Archives: October 2006
In Which I Settle Down To Watch Estonian TV
October 31, 2006 by Mike in Diary
Narva So I'm sitting in my room in the Hotell Inger (hello again, Ma!), and I switch on the accursed box. It's about six in the evening: primetime. The first three Estonian TV channels I've ever seen are showing, in order: 1. a ballet; 2. a 'call the premium rate...
In Which I Arrive In Estonia, And So Does The Snow
October 30, 2006 by Mike in Diary
Narva (Estonia) Route: St Petersburg - Ivangarod - Narva I'm holed up in the Hotell Inger; 200 metres inside Estonia. I got out of Roosia just in time -- that's pretty much how it felt, especially after committing yesterday's ranting Roosian riff to cyberspace -- before the cold turned to...
Update on Monday 30 October
October 30, 2006 by Mike in Diary
Hello everyone Not that I assume anyone's noticed, but as I've not updated for ten days -- having been pretty consistant before -- this is a very quick note to say everything's OK. Well, "OK" is relative. I'm sitting out a heavy blizzard in a town called Narva on the...
In Which I Fight For The Freedom Of The Roosian People
October 29, 2006 by Mike in Diary
St Petersburg This is a very special city in a beautiful country. There are some amazing people here. Why, then, do I wake up every morning with a pang? Why do I feel sad for Roosia? Because despite McDonalds and Coca-Cola and Chelski and free elections and despite everybody telling...
In Which I Compare St Petersburg With, Errr, Newcastle
October 26, 2006 by Mike in Diary
St Petersburg *clears throat* Happy Birthday to yoooooou Happy Birthday to yoooooou Happy Biiiirthdaaaaay dear Kaaaaaay Ceeeeeeeee Happy Birthday to yoooooou with love from yr kid brother xx -- I'm here for a week and trying to ween myself off the habit of spending so long typing up what I'm...
In Which Is Revealed How To Get Through The Finnish-Roosian Border
October 23, 2006 by Mike in Diary
St Petersburg, Roosia Route: Helsinki - the border - St Petersburg Riding the bike today has been one of the biggest thrills of my life. The buzz I got.. inCREDible.. breathtaking moments.. as in moments when my breath *literally* was taken away.. such an impact that the only word I...
In Which I Meet A Super Jumping Monster Bike
October 22, 2006 by Mike in Diary
Kauniainen I'm loving it here. So what's been so good about my time in Helsi-- I mean Kauniainen? I've had time and space to get on with things but been included in family stuff too. Given the run of a beautiful apartment but looked after, fed, watered and entertained. Seen...
In Which I Get Excited By... Clear Silicon Sealant
October 20, 2006 by Mike in Diary
Kauniainen, on the outskirts of Helsinki Route (on Wednesday): Pargas - Kaarina - Salo - Espoo - lots of suburbs - Kauniainen Note to anyone who may know Stephen Sykes, resident of these parts: Stop whatever you are doing. Call or email Stephen now and let him know you're coming...
In Which I Break A Cardinal Rule
October 17, 2006 by Mike in Diary
Pargas (aka Parainen) Route: Naantali - Turku - Pargas - Nagu - Korpo - Nagu - Pargas All of a sudden, I'm confronted with one of the most beautiful roads of the journey. This takes me by surprise, after a short run of thngs going wrong. In Naantali yesterday, the...
In Which I Fail To Discover The Hattifatteners' Secret
October 16, 2006 by Mike in Diary
Naantali Route: Yyteri - Pori - Eurajoki - Sammallahdenmäki - Rauma - Pyhäranta - Lepäinen - Uusikaupunki - Vehmaa - Naantali How many times in life do you ride through a place called Sammallahdenmäki, only to discover a little later in the day that you're passing through a town with...
