I Love Layovers!

I know that in the world of flying, we all just want to get where we're going, but I'm going to take some time out today to remind all of you travelers that the journey is as important as the destination.  Case in point, my advice to take a long layover on a European journey.

I may as well do a commercial for Finnair here, but bear with me.  I've spent a lot of time reading about travel and watching it on television.  Face it, I love to go.  One of the shows that I've watched over the years is Anthony Bourdain's The Layover.  I wondered when I was booking this trip, if that was really a good idea.  I began to look into it for my trip to Switzerland, and I found Finnair.  They offered a great rate from JFK Airport to Geneva, Switzerland with a long layover in Helsinki, Finland on the way.  I'd never been to Helsinki, so I decided to give it a try.  For many years, I've flown exclusively on airlines based in the United States, and thought that I should check out another country's airline.

So, I booked my flights, got a great deal, and opted for the layovers.  On the way over, we had an eight hour day during the day to look around.  I checked my travel bible for Europe, The Eyewitness Guide to Europe, and found some things that I thought would be cool to go and see.  Guides like Insight and Eyewitness, and to some degree Lonely Planet and Rough Guides, will tell you a little bit about the area.  My guide told me that Helsinki was very westernized and many people there spoke English and liked to practice their English.  That sounded good.  It was one less language to worry about  on a trip that didn't involve any translators.

I ordered some free travel materials from Finland and Helsinki to learn more about my layover.  What I found out was that they had set up Helsinki to impress new tourists, so that the layovers would bring repeat customers.  They have a bus that goes from the airport to the city center and back every twenty to thirty minutes.  This brings the tourists to the best of the attractions with no stops and for very little money.  The bus stops right outside the terminal at the airport, and it is on the airport map so that all of us tourists can find it easily.  We hopped on the bus and went straight downtown.  The bus driver did speak English.  He spoke it better than some Americans I know.

So I took the trip with the layover in Helsinki.  What can I say?  First, the people at Finnair are great.  They sent me all the information that I needed to know about flying on their airline two weeks in advance of my trip.  They gave me several different phone numbers that I could call if I had any questions.  That was a first for me.

Flying on Finnair was equally terrific.  We each had personal televisions that we could watch pretty much anything on or listen to music or just see where the plane was.  They had good meals, yes there was more than one.  The staff was pleasant and friendly.  Everyone spoke a plethora of languages to help out all the travelers.  The seating was spacious for economy class and the seats were comfortable.  It could not have been a more pleasant flight.  Take that national airlines of the USA.

Once we got to Helsinki, the airport was small, the customs people were friendly, and the whole experience was easy to navigate.  We caught the bus and headed downtown to see what we could see in about six hours.  The day was beautiful, and we were looking forward to a little adventure.  Let the layover begin.

There's more than one town square in Helsinki.  We took the bus to the center of town, just like I'd read about.  We got off at the train station, and the driver made sure that we knew when we had to get back in order to catch our flight on time.  The train station is the centerpiece of that part of town with the clock tower and a  town square there.  From there we headed out to see what we could see.

We went to the Helsinki Cathedral.  This is on another square, elevated many steps up onto a hill.  The cathedral is the largest Lutheran Cathedral in the country, I believe.  In the square in front of it there is a statue of Tsar Alexander II.  He was the last tsar to rule Finland.  The Lutheran Cathedral was built shortly after that period in history.  The inside is beautiful.  You can go in and look around all you want.

We looked around the inside of the cathedral, stopped and the gift shop which was in a little building next to it, listened to the street performers in the square below, and looked around for our next sight to see.  From the top of the cathedral steps we saw the Russian Orthodox Cathedral, so we walked over to see it.

Helsinki's Russian Orthodox Cathedral is the largest of it's kind in that country, dating back to the time of the tsars and the several decades that they ruled the country.  The inside is ornate and amazing to look at.  The cathedral still gets a lot of use today.  Just  because Russia no longer rules doesn't mean that there are no Orthodox believers left by a long shot.  When we were there, it was quite crowded.

