We spent a month there and did a lot of things. But the most lasting impression on our journey was when we visited the wildlife park. In there, the animals could wander around freely and tourists can drive around the park with a car. But you HAVE TO stay inside the car since the animals are unpredictable and they still got their predatory instincts. But the feeling when the animals come close and sniff around the car is great. You think you are safe in the car but are you really? What if the five meter snake finds a way inside? Then you’d be screwed. But luckily there were some cute koalas too!

Beside the wonderful wildlife, Australia has its own people, the people who won’t prejudice you and are always kind. Even I was so young and couldn’t really speak english I still loved to explain things to them with simple english words. They barely understood but it was fun for sure.

Overall, Australia is the best country I’ve visited and Im going there again, and thats for sure. I want to see it all again and this time I would probably understand more.

We arrived at evening and weather was great warm and clear.  Water was about 20 degrees warm but portugalians said that it’s too cold to swim so it was fun thing.  So if you go there at autumn you will see only forgeiners swimming in sea. There was little triatlon when we was there.

My dad had conservation with one competitor about wet suit and competitor said that in Finland would need two wet suits if want to go to swim because water is so cold in Finland.

The European most western place  on land was so awesome so it’s almost impossible to describe. There was very good tranquality. The place name is Cabo da Roca.

This video is from youtube.

But Portugal have bad sides too of course. When went to ocenarion we saw very much poor people and broken houses so there is huge weatlhy differences in one place some have very big and cool houses and some other place people live in broken houses.

A fish in an aquarium.

The ocenarion was very cool place there was much fishes what I have never seen before. Like this.

This photo is taken by me.

-Joonas P.-

Our cottage is located in Posio in Lapland, about 50 km north of Kuusamo. There is a small village called Posio and it´s a nice place and there you can find everything you need. When you get there you feel like “where I am” because the nearest bigger town is Kuusamo and that´s why you feel like you are middle of nothing. 

Anyway our cottage is about 14 km from the center of Posio. There´s not noisy highways or horrible traffic. There is beautiful forests, much lakes and swamps. The water was about 15 degrees but it was nice go to swim from the sauna. It was weird that in the nights were not dark but it was light because the sun didn´t go down. When we were there the weather was kind of good about 20 degrees and the sky was clear and shiny almost every day.

I saw there lots of reindeer. It´s danger to drive in lapland because there can be reindeer on the road just behind the hill. The best thing was that I learned to drive a car. It was exiting experience and fun so I drove every day.

by Uula

At winter, Kuhmo is a freezing place, literally. When it’s 40 Centigrades minus, you dont want to go out without a proper clothing. The amount of snow makes it possible to ski, and is (and was) also a useful way to move from a place to other. 

Summers in Kuhmo are very relaxing. Lots of places to swim at, and fishing is possible too, although you might need fishing licenses to fish legally there.  Beautiful hiking places and routes to travel. I’d suggest taking binoculars for spotting animals, but dont go too close. 

Here’s a clip of someone driving around the town of Kuhmo

Visiting Kuhmo is definitely worth it, you’ll see a different site of the urban Finland. Depending at the time of the year you go to Kuhmo, remember to pack your bags according to the weather. If you are a fan, or even like classical music, you should time your visit to the autumn, because thats when the annual chamber music festival is usually organised.

 Links: Kuhmonet

Kuhmo

The London dungeon,  it’s a place full of horror. There are actors, room full of mirrors, rats and it’s main reason is to make you afraid.  You also learn about the history of london like Jack the Ripper, the great fire of London and about tools that were used to torture people. I remember when I was there i walked right towards the mirror and hurt my head. The funniest thing in the whole place was that in the mens restroom there were guillotines on the urinals.

And for last but not least the London eye, it’s a huge ferris wheel where you can see the whole city. The ride takes about half hour and normally you have to queue for hours for it, but I still think that its worth of queuing. The city looks great from there and when i was there it was easter and there was a contest where you have to spot the huge eastern egg that was hidden in the city and also there was a marriage in the cart below us.

The London Eye

London in itself is great too. I just love the red , mailboxes and the red doubledeckers where you can jump off when ever you want. Also the way that people speak  in London is great and I almost forgot to mention the London breakfast, i know that it isn’t so healthy food for morning but when you wake up it’s just so wonderful to eat sunny side up eggs, bacon, sausages and beans.

So.. if you are wondering that should you go to London I say that you Should! Because it is one of the best places where i have ever been.

Links:

The London Dungeon

The London Eye

Madame Tussaud’s

By. Matti

I spent ten days in Houston, Texas last spring. The city was so huge, it took one and a half hour to drive through the city. The soaring highways were so wide, there were six cars driving next to each other.

People in Texas had funny accents, sometimes understanding their own dialect required the ability to concentrate. People used such a variety of words, wich are only used in a small area in north texas. Thats’s a drag when you can’t express something because you don’t know the right words.

