Trip to Helsinki - Blog 6

TUESDAY 22 SEPTEMBER
0900 hrs – Got up and had toast and ham then some Syltsprits Hillosilmä for breakfast

1030 hrs – Left luggage at the apartment and headed down to Market Square

1100 hrs – Arrived at Market Square and had a look around

1215 hrs – Stopped at one of the market stalls and had sausages and potatoes

1230 hrs – Left Market Square and headed back to the apartment to pick up the luggage. Dad went and got luggage while mum and I had a look in a jewellers across the road from the apartment. We then headed to the taxi rank just round the corner and got a taxi to the airport.

1440 hrs – Arrived at Helsinki Vantaa Airport, had a drink and a muffin at Coffee Spoon, got checked in, went to the loo then went through security and headed to the gate

1735 hrs – Boarded the 1755 hrs flight to Heathrow

1915 hrs – Took off from Helsinki after a delay due to a leak in the right engine

(Times are now GMT)
2030 hrs – Arrived at Heathrow Terminal 3. Rushed to Terminal 5 to catch the 2100 hrs flight to Edinburgh. We would have missed it and had to spend a night in London had it not been delayed as well. It was delayed technical problems, they replaced that plane only to find the replacement had a contaminated water supply so had to find another replacement. It was delayed by 40 minutes

2140 hrs – Took off from Heathrow bound for Edinburgh

2320 hrs – Arrived at Edinburgh, got our bags and my wheelchair from baggage reclaim then got the bus to the long stay car park

2340 hrs – Left Edinburgh Airport

0040 hrs – Arrived back in my hometown of Galashiels and got the essentials unpacked

0140 hrs – Got ready for and into bed

Trip to Helsinki - Blog 5

MONDAY 21 SEPTEMBER
0845 hrs - Got up and had toast and peppered ham for breakfast

0930 hrs – Got ready to go to Market Square

0950 hrs – Left to go to Market Square

1020 hrs – Arrived at Market Square and bought tickets for Sunlines “Beautiful Canal Route” 1 and a half hour cruise which takes you round some of Helsinki’s islands

1100 hrs – Left on cruise

1230 hrs – Got back to Market Square and went round the market and then went to Uspenski Cathedral. I couldn’t get in with my wheelchair so mum and I sat outside while dad went in and took photos

1620 hrs – Stopped at Chico’s in The Forum for something to eat. I had breaded cheese fingers then a brownie. Dad had a barbeque cheeseburger and mum had grilled chicken fillet, blue cheese, pepper sauce, vegetables and potato wedges (Bonnie & Clyde)

1750 hrs – Got back to the apartment

2030 hrs – Dad made meatballs and mash for tea

2230 hrs – Went to bed

Trip to Helsinki - Blog 4

SUNDAY 20 SEPTEMBER
0830 hrs – Got up and had toast and peppered ham for breakfast

0930 hrs – Got taxi to Market Square

1000 hrs – Got ferry out to Suomenlinna

1015 hrs – Arrived at Suomenlinna. Went around the island. Stopped for something to eat at Panimo. Mum had herring, dad had sautéed reindeer and I had lasagne with carrot and ginger sauce. We all had a try of each others

1500 hrs – Got the ferry back to Market Square

1515 hrs – Arrived back at Market Square

1620 hrs – Went to the supermarket at the bus station

1730 hrs – Got back to the apartment and had shower

2200 hrs – Went to bed

0400 hrs – Woke up and couldn’t get back to sleep

Trip to Helsinki - Blog 3

SATURDAY 19 SEPTEMBER

0900 hrs – Got up had toast, ham and cheese for breakfast and got ready to go out

1000 hrs – Left the apartment and went to Sibelius Park to see the monument then we went to see the Olympic and Finnair Stadiums and worked our way back to the apartment past Finlandia Hall and the Opera House.

1345 hrs – Got back to the apartment after nipping into a supermarket to buy stuff for tea. Started making Spaghetti Bolognaise for tea.

