Booking Hotels on line

Once I have decided on the best flight for me, but before I book, I check if there are any relevant package deals, for flight and hotel. This can save a lot of money. Travelocity has this option, and several airline sites do as well. If no package is relevant I go on to my favorite hotel booking sites, Booking and Agoda.

I like Booking.com because of the attractive and easy to navigate graphics, but for me Agoda wins hands down. If you are missing the human touch of a travel agent, in handling small complicated details, or in handling computer glitches, or complicated cancellations, well Agoda has a live chat, where you are chatting to a real person in real time. The other advantage of Agoda is that you can accumulate points and then get discounts on your next booking within the same year. I recently got a $25 discount! But the real plus point is that their prices are unmatchable.

I also check out the hotel's web site. Sometimes these are hard to find in amongst all the booking sites, but get to the actual hotel's own site, then compare prices.

Just before I finalize my hotel reservation I read reviews about the hotel on

Trip Advisor. This has often made me change my mind about a hotel. I pay attention to reviews that refer to the physical condition and location of the hotel, more than to those that complain of grumpy staff or a broken T.V. as these are things that could be a one-off. You can also ask other travelers specific questions on the Trip Advisor forum.

Phot of the Glo Hotel in Helsinki, THE best hotel I have stayed at.

Planning and booking flights on line

In this day and age there is really no need for using the local high street travel agency.

I browse around destinations, and with all the info in front of me on the web I can make a good choice. Then I look at flights. I like to check the airline of my country, and my destination's airline. Czech Airlines, for example have the best prices for flights to Prague. Then I double check at Kayak and Travelocity, I have found the other sites like Expedia not as well priced. There are always new ticket sites being established, and their names are bound to pop-up during your research.
Once I have decided on the best flight for me, but before I book, I check if there are any relevant package deals, for flight and hotel. This can save a lot of money. Travelocity has this option, and several airline sites do as well.

Picture from wikimedia

Tip

Always ask for an upgrade to first class, when flying, you never know you may be lucky!
In fact in hotels and anything else as well, it's your right to ask and their right to say no!

Travel light, always. There is never any reason to take the whole house with you. They sell tooth brushes and underpants everywhere, and how drastically can weather change? Not that much.

Always keep your money in more than one place, in case some gets lost, at least you still have more stashed else where.

Always, go somewhere that is different to what you are used to. Why get more of the same. If you live in a desert, go to where it snows, that's what travel is all about.

Always use the Internet. Pre-Internet travel was a different ball game, you always heard about the really cool places you missed, once you got home. These days, you can know what not to miss.

Always read up about the place and it's history and culture. There is no point staring at a monument and not knowing why it is there. And like wise if your nose is stuck in a guide book you will miss a lot.

Tip

Check local festivals and events before you finalize your travel dates. You could be missing a unuque even just by moving your dates a day or two. Try:http://www.festivals.com/ or http://www.bugbog.com/festivals/festivals.html

Photo by Worldnomads.com

Day 7, Finland, Helsinki

A word about the Glo Hotel: I cannot recommend it more highly, not only is it one of the best in Helsinki it is one of the best I have stayed in anywhere in the world. It "Glows" in luxury, location and service.

Our last day in Helsinki we spent shopping, and you could also use this time for museums markets or a bus tour. Having seen all the essentials in the first day in Helsinki, you are now at your leisure. Stockmann department store is the biggest department store in Scandinavia, and although not my favorite, it is worth a look. Also along the same road is H&M, and other familiar stores. Souvenir shops you will find on the Senate Square. By now you would have been up and down the shopping streets, but here is a walking itinerary I found on the net that works well:

Turn right at the hotel Glo door, walk through Esplanade Park to the Market Place, past the Presidential Palace to the Russian Church (Uspenski), turn back walk Aleksanterinkatu to the Alexander's statue and Cathedral (Suurkirkko) and further back to the hotel.Can be done in 1 hour, and you will see all the shopping areas, and a lot of the main sights. As for museums, try the Ateneum Art Museum (2 hours) Finnish National Museum (2-3 hours) or the Cable Factory museums 2-3 hours depending on your taste. Perhaps you prefer markets, and there are a few in the city:Hietalahti Market, Hakaniemi Market (Hietsun Kirppis) or Valtteri Market. If you didn't get a chance to just wander around I always leave the last day to doing just that. Go back to places you would like to revisit, or shops you passed in a hurry. Try a cafe or two, and perhaps the Kynsilaukka Restaurant dedicated to garlic.

Then it is a late flight out or an early evening in to prepare for a morning departure.