Barely across the street from the Russian Cathedral was the waterfront.  There we not only saw old wooden ships that were for rent, but cruise ships, fishing vessels, and sight seeing boats of all kinds.  We opted not to take a boat trip due to our limited time.

Instead, we went to the market place that was on the docks and the waterfront.  There we saw all the native handicrafts, clothing, and art.  We learned a lot about how intertwined Russian and Finnish traditions are.  They had woolens and wood carved totems, but they also had lacquer boxes and nesting dolls.  It was educational, beautiful and fun.

After that we wandered.  We found great shops, little museums, fabulous architecture, and old grand hotels.  It was a beautiful old town, and I'm glad I got to take a look at it.  We learned a lot about Helsinki in just a few hours.  We learned that like most of Europe, if you need a taxi, go to a stand.  We learned that they have street trams in Helsinki rather that subways.  We learned that they still have pay toilets with attendants for the tourists.  We also found out that they have an amusement park right there in the city.  That also is not uncommon in Europe.

So, we went into the unknown.  I didn't know much about Finland or Helsinki.  We found out that it was more European than we thought it would be, but that was great.  We also found out that they have a taste for American things there, that reminded me a little bit of Russia back in the 1990's.  I saw over ten McDonald's while we were there.  I saw several Subway sandwich shops while I was there.  I saw many American stores and restaurants while I was there, including a gigantic Toys R Us.  On the trip back we stayed overnight, and I discovered that they had four Holiday Inns.  Once I learned that, the concept that they spoke English very well didn't seem so exotic.

So, we took the time and saw something along the way.  Sometimes it looked just like the USA, like when we passed the rest area with the McDonald's on the way back to the airport.  It was a unique experience, and the Finns have placed it out there as an option to get people to come back and visit them.  Would I do it again, as a vacation location?  Would I go to Finland?  Yes.  Mission accomplished for Finland.  I like their country and would gladly go back, but they did have to show it to me and get my undivided attention for a while.

Finnair has been going for ninety years, and I wish them 90+ more.  By the time we reach middle age, like I have, the one thing we tend to have is time.  This was a trip where I took some extra time, I saved $300 per ticket, and saw some amazing things.  I found an airline that I would fly again and again, and that I would recommend to everyone I know.  I got a glimpse of a country that I'd never really thought about, and I liked it a lot.  I met friendly kind people, and had a great experience.  All on a layover, just like Anthony Bourdain says.  It's a great idea, it saves money and it adds to the adventure.  So, sleep on the plane.  There's nothing to see over the Atlantic Ocean at night anyway.  Enjoy your layover for once.  Enjoy!

http://www.finnair.com/US/GB/home-page
http://www.ehow.com/how_5670895_stopover-flights-see-another-city.html
http://livecheap.com/travel/vacations/274-long-layover-turn-it-into-a-cheap-vacation
http://www.skyscanner.com/
http://www.icelandair.us/flights/book/
http://www.cheaptrav.com/planning-a-long-layover-in-europe/
http://www.layoverguide.com/
http://www.stopovercityguide.com/articles/airlines-which-allow-free-stopovers.htm
http://www.webjet.com/
http://www.oneworld.com/ 
http://www.cafepress.com/artisticcreationsbyninakindred1
http://www.zazzle.com/imagings
http://pixels.com/profiles/terri-dixon.html

Do Europe on Your Own

It's one of the things that once puzzled me.  How on Earth can a normal, middle income person afford to go to Europe?  We've all looked into the package tour, because it would make sense that if there were a whole bunch of people going, it should cost less.  Then we see the price and give up on that dream of seeing castles and ruins forever.

This is one of the great fallacies of travel.  I've checked out the tours myself.  They are ridiculous.  Most people take them because they worry about an interpreter, or they worry that they will have some kind of legal problems.  Pish posh.  Quit worrying and listen to some great tips on travel in Europe.

Tip #1  Research is your best friend.  Do not call a travel agent, because they will give you their best
            deals.  You probably have a computer.  Use it.  There are dozens of sites that will help you
            find what you need to accomplish your dream trip.

