This is part of the fourth section of our around the world trip.
Complete Trip Overview & Map

Coming from  Sweden
 

23/7/98 Camped roadside (again) just short of Ivalo after crossing into Finland in the morning and visiting the most impressive Arktikum in Rovaniemi. A museum on the Sami peoples of Lapland, the Arctic region and Vikings. We have been in Europe a week and this is our first museum. Passing through the Arctic Circle, mid afternoon, saw the previous five days of sunshine disappear as it started to rain (like as if this line says it is now cold and miserable). Previously ignorant of the fact that the Arctic Circle designates the line from where the sun shines a full 24 hours a day at least once a year we headed into endless daylight. I always thought Australian kangaroos  were the most stupid roadside animals but reindeer far surpass that quality. Lone reindeer will stand in the middle of the road and as a vehicle approaches will start running down the road. Looking always to flee danger to higher ground there is none higher than the road built above the surrounding flood plains and so the chase continues until a vehicle heading the other way diverts its attention or it finds a side road. This happened five times within 100 km. The other myth is that Australia has big and plentiful mosquitoes, don't believe it after the Arctic Circle monsters. We have setting up the tent down to a fine art, 15 minutes unpacked erected ready for bed, but tonight hounded by millions of "vampire" mosquitoes it was done in half the time and once in our refuse the constant tapping of their bodies on the outside of the tent was like raindrops. Sitting in the tent now dreading going outside to face the hoards and pack up the tent.

Move with us to Norway , or go to our next visit to  Finland .
 
 
 
 

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