Backpacker's Heaven

This cute little purse is a tiny, tiny backpack - it's just big enough to fit a wallet. I've been on InterRail lots of times in the past and carried a somewhat bigger backpack. Imagine - if you had enough money, you'd only need a backpack this size - you could buy everything along the way... ;-)

You could stay in 5-star hotels, have your clothes laundered over-night - or you could throw away your dirty clothes and buy new ones. Or if you really loved the clothes, you could have them laundered and then sent home. You could eat in the best restaurants. And whatever shopping you did, you could have it sent home.

Now that would be my kind of backpacking trip!! ;-)

Speaking of travel, I was inspired to make a list of all the countries I've visited. It's a bit hard sometimes to say what counts as a country, but anyway, here's some kind of a list. I've also indicated if I've lived in the country and for how long:

1. Austria
2. Belgium
3. Canada (lived there for 8 years, Canadian citizenship)
4. China (PRC, Hong Kong) - lived in Tianjin, PRC for 2 years
5. Cyprus (lived there one summer - maybe 3 months?)
6. Czech Republic
7. Denmark
8. Estonia
9. Finland (born in Helsinki, currently live in Espoo, Finnish citizenship)
10. France (lived in Paris for a year)
11. Germany
12. Greece
13. Ireland
14. Israel
15. Italy
16. Latvia
17. Malaysia
18. Martinique (actually a part of France, but it's a Caribbean island)
19. Netherlands
20. Portugal
21. Spain
22. Sweden
23. Turkey
24. United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Wales) - lived near Cambridge for 1.5 years
25. USA (lived in Dallas, Texas for 4 months)
26. Vatican
27. Vietnam
    

Did you notice that I've never been to Russia?!!? And I live in Helsinki - right next door! I would love to go to St. Petersburg some time soon...