Espoo(near Helsinki)- Norway(Tromso-Lofoten)- Espoo.
We started from home in loaded car at 5:45am on 12th July Sunday 2020- Back on 23rd July 9pm Thursday 2020.Total of 11 nights 12 days road trip, We 3 (Husband,myself, my 7 yr old Son).
We did nature camping for 7 nights and 4 nights stayed in accommodation.
Note: The rate of Covid-19 in Norway and Finland was very less, we still maintained social distancing, hygine what ever level possible, and eating very less in public places.
Below is the list of places of camping or stay at accommodation
1. Rovaniemi- Santa Claus Village- first night nature camping at Arctic circle hiking area.
2.Kilpisyärvi- 2 nights nature camping at Kilpisyärvi.
3.Tromso (Norway)- 2 nights stay at Airbnb accommodation.
4. Lofoten Islands- 4 nights nature camping
a. Haukland beach - 1 st night camping
b. Ramberg- 2nd night camping
c. Near Ramberg-g another beautiful place -- 3rd night camping
d. Rikvok - 4th night camping
5.olderdalen- 1 night stay at accommodation
6. Ouolu- 1 night stay at accommodation
its in total 3600 Km covered.one of the longest journey we took. Car was loaded with 3 pillows, 2 blankets, 3 sleeping bags, 1 tent and rain cover, 3 water proof mats, clothing for 10 days, all 3 with 2 or 3 sets of shoes, 2 bags full of food items, some toys, 3 bag packs.3 bed sheets. 10 ltrs water.winter jackets for all 3 + normal jackets.Gas stove with some small cylinders. So totally it was jam packed.
First day 12th July Sunday we travelled from Espoo to Rovaniemi (800+ kms) in one stretch with 3-4 breaks.We avoided eating out, that day i already made idli chatni, rice packed for that day trip. So we relished on them. almost late evening or night after 8 we reached nature camping at Arctic circle hiking area and camped there, all were tiered we just had coffee and some light snacks which we brought. we stayed very near to river flow, we could hear sound of river and lot of birds chirping through out the night, actually its called night less night, usually without dark, So we could we feel its like day and we had hard time sleeping in wide day light and my son keep asking is it night? and telling its not night i wont sleep :(. At last we could sleep as all were tiered with long journey. after burning camping fire and putting it off.
I dont know if anyone halted or camped at night, we could see few visited and left, but not sure if anyone else camped. but still we could feel safe, As its first time for us in this place.Toilets were also accessible.But only big problem is mosquitoes, we could never believe so many mosquitoes were there in Finland, it was just not allowing us to stand out side the our tent. Even cold winds but mosquitoes were most irritating and size also really big.
around early morning 3 it started to rain not heavy but it was kept drizzling,morning we got up around 7 or 8 and decided to have breakfast and start, we made bread omelet in the fire wood and after that started towards Kilpisyärvi, before leaving Rovaniemi, we visited Santa Claus Village point, saw Santa :) , moved around the arctic circle place,clicked some snaps and purchased some read food items so we could have on our way to Kilpisyärvi, we started at 1PM, reached Kilpisyärvi at 9:30 PM night and it was heavy rain and first time we could see in Finland big mountains and little covered in snow on top, it was amazing view , we could see lot of mountain range from Norway too as Kilpisyärvi is in border or 3 countries - Norway,Finland,Sweden.
What is there to watch in Kilpisyärvi ?- I would say Nature, we stayed next to Kilpisyärvi (Lake) very beautiful and water is freezing cold. and its in 3 Nations meeting point Norway,Finland,Sweden that we could visit in boat it takes 30 min ride and 3.5 km walk one way to reach the point. Boat will wait for us for 2 hrs to walk through forest and return.
My Son enjoyed whole journey and stay thoroughly, i had some issues with staying in tent in nature camping but still i could do it for 7 nights and happy for myself to accept the change.
all 12 days no timely food, no timely sleeps as we are on move everything was untimely and on the move and some time it may hard to adjust, I know many think its really exciting but if you are adjusted to routine life and comfort, then it would be really hard for you.But we could complete this with at most ease. I must say most of the times our breakfast was while camping bread n omelet, if in accommodation it was akki roti,bananas,cherries,carrots, Coffee and tea was common had atleat once daily. had rice only 4 times in whole journey.All these changes were readily accepted by my son ;).
