Lapland

In Kirkenes, Hildegard rolls off the MS Nordnorge. We look at the town, discover supermarkets with Russian titles and are only about 220 km from Murmansk. The Norwegian-Russian border station is close. But we're not going there this time.

I visit the exhibitions at the Grenselandsmuseet. The area belongs to the settlement area of the Sami, who are a peaceful people and have not carried out any military activities. Unfortunately, their settlement area was repeatedly coveted by various rulers. There were always new boundaries. The exhibition reports very sensitively and impressively on the milestones in the history of the border and the Norwegian, Finnish and Russian immigration in this area.

I process the information over the next 300 km, which takes me deep into Lapland. I leave Norway at Neiden on the E92 and roll into Finland without any border controls. The coast changed noticeably during the sea voyage, and the high mountains gradually disappeared. Now I drive through the Inari region, an area shaped by Lake Inarijärvi and criss-crossed by forests of not very tall birch, northern spruce and pine. Settlements are rare here, but reindeer are common.

I'll keep a close eye on Hildegard's tank over the next two days and take every opportunity to refill it. In Scandinavia, petrol stations are generally very often operated without staff, card payments or payments by telephone and smartwatch are normal here.

While driving, I automatically read the town and information signs. Normally. But in Iceland, as well as in Norway and now in Finland, I rarely manage to formulate all the letters in the correct order in my head while driving by. So I usually abbreviate or invent something. This leads to funny situations, for example when I am asked about my current destination.

I spend my first night in Finland in a gold mining camp in Tankavaara. Here I have a very rustic hut for myself.

On a circular hike the next morning I come into contact again with the remains of the last war events, but of course also with the huge expanse of Finland.

We continue on the old Arctic Ocean Road. I discover the small café Harianna by Lake Vajunen. The innkeeper sells delicious multiberry pancakes, which he prepares freshly depending on your order. Last summer he baked around 40,000 pieces, including of course some with salmon filling or blueberries. However, the muleberries are so rare to find that I can't miss them here.

On the roads 967 and 965 I come through never-ending forests, meet reindeer again and again, jump over potholes and experience the arctic roads without asphalt again. So I arrive in Soppela, my second place of choice for overnight accommodation in Lapland. The fresh arctic air cooled me down and I'm looking forward to a hot shower.