Overnight Train to Vientiane

June 24, 2026July 14, 2026 by elainevitikainen ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

After three nights in Phnom Penh, we flew back to Bangkok and took the overnight train to Vientiane. The train ride was smooth and easy that the next thing we knew we already arrived in Vientiane!

Spending time in Vientiane was what I was looking forward to the most in this trip. I’ve been back to Phnom Penh and Bangkok many times for work after we settled in Helsinki in 2015. But I’ve never been back to Vientiane. And I love Vientiane and really enjoyed living here. So it was a wonderful time to be here after 11 years. We also stayed at a fancy hotel. It was well located, clean, spacious and the breakfast was amazing. I would say it was the best breakfast I ever had at a hotel and guess how many hotels have I been!

The first evening was spent walking by the riverfront and just trying to capture the many changes that happened in this city since the last time we were here. There were more traffic, tall buildings and lots of activities by the riverfront. And they actually built an amusement park which took away the serenity that I used to experience while watching the sunset here in the past…

The next day we visited Pha That Luang and a bit of souvenir shopping before walking towards the house we used to live. The house remained the same with the bamboos and coconut tree that Ari planted growing well. It was also lovely to see our landlord still strong and healthy, like the time stood still. We reminisced the past together and they said they always remember us every time they look at the coconut tree!

For dinner, we went to the restaurant where we frequent while living in Vientiane. Did their food change or was it my tastebuds? Because somehow, I really can’t imaging myself enjoying their food in the past!

The next day, we revisited MAG Laos and COPE to be reminded of the past and all the suffering this country underwent. We also visited the old market and the new mall. And on the way back to our hotel, we saw this beautiful, old, very rugged cafe. Vientiane has changed a lot but its charm remained the same.

For the evening, Ari and I went to watch the sunset while the boys met up with their friends. We found a beautiful and peaceful place and I was happy!

The next morning after another delicious breakfast, we slowly packed our bags and checked out of the hotel. We were trying to avoid the heat so we stayed at the lobby and at a cafe to wait for our overnight train. So after three nights, we headed back to Bangkok for the last leg of our trip.

All photos by Ari Vitikainen at https://www.arivitikainen.com

June in Phnom Penh

June 19, 2026July 14, 2026 by elainevitikainen ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

June came and it was the time for our family holiday. Last year, we spent 10 days on a camper van and drove from Helsinki all the way to Senja in Norway. This year, we decided to go even further. To Asia to be exact to visit Phnom Penh, Vientiane and Bangkok. It was in December when we started reminiscing about our time living in Asia. Little did we know that in a couple of months we will go ahead and buy flight tickets. It took almost 12 hours to reach Bangkok from Helsinki. We arrived before 6:00 in the morning and it was a joy to be back in Bangkok as a family after 11 years. The airport was just the same with no significant changes. We sat around for almost 8 hours waiting for our flight to Phnom Penh. We went to the food court and enjoyed some Thai food and before we knew it, it was time to board the plane.

We arrived in Phnom Penh and the airport was not the same airport where we first landed in September 2001. We recalled how small, dark, chaotic and underdeveloped the airport was back then. Now, it was new and huge with so much unoccupied space. We knew there and then that the Phnom Penh was not anymore the same Phnom Penh that we left in December 2009.

The hotel van was waiting for us and it took a few minutes to walk to the parking lot. It was so hot that we can’t wait to get to the van for the aircon. The ride was a bit long on a good road, passing by empty lands, lots of construction and unfinished buildings. Somehow, I didn’t know where we were exactly and everything seems very unfamiliar. It was only when we reached the riverfront that I understood our location. The hotel where we stayed was familiar to us but somehow, the place became outdated and in need of renovation. The view from the hotel was amazing though. And as we walked by the riverside that evening, the Phnom Penh we knew started coming back. We walked as far as we could then continued until we reached the Independence Monument. The traffic was horrible and it was impossible to cross the streets without the thought of getting hit! Unfortunately, we arrived safely back at the hotel with the help of a tuk-tuk.

The next day we decided to visit the markets. First stop was Lucky Market where we used to buy all our groceries. But the once very busy street was now quiet and Lucky Market has become a bit fancy with products coming from Japan and South Korea. There was really no one shopping there but at least, they still sell the roasted chicken!

