Last day in Lapland, and back to Helsinki

Our last day in Lapland we felt a bit melancholy. After breakfast we finished cleaning the cabin, packed our stuff, and left our paradisiacal abode. I could even imagine us going back! I could imagine it would be lovely in autumn as well, when you can go mushroom picking, and warm up by the wood fire. This was really the sort of holiday accommodation we both really love.

We brought the keys back, and then did another walk in the gorge we had visited before; then we had been in the middle, and this time we picked the western end of it. Our navigation was a bit off; we didn't quite walk the route we had intended, but it was beautiful anyway. One thing I wasn't happy with was the mosquitoes. I was still absolutely peppered with mosquito bites from earlier days, and the bastards were after me again. My sister is so Finnish she is not really affected by them anymore. But I sure am!

A ‘laavu’ by the unintended Koivuköngäs waterfall

When we got back to the car I grabbed my dry socks and shoes from the boot, and sat in the driver’s seat to change into them. I did not want to do this outdoors. And I also didn't want to get out of the car to put my rather smelly boots in the boot. And I unequivocally requested we next visit the café we had been in before, for a coffee break. There wouldn't be any mosquitoes in there! I really wanted to be somewhere without them, and while wearing dry socks. And my sister was OK with that.

The next location was some loop with several options. When we got to the starting point I was so happy to see there weren't many mosquitoes there! And I was resigned to have gone back into my soaking socks and boots.

The first part of the walk wasn't even that beautiful. And we could only do half the loop, for reasons of time constraints. The way back was more beautiful. And the weather had improved. And it still was very low on mosquitoes. So our very last walk ended pretty good! But by the time we got back to the car we had to make our way back to Rovaniemi. We had a rental car to bring back, and a train to catch.

An unsuccessful viewing tower on Hopianulkki hill

Heading back to the car for the last time 

In Rovaniemi we had dinner in the railway station’s restaurant. I went for a pizza with smoked reindeer and blue cheese, because why not. After that we filled the tank and did some last shopping, and then got into the train. I was glad to shower half an inch of mosquito repellent off me! And some sweat. And soon after it was bedtime. 

In Helsinki we went to my sister’s place. I had actually never been since she moved there; she generally prefers to come to Wales! It is a beautiful place. I had seen it a lot on video but it is different in real life. The first thing I did was hang my offensive boots and socks in the garden. And after a while we went out again to team up with her weekend child and his father: Miro and Jiri. I hadn’t seen them since my dad’s 80th birthday! Jiri had hardly changed, but Miro had more than doubled his age since then, so he was as good as unrecognisable. 

We first went to their place, but after that we went to the woods and then the sports park to invent some pentathlon. I won the pinecone pétanque! And Miro the stick throwing. And we all scored full points on the beam exercise. 

When dinner became a consideration we went our separate ways. My sister cooked another meal while I ran, but this time I cleaned up in a shower afterwards. And we had one last night to talk about life.

Looking back at the Helsinki skyline from Killingholma

The next day I flew back. It had been a great holiday! Maybe I had cursed the mosquitoes from time to time, but otherwise Finland had been kind to me. Thank you Finland! And thank you sister!