Byebye Turku, hello Faroe Islands!

Woke up an hour before I first intended to, but that was just a good thing. I slept well, which is unusual, but I was pretty tired from work.

I had packed most of the stuff I think I'll be needing the evening before, but all of the small stuff (e.g. cosmetics and electronics) were still unpacked. I showered, ate, packed, ran around fussing and reorganizing in general. Ended up packing a big back pack (I've had it for over fifteen years! HALTI backpack - a very good brand!) and my computer backpack (Samsonite, also very durable!). I hate dragging my luggage around, which is why I prefer wearing my gear. Hence the two backpacks.

Glad my fridge had gotten to be pretty empty so there was not much to throw away. Did remember to water my three flowers. Did not have time to vacuum (Sorry, Outi, if you're staying at my place;) but it's clean otherwise. Blah, I also had to clean out my common kitchen space because hay might(! stressing the "might" here...) be cleaning it while I'm away… So my kitchen utilities are crammed in my small room (Sorry again, Outi;).

Päivi came and picked me up. I can always hear her coming in the corridor in her heels:) Since I was jittery and all set to go before she even came to my door, we had time to get a cup of coffee at Turku airport. Anxiously I sat and stirred my coffee. Then it was time to leave. Hugs and byebyes.

Check-in in Turku is easy because the airport is quite nice because it's teeny-tiny-small. But unfortunately I didn't get my bags to go directly to the Faroe Islands: I had two separate bookings (=two different companies), so I'd need to pick up my bag in Kastrup/Copenhagen. Glad though: I'll probably be getting some frequent flyer miles for this trip - meaning the leg flown by Atlantic Airways/Copenhagen -> Faroes! Why else would they be asking for my EuroBonus (SAS membership) number? Trip to Svalbard = one step closer!:)

The flight left early and landed early. I'd been a bit stressed about the claiming-my-bag-scene before continuing to the Faroes, so I ordered a sandwich on the plane. Unfortunately they didn't have any sandwiches left, so I chose a turkey&pasta salad. Okay, my most expensive meal so far was in Iceland in 2003: 10 euros for a Big Mac Meal (gees Louise!) but this pasta salad 2010 came to a shared first place with this infamous Big Mac! And no, it was not that good.

I had good company on the plane. We sat in the emergency exit seats so we had extra leg space. We had a nice chat and the gentleman helped me to claim my bag and kindly directed me to my flight. I impressed the Danish security personnel with quick and effective moves and with an exceptionally well packed carry on. Good girl!:) Was pleased.

It was very interesting to sit in the section for the Faroe Islands. I observed them, listened to them, but the feeling was a bit like listening to Estonian. Understand some of it, have a sense of what's being said, and yet, you can't be sure if you've understood anything correctly. I bluntly stared at people and their mouths as they spoke, looked in their faces to see if they looked alike. When we got up to queue for the boarding a lady asked me something in Faroese. She was surprised to hear me answer with "Excuse me?" and said that she thought I was Faroese because I look Faroese. I responded with: "Thanks for the complement!":) Was happy.

On the plane I noticed the friendly and happy chattering of the passengers. Many of them obviously knew each other and said their hellos to and waved at each other. Apparently the Faroese Football Team were on the same flight:) A good development in this story:) Also, I was told, that in the seats next to us was the Faroese mister of foreign affairs! Many people came by to chat him up. Friends and concerned citizens, probably both.

Eagerly I read the Atlantic Airways magazine "Atlantic Review", which had some interesting articles in English, Danish and Faroese. The Faroese bits were about this Faroese guy, Jógvan Hansen, making a name for himself as Iceland's new X-factor talent and another article about Faroese sayings and proverbs. I think I actually understood the most of the writing. Had nice conversations with the man on my right and the woman on my left side. The service on the plane was awesome: a sandwich, coffee, tea, juice and alcohol as much as you wanted! I ate my sandwich with coffee and had a Bailey's for desert:) Nice.

When we landed we ploughed through the thick clouds and were finally met by green mountains with a landing strip in the middle. The flight was all in all pleasant, no turbulence. The weather was foggy and misty, quite humid. Clouds of mist were clinging to the amazingly green hills ands mountains. The airport was about the same size as in Turku, small and modest. My fellow passengers made sure I got on the right bus into Tórshavn. The bus ride into Tórshavn was shorter than I expected. (I also got a student discount, which is always nice.) At the bus terminal I was met by one of our teachers, Jógvan, and he took me to my place of accommodation.

So I am now living in a nice room rented by Mrs. Fanny, a retired nurse and a widow. My room is about 20m2 with my own bathroom/toilet: pretty much the same as at home. Large windows, light wooden floor panels, a big bed, a closet and a table. The kitchen is upstairs and there is a dish washer and some kitchen utilities which can be used to prepare food. Today two Swedish girls will be arriving and they'll take the two other extra rooms in Fanny's house, one room in the middle floor, one in the attic (a studio room with a nice view over the town and harbor). I'm glad I got here first a got the best room!:)

My room:)

Mrs. Fanny's house, entrance up the street (=behind the trees)

Hellutún 11, Mrs. Fanny's house.

In the evening I went for a walk and grocery shopping and also took a few photos. The weather was okay, but I was too tired to go out on the town on my own, so I just came home and made myself a sandwich and went to bed at 02:00 Finnish time. Here it was only midnight but I was beat!