Road Trip from Helsinki to Senja

July 8, 2025September 12, 2025 by elainevitikainen ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Summer came to Helsinki and it was time to get on the camper van that we had reserved half year ago. Camper van rentals tend to be fully booked during the summer. It was even difficult to find one in December. But luckily we did and we were ready to go and explore the roads leading to Senja in Norway!

It was not our first time to rent a camper van to explore the Finnish Lapland and the Northern part of Norway. It was not our first time in Senja either. But these places seem to be the perfect holiday destinations on a camper van in the summer. Summer in Europe tends to get really warm nowadays so going north is very appealing to escape the summer heat.

We left Helsinki before 18.00 with everything we need for our 10 nights journey. There were 5 people in a small space and we wondered how we will survive the trip. The drive was beautiful with the purple and pink flowers adorning the road at every corner. The first stop after a long drive was at a camper van parking in Viitasaari to spend the night. The parking area was beside the lake so the view was lovely. We woke up early and were ready to drive even longer to reach as north as possible and to cross the Arctic Circle. We reached Palojoensuu and parked on an area by the lake for the night. It was raining and we slept early, ready for the next day. The goal was to reach Norway and spend the next night in Senja. It was a long and tiring drive but nothing beats the beautiful view along the roads of Finland, overlooking Sweden while entering Norway. We even tried fishing along the way.

We then reached the camping site in Senja and it was so beautiful. We parked close to the lake surrounded by snow capped mountains with the perfect sunset and sunrise views. There was also a flower field that seemed like I stepped inside Van Gogh’s painting! We stayed two nights in this camping site.

The next day, we parked the van to hike Segla. We were sweating. But then it rained, making it wet and muddy. There was also a very strong wind, something I haven’t experienced before. I honestly thought I would fly away…

After the rainy and very windy hiking experience, we drove to Skaland to look for a camp to stay for a night. We were all so sweaty, wet and muddy from rain that all we can think about was taking a shower and putting on dry clothes. Our van was facing the lake when a beautiful rainbow appeared. In the morning, we saw baby whales enjoying their swim. It was a sight to remember!

We moved to another campsite and this time, Ari bought another fishing rod and caught 3 big fish! So while we were waiting for the ferry to get to Sommaroy the next day, everyone was hoping to catch a fish. And they did!

Sommaroy was so pretty too. It was fun to have barbecue at the camp and to walk by the beautiful beach. We stayed one night in Sommaroy.

The next day, we were ready to explore a city. So we drove to Tromso and enjoyed a walk around town before heading back to Finland. We reached Kilpisjärvi for the night and enjoyed a hike to Saana. When we hiked down, we saw a reindeer on the hiking path. We were so closed to it. I was scared at first but it didn’t really mind us.

Then it was time to visit Santa Claus. We drove to Rovaniemi and stayed at the parking area across the Santa Claus Village. We wanted to see Santa Claus first thing in the morning before we headed south. But we also walked to Santa Claus Village at midnight and crossed the Arctic Circle in the village square. There was no one there. The morning came and we got to meet Santa Claus. It was a fun chat with lots of laughter. No photos inside the room was allowed though.

Then for the last evening, we stayed in Niemenharju. This camping area has great facilities. We enjoyed the sauna and it was a perfect way to spend our last evening in a camper van.

It was the best road trip ever! I really enjoyed the long drive, the beautiful nature, having breakfast together, the meals and barbecues and spending time with each other. I love my tiny corner in the van where I read, journaled and listened to music. The stops along the way were also enjoyable. Even the grocery run was fun as we planned for our meals and stocking up on snacks too. It was a 10 out of 10!

You can find the travel journal of this road trip here.

