. OnHiatus.com > Journal 1 > Day Index > Journal Entry: September 22, 1997

Monday, September 22, 1997
St. Petersburg, Russia to Helsinki, Finland
Russia's FlagFinland's FlagLeningrad Region's FlagHelsinki's Flag

Map
Helsinki, Finland:
Latitude: 60° 10' 0" North
Longitude: 24° 58' 11" East
Altitude: 152 feet
From Seattle: 6027 miles
Lodging: Hostel - Eurohostel

Map
Today's Travel:
Countries: Russia, Finland
Regions: Leningrad Region, Helsinki
Route: Taxi, Sibelius (train): Helsinki-Moscow, Tram 4
Path:St. Petersburg, Russia - Helsinki, Finland
Linear:186 miles
Weather: Rain

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Map
Trip Stats to Date:
Day: 165
Linear Dist: 78537
Countries Visited: 7
Regions Visited: 43
More stats...
Hotels: 30
Friends / Family: 77
Camping: 35
Hostels: 17
Transit: 6
Beers: 574
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Journal Entry:
Sleep until 11, get up, pack, head out in the pouring rain. Walk down Nevsky Prospekt one last time. Once again go by the Church of the Resurection, the Winter Palace, and the Admirality. Catch a cab with several hours to spare this time. Get to the correct station. Go to the ticket window have to pay 73,500 rubbles (~US$13) to transfer my ticket to todays train. Buy a cheap Russian pocket watch with the last of my rubbles. Wait for the train, and worry about what the Russian border guards are going to do about my expired visa.

Catch the train. The guards come to visit me because they're not very happy with me expired visa. Nobody seems to know what to do, and the train gets held up while the chief is sent for. The chief decides on an 85,000 RUR (about US$15) fine, payable only in Russian currency (which I have none left of). The guards escort me off the train (everyone is watching) and take me to a currency exchange. I get the money, give it to the guard, get a reciept, and get back on the train. Whew, could have been much worse, the conducter tells me that usually I wouldn't have been allowed to leave and would have been sent back to St Petersburg.


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