Photo by Tomorrow Bystander

Day 6, Finland, Inari & Ivalo

There is plenty to do in Inari, although at first glance it appears to be in the middle of no where, look at a few of the tourist sites for Inari and you will find plenty of sports, Lapland activities, visits to Reindeer farms, felt making businesses and an artists trail that you can follow by yourself around to various local artists studios. However Inari may be most famous for the Sami Siida Museum so that is what we went to see. The Truth is I preferred the more intimate Sami Museum in Kirona, Sweden, but this one is on a level with international museums. It is full of technical, 3D, arty displays, with a sound track of a babbling brook, and then Sami ritual singing in the background. There is also an impressive display of Sami art. You can spend about an hour here, and there is also a cafe.


After this we took the bus back to Ivalo, where we waited for the flight to Helsinki. While in Ivalo we eat in the Hotel Kultahippu, highly recommended, intimate, dark wood, pub/restaurant. Then the biggest tip I can give you for Ivalo: If you are coming from the Kultahippu Hotel, in the direction of the main road, you will see on your right a sign for Playmobile, outside a shop that sells souvenirs, toys and other odds and ends. This is a cheap shop for souvenirs,but the gems are all in the basement. Once in the shop, you will see some stairs going down, there you will find a jumble sale of items, ranging from clothes to souvenirs. The prices here are much lower than upstairs, it really is a bargain basement. So rummage around, you are sure to find something. We saw reindeer antlers for 1 Euro, compared to about 15E in other places.

There is no bus service from Ivalo to the Ivalo airport so it is necessary to take a taxi - 17km, cost approximately 17 Euro).We flew Finair at 18:25 (170.45Euro), and arrived in Helsinki at 19:55. From the Helsinki Vantaa airport we took a bus to the centre(3.5 Euro), and the Hotel Glo is walking distance from the central bus terminal.

Day 5, Finland, Inari

In Lapland, weather it is Norway, Sweden or Finland, you can always find standard snow activities. These include: skiing, cross country skiing, Husky dog sledding, reindeer farm activities, snow mobiles and the less popular, horse riding and ice fishing. Well, we had done most of these activities on previous trips so we went for the ice fishing. Next to the Inari Hotel there is the tourist info which can give advise and contacts, and next to that is the office of "Inari Lake & Snow". It is a family run business, they also run the camping ground down the road. For 155 Euro per person, we were kitted out in snow gear, and went on a 4 hour excursion, riding snow mobiles over the ice covered lake. Our guide took us to two of the local sites, the wooden Pielpajärvi wilderness church and the Island Ukko which was once a Sami burial site. You get to climb the hill on the island, which is high, and open to the elements, especially the wind, but it gives you breathtaking views. After that we stopped in the middle of the lake and tried our hand at ice fishing. Only our guide caught anything. Then he took us to a hut on another island where he lite a fire in the centre and we had a light meal, including cooking the fish over the open fire. We don't eat meat, so feel free to tell them your dietary preferences.

Once back in town we looked around the souvenir shops. Make sure you shop around as although there are only about three shops, the prices vary. We found that the biggest souvenir shop had the best deals.

Over dinner that evening we heard about the Inari International Indigenous Peoples Film festival, and more importantly the after party that would be held in the Inari Hotel! The film festival is worth seeing not only to experience watching films in the outdoor ice theatre , and for seeing unusual films by various indigenous people from around the world, but more importantly, it gives you the chance to get to know these special people in the Inari Hotel pub afterwards. The place gets packed, and there are performances by Sami musicians, really an unforgettable evening.

Photo from Luontoon

Tip - how to hide your money.

Thieves know that travellers like to keep their money around their waists, so that is not the place to keep it. Try taking a bandanna and folding it into a triangle, sew up the two open sides, leaving a small gap of about an inch, at one end. Stuff the money you wont be using that day inside then tie it around your neck as a scarf. The money for the day you can simply keep in your pocket. Always spread your money around a bit, so if your wallet is stolen you still have your money that's in your pocket, if that goes you have money in your bag. etc.

