2016 BMW R1200GS, the ultimate machine for this kind of trip!

I am writing this sitting in the train in Lörrach (D) and waiting for it to depart. I am on the Motorail train from Lörrach to Hamburg (thank you for the tip Nani&Eni / Fam Siebermann)! The train saves me about 800km of German autobahn, easily the most boring stretch of the entire trip, so I am super happy to travel that distance while sleeping!

I made a quick stop at Aldi Süd (when in Germany, do as ...) to get snacks and some drinks for the evening and now I am making myself comfortable in the 2.5 square meters that are all mine for the next 11 hours! Yes, I have splashed out and treated myself to a private compartment

Train actually also deserves a couple of words too: in a way, it reminds me of the ferry from Albania.... actually the thing they have in common is, I have the distinct feeling I have been on this exact train before.... when I was 5 or 6 years old! Same with the ferry, both look like they have been in service for more than 40 years... \240well to be fair this train is in a slightly better state then the Albanian ferry was....

I was really excited to see that these take-your-car-on-the-train things were coming back. I think it is a really sensible way to travel for holidays, especially if you are with a family and want to bring your car so you can move around at your destination.... you can sleep while travelling and it must be a hell of a lot more sustainable than putting a whole family on a plane and then renting a car!! My excitement was dampened a bit when I saw the prices. One-way ticket for me, my bike and the private compartment was €670. Which felt like a lot, but then again, the compartment sleeps 3, so if you are with a family, it will still it is cheaper than flying...

I am really hoping, that when I arrive in Hamurg in the morning it has been a good experience, so that I can wholeheartedly recommend this as a viable and responsible way to travel. .... for now, I am not sure I am still impressed by the 1980’s luxury that is my private compartment....

So, that‘s it for today, I am going to relax and try to get some sleep!

Tomorrow will be a long driving day: I will drive from Hamburg to Ustka, a beach resort on the Polish East Sea coast! It is one of the longest drives of my trip at almost 700km. But I guess it will be mainly good roads, so I should be fine...

Oh and before I forget, my rough itinerary: I am heading to Poland tommorow and then continue to go north: Lituania, Latvia, Estonia, then the ferry to Helsinki, crisscross through Finland before heading up to the North Cape. From there I will follow the Norwegian coast down, al lot of ferries, Islands and Fjords, I will take the famous Hurtigruten ferry down from Trondheim to Bergen seeing some of the most spectacular Fjords from the water and then drive towards Olso, along the Swedish south west coast, across to Denmark and back to Hamburg where I will take this same train back down. I am planning to reach the North Cape on Monday 5th of July and I should be back at home on Friday the 16th of July.

The lighthouse must be a popular destination for tourists as the place was swarming with people. After queueing, I made my way up the 300 (!) steps! Definitely earned a beer and a cigar tonight!

The view from the lighthouse was a bit disappointing to be honest, or maybe it was the lack of oxygen in my brain... judge for yourself, here are some pictures.

After my touristic detour, I continued on to my destination Ustka, an East Sea beach and fishermen’s town. Only 3.5 hours of driving left!

The Polish roads proved to be a pleasant change from the efficient German Autobahns and Landesstrassen. The roads are narrower, winding through forests and you keep passing through quaint country villages. Some better off than others, but on the whole much more pleasant driving than Autobahn!

Poland does have speed cameras I noticed, so you need to be careful, but no damage was done, I think!

Tomorrow is another monster day, even more km than to day. I will be crossing over into Lithuania where I have nice spa hotel in the countryside outside of Vilnius booked to rest my achey bones tomorrow evening! After tomorrow I have some easier days in the schedule, with distances of only 300-400 km and I will get to visit Riga and Talinn!

Lovely lady in the lobby

Art Deco? Jugendstil? Anyone missing any roman columns?

Pool table with a view!

The restaurant is interesting: the waitress apologised that the menu is only available in Lithuanian, but she said she could translate... that didn’t work out as she did not know what „main course“ meant. She thought those were to start the meal... so, google translate to the rescue! The waitress blusters on as she doesn’t ask how I want my steak, struggles to open the wine, pours a whole glass without letting me taste and doesn’t show me the bottle. It is \240rather comical in this theatrical super chique Walt Disney Hotel. I just hope the kitchen is better skilled than the service staff... 