1630 hrs – Got a taxi to the Hartwall Areena. It took about 10 minutes

1800 hrs – Got let into the Hartwall

1945 hrs – Apocalyptica came on and had someone come on stage with them to do the vocals on “I’m Not Jesus” and “I Don’t Care”. I thought they were ok but not as good as when I have seen them previously

2100 hrs – Nightwish came on and their set was:
Intro (Finlandia) – with Troy Donockley
7 Days to the Wolves
Wishmaster
Romanticide
Amaranth
The Siren - with Pekka Kuusisto
While Your Lips Are Still Red – with Pekka Kuusisto
Poet and the Pendulum
Nemo
Sahara
Dark Chest of Wonders
The Islander - with Troy Donockley
Walking in the Air - with Troy Donockley
Last of the Wilds - with Troy Donockley
Meadows of Heaven - with Troy Donockley
Ghost Love Score
Wish I Had an Angel
Outro (The Heart Asks For Pleasure First)

This was the best Nightwish show I have been to. I especially liked seeing While Your Lips Are Still Red live as well as the songs that Troy Donockley was a guest on. I also loved how the pyrotechnics that went off at the end of the show came all the way to the back of the areena.

2330 hrs – Show finished, went and waited on a taxi

0000 hrs – Got taxi back to the apartment

0015 hrs – Got back to apartment, got settled in and went to bed.

Trip to Helsinki - Blog 2

FRIDAY 18 SEPTEMBER

0830 hrs – Got up, had bread and rolls with ham and cheese for breakfast and got ready to go out

1030 hrs – Left the apartment. Went to the Temppeliaukio. Carried on having a walk around Helsinki. Managed to find a record shop I could get into so I got Sonata Arctica’s new album “The Days of Grays” (double cd version). We then went down to the harbour and continued round Ehrenströmintie past the Olympiauaturi and Market Square. Had tea/coffee/juice and donuts at Market Square then went past the Presidential Palace and onto Senate Square and saw Helsinki Cathedral and the Statue of Czar Alexander II with figures of Jurisprudence (Lex), Peace (Pax), Light (Lux) and Work (Labour) around the sides.

We then ended up in Ristorante Il Siciliano for tea. Dad and I have Spaghetti Carbonara and mum had some sort of Tortellini. After that we headed back to the apartment via the bus station and we stopped at Storyville for drinks.

1930 hrs – Arrived back at apartment, had a shower and wrote postcards

2230 hrs – Went to bed

Trip to Helsinki Blog 1

Thursday 17 September

0500 hrs – Got up, had toast for breakfast and got last things packed

0600 hrs – Left dad’s house in Newtown St Boswells and headed to Edinburgh Airport

0730 hrs – Arrived the airport and parked the car in the long stay car park then went to bus stop 5 to get the bus to the terminal and checked in.

0835 hrs – I got boarded onto the 0905 hrs flight to Heathrow. Dad and I were in row 2 and mum was in row 1. We were served breakfast.

1015 hrs – Arrived at Heathrow. Got taken off the plane by ambilift then driven from Terminal 5 to Terminal 3 to catch flight to Helsinki. Got taken through security, went to the loo and bought some headphones so I could listen to music on the plane (I had packed mine in the case by mistake).

1145 hrs – Boarded 1205 hrs flight to Helsinki by ambilift. Put our watches, clocks and phones forward 2 hours. Got offered drinks and sandwiched after we took off. Our flight path is Heathrow – Holland – Germany – Stockholm – Helsinki

(Times are now GMT+2)

1630 hrs – Flying over Stockholm at 39,000ft at a speed of 500mph

1700 hrs – Arrived at Helsinki Vantaa Airport, got our baggage and got a taxi to the Helsinki Parliament StayAt Apartments. The taxi cost over €40.

1800 hrs – Arrived at the apartments. There were 3 steps into reception but then therewas a lift. Got to our room and wow it was huge. It has a joint kitchen, dining and living room, a separate bathroom with shower, toilet and under-floor heating and a separate bedroom.

