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29/07/2014

13 festival essentials

Now some of you must be thinking why I'm listing 13 things and not 10 or 15, both of which would be more logical than 13. I just came up with 13 even though I tried hard to find 15. And because I learned some of these things the hard way, I thought I'd make your lives easier and make a list of essential and not-so-essential necessities you might want to bring with you in order to make your day just a bit better. These are my necessities for a festival!

1. Hat/scarf 
A scarf could come in handy as a protector against heatstrokes worn on your head, but if you don't mind it getting a bit dirty, it could also serve as a seat pad. Not bad!

2. Light weight cardigan or jacket
Even if it's hot during the daytime, the nights will feel colder after the sun has set.

3. Pen
Why? Because you never know you'll bump into at the festival. The best case scenario is that you meet some of your favourite bands and you would want an autograph. Alternatively, you might meet a nice person and want his or her name and phone number written down quickly.

4. Disinfectant/wipes
Goes without saying that a portable toilet won't be the most hygienic place in the world, therefore it will feel good to clean your hands with something.

5. Toilet paper
Probably the most important one to remember, because those portables might be lacking toilet paper. And they definitely won't have any when we get closer to midnight.

6. Cash
It's best to use cash as some of the sellers might not accept credit cards. Cash is always the safest way to go - that is if you keep it far away from the pickpockets' hands! - and since you have a budget, you won't overspend. Win win!

7. Camera + extra battery
Perhaps it's not the brightest idea to bring your good SLR camera but do consider something that is easy to carry around. Phones nowadays have good cameras too, but it can be easier to take photos on a camera.

8. Bottle/something to drink
Dehydration sure doesn't sound like a good idea!

9. Small snack
In case the queues for food stalls are unbearable and you're on the verge of fainting, it's good to have a little something with you. Crisps, peanuts, fruits and even sweets are great options.


10. Ear plugs 
To protect your ears, of course. I must confess: I haven't been using these little yellow things at all. I just kind of forgot them even though I had them with me all the time.

11. Something crazy or flowery
Because you can! Just for the fun of wearing something you wouldn't normally wear. It's fun to see people dressed up colourfully - it creates the perfect festival atmosphere.

12. Backpack
Somewhere to keep all of this stuff... what would be handier than a backpack? Make sure it's tightened and doesn't bounce around when you jump!

13. Sunglasses
It's always nice to see the performance even if the sun was shining right into your eyes.


Also bringing other items like your mobile, keys and ticket is obligatory, of course.
I hope you guys enjoy your festivals! x

And just to keep you updated, I received some really bad news from my old French teacher. She told us that our sponsored trip to France has been cancelled due to some financial problems. I was gutted since I had been waiting for the trip like for ever. Now that I just got 10 extra days to my holiday,  we booked a three-day trip to Tallinn with two of my lovely friends. I guess that compensates it a bit. It will be a low-cost trip, so if you're a budget traveller, stay tuned!

16/07/2014

Tree climbing and ropes course in Turku







I found myself in this climbing park Flowpark in Turku after jumping around in Ruisrock. I was so tired but I figured out it would be worth to go climbing again since I enjoyed it in France! And I was right, climbing and sliding was the best way to spend an extra day. Especially all the long glides were you had to jump on nothing were the most fun when you get used to it. There were some nets and barrels on which I couldn't dare to go as they were shaking properly. I think I would've fallen down if I were on one of them. Haha! Much to the other climbers' delight, I then had to turn back and scamper to where I had begun. Ugh.. sorry guys and thanks for moving over. Besides that, I loved this place and its activities!










Next week it's time to head to Helsinki for three days. The weather has been great so I'm really looking forward to hanging outside in parks! Also shopping and visiting a few places like Linnanmäki amusement park and Suomenlinna fortress are on our to-do list. Oh, and those cheap busses which started operating in Finland in the beginning of July? We're going to test them. Paying one euro - that's right, one (1) euro - for a six hour journey is just ridiculous. I hope the bus is alright.

