First letter Wednesday 31.12. at 6.00 a.m.
This is my first trip to London. The trip began already before the morning yesterday; my friend drove me to Turku bus station at three a.m. The bus was at Helsinki-Vantaa Airport at about 5.30 a.m. The airplane left at 8.00 so I had plenty of time to find the right places.
In London the plane was some 9.00 local time. The guide of Aurinkomatkat waited for us. He was a young man. He has long hair and easy-going style. We were about ten persons and I was the only person to go to An-Nur hotel. I left the bus first and signed up to the hotel. The guide came with me and told me I would get my room at 2.00 p.m. It's the common style. The luggage I got to leave to the hotel. I made a deal with the guide that I woud meet him in a pub, called ''Mitre'' at 12.00 o'clock. ''It's there quite near'', he said.
So, I had a map, but anyway, I left to the wrong direction. At last I understood to return and go to the other direction. I was in the pub at 11.45 a.m. and some other travellers came too. The guide told about puclic things, how to use the bus and underground, and what is interesting in the town. Five days aren't enough for all things.
I walked and looked around and tried to set myself and the hotel on the map. My hotel was in a small side street. The bigger street was Bayswater Road and massive big Hyde Park across it. There I must go some day.
At last it was 2.00 p.m. and I got the key to my room in the hotel. I was so tired that I slept in a moment.
A few hours later I waked up and unpacked the suitcase and called my friend in Finland. All was fine, he said.
I went to bed again (silly to go to London to sleep), and waked up at 5.30 this morning. This time I can't do anything else than to write. Breakfast is at 7.30-10.00 daily.
Second letter
Same day 31.12. at 9.00 p.m.
I left hotel this morning already before nine and went to the city. I got on double decker and got out in the city. Where am I, I tought. Regent Street, ok. I walked and walked. The map was necessary, still I didn't know always where I was. At last I found the British Museum. It is the one what is must in London. Unfortunately, I was so tired of all walking that I was able to walk around a couple hours only. From there I searched to Trafalgar Square. It prepared for the evening. A big screen was on the National Gallery's side.
Then I started to think, how to go to the hotel. It was impossible that I would walk there. The map said that Charing Cross Station is quite beside Trafalgar Square, but where? At last I found it. How could I use it? Be brave, my girl! Ok. The nearest station of my hotel was Qweensway, so I had to change the train at Oxford Circus. It was not so difficult. At last I came to the hotel and got to rest my feet.
At few hours later I left for the town on foot. There are about 10.000 pubs and it is
really boring to sit in the hotel room alone. But - it's me! - I didn't dare to go alone. Almost embarrassed got back to the hotel and started to write this letter.
3th letter
Thursday 1.1. at 9.00 a.m.
I had breakfast downstairs. '' Happy New Year!'' wished hotel's staff. Allmost all look like Indian. Hotel's name "An-Nur" seems to be Indian too. This is rather modest hotel, all seems to be old and worn. The room is cold and it blows from the window.
I'll walk to Hyde Park. Weather is cloudy, but not rainy.
At 1.00 p.m.
It started raining when I went to Hyde Park. I walked about half of the enormous park. Other side is Kensington Palace, where Princess Margaret and Princess Diana had own flats. There is a small shop where is sold souvenirs. I bought some marmalade present for neighbor. I went to eat in a kebab-place. It was the first meal there, on Tuesday and yesterday I enjoy only salad and sandwiches. Bayswater Road is full of small places where you can eat and drink. Most of them seem to be ethnic places. All the time you can heard unknown languages.
I got a very pleasant New Year -wish from Finland. Some friends sent a message (I can't translate it English):
Säilyttäköön uusi vuosi sen, mitä rakastat, tuokoon tullessaan sen,
mitä kaipaat ja vieköön mennessään sen, mitä taakkana kannat.
It was so beautiful, that my eyes were full tears when I walking in Hyde Park. It was also my prayer to New Year.
At 9.00 p.m.
At last I dared to go to the pub, but it isn't my place. I drank one beer and went to other side of the street to a pizza place. There was a marvelous pizza, good service and no smoking.
4th letter
Friday 2.1. at 7.00 a.m.
This is a new morning in London. I studied the underground map. What is the easiest route to city? And what would I plan for this day. The Buckingham Palace could be one and Westminster area also. Ok, let see.
At 3.30 p.m.
Six hours in London city took juices out from of me. Underground is really easy and nice way to go from a place A to place B or to place C. The first point today was Harrods. Two hours was enough there. Amount of things is stunning. I'm sure that if you need something, you find it at Harrods - if you have money enough. Then I went to eat to a Thai restaurant. It was a small and homely place and food was very tasty. There was rice and fried pork with vegetables and cost only £4.95.
