Author: LostViivi

I'm a little lost in this big world. I find my home in unknown streets and forgotten forest paths. As passionate as I am about traveling I'm also about writing, books, and movies.I don't know where this writing blogs thing is going so anything is possible.

Photo Diary: Day In Stockholm

Published on by LostViivi17 Comments

Hello there and welcome to my blog! Like some of you may know I went to Sweden at the beginning of this week. I am going to publish travel diary about my trip but because I just happen to be lazy enjoy first these photos I took. (The real travel diary should be out some day next week. Sorry…)

So just to tell you more information before we start I went to day in Stockholm cruise with my family. Taking this cruise is quite normal in Finland and I have done it several times but every time it is as fun.

The cruise is three days long. First you spend evening and night in sea. The second day is spend in Stockholm and after that you return to the ship and spend another night there. I hope you enjoy the photos I took.

 

 

I have been on this same Silja Line ship so many times there isn’t a much to explore. However the scenery never disappoints.

 

Ship is ready. Welcome aboard!

 

I’m totally in love with the Silja Line ships’ promenade street. Say whatever you want about our ship being small but I feel like in home here.

 

Listening band is always fun experience! Specially when some drunk Finns are dancing in front of you. The Asian guys next to us had fun time laughing to our fellow Finns.

 

No complaining in our breakfast scenery. I would spend every morning like this.

 

Finally in Sweden! It is so close to my home country but still so different. The building right is the Royal Palace. (Fun fact in Sweden it is called castle not palace even if there is nothing castle like in it.)

 

Our main attraction in this trip was Moderna Museet and Yayoi Kusama exhibition. Here you see the self portrait of the artist.

 

Anyone else loving infinity rooms? Yayoi Kusama’s exhibition had several of them. I am in love.

 

Even my brother kind of liked it and stated that Sweden has better museums than Finland.

 

Another infinity room. This time with water and color changing balloons. This museum is definitely made for taking selfies.

 

I’m not fashionista so for me find something from this girly shop was miracle. I am happy new owner of flowery toiletry bag.

 

Walking around all the alleys is something I want to do one day. Now it wasn’t possible because I was with my family. No getting lost with them…

 

There’s our ship and Silja Line logo. Time to return home.

 

Our last goodbyes to Sweden. I hope I will return soon. (PS. why are the islands here so idyllic and beautiful?)

 

If I would make one wish, it would be to see the sunset every day in new place…

 

 

Happy travels for everyone!

Viivi Severina

Traveling the rest of my life?

Published on by LostViivi137 Comments

Today we are going to talk about how I plan to travel around the world for the rest of my life. My dreams may be stupid and some of them impossible but I’m just not a person who can stand in one place for too long. Until the end, I will always be a traveler or wanderer who just can’t live life without adventures! (Be prepared for long and boring writings by me. For those who don’t have the patience to read check out just the bold sentences.)

Two weeks ago I talked about my plans for the future and how I would like to travel the world rather than live the life others call normal. ‘Hasan asked on that post:

I have a question though, you mentioned about deciding to take university or not cause it might get stuck in the way of your travels, how do you manage everything? Like I think if I start going around the world I will HAVE TO abandon the work and everything and if I do that, there is no way I can earn enough to be able to travel around the world or at least some places which I intend to.
I will love to get your thoughts and suggestions about it, thanks.

After I started to think how to respond I realized one life-changing fault in my own travel dreams. I have never written down what is my plan and how could I keep traveling full time for years. It’s quite funny because I am usually the person who scribbles her every thought in whatever paper she finds. That’s why I’m a writer, blogger and well dreamer.

So today I am going to tell you my plan. (I am making this up right now so let’s see how it goes…) Maybe this will help other travelers reading this, maybe not. I think everyone has their own path of coming nomad and this is just how I have planned to do it. There is no wrong way of coming traveler or so I hope…

1. Save Money to Travel

The harsh reality is that you can’t start traveling if you don’t have money. For me, this is the easy part. I don’t drink alcohol (no offense to those who do but it just tastes terrible for me) so I can save the money I would hypothetically spend to drinks. What are you ready to give up to achieve your travel dreams?

I’m cutting down the costs of doing fun things when not traveling. For example, I spend extra time to answer panels that reward you with movie tickets. Earlier this year I started doing mystery shopping which rewards me with present cards. So basically try to spend as little money as possible to the not essential things. It’s good to make a habit of saving money because you have to continue to save money while traveling.

2. Make Money If You Don’t Have Any

I have of course thought possibilities to start traveling even if I don’t have any savings at the moment when I decide to go. How to travel for free? I have many plans but my favorite ones are these two…

Working Holiday. Growing your amount of money to spend traveling seems so boring to do at home, right? So why not do it in Australia or New Zealand? I can’t come up any negative answers for that. So one year working and experiencing a new country with the benefits of being able to start your lifelong travels afterward. Not so bad deal.