The rest of dinner is actually pretty good. It is presented with as much pomp as the decor: my starter, a steak tartar, is served under a glass dome filled with smoke! And my steak comes with truffle butter! 😋

About the trip today then: The drive was long, but pleasant and overall uneventful. Polish countryside has little surprises, it is all nice rolling hills, forests, farmland and village after village. There was a lot of traffic. I even had two traffic jams! Those didn‘t matter too much, as it seems that in Poland it is perfectly ok for motorbikes to overtake the queue. The Masurian Lakes provided for a welcome change of scenery. There are 2000 lakes making up this district and as I was driving through they pop up through the forest left, right and center. Some of them small, others larger and boats everywhere! 

As I crossed the border into Lithuania there was that feeling again: you have just passed a man-made border, so the soil and geology must be the same, but suddenly things „feel“ different... In this case the change is quite immediate, especially the houses look different. Much more wooden houses, painted, they remind me of Scandinavia. In the Polish villages the houses are made of stone or concrete. 

Lithuania, at first glimpse, looks a bit better off than the towns in northern Poland. Houses and gardens are more cared for, that sort of thing. 

One other thing that I noticed as I was driving through Poland are the cemeteries. They look the same as in Albania/Macedonia: on the outskirts of a village, with a shiny new wall around it and big gates, all the graves are decorated with flowers and shiny metal objects. And the strangest thing: all the graves look like they are not more than one or two years old!! 

I remember from my trip in March wondering whether it were Corona deaths, that made them build new cemeteries... but I guess that is just my sensationalist mind... So far, each time I saw one, I dind‘t really want to take the time to stop, but I am still wondering, so I promise next time I see one, I will stop and explore!

Tomorrow, I think I will drive to Vilnius for a coffee and a quick look around and then it‘s on to Riga! Can’t wait to see what Latvia is like and what that city has to offer!

I walked up the hill and indeed all the graves were relatively new. The oldest I saw on the hillside was 2006. Further up, on the top, there was a patch with a few older ones but only a couple that were from the 80‘s and one from ‘79. I am pretty sure this is a Catholic graveyard and that is probably also why they look similar to the ones in the south, I guess both regions have strong (orthodox?) Catholic communities. But it is also true that all the graves are relatively new. Where the older graves are, I don’t know.

And wow does it live up to that name!! Tucked away in a small side street is this more than idyllic little cafe! The coffee was excellent and I decided my stomach had space again for a fruit salad, it must have been the best fruit salad I ever had! The cafe is actually a combination of a jeweller and the cafe. From the cafe you can look through a window into the jeweller‘s workshop.

And in case you are wondering: yes the flowers are fake, but it doesn’t make it less romantic!!

As I was having my coffee two German bikers who had seen me go down the little alley, came up for a chat. One on an identical BMW as mine, the other on a Harley. They were both in their sixties, tanned and living the good life! We exchanged banter on motorbikes, the beauty of Vilnius and my lack of companionship (they thought that because I am riding alone I don’t have friends :) I didn‘t tell them I am a successful blog-writer and I‘d share our encounter with my fan-base 😂😂😂

After the coffee and saying goodbye to my new friends, I made my way out of the city and on to Riga! 

French Embassy (next door to my hotel)

Freedom monument.

Riga has a great vibe to it, the city was still quiet, as I think most people were still at work, but terraces were being set up and music playing everywhere. The corona measure here are still pretty strict. No indoor bars and restaurants, terraces only. 

I had a look around the St Peters basilisk (sorry nor Organ Bratsch!) and snapped shots of some of the beautiful old buildings in town.

Daugava river

And this interesting building is the national library. Maybe something to visit next time!

After my walk around town, I settled myself on a terrace in the afternoon sun to sit down and write today‘s blog. Halfway through I realised that England were playing Germany so, I started to look for a cafe that was showing the match.... the rest of the evening is (football)history! 🍺🍺🍺

My meal, while watching the football was served in an interesting way, mind you it was a deer-burger!

After breakfast in bed this morning (corona restrictions in the hotel) l will now pack up the bike and head to Tallinn. It is only 310 km, which is good, because despite being spoiled with that massage, my neck is still hurting... 

I hope it is just that I need to get used to the weight of the helmet and the wind against it and it will go away in a couple of days. During the driving I have to keep moving around to make sure my neck and shoulders don’t „lock up“. I have created a little routine where I roll my head from side to side, arch my back, stretch out my arms and legs one at a time. I am sure I created some laughs for people on the road, but I don’t really care...  as long as it keeps me mobile! I will keep you posted!

