Countdown begins!

[Hotel California]

Got you now, looks like you are outside!

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Looks like Motacyclist did the ultimate webcamspot.....still shame the roofs is down , but think that shot is definitely a " postcard from the edge...."

 

[WelshGas]

Definitely the day to have been here. Now overcast, breezy and occasionally rainy. Time to get up and hit the road, after my porridge!

 

[greenfintry]

If you get the chance in Altafjord, go to the rock paintings and also the Tirpitz museum. My father in law was pilot in the second wave of swordfish planes in the attack. Everywhere we go, his answer is " Been there, bombed that!"

Great blog

 

[DavidM]

Great Midnight sun shot. Very atmospheric. Looks a bit different there this morning. A good time to move on.

 

[rod_vw]

This is a wonderful thread, a trip that we have dreamed of. Please keep the details and pictures coming whilst you enjoy the more leisurely return journey.

Thank you 'WelshGas' and have a safe trip.

Rod

 

[Hotel California]

.....and he's on his return , i guess, ....his Cali is no longer spotted on the webcam

 

[WelshGas]

Correct. Drove through thick fog on the way back, including fog in the undersea tunnel. Then up over the mountains, 360+ m, down to 2c. Some fantastic views and then down to Alta. as suggested by "greenfintry" visited the Alta Museum to view the Rock Paintings. Very well presented. Nice coffee and chocolate cake as well. Unfortunately ran out of time to visit the Tirpitz Museum as it shut at 4pm.
Now camped 6' from the Alta River. The bridge just before the 7km undersea tunnel that was foggy inside! Coffee stop. Little Church on the Tundra. Alta Museum.Parked up for the night. Time for a cuppa.

 

[WelshGas]

Managed to transfer some pictures from my DSLR to the iPad.

Visitors at Nordkapp, just before I left this morning.


And the Rock Carvings at Alta.

 

[WelshGas]

One thing that surprised me up here, I expected to see a lot of 4x4's but in fact there were very few. Just normal cars, all makes, but definitely more German and Japanese makes and lots and lots of Vans mainly Utilities and people carriers with the VW T5 being the most popular with the Ford Transit and Mercedes version having a much smaller representation. So The California feels quit at home with its cousins.

 

[motacyclist]

Thanks for the blog so far. It's so comprehensive that we don't need to go now

 

[WelshGas]

Nooooooooooooooooo.

You must go!
One thing I did notice. It seems that most couples were on coach holidays. A lot of middle aged+ men on big motorbikes and about 75% of motorhomes were men on their own or in groups.
One German motorhome driver said his wife will only travel in Germany or any country to the South of Germany. It must be as warm or warmer than home.

 

[WelshGas]

Very stormy night, wind and rain. Wind has slackened and now it is sleeting. Off shortly to Northern Sweden via Finland.
Must have my porridge first though!

 

[greenfintry]

There's a great stop off point in the bit of Finland you are going through, can't remember the name, but there is not much if Finland before Sweden.... It has a fish smokers and serves hot white bait type fish... V yummy. Also you will pass a road sign .... Russia left, Sweden straight on, Norway right . V tempting, and our next trip might just see us turn left........


Enjoy the trip. Sounds like the cold weather has held back the mozzies. Silver lining in those clouds!

 

[Hotel California]

Question : "porridge" try and translate it , i came up as a sort oatmeal ? Is it that plastic pot on the table?

 

[Noeleen]

Well done Welshgas on achieving one of life's dreams. I was off line on Friday when you arrived but the wonderful photo posted by Motacyclist, with you standing beside your van brought me right into the joy of it. It is one long journey!

Motacyclist, your eye for detail is intriguing, always entertaining.

Signed:
One who attempted cycling to North Cape in 1990.

 

[Smicker]

Great write-up, thanks.

 

[WelshGas]

That's right "hotel california" , Quaker Oats porridge, handy for the California, just add hot water and stir and wait 2 minutes.

"Noeleen", if you cycle to Nordkapp then you get free entry!

