Day 5 - Inari to Nordkapp

It had rained heavily overnight. Now at 7:00 am, the air is clear but the temperatures have noticeably dropped. They shouldn't exceed 11 degrees Celsius today.

I had a great sleep and the breakfast was good too.

Yesterday evening, the news mentioned that German and Norwegian tourists will be required to quarantine for 14 days upon arrival in Finland starting Monday. So, I decided to drive directly to Norway. Otherwise, there could be retaliation. You never know what the Norwegians will do in response.

I started at 8:00 am. Today, I used the thermal liner of my jacket for the first time and switched to a pair of warmer gloves. And that was a good decision. It was quite cold on the bike. Today, there were times when I didn't see a soul for many kilometers. On one hand, it's not bad but sometimes it triggers thoughts like "what if...". Well, everything went well in the end.

The border crossing from Finland to Norway went almost unnoticed and completely unspectacular. While I was wondering if this is the border crossing, I was already over. Again, without seeing anyone.

In the town of Karasjok, I had to refuel. It was also a good opportunity to have a cup of coffee and adjust the clock back by 1 hour.

One thing worth mentioning is how the vegetation has suddenly changed. In Finland, it was mostly flatland and forests, but now it became mountainous and the trees gave way to tall bushes that could still be called trees with a lot of goodwill. But even that didn't last long. They disappeared too and the landscape became rougher and the mountains more rugged. There was still some snow on the mountains. A little grass and ripe blueberries as far as the eye can see. And then, the moment comes, you turn around a long curve as usual and there's the first fjord with all its splendor right in front of you. Reindeer graze not far from the shore, and you feel like you're on a different planet. Absolutely majestic, this sight of pure nature.

I'm now going kilometer after kilometer along the coast.

Then, there are a few tunnels, honestly, I've never seen anything like this before. For example, one tunnel is 7 km long and the first kilometers go steeply downhill. Inevitably, you think of the movie "Journey to the Center of the Earth". It gets really eerie inside, it's also colder than outside, and the walls are not smooth and made of concrete, they look more like they were knocked out by a giant hand. Then, approximately in the middle, it goes uphill again until you eventually reach the end of this pitch-black tunnel. Phew!

Approximately 15 km before reaching Nordkapp, the perfectly paved road continues winding up the mountains. At the highest point, you have a view of a fjord. I know, I'm using superlatives. But when you see it with your own eyes, you'll understand. It's breathtaking.

After a short break, I continue for another 15 minutes until I reach the northernmost point of Europe that is accessible by land, Nordkapp, finally! I can already see the famous steel globe that must not be missing in any photo. Again, an incredible panorama, rugged cliffs that reach at least 100 meters deep into the sea. With a radiant smile, I take a photo in front of the globe. Then, I pause for a moment and let it all sink in.

An hour later, I'm back on the road to Honningsvag, a small fishing town along the Hurtigruten. Here, I find a hotel for the night. For dinner, I treat myself to a specialty that is also expensive here, but certainly costs only a fraction of what you would have to pay in upscale German restaurants. My dinner was a king crab. Although I'm not the biggest fan of crabs, I have to say, it was really delicious.

So, another long day comes to an end. Tomorrow, the journey back begins, but hopefully, it will be very relaxing.