As-salâmu 'alaikum: Without Motivation

Donnerstag, 24. Juli 2008

Without Motivation

Oijärvi - Narkaus ~110 km

Although I stayed up tonight I stood up in the morning at 7 and started the tour at 9 am. And - as every day (at least it seems to me...) - wind in the face...

during the whole day I didn't pass one shop... and I didn't take very small roads. Would that be even worse more northern?

It was this the day in which I cursed myself doing that trip.
The whole forenoon thoughts like "I just want to fly back to Austria. Now!" I damned myself for having this idea going to the northcape by bike. I hated the wind, the rain, the streets, just everything. But a little chocolate and life is much better... In the evening I reached "this damned camping site" that seemed to not come closer (even after the sign: "4 km to Camping"). It was definitively the worst day of the whole trip.

But then, at the "damned camping site" my mood changed very soon. The owner of the bar and camping didn't speak one word english, only little swedish (and I even less...), no italian ;o), but finnish. He was very astounded: a girl going alone by bike through finnland. As I didn't find a shop today, and I didn't want to use my "emergency meal", because I didn't know what the next day will bring along, i decided to ask if there was something to eat. A thing that was quite difficult. but with a little swedish and a little Langenscheidt (small dictionary) he understood my needs. I managed to understand, that he is going to prepare something to eat, I just didn't know what it would be...

Later, after having dinner and a beer, he offered me his computer with internet, some more later he sat down at my table, took the phone, called somebody, talked to somebody, gave me the cell phone, and someone told me in english, that the owner has to go to Rovaniemi tomorrow early in the morning, and he will offer me some coffee for breakfast. Nice, isn't it?

A little later arrived a couple (She was hungarian, he german) with three children, traveling around through whole Scandinavia for about 2 month. We made an appointment for a little later to meet at their tent.

In the meanwhile the man from the camping offered me some ruisleipä (rye bread) and a beer, just for sitting next to each other and try to "talk"...

With the german couple I spent a nice evening, talking about this and that, and I really enjoyed it for the first time beeing here talking to someone in german. It's easier to express what you feel and think in your mother tongue...