Scandinavia

Synonymously for width and undestroyed nature.
Eh a nature friend I knew besides already by a journey some years before that it pleased me here. But exactly this journey from at that time led now also to the fact that me this was called times a rather strange travel route detailed by the heading schwirrte. " cord TRACKS by Norway and Sweden over then Finland to bereisen " the foreign exchange; probably before the background that I had been at that time in Norway and Sweden and the route in Finland had had to abort.

It completely differently came, actually clearly...!

Ferry from the Shetlands to Bergen: Smyril Line

- Norway -
( Norge )

began outstandingly. The last nautical miles of the passage of the Shetlands pass by a beautiful fjord. A last bend, then emerges mountains before us. Singular position! Been situated in an enormous boiler from rock and mountains it works from the distance like a tiny Oertchen, somehow between the cliffs and the sea squeezed. Unbelievably!

The travel from mountains outside was ' ne only disaster, but to which I should get thereafter to see am located in the diary:

I would not like to lie, but I regard the travel at the hard meadow fjord and over (?) the Hardangervidda as the absolute high point of my past journey. To me even nothing breaks in from such a outstanding beauty after some thinking!


Bike / Hardangerfjord Fjord between steep rocks

I had selected, there the 7 only therefore it the " highway " mountains - Oslo is. So by the area enthusiastically from now on no more speech was of " fast by Norway and Sweden ". And my meant southern route mountains - Oslo - Stockholm was directly along-buried.
Instead I remained faithful for the forests of central and east Norway and exceeded almost imperceptibly the boundary after

- Sweden -
( Sverige )

Small roads toward Mora in such a way on the way I discovered an old however apparently used schienenstrang. It took one while to " Mora - Schienenstrang - that says to me nevertheless somewhat ".
Correctly. I was by central Sweden direction the north radelte and of the " Inlandsbanan " experienced on my journey at that time (' 92) been as. Had to drive since at that time for a long time dreamed about it once with this course. It was lately in oblivion guessed/advised only.
Now radelte I thus on Mora too. What remained for me different one than this old dream to fulfill there?

Inlandsbanan; or: how a dream develops
Sit at a window; outside, the scenery moves by. Put down Paul Theroux's The Pillars of Hercules. His "But that was yesterday's plan. I had changed my mind, and I was glad of it" reminded me of my own total change of plans yesterday.
Wasn't this the trip I had been dreaming of for so long? Just by discovering those old but seemingly used rail tracks did it pop back into mind. "Couldn't this be the tracks of the Inlandbana? Didn't it start at Mora where I'm heading to right now?"
But already as I'm still travelling along - and fulfill that age-old dream - a new one does begin to develop first sprouts.
A trip on this train in winter!
From Mora's daylight into Lappland's 24-hour-darkness; Walking in huge amounts of dark-blue shining snow; And maybe seeing the Northern Light. A winter fairy-tale!

[One day, I'll fulfill that dream, too - on another line. Unfortunately, the Inlandbana doesn't run in winter.]

Famous railway line: (rail bus!) Inlandsbanan

Two days later and 1000 kilometers further north - in Gaellivare at the polar circle - then again wheel driving was announced. After

- Finland -
( Suomi )

The absolute highlight in Scandinavia was the Hardangerfjord Hardangervidda travel into Norway - As the most beautiful country I felt however with distance Finland!
Long endless roads, " only " geschottert not rarely and loosened up by thousands small seas, Finland for people is like me - Lover of the large lonely width - almost a paradies.


I had somewhere heard that times a Radler weighted, to see from the whole lakes am nothing at all. The roads would run in each case by the forests and no lakes would lead past.
No notion, where that on the way was; probably it " up-flew " only in the express speed the E4.

I for my section went past at as much lakes, I can not times all those remember, at which I had inserted a beautiful rest let alone to all those, at which I only drove past!


There would be as many mad stories to tell..., of the nice bank employee, of the Camp in Rovaniemi, over Koko & Lisbeth (many, many greetings if its that here read!), as I met a family with the fishing rod trip, from which many small loading with which I held, from Aki me after Helsinki loaded, or also simply of countless fantastischen storing including sunsets...

Don't read this,

go there! experience it!

is what you should do!

