Wed, 06 Aug 2003

author Tim	location Inari, Lapland, Finland
posted 02:14 EEST 07/08/03	section Europe2002/Europe/Finland ( all photos )

Into Finland ( No photos )
(Continued from Norge)
Perhaps it was the sight of a very dirty red high-top combi van with Dutch plates and Australian flags approaching which alerted the border guard, or maybe he was just looking for someone to pick on. We were pulled over, after very quickly deciding, perhaps incorrectly, that we had nothing to declare.
We hadn't expected anything at all - all other border crossings we have done have been nothing more than a sign and advice of the new road rules. That is most probably because that has all been within the EU. Since Norge isn't in the EU, we were now driving back in to it and hence the high security.
We showed our passports, explained how we came to be driving a Dutch van, gave our rough plans, said that we did have alcohol on board (I have my Scotch whisky bottle collection with us - maybe not the cleverest thing to be driving across European borders with), and were eventually given the all clear and a friendly smile. Also forthcoming was a "drive carefully - their are reindeer and moose on the road". Reindeer are old hat now, but a moose is still high on our must-see-before-we-go-elsewhere list.
So, we now have a bunch of useless currency we need to exchange somewhere (Finland uses the Euro - something we understand at least), and the possibility that this entire country might not have stopped using butane and maybe we can cook for ourselves again.
Once again able to drive at reasonable speeds (100km/h instead of 80km/h on a wide long straight road in the middle of nowhere), we rapidly covered the distance to Inari. This was our target due to billing as a great place to find genuine Sami bits and pieces, and its posession of a nice little caravan park.
We spent the evening cooking in the kitchen here, did some washing, and now I am still awake many hours after midnight getting my journal up to date. I think I'll stay up for the sunrise now, it can't be long.

author Tim	location Inari, Lapland, Finland
posted 01:58 EEST 07/08/03	section Europe2002/Europe/Norge ( all photos )

Starting the Long Journey South ( 3 photos )
Eventually giving up fighting the bright light and waking up, we had a further look around the complex, taking the obligatory photo next to the official marker.
We considered for a while a walk around to Knivskjelodden. This is the actual end of the continent, which you can see quite well from North Cape. In a similar fashion to John O'Groats, North Cape gets all the glory since it has a road and parking for tourist buses, while Knivskjelodden has two things against it. For one, it requires an 18km round trip walk, and secondly it has a name which is hard to pronounce and doesn't immediatelly mean "right up north" to anyone who hears it. Isn't marketing wonderful?
For us the first of these two things meant it wasn't going to happen for us, as the weather was sour and looked to be turning worse. As we drove ourselves back South (haven't done that for a while), we rapidly decided we had made the right choice. Windscreen wipers on full speed and holding the big bus against the wind, we were content with what we had seen and done up here.
Back to Honningsvåg, we grabbed some coffees (one thing we can't do on a BBQ - anyone want to send us a billy?) and breakfasted in the carpark overlooking the water.
We spotted plenty more reindeer on the way out again, paid the same huge toll to use the bridge to get off the island (I wander what they do if you refuse?), then wound our way down through uncharted territory.
First stop was Karasjok, the town which is the centre of the Sami parliament. We had a little look around, and drove out to a place where they sell Sami knives (I have had my eye on these for a while, but want a genuine one rather than the touristy ones you can get pretty much everywhere). It was, however closed by the time we made it there, so on the road again as we headed towards the Finnish border.
We saw it coming with the bridge on the river, and it was time to bid Norge a very fond farewell. I think we spent a great amount of time here, and it has provided us with some amazing memories.
(Our travels continue in Finland).

(customised)