11/07/2014

Ruisrock festival day 2

Our second day at the venue started many hours later than expected due to our late arrival last night morning. Oopsie! Just missed a few artists I would've wanted to see, but to be honest, I needed sleep more than any of the shows. Luckily all the best ones were to play later and we would have well enough time to see them. But the odds weren't in my favour either in the queue, as I spilled coffee all over my white lace crop top. Rosa moved on with a sticky top and a confused look on her face...

After us having a little picnic, I went to see the lovely Veronica Maggio. She's one of the few Swedish artists I like listening to and I've actually learned quite a lot of Swedish listening to her lyrics! And singing along in Swedish didn't cause any difficulties, which I was really happy about. Veronica had a really laid-back feel to her performing which made it enjoyable to watch her


I looked at the screen while waiting for Veronica to begin and noticed she would be signing autographs after the concert. I quickly queued and bought a poster and now have it signed by her hanging on my wall. Yayy!
 
Then I rushed near the stage to wait for Studio Killers. The tent was already packed, probably because this would be the first ever live concert for Studio Killers. Therefore a very historical day! Their show was something different... big video screens, rapid lights and two animal figures in the background. Pretty cool! I myself didn't see them for a long time, though, as I wanted to ensure a good place at another stage where Lily Allen would be performing, because it had to be her I had been waiting for the most. And I've got to admit, it paid off to leave Studio Killers earlier since I was one of the happy girls seeing Lily in the 5th row! Awesomeness.






Hope you all have had a nice summer! Go to festivals if you can, it's indeed one of the best things you can do now.

07/07/2014

Ruisrock festival day 1

So it is. The long-awaited Ruisrock festival is now over. On both days, Friday and Sturday, the tickets were sold out which meant there were 35,000 festivalgoers running around each day. That's enough to lose your friends or queue for the toilets - and pretty much anywhere you wanted to go - for at least half an hour. Anyhow, these two days were enriching in both the good and the bad. More in the good, of course!

I quickly checked out a Finnish singer Erin and a Swedish band called Mando Diao, but the first band I really queued for and was eager to see was Bastille. They played and performed really well and because they started at 8.00 PM I even got a few good shots of them. Woo! Then I went to see Example but didn't stay for a long time despite my good place, because I found their show slightly boring. I would rather sit down and rest before the last gigs. I didn't even have to sit down for a long time and there were already some locals around me with whom I chatted for some time.



After meeting my parents I scurried as fast as I could to the stage where The Offspring would be playing. It was too little, too late as the front was already packed with plenty of fans. I met some girls even shorter than me, so we squeezed together just a bit closer to the stage. Well, that happened to be a VERY BAD CHOICE because we got to be the "walls" of a mosh pit. Could you imagine a worse place? I couldn't. I had to wiggle my way backwards in order to stay on my feet. That's why I didn't really get any photos of The Offspring. But what was sweet was that some guy offered piggyback rides so I could see much better from the back. Festival people can also be lovely, thank you so much!

Last but not least it was time for David Guetta! He really made the ground move with his music (The venue ground is all clay and the bass makes it bounce up and down) The lights, the confetti and bass was everything we needed for a perfect little party.


Just to ensure you guys festivals aren't glitzy and glamourous, I would like to tell you about our nice taxi queue which was three hours long. Approximately there went 2-6 taxis in one hour. You can only imagine all the angry people who were fed up with the waiting. We got to our hotel safely, but it was already 5 AM. I could just kiss goodbye to my good night's sleep. As if being awake for 22 hours weren't enough, it would be time for another long festival day the following day.

01/07/2014

Ice cream wonderland










Hey guys! A restaurant might not be the first thing to spring to your mind when you start to think about your holiday. Nevertheless, I must mention this ice cream parlour called Latinos, which became one of my favourite places in Saint Raphaël thanks to its marvellous desserts. They had more or less 40 flavours to choose from including the exciting Red Bull and delicious chocolates like Kinder Bueno and Mars. Even their fruit sorbets tasted much better than the regular Finnish ones! It's too bad we don't have these ice creams over here... I guess its one of the privileges of travelling. Eating different kinds of foods... or ice creams, if you like!