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She is Lost Around the World

A solo travel blog

You are here: Home / Europe / Tallinn & the party hostel | Estonia

Estonia, Europe · September 16, 2016

Tallinn & the party hostel | Estonia

It was after midnight when we arrived at our hostel in Tallinn, next to a sex shop, in what was very clear a party area. Quite perfect for a party hostel location if you ask me.

We made our check-in at the reception, which by the way was a bar. Yes, a bar! On the way to our room a girl was drunk and lost on the hallway and looked out of a scary movie.

In our sketchy room, two very muscled guys were wandering in their underwear. Didn’t take us five minutes before having to do down back to the bar (ahemm reception) to check security videos as a phone had gone missing.

We checked for bedbugs in our sheets, just so you know how weird everything was, and we went to sleep. I woke up in the middle of the night and I had one of the big naked guys staring drunk at me. I tried to convince myself I was having a nightmare, I covered my face down the sheets and closed my eyes praying to survive that place.

Woke up and took a deep breath of relief. We were alive!

We stormed out of the door to go on a walking tour, but by the time we got to the meeting point they were gone. We had no other choice but to get a little lost and discover the city by ourselves. No map, nothing! This was our only day in Tallinnand we had to make the most of it.

During my three months traveling, I had fallen in love with many cities, but Tallinn hit me hard. It was not just love at first sight, it was like I had been transported into a different century, it was a city that screamed magic everywhere and I started wishing I could stay there forever.

The Old Town of the city blew my mind away. With incredible view points overTallinn, all the free food samples offered in the streets, the lack of tourists everywhere, and the great food. If I tell you I got in a medieval restaurant with stone walls and I ate reign soup, would you believe me? If you don’t, just check the next photo!

No spoons in here. Just drink from the bowl at Il Draakon

Tallinn was a favorite from the start.

We took a walk away from the city center to check out Patarei sea Fortress Prisionand I felt happy just by being close to the ocean again after almost three months.

You see I’m from Lisbon, so seeing the river and ocean everyday feels like a must these days. I might have wanted to check the inside of the prison by trying to break into the place, but with all the high fences and scary vibes of the place, I eventually realized it was a bad idea and decided I should prevent getting arrested by breaking in an old prison.

If you enjoy creepy, scary places, you can actually go inside the prison the legal way. All you have to do is pay an entrance fee of 10€ and wish you have the stomach for what you’re about to see.

We also entered Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, a beautiful Orthodox church in the Old Town of Tallinn, and things got pretty weird since we were very naive and hadn’t made any research before getting inside. We entered like it was any open church.

We were checking out the inside when we noticed there were a lot of people inside so some event was happening that we didn’t know about. Then I noticed all women had their heads covered with scarfs, and honestly I looked and no one was telling me the reason, so by the time a guy came yelling at us (I really mean yelling) to cover our heads, I refused, and he was very upset about it.

All the men were walking the church with nothing on their heads, why did all the women had to cover themselves? I felt slightly offended and oppressed, like I had stepped back to a time when women had no rights. I know i’m probably being dramatic about this, but the men yelling at me to cover my head made me feel small and unwelcome, so I left the church with a bad impression.

By night, the girls wanted to join a pub crawl, since it was our last night in the Baltic Countries. Well, if you have been reading my blog for a while, you must know by nowthe effort I make to stay on budget, so 13€ for a night out always sounded a little too much for me. I was feeling like I had the girls down for not going to the pub crawl and simply stay at the hostel for our last night.

Call it fate or luck, but we eventually found out that the beginning of the pub crawl was actually at our hostel! By night, the bar got full of people playing drinking games and I made this enormous discovery that would get us our own pub crawl without spending a cent!

You see, everyone who was participating in the pub crawl had a bracelet that got them free access to the bar, which meant we only had to make some friends that would take five seconds to hit the bar for us and give us some free beers. All I know is that I had a blast! We must have gotten around ten beers and we didn’t spend any money. In your face expensive pub crawl!!

The perks of staying at a party hostel, ahm?

By the time we had to say goodbye to Tallinn I wasn’t ready. I wanted to stay longer. One week for the three Baltic countries was not enough. I wanted to stay forever, but money and time were running out and I had no other choice but to promise I would be back as soon as I had the chance. A year and a half later, I still haven’t managed to go back, and trust me when I tell you I think about the Baltic Countries every single day.

Why was Tallinn such a special place? It was my goal since the very first weeks of my three months in Europe. I had this crazy idea that my journey would only be complete once I had reached Tallinn.

I felt that if I didn’t make it there, I was not as brave as everyone kept telling me. I was just a little coward for letting fear stop me from going to where I dreamed of going.

Tallinn was special because it made me realize how far I had gone (it really was, and still is, the farthest I’ve ever been from home), how I turned into the naive dreamy girl who had barely left home, to be this girl who traveled across twelve countries all alone. When no one believed in her, she actually did it!

