Warning if traveling in Scandinavia

[laplander]

Please note following while traveling in scandinavia:

Norway:

Locals like to leave lambs running around on purpose to collect money from turist,on the open roads especially in north, so if you hit the lamb in norway you can be easily landed with 2000e/$ compensation+ticket.

road to Nord Kapp, and roads in Tårnet & Winterwollen (russian border behind kirkenes) are notarius for this...yes I know its bull...sh... and even the locals admitt this...

Police:

Seem to activate from winter hybernation during the summer months especially in the wery north.

My friend flashed back his lights to the on coming car (no speeding), police car behind this car issued 220e/280$ fine for" wrong use of the lights"

During the issuance of the ticket my friend was forced to take "on the spot fine" so no later argumentation could be possible. On the ticket the officer marked more points lost on his licence that the information leaf about the fines in norway would suggest, that the police gave to him!!!

My friend who has lived in norway for years summarized it nicely:

" In norway they like you to leave your money for turist stuff as an foreigner, and you to leave after that...if you end up staying, you can find out how even the white man can be treated racist way...."

sad but true....

Finland:

Police straight forward and much more reliable, tolerant and reasonable when it becomes bush camping and if you behave as the Finns do (calmly and respectfully)

Speeding Fines

Be aware that in Finland they have so called "daily fines" or "päiväsakko" that can be nasty surprice if you are high income invidual, or business owner ect. there has been in the news cases that even with modest overspeed has brought high income inviduals 20 000e/ 24 000$ fines!!!

(authorities will check your income while issuing ticket, if you are foreigner they will send request your home countrys tax authorities...if you lie your income, it becomes really expesive and very quick!!!!)

speeding cameras are in wide use, now there is a system that monitors the speed over long distance with vehicle recocnition so speeding is not good idea in Finland anywhere.

Good news: Camping, traveling, borders ect.

Camping is straight forward, dont go into peoples yards, 150m/from the house in the country side, dont leave anything behind, and dont make an fire if not in place that is for fire making, or you have land owners permission (designated places)

you can camp this way pretty much anywhere and security is never an issue, when you are 20km outside of big cities. Just make sure that you dont block the road if camping in bush...

If local finn appears that can be quessed to be an land owner, ask if you can sleep for one night, in most cases you can, in 99% cases nobody shows up...(so you can camp...)

Moving around:

In scandinavia there is no trespassing laws, as long the area is not marked off, or you are asked by athorities or land owner to leave, be aware that the border between Russia and Finland has safety perimeter (yellow paint, on the trees) go past the trees and get gought = lots off troube really quick and hefty fines!!

in the countryside:

You can freely pick berries, mushrooms ect, as long you are 150m from the house, or if you wish walk anywhere...using motor vehicles with out permisson from the land owner outside of the designated (in the forest) areas are forbitten, but camping on the side road or the track that have been clearly used is widely considered ok.