The weather has been great since I set off. It is around 25-26 degrees most days, only when I crossed into Lithuania did I have a couple of rain showers, but nothing to speak off. 

The motorcycle suit that I bought has been great. It is has a number of patches that you can open with mesh underneath, so when it is as warm as it has been, I have all these open and it is quite nice on the bike. Of course standing still in traffic is hot! I hope the suit is also warm enough for when I get up north, as I expect it will be cooler there. Of course I also have multiple layers I can wear underneath, so I think I am well equipped.... 

I have to say, I was tempted by the KGB package, but just went sight-seeing in the end!

Freedom monument (seems all capitals have one around here)

Kiek in de Kök, medieval Defense tower and museum

Toompea Castle, that over the centuries housed the rulers of Estonia. Now it is home to the parliament.

Alexander Nevsky Cathedral. (Yes, the same one as in Sofia!)

Managed one picture of the interior before I was told off! Again no organ 🤔

A little snack: pancake stuffed with Teriyaki chicken.

Town hall

Courtyard of St Catherine‘s Dominican Monastery (now an artist‘s workshop)

Interesting footwear!

And now, I am off to go and have dinner and relax. It will have to be an early night tonight, I am going on the ferry to Helsinki in the morning. Latest checkin is 06.30, so it will be an early alarm!!

All was plain sailing, and when I arrived in Helsinki finally someone asked for my COVID vaccination... I was slightly worried when the border agent asked me for the nature of my trip (holiday), but after studying my certificate he welcomed me to Finland and wished me a safe journey! Pfft 😅

Then we get to the Middle Ages and religion is introduced. Illustrated by this beautiful painting:

And this is what they say about the concept of sin:

Then, focus shifts to what sets us apart as Homo sapiens.

Followed by the age of science:

Each of these is illustrated by historic Finnish artefacts and stories about the most important characters in Finland‘s history. Again, it is not the actual artefacts (the lenses, the calendars, the clothes, the pictures, etc.) that made this deep impression on me, it is the way it is framed by these comments.

Then the story turns to the last centuries and the concepts of states, (national) politics, wars, ....

Inequality....

and of course the environment and both our impact and our perspective as humans.

It is all about perspective:

I guess most of what is written in these comments , could apply to the history of almost any country, but I don’t think I have ever before visited a museum that told the story with this clear, sometimes harsh, but honest and emphatic perspective!

The exhibition continues with the last century and major events for Finland and the Finns. The political story is illustrated by stories and artefacts from individuals caught up in these terrible wars. Like this one, it brought tears to my eyes.

In case you are interested, below is the summary of the main events/phases the country went through.

And of course they are presented from a perspective I was largely oblivious to. Like the casino economy and the depth of the economic crisis Finland went through as recently as 1993!! It made me feel a bit like a tomppeli! 

I will spare you more of my ravings, but I do recommend you go see this museum if you ever have the chance!

View of the road from the observation dome.

Observation dome, below it is the bunker and someone would sit inside, looking out at the road. If they‘d spot the enemy they could give directions to the crew manning the machine gun below in the bunker.

Machine gun

The different bunkers, for the weapons and for accomodation are connected through trenches.

The Salpalinja comprises 225 km of anti tank obstacles. More than 350‘000 of these stones were dug into the ground and put upright. The jig in the background is what they used to hoist put he stones and put them in the holes that were already dug.... all by hand of course. And for many parts of the line, they first needed to build a road, to be able to transport the stones! At the peak, 35‘000 workers worked on the Salpalinja.

That is the face of the bunker, that is what the enemy would have seen if they would have come down the road. \240

So, in the end, this ingenious Defense line was built but was never attacked. Does that mean it was useless? No. On the contrary: it helped Finland to focus their attention on other areas, where they were under attack and it successfully dissuaded the Russians from further pursuing annexation of Finnish territories because it was clear there was a very strong Defense line.

After my visit to the museum, I drive for another hour and a half and reach my hotel. It is an old country estate. And while I have dinner, I get to chatting with some of the other guests. Who tell me the estate used to be the seat of Field Marshall Baron Carl Gustav Emil Mannerheim, he was the military leader of Finland and later president. And, .... he commissioned the Salpalinja! What a coincidence!

Now, I am off to bed as tomorrow will be another long drive! I will head to Oulu on the Baltic Sea coast.

I do find a lovely spot for lunch, but there are lots of flies and mosquitos, and the edge of the lake is muddy and covered in reeds, so I pass up on the swimming.

It has been 25-27°C all day, so I slam on the brakes and strip off!

