Living Life With Passion & Purpose!
This was one of the trams Siru and I rode while we were out in Helsinki. Earlier that day I had jumped on without a ticket, flashing my Eurail Pass like it would somehow work. It didn’t. I got lucky and didn’t get caught, but I was definitely sweating it for a minute.
This is one of my favorite photos of Siru from that trip. We had the entire tram to ourselves, and she sat there looking out the window as we rode through Helsinki. Even after five years, it felt completely natural being with her again — like no time had passed since Australia.
While walking around the city at night with Siru, I spotted this building with its tall stone columns and dramatic lighting. The way the lights hit the arches and steps caught my eye, so I stopped to take a photo. It had a quiet, almost cinematic feel to it.
I liked the strong lines of the wide stone steps leading up and the long, empty sidewalk stretching into the distance. The glowing tower in the background and the single person walking ahead gave the whole scene a quiet, almost cozy feeling.
Siru had her own style from the very beginning. She was the only exchange student I knew who brought her electric guitar with her from Finland to Australia. She was rock and roll mixed with a genuinely beautiful soul, and we became fast friends the moment we met.
While out walking with Siru, we stopped at a café/bar and ended up having a great conversation with this older couple. They were a little drunk and very friendly, and we talked about architecture, traveling, and even virtual reality. It was one of those unexpected, lighthearted moments that made the day feel special.
