide world. My dad used to live in New York so he knows Manhattan like the back of his hans and likes to take us to cool new places. I also love the SoHo area because it's all about stylish people, "hip" cafés and restaurants and trendy boutiques. - Sofie

- Dina & Annika