Norway - part 1
We got back from Norway last Wednesday already, but this post has been somewhat delayed by the fact that as soon as we got home, I received the sad news that my computer had decided to draw it's last breath while I was away. Luckily I have an ancient laptop to access internet with, but this old one is incapable of working smoothly and tests my patience with each click of the mouse.
Therefore, going through photos and such has been even more of an ordeal than normally. Hopefully I can afford a new computer soon.
Anyway, onto the travel post!
On Monday, the 8th of June, we picked up a cute little Kia Ceed from a local car rent center and began our long drive to Norway. From Tampere, we drove to Vaasa for a ferry to take us over to Sweden.
The ferry ride was very nice, if a bit expensive. A 4-hour ferry from Vaasa to Umea, with no cabin or food included, was about 50 euros more expensive than an 8-hour ferry from Kapellskär to Naantali with cabin and two free meals. So yeah. If you're planning a trip to Norway from Finland, use the Naantali ferry unless you really, really need to go north. *nods*
Kedlai the Wammo, enjoying the breeze at the Vaasa-Umea ferry.
The first day was spent mostly driving. We stopped at 3 am somewhere in the wilderness of Sweden to set up tent and grab a few hours of sleep. Which turned into fewer hours of sleep, since even our many layers of sleeping bags and blankets was unable to keep the cold from having it's way with us.
The fucking cold campsite.
The next day we continued our drive. It took a while to find the border between Norway and Sweden, because the Swedish side of the road was nothing more than a bumpy dirt track that looked like it hadn't been used in ages. There were no clear signs that we were even on the right road, although the map was telling us otherwise. So, for the first time of what would become many, many more times, we decided to blindly trust the map despite what we saw on the road. Our trust was not misplaced - after about an hour of driving down the suspicious-looking road, I slammed on the brakes and steered the car to the side of the road. Ahead was an inconspicious sign, an old rock and a single pole to mark where the border is.
The sign, the rock, the pole and the travelers.
Yeah, people in the Baltic countries can pass each other's borders with no questions asked. That is, if they can FIND the bloody borders at all.
On the evening of the second day, we arrived in Brønnøysund, called up Sectus, got lost a bit on the way to his house and then went to see some awesome World War 2 ruins close to his house. The ruins are a bunch of tunnels crisscrossing the mountainside with an old lightbeam device and a cannon still in place guarding them. One of the tunnels was so deep and creepy that we didn't go to the end of it. I tried to use my cellphone to light our way in it, but it just swallowed up the light and spat out darkness.
Kedlai the Wammo, climbing all over the WW2 remains.
Afterwards we went back to Sectus' place, where his parents graciously let us stay the night so that we didn't need to endure another freezing cold night in a tent. Yay!
The superawesome trio - Ked, Pery and Sectus - pose in front of the superawesome car.
To be continued...
Therefore, going through photos and such has been even more of an ordeal than normally. Hopefully I can afford a new computer soon.
Anyway, onto the travel post!
On Monday, the 8th of June, we picked up a cute little Kia Ceed from a local car rent center and began our long drive to Norway. From Tampere, we drove to Vaasa for a ferry to take us over to Sweden.
The ferry ride was very nice, if a bit expensive. A 4-hour ferry from Vaasa to Umea, with no cabin or food included, was about 50 euros more expensive than an 8-hour ferry from Kapellskär to Naantali with cabin and two free meals. So yeah. If you're planning a trip to Norway from Finland, use the Naantali ferry unless you really, really need to go north. *nods*
Kedlai the Wammo, enjoying the breeze at the Vaasa-Umea ferry.
The first day was spent mostly driving. We stopped at 3 am somewhere in the wilderness of Sweden to set up tent and grab a few hours of sleep. Which turned into fewer hours of sleep, since even our many layers of sleeping bags and blankets was unable to keep the cold from having it's way with us.
The fucking cold campsite.
The next day we continued our drive. It took a while to find the border between Norway and Sweden, because the Swedish side of the road was nothing more than a bumpy dirt track that looked like it hadn't been used in ages. There were no clear signs that we were even on the right road, although the map was telling us otherwise. So, for the first time of what would become many, many more times, we decided to blindly trust the map despite what we saw on the road. Our trust was not misplaced - after about an hour of driving down the suspicious-looking road, I slammed on the brakes and steered the car to the side of the road. Ahead was an inconspicious sign, an old rock and a single pole to mark where the border is.
The sign, the rock, the pole and the travelers.
Yeah, people in the Baltic countries can pass each other's borders with no questions asked. That is, if they can FIND the bloody borders at all.
On the evening of the second day, we arrived in Brønnøysund, called up Sectus, got lost a bit on the way to his house and then went to see some awesome World War 2 ruins close to his house. The ruins are a bunch of tunnels crisscrossing the mountainside with an old lightbeam device and a cannon still in place guarding them. One of the tunnels was so deep and creepy that we didn't go to the end of it. I tried to use my cellphone to light our way in it, but it just swallowed up the light and spat out darkness.
Kedlai the Wammo, climbing all over the WW2 remains.
Afterwards we went back to Sectus' place, where his parents graciously let us stay the night so that we didn't need to endure another freezing cold night in a tent. Yay!
The superawesome trio - Ked, Pery and Sectus - pose in front of the superawesome car.
To be continued...