Taemin in Helsinki

March 5, 2025March 10, 2025 by elainevitikainen ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

After almost 4 years, I crossed out an item on my birthday wishlist that I created in 2021 and that was to go to a K-Pop concert. I almost gave up on this one. Eventhough I have been 3 times to Seoul recently, the chances of getting a ticket to a K-Pop concert is extremely slim to non existent. So when it was announced last year that the famous Taemin of SHINee is coming to have a concert in Helsinki, I was not sure if I will have enough luck to get a ticket. Although, the thought of him coming to Helsinki is a miracle in itself. I mean, why Helsinki of all places! Then sure enough, when the tickets were going to be released, I was in Osaka. I was again in a situation where I had an extremely slim chance to get a ticket. But then a miracle happened! A kind lady in Finland offered to buy a ticket for me. When the 8,000 tickets were released, it was sold out in less than 2 minutes. But fortunate enough, one of the sold tickets was mine. So grateful!

I was looking forward to the concert but I was not so invested in it either. Maybe because it didn’t hit me just yet that this was really happening. It was when Taemin entered the stage that I finally realised that this was real, that Taemin was really there performing a song that I’ve listened to many times before. It also dawned on me that it was almost 4 years ago when I had my first K-Pop concert (online, of course) and it was also Taemin’s concert. Taemin became my first online and live K-Pop concert!

But was I listening to an album and looking at a music video? Because he sounded just the same in his album and danced just the same in his music videos. In fact, how can someone sing and dance so well at the same time? His voice was stable and his dance moves were so sharp, accurate and well calculated. So amazingly talented! It was like going to a museum and the artist himself was present, showing his craft in perfection.

As the short person I am, I’m always sat at concerts to ensure visibility. From where I was, I was able to experience the whole stage – the amazing vocals, the perfect and synced choreography, the flashing lights, the screaming fans waving their fanlights excitedly, the entire audience singing and dancing… It was surreal and it was absolutely Art. In fact, Taemin is Art.

Lively Osaka

December 8, 2024February 5, 2025 by elainevitikainen ♥ 2 Comments

I figured out that Osaka has two faces and that really depends on what you choose to see. It was alright to go to Dotonbori, Shinsekai, Namba and Umeda. But I would really be disappointed if I didn’t get to visit Katsuo-ji Temple and most especially, Mino-o Park. For me, Mino-o Park was the highlight of the Osaka trip. It was a beautiful and easy 2 hours hike that should not be missed. Also don’t forget to try the crunchy Maple leaf “Momiji” tempura and some hot Taiyaki along the way.

Our last day in Osaka was spent at the Osaka Castle Park. There were many areas with beautiful Autumn foliage. It was also there that I found my second Cherry Blossom. The first one was at Kyoto Botanical Garden. Now, I believe that Sakura can also be found in Autumn! There was a chill in the air as the wind was constantly blowing. Leaves were falling in large quantities from the trees which made me wonder if the Autumn in Japan was coming to an end and how we have enjoyed every minute of it!

I’m thankful for the nature, great food and lovely people. Thankful for stationeries, convenience stores, safety and even clean toilets everywhere. Will I return to Japan again for the 6th time? I hope so for I conclude that again Japan didn’t fail me during this holiday. It was a wonderful holiday that was worth every minute and money spent! Please check out the Osaka reels here, here, here and here. You can find my travel journal here.

We took the Northern route back to Helsinki, being my second time to fly over the North Pole. My first time was from Seoul last year. Bye, Japan and see you again soon!

Photos by Ari Vitikainen at https://www.arivitikainen.com

Kinosaki Onsen

December 4, 2024December 12, 2024 by elainevitikainen ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

After 4 nights in Kyoto, we took the taxi to the station to buy train tickets to our next destination – Kinosaki Onsen. We took a taxi because you can’t take big luggage on the bus in Kyoto and for this trip, we didn’t reserve tickets beforehand knowing that we can easily buy them at the station. But it’s a good idea to search a bit for the timetable so that you know more or less when you should be at the station. For this trip, I really wanted to include an Onsen experience, although, I know that nothing will beat our time in Kurokawa Onsen in April. I was thinking to go either to Kinosaki Onsen or Arima Onsen and in the end, decided that Kinosaki Onsen looks more pretty. We bought the train tickets from the machine then went to the Ekiben shop on the second floor to get an Ekiben and finally, I found the Hello Kitty bento. Although it was not on the shelf, I figured that they had it because it was early and they were just unpacking the boxes. So I asked the kind lady for it and she opened the box to get one for me. The child in me was extremely happy! You can find the reel here.