1900 hrs – Went out for a walk to check surrounding area. Ended up passing Parliament House as it was just around the corner and wound up looking in the shops at the bus station (which was similar to the one in Edinburgh but bigger). Went to the supermarket in the bus station and got some food. Had to convince parents that voi is the word for butter.

2000 hrs – Got back to the apartment and made and had Salmon and Lasagne from the supermarket for tea

2230 hrs – Went to bed

Haven't blogged in a while

I know I haven't blogged for a while but there is a big blog (or lots of blogs) depending on the way I choose to do it coming soon as I am just back from 6 days in Finland

Pressure

This pressure
Upon me
Is mounting
Slowly
Backing
Me
Into
The
Tightest
Corner

Will I
Ever be
Strong enough
ToFight
My
Way
Back
Out
Again?

Or will
I just
Eventually crack
Under
The
Ever
Increasing
Pressure
From
YOU?!

Shake 'a' Holic (click title to go to website)

When I was at the metro centre the other day I had a Shake 'a' Holic milkshake and now I am addicted. I had a Parma Violet Milkshake. They only have shops in Newcastle and Durham so I bought a blender and some vanilla ice cream so I can make my own to keep me going until I can get to Newcastle again.

In case you find yourself in the area or you are curious, you can have any combination of the following in a milkshake:

Chocolate Bars
Aero Chocolate, Aero Mint, After Eights, Boost, Bounty (Dark Chocolate), Bounty (Milk Chocolate), Bournville Chocolate, Cadburys Caramel, Cadburys Creme Egg, Cadburys Dairy Milk, Cadburys Dairy Milk Whole Nut, Cadburys Flake, Cadburys Fruit and Nut, Cadburys Fudge, Cadburys Time Out, Caramac, Crunchie, Curly Wurly, Daim Bar, Double Decker, Drifter, Ferrero Rocher, Fry’s Orange Cream, Fry’s Peppermint Cream, Fry’s Turkish Delight, Galaxy, Galaxy Caramel, Hershey’s Cookies n Creme, Kinder Bueno, Kinder Bueno White, Kit Kat Chunky, Kit Kat Chunky Peanut Butter, Lion Bar, M&M’s, Maltesers, Maltesers White Chocolate, Mars Bar, Milky Bar, Milky Way, Milky Way Magic Stars, Minstrels, Munchies, Peanut M&M’s, Picnic, Poppets Mint Cream, Poppets Raisin, Quality Street, Reece’s Peanut Butter Cups, Revels, Rolos, Smarties, Snickers, Star Bar, Terry’s Chocolate Orange, Toblerone, Toffee Crisp, Topic, Twirl, Twix, Walnut Whip, White Crunch

Biscuits
Bourbon Biscuits, Chocolate Chip Cookies, Chocolate Mini Rolls, Custard Creams, Digestives (Dark Chocolate), Digestives (Milk Chocolate), Farley’s Rusks, Fig Rolls, Fox’s Ginger Crunch Creams, Fox’s Light Coconut, Fox’s Party Rings, Ginger Nuts, Hazelnut (Milk Chocolate), Iced Gems, Jaffa Cakes, Jam Tarts, Jammie Dodgers, Jammie Wagon Wheel, Mcvities Penguin, Oreo Cookies, Rocky Bar, Shortbread, Viscount Mint, Viscount Orange, Wagon Wheel
FruitBanana, Blackberries, Fruit Cocktail, Pineapple, Raspberries, Strawberries

Sweets
Black Jacks, Candy Shrimps, Candy Bananas, Cherry Drops, Cola Bottles, Dolly Mixtures, Flying Saucers, Fruit Polos, Fruit Salad Chews, Haribos, Humbug Mints, Jelly Babies, Jelly Beans, Jelly Tots, Liquorice Allsorts, Love Hearts, Marshmallows, Millions Blackcurrant, Millions Bubble Gum, Millions Cola, Millions Orange and Lemon, Millions Raspberry, Millions Strawberry, Murray Mints, Parma Violets, Pear Drops, Penny Mix Up, Rainbow Drops, Refreshers, Rhubarb and Custard, Sherbet Fountain, Sherbet Lemons, Sherbet Strawberries, Skittles, Skittles Crazy Sours, Soft Toffee, Starburst, Starburst Sour Chews, Strawberry Fizzy Belts, Strawberry Laces, Tic Tacs (mint), Tic Tacs (tropical twist), Toffee Popcorn, Trebor Extra Strong Mints, Vimto Chews, Werthers Originals, Wham Bars