Short form diary:
- weather madly, and I thus let it run comfortably to Rovaniemi. Do not continue to drive ' I today no more. Curve several times by the city (quite beautiful, operation SAM, many people, city celebration), then to the camping site. Had to stay overnight considered in the Jugi, however only o'clock opens and is also twice as expensive at 5.
- in Vanttauskoski I meet a radelndes Paearchen from Switzerland. Drive together to Pirttikoski. On the way their disks repaired. Behind Pirttikoski fantastische distance! Milled off bitumen, very darkly, uebersaeht with stones; evenly and nevertheless roughly. Simply class! Stay overnight in the Jugi to the one sign suddenly and completely unexpectedly at the roadside refers. I glaub's only not. Property my own small Stuga (hut)!
- drive only to Kemijaervi. Are quite lucky drying to arrive approximately plaestert it which things holds.
- for the first time long ends of crushed stone distance; partly very beautifully!
- Koko & Lisbeth from Holland; (Tanhua)
Giant Ren;
Sun in the back, pitch black toward Russian boundary;
Russian boundary;
Camp: Railway end to Russia;
- no special distance. Broadly developed. Only before Hautajaervi some kilometers beautiful narrow road (kurvig, hilly, green to to the roadside). Becomes still worse. Drive the 5 [ E63 ] along. Broadly, flat, much traffic. And accordingly stinkig. Power not the smallest fun. There already 20km before Kuusamo the houses begin in distances from 300m - 500m to be gives it only one: Today still inside after Kuusamo and equivalent again outside. Even if I thereby substantially more kilometer (and also longer) drive than meant. Camp at the turn off after... (Puusamo?)

Railway employee
She spoke a little english. (But that very good!). That I wanted a Scanrailpass for 5 days within 15 days was both realized and sold quickly. A bigger problem became the storage of my bike. I just couldn't made her understand that I would have liked to leave my bike in a room at the train station.
Gave it up eventually, yet happy to have gotten the Scanrailpass. Cycled to the Youth Hostel to book in for a night and of course to ask if it would be possible to leave the bike for two weeks.
What a disappointment. What a dump.
The walls were totally covered by advertising all kinds of hamburgers, the bike had to be locked outside in the back and my room stank miserable. Could hardly stand it.
Quit the idea of leaving the bike at the Hostel, instead went back to the train station. Had a look around and discovered a door marked with symbols of a rolling chair and a baby carriage. Went back to the counter and smiled: "I still have a problem with my bike. Can I leave it - THERE?" and pointed straight at the door. A big smile turned up on her face and "I say - YES!"
Wonderful! Excellent! Didn't expect this kind of reaction! Back to the Hostel in high spirits, packed everything I wouldn't need, attached it to the bike, back to the station, leaving my bike in storage.

Wanna find her a little present as souvenir and to say "thank you" !

Short form diary: (again three small single dumps)
- repeated very beautiful distances driven. Also the 447 after Kangasniemi. This particularly because quite even to drive halfway flat ( compared with the other roads) and very well and briskly.
Naturally also today again once strongly wet become. The second downpour (thunderstorm) I waited for drying under an amusing concrete stand in Pieksaemaeki.
With dinner of mushrooms roasted! Very much lecker! Over day brown caps and birkenpilze had collected. Find to the Campen a very beautiful workstation at a lake, 200m away from the road
- before Karigasniemi; seat ' in a Roadhouse, studies my further route. The card lightens itself, I is surprised, looked raus, actually, the sun comes out!
Perfectly suitably Don Hanleys " buzzer " begins to play in the radio. Whistle quietly along and types the clock with the feet in addition.
Afterwards some marvelous crushed stone routes along. In Leivonmaeki into a Pub, relaxen and which eat. There the sun still shines still drives on I and tents on already again a closed up entry of a former clearing area.
As hors-d'oeuvre with dinner gibt's today a hand fully smaller however very tasty ground connection and raspberries. Picked of the bushes directly beside my tent.
- build my tent in the evening in a beautiful forest area on round around everything fully with blue berries! Logically that I begin there to pick.
Need only once around the tent to zuzupfluecken and my fodder cup is crammed.
Stretch? I must check later on the card. Can me however of some mad paragraph remind.

How had I written nevertheless at the start?
Scandinavia - Synonymously for width and undestroyed nature And:
Long endless roads, " only " geschottert not rarely and loosened up by thousands small seas, Finland for people is like me - Lover of the large lonely width - almost a paradies.

I hope to have ruebergebracht small few this paradieses!

somewhere in Lappland

Didn't continue in Russia, where I gladly would have gone to, but in Estonia

Ferries from Helsinki to Tallinn: Silja Line, Nordic Jet Line, Eckerö Line, Linda Line