Posted in Getting started, T-shirts on Thursday, July 12, 2007 | Leave a Comment »
See your Rudolf’s staff hard at work marketing the tours. One does get fairly self-conscious standing in the middle of a busy Helsinki street (or in this case a hostel) it this outfit, but at the very least it is highly noticeable. We’re not using them on the tours. Yet.
I got the antlers at a [...]
Posted in Bus, Getting started on Friday, June 22, 2007 | Leave a Comment »
Our bus (named Petteri Punakuono – Finnish for Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer) has had a drastic makeover this week.
First, it got a good polishing at the garage (you could see the outline of the previous graphics on the side of the van, especially when it had been raining) and a wax job. Then, [...]
Posted in Getting started, Website on Monday, June 11, 2007 | Leave a Comment »
Our first public tour is in four days, and the reservation system is not finished.
[insert sounds of irritation]
For one the guys building the reservation system have not gotten as far as they would have thought, but I can’t complain too much, as I know they are doing their best.
The real problem however is [...]
Posted in Getting started, Tours on Sunday, June 3, 2007 | Leave a Comment »
Today we had first private tour! We’ll be holding a few more of them before the tours officially begin on the 15th to get some more practise. We’ve invited all our friends to get their opinions on what we’re doing (and saying), and to thank them for helping us with getting things ready.
I must [...]
Posted in Bus, Getting started on Friday, June 1, 2007 | Leave a Comment »
Yet another interesting challenge has been solved: the microphone. Our van didn’t have one and neither it did have a CD player. These two obvious lacks had to fixed since 1) it would be nice if everyone in the bus could hear me and 2) we are going to play some Finnish music on the [...]
Posted in Bus, Getting started on Sunday, May 6, 2007 | Leave a Comment »
I’m so frustrated right now that I’m ready to tear out my hair.
I love this country and all, but customer service is really not one of those things Finns can be proud of. In other countries people actually want to sell you their product. They want you to be their customer, since more customers = [...]
Posted in Bus, Getting started on Monday, April 30, 2007 | Leave a Comment »
It’s the Eve of First of May (vappuaatto in Finnish) and by now half the nation is well on its way from tipsy to truly drunk. (First of May is celebration of spring/students/the working man etc. in Finland, basically a reason to have huge party). But I’m here at home typing away with the computer, [...]
Posted in Getting started, Website on Sunday, April 29, 2007 | Leave a Comment »
After a week planning, coding, re-planning and recoding, the web site for our tours is now live. You can see it here: http://www.rudolfcity.com!
There was much gritting of teeth, cursing of CSS commands and about 6 bottles of Pepsi Max before it was finished enough be made available for the public. There are still a few [...]
Posted in Getting started, T-shirts on Saturday, April 28, 2007 | Leave a Comment »
In the last few weeks, it’s been great to notice how much support our friends and families have been giving us. Their help with getting things ready for the business has been very much appreciated (and needed). Our friend Kati and Stuart’s family have given their opinion on the website (rudolfcity.com) and the flyer (fresh [...]
Posted in Bus, Getting started on Friday, April 20, 2007 | Leave a Comment »
For the last few months we’ve been looking around for a minibus (14-16 seats) to buy. Piece of cake, you’d think, right? Alas, not.
Let me explain the issue (very shortly). There are three kinds of used minibuses on sale in Finland (and none of them are what we need/want/require):
A) The almost new. The smell of [...]
