Finland → Estonia

For me it was back to Jani’s again. I had to sort out my things and prepare for Estonia and the onward journey. I’d already booked the ferry from Helsinki to Tallinn a few days earlier. I’d also already requested free accommodation via Couchsurfing. Lucy and Fabricio got in touch; they live on the edge of the city, within walking distance of the centre. So for the next three days I didn’t have to worry about anything. So I slept the last night alone in the tipi and set off early in the morning, before sunrise. I said goodbye to Jani and Mina. The evening before, I was allowed to wash all my laundry at their place again. That was really necessary too, since everything smelled of cold campfire smoke. I didn’t want to do that to Lucy and Fabrizio. Running a bit late, I quickly packed my clothes and lashed everything down on the motorbike. In the heat of the moment I of course knocked my bike over again, and so, at 6:30, without breakfast, after a short night, I got to do a roughly 300 kg leg press to stand the whole thing back up. It was a great time in Finland and, above all, with Jani and his family. Honestly, I’d had no big expectations of Finland beforehand. I only knew there was a lot of forest and that it’s a pretty big country! That’s true too, but there are wonderful people, little tourism and lots of open space. Perfect for travelling by motorbike. Many warm thanks again, Jani and Mina, for the lovely time we got to spend with you! So I rode towards the sunrise and weaved a bit through the traffic. The minutes of delay from the jam kept growing on the sat-nav. Even with a speed-camera app and a little prayer, there wasn’t much more to be squeezed out here. Everyone just wanted to drive into Helsinki this Monday. Exceeding the speed limit to the max, I chased through the hairpins of the harbour area like Marc Marquez. Like in a film I rode towards the ferry, horn blaring, straight through the ticket control (where no one was sitting anymore anyway) and stood in front of the ferry to Tallinn. At the same time the last gates were being closed and ropes pulled up. Damn! I quickly rode back to the other side and called for a harbour worker, who came running over. Unfortunately he confirmed for me that I was simply too late. In the background the ferry then cast off. Still a bit panicked, and with the thought of whether I’d even get a spot on another ferry today at all, I stormed into the administration building. With a slight smile I was then told that for a 7 € surcharge I could just take the next ferry in 5 hours. Well, whoever comes late has to drink cocoa and wait… So I now rode, nice and relaxed, to a small marina next door — stopping at the bakery first — and looked at the still-rising sun over the sea. Besides cutting my fingernails and other little bits and bobs that still needed sorting, I then sat at the laptop over midday and worked a bit on a video project. Far too early, I then set off for the harbour again in the afternoon. This time I was, apart from a few trucks, the first there and stood at the front of the queue. After I’d asked three more times whether the ferry to Tallinn really does arrive and depart here, I leaned back. The ferry came and moored. Truly countless cars, trucks and motorbikes drove out of the belly of the ferry. I hadn’t seen a transhipment point like that in a long time. The logistics and handling behind it are fascinating every time. Despite the amount of vehicles, everything went briskly, and so I parked my bike a short while later. Up on deck the sun shone through the big, salt-stained windows and I took one last look at Helsinki and Finland. Thought once more about the experiences and warm days here.

About two hours later we’d arrived in Tallinn. I’d of course informed Lucy and Fabrizio about my delay.

I weaved through the Estonian evening traffic and stopped at a supermarket. The supermarket, besides groceries, had, I think, the concept of Tchibo times 10,000. Everything was huge and, besides the aforementioned groceries, there was everything possible, from garden supplies to motor oil or new interior decor. Well, in any case I wanted to bring something along, and Lucy asked me to also bring two bags of crisps for this evening. I had to buy breakfast anyway.

I stopped in front of an apartment block in a quiet area on the edge of Tallinn. A short while later Fabricio came down and greeted me very warmly.

Lucy had already written to me beforehand that she’d sorted out a parking spot for my motorbike round the back in the courtyard. There I could park perfectly behind a locked gate. Something like that is always good in the city — then you sleep better!

Lucy came from Taiwan and Fabricio from France. When Fabricio was in Taiwan on holiday, the two got to know each other. Since then they travel together and work online as digital nomads. Lucy works in the support area for a Chinese computer game and does a normal 40-hour week here. Fabricio did something to do with organisation. Virtual assistant or something, I think. I didn’t quite understand that. So the two actually only rented the apartment too. They tell me that — appropriately for work too, of course — they always rent an apartment for at least a month. If there’s then a room free that the two don’t use, they offer it via Couchsurfing to take in travellers. A super cool thing!

In the evening I told them a bit about my trip and showed a few photos of the experiences. They also gave me good tips for Tallinn. I’d actually only requested one night. But since we got on so well, the two spontaneously invited me to another night. So I could look at Tallinn completely at my leisure.

The next day I set off into the city centre.

What immediately struck me: Tallinn was incredibly clean! Even though it was by now slowly becoming autumn and the trees were losing their leaves, there were no leaves lying around on the paths. Since, as I said, it was already getting colder, the tourist season in Tallinn was also over. It was normal city life. But without the stag dos.