Because this story couldn’t end any differently than how it started, by the time I got back to Poland, I noticed a very scary thing: both my ID and credit card had been stolen during my last night in Tallinn (note to self: if you have a locker, put your bag inside!).

I was one week from going home, no credit card to book the buses to Gdansk and Berlin, and all the little money I had left was now in a single card. One card canceled and now a stolen ID and credit card. I knew my luck was running out and it was time to go home, which in the end made me cry like a baby and wish I had managed to save more money so I wouldn’t have to return.

How to get to Tallinn

The best way to reach this city is by catching a bus or a flight. You have buses connecting Tallinn from Germany, Czech Republic, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Russia. The companies that work to the country are Ecolines, Simple Express and Lux Express.

All this buses are incredibly comfortable, with wifi, wc and personal screens with movies, series and music. The fares are cheap, as you can get a bus between these countries for 5€ depending on the route. I paid 35€ from Tallinn back to Warsaw.

Another option, faster and with very appealing fares, is flying. With the cheapest flights to Tallinn being from Norway (from 10€), Germany (from 17€ ), Italy (from 20€ ) and UK (from 25€

Posted In: Estonia, Europe · Tagged: backpkacing, baltic countries, estonia, europe, solo female travel, solo travel

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Hello!

Hi! I’m Rita, a 28 year-old Portuguese girl who has fallen in love with the world. At 21 I moved to Switzerland to study abroad and I came home with hitchy feet. I then got a job, saved money and in 2015 embarked on the biggest adventure of my life and traveled solo to 13 countries in Europe. This trip changed my life! I suddenly found a new side of me I loved and traveling solo became my passion. After 26 countries visited solo, all I want is to inspire other women to leave their comfort zone and find their inner strenght to conquer this world on their own. With my stories and travel tips I hope I can help you find your way as a solo traveler and make your dreams come true.

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sheislostaroundtheworld

🙆🏻‍♀️Solo Female Travel | Budget travel
🌍 30/197 countries
📍Germany 🇩🇪

RITA 🇵🇹 BUDGET SOLO TRAVEL
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HOW MUCH I SPENT ON MY DAY TRIP FROM DUBAI TO ABU HOW MUCH I SPENT ON MY DAY TRIP FROM DUBAI TO ABU DHABI ⬇️

🚌 13€
TRANSPORT - From Dubai to Abu Dhabi I took a local bus that cost 50AED round trip. The bus was very full and it wasn’t the most comfortable ride, but for the price it was totally worth it & it’s the cheapest way to get to Abu Dhabi! 

🚕 13€
TRANSPORT BETWEEN ATTRACTIONS - because we didn’t have much time in Abu Dhabi and wanted to see as much as possible, we decided to take Uber between the attractions (everything is REALLY far away) In total we took 3 Uber rides, which divided by the four of us was 13€ each. 

🍕10€ 
FOOD - we had lunch at the corniche of Abu Dhabi, by the beach. I had a hamburguer with cheese french fries and a cola for 10€. 

🎡
ATTRACTIONS - everything we visited in Abu Dhabi had a FREE entrance, so we didn’t spend anything. We visited:
📍 Emirates Palace 
📍 Corniche 
📍 The Mosque 

🕌 10€
EXTRAS - Because there’s a strict policy on what to wear to enter the Mosque, I bought an Abaya for 10€ at one of the stores of the visitors center. There’s several options at various prices, but I bought the ones that were simple and cheapest. 

➡️ TOTAL 46€ 

What do you think of the budget? Would you spend less or more to do this day trip? 

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THIS IS THE BEST HIDDEN GEM IN THE UAE If you ar THIS IS THE BEST HIDDEN GEM IN THE UAE 

If you are traveling to the UAE and have a few days in Dubai, you can’t miss visiting Hatta !! 

This place is located about 130km from Dubai, very close to the Oman boarder, and it’s an absolute gem. Still undiscovered by tourists, Hatta is quickly developing to become one of the top spots in the nearest future. So, before the tourists find it and ruin the experience, make this day trip happen & enjoy the quiet of the mountains of Hatta. 

HOW TO GET THERE - There are two bus lines going from Dubai to Hatta. Buses depart every two hours (give or take). The bus departing from Dubai Mall is a more direct (bit more touristy) and comfortable ride. It takes 2h from Dubai Mall to Hatta Heritage Village and it costs 25 AED (6€). If you want a cheaper option, the E16 bus departs from Deira city centre and it costs 10 AED (2,5€). Journey takes a bit longer as the bus is used by locals so it makes plenty of stops on the way. 