Psar Thmey was the next stop. It was surprisingly cool inside and quite clean and orderly. The boys were so happy to find the classic Same Same But Different t-shirts.

Then we went to Sorya and found that the once busy mall was quite empty. Many shops were closed. We recalled how lively this mall was and those times when people were learning to take the escalators and elevators. We ended the day on a revolving rooftop bar to see the ever-changing Phnom Penh. We also celebrated our 31st wedding anniversary!

The next day, we went to Toul Tompong Market. I found the market not as busy as before.

Then we headed to Wat Phnom. The boys used to enjoy watching the monkeys here but now, no more monkeys can be found. The locals told me that they were taken somewhere as they became a nuisance, fighting with each other and attacking people.

Then it was the last mission for this trip and that was to check out all the old places where we lived in Phnom Penh. One turned into a physiotherapy clinic of some sort. The second house was totally demolished and instead a tall strange wall has been built and the last one remained the same but now surrounded by tall apartments.

We ended the day with beautiful fireworks to celebrate the 91st birthday of the Queen Mother of Cambodia!

After three nights in Phnom Penh, we flew back to Bangkok to take the overnight train to Vientiane…

All photos by Ari Vitikainen at https://www.arivitikainen.com

Back in Osaka

April 7, 2026April 15, 2026 by elainevitikainen ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

We flew to Osaka from Kagoshima because we were picking up a bass guitar. That was all to it. I don’t really like Osaka and its crowds of tourists. And I definitely wanted to go back to Kumamoto once we landed in Itami Airport. But Osaka grew on me. With its chaotic and noisy streets, I found that the city was not anymore as loud as the first time I was there in 2024. I learned to go with it and found different escape routes. However, no matter how much we avoided it, we always end up in Dotonbori! I guess we just had to pass through it to reach our accommodation. But luckily, our hotel was tucked away behind Dotonburi in a quiet residential neighbourhood.

The first escape was a lovely breakfast place down the road. It was run by an older Japanese couple and it had such a retro vibe to it. It was nice and peaceful. And since, we were already in Osaka and it was the Cherry Blossom season, we also planned a day trip to Mt Yoshino in Nara and that was a perfect plan. We took the Limited Express Sakura Liner train from Abenobashi station to Yoshino and the adventure began! We climbed the mountain and saw the most beautiful thing. Waves and waves of different shades of pink and purple covered the mountain. I can’t believe my eyes. It was so beautiful and was surely worth every climb. We also got to taste different food and snacks along the way. It was tiring yet it was so fun!

Another escape was going to Sakai to get some kitchen knives. It was a beautiful and peaceful part of Osaka that visitors should not missed. The river was lined with Cherry Blossoms and pink Camellias. And of course, there was shopping, eating and more rummaging of old vinyl records at Shinsaibashi… Osaka was fun after all!

After 4 nights in Osaka, it was time to fly back to Seoul…

Kagoshima, Japan

April 3, 2026May 3, 2026 by elainevitikainen ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

The weather forecast for our three nights in Kagoshima was rainy. There was a light rain when we arrived. But we still took the ferry to Sakurajima the next day. Sakurajima is the most active volcano in Japan and it erupts on a daily basis. Therefore Kagoshima is such a unique place where an active volcano and a city coexist. It was cloudy but we did see Sakurajima up close at Yunohira Observatory which is the closest public point to the volcano. I guess what I didn’t like about this trip was the number of tourists. The Sakurajima Island View bus was so crowded that it was so uncomfortable. But the island was full of Camellias and Cherry Blossoms which was lovely.

However, when we left Sakurajima, the sun began shining. So we had a lovely time at Sengan-en Garden. It’s one of the most beautiful gardens I’ve ever been with Sakurajima in the background. There were lots of Cherry Blossoms and different kinds of flowers. It was just so pretty! We had Shirokuma, a kakigori with a bear face at the cafe and joined a stamp rally too. It was such a fun day!

But the highlight of the trip to Kagoshima was something that I didn’t know about and didn’t plan for. At the station, I saw a poster of a koala at Hirakawa Zoological Park. I didn’t know there was a zoo and I didn’t know that there are koalas. I always thought that I can only see koalas in Australia. But Hirakawa Zoo is one of the first zoos in Japan to breed koalas so I met around 20 of them. Even a baby one! It was my first time and suddenly, my life became complete! Although, it was raining and we missed the entrance gate resulting to a longer walk under our very wet umbrellas, we enjoyed the rainy day at the zoo. There was hardly anyone and we got to spend time with the animals by ourselves, especially the extremely cute red panda. It was the most perfect red panda I’ve ever seen!

