So, this morning was kind of a non-event as I basically spent it putting an end to the missing bag saga.

You can read up about all of that fun here.

By the time I returned to the hostel I had just enough time to freshen up before it was time for us to catch the tram taking us to the ferry terminal.

There’s a few ferry companies that make the 2 hour Helsinki-Tallinn route but I decided on Eckero Lines as they had a ferry that left at 3:30pm which was kind of a good time to still have half a day in Helsinki and still have the evening in Tallinn.

There was another company that also left around the same time called Linda Line but I had read reviews about how they would cancel without any notice if the weather was choppy.

Well, with my luck with transport at the start of the trip I wasn’t going to touch that company with a 10 foot pole even though the cost was 10 euros cheaper.

Now the ferry rides I’ve gone on have been few and far between but I had been on enough to have a very low expectation of everything from seating to services.

I couldn’t have been more wrong!

The rows of plastic seats and cafeteria food were replaced with bars, restaurants and a ball room.  In fact in a couple of rooms they actually had a live band playing complete with dance floor.

It seemed more like what you’d find on a cruise than a piddly 2 hour ferry service.

The cost of the ticket was only 28 euros ($45) and when you consider we were going from one country to another it felt like a steal.

You listening BC Ferries???

Anyway, I decided to hit the buffet line.  Yes it was pretty expensive at 26 euros but I knew that I’d finally be able to have Scandinavian food so I just didn’t care.

Sure enough the buffet had multiple selections of different meats, seafood, salads and desserts (plus free wine and beer).

In fact I actually didn’t know most of what I ate as all the labelling was only in Finnish with no English in sight.  I actually had to ask someone who spoke English where I could just get old fashioned water.

After a huge meal, a rest period, some dessert, another rest period and some more dessert I waddled out of the dining room and met back up with Chau who opted out of the buffet.

We walked up to the sundeck and then walked around the ferry exploring the vibe and atmosphere of each room.

We finally settled in the huge ball room at the head of the ship where we sat by the windows watching an older couple dance by themselves on the dance floor to the house band playing up various Scandinavian songs.

It was so cute and just mesmerizing to watch.

Before we knew it the ferry ride was over and we docked in Tallinn at 5:45pm.

The walk to the hostel was a grueling 30 minutes and I had forgotten how much of a workout it is to walk with the big pack on your back.

By the time we arrived to the hostel I was sweaty and exhausted and all I could do was climb into my bed, strip down and just lie there.

I met the people who were also staying in the room and they seemed pretty cool.  We talked about our various trips – something I had sorely missed over the last year of non travel.

Part of me wanted to just get my ass out of bed and go out to the common room to hang but the other part of me (the sensible, logical part) said I should just call it a night.

I haven’t slept for more than 4 hours in a row for almost a week now and that, along with my impending jet lag, plus a tickle in my throat signalling an upcoming cold are all good reasons to take it easy.

So, that’s what I did.

Tomorrow is another day…