Tip #2 Do everything in advance.  Pay for everything you can in advance.  Book things as far in
           advance as you possibly can.  I book nearly a year ahead to do what I want for the price I
           can afford.

Tip #3 Combine your research for the best offers.  I go to a multi site, like Expedia, and look for
            airfare, hotels, and cars.  Then I get their best offer and go to the company sites to look for
            further discounts.  This does not always work.  But sometimes you do really well with this
            method.

Tip #4 Take the layover.  Most foreign airlines will offer you a great deal on your destination if you
            take a long layover in their country.  Time is something that most of us can afford.  Take the
            time and see a place that you never thought about going to.  It will surprise you.

Here's an example of taking the layover.  This picture is not from the USA.  This is in Helsinki, Finland.  On my latest trip, we took the layover both on the way over for a day and on the way back for a day, and got a great deal on Finnair.  Turns out, lots of people in Helsinki speak English, it was no problem to get around, and we saw some great stuff and learned a lot about Finland.  Make sure you do research on your layover spot, so you can enjoy it and take the extra adventure.  It's worth it.  I also have to say that Finnair treated me to the best overseas flight I've ever had.

Tip#5  Be careful what day of the week you make your bookings on.  I'm not joking.  There are good
            days and bad days for prices.  Airlines lead the pack in that idiosyncrasy.

Tip#6  Check all package deals against separate pricing.  You may be surprised to find out that by
            booking things separately, you can save money.

Tip#7  Check into transportation very carefully.  In Europe, it may be cheaper for you to use the
            train system in your country of choice.  You may wish to take trains instead of drive.  Plan
            out your transportation very carefully.

In Switzerland, they have one of the most efficient train systems in Europe and maybe the world.  There are train stations in most towns.  The cost isn't bad.  The Swiss Card will also save you money on most specialty trains and other transports.  However, if you really want to meander around the countryside, rent a car.  This is all personal choice.  I wanted to see the countryside, so we took the car.  If you would prefer to do more in town exploring, maybe the train pass would be the way to go.  It's all about choices.

Tip#8  Hotels are one of the toughest things to choose on your own.  Truth is, you don't have to
            backpack and stay in hostels to afford your trip.  Just do the same thing as air travel and car
            rentals.  Check the multi sites, check the company against it, and get your best deal.  How
            do you know if it's a nice place or not?  There are a few things you can do.  First, look at
            reviews.  People do tell the truth.  It's very helpful.  Second, look at how long it's been there.
            If it's been around a long time, it's probably all right.

Here's a real tip for you.  Make sure you get something suitable.  It doesn't have to be a chain hotel, and it doesn't have to be a traditional hotel.  In France we stayed just outside Geneva, Switzerland.  We were very close to CERN the physics research facility that is used by physicists from all over the world.  Because of this location, we found an apartment complex that is used as a hotel.  It was a great price, it was homey, and it was in a quiet neighborhood.  The visiting physicists tend to stay there.  It was great.

On the flipside of that, my big goof of the trip was booking a Holiday Inn in Helsinki.  It was a beautiful place, but I thought that it was the Holiday Inn.  In fact it was a Holiday Inn.  There are four of them in Helsinki, and I picked one far from downtown where the tourist spots are.  So, don't think that the familiar is always better.  Find out all about your accommodations and book accordingly.  Reviews will help with that.

Tip#9  Do not plan too many items on your itinerary.  If you plan everything out, you will miss
           something spectacular.  By overplanning, you can ruin your memories.  Yes, you will have
           done what you came to do, but you may have missed the whole point.  Remember, you've
           never been there.  You may just stumble onto something wonderful.  I plan a couple of big
           things that are the centerpiece for why I went to that location, and let the rest materialize.  I
           always talk to the locals, and ask the staff at the hotel about things to do and see.  I always
           ask the hotel staff where to eat.  You should not decide that one on your own.