Cereals/Snacks
All-bran Bar, Blueberry Nutrigrain, Chocolate Pop Tart, Coco Pops, Coco Shreddies, Crunchy Nut Cornflakes, Frosted Shreddies, Frosties, Fruit and Fibre, Golden Honey Puffs, Golden Nuggets, Nesquik Chocolate Cereal, Ricicles, Special K, Special K Bar, Strawberry Nutrigrain, Strawberry Pop Tart, Sugar Puffs, Weetabix, Weetos Chocolate

Cakes
Apple Pie, Apple Pie and Custard, Bakewell Tart, Battenberg Cake, Cadburys Cup Cake, Caramel Shortbread, Chocolate Fudge Brownie, Chocolate Muffin, Flapjack, Jam Doughnut, Snowball

Gloopy Stuff
Blackcurrant Jam, Chocolate & Peanut Butter, Custard, Lemon Curd, Maple Syrup, Marmalade, Marmite, Nutella, Peanut Butter, Raspberry Jam, Strawberry Jam, Treacle

Went to Metro Centre

Today I went to the metro centre in Gateshead and as usual I came back skint lol! I bought:

~ Torchwood Series 1 and the Underworld Trilogy on Blu-ray. I am addicted to Torchwood and even though I already have both series' on dvd I knew I had to have them on Blu-ray and I am watching the 1st disc of Torchwood as I am typing this and it was definately worth investing in the Hi-Def version of it.

~ "Percy Jackson and the Olympians - The Lightning Thief" by Rick Riordan and "Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Sea of Monsters" by Rick Riordan both on the recommendation of Twilight author Stephenie Meyer and "Let the Right One in" by John Ajvide Lindqvist after seeing the film version of this Swedish book and loving it I wanted to read the book

~ Kir Royal - Blackcurrant & Champagne Liqueur Truffles from Hotel Chocolat - not cheap but sooooo worth it

~ Twilight badge set and Giant Parma Violets

Sit (Must Hear About Tim)

I wrote this poem about my favourite comedian Tim Minchin. I make references to all his songs featured on his 3 live albums either through using song titles or lyrics. I hope to give it to him when I see him live in Edinburgh in October.

*Contains Strong Language*

SIT (MUST HEAR ABOUT TIM)

Let me introduce you to Tim Minchin
He plays piano and oh, I’d better mention
On his behalf
That he writes songs which should make you laugh

So come and give this Aussie guy a go
He’s always eager to say hello
He would like you to relax and put up your feet
While he entertains you with a musical comedy treat
Even though he may ask “Are you ready for this?”
I assure you this is a show you’ll be glad you didn’t miss

****

His opening number may seem a bit weird albeit still fun
But it is his way of creating a sense of excited anticipation
To give you a taster of what’s to come
And let’s not forget; throw in a little audience participation

Like every artist he has a particular key
That he tackles most proficiently
He likes playing instruments in F. It warms the very cockles of his heart
But he finds it easier to sing in F sharp.

I’ve just got to say that I think he is so fucking rock
To sing about controversial things such as religion and nuns who need cock
But you know what I recently heard?
He thinks of himself as a fucked-up, little, try-hard, wannabe rock 'n' roll nerd

As much as he hates to admit it, he’s just a normal guy too
He sings of his “Inflatable You”
He loves to have a private party
With his synthetic Felicity
And he also has one wish
That he hadn’t written about his favourite but intimately private fetish

It’s not the only time that his creativity has led
To him revealing more than he’d originally intended
While singing about his thoughts on women’s rights
His inner bloke to break out, fights
And in the end there is no choice but, on to breasts, the subject must now go
Which leads Tim to confess “Fuck, I love boobs though.”

