Day 20 - 30th July 2023
We left Helsinki, Finland on a grey old day.
We took the ferry to Tallinn, the capital of Estonia. Tallinn has a population of 454,000.
Tallinn has the highest number of start-up companies per person among all capitals and larger cities in Europe and is the birthplace of many international high-technology companies, including Skype, Wise and Bolt. The city is home to the headquarters of the European Union's IT agency, and to the NATO Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence. In 2007, Tallinn was listed among the top-10 digital cities in the world, and in 2022, Tallinn was listed among the top-10 "medium-sized European cities of the future".
Apart from all this high-tech stuff its old town is a UNESCO world heritage site and has to be one of the best in Europe.
After walking around the old town, we headed east to a wild camp in a forest near the beach.
I think all the mozzies in Scandinavia must have got a great package holiday deal to where we were staying. They must have been told it’s an all you can eat inclusive, the main course being Vince and Steve!
We left Helsinki, Finland on a grey old day.
We took the ferry to Tallinn, the capital of Estonia. Tallinn has a population of 454,000.
Tallinn has the highest number of start-up companies per person among all capitals and larger cities in Europe and is the birthplace of many international high-technology companies, including Skype, Wise and Bolt. The city is home to the headquarters of the European Union's IT agency, and to the NATO Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence. In 2007, Tallinn was listed among the top-10 digital cities in the world, and in 2022, Tallinn was listed among the top-10 "medium-sized European cities of the future".
Apart from all this high-tech stuff its old town is a UNESCO world heritage site and has to be one of the best in Europe.
After walking around the old town, we headed east to a wild camp in a forest near the beach.
I think all the mozzies in Scandinavia must have got a great package holiday deal to where we were staying. They must have been told it’s an all you can eat inclusive, the main course being Vince and Steve!
Queued up for the ferry
A grey old day leaving Helsinki
Saint Alexander Nevsky Cathedral
An interesting statue
Tallinn
Tallinn
A hens night in Tallinn
Tallinn square
Saint Olaf’s church
The watchtower of the walled city
The rock to commemorate Estonia’s independence from the USSR
The rock to commemorate Estonia’s independence from the USSR
Cooking snarlers on the open fire. The smoke helping to keep the mozzies at bay!!
Our camp for the night
Today's route
Day 21 - 31st July 2023
We packed up camp this morning. Our all-inclusive guests (mozzies)ensured they didn’t miss out on Vince and I before we headed off. Glad to see the back of them!!!
We had a bit of a castle fest this morning, one in Rakvere and two in Narva, well actually one was technically in Russia.
From there we headed south to Tartu to see their old square and town hall.
Then off to another wild camp in the forest next to a lake, this time there were only a few mozzies waiting to greet us, also a few spots of rain.
Estonia is a very modern and clean place, there seems to be plenty of money around.
The people are well groomed and very friendly.
Roading infrastructure is good and it seems a safe place.
Some of the driving is a bit dodgy at times though.
We packed up camp this morning. Our all-inclusive guests (mozzies)ensured they didn’t miss out on Vince and I before we headed off. Glad to see the back of them!!!
We had a bit of a castle fest this morning, one in Rakvere and two in Narva, well actually one was technically in Russia.
From there we headed south to Tartu to see their old square and town hall.
Then off to another wild camp in the forest next to a lake, this time there were only a few mozzies waiting to greet us, also a few spots of rain.
Estonia is a very modern and clean place, there seems to be plenty of money around.
The people are well groomed and very friendly.
Roading infrastructure is good and it seems a safe place.
Some of the driving is a bit dodgy at times though.
Rakvere ordulinnuse varemed, or Rakvere castle
Narva Castle is now a museum
Narva castle on the left and Ivangorod castle in Russia on the right. The bridge with the cars on is the entry point into Russia.
Tartu town hall getting a makeover
So is most of the square
This part wasn’t
A man of culture !!!!
Tartu
Oscar Luts sculpture. He was an Estonian writer and playwright.
Tartu
Tartu University
The statue looks very camp to me!
Tonight’s camp
The near by lake
Someone watching over us
Our route today.
Day 22 - 1st August 2023
This morning Vince and I went our separate ways.
I’m spending a bit more time in these former soviet bloc country’s as I have more time to do so.
After riding 10km from our camp I realised I’d left my sunglasses on my yellow bag at the back of the bike, oh dear, where could they be?
I backtracked all the way back to camp and followed my trail back to where I’d come from. Miraculously about a km away from camp, there they were sitting on the road with not a scratch. How lucky am I?
50 km further on I pulled into get petrol, I usually use my phone to pay, when I realised that not only had my sunglasses been sitting on the yellow bag but also my phone. Oh no, this is the start of a nightmare. Luckily, I’d bought a spare phone and was able to get hold of my daughter who is tracking me by iPhone Find Me.
She was able to send me the coordinates, so I turned around and went to the location. The location was a town hall. Way off my track.
I went inside and asked the receptionist if anyone had handed a phone in. She said a man had found it near a cemetery and had recently handed it in. She said if you can access the phone with the password, it’s yours. I did, and it was
I was so thankful to that decent man.
I keep my phone in a life proof case, a couple of scrapes to the case but the phone is pristine.
Usually, I am very routine with where I pack things but not today.
Once I had my phone, I headed off to Cesis in Latvia, then to Sigulda.
This morning Vince and I went our separate ways.
I’m spending a bit more time in these former soviet bloc country’s as I have more time to do so.
After riding 10km from our camp I realised I’d left my sunglasses on my yellow bag at the back of the bike, oh dear, where could they be?
I backtracked all the way back to camp and followed my trail back to where I’d come from. Miraculously about a km away from camp, there they were sitting on the road with not a scratch. How lucky am I?
50 km further on I pulled into get petrol, I usually use my phone to pay, when I realised that not only had my sunglasses been sitting on the yellow bag but also my phone. Oh no, this is the start of a nightmare. Luckily, I’d bought a spare phone and was able to get hold of my daughter who is tracking me by iPhone Find Me.
She was able to send me the coordinates, so I turned around and went to the location. The location was a town hall. Way off my track.
I went inside and asked the receptionist if anyone had handed a phone in. She said a man had found it near a cemetery and had recently handed it in. She said if you can access the phone with the password, it’s yours. I did, and it was
I was so thankful to that decent man.
I keep my phone in a life proof case, a couple of scrapes to the case but the phone is pristine.
Usually, I am very routine with where I pack things but not today.
Once I had my phone, I headed off to Cesis in Latvia, then to Sigulda.
James next to the big bench in Kalme
Info on the bench
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