Sokos Vaakuna had provided an early breakfast takeaway sandwich and coffee. The main railway station building was locked and one of two ticket machines on the platform was working so I got my I train ticket and boarded the train.
About 28 minutes later I was in Helsinki airport and ready for my 0845 flight which went without a hitch.
The layover of close to 7 hours in Keflavik airport was a bit much so I left the secured area and walked down to the shoreline and back, stopping for a sandwich and drink in Keflavik itself. There is a recreational path from the airport of about 3.5km which is edged by clusters of purple Lupins.
I was warned to be back in plenty of time so I hoofed it at about 6kph. The automated entry gate would not honour my boarding pass, saying it had already been used, so I had to have human override in order to enter. Guess not many people go venturing into Keflavik.
Keflavik airport suffers greatly from the successful tourism campaign of Icelandair. The D gates filled up with passengers for four flights unfortunately scheduled at the same time; Seattle, Boston, Vancouver and Toronto. There is minimal seating, no announcements, very little discrimination as to lineup areas, and inevitable delays. It is very unpleasant.
A little over 5 hours and I was in Toronto making my way through their increasingly chaotic hodgepodge of border control systems. People, smarten up and design a decent system!
Another 5 hour layover and then my final Westjet leg to Ottawa where a 97 bus was waiting outside.
The ride downtown with the inevitable mall rats going for a late night on Rideau brought me to Albert and Rochester where I walked a few blocks to home and collapsed.
Keflavik Shore
Recreational Path
Party Boat in Turku
Art Gallery Courtyard, Turku
Street Food Turku
Ferry Cafe
Art Trail, near Hotel Nestor, Korpoo
Don't get lost in the Finnish forest.
That is all,
Jim
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