He also has a habit of concealing his anger and other emotions
They build up and then away with him, his mouth runs
He was once told to express himself through poetry
But ultimately (secretly) he thinks that is poofy

[Shit…maybe Ah shouldnae gie this tae him…
Ah fuck it…If nout else it should (hopefully) at least make him grin]

He has been told that time heals every wound
But there is one particular issue over which, three years later Tim is still tightly wound
Time can’t make this atrocity turn to dust
What is it? A horrible first ever press review by one shit-faced, pretentious cunt who goes by the name of Phil Daoust

[Ah’ve read it
What a pile o utter shit!!
Oh…Ah bet he thought he wis being a real bright spark
An’ that by writing that slanderous, crap excuse fir a review that he would stop this new talent frae making his mark]

He also encountered this stockbroker
Who saw himself as a bit of a joker
He bragged to Tim about all the riches and wonders he had
Which slowly made our flame-haired friend go mad

[Ah shouldnae whinge…
But Ah dinnae hae a tinge o the ginge
An’ Tim says “Only a ginger
can call another ginger ginger”…]

And he ended up with a fine for aggravated assault
On a wealthy, wealthy man with a 1981 Mitsubishi Colt

It’s not just anger that will make him shout
He’ll stand his ground on anything he’s passionate about
You will however, find
He’s not the most open of mind
He may appear insensitive or even aloof
But he’s just a guy that believes in things once, for which there is proof
Psychics, alternative medicine and God are all in there
Of spirits, an afterlife and love at first sight his scepticism, he does also declare

[Oh my!! He’s gonna think Ah’m a nutcase
Ah’m gonna shut up noo in order tae save face…
But if he ever had a bit o time tae spare Ah think it would be fun
tae hae wi him a stimulating, intelligent conversation]

He has also been known to judge a book by its cover
When, while at a dinner party he met a woman like no other

Beautiful, with sleek black hair
She sat at the table from where
Tim could see the tip of a tattoo just above her derrière
And on the mention of her star sign, Tim’s fair judgement vow took the second floor window out of there

[Ah let oot a sigh
but Ah’ll hawd masel back an’ no say why…]

One more subject, there ism
That brings out the full extent of Tim’s scepticism
To touch on it, he’ll only begin
That is religion

Tim says “Why do the devout have to be so tenacious?
Why can’t they let us make up our on minds on this?
How do they have the right to say if we’re good or bad
Just on whether or not we choose to follow the latest fad?“

[Ah agree wi ye completely
Ah thought tae think what we liked, we were free?
An’ how can someone, sout invent
only tae bring in a law tae, it prevent?]

“And as for the commandments were they taking the piss?
To forbid ten things only to seemingly retract on one of them in chapter six of Genesis”

One thing that is guaranteed to make Tim want to cuss
Is when preachers take to the streets and sing “I love Jesus”
“People like that should give up and go back home on the bus!!”

“How can you like him?” I hear you say
But he also knows how to stand his ground in a good way
I sense though, that by now you wish that you could take
A refreshing break
Luckily there is something within Tim’s shows that is integral
And that is a short interval

**************

Welcome back. Hope you are all refreshed.

In this half, the other side of Tim you will see
He will quite willingly admit to you that “I know some people have it worse than me”
Even though there are things in his life that he’s not happy about he knows its fine
“It may not be perfect but, this life is mine”

He urges us to take canvas bags to the supermarket instead of needlessly wasting plastic
Because he doesn’t know how much longer the Earth can take it
He also warns us about the over feeding of our children
And gives us a (sometimes gruesome and brutal) picture of what could happen
He also likes to, about animals sing
And he’d like to draw our attention to the fact that bears don’t dig on dancing

To the subject of religion, for a second he’d like us to return
But he’d like to help to douse some bridges which still burn
In the hope of ending the violence, he has drawn a line
Or rather penned, a peace anthem for Palestine