The train ride took 2 hours and 24 minutes. It was very fast yet very smooth as one could expect in a Japanese train. So we arrived in no time in the charming town of Kinosaki Onsen and the first thing we did was to buy our tickets for the next day to Osaka. There was a free shuttle bus outside the station that takes visitors to their ryokan. Our ryokan was very close to the ropeway so we decided to take the cable car up after check -in and enjoyed the view of the town and its surroundings.

Unless you are planning to check out the temples, there was not much to do up there so we took the next cable car down to cook our own Onsen Tamago which I definitely recommend. We had a short walk around town then it was time for us to enjoy our private onsen at our ryokan. After the relaxing onsen, it was dinnertime where we were served with Sukiyaki and Matsuba crabs which were large crabs that Kinosaki is known for.

After dinner, we were ready to experience our first Kinosaki public onsen. Dressed in Yukuta and carrying a basket with our towels, we went to Goshino – Yu, an onsen which was built in the likeness of Kyoto’s Imperial Palace. It has a waterfall and surrounded by beautiful Japanese maple trees. It was a good choice since we were only planning to go to two public onsens out of the six. It was so refreshing and a cold milk was important to finish off the onsen mission of the day!

After breakfast the next day, we went to the onsen closest to our ryokan which was my second onsen choice – Kono – Yu. It has an outdoor onsen and I enjoyed every moment of peace and quiet as there was no one else in the onsen.

Then it was time to check out of our ryokan and explored the town a bit for coffee and souvenirs before taking the train to Osaka! Check out the reel of the day here.

Photos by Ari Vitikainen at https://www.arivitikainen.com

Back in Kyoto

December 3, 2024December 31, 2024 by elainevitikainen ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

The last time I was in Kyoto was in 2018. But we had to go back because every time I searched for the best Autumn places in Japan, Kyoto was on top of the list. It was not just because of the Autumn colours, but it has something to do with the old architectures blending well with the Autumn foliage. And this was perfectly true! Autumn colours can be everywhere but not as dramatic as the Autumn in Kyoto. When we arrived in Kyoto, it was the peak of Autumn so we were able to enjoy it everywhere we went.

But Kyoto is a bit problematic for me. It was so crowded. The buses were too crowded. I didn’t like it that way and I don’t remember it this crowded when we were there in 2018. It made me tired and not want to go back to Japan again until we spent our last day at Kyoto Botanical Garden. It was so beautiful and so peaceful. We had all the beauty, space and time that it made me want to return to Japan again! And if you like stamps, you must try the layered stamp rally at the Garden. We also enjoyed a rustic breakfast on the way to the Garden at a very interesting, rugged Cafe Bar that had a Brazilian theme. The breakfast set of cheese toast, boiled egg and Brazilian coffee was only 300 Yen (1,88 EUR). The coffee was really good and the owners were really kind and very friendly. They showed us photos from trips in Brazil in the early 80’s. Such a fun encounter!

Anyway, just for your information. If you want to see the Bamboo Forest, be kind to yourself and go to Arashiyama Bamboo Forest. Don’t kid yourself and go to Sagano Bamboo Forest instead because it is not the same. Don’t believe that Social Media hype about Sagano!

Check out the reels of the day here, here, here and here

After 4 nights in Kyoto, we were off to an Onsen experience in Kinosaki Onsen!

Photos by Ari Vitikainen at https://www.arivitikainen.com

Finally in Kanazawa

November 29, 2024December 12, 2024 by elainevitikainen ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

When we visited Takayama last year, I thought it would be great to go all the way to Kanazawa. But we didn’t do it because of lack of time. So I was happy that we finally get to stay in Kanazawa during this holiday. We took the local train from Nara to Kyoto then from Kyoto, we changed train at Tsugura station before reaching Kanazawa. We happily boarded the train with our self heating Ekiben! Such a fun experience!