Photo by Lastonein

Day 4, From Rovaniemi to Inari

We had a bus to catch to Inari in the North scheduled for 11:45, so the plan was to see the museum in town - Arktikum - It focuses on Arctic areas and Finnish Lapland’s history and modern day life, as well as a multimedia show about the Northern Lights, exhibitions on the Sami culture and the wild life in the area. Open Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00. Cost 12Euro for an adult. It is clearly marked on the city map that the hotel reception supplies, and is within walking distance. However, we got up slowly and instead walked up and down the pedestrian street, visited the most Northerly McDonald's, and the town mall where the Lordi restaurant is. If you remember they are a rock band that won the Eurovision a few years back, and they all dress up like some kind of fantasy monster like creatures. The restaurant is decorated accordingly. Opposite the restaurant is a supermarket, and an Aloco - the outlet where you can buy alcohol in Finland. So we stocked up and then went back to the hotel and caught a taxi to the central bus station. This I admit is a flaw in my planning - the bus to Inari leaves from the central bus station which is a walkable distance but not with luggage, so this adds extra cost - Taxi fare 10Euro.
The bus left promptly at 11:45. It is a very comfortable bus with a toilet, and one are at the back with a table and 4 chairs around it, so try and catch this space for your trip. The ride to Inari takes 5 hours, it costs 93Euro per person one way, and makes several stops. There are about 3 stops just for a cigarette and to use the toilet, and then there is a slightly longer stop(30 min) in Ivalo.
Ivalo is one of the options for staying in the North, but once I had seen it I was glad we chose Inari. Ivalo, although small, is about 3 times the size of Inari, which is very small, and the main road is very wide and long, so getting around on foot would have been more challenging. Although if your purpose is just to have a place to lay your head and then go out every day on excursions, Ivalo would be fine. There is also the cute Hotel Kultahippu which has a warm wood paneled, lobby, which features a bar, slot machines and a fireplace.
The bus delivers the post/mail to all the small villages along the way, and the bus trip gives you the opportunity to see the wide open spaces of Finland, with trees, trees, more trees and ice covered lakes and rivers. Extremely beautiful.
We arrived in Inari. Basically a one street village, where everyone is friendly, and they all know each other. The bus drops you off right outside your hotel, whether you stay at the Inari Hotel of the Kultahovi, where we stayed. There is also a camping ground with cabins a little out of town, and a relatively new Bed and Breakfast, Villa Lanca, opposite the Inari Hotel. How to choose where to stay: Inari Hotel is in the "centre" of town, and has an active bar and pub scene on weekends. The B&B is also central, clean and new, but quieter and more personal. The pro of camping is the price, the con is the distance from town, although they offer all the trips and excursions. The Kultahovi, my choice and favorite: small enough to be intimate, a 5 minute walk from the "centre", and if you get a room like ours you will be very satisfied. Ask for a room in the new wing - the river hotel I think they call it, with a sauna in your bathroom and a sliding door leading on to your own porch, which faces the river and forest. They too provide all the trips and excursions, as well as having a classy restaurant, and a small library. There is also a computer you can use paying by the time you use.

Tip - Eating for free in Greece

If you are running low on cash and traveling in Greece, drop in on your local University. The University students in Greece get hot free meals. You do need to show your student card to enter, or, hang around the cafateria until a helpful student offers to get you in!

Tip - Bus Tours

Save your money on those fancy bus tours, take a local bus that does a circular route, and that way you will probably get to see things a little further out of the city centre. It is always nice to see where the people really live, and not just the touristy areas in the centre. For example 3T in Helsinki, and tram 19 in Munich. It is cheaper than a tourist bus and you will be sitting with locals.

Finland, Day 3

You can leave Helsinki on a SAS flight at 12:00 to Rovaniemi and arrive at 13:30. Now as I have only planned one day in Rovaniemi, maximize your time by going directly to the Santa Village by taxi (+/- 12 Euro) which is only 2km from the airport, instead of going all the way into town and then out again to Santa. Once in the Santa village you can leave your luggage at the reception, and also pick up a map of the village there. Entrance is free. An hour is enough time in the village if you are not with kids, and if it is not Christmas time. There are many souvenir shops, a few restaurants, and the attractions which are a snow park, meeting Santa( free, but no self-taken photos, photos sold starting at 30 Euro), send a letter "from"Santa to your kids (6Euro) and a museum. But of course the place is magical just to walk around, as the Christmas carols are softly played over head. Avoid the high seasons here. We were told that around Christmas you can wait 2 hours in line for Santa, when we just went straight in. You can also buy a certificate to signify that you have crossed the Arctic circle. The certificate is 12 Euro from the restaurant and 6Euro from the reception. Then it is on to Roveniemi by bus(2.90Euro). Tell the bus driver the name of your hotel and he will indicate where to get off. Stay at the City Hotel. It is warm, welcoming, reasonably priced and in the middle of town.
Take a walk up the pedestrian street, or just get some rest until the evening. Then you can do one of the evening activities on offer, like sledding, searching for the Northern Lights, or what we did, have a ski lesson.
We used the ski school at the nearby Ounasvaara Ski slops.

