A Tale of Three Cities

I really needed this break. The few weeks before the trip had been tough and I felt like I was consumed by thinking about M.E. And I was BORED: bored with my thoughts; bored with being at home; bored with M.E.; bored with myself. I was craving excitement and distraction and a Baltic adventure to Finland, Estonia and Latvia was just what this sofa gal needed.

When I am away life is just easier. Partly because fantastic Husband takes care of everything so I can use all my precious energy for fun stuff. (I am very aware of how lucky I am. Without him I probably would never get much further than town let alone leave the country!) Then there is no domestic ‘nonsense’ to take care of. And also - I think - it’s easier to push through the treacle when there is something wonderful waiting for you at the other side. Sightseeing is a very attractive carrot. A trip to the supermarket, not so much.

However, this trip was harder for me than the last couple we have been on. There wasn’t as much energy and there was A LOT of sleeping. I think I averaged about 12 hours a night. (Mind you, I normally do 10, so I guess it’s not that much more.) Days started late and finished early. But it was still worth it. It was the break from reality I was craving and there were magical moments each day when the M.E. didn’t rule the roost.

We started off with a couple of days in Helsinki and enjoyed a whistle stop tour of the cities delights: the Buddy Bear display (a global tour of life size bears promoting peace and unity); the Design Museum; a tram tour around the city; visiting the local Unesco World Heritage Island Suomenlinna - known as the ‘fortress of Finland’; and of course, sampling local delicacies, such as cured and smoked fish. It was wonderfully relaxing and perfect soul food.

We then got the ferry to Tallinn - the capital of Estonia - and as we stepped into the old town I was mesmerised. We have seen so many beautiful places I fear we have become quite blasé and somewhere has to be verging on the incredible to stop us in our tracks. Tallinn was one of those places. It is picture post card beautiful. The old town is a wonderful collection of 14th and 15th Century turrets, spires and enchanting lanes. The hotel we stayed in was a 16th Century Merchants house and we enjoyed a ‘medieval’ meal complete with goblets of wine. (Although on this day I was in bed by 7 pm – maybe it was just too much excitement for me! Oh energy you really can be in short supply sometimes..)

The final stop of the trip was Riga – the capital of Latvia. I struggled more in these last couple of days. It just felt like I was running out of steam. So I upped the sleep quota, we had extra coffee stops and we did our best to enjoy the sights. The city is famous for its Art Nouveau architecture and rightly so. It was wonderfully flamboyant with the most incredible detail. We also made stops in local markets, a classic communist building (locally known as Stalin’s Birthday Cake which amused me no end) and Madam Bonbon’s exquisite Art Nouveau shoe shop, which would have made Carrie’s heart sing.

As well as the joy of sightseeing, I am always curious about the culture of the places we visit. And I definitely have a fascination with post communist development in Eastern Europe. (We spent 6 months travelling round Eastern Europe a few years ago, so have had a small introduction to this world.)

And this is what I love about our travels. They open my mind to other cultures and other ways of living. When we are away we always walk a lot and use local transport – trams, buses, trains – as it’s such a great way of getting an insight into real life. I don’t want a 5 star type travel experience where you go from a fancy hotel in a taxi to see a museum then get another taxi to see a fantastic building. I want to see every day life too. To me this is part of experiencing another country.

I am always struck by the randomness of life and how where you are born and the family you are born into has such a major influence on the direction your life takes. Then of course there are the twists and turns of life – so many outside of your control. And travelling really does bring this home.

To me, the world is an amazing place but it is also a harsh place. Lots of people - maybe most - are not living their ‘dream’ life. Yes, M.E. can be a real pain in the butt sometimes and life often feels difficult, but in the grand scheme of life and privilege I consider myself to be very blessed.

I am not sure this trip has blown the M.E. boulder into smithereens but I think I have shattered the edges. And more importantly, as I reflect on our trip, I am reminded to make the most of what I have. Not that I shouldn’t continue on my quest to get better, but my life is happening now with the M.E. whether I like it or not, and trying to make the most of every day is what counts.

And being lucky enough to take these trips really does keep me going. So Husband - or should I say holiday director - where’s next?

How do you feel about your life? Privileged? Lucky? Unlucky? Would love to hear your thoughts.