The first trip abroad. St. Petersburg-Helsinki. On Oka Bashny.Net

26 photos, and text.

I'll start with the fact that before his thirty-four short years, I have never anywhere abroad was not.
And the desire was not special, and not let homeland because of his love of secrecy.
Here in Russia traveled a lot, and across the border all the way.
But it ever starts for the first time. I, finally, was given a passport, before the New Year, I received a Schengen visa and waited for a suitable occasion to take off abroad.
I suggest to the familiar, to travel by bus or car, but, unfortunately, none of them in the New Year to vanity not going to Finland. And I had to be there because as it gave me a visa this country, and the first visit was to take place there.
Ahead lay a long vacation, I take that proved nothing. It was then that the thought came to me, and to go to Finland in his car. My beast VAZ-1113 with a proud name OKA waiting for me outside the house. I run through the machine at the time little more than 95 thousand kilometers.
Conspired with his friend, whom visas had been closed, the second morning of January we moved from St. Petersburg on the highway "Scandinavia" towards pogran.perehoda Torfyanovka. Sasha (the name of my companion-companion) instructed me about various details of the upcoming intersection gos.granitsy and nuances of behavior over the hill. I'm already worried, and after all these words almost believe that we were not allowed out of the country, not to enter the country of the European Union.





Along the way, we had to buy insurance for the car (green card), buy fifty euros in cash (for a day, according to the rules), refuel the Russian petrol and wash the car.
I wanted to do it all on the road. However, the second of January, few people found the strength to work, and we had to travel a lot of the old Vyborg; search for insurance and currency exchanger take considerable time.
But all the formalities, nevertheless, have been settled, Vyborg inspection (I like this city!) And we go towards the Finnish border. The first control when moving the Saimaa Canal. The very first check my passport. Then, after ten kilometers stops the traffic police: we burned out light beam. Just warned us about this. In the nearest gas station buy a lamp and a car in order.

By the way, about the car: Eye is on track easily, without any problems kept in the general stream. Inside, warm, quiet.
Finally, we reach Torfyanovka. Before moving queue of vehicles. More kilometers to the boundary line. There is time to eat and drink coffee. Sasha photographs, and I do not want to get the camera out of the coffer. Still, border zone, you never know.



Actually all.



Information sign Torfyanovka border crossing.



We stand and people from neighboring machines run out and look for a toilet, which is not there. And forced to hide behind some buildings near the road. Our queue came in about an hour. By mistake, I do not get up to the passport control and customs clearance. To recover, where to direct. The first stamp in the passport, inspection machines, and we leave in the neutral zone. There is still one pogran.post: Vaalimaa. And between the posts the speed limit of 30 km / h. Few people observe it for some reason.
If you turn on the Russian control of the whole held on open ground, windswept, which carried off, was blown off the documents of some people, the Finnish monitoring are neat glazed warm room. I liked it there anymore. And there are normal toilets.
Incidentally, a few times I heard that it is better not to smile when you pass all the procedures on the Finnish border. Like, I think that laugh at them. And I had a great mood, and I smiled. Everyone was smiling at him.
On inspection machines Finnish border guard hesitated, he first saw the Oka arriving to Finland in his shift.
Finally, the inspection is finished, all procedures were followed, and we enter into the territory of the European Union, Finland.
The winter sun is shining brightly, almost no wind. The road cleared of snow. The road is smooth, nice to drive, no other word to choose.
However, the speed limit is 80 km / h. I try not to break, but my Oka and flies, though she accelerates!



Counter.



On the way to Helsinki is a city Hamina. We decided to wrap up there to relax, eat and walk.
The very first issue, there is no place to park! All parking fee! And it's in a small town where, perhaps, the machine is not typed enough to have any problems with parking. Outdoor Raatihuoeenkatu found a place where parking is prohibited, but parking can be no more than one hour. We had with plate special parking (parking time). She set the time in which to put the car and goes off to after the allotted time to rearrange or remove the car. Otherwise fine. Set the time (three o'clock), put a plate under the glass and went for a walk. Come to the town hall, and there on the big tower clock just two hours! Just forget that in Finland a different time zone, the time necessary to translate an hour ago. Quickly back to the car fixed.



It struck by the fact that the streets almost no people. The day off (Sunday) afternoon, but people do not. Only occasionally will take place on the street an elderly woman with ski poles in their hands, or will pass a cyclist, with a red face from frost.



It is a kind of sport, walking with ski poles.



About twenty degrees of frost. Face red, but on a bicycle.



We went to the store. There is also almost no one. Prices unpleasantly high.
On the street darkens, very few people, on our way were only two dog owners with pets. And a lot of bicycles. They allegedly thrown on the streets. Many even do not fastened to a chain, covered with snow, it grew into drifts.