WHAT TO DO IN HATTA 
There are plenty of activities to do here. Here are some of them with the prices for each 
- Kayak rental at Hatta Dam 60 AED 
- Net walking FREE 
- Archery 25 AED 
- Wall Climbing 25 AED 
- Axe throwing 45 AED 
- Mountain Cart 80 AED 
- Zip Line 95 AED 
- Canoon 150 AED 
- Small/Big Plunge 10 AED 
- Hiking 

HOW TO MOVE AROUND IN HATTA 
As there are a few sites and places to explore in Hatta & they are a bit far away from each other, there’s a special bus that operates every 30 minutes and it stops at the main attractions. The bus costs 4 AED per journey and it’s really easy to use and convenient for those that take the day trip to Hatta without a car. 
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PLACES YOU MUST VISIT IN OLD DUBAI ⬇️ Dubai i PLACES YOU MUST VISIT IN OLD DUBAI ⬇️

Dubai is known for its bling and expensive lifestyle, but that doesn’t mean you can’t find places away from that and where you will get a real taste of the Middle East besides giant buildings and expensive attractions 💁‍♀️

➡️ BEST PLACES TO VISIT IN OLD DUBAI 

📍Al Seef 
📍Al Fahidi 
📍The souks 
📍Ride an abra boat in the Dubai Creek for 0,25€ 
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✈️ 1 MONTH IN DUBAI ⬇️ While I was makin ✈️ 1 MONTH IN DUBAI ⬇️ 

While I was making this video I kept asking myself ‘did this really happen??’ 🥹 

I still can’t believe that I got to spend an entire month in Dubai and to start the new year in such an epic way!! 

Dubai was a rollercoaster of emotions. When I first got the news I would be going to Dubai for a full month I immediately started my research on everything I wanted to do. THERE IS SO MUCH TO DO 😳 I may have been too excited because at some point I had riding an helicopter 🚁 on my list 🤣 

In the end there was obviously no 200€ helicopter ride 😅 and no I didn’t go up the tallest building in the world! In fact, I didn’t do any of the paid tourist attractions (except for the Miracle Garden - worth it 🤍), my budget was way too small and I was constantly trying to find things to do for free or on a budget. Not an easy task in Dubai you might think? In fact I found out that if you want to do Dubai on a budget it is possible to have an amazing time! Sure the Dubai bling will be there to haunt you 😅 

All I know is sure I with I had been able to do more, but I really think that I made the absolute most of my one month in Dubai & I wouldn’t change much 🥰 

Have you been to Dubai? Did it break your bank account 💰 or did you manage to do it in a cheap/affordable way? 🙈

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SAVE THIS FOR YOUR NEXT TRIP TO DUBAI ‼️ Hatt SAVE THIS FOR YOUR NEXT TRIP TO DUBAI ‼️

Hatta is located about 130 km from Dubai, close to the Oman border. After we found this place we knew we had to make it there and see this beauty with our own eyes. This was my last trip in the UAE and I can say I feel I finished in the best way possible 🥰

SO, HOW MUCH DID IT COST ME? 
🚌 TRANSPORT: 13€ ▶️ Local public bus to bus stations 1€x2= 2€ + E16 bus from Dubai to Hatta Heritage Village 2,5€ + bus Hatta Village to Hatta Dam 1€x2= 2€) + bus Hatta to Dubai Mall 6,5€
🍜 FOOD: 4€ ▶️ 1 vegetarian noodles + 1 cola + 1 water (at the top of the Hatta Dam) 
🚣‍♂️ ACTIVITIES: 19€ ▶️ Kayak rental from @hattakayak 

🔹🔹 TOTAL 36€ 🔹🔹 

_______

FOLLOW @sheislostaroundtheworld for all the travel inspiration and tips for your next adventures <3

_______

#dubai #bestofdubai #visitdubai #dubaitourism #exploredubai #mydubai #portuguesespelomundo #solofemaletravel  #girlswhotravel #dametraveler #sheisnotlost #wearetravelgirls #femmetravel #girlsborntotravel #girlaroundtheworld #travelgirlsgo #ladiesgoneglobal #girlslovvetravel  #clublifedesign #hatta #hattakayak #visithatta #budgettravel
YOU CAN’T MISS THIS PLACE IN DUBAI ⬇️ 📍 YOU CAN’T MISS THIS PLACE IN DUBAI ⬇️

📍 The Creek Harbour is one of the most popular places in Dubai & it has by far some of the best sunsets you can get in the city 😍

It took us a long time to make it there because our plans kept falling apart in order to make it there on time for sunset. But it was so worth it and it’s such a beautiful place!!! 

🚤 HOW TO GET THERE ⬇️

🔸 Take the Green metro line all the way to the Creek station | Get the 2AED boat to creek harbour 
🔹Take the 2AED boat from Dubai Festival City 

‼️ Boats to the creek Harbour only start at 16h! It’s first come first serve, so if you want to make it early to Creek Harbour you need to be there early because there’s always a big line of people. The boats run every 30 minutes to 45 minutes. 

_______

FOLLOW @sheislostaroundtheworld for all the travel inspiration and tips for your next adventures <3

_______

#dubai #bestofdubai #visitdubai #dubaitourism #exploredubai #mydubai #portuguesespelomundo #solofemaletravel  #girlswhotravel #dametraveler #sheisnotlost #wearetravelgirls #femmetravel #girlsborntotravel #girlaroundtheworld #travelgirlsgo #ladiesgoneglobal #girlslovvetravel  #clublifedesign
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