From Kilpisyärvi we started to Tromso,Norway on 15th morning after having breakfast and carrying some food. We reached Tromso around 3PM in noon and headed straight to Cable car, It was one of the most amazing as we were going first time, it just lasts for 5 minutes, we got down the hill by foot and it was scary experience for sure, people who have fear with heights definitely will have problems, its 1023 steps down hill and it has most of the time stone stairs and some places ice where you have to walk on Ice even summer to get down hill, i was scared to death, i sat on Ice and got down each stair not looking another other side than looking straight, keeping hands in freezing ice, crying son in front of me and my husband was angry at both of us, and giving full entertainment to people around us.My back back was completely got wet as i sat and got down from snow steps and some part i even slipped, once that was done i really thanked god to keep me alive ;).
It took more than an hour for me n Son to get down the hill.My husband was quicker. we could see even small kids within 2 years also trying to climb the hill.I cant even think of it now.Getting down was so hard for me, climbing not sure how hard it would have been.
Once we got down my son again wanted to go up :(. After that on the was we saw -Arctic Cathedral.(Jäämerenkatedraali), By the time it was 5PM, we headed towards our accommodation. It was really in outskirts and beautiful place, we had ice covered mountain view just outside our stay house.We relished on rice from which i prepared vegetables biryani for next 2 days and akki rotti and had nice and comfortable sleep in bed for next 2 nights after 3 nights of nature camping.
Next day 16th Morning after breakfast and packing lunch we we headed to botanical garden, polar museum and Tromso museum and one hike at rikvik, Tromso Airport we could view from while passing in car as we stayed very near by and couple of most beautiful bridges of Tromso and aerial view whole town from Cable car hill, saw some of beautiful shores.
17th Morning after breakfast and packing lunch we started to the Lofoten Islands, It was really long journey from Tromso to haukland beach,Leknes , Lofoten Norway. we reached around 9. Beach area was little crowded as next day there was Volley ball tournament was taking place. As soon as we reached my son headed towards beach and me and my husband put up the tent made arrangements for dinner before calling my son, we spent some time around blue and green watered beach surrounded by lil snow covered hills and went to sleep by 11PM,that night too was little windy and some time rained too, but morning was again Sun light, it was really wonderful place. We were lucky to experience mid night Sun for 3 nights.
On 18th We started from haukland beach,Leknes to the Ramberg beach it was most beautiful again, here every thing about natural beauty majestic hills with snow on top and green at bottom and middle countless water streams through out the mountain ranges in Summer it was mesmerizing beauty, My husband is lover of hills, I am not quite that much. Beaches are beautiful and amazing but freezing water. Water was so clear and clean and its green and blue mixed, lot of shells it offers. We collected bag full of it.
After Ramberg beach we headed to Reine another Island its small town with again majestic hill ranges. We parked car and walked down the street as most of them doing, here first time munched on Burgers it was so so tasty, due to Covid-19 we very skeptical about eating out, but as we were contentiously on move and my son demanding for burger made us to eat burger in serene beauty.
Spending some time in Reine, we moved to “Å” another place of Island, Its again another beautiful place. With Fisher men colony.after this again we returned to Ramberg in between we passed through many small Islands too. On that day we stayed in Ramberg beach but our luck was not in favor it was too too windy we hardly sleep though the night and got up by 4:30 in early morning as tent was so so shaking that we could not close our eyes.We saw even many struggling with their tents. As many did we kept car next to tent but still it didn’t do much good, so we need to take out the tent, and we tried to move out from that place.
After moving from Ramberg beach we were checking some other place to halt so that we could have nap.after moving 5 Kms we got really beautiful place near waters, we fixed tent there and had our brake-fast and spent some more hours napping, for Lunch we again wanted to go Reine which was 30 kms to have same burger, so we headed and had burger ,pizza ,ice creams few more clicks and returned back to our camping place. Spent night over their.
20th morning we started from the place after having brake-fast. We went to Eggum, Gimsøysand then to Rikvok beach where the one beautiful river meeting Ocean, we halted there for night, but again we faced rain. Early morning rain started to pour, this time little water entered the into our tent and we started to move after packing, but this time till we reach olderladen next day evening on 21st night stay. This was our last Norway day. We stayed in accommodation which was made of wooden house made in 1968 and it was just opposite ti Sea shore and mountain ranges.
22nd morning 9:15 AM started from Olderladen to Finland as we needed to Reach Ouolu by night to stay for night, That day again whole day was raining till we reach Ouolu in Finland.
We started from Ouolu on 23rd 12PM and it was again 8 hrs journey. So we reached home by night 8:30. This time my box with Akki rotti was ready for break snack.
Totally we covered 4300 Kms in our journey. With Gods grace we could have safe journey. Most enjoyed by my Son. He could adjust to all outdoor stays and room stays with grace.Even all food adjustments he coped up,we didn’t face any issue he crying for food or wanted to go back home. He is the one jumped into all freezing water enjoyed fullest all time. Ready to come to eat when called, he slept when he felt tiered in car, Tent, room, no issues faced in total.