Love for Tim hasn’t always been fun
One love told him that she didn’t like him being so happy all the time and she needed someone with a little third dimension
But it was when Tim was wishing his luck would change somehow
That he met Sarah, who later became his wife. Shortly after their wedding he declared “Nothing can stop us now”

Tim explained to Sarah: “You grew on me.
Your effect upon me I could not foresee.
I now seem to be stuck tight to you
with some kind of emotional superglue”

[Aww…!! How romantic
an’ no, Ah’m no being sarcastic.
It’s just that ma heart tends tae fly
when Ah see romance like ye used tae get in years gone by]

“If I didn’t have you
I don’t know what our children Violet and Caspar and I would do.
If you were to for some reason, croak it
My heart would stop and my world, the floor would hit.”

[It’s much worse than that, would ye please in me trust
coz intae that nightmare Ah’ve been forcefully thrust.]

He has even written a song for Caspar and Violet
So that even as they grow older he reminds them not to forget
That if they find themselves miles from home and not having fun
That their family are always there for them. Waiting, drinking white wine in the sun

If by this point in his show, you feel like it’s dragged on and on
You’ll be pleased to know it’s about to end. Not with a full stop but, a colon

However, if this has left you wanting more
Tim may just treat you to a second encore

********

Hopefully now you wear a smirk which tells me you’re mildly amused
And pleased that you now have Tim’s songs going around inside your head
So that I have, successfully to the glory of Tim another person, indoctrinated

If you don’t like Tim and want to have a rant
You can always make a video and upload it to YouTube but, remember that you can’t
Afford to become too smitten
As you’ll probably get out-viewed by a cute little kitten

I hear you ask “What’s so special about him?
Can you tell us why you like Tim?”

“Of course Ah will.
His music an’ comedy wi joy, ma life does fill
His piano skills are brilliant.
Ah wish Ah kid play like that but Ah can’t
His songs are aboot a whole range o topics
An’ no just the things that he thinks will impress the critics
An’ the most important o aw the things
Nae matter what he’s singing aboot, he always tae it, some humour brings”

That’s all I have to say
So I will go away
But there is something I am forgetting…eh, eh…

Blackout. Fuck yeah!!


Written April 2009 (updated July 2009)

Inked Together

INKED TOGETHER

Soon my darling
I will never be robbed of you again
I have found a way to keep you with me
A way for me to stay sane

One day my time will come
To once again be at your side
But I have found a way
That you can be with me for this ride

My heart may now be ripped in two
Your bracelet to me may one day lose its place
But I know how to let you
Always my mortal life grace

Angels took your body
Away forever
But I know of a way
That you will leave never

People are saying not to do it
That one day I will move on
But what they don’t see is
How I can’t cope with your body gone

I know you’re here in spirit
And that souls never die
But as I live in this realm without you
Tears of longing I cry

But all that pain will end
For once and forever
When I get you drawn on me and

Until my spirit is free – we will be permanently inked together

Written May 2008

To Someone Special to me

Here's something I have wrote for someone I love and miss a lot:

Steven Munro - 16 Feb 1986 ~ 19 Nov 2003 - RIP my love

ALL I WANT IS YOU

Being here without you
Life is so hard
You made me feel worth something
When I felt so bad
Because...

CHORUS:
When you came into it
You lit up my life (you always did)
You made me feel like the only one on Earth
The only person that mattered to you
When you said to me
"I don't care about that,
all I want is you"

When you died
I felt lost and low
Sat crying and wondering why
This had to be your time to go
Because...

CHORUS

Year after year
The pain of loss remains
I sit and wonder if you also shed tears
Sit and wonder if you still love me
Because...

CHORUS

Being so far away from you
Hurts so much because
You're the only person ever to tell me
"I don't care about that,
all I want is you."

Only person ever to tell me
"I don't care about that, all I want is you."

Written November 2008

Welcome

Hey

My name is Toni, Born in 1982. I live in Scotland. I love music, going to gigs, films, writing poetry and song lyrics (although I have been known to write the odd short story too) and travelling.