To Oulu -reflections

Posted on 1st Mar 20261st Mar 2026 by insightndes

That was an amazing trip to Oulu and back.

Negatives: getting food poisoning and train delays. Germany really struggles to get trains to go on time. Eurostar also had its issues. I did have a 77 minute delay on the sleeper to Stockholm, but that worked in my favour. The sleeper Stockholm was also too hot and the curtains were poor allowing flashes of bright light into the cabin while travelling.

Questionable things: seeing people smoke on train platforms in Germany was strange, and also a bit objectionable. The speed that cars drive at in Hamburg is ridiculously high and not suited to the roads. Also objectionable.

Positives: the trains in Finland, Sweden and Denmark were great, excluding the sleeper. In time. The rolling stock was high quality throughout including Germany. Met some great people. The cycle facilities in Copenhagen and seeing so many cyclists was incredible. We should be doing this in the UK.

Exceeding expectations: The ferries between Stockholm and Helsinki were amazing, good prices, amazing views, great facilities. Finland in winter, incredible, stunning snowy landscapes.

Tips:

Don’t plan to catch the last train of the day.

Don’t make connections too tight.

Travel in your sports gear, make it multi purpose. (Sensibly)

Travel as light as possible.

Plan for the weather.

Don’t arrive late and leave early, it’s exhausting.

Staying for more than one night is more pleasant .

Rucksacks are better than wheelie luggage.

Make use of the late checkouts in hotels.

Carry just in case food and drink.

Make use of sleeper services.

Double check reservations.

Download apps for local public transport. They can be used to get the correct tickets and give directions.

Double check routes given by apps, sometimes they are sending you to the wrong place.

If in doubt, ask a local.

Chat to people on the trains.

Use tracking apps so friends and family can follow your progress. It’s fun and good for safety.

Give someone your itinerary- routes, hotels etc.

Look at and enjoy the landscape, as you travel through.

Travel

Hamburg-Far North Scotland via Cologne, Brussels, London and Inverness.

Posted on 28th Feb 202626th Feb 2026 by insightndes

I was fit to travel the next day. Decided to reduce the odds of missing connections by catching an early train than planned.

I was traveling to Cologne, we were told there had been a problem with the staff arriving from a previous train. The train departed 40 minutes late. Following the announcements was interesting, as one train to München leapfrogged the other. They were going different routes.

Had time to stroll to the cathedral.

And watch aircraft flying by.

Back to the next delayed train, again 40 minutes and a platform change. Now heading towards Brussels.

The lateness of the train meant that the comfortable cushion to get through border control was disappearing.

I discovered another issue. Somehow the Interrail app had booked the wrong date for the Eurostar, and I had not spotted this, so no seat on the train. Thankfully the very helpful Eurostar employee got me on with a ticket, which strangely had no meal guarantee written on it. I was not sure what this meant.

Then another delay, by possibly an hour, dueto problems in the Netherlands. This would make my next connection in London very tight.

We left 44 minutes late.

I pointed out my non guarantee of meal when I received this meal.

Not very large portion but ideal as my appetite was not back.

It was now dark so no pictures.

The reduction in delay from an hour to 45 minutes meant I made the Caledonian Sleeper well on time. A quick walk from St Pancras to Euston.

And next morning in the Highlands…

Then heading further north.

Almost home.

Travel

Copenhagen to Hamburg

Posted on 27th Feb 202625th Feb 2026 by insightndes

Catching my first Danish train, to Hamburg.

There is still some snow about.

The fog struck again when crossing the bridge from Zealand to Fyn

Crossed from Fyn to Jutland. Back to mainland Europe.

Another foggy bridge crossing

We enter Germany, At the border I am asked politely by a policeman why I was going to Hamburg, how long I was going to be there and where I was going next.

Next it is a crossing of the Kiel Canal

The track loops round to gain height. Do we travel underneath the track that we will travel on.

Crossing Kiel Canal

The bridge disappearing in the distance.

Walked to the hotel.

I always wondered what would happen if I took unwell on one of these trips. I found out when I started feeling a bit strange. This progressed to a very unpleasant evening, I must have picked up some kind of food poisoning.

Would I be in a fit state to continue?

Environment, Tourism

Copenhagen

Posted on 26th Feb 2026 by insightndes

I am staying in a hotel where the room is modelled on a cabin.

It’s practical and located close to the station in the middle of the city.

I went off to get some food.

Heading to a restaurant in the meat packing district.

Copenhagen had proper infrastructure for cyclists. I came across a cycle flyover.

Cycle flyover

As I was walking I spotted a group coming out of a sauna and entering a swimming pool which still had some ice on top.

Swimming pool with sauna cabin to the right.

Next morning it was a stroll around Copenhagen to find some breakfast and explore.

And back to the hotel.

The number of cyclists in the city was impressive, taking cars off the street. Everyone was wearing their normal clothes. It was noticeable that the cyclists followed the traffic signals. I had to keep my wits about me due to high numbers of cyclists, although they all seemed very attentive and careful.

Tourism, Travel

Oulu-Helsinki-Stockholm-Lund-Copenhagen

Posted on 25th Feb 2026 by insightndes

It’s back on the train heading to Helsinki.

I had not reserved a seat. The train conductor pointed out that the train was going to get very full. She found a seat with a cancelled booking for me.

Some of the trees are heavily laden with snow.

Some pretty houses on the way.

