Woke up way too early: jet lagged, anxious, and still no bag (yes, spoiler: it still hasn’t arrived). I figured I might as well be productive, so I went on a mission for a toothbrush and toothpaste. Luckily there was a convenience store basically around the corner from my hostel. I also grabbed a random half-off pastry that ended up being surprisingly delicious, so that was a nice little win.

After that, I decided to head toward the more touristy part of Helsinki. On my way to the metro, I randomly came across this massive outdoor market with food and crafts from all different countries. Totally unexpected but super cool, so I wandered around for a bit and just soaked it all in.

Eventually I got on the metro and made my way to Senate Square to see the Helsinki Cathedral. It was under construction but still really pretty, so no complaints. Then I hopped on a tram to the very bottom of the city to check out the Loyly Sauna, a place a friend had recommended. Saunas are a big deal here, so I knew I had to try it. The only problem? I still don’t have my clothes… including a swimsuit. Thankfully they had rentals for €8 so crisis was averted!

Once I changed, I spent about two hours exploring the site. There were four different sauna rooms, and since the air outside was a crisp 50°F, it felt amazing to go back and forth between hot and cold. I also found a few cozy sitting areas to chill in, and when I was done I got to take a hot shower and use actual shampoo (which was genuinely thrilling after two full days without any of my own toiletries). The whole experience was super relaxing and such a fun solo first.

After the sauna, I took a bus over to this restaurant called Ravintola Kannas that serves traditional Finnish food. I got a Finnish beer and some meatballs and they were super yummy. I don’t usually eat out alone, but I ended up really enjoying it. Something about sitting with a great meal and just vibing by yourself in a new city is kind of the best?

It was getting dark at that point, and I was already crashing from the early start, so I took the metro back to the hostel. But right as I was laying down and finally winding down for the night… the fire alarm started going off. Cue me throwing on my boots and sweater, grabbing my fanny pack (passport = priority), and rushing outside. Everyone in the hostel was totally confused. Some people tried to get in the elevator (??) but I said I was finding the stairs and suddenly the entire floor was following me down 11 flights like I was leading a field trip lol. We got outside and didn’t see any fire or smoke, but eventually the fire department showed up, walked around inside for a bit, and then gave us the all-clear. We stood out there for 45 minutes in the meantime freezing our booties off. And just for fun, the alarm randomly went off again a few more times in the night before turning off after a few seconds each time. Sooo yeah, didn’t exactly sleep like a baby haha.

Anyway, that’s Day 2! Life is clearly pulling out all the stops to make sure this trip is memorable from the jump. Stay tuned to see if I ever get my backpack back. 🤪