DAY 4: FROM HELSINKI TO OUR ACCOMMODATION IN KOTKA

We were awake early again at around 6.45am, and decided to try the Silja buffet breakfast, despite the fact that the DFDS buffet had been rather disappointing.

What a good choice! Silja's buffet was brilliant, just like everything else on the boat.

We arrived in Helsinki at 9.45am and were off the boat soon afterwards and on our way to Kotka along the E18 highway. We didn't travel quickly, just took our time, observing things as we went. I was aware of the fact that the landscape looked more Russian-like; flatter than Sweden, but still many forests and water areas- rivers and lakes. Each lake had lovely water lilies in bloom- not something you see often in Scotland. Anna commented that she felt it was like being back in Russia.

By 12noon, we had arrived in Kotka and we soon found Santalahti. As our house would not be ready till 2pm, we had our lunch in the adjacent Golf Centre. I thought my dad would love this, had he been here!
At 2pm we checked in at reception. A problem arose here! Rather than take money in cash, I had paid £1000 into my Mastercard last week in order to pay for the accommodation, but when I presented my card to pay, it refused to swipe successfully in the reception machine! Oh dear! Well, we were given the keys and directed to a bank in Kotka where I could use the card to withdraw the 1360 Euros in cash. A bit of a waste of time!

Sandy and Olivia explore our house soon after arrival.

Anyway, the house is beautiful! Wonderful! Everything new, a lovely living area, fully equipped kitchen, open plan to a dining area with a large table and ten seats, a fantastic bathroom and sauna with a huge jacuzzi, and two seperate toilets! There's a dishwasher, washing maching, a rather cool clothes drier and huge outside decking area with another large table and barbeque. It's heaven!!
From the living room, there are large windows looking down to the beach through pine trees. Sandy immediately proclaimed that he wants to move to Finland to live! Easy to see why!

As I write this, it's 11.30pm, and Anna's folks are approaching the Russian border fast. They'll arrive here in a couple of hours if they get throught the customs formalities fairly quickly.