The water is clear, not too cold and there are little perch swimming between my feet as I walk into the water. After my swim I dry up on the afternoon sun and get on my bike again. Final hour to Oulu!

when I ask about the wine glasses, the waitress introduces me to their signature 6 course menu, with wine pairing... who am I to say no to that!!!

And, from the pea-soup with truffle oil...

... to the white chocolate mousse with licorice, rhubarb and lingonberry ice cream!

And the meal was absolutely fantastic!!! I got spoiled once again!

Tomorrow I have a long-ish drive to Inari, which takes me into reindeer territory and, I pass by Santa Claus‘ home!

I take to the road shortly after 9 and make good progress. Not long after my first petrol stop, I arrive at Rovaniemi, the hometown of Santa Claus!

There is a large theme park and another area that mainly seems to have restaurants and a gift shop. I do the obligatory gift shopping and then I continue on. Somehow the atmosphere here isn’t that great in summer (27°C!). Also here I enter the polar circle!

I remember these from family holidays in Sweden. And they still taste as good!

Now I am really getting into the remote areas of Finnish Lapland. I head onto dirt roads for the first time (no problem) and of course I am on the lookout for reindeer!

I enjoy the new challenge of riding on the dirt road, mostly the dirt is solid and compacted, but where there is loose dirt or gravel on the road, I can feel the heavy machine move underneath me as the tires search for grip, but the bike is so easy to handle and it is a joy to ride it!

The time passes by and soon I am nearing Inari. Unfortunately no reindeer in sight today...

In a mini Bungalow with a tipi-shaped glass roof, the sauna provides a panoramic view of lake Inari.

When it gets too hot, you just walk outside and go for a refreshing dip in the lake!! The atmosphere is unbelievable, it is now almost midnight and the sun is still shining!!

The lake is flat as a mirror and there is no sound apart from birds chirping and every now and then a fish splashes above water... absolute bliss!!!

Tomorrow will be an early start again. I am visiting the local Sami (traditional people of Lapland) museum here in Inari. This town is actually one of the places that was also mentioned in the national museum. Right here, the remains were found of Stone Age settlements, 10‘000 years old!

After the museum I will head across the border into Norway. The drive is not far, about 2,5 hours, and I will again take the back roads. Hopefully this time I will get \240to see some reindeer! 

Tomorrow I will be staying in a Husky Lodge, that is one reason why I am heading off early tomorrow, as I want to have some time in the afternoon to see and play with the dogs!

A hay storage platform to store hay for the cows, the platform is up high so the reindeer don’t get at the hay and eat it all!

Boats...

... and sledges.

Huts for drying and storing fish. Fish was stored away from other food, so the smell wouldn’t ruin the rest!

The floor of a hut overlooking lake Inari. This was built ca. 2000 years ago, so it is like a roman villa!

Tipi-like tents that were easy to move and put up were the home of the reindeer herders.

The Skolt-Sami lived more stationary lives and built these kinds of huts, covered in peet.

There are replicas of different kinds of traps, to catch wild animals. 

Holes in the ground with sharp sticks, to trap wild reindeer.Traps for wolverines or bears that are loaded with stones and snap shut when the animal touches the bait inside it.

And this rather clever contraption, to catch foxes: they put bait on the highest spike and when the fox would climb up to snatch it, it‘s paw would get stuck in the narrow slit!

And of course, they had sauna! Not as nice as where got to stay last night though! :)

A couple of times I passed small settlements of tiny barracks and wooden fencing. I‘m pretty certain they are pens where they keep the reindeer when they drive them together. Now they were all deserted, so my hope of actually seeing reindeer diminished...

Then suddenly in the middle of the road, right in front of me: 4 reindeer just happily trotting along.... as I approached they went faster, but they didn‘t go off the road! Stupid animals, they just kept running. After a while, I thought I‘d better back off and give them some space, then they might make their way back into the bush... but no.

One stayed next to me and had a long, yes very long pee.... it was just the other side of the road and just stood there, peeing and looking at me... after a while I thought it had been enough, and as they were on one side of the road, I quickly passed by them. 

I stopped for a quick picking (with Reindeer biltong, yum!) and an hour or so later I arrived at the Norwegian border.... and that is when things started to go wrong....

I thought the Swiss government had arranged mutual acceptance with the EU... apparently not... I frantically started googling for whether this agreement had actually been made... turns out: no! Could have something to do with the Swiss cancelling the bi-lateral treaties, or maybe not... but anyway, the mutual acceptance is still outstanding.. I can’t believe it, it was fine for Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Finland, but not for the Norwegians???!!!

