6 years ago, I set a goal for myself to visit at least 50 countries before the age of 30. Today I am so pleased to achieve a milestone in reaching this goal by having stepped in the 40th country I’ve been so far: Slovenia. Interestingly, Slovenia is the country to which I was prevented from entry almost 2 years ago, just because I didn’t have a Schengen visa but the visa I obtained from Croatia. My prompt return at the Slovenian border right back to my departure point in Zagreb had been a brutal reminder of being a citizen of a “banana republic.” 2 years later after having such an experience, I’m now able to freely travel around this country. In a world with borders and strict visa policies, I’m happy to transcend those virtual boundaries by traveling around the world and visiting new places. Thanks to my passion in traveling, more journeys are yet to come and more wonders are yet to be discovered.🌍😌✨ #country40 #50before30
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Iceland... Even if you use all the words existing in the world, they wouldn’t be sufficient to describe this wonder.
Earth, wind, fire and water: they all came together just to create this natural marvel between a place where the crust of the earth is breaking apart, where immense mountains rise, where boundless glaciers came into being... My 4-day journey in Iceland has been far more than seeing geysers, watching picturesque waterfalls or amazing sceneries next to the glorious landscapes, or getting lost in the narrow streets of Reykjavík... And this journey has given me a lot about what we should be grateful for: life! Because life is full of wonders, experiences, journeys and undiscovered beauties. And these journeys, these discoveries take place exclusively in inner self. That is why I believe that traveling is one key to discovering one’s self. Especially solo traveling... Just like meditation: it is the best way to find yourself in doing introspection; taking a deep breath and embracing the nature; sensing the sound of the falling water, colors of the sky and of the glaciers, and what mother-nature bestowed as a gift to our existence... And when we are next to the magnificent mountains, when we realize the crust of the earth detaching; we “consider sublime places a reminder of human insignificance and frailty.” In the midst of all my life struggles, responsibilities and tasks to do, this short journey has been a great energizer for my corporate and student life. So whenever you have the time, try to take some moment and pamper your self in discovering or observing new wonders around you. This can be the country you‘ve been dreaming of, the forest next to your town, the lake that you pass by every day, or even the sky that you haven’t been looking at for some time. Because life is full of wonders, experiences, journeys and undiscovered beauties that are awaiting. Keep calm and stay tuned about the updates at Bossoloji!🌏✈️😌✨ In the midst of my life struggle, work life and all other responsibilities, it usually happens that I forget about my passions: traveling is one of them. It’s been so long that I couldn’t write my travel blog, even though I took short daily trips within Finland. But despite being less frequent than before, I can still catch the same spirit, and the same eagerness for traveling after all. No matter how long I give a break to my nomadic soul, it’s so great to see that I can recall the same globetrotter at the time I step on an aircraft!
After 3 months (last time being to Amsterdam and Rotterdam), early morning yesterday I took an early flight to Oslo, the capital city of Norway. My 5-day trip is a reminder for me that life is still full of journeys and there is still much to explore in the world. As a solo traveler, what is more pleasant is rediscovering the meaning of freedom. Because solitary traveling is like meditation: finding yourself for some time, forgetting about your daily struggles, doing the things you like the most, eating the food containing hundreds of calories which you can’t even dare under normal circumstances, focusing on the taste of new experiences and explorations, meeting people from all walks of life, asking random strangers to take your photo... All in all, having unforgettable memories is priceless. And that is what stays forever. The summary of my journey to Norway: Same spirit, same person, different cities, and brand-new adventures! More experiences are to come in Bergen and in the fjords!🤠🌍✨ Keep calm and stay tuned about the updates at Bossoloji!😌 Frankly, before coming to Finland, I wouldn’t have expected to say those words: “It’s so hot outside!” But, what if I told you that the temperature in Tampere has been above 20 degrees since a couple of weeks?
Thanks to the warm weather today - which by the way is gonna drop by 6-7 degrees by tomorrow 😢 - I could go for a peaceful Sunday getaway in Pispala and had a chance to enjoy the breathtaking sceneries😌 So, keep calm and stay tuned about the updates at Bossoloji!😎🌍✨ Hitting the road early in the morning yesterday, even the heavy rain could not stop us from exploring our new destination, Rotterdam. Mind blowing architecture, urban planning done meticulously, districts dedicated to hipsters, walls full of graffiti... Those are only a few characteristics that define the city of Rotterdam: very distinctive from Amsterdam in essence, but has the same young spirit just like it.
