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.

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.

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.

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.

The underground is modern and efficient.

I purchased a 24 hour ticket for the public transport which I made good use of. The SL app was useful for navigation and buying tickets.

Tourism

Hamburg

Posted on 12th Feb 2026 by insightndes

It’s cold and wet in Hamburg.

Went to visit the Hamburg Bunker.

Good views from the top.

Towards the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg.

Then to the old Elbtunnel.

Transport options

Landungsbrücken and the entrance to the tunnel on the other side of the Elbe.

Then visited the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, a few photos from the top.

And then into the centre.

Tourism

Oxford

Posted on 9th Feb 20268th Feb 2026 by insightndes

Nice to be back in Oxford, which is vibrant and benefiting from many of the streets in the centre becoming traffic free.

It was wet, but no issue. I visited the Art Café and had a very nice chocolate and coconut flapjack, with no animal products involved.

Thames in the daylight, very full.

The Oxford Illusion Museum is worth a visit.

Tourism, Travel

Surrey and beyond

Posted on 2nd Jun 2025 by insightndes

The worst cycle infrastructure on Epsom Road in Guildford.

The cycle lanes marked out in Guildford are beyond useless. No segregation, suggesting a totally inappropriate position for the cyclists to take on the road. I would cycle at least at the line. I actually cycled in the mostly in the middle of the lane to take the decision away from the drivers, so they did not attempt to overtake at the frequent traffic islands. Of course I was hooted at, but ironically I was going faster than the motorised vehicles. Guildford suffers from pollution,