Well, then, I decide to take a different approach: can I just do a test? Residents of Schengen counties should be allowed in with a test. No, I can‘t because Switzerland is still classified as „red“, but they now tell me, tomorrow Switzerland will be green, so I can come back tomorrow and then I can do a test and continue on! OMG I can’t believe it.... what the hell is the difference between letting me do a test today, or letting me do a test tomorrow? Well tomorrow Switzerland is not red anymore! But, I am not in Switzerland! I am in Finland, and Finland is already green... so what is the difference??? 

The road is actually stunning it follows the flow of the river and the views across the hilly pine forests are breathtaking. The road is also nice and twisty, so it is great fun to drive!

After an hour, I arrive at the Utsjoki border crossing. Only for the Finnish border control to stop me: „Sorry sir, this crossing is only for trucks.... you will need to drive another 45 km north there is a border crossing for private vehicles!“ OMG! Ah well, what else would I do all day, .... so I drive on.

After doing some checking on the hotels near the border and the extra driving time, I decide to head back to my hotel from yesterday. I liked it there, and the food was amazing, so I start on the one and a half hour journey back to where I came from.... 

I do encounter a couple more reindeer on the way back... just walking in th middle of the road...

It does mean that tomorrow I have an absolute monster day of driving, but the bike is already filled up with petrol and I am ready for it!

After (hopefully) passing the border tomorrow I will drive on to the North Cape and from there on to my hotel in Alta. 

I will keep you posted! Sleep well!

Let’s start at the beginning though:

I get up at 6, so I can hit the road by 06:30. It is a bit more than an hour to the border, and I want to be there in time when it opens, so I don’t have a whole bunch of other people in front of me and loose a lot of time. 

All goes well and I reach the border around 7:40... with 20 minutes to wait, I prepare for a short break. Then the Finnish border guard comes up to me, and says, hey, you know the border only opens at 9, don‘t you? I am surprised, because I looked it up last night, and say, oh, I though it was at 8. „Yes“, he replies, „ 8 Norwegian time is 9 Finnish time.“.... Nice, now I have an hour and a half to wait, and I could have slept for another hour... 

Well at least I will have time for breakfast. A local hotel opens at 8 and I sit down for coffee and eggs.

At 08:45 I report again to the border post. In the meantime a German camper has arrived and is now in front of me, but at 9, I am second through the border.

At the Norwegian side there is different team than yesterday, so the whole saga starts over again: 

„Are you vaccinated?“ -  „Yes“ 

„Can I scan the code?“ -  „Ok, but it won‘t work.“ 

„Ok, let‘s try anyway. ... Yes, you are right it doesn’t work. Why doesn’t it work?“ - „Dont worry about it, just let me do a test. Your colleagues yesterday said I could just do a test today and enter.“ 

„Hold on, let me speak to my supervisor....“ ...bla bla bla... 

„Ok, you can go get tested.“

 At the testing center:

„Can I get tested please?“ - „Yes. But I can‘t register you in the system.“

„Why not?“ - „Because you are vaccinated.“

„How do you know I am vaccinated?“ - „I heard you tell the border police.“

„Yes, but my QR-code is rejected, so as far as Norway is concerned, I am not vaccinated, otherwise I wouldn’t need a test, would I?“ - „No you don’t need a test if you are vaccinated,“

„Can you just test me, they just send me here to get tested?“ - „Yes, I can get you tested, but I cannot register you on our system.“ 

„As long as you let me through, I don’t mind if I am in your system or not.“ - „Ok, I will give you a paper confirmation of your test and then it should also be ok. 

Great... thank you!! 

Test: Negative.... let‘s get out of here!

Ga

I make good time, and after a quick petrol stop I already have the tip of the Porsangerfjord on my right hand side and I am on the peninsular leading to the North Cape. 192km to go! So this Fjord reaches 190km inland... For the Dutch amongst you, that is roughly from IJmuiden to Enschede!! 

I enjoy the landscape, the smell of the sea and the driving.

At some point I have two other bikers who are driving in front of me and for a while I follow in their tracks.

Today there have been reindeer everywhere. A number of times already I have had to slow down because they stand around in the middle of the road, and just look around dreamily...

We are already on the Island of Mageroya, as again there is a bunch of them in the road. The first one of the other bikers drives through at, what I thought, was way too fast.

