Saturday 7th August mileage 4600 helsinki Finland

Weather red hot all day, very sweaty !!

Woke lateish 8:00am so packed and all ready to leave by 9:30.  Started the day with a cup of coffe free gratis of the campsite.

Last night a motorcyclist arrived late and pitched over the way from me. This morning he came over to talk. He was from Finland and riding a Honda parallel 4 type bike in bright yellow  Yuk!  He was on his way up to Norkapp so again I nonchalantly came out with the knowing smile, of done that been there etc.

Travelled for about an hour then stopped to eat. I just pointed at a photograph and said I would like that.  When it came (chicken salad) I was eating it and I thought this doesn't look like the photo so I went and checked and I had no bacon or bread.  Told the girl at the counter and then there was a huge "conflab" between her and the chef and eventually bacon and bread arrived without another word.

Still having trouble getting petrol with my credit card.  Arrived at a pump today and there was a label attached to the pump saying "Finnish credit cards only" so I assume that this is the same for all the other pumps I've tried without helpful labels.  Next problem I had was I only had a €20 note so I put this in and when I filled up the tank would only take €17 worth of petrol.  So not only is it difficult to get, but if you put too big a note in the machine you don't get and change.  Lovely !!

Went into the big city of Jyvaskyla and after struggling with peoples directions and the one way system in the city eventually found the library.  Libraries in Finland are called something like Kirinooshi.  Updated the blog and then tried to download some videos that I had taken from the front of the bike when in Norway.  The only video that I could put on the site was a short one that I took of some river rapids, all the others failed.  I think it is the size of the file because it sets off as though it is working ok and then says "problem registered" but in finnish !!

Pressed on and the weather now was really hot.  Stopped and bought the obligatory vegetables to go with the obligatory pasta meal as I planned to camp tonight at the recommended campsite about 13 Km east of Helsinki conveniently sited adjacent to the metro line for easy access back into  Helsinki.

Arrived about 7:30 and was told the campsite was full.  She didn't care that my tent was just a tiny tiny one, it was all about numbers of people using WCs etc.  They gave me info on hostels so phoned three and they were all fully booked.  Got info on another campsite but this was 15Km west of ther city.  Set tomtom and away we go.  Arrived safe but only to be told same story no room at the inn !  Decided to just go to ferry and straight to Estonia so reset tomtom and off to Helsinki docks for a ferry.  Saw a Holiday Inn as I approached the centre and thought bugger it I'll have another night of luxury (the JM shares are doing well!!).  So here I am typing in the exec business suite of the Helsinki Holiday Inn.  My dirty washing has all been washed in exec shampoo and is drying in the exec bathroom at this very moment.

The guide book doesn't make a good case for tourism in Helsinki so tomorrow I think it is goodbye Finland and hello Estonia.  There are lots of ferries to Tallin so I had better check the rates, don't want another P&O incident like in Dover.

TOR