Jacob Robertson

Some trips you plan for months; others just sort of happen. This one fell somewhere in between. A cheap ticket, a little curiosity, and a free week were all it took for me to find myself hopping across Northern Europe — four countries in five days: Finland, Lithuania, Estonia, and Latvia.

My first of many flights kicked off with a curious little detour: Atlanta to Dallas. Yes, you read that right — two hours west just to turn around and fly 10.5 hours east. Don’t ask me why; apparently, cheap tickets make strange logic. The short hop to Dallas was smooth and uneventful, the kind of flight that makes you think, Yep, I’ve done this a dozen times before… and yet, the real adventure hasn’t even started.

The longest flight I’d ever taken before this was a mere five hours to Costa Rica back in 2021, so I wasn’t exactly brimming with confidence for a 10.5-hour journey overnight. Surprisingly, though, the experience was far more pleasant than I expected. I was flying Finnair, in partnership with American Airlines, which mainly operates the Dallas-to-Helsinki route. The crew was professional and attentive, and the plane felt modern and comfortable — a promising start to what would be a whirlwind adventure through the Baltics.

I’ve never actually been served a meal on a flight before, so I was secretly excited to try not one, but two onboard meals — dinner and breakfast. Dinner wasn’t exactly Michelin-star cuisine, but it more than hit the spot: chicken with rice, a crisp salad, a yeast roll, and a fudge brownie for dessert. Honestly, I’m not ashamed to say it deserved a little chef’s kiss.

After finishing my meal, it was time for some much-needed rest. Thankfully, the flight wasn’t full, so I had an entire row to myself — a small blessing I couldn’t help but see as God’s common grace, extended not just to me but to others who discovered the same little miracle. I stretched out, settled in, and let the gentle hum of the plane’s engines lull me into counting sheep, drifting toward sleep over the North Atlantic.

I’m fascinated with how much quicker a flight can feel when you are able to fall asleep. I listened to several episodes of Dusty Slay’s We’re Having a Good Time Podcast and then fell asleep somewhere over Greenland. Next stop – Finland!

I think the body can somehow sense when a plane begins its descent, even while asleep. There’s this subtle shift in pressure, a gentle change in the hum of the engines, and maybe even the faint feeling of slowing down — cues that our bodies pick up on subconsciously. I must have felt it too, because just as we started our final descent, I woke up almost instinctively. It was perfect timing — I rubbed my eyes, stretched a bit, and moments later the flight attendants were rolling out breakfast.

The Helsinki Airport is impressive! Helsinki-Vantaa Airport (HEL) is Finland’s main international airport, located in the city of Vantaa about 10.5 miles north of Helsinki. Operated by Finavia, it covers 4,448 acres and has three runways. Handling over 15 million passengers in 2023—90% of whom were international—it is Finland’s busiest airport and the fourth busiest in the Nordic region. The airport serves as the main hub for Finnair and several other airlines, offering around 80 European and 21 long-haul destinations. Originally built for the 1952 Olympics, Helsinki Airport now employs 25,000 people and is known for its efficient 35-minute minimum transit time, making it a key hub between Europe and Asia.

There is a rail line that connects the Helsinki Airport with the city center of Helsinki. I hopped on the train which only cost 4 Euros. The color of the leaves along the route were as striking and full of life as a Bob Ross painting — bursts of red, gold, and orange blending together in a masterpiece only God could create. When I left Atlanta, the trees were still mostly green, just beginning to hint at the change of season. So arriving here and being greeted by such rich autumn hues felt refreshing and almost nostalgic. The crisp air and the vibrant landscape seemed to signal that fall had truly arrived, and I couldn’t help but pause for a moment to take it all in.

Helsingin päärautatieasema, or Helsinki Central Railway Station, is the heart of the city’s rail network and one of its most recognizable landmarks. Completed in 1919, the station’s granite façade and iconic clock tower reflect early 20th-century Finnish design. As I approached, I couldn’t help but notice the Ukrainian flag flying proudly above the building — a sight that has become common throughout Northern Europe. It serves as a visible reminder of the region’s solidarity with Ukraine and the shared values of freedom and resilience that unite much of Europe today.

Part II coming soon!