Finnish? Nah, not even half way through yet

Hello from Finland.

Please excuse the terrible pun but your mind does funny things to you spending 6-8 hours a day in the saddle.

Sadly this computer doesn't read my photo card so I can't put any picture up. Hopefully soon.

I am currently at Uusikaupunki just about to set off for the day where I hope to get some way towards the Archiepelago of Aland. It will involve a series of ferries and riding a few miles here and there, I am looking forward to it. That's if the heavens don't open again, looking out of the window I'd say there was thunderstorms brewing.....

Since the last post I have covered a fair few miles but not all of them under my own steam. I made it to Sundsvall after a day of battling into 15mph headwinds all day, not fun with the anchors that are fully loaded panniers. This was where I was going to get the bus / train North to Umeä. I had some time for a look round the museum there which i enjoyed.

The coach driver North was not very helpfull and wasn't going to let me put the bike on despite me wrapping it up in a monster plastic bag (glad I kept it from the way out). Thankfully me fellow passangers and another coach driver told him to stop being a prat and he put it on. It was a 5 hour coach journey and although i felt like I was cheating a bit I was glad for a day off the sadlle and to gain a few days back as that would have been 3 days riding.

I crossed into Finland on the ferry without too many dramas arriving at half 2. I went to Tourist info to get some ideas as to where to stop for the night and was told of a good place 60KM away. Perfect. It turns out it was twice that far and a lot of it on busy roads, nopt so perfect. I arrived just before the shop and campsite closed and promptly passed out. It rained throughout the night but it was comforting on the tent and thankfully it has stopped in the morning.

I don't have a specific route to be following here so am sticking to proper raods which although pretty deserted are a bit dull. Ocaasionally you get a good climpse of the coast but mainlty they are long, straight and flat with nothing but trees for company. I am howvere getting 120KM or so in relatively easy during the day.

It absolutely hammered it down yesterday whcih was not much fun but managed to get to where I wanted to be for the night and had my first sauna of the trip which was great after a tough day in the saddle.

Hopefully i will get some pictutres up soon.

Nice one,
Sam