Well today was a bit of a trial. Started off a bit drizzled and as I drove out of Alta it started sleeting. Not fun on a very windy road between the rock face and the river. Then a full blown blizzard with slush on the road and getting thicker. There was absolutely NO traffic. Up on the plateau it was even worse, blowing a gale with snowflakes as big as your thumb sticking to the one side of the Cali, such that you couldn't see out. Windscreen was OK. After about an hour I thought this is silly, I'll pull over and have a brew. As I did the sun came out and the snow stopped.
The slush disappeared and we were off. It's Sunday and the roads were very empty. Crossed into and out of Finland and didn't see anybody.
Plenty of reindeer about. Have to be careful if you see them near the road, just as likely to run in front of you as to run into the woods.the trouble is the group leader might already have crossed the road. They are very skittish and likely to run to catch up with the leader. Saw my first Elk as well. Unfortunately no photos as I couldn't stop. As tall as the Cali with his antlers.
Now in a nice campsite atGallivare, looking out over the river, that has lots of ice floes. Enjoying a can of Coke and a packet of crisps.
Sorted where I'm going tomorrow Lycksele, down the middle.

 

[sapto]

I look forward to more great updates and pics from your trip back home! have a save journey

 

[WelshGas]

Well I'm far enough South now, outside the Arctic Circle, that the sun is going to set tonight.

 

[WelshGas]

Beautiful sunny morning. Very pleasant. Must have warmed up a bit, no ice floes on the river.
Heading South-West down central Sweden today.

 

[WelshGas]

Could be noisy around here today.

http://sputniknews.com/military/20150507/1021813365.html

 

[WelshGas]

Well, it was bright and sunny when I started but as I drove south the clouds started gathering and now it's raining, but all parked up for the night now. Nice campsite in Lycksele.
As I drove south, on virtually empty roads the scenery gradually changed from this,

To just rolling forests of Pine and Aspen trees and lots of lakes. A lot of Hydroelectric plants on the rivers. This one went in for Industrial Graffiti on a big scale.


Further on a lunch stop next to the Old and New where 2 rivers joined.
A spot of shopping on the way for some milk and bananas.


And here we are. Time for a cuppa.

 

[WelshGas]

I might have seen my son or one of his colleagues.

 

[WelshGas]

Well another 250 miles closer to home. Now at Ostersund. Definitely warmer and greener. Now set up for the night.
Not many other travellers.
Lots of woods and lakes today.

Weather not that great. Drove one of the longest straight roads so far.

Over 10 miles and stuck behind 3 lorries. Worst type of road for overtaking in a RHD vehicle as you have to pull out so far and there was traffic on the other side, so just had to wait. Much easier when there are bends at least you can see what's coming as you come out of the bend and the lorry drivers are good at indicating when it is OK .
Met some roadside beasties
Had to stop for them to make up their mind as half were on the other side of the road. Eventually they all crossed.
Stopped for coffee and ended up giving a geography lesson as to where Wales was in England. iPad came in handy. The ladies in the coffee shop had never met anyone from England before so had to put them right.

When I stopped for diesel, it was a petrol forecourt attached to a VW & Skoda dealership. When I came out after paying the California was surrounded by 2 men in suits and a group of mechanics. Salesmen and mechanics from VW. Come to examine this ??. So I had to explain that it was made by VW. They had never seen one. One of the salesmen took some photos on his phone and brought me a cup of coffee. I just couldn't believe it. Apparently big motorhome said are all the rage in Scandinavia or people slum it in the little lodges you find on all the campsites. It seems it's the visitors/tourists who use tents or tow caravans.
Time for a cuppa and a pastry. They do make exceedingly nice pastries in Sweden.

 

[WelshGas]

Upsetting start to today. Just driving through Ostersund and saw a chocolate brown California coming out of a roundabout just as I was entering it. About to wave and realised the roof was twisted, one side closed otherside a foot in the air at the front. Driver DID NOT LOOK HAPPY!. Don't know how old it was or what country it was from. I was quit upset, first California I'd seen in Scandinavia and it was broken. Today was an arboreal delight. Trees everywhere with the occasional lake and river

Interesting stop for coffee.


Now set up on my camp. I've got the lakeside pitch because I don't need 10amps to run the Satellite TV that ALL the motorhomes on the other field have. Need the Mains tonight to charge some camera batteries. Also a little reward for me.