In Which I Own Up To My Superstitions
October 15, 2006 by Mike in Diary
Yyteri Route: Vaasa - Malax - Korsnäs - Närpes - Kristiinankupunki - Meri-Pori - Yyteri "The countryside you're heading for isn't quite as interesting as some other parts of Finland, you know?" Kalle wasn't joking. The landscape south of Vaasa is unremittingly low, cultivated and... dull. Just as I was...
In Which I Jump Naked Into The Baltic Sea
October 14, 2006 by Mike in Diary
Vaasa To the Ostro-Bothnian Museum - not something you can easily do if you're not in Ostro-Bothnia. It celebrates both the natural wonders of the Kvarken, and the history of the city of Vaasa itself, which is readying itself for its 400th anniversary. I learned plenty about the Kvarken. For...
In Which I Bond With Some Very Old Motorcycles
October 13, 2006 by Mike in Diary
Vaasa Route: Oulu - Lumijoki - Kalajoki - Kokkola - Jakobstad - Vaasa As I sat this morning in the roadside grilli kioski, I pondered the fact that the man who served my hamburgare and cup of kahvi couldn't speak a word of English. It's lucky my Finnish is coming...
In Which I Confess To Not Freezing In My Hammock
October 11, 2006 by Mike in Diary
Oulu Route (on Tuesday): Haparanda - Kemi - Oulu I'm in Oulu. It's the largest town this far north in Scandinavia. 128,983 people live here, making it the sixth-largest in Finland and about the same size as my hometown, Norwich. Oulu has the best ice hockey team in the country,...
In Which Sweden Finally Sees The Back Of Me
October 9, 2006 by Mike in Diary
Haparanda Route: Umeå - Norrfjärden - Skellefteå - Piteå - Luleå - Haparanda The signposts to Haparanda began shortly after I pulled out of Gävle, a loooooong way south. I think the first one read __Haparanda 467km__ so by the time I got here I was ready to be impressed....
In Which I Find Out Who Loves Porgy (But Not Bess)
October 8, 2006 by Mike in Diary
Umeå Route: Gävle - Umeå Sometimes it's about the travelling: how the bike feels beneath me; the moment you crest a hill and find out just what the world has been hiding from me all these years, what new and wonderful sight awaits; the rush of finding the perfect line...
In Which I Discover The Elixir Of Eternal Youth
October 7, 2006 by Mike in Diary
Gävle Route (on Friday): Stockholm - Gustavsberg - Vaxholm - Åkersberga - Östhammar - Gävle (Hello. If you're here for The Elixir Of Eternal Youth, scroll straight down to the bottom of the page. And yes, looking at you, I think you may need it.) -- Happy Birthday Smanf xx...
In Which I Fall For Stockholm's Beauty
October 5, 2006 by Mike in Diary
Stockholm Route (on Monday): Farjestaden - Kalmar - Oskarshamn - Norrköping - Nyköping - Stockholm I've been in Stockholm for a couple of days and yes, I'll admit it (through gritted teeth) it's a beautiful city: the architecture, the islands and yes, I'll admit it (through disbelieving eyes) the people:...
Oh Claire...
October 3, 2006 by Mike in
You didn't think I'd tell all the gory details here, did you? I'm saving that for the book!...
In Which I Have Nothing Good To Say About Anything
October 2, 2006 by Mike in Diary
Farjestaden Stuck in my cabin for half the day waiting for an immense rainstorm to pass. Then trudged through puddles (in Finland they would be called lakes) to the swanky hotel round the corner. No wireless internet, so I can't upload several days' worth of entries. And they wanted a...
In Which I Visit The Swedish Navy
October 1, 2006 by Mike in Diary
Farjestaden Route: Åhus - Karlskrona - Kristianopel - Kalmar - Farjestaden (Öland) Dear reader, let me remind you how I finished yesterday by: "continuing to Åhus' campsite. The day ends peaceful and quiet with not a cloud in the sky..." Can you guess what's coming? THUNDER and LIGHTNING and MORE...