Hang overs and punctures

Friday May 15, 2009

 I woke up, Daniela was not in her bunk. I was hung over and went back to sleep. I woke later, Daniela had returned from the supermarket. I eat 4 packets of noodles, watched some TV, then eventually walked to the shops. we were meant to leave by 2 pm, and were just about ready by 1.30. Then Daniela decided to adjust her rear wheel, which was mis aligned. This took about an hour, we finally set off, but Daniela had managed to make the wheel worse.

We looked for a bike shop, but found none so headed towards Rapla, which is due South. Then we saw a cycle route to Rapla, bonus! Again we had a poor tourist info map, so were glad to follow a proper route. We found a bike shop. I bought new brake pads for 109 Estonian krone. The mechanic replaced the bearings in Daniela's wheel, trued up the wheel, adjusted her brakes and tightened her bottom bracket all for 105 krone including parts. I guess labour is very cheap, or they were being kind towards us. It was interesting to watch the mechanic in action, he was super fast and seemed to prefer to try to mend rather than replace.

We rode on, but the bike path signs fizzled out, so I used road signs. Daniela had a puncture. Her only remaining inner tube was duff, so we replaced it with an old tube with a slow puncture. I tried to get Daniela to learn, asking her to do the work, but after an hour I ended up doing it for her. By now it was around 8 pm, and we had only done about 10 km. We cyced on a bit and camped in someones field.

My Estonian birthday

Thursday May 14, 2009

We left Marko's apartment late, and Marko showed us to the ferry terminal, for fear of us getting lost again! We said goodbye then bought out tickets. Both Daniela and myself would have liked to have gone through Russia, but I was just hoping I culd get a quick visa in Helsinki and that did not look on the cards.

I was unsure about Estonia, so decided I must kept my guard up initially. The ferrywas super fast, and before we knew it we were cycling into the city centre. My first impression was that there were a lot of beautiful women, which I had not expected. We asked for difrections to the rtourist information place, and I was also pleasantly surprised by the amazing standard ofEnglish that the young people spoke, and that they were so eager to help us.

we passed an english bar and I sugested to Daniela that we go for a beer later to properly celebrate my birthday (a week ago I was 25, but could not afford beer in Finland). Daniela thought this was a good idea and suggested we stay in a hostel in town. We were the only two people in the hostel, we bought some beer in the supermarket. I felt drunk after the first, I guess all this healthy cycling is affecting me. Anyway I countinued to have quite a few more, before stumbling down the road to an Irish bar.

Daniela wanted to go to a kareoke bar, but nobody knew of one. It was a quiet Thursday night, we moved on. As we walked by some smokers asked us to join them, we were the only people in yet another Irish bar (in fact it was of the same chain). All I have to show from my Estonian birthday is a piece of paper with some basic Estonian phrases.

The wrong city

Wednesday May 13, 2009

We rose late and cycled towards Helsinki, we reached another cross roads and asked another local for directions. Then as we neared the city we asked for directions to the main train station, where we would meet Marko, who had very kindly offered us accomodation in his apartment. Unfortinately our run of good luck with directions had ended, as when I rang Marko it emerged I wasn't actually at the main ytrain station. I figured as much as it didn't look very grand. Then the penny dropped, I asked a local what city we were in, ad the answer was not Helsini, I think it was Vanta. I rang Marko again, he advised us to follow the train tracks, which connect the two cities.

We met Marko who made us dinner, Later he took some photos of us in his own home made studio. We discussed cycling, and his forthcoming trip to the Nordkapp. He also had some very detailed and ambitous plans of his own, which make building my own boat seem easy. Good luck Marko, and I hope to hear from you when your project is up and running.

Chocolate Eggs

Tuesday May 12, 2009

We spent the shole day asking for directions. At a supermarket car park a man approached me and asked if I was English, then he told me about his recent hoiday in Folstone. How did he know I was English? We asked for moe directions from a contruction worker, who helpfully showed us the map on his clipboard and pointed us the right way. We went down some real country roads and just hoped we were still going the right way, we were and eventually found a signpost to confirm it. We stopped about 40 km's out of Helsinki, where we made camp in some very kind peoples garden. They said that they had found my web site, so I would like to say hello and thank you very much for the chocolate eggs, if you read this! It was amazing to be given chcocolate and really boosted our morale.