The weather was great and the sun beamed into Tallinn’s old town as I walked through the city wall.

I passed the defence tower „Kiek in de Kök“ from the 15th century and the nearby Alexander Nevsky Cathedral on Cathedral Hill.

Through small old alleys I also walked into Tallinn’s art district, „Telliskivi“. On the way there I saw someone loading up a little robot in front of a supermarket. That Estonia is more digital and also more advanced in that area, I knew. But that here the daily supermarket shopping is delivered to your home — and completely without people — was new to me. The little vehicle set off and immediately had to cross a zebra crossing. It went forwards and back and was unsure whether it could now cross the road or not. After a while, and once the cars had stopped, the robot could carry on. After I came back out of the art district „Telliskivi“, I think I ran into the robot again, still on its way. For the sake of the shopping, I hope the robot can also keep things cool. Because it had by then been on its way for about 15 minutes and hadn’t got far! Telliskivi is a great corner and definitely worth seeing! Besides the expected museums, there are also great, large murals here! And also little cafés and street art. On we went along the water to the Linnahall. The Tallinna Linnahall, or in German „Talliner Stadthalle“ (Tallinn City Hall), is an old multipurpose hall from 1980. In that year the sailing competitions of the Moscow Summer Olympics were also held there. Back then the architects faced the difficult task of preserving the view of Tallinn’s old town from the sea side, as well as not interrupting the railway line leading to the harbour. Until 2009 the hall was still used by the local ice hockey club. Since then it just stands there and decays. A lost place, then. What will become of the hall is still being argued about today.

Back through the city, I then also passed the Balti Jaam! A big market in a three-storey market hall. There, besides fruit and vegetables, fish and meat, there was also used clothing. But of course also lots of odds and ends and other things. With an apple in my hand I set off for the last point on my sightseeing list and walked to Kadriorg Palace. There the sun then slowly set behind the palace, and the day drew to a close!

In the evening I then quickly went shopping. Because I wanted to treat Lucy and Fabrizio to homemade wraps. The two took care of the beer and I of the food. I told them a bit about my time in film production and my little self-employment as a photographer. I spontaneously offered Lucy and Fabrizio to take a few photos of them in the evening light. Unfortunately the two didn’t dare, though! Until late into the night we chatted about the world and his wife! The next morning Fabrizio brought up the photo offer once more. Lucy had maybe changed her mind after all, but apparently no longer dared to ask so as not to hold me up further. After a bit of back and forth she did then agree, and put on her favourite dress! On the street in front of the house I could take great pictures of her with the still-rising sun! I could also persuade Fabrizio to join! So the two now had a few current pictures of themselves together!

After that I packed my things and rode on! A sunny day and a great coastal road were waiting for me! Many warm thanks again to you, Fabricio and Lucy, for taking me in so warmly! I hope you’re reading this 😄

As already in Finland, in Estonia too — here then only on the beach — there were public campsites. There, covered benches with tables stood, plus a metal grill for each. The advantage for me was that there you could always be sure of finding a spot for the tent. Since these spots were all marked on Google Maps, I’d already planned a nice route from Tallinn all the way to Riga in Latvia! There, too, quite a bit was already on the agenda! I’d arranged to meet my family over the weekend, and my buddy Henning was then coming to the city for a week’s visit during the week! On top of that I also already had a meet-up in Lithuania… But one thing at a time! As I said, I rode along the coast in the sun and pitched my tent on the beach in the evening. Actually you couldn’t really get there by motorbike at all, but somehow I then paddled myself through the sand with lots of revs. That way I could get up onto a small dune and could look out at the sea from the tent.

It was lovely once again, after the exciting last weeks, to have a bit of calm before things really got going again. Classically, I made myself pasta with tomato sauce again! This time, though, with pre-salted seawater! It took a while to get seawater without sand into the pot… After a great sunset, I lay awake a little longer to read. In doing so I then noticed that somehow it wasn’t nearly as dark as it should be. At sunset there’d been no clouds in the sky, I’d noticed that. When I opened the tent and leaned out a bit, I was speechless! I looked into a super clear starry sky over the sea! Wide awake again, of course I grabbed my camera to take a few more photos! Luckily Olli had brought me my tripod, and I didn’t have to lay my camera on a bag or something to do a long exposure!

Even though it was already really chilly outside, the whole thing was worth it. In the morning it was then unfortunately a bit rainy. The disadvantage of camping on the beach is the sand. That was then of course everywhere, especially wet sand. That sticks well! When my tent is wet, I always just pack it right at the top of the bag. That way no moisture gets into the bag, and the tent is already wet anyway! On we went along the coast! Every now and then back onto the TET to ride a bit of gravel! In the evening I then found a spot by the sea again! The sun was shining and my tent could dry out nicely again. As, I think, most people know, there’s always lots of sand near the sea. But since I always wanted to camp by the sea, I of course also always had to fight my way through the sand. That worked out sometimes more, sometimes less! I think, through the rides to the sea, my chain got at least 1,000 km of extra wear from all the sand.