Work on a cruise ship. Who wouldn’t love waking up every morning in a new place? Even if cruise workers’ life sounds like a dream it is hard work and long hours with not so good pay. However, you get free housing, food, etc. and get to see the world. For me, this sounds the perfect way to raise my travel savings. And it’s basically a way to travel for free!

Funny fact: Both of those are on my bucket list.

3. Save in Travel Expenses

I don’t need business class flights or fast trains. It’s okay to take a cheap night bus or walk around cities. Planning your route from city to city through the cheapest route is important.

For example, flying from Finland to London would cost me over 80 euros but is there a way to travel cheaper? I can start by taking 20 euros flight to Gdansk, Poland. From there it only costs 10 euros to get in Berlin by bus and from Berlin pay 8 euros to get Cologne from where it would take 8 euros to get in Brussels. And in the end from Brussels to London 14 euros. You still with me? After counting everything together it would take 60 euros from Finland to London and I can stop in many places on my way! It’s not easy to travel with almost no costs.

4. Travel & Save in Living Expenses

Work to get free accommodation. After working in a hostel I found from Helpx I was totally hooked to this way of traveling. If you are not familiar with the site let me shortly introduce the idea for you. You work for the place (usually hostel) for 3-5 hours per day and they give you free accommodation. Travelers can easily find free accommodation!

Last year I stayed two months in Kyoto, Japan and didn’t pay anything for the hostel I was staying in. Traveling and living in Kyoto for two months would have cost me almost one thousand euros if I had rented a place or stayed in hostels. For addition to the free stay I got some food, tickets to museums/events and insider tips to the city.

I, however, didn’t fall in love with this way of traveling because all the money I saved on my travels. Every night I met new people in the hostel’s common room. Listening to their stories was one of the best things that has ever happened to me. And their reaction when they heard I was working in the hostel made me realize I was living the life of travel I had been dreaming for: the cool person who works and lives in the hostel and knows all the secrets floating around the city.

5. Find Your Thing

Now when I have theoretically cut down my travel expenses and saved some money I need to find the job I can do while adventuring in the faraway places.

How do I want to spend the rest of my life? What things do I want to do to get money? What am I good at or better than others? Let’s make that your job. As list lover, my way to approach this question was to write down all my skills. Here is part of the list:

-Writing. I attended many years to a creative writing course.
-Solving other people’s problems.
-Making travel plans, finding interesting places from the internet
-Doing web searches and finding the answer to any question
-Reading tarot cards (btw anyone needing their future predicted? :D)
-Taking decent photographs
-Traveling and writing a travel blog about the places I have seen.

6. Work, work, work

Time to make my list sound more like real working opportunities. There are two ways for that: what I hope I can do in future and what I am ready to do. You see, I have always had two dreams. If you have read my travel blog, you know the first one is to adventure around the world. And maybe you can guess that the second dream is to make living by writing.

Writing is something I am going to do even if no one would read my writings. There, however, is almost no change for that to be my income. So what is the real plan?

In the best case scenario I would be able to get some money from this blog, maybe start a youtube channel and review products/holidays/travels from brands I love. In addition that little money I will get from those things a freelancer writing is my keyword. Translating from English to Finnish (after I master my language skills also from Finnish to English). Writing articles, blog posts and whatever. Want someone to write you travel blog post? Feel free to ask!

Making my own writing course is also in a planning stage. I know millions of writing practices and prompts. Maybe selling my problem-solving skills or tarot card readings in Fiverr? People sell crazy stuff there so I would come up with more. Every cent counts.

Writing to Finnish travel magazines is also a big dream with no guarantee to never happen. But girl can hope and dream as much as she likes… Someone, please hire me? (I’m not desperate but millionaire husband would be also a good idea?)

7. Just Travel and Believe in Yourself

Sounds stupid but if I don’t leave because of being scared of not succeeding there is no way of living the life making me happy. I may return back home crying after traveling for a few months but it’s not stopping me from trying. This is the way I want to spend the rest of my life.

EXTRA… Survey Sites

Did I already mention these? Oh, yes in the first point. Before you call me stupid or something I will reveal to you that I am totally hooked to survey sites. And if you pick right ones you will (slowly) collect points towards travel gift cards! So it’s a good way to get some extra spending credit for your adventures.