Its then on to a tram to go to the ferry.

It’s warmed up in Helsinki do the snow is getting slightly slushy.

We get sightings of the different waterways from the tram.

Some interesting buildings on the way.

The tram arrives at the ferry terminal

Checking in and going through passport control is fast and straightforward.

Off to find my cabin which is on the fifth deck, the level we entered on.

The sun is setting as we leave Helsinki giving some magical views.

How close !

A wander round the boat, some food, then to bed. There is live music on board and a massive dinner buffet. However I got up for the breakfast buffet. Again with a view.

Then it’s a trip with a bus and underground to the Central Station.

Temperatures have risen since my previous visit.

A little walk to the central station.

The snow is reducing.

I changed to a regional train at Lund. No pictures as I spotted a train leaving before my planned connection so did a rapid change. Now I was 35 minutes ahead of schedule.

The sky is grey with very low cloud.

Malmo sky

Disappointingly the crossing on the bridge from Sweden to Denmark is very foggy.

The bridge crossing.

Modern buildings not far from Copenhagen Airport

Tourism

Oulu

Posted on 22nd Feb 2026 by insightndes

Oulu is sixty miles south of the Artic circle and is this year’s European City of culture. Consequently there is a lot happening, even in February.

I walked from the station to the island Pikisaari, where I was staying. Walking mainly on compacted snow.

Crossing over frozen waterways.

Passed the oldest restaurant, which is on Pikisaari.

The oldest restaurant , Sokeri-Jussin Kievari.

Onto my accommodation, TurusenSaha.

There is a supply of socks, eating area and cooking equipment.

The socks must be for those who have under estimated how cold it can be- outside. Very thoughtful.

I had a walk back to the centre.

The market has a cafe, fish, meat shops and shops aimed at tourists.

After buying some provisions in a supermarket, I headed back to my accommodation. It’s now getting dark.

It’s all well lit up.

While walking back I spotted something strange.

What was going on?

Holes in the ice are being cut to provide the competition pool.

The next day I was out and about.

Headed towards Nallikari Beach from Pikisaari.

Cyclists are out despite the cold.

I went to see the ice sculptures that had been made the previous week. That must have been quite a spectacle when they were being made.

I walked down to the beach.

Where does the beach start and end?

I could tell when I was on the beach as the snow was soft.

I then started walking on the sea.

Standing on the sea.

There were tents scattered around and one man was fishing in a hole. No idea if he caught anything.

Heading back to Oulu via Pikisaari island. The steam generating industry buildings in the distance looked very atmospheric.

Looking towards the sea from the bridge heading onto Pikisaari.

After having a coffee in Oulu centre and buying some food I headed back. It was snowing.

Bridge connecting Oulu to Pikisaari.

If there is snow covering the ground for a large part of the year the markings on the ground will be covered. The solution is to project the markings on to the snow.

The compacted snow got a dusting of soft snow overnight making it harder going as I headed to the station.

Travel

Helsinki to Oulu

Posted on 21st Feb 202620th Feb 2026 by insightndes

It’s a bright crisp morning, I have a good day for the trip north.

Not knowing any better I sat myself in first class which has a nice place to hang coats and store luggage. Plus it’s on the upper deck.

I way politely shifted to standard class.

Power production using wood chips?

Tourism, Travel

Helsinki

Posted on 20th Feb 2026 by insightndes

It is cold and snowy in Helsinki.

I had plenty of time before checking in time for the hotel, so decided to ride the tram to the end of the line and get the flavour of Helsinki.

Got to the end of the line having passed the central station. Hopped onto a different tram on the basis that it would go to the central station, which it did.

It’s one stop up the line on the train to where I am staying.

Snowy forest near hotel.

The hotel is in the Tripla mall which is attached to the railway station.

Had some good food in Helsinki.

View of the station from the restaurant

Sun about to rise Kaiseniemeniahti – frozen.

The snow is often not cleared but strewn with grit to help the grip. Most of the time this is fine but just occasionally I found a slippery patch.

Travel

Stockholm to Helsinki

Posted on 18th Feb 2026 by insightndes

I switched to a ferry for the journey to Helsinki.

An issue with not knowing the city and the language is an over reliance on apps. Using the Viking Line app I located what I thought was the terminal by pressing a link, but I was directed to the wrong terminal. I realised just in time to be able to dash to the correct terminal arriving 20 minutes before departure. The app said arrive no later than 20 minutes before departure. That was a close call.

Getting on the boat I was well looked after, sent to a lift where I descended into the depths of the boat. However the cabin was nice and I had it all to myself.

I am on deck two, below the waterline.

As we were leaving at 1630 the sun was setting leading to a beautiful view of Stockholm from ship.

Leaving

Lots of videos of the boat so slipping through the water. Listen to the sound.

Prins Eugene Wsldmarsudde

Pancake ice

Ice porridge.

Arrived at Helsinki just after 1000. This was a wonderful journey.

Tourism

Stockholm wander

Posted on 15th Feb 2026 by insightndes

Had a little wander through Stockholm which is based on a series of islands.

Looking from Skeppsholmbron

Decided to drop off my luggage at the hotel.

And continue exploring on buses.

It got very cold once the sun went down, sub 10 degrees centigrade. I looked for an underground station and really struggled to find the entrance despite using the SL app. I didn’t quite know what I was looking for, eventually found a very inconspicuous entrance.