After three nights in Kagoshima enjoying the sights, food and shopping, it was time for us to fly to Osaka…

One Night in Incheon

March 26, 2026April 11, 2026 by elainevitikainen ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

The last time I left Seoul, I said I’m not coming back. But now that two years had passed, I returned. I still wanted to eat authentic and cheap Bibimbap in a simple setting and I was terribly missing the Banana Milk from the convenience store. So not coming back was not an option at all! But also, flying straight from Helsinki to anywhere in Japan during the Sakura season is so costly. It is so much less expensive to fly to Japan from Incheon. So here we were for a night in Incheon, a short train (next stop) ride away from the airport and really enjoyed it! There were already Cherry Blossoms and it really made me happy. Stepping into South Korea again made my heart full!

After checking in to the hotel, we headed out in search for Bibimbap and the simple restaurant didn’t dissapoint us. The Bibimbap was so good. Pairing it with Kimchi and Danmuji, it was amazing! Then we went to the convenience store next door for Banana Milk and thought that this one night in Incheon was a perfect decision. And not only that, we saw a Bungeoppang stall on the way back to the hotel, making the night complete!

The next day, we flew to Kumamoto, Japan…

A quick trip to Riga

July 31, 2025August 25, 2025 by elainevitikainen ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

It seems like summer would not be complete without a trip to a new city. This time we decided to go to a city that is so close yet felt so far away. Far away in a sense because I have never really been interested in Riga. It is one of those cities that I’ve been putting off for a long, long time. But there were still a few days of summer holiday. So we went for it and made Latvia my 52nd country.

We arrived very early in Riga on a small airplane from Helsinki with only one hand-carry. It was fun to walk around the old town when everything was closed. The old town was really pretty and since the centre of Riga is quite small, we spent a large amount of our holiday in the old town. There are also many beautiful public parks in Riga. I love how these parks are large, clean and peaceful. Another thing that was very beautiful in Riga was the Art Nouveau architecture built in the early 20th century during the period of rapid economic growth and Riga was a thriving city of the Russian Empire. I also love the Art Deco cafes dating from 1920s. One of the highlights was visiting the Laima Chocolate Museum from 1870. It was fun to learn about its history and eat lots and lots of chocolate. The hot chocolate was almost death by chocolate! This is one place that should not be missed in Riga.

We also did a day trip to Jūrmala. Jūrmala is a coast town facing the Baltic Sea, some 30 minutes train ride from Riga. The train was clean and modern and only cost 4 EUR per person both ways. There we enjoyed the sun, sea, sand, great food and rain.

My travel Journal for this trip can be found here! You can also follow my journal at https://www.instagram.com/sweetpugnacity

All photos by Ari Vitikainen at https://www.arivitikainen.com

Road Trip from Helsinki to Senja

July 8, 2025September 12, 2025 by elainevitikainen ♥ 1 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.

Peaceful Nagoya

May 15, 2025May 13, 2026 by elainevitikainen ♥ 2 Comments

Nagoya was a fun city to just chill and relax. All I wanted was to take a photo of my Traveler’s Notebook with Nagoya Tower and we did just that. We walked, we shopped, we ate in Nagoya. No other plans whatsoever. I thought we were going to Nagoya Castle but it was so hot that we skipped it. I can’t imagine walking the castle grounds under the hot sun and I’m not into castle either. So we just chased colourful stamps and just enjoyed the long walk with lots of eating in between! We saw a long queue for a Japanese pop group called Impact or was it actually IMP ACT. I think the fans were buying concert tickets and they were all nicely dressed with their photocards and plushies. It was so fun for me to see it!

I love Nagoya. It was not crowded, there were very few tourists and they have lovely peaceful gardens. It was nice to shop because we didn’t have to queue like in Tokyo. Shopping at Uniqlo and Muji was so peaceful and so was Donki. Accommodation was very affordable and lots of cheap yet delicious eats. It was a lovely ending of this trip!