Case and point for not overplanning.  I went to Switzerland to go up to the top of Jungfrau and to the top of the Schilthorn.  I was there for a while, so we had plenty of time to do other things.  One night, at the recommendation of the girls at our hotel, we went to the campground to a great restaurant for dinner.  We just happened to be there on folklore night.  There were all kinds of traditional dance, music, and crafts.  It was wonderful.  Had we planned everything out to the hour, we never would have seen that.

Tip#10 For my last tip on this list, I have to say to get a sat nav in your car if you're driving.  Take a
             map as well, but you will need this.  It's far easier to find your way around with modern
             technology.  I've done it in the past without it, and it's totally doable, but why bother?  When
             you get to the car rental place, and they upgrade you because no one on Earth ever has the
             car you ordered, just bully them into including it.

Now, I said to also take a map.  That's good advice.  Why?  Well, on my last adventure, we got the sat nav.  In the Alps they have a lot of tunnels.  Every time we went through one, out sat nav got confused.  It's always good to have a backup.  Technology is great until it doesn't work.

So, I've given you a few tips to start you off with.  Remember, you can do this.  I'm not rich, and I did.  I will give more tips in another entry to help with the planning of a great trip.  This is just the tip of the iceberg.  There are a lot of things that if you know about them, you can be a great traveler.  It's all about what you know.
Enjoy!

http://www.expedia.com/
http://www.webjet.com/
http://www.onetravel.com/
http://www.cheaptickets.com/
http://www.hotels.com/
http://www.kayak.com/
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http://www.cafepress.com/artisticcreationsbyninakindred1
http://pixels.com/profiles/terri-dixon.html
http://www.zazzle.com/imagings

The Schilthorn, Swiss Alps

As promised, I have brought home many great tips and ideas from Europe.  Here is my favorite of all the day trips that we took over there.  This is the Schilthorn.  You may ask what that is.  It is a mountain, approximately 9,000 feet high in the Swiss Alps.  National Geographic calls this #12 on it's list of secret journeys.  I thought it was kind of funny that I bought this magazine almost immediately after returning home, and there it was, #12.

How do you get 9,000 feet up to the top of an Alp?  It's easy actually.  You take four gondolas to the top.  You can walk it in seven to eight hours, but I thought that the gondolas were a lot quicker, at about 45 minutes, and a lot more scenic.

Okay, so where is it and how is it done?  There are several ways, believe it or not that you can journey to the top of the Schilthorn.  My recommendation is that you take the package deal that you purchase in Stechelberg, a village in the Lauterbrunnen Valley in the Bernese Oberland.

The Lauterbrunnen Valley is a tiny parcel of land in the valley between several of the biggest Alps.  It's deep, narrow, and comes to a dead end in the village of Stechelberg.  From there, you can climb.  This little village, about 12 kilometers from Interlaken, deep in the Alps, is where you catch your first gondola.  There is a nice woman at the ticket booth who will sell you your package deal to go all the way to the top of the Schilthorn for 98.60 CHF.  If you have a child with you, she will suggest something that is not posted.  She will sell you a junior pass for you child that not only costs a mere 30 CHF, but will work on most of the trains and gondolas in the country for a month.  That's a good deal.

I have to say, I've taken trains up mountains.  The gondola route is so much more dramatic and the views are staggering.  Once you start up the Schilthorn, your first stop is Gimmelwald.  It's one of the many cliff villages in the Lauterbrunnen Valley.  There are maybe three cars in Gimmelwald.  I'm not sure how they got there.  I'm sure the stories must be awe inspiring.  In Gimmelwald, you switch to the next gondola.  Now, each one of these gondolas holds about thirty people, give or take a few.  They all take around 5 to ten minutes of travel time, and you spend about five minutes waiting for each one.

Murren ( sorry I can't print umlauts here) is the second stop along the way.  It's a wonderful little village that I recommend you stop to see on the way down.  When going up a mountain for that view at the top, never stop to see things on the way up.  Alpine weather is similar to the weather here in New England, and I learned  long time ago to get up the mountain while the viewing is good.  You never know when the weather will change.  You can see the other stuff on the way back.