Finland, Day 2, part 2

On arriving back in Market square you can begin a walk around the city taking in the major sites. Take a map with all of the sites marked. As you exit the Old Market on your right you will see the red-brick Uspenski Cathedral on to top of a slight hill. Walk to it, up the hill and have a look around. The church has an exquisite interior and is used by Orthodox Christian worshipers. Then down again. At the base of that hill you will see the Garlic restaurant. So keep it in mind if you are looking for an interesting place to eat at later. Continue straight up the rather narrow street opposite the restaurant, and this will bring you to Senate Square at the corner of Unioninkatu and Aleksanterinkatu streets. I maybe wrong but this is the greatest concentration of souvenir shops you will find in Helsinki, so if you have to have a mug, troll, or magnet this is the place to buy it. On the square is also the tourist info, library, Helsinki Lutheran Cathedral, the Government Palace, the main building of the University of Helsinki and a shop for sauna paraphernalia. The oldest stone building in Helsinki is the Sederholm House located on the southeast corner of the square. The main building of the City Museum can be found on the Sofiankatu museum street. Standing centre is the statue of Tsar Alexander II of Russia. Take a run up the steps of the Cathedral - great photo op - and poke around in this far let ornate Cathedral. The entrance is on the left hand side of the building, not the side where the steps are. Open Mon-Sun 9-18, during summer 9-24. Leave from the same side entrance you used to go in and go straight down the steps in front of you, not the ones on the square. Now you are walking to the shopping area of the city, and Alexander Street. On this street you can catch a 3T tram to Kauppakorkeakoulut. Get off here and follow the sign to the Rock Church or Temppeliaukio Church at Lutherinkatu 3. This unusual church is built into the granite rock that Helsinki is built on. There is also a touristy shop just by the entrance. Open basically from 10am to 8pm and closed on Tuesdays in winter between 12:45-14:15. Check out the site for the complicated open hours. Now return on 3T ending up back on the Esplanade and have a casual stroll down this attractive street. Round off your day with one of the restaurants in the area. You may enjoy the tractor decorated Zetor, or the Iguana, for a good Pizza. The Iguana also has a bar, and a sauna for rent.

Photo by Jenn

Finland, Day 2, part 1

The busiest day, as I want to fit in all the "must sees" so that I am sure we don't miss anything. Make your way to the Market Square, where the ferry leaves for the Suomenlinna Maritime Fortress The ferry-boats leave from between 6am and 2.20am. at a rate of 1 or 2 per hour. There is an additional service boat from Katajanokka on weekdays between 7.25am and 3.25pm. Ferry-boats are part of Helsinki City Transportation system. The normal City Transport tickets are valid on the ferry-boat, so you can use the same ticket you used to get from the airport to town the previous day.Suomenlinna, Viapori-Sveaborg fortress is one of the biggest sea fortresses in the world, unless you are set on knowing every detail and seeing every nook and cranny of the place, I would say it is enough to take a walk from one end of the island to the other. That way you see all the major sites. Don't skip on the submarine, which is a little off the main path and may be open. Because I planned to see this first thing in the morning some of the indoor sites on the island are closed, but the main museum is open. Finish off your visit with coffee in the quaint coffee house near the ferry stop. There are guided walks but they are not really necessary.

Once back in Market Square, as you step off the ferry, look to your left and you will see the Old Food Hall-Hakaniemen kauppahalli. Take a slow stroll around the interesting and flavorsome stalls.

don't miss the chocolate stall, and their delicious mint chocolate- buy by the chunk!

Finland in a winter week - Day 1.

This trip tries to see more than just Helsinki, and to see the incredible Lapland.

Arrive in Helsinki when you exit the International terminal you will see the bus stops. Go to platform 1B and take bus #615. There are other ways to get to town but this is the cheapest and just as easy and quick as the other ways. It takes 30-40 minutes and goes every 20 minutes. You can buy a one way ticket from the driver for 3.40 Euro and this will last you 80 minutes, which means that when you arrive in town you can take a connecting tram/bus/tube using the same ticket. Or you can buy a regional ticket which costs 6 Euro but lasts 24 hours and is good for all the city transport including the ferry to Suomenlinna. This is preferable to the Helsinki card unless you intend to go to a lot of museums.

Once in the city you can find your hotel easily as the bus puts you at the central train station where there are buses and trams to other parts of the city. The Scandic, Holiday Inn, Palace, Glo, Kamp and others are central. We stayed at the Palace but were not too impressed, but later stayed at the Glo and loved it, so I would go straight to the Glo which is walking distance from the station. Having arrived late in the evening we only had time to go out for dinner at the unusual Zetor restaurant which is decorated with tractors and farm paraphernalia. They also have a blackjack table and a dance floor with DJ. Interesting menu and interesting decor. And then to bed.

