 I
can hardly believe it, but I am definitely on my way home. The well
feared
tunnel
near Smørfjord has
been tamed.  In former times
the road was not tarred and there was no ventilation
and not a single light for about 2700 meters. I had to go
this way twice had I not taken the ferry boat from Hammerfest. From Russenes
to the cape the road is a dead end. I spend one night in the youth
hostel
of Lakselv, one of the most impressing hostels I have ever
seen,
and drive on to Karigasniemi, where I pass the border to Finnland.
*
To me, Finnland is the great disappointment of this
trip.  Not
that the Finnjet ferry to Germany is fully booked in the end. It is the
atmosphere that is strange. There is hardly any chance to camp outside
of camping sites. Most land is private ground and, contrary to
Sweden,
you are not welcome to camp there. And there is always a forest between
the road and the lakes - so you won't see any for miles though being
very
near. And the scenery is very monotonous all along the way.
 *
The campings are really good, the best I've ever
seen. There is wood and a fire place, hot showers, stoves and other
useful
stuff. After 100 miles this is quite resonable. And the weather is not
made to make me smile. There is rain on the air and one day, near
Sodankylä,
I have to ride 70 km through pouring rain. I take a day
off
to dry my clothes and to rewrite the diary.
*
Rovaniemi is a town near the polar circle.
After 3760 km  I
cross this line for the second time. Now I am heading south. I spend
the
night at the camping of Rovaniemi and quit early in the morning. I
follow
the busy river called Kemijoki, pass by Oulu and soon I
find
myself on the way to Helsinki. The weather is improving. |
I
can hardly believe it, but I am definitely on my way home. The well
feared
tunnel
near Smørfjord has
been tamed. 
In former times
the road was not tarred and there was no ventilation
and not a single light for about 2700
Not
that the Finnjet ferry to Germany is fully booked in the end. It is the
atmosphere that is strange. There is hardly any chance to camp outside
of camping sites. Most land is private ground and, contrary to
Sweden,
you are not welcome to camp there. And there is always a forest between
the road and the lakes - so you won't see any for miles though being
very
near. And the scenery is very monotonous all along the way.
*
I
cross this line for the second time. Now I am heading south. I spend
the
night at the camping of Rovaniemi and quit early in the morning. I
follow
the busy river called Kemijoki, pass by Oulu and soon I
find
myself on the way to Helsinki. The weather is improving.