The rain was on and off in Kanazawa when we were there but that didn’t stop us from exploring the city. Carrying our umbrellas with us, we were ready to see what the city had to offer. It was also said that there are three perfect gardens in Japan so it was a delight to visit one of them in Kanazawa. Kenrokuen Garden was the most beautiful garden I’ve ever seen in my entire life! They said that this garden is beautiful in every season but Autumn made it magical with its abundant, vibrant, explosive colours that covered every corner of the garden.

It was also fascinating to learn about the Samurai culture, to visit a Samurai house and to walk in the old Samurai town. It was like going back in time and I’m happy to be able to experience it. You can find the reel of the day here, here and here.

I’m so thankful for a wonderful three nights in Kanazawa. Then it was time to board the Shinkansen to Kyoto!

Photos by Ari Vitikainen at https://www.arivitikainen.com

Autumn in Nara

November 25, 2024December 12, 2024 by elainevitikainen ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

It didn’t take much thinking to figure out where to go for our next holiday. We just immediately decided that it will be good to go to Japan for the second time this year and enjoy the Autumn season. But little did I know that I will love it so much. Autumn in Japan was so beautiful and breathtaking. I didn’t imagine the intensity of the colours and the heartwarming feeling to see Ginkgo trees for the first time. It was a long flight and the plane tickets were not always the cheapest but it was so worth it!

We landed in Kansai Airport after almost 13 hours flight from Helsinki. This time we decided to skip Tokyo and take the Kansai route. Nara was our first Kansai destination. After picking up our pre-rented pocket wifi, buying IC cards and withdrawing some cash, we boarded the Nara Kotsu Airport limousine bus which took us directly to Nara. I know that many visit Nara on a day trip but I wanted to experience Nara more than just a day trip. So we stayed in Nara for three nights at the Nara Visitor Centre and Inn which was a good choice because of its central location, spacious room and there were cultural activities happening at the centre all the time.

For our first morning, we decided to start our day at 6:00 in the morning and I was so happy that we did. We had the most peaceful, most beautiful morning walk surrounded by wandering deers. At that moment, I immediately knew that we were at the right place, at the right time. It was so breathtaking! We just wandered around, passing by the Wakayama Jinja Shrine, took photos by the Sagi-ike pond, spent time at Todaiji Temple grounds while meeting more and more deers along the way. It was wonderful to explore Nara by foot and just went where the path led us. The next day, we explored the old town and went to Naramachi Nigiwai-no-Ie, a traditional townhouse built in 1917. It was very fascinating! We also visited the beautiful three acres Isuien Garden. In Nara, there were many places to enjoy good food and although we didn’t witness the Mochi pounding, we were able to get freshly made ones. They were the best Mochis I’ve ever had! Back at the Nara Visitor Centre and Inn, I learned how to make a deer origami. They also wrote our names in Japanese kanji and gifted us with chopsticks. I also got stickers and stamps for my travel journal.

I did fell in love with Nara and its cultural charm and nature. I love its small town feel and relaxed atmosphere. I was happy that I spent more than just a day trip in Nara! Check out the reel of the day here and here. After three nights in Nara, it was time to take the Shinkansen to Kanazawa.

Photos by Ari Vitikainen at https://www.arivitikainen.com

Autumn in Helsinki

October 21, 2024 by elainevitikainen ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Autumn came a bit late this year and surprisingly warm. But there were many cloudy days that made me felt a bit disappointed of the Autumn leaves on the ground. They just look so dead to me! The days are getting shorter and shorter too… But over the weekends, the sun shone beautifully and there was nothing else to do but to enjoy the Autumn colours before they disappear. Autumn in Helsinki is so pretty and something not to be missed!