For the never ending repeating tips:

A good pair of walking shoes is a must and be prepared for the stairs!
Registering online at Visit Japan Web for the QR codes for immigration and customs made entering Japan so much faster. I would also say that Chubu Centrair International Airport was the best!
Having an IC card was really useful when using public transport and also paying for convenience store purchases. I also recommend the Tokyo Metro Pass.
It’s fine to buy train tickets at the station. No need to buy beforehand as trains have large capacity to accommodate passengers.
It’s good to have cash as many places only take cash, like street food vendors, small local shops and restaurants and small places like the Kiso Valley.
Having a pocket wifi all the time was very good because we really need to be connected to check on routes and locations. I highly recommend it and it is not expensive at all!
Buy flight tickets early as prices tend to spike up.
Book accommodation that has free cancellation because there might be changes along the way.

In the end, I realised that the very reason why I love Japan is because of the nature and food. I also enjoy looking for stamps and ephemera for my journals. I also like the safety and clean toilets. Also, it is really affordable at this time. I always asked myself after the end of every Japan trip if I wished to return to Japan again. And again this time, it is a yes! I would love to walk in Nagano along the very tall Cedar trees…

My travel Journal for this trip can be found here! You can also follow my journal at https://www.instagram.com/sweetpugnacity

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

Magome to Tsumago in Kiso Valley

May 14, 2025May 21, 2025 by elainevitikainen ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Hiking the Nakasendo Trail was something that had attracted me for some years now. So hiking even just a tiny part from Magome to Tsumago felt great! The Nakasendo Trail is one of Japan’s most famous walking paths known as the Samurai Road in the Kiso Valley. It was not a difficult 8.5 km hike but the sun was shining brightly so it was hot. I didn’t anticipate that the umbrella I bought with me in case of rain would help to protect from the strong sun. I also rang all the bells to scare the bears! There were lots of Wisterias too. So beautiful and a sight that I’ve never seen before. They were on the mountains and the paths we passed by. They also smelt so good and sweet! Here is a short clip at Tateba-chaya Teahouse, around halfway from Magome to Tsumago where they offer a place to rest, some candies, a cup of tea and some coloured chalks to write on the wall where the hikers from for that day.

When we arrived in Tsumago, I got certificates and more stamps for my journal from the Tourist Information Centre. I got 15 stamps during this short walk. We had a late lunch of soba in Tsumago before getting on a bus to Nagiso then the train to Nagoya Station. We had to pay everything in cash including the train tickets back to Nagoya. So if you are planning to do this hike, prepare some cash.

On the train from Nagiso to Nagoya Station.

The top one proved that I have walked from Magome to Tsumago and the other one says I have visited Tsumago Juku. These are not paper certificates though but certificates made of super thin wood. So pretty!

My hope is to walk another part of the Nakasendo trail in the near future!

In Japan! Again!

May 9, 2025May 21, 2025 by elainevitikainen ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

I did consider another country for our next holiday. I really did! But after much thought, my longing for Japan returned. I guess I’m just too old with not much money to spare to go on a holiday that I’m not sure if it will succeed. But having been to Japan 5 times, I haven’t got any disappointment yet whatsoever. So I recall that a 6th time will not hurt either. The tricky part were the dates. The Cherry Blossom season was over in the mainland and we also wanted to avoid the Golden Week. So we decided to go after the Golden Week and to fly to Sapporo for the Cherry Blossom. It was an amazing idea! Sapporo was so beautiful at this time of the year and I have never seen as many varieties of Cherry Blossom in my entire life. I also love Sapporo’s peaceful atmosphere with few tourists. Although I know that it will be a different story during the winter season especially during the Sapporo Snow Festival in February. But we didn’t fly from Helsinki to Sapporo. Instead we flew in to Chubu Centrair International Airport with the initial idea of walking a part of the Nakasendo trail in Kiso Valley for the last part of this trip before flying back to Helsinki.

We arrived in Nagoya in the evening after a 13 hours flight from Helsinki. It was the best immigration process ever. We just walked straight to immigration with no queue whatsoever! We then took the airport limousine to our hotel. We walked a bit near the hotel to the lake (or was it the sea, or river. At least, a body of water) for a refreshing evening walk with a quick bite of this and that from the convenience store. The next day was an early wake up to our flight to Sapporo. It was a rainy Nagoya and it was a good idea to fly away from the rain.