At the last moment one of the reindeer decides to turn and run and..... BAM!

I see a big cloud of dust, and I see the bike skidding left and right with the reindeer stuck on it’s front wheel. Miraculously the guy stays on his bike and somehow is able to stop. The reindeer lies on the side of the road... 

I pull over to see if the guy is ok and if I can help. His mate is already with him. 

He is visibly shaken, but otherwise ok. Also his bike seems to be ok.

We go back to check on the reindeer... RIP reindeer...

We pull it off of the road and check the guy over again. He seems fine. As he goes on to check his bike, there is nothing more I can do so, I continue on.

There is a visitor center that shows a video and has a few other displays, but I can‘t say that it amounts to much...

Funny thing: the North Pole is about half as far away as home is right now!!

So I walk around a bit, snap some more foto‘s and have a quick Picknick, before I start back towards my hotel. 

I also get reindeer, this time slow cooked as a main. (No photo)

And desert.... doesn’t that look spectacular?!

The chef is a real artist and the food is spectacular!!! Please do look this place up if you are ever around!!!

Plan for tomorrow: Alta is home to a huge amount (around 6000 figures (!)) of rock carvings dating from 7’000 until 2’000 years ago. So, I will visit those early tomorrow morning and then make my way to Tromso. I want to take the coastal route, so I will have to catch a couple of ferries. Can’t wait!

This drawing (below) is significant, because it is the oldest proof/example of humans herding animals into a gated area shaped so the animals can then be caught/trapped.

Some of the carvings have been coloured in with red paint in the 1970‘s to help visitors see them better. They since \240stopped doing that as people increasingly feel it is not authentic.

The museum was great. With very knowledgable guides and I enjoyed standing there and looking at things that had been made by humans 7000 years ago! It just makes you realise how small we are in space and time. Definitely worth a visit if you are in the area.

Sorry to those of you who are craving it, but no drama today. Just one funny mention: the ferry has big signs on it which side is the front and which the back... in case the crew forget... (and no the ship is not symetrical, not even close!). 😂😂

Enjoy the evening, so will I!

The water is super clear

I arrive on Senja and I start my tour to cross the island. Just before I enter a tunnel, another motorbike pulls out of a parking strip. Hey, looks like a Dutch licence plate. After the tunnel he pulls over again, so I decide to join him for a chat.

It turns out we have a lot in common and we enjoy hanging out together. Tim has been on the road for two weeks already and is doing it a bit more hardcore than I am: he is camping.

As there is bad weather forecast, I decide to offer him that he can share my room. I am staying in a guesthouse, and I think I booked what was called the „family-suite“ which has at least one extra sofa-bed. He jumps at the offer and we decide to drive on to the next ferry together.

Senja doesn’t disappoint either and provides us with spectacular views throughout!

Out at see whe see dolfins (too far away for a decent picture)

On the ferry we meet up again with the Italian (Federico). He asks us where we are staying, as has not decided where he will sleep. We share the details of our guesthouse and he books himself in there too so we can all watch the football tonight and see who Italy will play in the final.

And, ready for the football!!

Come 10 o‘clock, I put on my rain gear and saddle up! In the beginning the visibility is very bad, but luckily after about half an hour it stops raining and from then on it is fine. It is windy at parts, especially the high bridges connecting the islands, but I make it to the ferry in time and in good order.

Weaving these typical bands for dresses or to wear as bracelets.

A traditional restaurant....

And all sorts of other things.

A bit on the believe system...

And it is all located in this „upside down“ Viking ship. It is rebuilt after the remains of an Iron Age homestead that was found at this site.

A short walk down the hill there is a whole park where children can throw axes (yes! 🙈), shoot bow and arrow, and sail around in an actual Viking ship!

All more than exciting!!!

It gives you an idea of the beauty of this place! The waters are crystal clear and the mountains huge and steep!

Close to my destination I also pass these drying racks for the traditional Stockfish (dried cod). Most racks are empty but some still have all the fish heads on... pretty disgusting... and the smell.... 🤢

Tomorrow is another early rise (05:30) as I will take the ferry at 7 to Bodo back on the mainland. From there I will make my way south along the coast and across the islands to another remote guesthouse where I will stay the night.

I can just about manage a smile 😊

Well at least there was no rain today. It was still grey and chilly, but as the ferry was making the crossing in the distance the weather was already looking better.

I was there just before the current peaked on its way in from the sea, and I saw how the current became faster and faster creating ever more whirlpools.