The huge shopping malls in America were full of people and barrels of laughter. It wasn’t the right place at all for people who have claustophobia! Sometimes masses of people were like hordes elephants.

The landscape was exposed, early in the mprning, it was so amazing to watch the red sunrise when there was nothing in front of this breath-taking sight. That was something really unique.

Some areas in Houston were decent, abundant and very rich. Sometimes when you were looking out of the car window at those houses, you really had to think about what they were, just huge houses or real castles.

Link: http://www.traveltex.com/Index.aspx

You don’t see such wild nightlife in Finland. When I walked down the wet street, I felt so small and middle of everything. I hate rain, but in London especially at night it was so cool and crazy.

We went to Jalouse nightclub and it was amazing, if you don’t want to dance you just have to. That crazy place don’t leave anybody alone. You feel the beat and you slowly start to dance and then you go for it. The smell of peach,coconut and lemon drinks. You can smell energy there, you can feel it in your heart and in your body.The people are so energetic and friendly there. I made lots of friends there and because of that they asked me to come to other clubs such as Movida, Dolce and Chinawhite.Even I m not yet 18 years old, people that I know are working there in the clubs so they let me in. It was glad to visit in London.

 Barcelona is the seconds largest town in Spain. It’s a very popular seaside town on the Mediterranean. There were good beaches and we swam a lot. There was also a swimmingpool in our hotel. We were in hotel Claris, it was a good hotel and breakfast was also good.

We visited to the aquarium of Barcelona. There were big sharks and other fishes. We were also in the sightseeingtours, there you can see all the sights of the city. We visited many Gaudi’s buildings: Casa Mila, Casa Batllo, Parc Guell and Sagrada Familia. We also visited on the top of the mountain Montjuic, Port Vell’s harbour and famous boulevard Las Ramblas.

 Barcelona is a very beautiful city. People are very friendly and helpfull. The traffic was fluent and taxies were quite cheap. I like Barcelona a lot and some day i will go there again.

Joonas Kuusio

I have spent my winter holiday three times in the Scandic Mountains near the border that divides two nations apart from each others, and that’s the best you can get out from Sweden. Each time I was there I’ve spent a wonderful week with my family and few friends downhill skiing and having great time. We enjoy winter sports and I’m maybe the biggest fan of breathing fresh air up in the mountains above dusty city life and all the other depressing smoke having my essential moment when I can listen quietly the sounds of free nature and think upon the well hidden mysteries of life. My eyes were caught by the unpredictable nature of nature. When you stand in the highest spot almost so close to moon that you can grab it in your arms with you skis on and hopefully sober, you are given the opportunity to have a taste of something bigger beyond the chains of everyday chores, but you have to be smart enough to see it coming. (For me it means everything to be able to stand on my own legs and feel the wind blowing my hair when I’m about to make Chinese history of being the first living non Chinese soul trying to make Chinese history so bad that I’m almost willing to sacrifice my both foot to Buddha.)

 Since the first time I visited the mountains, I’ve been hooked to the gorgeous life in the magnificent zone of elegance class where you are to be surrounded by friendly people who share the same passion sparkling out of my eyes, which brings us passionists close together. It doesn’t matter if you have skis, snowboard or nothing at all on when you go down the hill being high, because all the time you touching the snow make you feel unique. All you must do is to let you drift with the flow. I assure you that the flow only seldom will lead you to the wrong places. So stop lazing around having no thoughts in your head and come to Sweden and spend maybe the most outstandingly imposing time of your life, so far…

It has been a while when I was there last time, maybe five years ago, but I hope that it was not my final. You should know a little about the language people spoke there, because it’s quite embarrassing to tell them that you spoke only French or whatever you wish to tell them you speak, or not, but please, be polite. Then everybody feels a little more like sweet home Alabama. What is there more to say? You have to go there. Book the next flight and start gathering people to your fancy trip.

                I’m the guy in orange…

Aleksi Neuvonen proudly presents the above-mentioned.

In Estonia...Old Town)))

 When I walked on Estonian streets, I understood that I know this places. Then my friends asked me advice, it felt great and also when one woman came to talk to me in Estonian. Before my mum never taught me Estonian but I have more Estonian friends who have taught me. Then a woman came and I understood all that she said, however, unfortunately I couldn´t answer her. But luckily she understood me.

 When I walked on Estonian streets I was surrounded by graffiti and old streets and old houses. Than we were in Old Town I saw the homeless people and my friends asked me, “How many homeless people are there in Estonia?” In my opinion Estonian people can be divided in to two, the riches and the poor. And because of that many young Estonian have become pickpockets.

There is mine Germany friends...We were in Estonia together))))

Estonian Flag

Translate:

Sights  =  Nähtävyys

Surround = Ympäröidä

Homeless = Koditon

Pickpockets = Taskuvaras

                                                                                                                                                                                                       -Olga-