Baltics - 23 June 2012

End of the Trip

I didn’t get up until 07.00.  The suitcase took a lot of packing and repacking to fit in my shopping from the day before, but eventually I was nearly sorted.  I even remembered to get out my oyster card and train ticket, which were in my inner suitcase pocket.

We had breakfast with Ann and Bob, who were sneakily making sandwiches for Helsinki Airport.  It was a good idea, given how expensive things are in Finland.  I ordered a mushroom omelette, which was very nice.

We were all assembled and back on the bus at 10.00.  Our timing was good to the end.  After enjoying such good weather since the drenching in Tartu, it had now started to rain again.

Aija came with us and saw us to the correct check in desk at the airport.  She gave us all big hugs goodbye and then set off back to the hotel to pick up her bags and head to the coach station to return to Riga.

We checked in and went through and sat down to wait.  Our group was much smaller now.  Susie and Roberta would be leaving us in Helsinki.  Ian, Ann, Bob, May, David, Dulcie, Sue, Ken and me were going to Heathrow.  Unfortunately, I wasn’t booked to sit near to any of them on the Heathrow flight.

The flight to Helsinki was quick and painless.  Ken had an empty seat next to him, so I moved from the back and sat there.  The flight actually took off four minutes before schedule, which was amazing.

We disembarked and said goodbye to Roberta.  We hugged Susie goodbye when she caught up with us after passing through passport control.  Their planes were much earlier.

May, Ian and I spent our time in Helsinki in a primitive café where a small cup of not very nice coffee cost €3.  When we finally moved on, we found a large café/restaurant area, which would have been nicer, though probably not cheaper.  Ken said he got two hot chocolates for the price of one though.

We went to sit by the gate along with lots of other people on our flight.  Then we were all thrown out of the area when the airline people arrived.  The bus arrived to take us to the plane as soon as we had been finally allowed back in.

This time, May moved her seat so we could sit together.  The plane was ½ hour late when it started taxiing.  I got my veggie meal, but it was very tasteless.

Amazingly there were no queues at passport control in Heathrow.  As we waited for our luggage, we all had goodbye hugs and then went our own way as the luggage arrived.