This (click to watch the video) was as the water reached it‘s maximum speed for today. It gets wilder even when there are spring tides, and then water can travel at up to 40 km/h I read somewhere.

I was just in awe of this amazing natural spectacle.

The views of the fjords and the mountain from the water couldn’t be any better. It makes me look forward to the day I will spend on the Hurtigruten Ferry. But, to get there I will face a long drive tomorrow to Trondheim. Well the weather looks good, so it should be another great day!

My place for the night is right off the ferry (the ferry dock is behind the red houses). There is nothing else around here. Just a couple of houses... and the seagulls!!

The apartment where I stayed last night was a mild disaster… it was was all very old but that’s fine. I was less pleased when I wanted to brush my teeth and water from the tap was light brown… I’d seen the flushing water in the toilet was also brown, but I figured they use rainwater for that and I guess that’s fine. No matter how long the tap ran it stayed brownish….

Then the next surprise was when I was ready for bed. As I wanted to get under the duvet, I noticed there was no cover on it. Nor was there one on the pillow!

In the guesthouse where we stayed the other day, you also had to make the bed, but at least there they had layer the bedlinnen rwady on the bed. Here, there was nothing in the bedroom, nor had the landlady told me anything. So I went on a scavenger hunt through the little cottage, but no bedlinnen could be found…

The landlady lives next door, so here I go, in my pyjamas, at midnight… well at least it was still light ☺️

She responded with what I interpreted as a mixture of surprise and irritation: “you want… that? She then showed me where the bedlinnen was hidden. And I could make my bed and get in it!

So when the alarm went this morning I was more than happy to leave this place behind. But not before \240leaving behind a message in the guestbook about my displeasure!

and the mountains, and before I know it I reach Nesna…

While waiting for the ferry and chatting with some other bikers (who I also met yesterday at Saltstraumen) we are suddenly surprised by some long blows of a big ship’s horn. Surprises we turn to look and who es there: MS Kong Harald!

I think for a second about going over and see if I can board here instead. It would save me another 435km or so…

But then I decide against it it would rob me of another day of driving around these beautiful fjords in this gorgeous weather…. Oh boy was I going to regret that decision!…

We board our ferry and take off. I see the Kong Harald sail off behind us.

After that, to be honest, the drive becomes a bit boring… yes the forests are beautiful and the roads windy, but I’ve seen quite a bit of that already….

Really, nearly 6000km and \240this is the first moment on this trip that I feel a bit bored!

Then, I don’t know if it was punishment for feeling bored or not, but I feel some drops. Before long it is a good rain shower. And on a motorist 90kmh that gets you wet pretty quickly. So I stop and put on my rain suit.

240km, 3 hours, to go! Well it didn’t stop raining… Boredom gave way to concentration because driving in the rain is not very relaxing: visibility is bad because of all the water drops on the vizor, and of course less grip on the road, so much more care is needed.

You will understand that I didn’t stop for pictures anymore!

And I revisited that decision not to ask if I could board the Hurtigruten many, many times!

I settle on a Mexican restaurant called Frida

And I am not disappointed! Great food, great service and great atmosphere!

Tomorrow, I will board the ferry at 9. The ferry dock is 5 mins away so I have a relaxed start to the day. … but, the forecast is… rain!

Well let’s see, I’m sure it will be fine! (Famous last words 😂)

After I have put my stuff in my cabin, I make a round on the ship. There are 2 restaurants, two bars and a number of spaces with relaxed chairs where you can sit. I also check the sundeck, you never know... maybe the sun will break through later on....

Then it is time to sail!

I put on a jacket and find a spot on the Teck but under the glass roof. It is actually quite nice outside. I enjoy the view of the fjords and think about all the memories I have already made on this trip.

The rest of the guests, are busy knitting or gossiping (no joke, the 4 ladies at the table behind are from a German group, I kept bumping in to them and they gossiping non-stop about the others in the group!!!)

It is very windy, and on top of that, the ship does 15knots, which is about 25kmh, so when you go outside you need to find a sheltered spot! The glass roofed terrace is great, but as soon as the sun breaks through it is suddenly hot!

The could has a hat on!!

Then we enterthe Bremnesfjord and to stop at Kristiansund.

We stay here for an hour, but I decide not to leave the strip and instead I use the lack of wind and the newly broken through sun to spend an hour on the sundeck reading and enjoying a drink.

And off we go again.

Do another lap of the ship and check in on my dinner... 😉

And I learn a bit about the Norwegians...