Empty road.



The Orthodox Church, standing honey streets Kazarminkatu and Kadetikoulunkatu, has already been closed, Evening. With renewed vigor depart from Hamina towards Helsinki. Again, smooth road. Almost everywhere it lights illuminate. Interesting relief, on the road just beautiful. On the way across the place where the road literally cut through rocky outcrops in: both sides of the road steep stone walls.
Limitation of eighty kilometers per hour, the speed of the stick (as the main stream), but the machine with the Finnish (or euroallied) numbers often bypass all at high speed. Maybe, just know where the cameras are no violations of photographic images? I do not know. Check for yourself, I did not.
After a ride on Finnish roads, I said to myself that the rear window of my Oki remains clean. Although Russia had often it is cleaned. Yes, windshield washer, I did not include any time! On the roads there is no dirt! Honestly, before this perceived only as stories about the "good life abroad." With the machine is no problem, we go rovnenko. Everywhere hang warning elk, but elk no, we have not met.
It was quite close to us from Helsinki, the restriction of 50 km / h. Going to a fairly heavy traffic. And at some point I can not even see, but simply feel that it is necessary to brake. And for sure. Light up the red light at the traffic lights, which I had not even noticed!
The reasons it had. Firstly, traffic lights really small! Secondly, their traffic lights green light is not flashing before switching immediately without warning turns on a yellow light. Third, we walked along the long-distance track and road is no different from the rest of 230 kilometers of highway. And it turns out, the border industrial zone of Helsinki, the bus turned around here.
Follow the signs turned to the city center but it turned out that it indicated on the bypass road to the center, which is not conducted through the main streets, and was almost the bay. However, consulting the map (which had to park under a sign prohibiting parking), we made sure that we get to the historical center of Helsinki.
Remember, the look of the name (read-then I say they could not!) I was able to bring the Oka River, guided by signs. They are, incidentally, are often located, but the arrows and inscriptions on them are very small, compared with the Russian. However, to read and to the point.
Speed ​​is limited to 50km / h, and in some places, and 30 km / h. Movement tight and I was at first such rate benefit. After all, it is necessary to look at the signs and and follow the signs and consult with the card, and on the sides of his head turn, to admire one of the European capitals. And the red light "trap" yellow light to try not to missed.
Movement tight, but everything is calm, you can go without problems. Wander through the central streets, still decide to try to fly from Helsinki airport to any other country in the Schengen flight low cost airlines. We stop at the sign, is permitted to stand about 15 minutes, check with the card, and after about forty minutes walk on the roads, arriving at the airport. Just before the entrance hangs a plaque with the price list of parking. Free parking there is simply no. It is clear that if we want to fly, you have to put the car payment (minimum of 7 euros per night), but we would at first, yet, see if flying at a low price. We decide to "reconnaissance in force". We are going through the airport, winds, eyeing. Everything as promised on the map, "there is no place, paying a money." There is parking for a meeting flown, but someone has to be in the car, do not turn off the engine, and be no more than fifteen minutes. It does not suit us.
We leave from the airport. But there is no turning back! That's bad luck! We have to go a few kilometers, before being able to turn around and go to the second round of the search of parking at the airport. We were lucky: we found a diner near which it was possible to put the car less than an hour. Set the time to "parking clock" for ten minutes in advance (maybe not notice), we ran into the airport to the booths.



Large spacious rooms have not seen. We were the first and second terminals. Something like a broken English to explain with the woman in the box office, and she us to calculate the cheapest ticket to Paris. 1240 euros. It is clear that we will not fly. We had to pre-book a ticket on the Internet. Then I'd fly for 37 euros. The difference is impressive.
We go back to the machine and again propetlyav at the airport back to Helsinki to the sound of planes taking off, none of which we have not sat down.
But it does not matter, I have not yet passed the first in my life "foreign" capital!
On the way back repeatedly have to vigorously ottormazhivatsya because suddenly switching to yellow traffic lights. "Misses" by turning the right, but again find a way of signs and again find ourselves near the train station.



It is necessary to put the car to go on foot. However, parking is prohibited everywhere, and if permitted, for a fee. We decided to stop by the parking of large magazine Forum, in the hope that there will be an opportunity to leave the car. Schaz, yeah ... 40 cents for fifteen minutes. And it's cheap as it turned out later.
Just a few minutes in the evening petlyaniya Helsinki. From the car window a good look, but I want to go! And we find street right next to the station, Kansakoulukatu, which are allowed to be already two hours! Expose the parking hours fifteen minutes ahead, and finally go for a walk!