Summery-Sweden-a week in winter

ALL PRICES ARE FOR TWO PEOPLE.
Day 1.
Flight - Depending where you are coming from.
Same day flight to Kiruna $277 - Norwegian Airhttp://www.ofelas.se/first.html
Taxi from airport to hotel $44
Hotel Ralleran, Kiruna, 3 nights $717 http://www.hotelrallaren.se/
Day 2.
Mine tour $40
Snow festivalhttp://www.snofestivalen.se/english/
Horse back riding $266 http://www.ofelas.se/first.html
Day 3.
Ice Hotel $92 http://www.icehotel.com/Winter/
Northern lights snowmobile $230, Camp Alta http://www.campalta.net/eng_snowmobile.htm
Day 4.
Cross country ski $253 Camp Rapin http://www.ripan.se/en/
Flight, Kiruna-Stockholm $189 http://www.flysas.com/Default.aspx?vst=true&epslanguage=EN
Hotel Stockholm Sheraton, 4 nights $1060 http://www.sheratonstockholm.com/
Day 5.
Stockholm card $100
Scansin Free with Stockholm card
Vasa Museum Free with Stockholm card
Food halls
Day 6.
Gamla Stat
Nobel Museum
Shopping
City Hall tour $16
Day 7. Boat trip http://www.waxholmsbolaget.se/en/default.aspx/
Casinohttp://www.casinocosmopol.se/
Shopping
Day 8.
Bus return to airport $120
Fly home

Stockholm, boat trip, day 7

Our last day was devoted to a boat trip and just hanging around, shopping and doing any last things we felt we had missed or wanted to return to. There are many companies which provide boat trips of various lengths, most of them leave from opposite the Grand Hotel ( go have a peek inside, it is listed in the book "1000 things to do before you die") boats depart from Strömkajen and Strandvägen in the centre of town. Although all guide books and sites rave about the archipelago and say you have to go on an extended boat trip, we chose the shorter version, firstly because of the weather and season, and secondly because from the boat it all seemed like much of a muchness.
The tickets can be booked on the spot. You may choose to take the day and go on the hour long journey run by Waxholmsbolaget to an island like Vaxholm, where you can get off and wander around. Alternatively there are boats that allow you to "island hop", or a boat with the price of a meal included. Some trips are also free or discounted with a Stockholm card. We were on a one hour Winter Boat Tour that did not stop along the way, but which provided reindeer skins to cover ourselves with and had a kiosk that sold beer, soup, a little food and Glogg - hot muled wine - delicious! There was also a running commentary, telling of the islands and landmarks we passed along the way. Cost:180SEK.
In the evening we decided to go to the Casino Cosmopolitan. A little snooty but most casinos outside on America are. A good laugh, and pleasant way to end the trip. In the next blog I will summarize with a blow by blow itinerary and list of costs, and tips.

Stockholm, city Hall, Old Town, Shopping, Day 6

CITY HALL
The only way to visit City Hall is by taking part in a guided tour. The tour ( 45 minutes) goes through the official part of the City Hall. Guided tours are available daily in Swedish and English at 10:00am and 12:00 noon for individuals with no advance reservation (max 9 participants Guided tours 14 - 31 January (subject to changes) Check out the web site as their times are random and the tours in various languages. The tour is worthwhile as the interior is stunning. This is where the Nobel Prize ceremony takes place.City Hall is entered from Stadshusshopen (the City Hall Gift Shop).60SEK. It can be reached by bus: 3, 62 or by underground: T-centralen, Rådhuset.
GAMLA STAN
The most beautiful part of Stockholm for me is the Old Town - Gamla Stan. From the train station walk towards the Sheraton and cross the bridge opposite the hotel. You will find your self walking towards the Palace and the Old town. It is a place to just amble around in, although it is always nice to have some landmarks you are aiming for. So if you start by the Palace where you entered the Old Town and then go on to Storkyrkan, Stockholm's cathedral, which you can enter and see the wooden statue of St. George killing the dragon. Then continue on to Stortorget, an open square where a massacre took place, and on the same square you can see the Nobel Prize Museum(free with Stockholm card). Down one of the nearby allies is a costume shop with beautiful period costumes, the Old Town also has it's share of good leather shops, toys and of course tourist shops. Then follow Kopmangatan down to Osterlangatan, where you will see in Kopmantorget a bronze statue of St. George. Don't miss Martin Trotzig ally. A narrow ally with a width of 35 inches in places. There are plenty of quaint coffee places and some good Italian restaurants. Also a Medieval restaurant witch can be visited in the evening for lots of atmosphere and beer. You can wander around the Old Town for hours. There is also the changing of the guard outside the Palace at 11:00 every day.
SHOPPING
Depending on where you come from and what is available in your country you may or may not find shopping in Stockholm interesting. However whether you are out to buy or just window shopping the pedestrian shopping street, Drottninggatan, which runs from Riksbron Bridge (around the corner from the Sheraton), in Norrmalm to Observatorielunden in Vasastaden is a pleasant experience. Once you reach the end you can keep going and find the regular shops that Stockholm locals use, as well as large department stores like Ahlens, which also has a spa on the top floor where you can get pamper.
EVENING ENTERTAINMENT
Still got energy?
Try skating on the outdoor ice rink in Kungstradgarden. Skating is free, just renting the skates costs 30KR. Get the metro to Kungstradgarden stop, it is a short walk from the water front.