Reading the map I decided to walk to the Buckingham Palace. It was about two kilometers. Queen Elisabeth hasn't met common people today. Some other days, perhaps. I continued to the Parliament Square, where are The Houses of Parliament, Big Ben and the Westminster Abbey. I would go to the Westminster Abbey, but there was a 100 meters queue. I walked to an underground station and returned to the hotel.
At 9.15. p.m.
How expensive is it there. I walked and looked for some place, where to enjoy a small supper. I could buy something in a shop, but I wanted to go to some restaurant. So I went to the same pizza place as yesterday. The lasagne and a small bottle of beer cost £9.50, it is 16€. I'd never go to so expensive place in Finland.
I called to my friend in Finland. There was -20 degrees. I hope that oil heating was working until I'll get home. All is fine, he said and promised to check the situation tomorrow.
5th letter
Saturday 3.1. at 8.15 a.m.
Today there is on Portobello Road the fair (market). I will go there. It is not so far, by the map about one kilometre. I can go on foot.
At 2.00 p.m.
I don't understand why my feet get tired so much. I walked again extra - of course - when I can't look at right side of the map. What in the map is left is really right or was it opposite...
So, Portobello Road market was not anything. I went too early there, and only few shops opened their doors. There was a beautiful tree sculpture in Indian shop which was a man and woman. I was going to buy it, but I thought that it's too erotic on my bookcase. I'm not a puritan, but perhaps my friends are. It was a cheap market-tour.
I continued by underground to Oxford Street. There is the Selfridges,which is like Stockmann in Finland. Only thing what I bought was Sting's new CD ''Sacred Love'' Awful expensive, £13,99! In Finland it would be much cheaper, I thought. But it's my souvenir from this journey. In here I couldn't buy anything, all is much cheaper and better quality in Finland.
Marimekko has own department at Selfridges. It's fine, Marimekko!
At 8.30 p.m.
I was in the town and ate the most expensive meal of my life, £28.00. I was an Italian restaurant and ordered a lambchop. It was under £10.00, but a little bottle of wine, a mineral water and the dessert menu slipped by the waiter made the evening really expensive. There was about 5-6- men waiters which kept the show with customers. All spoke Italian with their customers. When I came to hotel my daugter Kirsi called me from Finland and asked ''how is going?'' and then after a while called my friend. It is very nice they are thinking of me.
6th letter
Sunday 4.1. at 9 a.m.
The bird singing woke me up this morning. Perhaps they have sung other morning too, but I heard it now. It sounded strange because it's January now.
My journey got near the end. Today is the flight to Finland. There are many places, where I could go, but perhaps I can come sometimes here. With somebody it could be nice to walk here. I'd like to see a usual English life style. Where are usual English people? I'm sure, that all of them don't work in the City. About 80 per cent of people are coloured in the street and immigrants do all the work, the dirtier the work, the blacker the skin.
Now I had got some kind of picture from London. I learned to use underground, I know that this town can take hold, (although seven streets in same crosing get me nervous). The next time it will be much familiar. Perhaps then I'll learn to read the map properly.
I have a couple of hours until I leave my room. It is 11.00 a.m. and the bus is here at 1.10 p.m. Perhaps I'll go to eat something before the bus.
My things are packed already. As usual I had too much clothes with me. Next time I'll take less - perhaps.
7th letter
At home 6.1.
I'd like to write something of my thought to live in London. I liked London, the centre of this is controllable, there are parks and - of course - the Thames. There are new and old buildings, beautiful areas with front-gardens as Notting Hill area. There was a big street near my hotel, where the beautiful buildings have been private villas, but now almost all are hotels. This is Bayswater Road other side is the Hyde Park. Bayswater Road continues as Oxford Street. The Bayswater area was known ''the better people area'', but now there live a lot of coloured people.
One thing I noticed in the street and every place where I moved: people were very kind and polite. ''Thank You! Please! I'm sorry! Excuse me!'' heard even in underground and in crush at Selfridges. The kind smile was self-evident fact in service sectors. When I asked to look the hotel-book by Aurinkomatkat at my hotel's reception,I got answer ''of course, my dear!'' and a smile from the dark man which would melt an ice-mountain. The Finnish people should learn to be polite and
smart.
Learning of the English language on trip wasn't very effective; I'd need oral exercises very much, but only places where I got speak was at hotel reception and in shops. If some person spoke to me I couldn't answer and felt other kept me some imbecile. So, I have had the writing exercise much more than at home.
I don't like to live in England, we have all things much better in Finland. We have the space and all things are working here. I hope that Finnish standard of living will be in the future too.