We make another stop at Molde and shortly after we pass one of the other Hurtigruten ships.

The ships deliberately pass close to each other so everyone can waive to the other passengers and the horns are sounded!

I continue to watch the football final (Forza Italia!!🇮🇹) and then fall asleep hapily.

My office for the morning has a pretty good view!

The German gossip ladies have moved in on me again and are sitting on the table next to me. Thank goodness for noice-cancelling headphones! ☺️

A small ferry crosses just in front of us and drives people to a road winds it’s way through the barren rocks on seemingly going nowhere at all...

We have passed a couple of sailing boats yesterday and today, and the further south we go the more of them we are seeing. (Could also be the better weather).... \240

hmmm 🤔 could be a nice idea for a future sailing trip!

The road I am driving seems to be made for motorbikes. Long winding curves and very little traffic. A little bit higher up there was almost no vegetation and the the lanscape is barren and almost moon-like. The views are spectacular!

The ferry takes me from Horten to Moss, across the Oslofjord. This way I don’t have to go through Oslo with it‘s infamous traffic...

After the ferry it is only another 1.5 hours to drive. I cross the border into Sweden. (No border check)

As I was planning the trip and looking for a place to stay in the region, this popped up. And I immediately recognised the name. \240I had been here as a kid. 1983 or thereabout.

My mum just send me a photo of where we were there!

The family v.R.

1983.... and now:

So funny!

It was hot on the road today, so when I got here, I got a towel and my swimming short and went straight for a swim!

Loved the swim! Cool and refreshing and the water is so great. It is clean, maybe not as clear as some of the lakes in the mountains in CH, but it has a different taste to it.... maybe the tast of my youth .... 😂😂😂

So, that‘s it for today. I am finishing my wine here on the terrace (same terrace as 38 years ago! OMG I am so old!!)

Tomorrow I only have short drive. To the Swedish coast where I will be staying at the Flipflops fun bar! Sort of a hippy place. The forecast is 28°C again, so I am looking forward to an afternoon and evening on the beach!!!

… and a swim!

Im watching the sun go down over the Swedish dunes. It is the last evening of the trip really. Tomorrow evening I will board the train in Hamburg and, as I remember from my arrival, there is not much of a view at Hamburg Altona Station….

But, before I get there I will still have one country to cross and 555km to drive! I will also drive over the Oresund Bridge connecting Sweden to Denmark! That is one of the highlights I have been looking forward to!

What a trip it’s been! No, no time for melancholy yet! One mor day to go!

And after:....

Then, it was of to get a real shower, and then breakfast.

I packed up my stuff and got on the bike for 10am. The drive today was 555km, or 7 hours. 2 hours to get to the Oresund Bridge, another two hours to get to the ferry in Rodby (Denmark) and then 3 hours to get from Puttgarden (D) to Hamburg. Well that was the plan, and it almost worked out like that!

And it looks super impressive (picture off the net)

And this is how it is to drive it! It was a bit foggy, so the view was not so clear, but it also added some mystery.... then suddenly the big pillars rise up (click to watch the video):

Ok, well I have to admit, it was a bit shorter than I expected. But still, it was great to finally experience it!

As it looked like it was going to be a while, I parked the bike, and found a spot in the shade on the crash barrier. Just behind me was another biker. Also a BMW, similar type to mine. I greet the guy and he come over. We strike up a chat, and guess what? He is just preparing to drive up to the North Cape himself! Planning to leave first week of August! We share stories and I can give him loads of tips. All of a sudden, people start getting back into their cars, and we jump on our bikes and off we go. still we had been there for 45 Mins already! Just enough time to wish him a safe and great journey and again our roads separate.

But no, that is not how I feel!! This is more what I feel like:

I am so grateful for the experiences of the past 3 weeks. Seeing the big old cities of Vilnius, Riga and Tallinn of the Baltic states. Learning about the Finnish Defense lines against the Russians, and that fantastic Helsinki National Museum!!

Seeing all the reindeer, crossing the outback of Finland on dirtroads. And then finally reaching the North Cape....

then as I was going down the Norwegian coast, it was almost like I was on a different trip altogether. First of all the weather changed: from 30°C to 13°C and rain!! And then the breathtaking landscapes of the Lofoten islands and the \240Norwegian Fjords. Watching the sun set for the first time in 8 days! .... and so much more!

Words just aren’t enough!

Now, it‘s off to bed, because I can‘t wait to come home tomorrow!!