Sweden, Stockholm, Day 5

First of all get a Stockholm card. They can be picked up from the Tourist centre. For our purposes we got the 24 hour card and an Internet deal, because we paid for it on line, of 48 hours for the price of 24. 24hours costs 375SEK, and according to my calculations it pays for itself if you do the things we did in the day I am about to describe.
Take a ferry from Nybroplan to the island of Djurgarden. It leaves every 20 minutes and takes about 8 minutes. Regular price 35SEK, Stockholm card free. Alternatively you can get bus 47 or44 from the central bus station, it is also possible to walk.
On the island you have a myriad of sites including Junibacken, Vasa Museum, Skansen and Grona Lund.
SCANSEN
Scansen is an enormous park consisting of houses from different areas in Sweden that have been brought here. There are also cafes and a zoo with some unusual animals and an aquarium. Take your time as it is extremely large. The best thing about it is that in most of the houses the staff is dressed up in period costume and talk to you as if you have just entered their homes. This includes a chemist, and post office. Open 10:00 - 16:00. Cost 65SEK and free for Stockholm card, well worth it.
VASA MUSEUM
From there it is a pleasant walk to the Vasa Museum, not to be missed, as it is one of a kind. A Viking battle ship in its entirety, the museum itself is well set out. Cost 95 SEK free for Stockholm card.
From here we walked back to the city stopping at several museums along the way. There are a lot of museums in Stockholm. So because we had the card we didn't think twice about just popping in to have a look.
THE FOOD HALLS
By now we were hungry, although we had eaten at one of the Scansen cafes.
Take the metro (also free with your card) to the Hotorget stop. This is the Haymarket. A market selling fruit and veg during the week and a flee market on the weekends. But the attractions around it make it worth a visit. To the South a huge film complex - Filmstaden Sergel and the Hotorgshallen indoor food markets, and to the West is the PUB department store, North is the Kungshallen food hall. After feasting your eyes, and having a sit down, continue to another culinary delight. You can either follow a map and walk or take the metro red line to Ostermalmstorg and take the Ostermalmstorg/Nybrogatan exit. You will find yourself outside another even better food hall the Ostermalmshallen. Don't miss this as it is not only great to see, smell and taste, but mostly full of locals. On your walk from food hall to food hall of course you also pass some good shopping areas.
Back to the hotel and a good night's sleep.

Kiruna to Stockholm, Day 4

FINAL ACTIVITY IN KIRUNA
On our last day in Kiruna we planned to go on a cross country ski, through the Camp Ripan. Camp Ripan has accommodation and activity services, if you choose to stay there the service is basic although the staff are very helpful, and it is at least a 10 minute walk - walking fast - to the town centre. The ski trip was for 2 hours (495SEK) including guide and coffee and cake break. At the last minute we decided not to ski and so they offered us all kinds of alternatives. The guide was a lovely Sami girl, who instead took us to a Sami museum which was closed and had it especially opened for us. There she spent the time telling us about her culture, and specifically about her own life as a Sami. Camp Ripan can be highly recommended for it's service.
At 16:00 we flew SAS for 420SEK each to Stockholm's Arlanda airport. You can definitely find cheaper tickets. This was just the price for the day and time we wanted, but check out the prices and then decide which day to fly on.
GETTING FROM AIRPORT TO STOCKHOLM
The Arlanda express runs every 20 minutes from the airport to the central station for 380SEK return. The Flyggbussarna goes every 10 minutes for 175SEK return to the train station. A taxi would cost about 400SEK.
STOCKHOLM HOTEL
We stayed at the Sheraton. The plus points for this hotel: luxury, excellent location, and if you travel a lot you might want to join their club and collect points to us for free stays in the future. The minus is simply the price. We were staying 4 nights so we got one free, otherwise the price was 1400SEK a night. Whether you stay there or at a different hotel, definitely, without question stay around the train station. It is just across the bridge from the Old Town, and a road away from the main shopping drag. It is also not a slummy area like some train station areas in other cities. In the evening, having just arrived, we went for a walk, dinner and a good nights sleep.

