Run to the hills.....
Last nights mosquito's we're lying in wait for us this morning, a few had even managed to penetrate our defences, the itchy lumps on shoulders and legs were evidence enough. The blood that came out them upon their demise was even more damning evidence. So, the doors were only opened enough this morning to bin our rubbish and turn off the gas for travelling.
We were on the road just after 10:30am and our target today was somewhere around the top end of the Baltic Sea. Things went well and we crossed the border into Finland and shortly after found a couple of roadside cafe's, # tat shops.....who were offering Kahvi and Munkki for 50 cents......that was an offer too good to be true. However it wasn't, but I suspect it was a loss leader to get you into their shop to buy something else, whether that be a Reindeer pelt, a set of Elk antlers, and expensive painted wooden troll or T-shirt or something, these places were a bit like Steptoe's yard but they were cool and the coffee and doughnuts hit the spot. 2 euro's for 2 coffee's, 2 chocolates and 4 doughnuts-cant complain about that. I also managed to purchase a Finland sticker to add to our collection and managed to not part with any further money.
Back on the road and mile after mile after mile of tree lined road, very easy but monotonous driving, although a few reindeer near or on the road meant you had to stay alert. We lasted till about 2pm for lunch and parked up at a lovely spot beside the Muonionjoki river that we had been following for a long way. This is a huge river, just meandering its way towards the Baltic Sea. The lunch spot had lots of little boats going out onto the water to fish for salmon, myself and the boys went for a wander and checked out the Fishermans hut, where we saw pictures of the huge fish that are regularly caught here. Salmon over 50lb are not uncommon and a day permit costs 20 euro's, I was quite tempted. But we needed mileage so after lunch got back on the road. We stopped at Juoksenki where the road (sadly) passed below the 66 degree 30 minute parallel, we were no longer above the Arctic circle and have probably seen our last midnight sun for this trip.
The road carried on south but also slightly east and we failed to notice that we had also crossed into another timezone, we had lost an hour also.
So we parked up finally in a little campsite beside the river at 19:45 rather than the 18:45 that we thought it was. We popped into the little restaurant to sort out camping and it turned out to be a nice small and very rustic fisherman's bar also, so we hurriedly got ready and went along for a drink and out tea. The boys and Joyce had Elk meat balls, and I had reindeer kebab, both were good and very reasonably priced. The couple had stayed open later than normal to serve us but it was money in their pocket and a job less for us at the later than normal hour for tea. The lost hour makes no difference to us, we will cross back over the time line tomorrow so we won't even bother counting it. We chatted about the river and the fishing, he reckoned the average fish size was about 15kg (30 odd pounds), a day permit for this beat was 20 euro's, an annual permit for this beat was 60 euro's, and a permit to fish the WHOLE river, all 235km's of it was 160 euro's, now that's a bargain if ever I heard one!! We asked how to get into he shower block but it turns out this is where the man and lady also live-so no shower tonight, we can have one in the morning, however its 5 euro's each-not, so he decided to lop off 5 euro's but unfortunately for all concerned 15 euro's for a shower will not be happening so if a better deal cannot be secured then it will have been a stop we maybe shouldn't have made as we will need to find somewhere else tomorrow evening.
Never mind, alls well, the mosquito's have us running for our lives, we will not be lingering around these tree lined fresh water area's, we will most likely head further south and then head west back into the hills of Norway around or just south of Trondheim. I will need to find that Iron Maiden classic on spotify and let the boys hear it as we (hopefully) make our escape.
Back on the road and mile after mile after mile of tree lined road, very easy but monotonous driving, although a few reindeer near or on the road meant you had to stay alert. We lasted till about 2pm for lunch and parked up at a lovely spot beside the Muonionjoki river that we had been following for a long way. This is a huge river, just meandering its way towards the Baltic Sea. The lunch spot had lots of little boats going out onto the water to fish for salmon, myself and the boys went for a wander and checked out the Fishermans hut, where we saw pictures of the huge fish that are regularly caught here. Salmon over 50lb are not uncommon and a day permit costs 20 euro's, I was quite tempted. But we needed mileage so after lunch got back on the road. We stopped at Juoksenki where the road (sadly) passed below the 66 degree 30 minute parallel, we were no longer above the Arctic circle and have probably seen our last midnight sun for this trip.
The road carried on south but also slightly east and we failed to notice that we had also crossed into another timezone, we had lost an hour also. 
So we parked up finally in a little campsite beside the river at 19:45 rather than the 18:45 that we thought it was. We popped into the little restaurant to sort out camping and it turned out to be a nice small and very rustic fisherman's bar also, so we hurriedly got ready and went along for a drink and out tea. The boys and Joyce had Elk meat balls, and I had reindeer kebab, both were good and very reasonably priced. The couple had stayed open later than normal to serve us but it was money in their pocket and a job less for us at the later than normal hour for tea. The lost hour makes no difference to us, we will cross back over the time line tomorrow so we won't even bother counting it. We chatted about the river and the fishing, he reckoned the average fish size was about 15kg (30 odd pounds), a day permit for this beat was 20 euro's, an annual permit for this beat was 60 euro's, and a permit to fish the WHOLE river, all 235km's of it was 160 euro's, now that's a bargain if ever I heard one!! We asked how to get into he shower block but it turns out this is where the man and lady also live-so no shower tonight, we can have one in the morning, however its 5 euro's each-not, so he decided to lop off 5 euro's but unfortunately for all concerned 15 euro's for a shower will not be happening so if a better deal cannot be secured then it will have been a stop we maybe shouldn't have made as we will need to find somewhere else tomorrow evening.Never mind, alls well, the mosquito's have us running for our lives, we will not be lingering around these tree lined fresh water area's, we will most likely head further south and then head west back into the hills of Norway around or just south of Trondheim. I will need to find that Iron Maiden classic on spotify and let the boys hear it as we (hopefully) make our escape.
That is indeed a bargain fishing permit I know how mad the prices are on the Scottish rivers and the fish are not as big or bountiful by the sound of things, another wee swim in the river will sort out the shower situation five euros ! i would be wanting a bubble bath! when i was your loons age we had bath night on Sunday (oldest to youngest) and a bird bath at the sink the other 6 nights lol get the facecloth out looks braw there though
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