Kuusamo and Rovaniemi

Sorry I am traveling

Hello patient people I am finally back from a small part of my adventures. So far I made it out of Melbourne and into Hong Kong and on to Helsinki.
So yes I am safely in Finland and I guess all is well. I am in the middle of having some issues with a train pass which is not a nice thing to have happen to me but oh well I guess stuff happens.
So far I have been chilling out in my friends home town of Nummela just drinking pepsis and laughing at things and people including me.
I also made the Mammoth trek into the Lappland and Kuusamo.
I spent a day in the cutest little cabin in Kuusamo where all the trees were totally covered in snow and the sauna was running pretty hot and people really did jump into a frozen lake after the sauna but not me.
After spending a bit of time in Kuusamo I headed off by my self to the Arctic Circle to a tourist town call Rovaniemi. It is all tourist stuff there and the home of one Santa Klaus.
I was treated to a typical Finnish Christmas dinner which included the consumption of Reindeer meat which is pretty funny followed by a trip to the local cemetery to lay some candles down in memory of the people who have passed.
Sadly I didnt have my camera there because it was so pretty seeing hundreds of candles lying in the snow on a cold dark night.
So now I am back down in Helsinki waiting for the out come of this stupid train pass.
So until I come here again enjoy a few pics.
Next stop should be Tromsø Norway.

Enjoy

Dave

About Bloody Time

Yep the title says it all. It really is about bloody time to get back to the worlds largest freezer and see what surprises can and will happen this time.
So I can hear you asking whats all this about and why has it taken so long to get back there.
Well Ladies and Gentlemen its all about cash. In very late Feb 2008 I got a job and worked my butt off 6 days a week to save as much money as I could to get back to the part of the world I fell in love with so on Tuesday 16th of December I head back to the little country known as Finland to resume the trip I never wanted to end.

So stay tuned for more updates and hopefully some more crazy adventures on the top side of the Arctic Circle.

Dave

Listen to some crazy people play some crazy tunes while you wait.

Moottorikelkka

Hey did I tell anyone that I went out on the frozen ocean on a moottorikelkka (snow mobile) when I was in Oulu in Finland. Man those machines move pretty quick. At one time I was screaming along doing 70 then I realised I was doing 70 MPH not 70 KPH.
Thats pretty fast for a first timer across the ocean on a snow mobile. I have been told that there are some snow mobiles that will kill that speed.
Makes me want to go back and go faster again.
Anyone else want to come on a high speed adventure across the frozen ocean.

Changing of the Swedish Guard

When I was in Sweden I came accross a lot of noise so I followed the noise and it was the Swedish guard on their way to change the guards at the Royal Palace in the Old Town. I like what they did so much I came back to the same place at the same time a couple of days later with my video camera to show everyone.
So sit down and watch the Swedish guard do.

Crazy Viking Lads

Yesterday I purchased (finally) an external hard drive. I can hear you say wow he purchased a hard drive big bloody deal. Well it is kind of a big deal because now I can finally edit and post all the behind the scenes videos of my Scandinavian trip that I had forgotten about.
One thing I have learnt in life is if you have space you will fill it. When I got this MacBook Pro I thought there is no way in the next few years I will ever fill this suckers hard drive. I remember thinking it is a 120 gig hard drive well now it is sitting here with 7 gig of space left.
Anyway this is a tribute (well kind of) to my crazy Swedish Viking mates I made on the journey from Helsinki to Stockhom in early April 2007. They spent all their time getting very drunk and caused a lot of trouble on the journey via sea to Sweden. I now wish I had of used my video camera to film them on the ship they were so so so so so funny.
So when we got to Sweden they were still very drunk from the nights drinking sessions and the cops had set up a beath testing squad out the front of the car park. So me being a nice Aussie offered to drive them out of the car park and take the breath test. They were very happy I did that for them and there way of repaying me for my good deed was to give me a lift into the city.
Then I did something just as crazy as them if not even more crazy. I drove the car on the wrong side of the road which made them panic BIG TIME.
Perhaps you had to be there but I am sure they are still lauging about it now. And I am sure they wont let any more Aussies drive their car.
Thanks guys it was a great time.

LA here I am

I have made it to LA and I have to say that yes it seems big but it is not a pretty city but all I have seen is a huge airport and a couple of freeways. I will have more news a bit later on but right now I think I should have a snooze seeing though I havent slept for over 24 hours now.
Dave

Whats been happening

Hey I forgot to tell everyone whats been going on. Well since my last posting in the very expensive town of Oslo I decided to get the hell out of there. So I jumped on the train and did the whole three countries in one day. Yep I left Oslo and headed down to Gothenburg then jumped another train to Copenhagen.
So now I was in Copenhagen and I have to say it is a nice place but the cost of being there is comparable to being in London. I also have a knack of meeting people on this global road trip and just about every where I have been I manage to meet some one from France. Well denmark didnt let me down I hung out with a super cool French man called Lauernt (kind of sounds French) and then I met another pommy.
Anyway whilst I was in Denmark I found that my cash flow was now a dribble. So back to Sweden I headed to gather my thoughts. The time had come to make the long trip home. So yet another train From Stockholm to Malmo. Then a night train from Malmo to Berlin. That train was pretty freaky it actually went on a ferry accross to Germany. Then I had the option of stay in Berlin for a few days but I thought I may as well get home. So I was off on another Train through Germany. This time from Berlin to Hanover to Frankfurt.
I finally made it all the way to Frankfurt but I forgot to make a call to tell the air line I was going to be on the flight. I wasnt supossed to get on the flight but the Aussie charm kicked in and they let me on.
So then I landed in down town Melbourne and headed down to Franga town.
So after all of that travel who would want to go anywhere else. Well 3 weeks later I was in Perth and I am typing this message in Adelaiade where I have come to visit my crazy nieces.
So in a couple of days I should be back in the air heading back to Melbourne again. But for how long.......
I have had the offer of a trip over to America and someone has offered to pay the airfare so where will the next posting be from?
Dave