Sweden, Kiruna, Ice Hotel, Day 3

We took bus 501 from the main bus terminal, which is opposite the city hall, to Jukkasjarvi, where the Ice Hotel is, 17km away. The buses only operate on weekdays. You can also reach the Ice Hotel directly from the Kiruna airport which is 12km. The Ice Hotel is open to visitors in the Winter from 10am to 6pm, after that it is just for those staying over night. You can go in to the hotel rooms, chapel, bar and basically look around the entire structure for 295SEK, as well as the souvenir shop of course. We decided not to sleep there because firstly the bath rooms are in another permanent building, and we didn't fancy getting wrapped up to go out to the bathroom each time. Plus the inconvenience of having to be our of your room during the day hours so that people can come a look around. And of course because we would rather be warm! But I can understand someone wanting the experience of actually sleeping there.
The village where it is located is very basic, and a long bus ride from anywhere if you wanted to do something other than be in the ice hotel, but they do provide activities, like Husky, snowmobile etc. We walked into the town, at least 15 minutes, in order to see the famous Sami church there. It really is beautiful and if you are at the Ice Hotel don't miss the church. Next to the church is a reindeer farm or Sami centre which was closed for lunch when we where there but looked interesting. On the walk to the church which is a straight line from the Ice Hotel, we came to a cozy quaint restaurant, which I think is also a hotel. It sits on the edge of a the river Torne, and serves hot meals and coffee. We had salmon soup for the first time. the bus drive to the Ice Hotel is also interesting as you get to see normal people's houses. The bus also passes the Esrange base, which is also a tourist attraction.
In the evening we took a snowmobile safari with Camp Alta to search for the northern lights 375SEK each two people sharing a snowmobile. It goes about 20kms and takes 3.5 hours, it also includes stopping in the middle of nowhere and the guide builds a camp fire and makes coffee. Wonderful experience, and we saw the lights!!

Sweden, Kiruna, Day 2

Kiruna is built on top of the world's largest iron mine. The mine is slowly caving in and there are plans underway to move the entire town to another location. So you are really seeing something here that won't be here in the next twenty years(moving starts 2013). There are many activities to do in and around Kiruna, and you can choose what suites you, but I will tell you what we did.
TOUR OF MINE
A bus leaves from the tourist office, which is in the parking lot outside the Scandic Hotel, just up the road towards the town. It takes you up into the mountains to an exibition mine, and 540 meters underground. The guide takes you through the mine, multimedia show, exihbition and museum. Including coffee and cookies! Daily departures:9am, 3pm, and takes 3 hours. You can book through the tourist office. 280SEK each
SNOW FESTIVAL
The walk up the hill through a park to the main street of the town takes you through an open area where the snow festival is held once a year in the last week of January. If you are going see if your trip coincides with this. They bring huge blocks of hard snow into the park and then teams of artists carve shapes and images into the ice. There is also a reindeer race down the main street and the town is full of Sami people in traditional costume selling their wares. There are also other activities over that week.The town itself in quaint, and has some warm cozy coffee houses, try Safari Cafe where the locals go. When we were there the shoe shop on the main street was having a sale and the boots were going for about $8 a pair!
HORSE RIDING IN SEARCH OF THE NORTHERN LIGHTS
Now you could go on Husky rides, reindeer tours, snowmobile rides, but we chose horses. You are picked up from the hotel driven to the farm (which by the way also rents horse smelly very rural rooms). Then you help prepare the horses, suit up and go riding through total silence of a hundred year old forest. Hopefully you see the northern lights. On returning you have dinner - delicious in the Luvvo - around a very smokey fire and the guide - who is Sami - tells you about their life. Very friendly, casual and helpful. You don't feel like they are watching the clock. Highly recommended. 4 hours - 16:00-20:00. 425SEK each.
On this day the time in between activities is spent walking around town, relaxing and eating. We went for a long walk after we returned from the horses, in the hope of seeing the lights.

Sweden day 1 - 23/01/08

FLIGHT
Flight to Sweden booked directly on KLM site, with a short stop in Frankfurt.
Arrived in Stockholm's Arlanda airport and immediately continued on to Kiruna.
Kiruna Flight on Norwegian airline 880 SEK each return from terminal 4 flight takes 1 1/2 hours. Can also check out SAS, and Barents airlink which has flights from Lulea. It is Sweden's most Northerly airport.
TAXI
The taxi's wait out side, and you can share with other travelers. You can book taxi 24 hours a day at +46(0)980-120 20 at around 350/400SEK (30Euro) taxi ($44) or when you arrive there is a phone on the wall and you can call for one, which then takes about 20 minutes. If you fly in the high season there is an airport bus which is much cheaper.
HOTEL
Stay at the Ralleran Hotel. (There is also a Scandic, but don't be tempted by the net saying it is closer to town. It is about 3 minutes closer and had NO character. It does have a lively pub, but that is something you want to visit, not sleep on to of. There are other smaller but descent places to stay, but the Ralleran combines all the best - location, excellent food, service, cleanliness, room size and style, sauna, hot tub internet, service and wonderful laid back friendly staff. It does also have a unique feature - in the garden there are one or two Luvvos(made out like the Sami people's traditional homes, but with all the mod cons, and heating) it also has a glass top so you can lie in bed and look up to the northern lights. The Luvvo has a super technical shower, including in-shower-radio, and some of the rooms in the main building have a jacuzzi. I was apprehensive when we went, so I booked one night in the Luvvo and 2 nights inside the hotel. But it was fantastic and so don't hesitate to make your whole stay there if you like. Total for 2 nights in hotel, and 1 night in Luvvo, including great breakfast -4585SEK ($717)