Lost in Seoul

April 10, 2024August 8, 2024 by elainevitikainen ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

For our last two days in Seoul, we didn’t have any concrete plan. We just walked aimlessly hoping to find something new and interesting. This day, we walked towards Insadong and found a very aesthetically pleasing cafe that served amazing sandwiches. Then we found a pretty traditional tea house and tried 팥빙수 (Bingsu) with Jujube tea. The shop lady said, we were sat at a very famous place where a scene from Guardian, a very popular South Korean television series, was filmed. For the K-Drama fans out there, apparently, I was sat where Kim Go-eun was sat as shown in Episode 11. The Korean Traditional Ice cream was really good though!

However for the evening, it was decided that we will spend our last evening in Seoul by the Banpo Bridge, something that we’ve missed last time because we ended up in Hanggang Bridge. It was so pretty and lively! Watch the reel here.

We continued walking aimlessly the next day before heading to the airport for our 21:40 flight to Helsinki. We passed by familiar places but also found new ones. We saw many office people walking back to their offices after lunch carrying iced americano. We saw many restaurants where the locals go, passed by lots and lots of interesting cafes, a supermarket selling strawberries and muscat grapes, an empty Gyeonghuigung Palace that was free to enter, Cherry blossoms turning into leaves…. Seems like we’ve experienced the first bloom, full bloom and the falling petals during this trip.

We ate spicy noodles at a local restaurant then had our last Bingsu at a Traditional Tea House with Citrus Tea. It was the end of this holiday and time to say goodbye to Seoul. You can watch the reel here.

Lastly for the ever repeating tips:

Good walking shoes are important. I don’t have to say more!
Carry cash! You will not regret it as some places only take cash.
TMoney is a must-have when using public transport! (IC Card in Japan)
Make use of Naver Map or Google Map for route and transportation schedule.
Having a pocket Wifi with us all the time was very good. I highly recommend it and it was not costly at all!
Buy your flight tickets early as prices tend to spike up.
Book accommodation that has free cancellation. At least, I did many cancellations in this trip.

I felt like coming back to South Korea made me do what I missed doing last year. I must also say that I’m not planning to go back to South Korea anytime soon, except if a miracle happens, like being able to go to a Kpop concert. I’m always thankful to South Korea for its great music, good food, efficient and affordable public transport, kind and helpful people, cleanliness, for making me feel safe and for allowing me to use the little Korean that I know. But Japan is still in my list. I would not mind going to Gunma (again), to visit Kanazawa and to take the train to Fukui. I would go back to relax at an Onsen and look for Eki stamps. Hopefully, this will come true! And here is my travel journal. And the very last reel is about food, the very essence as to why I travel!

Again in Seoul

April 7, 2024November 7, 2024 by elainevitikainen ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

After a few wonderful days in the Kyushu region of Japan, we flew back to Seoul. This time we stayed in Ikseondong. It was fun to see familiar places from last year. However, I felt that there were many more people. I guess the restrictions last year made the place less crowded. The Cherry Blossom has also arrived in Seoul. So the next day, we took the train to Wonmisan Mountain to see the Azaleas with the Cherry Blossom in the background. We didn’t just go to Azalea Hill but we climbed the summit of Wonmisan Mountain. It was a great, unexpected challenge but we did it! The Azaleas were breathtaking. It’s hard to imagine how the Azalea Hill actually looks like unless you are physically there. It was a vast ocean of pink and purple. So pretty! Check out the reel here.

For the evening, we had to visit the N Seoul Tower again. It was so foggy last year so we wanted to go again on a sunny day with the Cherry Blossom adorning the Namsan Park. After too much climbing in Wonmisan Mountain, we decided to take the cable car going up to the Tower. But somehow we managed to enter the climbing path! And in the end, we decided to walk down anyway. We reached a total of 15,70 km walk for the day. We were tired yet happy! Check out the reel here.

We were also in luck that we were able to eat at Myeongdong Kyoja, something that we missed the last time we were in Seoul. Myeongdong Kyoja is a Michelin star, family-owned restaurant since 1966. We were the last customers of the day. The Kalguksu was very good!

Photos by Ari Vitikainen at https://www.arivitikainen.com