First taste of country roads

Monday May 11, 2009

We lied in before moving on to the library, we surfed the net waiting for a thunderstorm to pass. Eventually we decided wee must set off, and as we did the rain stopped. We set off towards Helsink, trying to avoid the fast road, yet go in the right direction, which proved difficult as our map was really only good for the main roads. We asked an old lady for directions, I had low expectations, but here English was immaculate, she said our map was very poor, and pointed us in the right direction.

We camped in some kind mans garden, he even let us use the toilet in his garage. He had built his house himself, it was very impressive. At some point during my time in finland I had decided I would build my own boat one day, then sail around the World.

Tampere

Sunday May 10, 2009

We set the alarm for 6,45 and set off quickly. I had decided to wear my wet clothes and soaking socks again, as I feared more rain would leave we with bags ful of wet clothes.

It turned out to be a dry, but windy day, at lunchtime I changed my socks and dried the wet ones on the back of the bike. We battled the wind all day, unlike climbing a mountain pass, their is no victorious peak, it was just a long slow grind. Around 8 pm we reached Tampere, exhausted. Tuire was awesome, meeting us at the train station and preparing dinner for us. we had a great evening and I enjoyed my first taste of beer in a long time. I think we must have covered about 125 km.

Rain

 

Saturday May 9, 2009

My intention was to meet up with a friend in Tampere, but they were out of town on Monday, so I knew I had to pedale frantically today and tomorrow. We set off early and pedalled hard. Unfortinatly it rained for most of the day and progress was slow. I was shocked to find that it was 150 km from Jvaskula to Tampere, from looking at the map I had guessed it would be around 120!

We cycled on until 8 pm, when we took a cycle path leading to a dead end, at which point we'd had enough and asked in a house if we could up our tent up anywhere, they kindly let us sleep in their garden, aś the rain continued into the evening.

Thoughts of Africa

Friday May 8, 2009

It rained in the morning so we lied in for a while. In the evening we visited a petrol station where a lady kindly filled our water bottles, I asked her about the trophies relating to rally car driving, and she spoke a little but then began to cry and left, I felt bad as perhaps I had touched on a bad subject, or maybe it was just the look of my white legs? Then I met a kind man called Ulf, from Malawi, and we spoke about Africa for a while, we exchanged contact details and I hope to keep in touch. I thought about Africa for a while, which had seemed until that point to be so far away, my only focus had been getting to Helsinki, it was good to remind myself where I was ultimatly going.

We cycled on and camped in some kind persons garden.

My Birthday!

Thursday May 7, 2009

The sun was shining, so after a short lie in we hit the road. I initially wore shorts before reverting to trousers as it was still a little chilly. We covered around 120 km before camping in some kind peoples garden. Daniela has been wearing soft soled trainers for some time now and can no longer move her toes and is hobbling around on her heels, I guess for her the end is in sight and she doesn't want to get new shoes. I still have my heavy walking boots, which I am considering changing.


Wednesday May 6, 2009

Daniela and I started the day arguing, but called a truce and cycled the 50 km into Oulu, remembering the tip Hannu had given us and avoiding the fast road. We settled into the library and hid from the rain. When we emerged we asked several people for directions to leave town, as our map was not sufficiently detailed. We made camp at 9.45 in some kind peoples garden. We made around 80 km.

I recieved a text from my friend telling me not to count the days but to make the days count. Recently our cycling has been quite target driven as we attempted to race through Scandinavia. However this non stop pedalling approach has been sucking the fun and adventure out of the trip, and knackering our bodies, so I think its time to slow down a little.

I also considered an e-mail from my brother, regarding the kindness of complete strangers. Perhaps I could use some "off time" from cycling to help others in some way, to pass on the good will.

Semi rest day

Tuesday May 5, 2009

eira left for work at 6,30, but not before preparing breakfast for us. She told us to eat it at our wn pace then see ourselves out. She was so kind a trusting, a truly wonderful person.

the weather forecast was for 2 days of rain before clearing up. we decided to have a semi rest day, cycling to kemi and sitting in the library to hide from the rain. I had a bad stomach and struggled as we cycled on towards Oulu, we intended to camp early, but found no where suitable as the land was so heavily forested. After hours of looking for some flat, unforested ground we spotted a field. I knocked on the door of what I thought was a farm house, and they said we could camp, then they mentioned that it was in fact an old peoples home. I was just happy to stop, as we put the tent up in semi-darkness. I think we must have covered about 70 km.