SWEDEN

One week in Sweden in the winter (January/Febuary).It is based on two travellers, some where between budget and splurging. This is a trip for those who like to move around alot, do and see a lot, and see the knowen sights as well as the road less traveled. In other words to get a taste of various areas around the country. Costs have been given for 2008 and the whole trip was booked and planned online. This itinery has been tried and tested.

**TIP** Booking flights online

Many of the rules applying to booking hotels also apply to flights.
First choose your destination. Shop around. There are many flight sites.

• Make sure you check the national airline of the country you are departing from and the one you are going to.
• Some sites quote the prices before tax, so look for the small print.
• You can save a lot of money if you are willing to have a lay over of a few hours in the airline's home airport.
• Note whether the time of arrival at your destination is not the next day. That can be a nasty surprise.
• If you fly regularly it can pay to join a frequent flier club sothat you get points that can be used for discounts, and free flights (it doesn't hapen often, as you really have to fly alot). If you do join one check out it's partners, so that you can get points from hotels, and other airlines as well.
• There are sites that check other sites for you. Rather do it yourself.
• Prices change, so start looking as far ahead as possible and check back regularly. The earlier you book the cheaper.
• Book off season.
• If you are flexable fly to a city nearwhere you want to go, if it is cheaper. YOu will also get to see another city. Capital cities are of course cheaper to fly to.
• Kayak have a helpful chart called "Chart view" which shows the whole month and which periods are cheaper or more expencive for your flight.

So here are some of my favorite sites in an example of price comparing:

There are many other sites, just search and search, if flying from UK try ryanair, don't forget to check the airline sites, and charter flights.

A return flight from Tel Aviv to Hamburg.

http://www.kayak.com/ Lufthansa $442

http://www.travelocity.com/ Lufthansa $446, El AL$ 476

http://www.czechairlines.com/en/portal/homepage/il_homepage.htm $422 not exact dates

http://www.edreams.com/edreams/english/ $876 Turkish air (for some destinations edream are good. The outward and inward flight prices are quoted seperately)

http://www.expedia.com/daily/home/default.asp?rfrr=-1065 Lufthansa $448

http://www.lufthansa.com/online/portal/lh/us/homepage?l=en&nodeid=1678690&cid=1000390 $585

**TIP** Hotel Booking

First look around on any site with hotels in the city you are looking for. Once you have narrowed it down to a few hotels, then look for those hotel's web sites. Always start with the Hotel's actual site. Find the price they offer - the cheapest price they can offer is called a Rack Price. Then you can go on to look at other hotel booking sites, in order to compare prices.
Remember:

• If one site says there are no rooms available, other sites could still have rooms.
• The sites with "live chat" help are very useful.
• Compare apples to apples -
• Make sure you are comparing prices in the same currency.
• Does it include breakfast.
• What are the rules for cancelation.
• How close is the hotel to the railway/bus station, and the sites.

To give you a few names of booking sites, and also illustrate how much the prices on the net can vary, have a look at this example, for booking 2 nights in a double room in Helsinki:
Hotel Linna 14/01/09 - 16/01/09 Double
Booking.com 340 Euro
Hoteltravel.com 286 Euro
Linna Hotel 340 Euro
Agoda.com 150 Euro

Needless to say my favorite site is Agoda. Apart from having excellent prices, they also credit you a few Dollars for your next booking, and have livechat help. Notice though, that they can quote the hotel in any currency you choose, but the final bill can then be quoted in Dollars.

Bon voyage!

If you want to stuff as much as possible into a week of travel - in other words - if you work and/or have kids and other commitments but still have travel goals and an adventurous nature - this blog is for you.

If you would rather see the world than lie on a beach - this blog is for you.
If you can't stand running with the pack on organized tours, but still want the trip to go like clock-work - this blog is for you.

If you have never found a friendly travel agent who actually has time and patience to find you that perfect price or slightly off-the-beaten-track location - then watch this space!
I'll help you plan your trip, and give you tips about booking everything yourself. I'll share with you a few of my adventures, and the exciting and interesting things you can still do, even when on a budget of time and money.

You will be able to also download full itineries of trips to Norway, Sweden, Germany, Israel, England and more.

I will even correspond with you and help plan your trip.

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