''A passport, as I'm sure you know....

...is a document that one shows to government officials whenever one reaches a border between countries, so the officials can learn who you are, where you were born, and how you look when photographed unflatteringly.'' -Lemony Snicket

It's almost time for me to once again grab my passport, show the very unflattering picture to some government officials, and head towards new adventures. But unlike the many times before, I won't be heading to the United States of America but the paradise down under, Australia. Yes, Australia. Finally! The place I have always wanted to see and experience.

Also different from the previous travels to the US, I won't be traveling alone. With me, will be travelling a girl I've known for manymany years, a fun, crazy person who answers to the name Emmi. How we met? We rode horses together for years. She was supposed to do this trip a year ago with another friend, but ended up staying in Finland to study photography for a year. So I told her if I don't get into medical school this year, I would go with her. And here we are!

2 days left in Finland, and faithful to my old habits I have some very busy days ahead of me. All this just because I can't seem to get things done before I absolutely have to. ''I still have plenty of time to get them done'', yeah right!! It wasn't until today that I finally got my backpack. You really can't go travel around Australia with a suitcase... Tomorrow and Thursday I will have to do all the laundry, run around town to get the last minute things I need and the hardest thing of all, decide which clothes and shoes I'll be taking with me! I am definitely not a light packer so it will be very hard for me. It's just impossible to decide! But i won't ramble any more about that, it would be endless!

I have yet not decided whether to bring my laptop or not. I really really want to, because it would make it so much easier to update this blog and for Emmi to update hers. And also easier to access the internet if and when needed (fingers crossed for free Wi-Fi !!). I just don't want to risk losing it or breaking it and what have you. Also my laptop is kind of on the heavier side, and dragging it around the Oz is not very appealing to me, but we'll see. I definitely know what my parents would say to this...''Don't take it, you don't need it, you'll find other ways to access the internet if you need to, it's so not necessary'', oh boy what to do.

So as I mentioned before, 2 days left until take-off = we will be leaving this Friday, October 28th. Our first flight leaves from Helsinki-Vantaa airport at 8am. Stopovers in Milan and Hong Kong. And then after about 30 hours of traveling, we will arrive in Sydney at 9pm local time on Saturday, which means 1pm Finland time since Sydney is 8 hours ahead.

But I guess that is all for now, HOPEFULLY you will be hearing from me quite often, so let's hope Emmi will keep me in line with updating as often as possible!!

And oh, here's us:



Emmi on the right, me on the left. Not the greatest of a pictures but oh well, at least you get a sense of what we look like, just in case somebody reading this didn't! And the hairy one in the other picture is Emmi's dog Roxy, we baked togerther, she was a very helpful sous chef!

Bye for now! :)