The third stop is called the Birg.  I suppose that there is a day where you can see from here, but our day was not it.  We did not stop at this place.  There is a snack bar, an observation deck, and a gift shop for those who choose to stop along the way.  Once again, do it on the way down.  That's an important tip.

The stop at the top is the Schilthorn peak.  The building is called Piz Gloria, and it is a rotating restaurant.  It turns 360 degrees every hour, so if you go there to eat, which I highly recommend, stay for your hour and get the full view.  It's a fun way to eat lunch.

There are three separate observation decks around Piz Gloria.  There is the main one that is attached to the building, and there are two lower ones on opposite sides, to gain a different perspective.  Why is this multi perspective view important on the Schilthorn?  It's because of it's diverse views.  The Schilthorn is surrounded by deep valleys and then more Alps.  It's a very dramatic view that you can't get on other mountains.

The views are some of the most amazing that I've ever seen from a mountain top.  Also, here the views are always changing, because every time a cloud goes by, it's a whole new viewing ballgame.

Mountain views and good food are nice, but  Piz Gloria and the Schilthorn have something else going for them.  They're a very famous location.  This is the only place that I know of that you can get shot at by James Bond.

James Bond World opened in June of this year and is a tribute to all things Bond.  It has a movie specially made for the location, a bobsled simulator, a part of a helicopter to fool around in, and a lot of Bond displays.  It may seem like an odd location for such a thing, but it's really not.

On Her Majesty's Secret Service, was filmed largely on this location.  George Lazenby played James Bond for his one and only performance.  Diana Rigg was the lovely Teresa, who became the only Mrs. Bond in history.  Telly Savalas was probably the most proficient Blofeld.  James Bond World does focus on this film and it's actors, but it pays tribute to all Bonds.  The restaurant at Piz Gloria has also been preserved just as it looked when they filmed the movie.  It's a lot of fun, and a one of a kind experience for visiting the top of a mountain.

Once you have finished your visit to the top of the Schilthorn, it's time to consider all your options for the trip down.  You can enter or exit your trip at any of the gondola stops along the way.  There is also the path that you can walk all the way down.  Remember, the walk is long.  It is beautiful, but it is long.  Be prepared for that.  There are many places to stop all along the way.  In the winter, this is skiing land.  Murren claims to be the birthplace of Alpine skiing, and they have a lot of places where you can check out this theory in wintertime.  In the summer, it makes for some great hiking.

We chose to get off in Murren and walk to the next gondola at Gimmelwald.  The walk would take us right along the cliff that falls to the valley's bottom in Stechelberg.

Murren is a beautiful village that is set up for tourists.  This place is full of hotels, restaurants, and ski shops.  There are virtually no motor vehicles, because it sits on a cliff, so you can walk the streets and just take it all in.

Gimmelwald was on the other end of our walk, and it was yet another beautiful little cliff village.  This village had a very interesting little shop called the Honesty Shop.  They weren't joking.  No one watches it.  You go in and shop, buy what you want by leaving your money in a box.  They trust you.  I loved that.

In between you have the most amazing forty minutes or so of views you've ever seen in your life.  I couldn't stop staring and taking pictures.  There was nothing that wasn't worth taking a picture of.  It's the best walk you'll ever take.  Promise.  At the end of the walk is the last gondola that takes you back to the valley to Stechelberg.  It's one of the best day trips ever.

I know that it seems impossible to run off the the Bernese Oberland, and you probably have no clue where Lauterbrunnen is.  I'm going to spend a little time over the next few weeks, and I'm going to teach you what I found out on this journey.  You don't need a travel agent.  You don't need a tour package.  You don't need an interpreter.  You can do this on your own, and as I discuss all the wonderful things to do in the Bernese Oberland and other parts of Switzerland, I will be taking an entry here and there to provide tips for the traveler as to how to have a great trip all at your own doing.  I hope you will enjoy all the advice as well as the stories of the great places that are waiting for you to visit.
Enjoy!

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