Day 2 (Finland)

 Day 2. Wednesday Aug 13.

Lansimaki to Ferry

Total Distance  cycled: 47km.

Morning: FINLAND.

Up early at dawn. Sunrse here  (60°N) is 45 mins earlier than at home (52°N). Breakfast in the apartment and then off at 7:30 into the morning sun leaving Lansimaki.

Moved onto pleasant gravel stretches as I moved through woodland and then down to the water's edge as I moved down the eastern flank of greater Helsinki. All so calm and peaceful. These stretches are on Eurovelo 10, a marked cycle route (Baltic Sea Cycle Route) a 9000km route encircling the Baltic Sea passing through 9 countries.

At 20km I was into central Helsinki but the back wheel started acting up. I pumped it a few times but each time it remained hard for just 3 or 4 kms. I removed the tube (an old patch had cracked) and fitted a new one. No big deal...just a 20 minute delay.

Cycled through the Botanical Gardens and on to a most impressive plaza with an impressive exhibition centre.

I passed some strange iffy street-side sculptures/fountains.

I located the ferry terminal at 11am and then relaxed with a nourishing lunch, always served with a complimentary Coke before 4pm. Nice.

As I checked onto the ferry (12:15pm) I told him I was cycling to Warsaw. 'That's a long way ' says he. I told him it's a long way to where I live and that we sing about it. 'So, you live in Tipperary' says he. 'I heard all about it in our English class in school' Famous worldwide!

We loaded alongside some mighty looking motorbikes...Swedish lads going to Estonia for a few days touring.

Settled down for the 2 hour crossing (85km) across the Baltic to Tallinn in Estonia. I would rather have been cycling for those hours than sitting there in the lounge. Arrived at 3:30

Afternoon covered in next post