I originally booked the 37 day Red Star Special trip that spends a week in Russia after Scandanvia but the football/soccer world cup meant Top Deck couldn’t get accommodation in Russia so they came up with an itinerary that spent a week in Poland instead of Russia.
This isn’t as detailed as my previous trip ones as I’m only starting writing it nearly a year later vs a few weeks for the other ones and there’s only so much I can remember and gleam from my notes, photos, and day sheets.
Before the tour we’d made a Facebook group to get to know everyone etc. On the tour the tour manager made an offical Facebook group page where he posted extra updates and information etc. The really important stuff was still on the day/”What’s On?” sheets, the group just provided more detail etc.
All our optionals had to paid for in cash. They were pretty much the only thing I used cash for. I don’t drink so I don’t know how people usually paid for those. ATMs were easy enough to find and all could be switched to english (some did automatically when I inserted my card).
Day 1 – Berlin
My final flight from Frankfurt to Berlin was cancelled. I was meant to have a few hours in Frankfurt and arrive in Berlin in the early afternoon, in plenty of time for the 5pm tour start time. The flight the airline rebooked me on was over 4 hours later meaning I got to the hostel just after 6pm, just before they left for the included meal. I rang my pre-booked airport transfer and got it changed to the later flight, at no extra charge as the change was out of my hands, and mentioned it on the Topdeck app chat. The tour manager saw my post and replied just to get there when I could and we’ll sort all the normal paper work and stuff that they were doing from 5pm out later.
The included meal was a short walk away. A massive pork knuckle, or a whole heap of veggies for the vegetarians.
Back to the hostel after the meal and we then sorted out the paper work of me and another person who also had transport issues. Learnt only 4 of the people starting in Berlin were doing the whole 37 days and we were only picking up another 2 in Tallin so only 6 of us for the last bit of the tour from Tallin. I guess lots of the original Red Star Special etc people changed to later tours that were still going to Russia and the tours that were mostly just Russia (eg ones starting in Tallin) were cancelled.
Wombats hostel wanted some form of ID (eg drivers licence) they could hold on to until you left or a copy of your passport and a EUR10 deposit. Only place that required that. I did the passport copy and deposit thing as that was the only ID I had on me. I don’t drink so don’t need ID for that and I certainly wasn’t going to drive so why would I bring my drivers licence with me.
Day 2 – Berlin
After breakfast off on a driving tour, check out some of the remains of the wall etc and then dropped off either for own time or the optional walking tour. I did the walking tour. Pretty good, I thought it was worth the money. Had lunch with a group after the tour then headed off with some of them via the subway (ticket machines on the platform took cash and cards, although some cards didn’t work) to the large sporting/outdoors shop (Decathlon) for them to get sleeping bags etc. Subway ticketing was based one what zones you were going to be passing through I think. We only needed the cheapest ticket anyway. Back to the hostel via a pub. I rested the rest of the day, the others went back out, to the gardens I think.
Day 3 – Berlin to Copenhagen
Breakfast at the hostel and then to the ferry to Denmark. First experience of meals with our onroad chef with lunch before boarding the ferry (the first of many salads, I think I heard something about a Topdeck policy regarding meat when travelling, some sort of restriction due to food safety concerns). All the ferries we went on on this tour were the smoothest I’ve ever been on. Most of the time if I didn’t look out the window I’d barely know we were moving, and I’m pretty sensitive to movement (not in the feel sick way though most of the time now, thankfully). Tour in the bus of Copenhagen upon arrival, including stops at Christiania, little mermaid etc.
Hostel (a Generator) was pretty nice and quite well located. Very slow and small lift though so do the thing where you send one person up with lots of bags and everybody else take the stairs. Another set of stairs (and an even smaller, slower lift) at the other end of the building.
Day 4 – Copenhagen
Free day after breakfast. I tagged along with a group that wanted to go for a swim in the sea (I didn’t partake in that part though). Pretty good walk around, went up the Christiansborg Palace tower, followed by a boat/canal cruise in the afternoon. We bought tickets at the hostel but would have been just as easy to buy from where the boat left from. We bought the one group voucher and the hostel was fine with taking a mixture of cash and different cards. Another group bought a seperate voucher that included a boat cruise and access to Tivoli Gardens. Unfortunately the boat cruise part was for a different company so they couldn’t join us. So watch out for that. More walking around including a visit to a lego store. Had quite a number of yummy ice creams from a little shop on a corner.
We tried to have a little picnic in a nearby park but it closed “early”.
Day 5 – Copenhagen to Stockholm, Sweden
45min drive to the ferry, 30min ferry ride. Then 6 hours to Stockholm. Person came on the bus and quickly checked our passports. Stop for included lunch. Stopped at a huge IKEA. Included tea (what I call the evening meal) at the hostel (another Generator), rather yummy Swedish meat balls :-).
Day 6 – Stockholm
Drop off/Pick up for the optional Vasa museum (wreak of a huge old war ship from 1600s). I’d already been the last time I was in Sweden (in 2015) so skipped that (it is quite impressive though so you should go if you haven’t seen it before), slept in, and just met up with the group for the city walking tour (included) afterwards (via McDonalds at the train station for brunch).
The other optional was the a City Hall tour, which I also did last time, but there was some issues with timings or something. It is pretty good so do go if you can fit it in.
After the walking tour I walked with a couple of the girls to the ABBA musuem via a little place on the water front for them to get some lunch. Museum only took card. They were into it a bit more than me but it was quite interesting. Exit via a gift shop of course.
Tea with the ABBA museum girls in the bar on the ground floor of the hostel. A pretty nice pizza. Note: not the cheapest option.
Day 7 – Stockholm
Second free day in Copenhagen. I took the day off, slept in, and did washing. Pretty good place to do washing. You have 2 days and the hostel makes washing pretty easy, for somewhere you did it yourself. From reception you just paid via cash or card and they gave you a wash token, a dry token and quantity (serving?) of washing powder. Took those and your washing to the laundry where they had some fancy washing machines and dryers with screens that supported multiple languages. On the wall they had posters with instructions for changing the language on the machine’s screens and how to do basic washes and drys etc.
Other people visited the artistic subway stations (I’m underselling it, they are pretty impressive, just google stockholm subway station art).
Lots of groups seemed to just converge on a hill to watch the sun set.