Just as an example I have been on this site (sorry everyone I think it is only in Finland) starting from the year I turned eighteen. So soon three years. I have had long periods when I haven’t done any surveys so maybe approximately survey once a month during that three years. Guess how many 20 euros gift cards have I received? Six. So if I had used those to get travel gift card I would have enjoyed holiday costing 120 euros.

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I hope you enjoyed today’s travel blog post and hearing about my “dream” plan. And like always I would be more than happy to hear your opinions. Do you have any tips for me? Or what kind of plans do you have?

I am now leaving towards Helsinki (Finland’s capital) and boarding a cruise ship towards Sweden. I will see you soon with more travel stories!

With adventurous mind,
Lost Viivi

Surviving Finland: Music

Published on by LostViivi6 Comments

One of the Finnish stereotypes is heavy music. I mean it is kind of true. We have heavy metal bands more towards person than anywhere in the world. We won Eurovision with hard music and Lordi. It’s normal to see people in band shirts and men with long hair.

Even if the stereotype is kind of true Finnish music is a lot more. Not everyone likes metal, rock or even music at all. Currently rap has taken over Finland and a sad music is always fitting to listen in our dark country. We have many kind of music here and today I am going to introduce some genres for you with sample songs!

 

Let’s sing melancholichally and cry together girls

This used to be one of Finland’s biggest music genres but rap has taken over. Don’t get me wrong we still have many beautiful sad songs singed by desperate women but now we have at least as many rapping strong females.

The example is older song from well-known Finnish artist Jenni Vartiainen. The song literally tells about her ex putting their sex tapes to the internet. Sometimes Finnish hit songs have quite special lyrics but it doesn’t mean it can’t be a sad and melancholic. Vartiainen is perfect example for this music genre.

 

The strong independent girls

Don’t let the tender female voices lead you on because in Finland we have some power ladies. And I say some I mean a whole lot of amazing powerful singers/rappers. The video I recommend you to watch is from Sini Sabotage and presents perfectly the powerful women of Finland.

Just as extra mention this is the song I listen when feeling home sick. When I am trying to sleep on the other side of the world this definitely makes me feel better. This is from far the songs you would except from Finland put this was a huge when it was released. Rhythmic and strong.

 

Rapping about money, girls and odd hairstyles (???)

Rap has always been on Finland but recently rap artists are grown one of our biggest celebrities. When I was young one of the popular artists was rapper Pikku G (nowadays disappeared, probably somewhere not so luxurious…) and teen were totally in love with him. There is list of current rappers: JVG, Nikke Ankara, Prinssi Jusuf and Elastinen.

The one I am going to put as example is Cheek. He is the most popular rapper (and maybe person) in Finland. Our first artist to have Olympia stadium concert and loved by everyone. This video (even if Cheek’s) has other important and famous Finnish artists.

 

The old Idols stars

Our music scene is quite small so same artistes come and go. We had idols contests in years 2003-2013 and many singers have gotten known by it. The music video is from Antti Tuisku, who came to third in our first ever Idols, was forgotten for a long time. Last year he made huge comeback with different style and has charmed out whole gray land with the happy go go songs.

 

The “I don’t even know what our children listen” genre

This first band above is called Hevisaurus (means something like heavy metal dinosaur) and has been quite popular for sometime. Yes our children listen heavy too. Do you have problems with it?

The second children’s song is from Titinalle. This bear has been known for forever. I can sing sll the older songs (I know because I just singed along while trying to find the video to show you). The video looks old because it is old (like it was once VHS old…) This used to be my favorite song so don’t even think of dissing it! (Who can guess about what this song is?)

The third children’s artists I want to mention are called Ella and Aleksi (in Finnish Ella ja Aleksi). This duo has song called Kakkaa Lumella (meaning poo on the snow) and the song tells just about the thing its name is about…Ella and Aleksi is older music and is something I listened when I was child.

 

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There would be a lot more music genres to explain and introduce but I’m fearing all these videos will slow my blog down. Tell me if you want to get more Finnish music recommendations! If someone wants I will come up way of linking the videos without slowing my blog. (Google please help me…)

I hope you learned something new today about Finnish music and maybe even enjoyed some of the songs (???). I’m sorry you can’t understand the lyrics but to tell you the truth many of our songs have the most absurd lyrics.

For those who have followed me after my last Surviving Finland post. Firstly thank you for reading my blog! I would have never guessed so many people decide to read what I have to say and where I am traveling. Secondly this post is part of my series telling about my home country Finland. Don’t take anything too seriously!

More Surviving Finland posts you can find from HERE.

With pride for her home,

Viivi Severina

“Beautiful” word from stranger

Published on by LostViivi23 Comments

I have met kind people around the world. I have got new friends I will never meet again and memories staying with me forever. I wanted to share this story about the woman who impacted me greatly. I’m thankful to her and will be probably until the end of my life.

