21.9: Head aega Estonia & tervist Frankfurt

Today I was to leave Estonia, after spending more than two months here. I certainly was a bit sad to be leaving – I’ve really grown to love this country. It’s quite difficult to pinpoint why, but I would have to say that most would have to do with the people and their mentality, which I find highly compatible. In general, they are very forward thinking and innovative and accepting of change, trusting the government and it’s institutions. This is coupled with a deep love and respect for the natural environment. The forests in southern Estonia/Võrumaa were certainly a highlight. The countries rich history is openly talked about and it’s scars dot the landscape. Many Estonians wish not to be considered ‘eastern’ or ‘Baltic’ but rather Nordic, and I certainly think this aspiration is well on track to being reached. The future looks bright, in spite of the rhetoric of the countries Eastern neighbour.

So, I set off from my hostel to the airport, this time by taxi. The Tallinn airport is of a very manageable size and it was with great ease that I reached my gate. I had an early lunch – a kilud sandwitch on must leib – before boarding the plane at 12.25. This was the smallest plane yet, requiring us to walk onto the tarmac to board.

Head aega Eestimaa!!

This flight was with Estonian/Scandinavian Air and was in two parts, passing through Copenhagen. All went very smoothly and I was in Frankfurt in no time. The Frankfurt airport is very well connected, with regular trains to the hauptbahnhof.

The hostel I had chosen was in a very convenient location, only a short walk from the railway station. The only downside, if you could call it that was that this was near the cities red light district, so the streets were a bit… colourful.

The main thing I wanted to do was buy a German SIM card. This ended up being a bit of a wild goose chase as I asked at the reception where the nearest place would be to buy one and I was told it would be best to go to an Aldi and was given directions. Needless to say I became rather lost and ended up asking for directions from someone on the street. They said that the nearest Aldi was kilometres away and that I’d be best off going to one of the kiosks at the train station. So I trudged back in that direction. With the time rapidly approaching 7pm I was starting to worry that if I did find anything it might be closed. The kiosk at the train station didn’t sell SIM cards but I was given another set of directions to a phone shop nearby. Fortunately this shop did sell SIM cards and I was able to purchase one that fit the bill.

I had a rather uninteresting dinner nearby and retired for the night.