Finland ♡

From the Pillion
Finland is beautiful.

Forests and more forests and lots of lakes, nearly 188,000 (well, 187,888 according to Wikipedia).

We rode by their shores and sometimes across them, some are eerily dark and silent and some are adorned by the typically red-coloured timber cottages of the Nordic countries. You have to make do with parts of a postcard, there was no real opportunity to stop and take a leisurely photo.

Much of the activities and facilities here are geared towards winter sports and a promise to see the Northern Lights, but it’s lovely to experience the country in the summer.

There are 40 National Parks, all inviting you to hike and explore. And here’s the thing: the Finns must have a more developed masochistic streak than the Brits. There is no way on earth you could enjoy a hike unless you ventured out in full-monty beekeeper’s gear. The mozzies would eat you alive! We decided to give it a miss.

Pilot and Rider have been on high moose-spotting alert. These beasts weigh up to 600kg and have caused some serious accidents. Luckily we haven’t encountered any so far.

Here’s another curious thing: in some of the Airbnbs we stayed in and in most of the toilets in hotels, bars and restaurants, there is a hose with a showerhead attachment. Sometimes next to the sink, sometimes next to the WC. I presume it’s some sort of Nordic bidet. Most of these conveniences also have drainage in the floor, like a wet room. The last WC I visited had all of the above and was so small, you couldn’t even swing a mouse in it! How you are supposed to use said device without emerging as if you’ve been in a water fight, I don’t know.

I haven’t tried to find out.

Btw, though we've travelled the length of the country heading south, were still as far north as the Shetlands!