“Beautiful” How can one word change person?

It was my first week volunteering in Kyoto. I lived in small hostel free for working three hours day and it had taken only a couple of days for me to feel like in home. At daytime I explored the city and the nights I spend writing in the hostel’s common room. In one of those nights I met her.

She was older lady and I never really get to know what she did in the hostel. The language barrier between us was huge. I didn’t know Japanese and she didn’t speak English. However she kept talking to me and I tried to understand.

Soon I get to know that she knew one word in English. Beautiful. She told me just that. You beautiful. No one has ever called me beautiful. I have never felt particularly pretty. When I went to school people used to call me ugly and it has always stayed with me.

Beautiful. That one word and her kind eyes changed me. Nowadays when I feel ugly or worthless I recall that moment and feel better. That one moment and stranger impacted me for the rest of my life.

I didn’t see her the night after and come to the conclusion she had stayed only one night. I hoped I would have talked more with her. But like a magic and destiny I get to meet her once again. After two months and my last week in Japan we met like old friends.

I spend the night in common room like always and she came in. She put her things next to met and while she cooked we tried to talk like the last time. This time too she kept calling me beautiful and I even got to thank her. She was like angel with her bright smile.

Then she put plate in front of me and surprised me once again. She had cooked a miso soup for me. Even if I tried to say she shouldn’t or would she take some of my food as returning favor she didn’t take any of it. It was the perfect last week for my Japan trip.

I know I am probably not going to meet that woman again. I wil remember her. The kindness and the one word he was able to say in English. Beautiful. You just can’t forgot person like her.

 

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I didn’t have time to write anything long today (trying to back for my Sweden trip) so I came up with this memory. I have been thinking about writing “story times” or my memories once in while but I don’t know would those be interesting.

Have you met kind strangers? I think this world is full of kind people and I hope I will meet more of them while traveling. Maybe in the future I will write about all the people I have met on my travels.

With love and wanderlust,

Viivi Severina

 

Photo Diary: Beautiful Tokyo

Published on by LostViivi36 Comments

Today is my birthday! Thanks for everyone who has wished me happy birthday. To celebrate this day I have collected my travel photos from Tokyo (yes I finally found my lost photos…) and want to share them with you. This will be my first photo diary but definitely not the last.

All photos are taken by beginner photographer using her phone so I am sorry if some of the pics are not so good. I hope you enjoy my travels!

 

Getting lost in Tokyo means finding beautiful places.

 

Ueno park was my love (and next to my home) in Tokyo and this particular Starbucks quickly came my number one place to visit.
If someone is as enthusiastic as I am about Japanese (crime) dramas, this whale is seen so many times in them. I haven’t even realized it before coming back from Japan. It’s in Ueno park too.
Tokyo is full of interesting art museums. This Taro Okamoto memorial museum is one of them.
Torii gate somewhere in Tokyo between urban neighborhoods
I’m big Star Wars fan. (Or better said my whole family is) It was fun to notice how Japanese share my passion for Jedi. They had Star Wars everywhere!
In Tokyo i was blessed with some beautiful blue skied days and one week of rain and storms as balance. This is one of the best days.
Tokyo’s railway station is still big mystery for me. I got lost and somehow exited from different door every time.
Any kpop fans here? Well I don’t admit anything but Korea town may have been like heaven… I find these stairs totally cool.
Harajuku is my favorite neighborhood in Tokyo. It’s full of surprises and small alleys. Every time I visited there was something new to discover.
When your best friend and mom are crazy about textiles you can not dissmiss Fabric Town and Street in Nippori. Shop after shop this are is full of beautiful and cheap fabrics. (Look even Buzz Lightyear is shopping there!)
Getting lost in Tokyo is like walking in to movie. I would just spend years in Tokyo to get know all the streets and corners. I discovered this place one afternoon but the fun fact is that even if tried to go there again (there was cute shop) I wasn’t able to find it second time…
This photo is from Ueno Zoo. It was so beautiful! Small lake full of plants.
Akihabara was something I have never seen anywhere else. Even if it was raining (I have never seen that much water coming down from sky!) the there was so many people.
I have maybe the worst phobia of high places. Of course I had to visit three Ferris wheels in my in my Japan trip. (Why am I doing this to myself?)

 

So there was all the photos! If you want to see some more adventures from Japan check out these food post I have made:
Sweets in Japan

Food in Japan

More Food in Japan

Have you ever visited Japan or planned to go there? Making this post has made me miss the city so much… Maybe I should start to plan my second trip there. (Or maybe not because so many places I want to see!)

There was all for today. I hope you are having amazing weekend.
With love,

Viivi Severina