Only 1 hour away from Amsterdam, Rotterdam is very calm comparing to the former. Though it may also be due to the fact that we visited the city on Monday, a day on which almost no shops or museums were open. Nevertheless, we really enjoyed wandering around the streets! Keep calm and stay tuned about the updates at Bossoloji!🌍😌✨ No sun since I came to Amsterdam, and raining all day long. Plus, yesterday we have had a compete power blackout for 14 hours, which made our gloomy day even gloomier. Despite that, we had such a great day: wandering around the cafés of Amsterdam, passing over numerous canals... And the rain is an art itself: forming a myriad of puddles on the ground, which creates the greatest photo effect in the world...
Today, we are exploring Rotterdam, under the falling rain. But now, it’s time to look at the reflections from yesterday’s Amsterdam.☔️ Keep calm and stay tuned about the updates at Bossoloji!🌍😌✨ Same city, same streets; different season, different time, different memories, and different people... Although it’s my 3rd time visiting Amsterdam, the spirit and the feeling have always been unique, every single time. As Heraclitus well stated ages ago, “you cannot step twice into the same river.” Yes, it’s the same street, same place; but the lived experience, people, and I are not the same.
While noticing the ornaments left from the King’s Day, which is celebrated on April 27 in the Netherlands, I tried to imagine the flood of people in the previous day, flowing in the streets. Although I missed the celebrations only for a few hours, as my flight arrived in the very early hours of April 28, streets were still full of people from all walks of life: first time seeing Amsterdam that crowded! Starting from the Museums Quarter, walking along the street bazaar in De Pijp, then visiting the renowned Damrak Street and the Red Light district, while passing over myriad of canals, and stopping by the boutique cafés... The first day in here has been sort of a commemoration of the former journeys to Amsterdam: let the vibes keep on! Today, we will continue our re-exploration of the city of Amsterdam. So, keep calm and stay tuned about the updates at Bossoloji!📓🌍😌✨
With the melting snow layers covering the grounds of Tampere and elsewhere in Finland, but only in the places where the temperature allows, we, the expats of Finland, began to think that spring has finally arrived! Well, it is not very common to see +3 degrees during the daytime, though we are still wrapped in our “talvitakit” (winter jackets)?
No matter what, today we really enjoyed walking on the frozen Pyhäjärvi, inhaling the fresh air, and viewing the breathtaking scenery that the mother nature bestowed to us. And nature is always the answer when we are surrounded with so many tasks and work to fulfill??? So keep calm and stay tuned about the updates at Bossoloji!??✈️ ✨
Being the second oldest city of the country, the tiny old town of Porvoo welcomed us with its beautifully designed colorful wooden architecture, narrow cobblestone streets, boutique shops selling handmade products and crafts, and a magical picturesque view under the snow.
In Porvoo, most wooden houses are concentrated in the old town, which is proposed to be listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. With its proximity to Helsinki, Porvoo is easily accessible. We could get there by bus from Helsinki in only 50 mins! And we really enjoyed wandering around the old town despite the heavy snow.☃️⛄️ So, keep calm and stay tuned about the updates at Bossoloji!?✈️?✨ Like everything else in life, our journey which we had towards the Baltics has come to an end. 5 days, 2 cities, hundreds of kilometers, sleepless nights, thermometers showing below -15 degrees, frozen hands... Eventually, two nomads have become walking popsicles with lots of memories in their pockets!
By visiting Latvia and Lithuania, which are the 36th and 37th countries that I’ve been to, I consider myself one step closer to realizing my lifetime wish: traveling at least 50 countries before the age of 30. But for now, it’s time to go back to Finland - which I consider as my home - and back to facing the reality of returning to studies. Until next time😉 So, please fasten your seatbelts and stay tuned about the updates at Bossoloji!😎✈️✨ |
About MeHey there! I am a travel enthusiast, who was born in Istanbul, and now studying in Finland. I am a part-time traveler, but would like to become a full-timer soon! Categories
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