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Scandinavian Europe 2004 Jacek Solo

Europe 2004 Trip Index                 Read top to bottom or choose a section:

• Preparations
• Norway
• Sweden and Finland
• Baltic States
• Personal observations
• Statistics

Preparations

Before I departed for Poland, I had purchased a new camera: Sony P-73, digital - what a convenience to see pictures just seconds after they were taken!

My preparations in Poland involved getting the bike ready. I used the friendly service of Yamaha dealership in Bydgoszcz : tires, battery, tune-up, air-filter, fixed the faulty charging system.

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Norway

I left on Friday afternoon having plenty of time to get to Swinoujscie and to board the ferry to Ystad, Sweden.

Driving through Sweden, I stopped briefly in Goteborg.

Oslo, Norway's capital city.

Heddal Stave Church in Western Norway.

Store Nupsfonn mountain pass.

Numerous waterfalls. I chose one of them as a camp site. In Norway and Sweden, it is legal to camp anywhere either on public or private grounds 150 m from any buildings.

One of numerous ferry crossings.

Peaceful town of Tysse.

Bergen and its Bryggen medieval quarter.

An abandoned tunnel...

and winding roads.

Aurlands fjord.

Morning "bath."

Camping in a forest.

Stave church in Borgund - built in 12th century.

Tyin Lake.

Glaciers in the Jotunheimen National Park.

Narrow roads along the fjords.

Another glacier and another fjord.

Isolated Geiranger fjord.

Trollstigen pass.

Click to see a MOVIE (.mpg) of Trollstigen Pass:

Northern Norway landscape.

Gronlingrotten Cave.

Crossing the Arctic Circle

Camping in -2 Celsius temperature.

Grass-covered house in Northern Norway.

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Sweden, Finland

Gammelstaden near Lulea, Sweden.

Kuopio, Finland.

Finland - country of countless lakes and flat roads.

Porvoo Old Town near Helsinki.

Helsinki

Click to see MOVIES (.mpg) of street musicians:
Xylophones    Guitar    Saxophone

Suomenlinna Island in Helsinki.

Ferry from Helsinki to Tallin: 80 km in 1 hour 20 min.

Currently writing... 

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Baltic States (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania)

Tallin, Estonia.

Riga, Latvia.

Click to see MOVIES (.mpg) of night entertainment in Riga:
 Older crowd  Young crowd 

Back in my hometown, Torun, Poland

      x

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Personal Observations

Currently writing....

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Statistics

• August 6 - 19, 2004. 2 weeks. 
• Continents visited: 1. Countries visited: 7. 
• Kilometers: 6,060
• Gasoline: 270 litres 
• Motorbike used: 1992 Yamaha XTZ 660 Tenere
• Equipment failures/problems: 
  • none. Perfect bike.
• Pictures taken: a lot (digital camera).
• Cost:
  • gasoline: $CAD 500
  • 2 main ferries: $CAD165, several small ferries (all across the fjords) approx. $35.
  • other: $CAD 600
  • Total: $CAD 1300

  Plus: 

  • motorbike preparation (tires, battery, tune-up): $CAD 700
  • flight from Canada: $1200

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Trip summary (dates, km):

• Day 1, Friday, August 6. Torun, Poland - Swinoujscie, Poland (ferry). 404 km. 
• Day 2, Saturday, August 7. Ystand, Sweden - Oslo, Norway. 662 km. 
• Day 3, Sunday, August 8. Oslo, Norway - Rosendal, Norway. 410 km. 
• Day 4, Monday, August 9. Rosendal, Norway - Hugostua, Norway. 484 km. 
• Day 5, Tuesday, August 10. Hugostua, Norway - Valldal, Norway. 440 km.
• Day 6, Wednesday, August 11. Vadall, Norway - Levanger, Norway. 433 km. 
• Day 7, Thursday, August 12. Levanger, Norway - Storjord, Norway. 548 km. 
• Day 8, Friday, August 13. Storjord, Norway - Haparanda, Sweden. 551 km. 
• Day 9, Saturday, August 14. Haparanda, Sweden - Kuopio, Finland. 454 km. 
• Day 10, Sunday, August 15. Kuopio, Finland - Helsinki, Finland. 429 km. 
• Day 11, Monday, August 16. Helsinki, Finland - Tallin, Estonia. 19 km. 
• Day 12, Tuesday, August 17. Tallin, Estonia - Riga, Latvia. 334 km. 
• Day 13, Wednesday, August 18. Riga, Latvia - Augustow, Poland. 521 km. 
• Day 14, Thursday, August 19. Augustow, Poland - Torun, Poland. 381 km. 

TOTAL: 6,074 km.

All maps originate from Library of University of Texas website: http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/europe.html

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