This Sucks

I have just arrived in Oslo and I am staying at the Anker Hostel just out of town. Have you ever heard of a hostel that doesnt offer a place to safely lock away you valubales. Well the Anker Hostel doesnt offer any kind of safe place to leave a bag of a normal size. Now I have to walk around with my back pack because of these silly people.
So the moral of this story is dont spend large amounts of money where you cant leave your stuff. You can leave it in the luggage room where any person who is staying at the hostel can walk straight in and take your bag. Of course the hostel take no responsibility for what happens to your bag.
DONT STAY AT THIS PLACE.
Dave

Oslo

Tomorrow I am heading off to what some people tell me is the worlds most expensive Country. Yep good old Norway home of the Viking and another King and yet another totally different currency. This time the Norweigan Krona. I have no idea what to expect in the worlds most expensive country but when I find out be sure that you will be the first to know.
Enjoy.
Dave.

The might war ship Vasa

Hello boys and girls. It is time for some Swedish history. So grab a drink and sit down because I have a little history lesson here. This is Brownies version of what happened to the mighty war ship VASA.
After the video there will be light refresments served and mercandise for sale in the foyer.
Take your shoes of whilst visiting this site please
And keep your arms and legs within this page.
Thank you for learning BROWNIE style.
Dave

Land of the Vikings

Well I finally made it on to the humble shores of Sweden. After watching some really average entertainment on the ferry across from Helsinki to Stockholm and meeting some very crazy Black Metal Viking lads I made it out of Finland.
Helsinki is a wonderful place and the Finnish people are such nice people but Stockholm is massive compared to Helsinki. I never had a good chance of seeing all of Helsinki which I am starting to regret but hopefully I can get out a lot more in Stockholm. I am in a hostel right in the heart of the city so the opportunities are there for me to take. So I better get out into the city and start enjoying all that Sweden has to offer.
Speak again very soon.
Dave.

Last Finnish sunset

Tonight is my last sunset I will see from Finland. Tomorrow 2/4/2007 I will be sailing off towards a Swedish sunset. I will have the iPod ready for the long trip on one of the massive boats that sail from Helsinki to Stockholm. Sadly I dont have any Abba tunes loaded into the iPod but maybe I should buy a best of Abba before I go. Talking of Abba here is a funny little (and I do mean little) tribute to Abba.
So next time I type on here it might have to be in Swedish.
Enjoy the Swedish chef and Abba while I am away.
Dave

Where next

Sweden is next on the agenda so here is a long clip of what I know about Sweden.
The one and the only Swedish chef.
You have to love him and his way of making a cake.
ENJOY

Oulu

Hello all. I have made it up to Oulu. It is a very very very nice place and the people I am staying with are just so nice. This morning I was seen doing just under 110 kph on the frozen ocean on a snow mobile. Very strange feeling and very cold feeling. And we also spoke to some guys ice fishing. They love that stuff. This place just keeps get better.
And Thea there are pictures and videos to come. Be patient.

Heading North

Hello all you boys and girls who have been reading this blog. I have some news for you. I am going North. A friend of mine who is Finnish has hooked me up with Family in Oulu. So I am heading all the way up to Oulu to see her family? Hopefully I will get to the Laplands from there and a good chance of seeing an Auroura up there. There are some forecast for the weekend so who knows. So until the next time I shall say good bye.

Helsinki

Why go to Helsinki when I can show you what it is like. If you get the chance to go there (Helsinki) make sure you do. And if you dont have a chance to get there find a chance. It is really good.
Anyway this is only one place in Helsinki. There is so much more to explore.
I am loving this place. I hope you enjoy.
Anyway enough typing and for you enough read. Go and click the play button you wont regret it.

Dave

Finnish Phone

Hello to everyone looking at this blog I have been really lazy about filling all you in about whats going down in Finland but I have some good news for you all. Spring time is here. All the white stuff is going green and the weather in now almost always above zero. But trust me it is still pretty cold. Some other breaking news is that I now have a phone number in Finland so feel free to ring or sms but just remember it cost me a bit to return a sms so dont expect me to do it all the time.
So here it is +358408559987 so dont feel shy.
Moi!
Dave

Finnish Sunset

I Just thought I would throw in a Photo of a beautiful Finnish Sunset. The sun doesnt come out very often but when it does man it is worth the wait.

Snow and Volvos

I havent had much time to write anything but I really dont mind. Anyway I have been around London a fair bit and I have caught a few Double Decker Buses and have even been held up at an airport waiting for a delayed flight. So here I am typing in the crazy land called Finland. The people here are so nice but I have to say I havent seen so many volvos before in my life. I flew in around 1 am local time on Friday night Saturday morning and it was like being in another world. I have never seen much snow before in my life and it was like I was in a dream.
Anyway there are so many things to do here and once again not much time to do them in. I will do what I can to keep everyone informed.
Moi!
Dave.