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In Which I Get Lucky
November 3, 2006 by Mike
Pärnu
Route: Tallinn - Pärnu
A sunny morning. The exact opposite of what all the weather forecasts are saying - CNN, BBC World, Estonian TV, about fifteen different websites.
I've been having a debate with myself about the trip. Should I stay or should I go? Do I stop here for the winter, and not leave until April? Six months? (In reality, I'd store the bike and fly back to Norwich. Probably.) Or do I move south at every available opportunity and hope to get out of this bad weather system so as to continue for another couple of months?
I hadn't decided until I saw the sun, at which point I realised I wanted to keep moving. I'm sorry to see the back of Tallinn before having a proper chance to see the front of it, but there'll be other visits. No, I want to move south. In this case, towards Pärnu, in the south-east of the country. It means slicing off a chunk of coastal road but needs must.
Before leaving Tallinn, though, I manage to find Motokeskus -- Motorbike centre -- which had been recommended by a Finnish motorbiker called Kari. (He was much heavier and more bearded than my niece Kari!) Ladies and gentlemen, these were some of the kindest, friendliest people I have met. Rein and his brother Raul run the place. Rein, calm and gentle and ridiculously good-looking (sorry Rein, if this embarrasses you. I'm just describing things for anyone who happens to be reading this) took huge interest in me and the trip, and in the bike. I was hoping to get new (and more tractionable) tyres.
No such luck, but he and his colleague Jaak spotted that my rear brake pads had worn to a thread. VERY lucky for me. And they were able to change them. VERY lucky for me. And send me packing with a cup of hot tea in my stomach to go with the warm feelings.
Rein promises that their shop-cum-workshop-cum-clubhouse won't be 200 metres up a rutted, iced, pot-holed, snowed-in track the next time I come to see them. Which I will -- and suggest you do, too.
--
Made it to Pärnu. This is "Estonia's Summer City", which I regard as a joke in poor taste. It's snowing.
One hotel has indoor parking: the Strand. It's lovely. It has saunas, swimming pool, whirlpools and a bar. Re-laaaaaaaax.
The Strand also has a woman working on the spa reception desk who I would marry tomorrow. I should probably shave first. Have a shower. She was smiley, cute, smart, funny, gorgeous, kind, engaging, talkative and.. married. With a son at Bristol University. (Yr mum has no idea of the effect she had on me, if you're reading this. All she did was be nice. And besides, haven't you got an essay to write?)
Maybe she *isn't* the reason I came on this trip and found myself here, of all the hotels in all the world?
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