On the streets of many fires, a lot of people. It is at first surprised me. I heard that the Finns do not really like to walk in the evening and almost never seen in the city, and then a crowd of people walking! Everywhere crowded, despite the evening. It turned out to visitors from Russia! Everywhere Russian speech. And at the station and on the esplanade, and near the Cathedral and the Market Square.



Sasha, my guide, and the guide.



On the street Unioninkatu an amusing case: one of the billboards located right next to the monument Havis Amanda, came off the program displays advertisements and gave access to the Windows Paint. What I nepreminul use by writing on it with your finger using the touch-screen your username and the date.



What happened.



And, actually, I was next to the "work of rock art." Pleased as an elephant.

Posted in [mergetime] 1294755882 [/ mergetime]
I photographed. Just moved as near the screen to hear the laughter and the Russian language. Someone did the same as me: he wrote a finger across the screen.



The new "discovery": eight in the evening almost everything was closed! Works only bars come in that we had no desire to.



Empty, everything is closed.



But I had hoped to buy some souvenirs on the way back. I thought that there exists any convenience store! Who knew that the Finns are not willing to work hard and everything is close at eight o'clock, and even six! So I was left without a souvenir. Even small magnets are not brought. But, honestly, I thought it was not. I was abroad! It is then for me like this will become the norm, as for most people, but now for me this event!
We see as very close to us from the port into the sea beyond the big ferry. An idea to go to the same in any port of the European Union, the benefit of port terminals in the two blocks away. On street with a funny name for a Russian ear Kanavakatu, we go to the ferry schedule, but the latter has just gone international, and the next will be in the morning at seven o'clock.



Care. On a narrow street, under a sign prohibiting even stop a lot of parked cars! Already listed with snow, long-standing. We wonder: Are the Finns so massively violated? But no, the numbers on all machines in Russia. Everything falls into place.
Not far from the Cathedral of the Assumption is a small fenced playground, which walks a lot of dogs. Oh, and the owners too. As it turned out, to lower the dogs off the leash can be solely on such sites.



I would like to take pictures, but it is already dark. "Postcard" types with a tripod to shoot no desire, and household sketches can not be obtained. Yes, and fatigue with a huge number of impressions being felt.
Again we go through the narrow streets. We are looking for our car. These streets strewn with granite chips, but still slippery. I've heard that the damage caused by fractures, bruises and concussions received citizens of Finland on slippery sidewalks is that the damage exceeds the environmental situation and the Finns are thinking back to the salt or him.reagentam!
The street where we left Oka is very small and it is difficult to find, it is marked on the map is very small, well, that guessed in advance to take a picture of her name and the names of nearby streets. Found. But the car did not see her! Immediately hoists speculate that it was stolen or taken to the tow truck. But it just closed another car and our distant Oku could not see. Relieved. They drank cold coffee from a thermos, a little refreshed. We must move in the opposite way, we both rely only on a day trip; suddenly surging desire to fly, or swim in another country is not in the bill.
Choose a familiar route in the center of Helsinki. Here it is already beginning to annoy the speed limit! I understand that you can not, but really want faster.
Meanwhile, miss a turn and has unexplored streets are back to the train station! It is understandable why! We do not photographed the car near a recognizable place in Helsinki! Take a picture and emptying the streets slowly leave the road leading to the east, to the checkpoint Vaalimaa, in Russia.



And from another angle.



On the highway, a lot of pointers, all is clear, it is difficult to make a mistake. Gaining momentum and go to the border. The route has two lanes in each direction, divided striker, cleared of snow. Illuminated almost all along. And she's smooth! Here are just smooth. You go, and nowhere nothing shakes! Well, I had not believed that such a thing is possible. Finns continue to violate the speed limit. Despite the fact that the penalties are very high and it is calculated as a percentage of their income! But on the roads of the order are good the next car. Only once has an adjoining road literally "fell out" car, forcing us to slow sharply. Guess numbers which country was the car? With Russian, unfortunately.
Driver's fatigue, I did not feel, but a walk through the streets of the city of Kotka, who was on the way, had to be abandoned. Not all at once!
As we approach the border, the beginning of the flash lamp fuel gauge. Gasoline ended. I did not want to refuel Finnish because of its price. 95 gasoline (92 nowhere to be) cost 1.52 euros. But there was nothing, do not stop on the track with the tank dry! At a gas station near the infamous "Washers" Machine refused to take our credit card. I had to feed pyatievrovuyu bill, another of cash was not. Just enough to tuck up the first Russian dressing.
Vaalimaa border crossing on any car at all at that time was not!
We drove into the open gate, one of the guards were not there. They went out of the car, went into the building. At passport control were up two Finns. Stamped and missed us. On the Russian side, too, there was no one, and we safely returned to Russia. Duty-free in his first trip abroad, I never visited. Well I did not know that at the entrance to Russia there can not be, can only be the road!









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