It didn’t seem to be possible but it immediately felt even more remote and lonesome after I have crossed into Norway. I passed a couple of abandoned buildings. Neiden, the next settlement, seemed almost deserted and to my disappointment the local coffee place wasn’t open. So I continued. The day was grey and eyeing the looming dark clouds on the horizon I was hoping that it would not start to rain.
Rovaniemi. It took me some time to pronounce that Finnish place name correctly. It’s an iconic place for many reasons: kids send their Christmas wish lists there because everyone knows Santa lives in Rovaniemi.
I didn’t bother about Helsinki. I haven’t had the right mind for sightseeing. The delay of the ferry and my misunderstanding that the port is close to the city center crossed out taking a closer look at Finland’s capital. After an unexpected 18 km ride from the port to the hostel, I only had time to get some supplies and sleep before heading out to the Finnish woods.
When it comes to ferries and boats in general, I’m a little torn apart. I like covering distances with a mode of transportation that actually makes you feel how far you go. But I am pretty sensitive and get motion sick easily. So, facing 30 hours on a ferry from Germany to Helsinki, the capital of Finland, caused quite a lot of excitement, and also made me visit a pharmacy to buy medicine against motion sickness. I was prepared!