Days and holidays

We ended up to anchor in small mining town Dampier and I find myself doing construction work in supermarket..
O' how romantic :)
But in the evening I can go back to boat, get rid of clothes, (covered by sweat, construction dust and red sand) climb on roof, jump to the ocean and say;
"Could someone pass me a green can? If you can!?

Next week I'll have a holiday too. I'll drive to the dessert, to camp and looking for kangaroos and rocks. Or I'll sail with Oelin's folk to some peaceful bay to wonder this beautiful world!

Merry Christmas!

Under the Southern cross

Ten days we sailed on Indian ocean, Captain Warwick, Tj, Jonas and me. On calm nights I took my bed and slept on a deck under the stars and when the ocean showed a little bit of her powers, I rocked from one side to other. I melted.. I totally fell in love with the life on a sea; it's slowness, silence and song of the stars and wawes.

And finally I stepped on solid ground in Broome.
Have I came to some weird planet?
Australia here I am!

Now it would be time to learn to speak Australian language ,make some plans and look for a job.
But the ocean is whispering to me and Oelin is on it's way around Australian continent, so I might stay few more days and sail further south..

Finally

The yacht is almost ready to go and in few days we'll head to Oz!
I wave goodbyes to Kupang.
And I say thank you for people,
thanks for the help,
and thanks for beautiful moments in this weird city!

November

Rhythm of seasons is taking over me. Inside me I hear and feel the sounds of northern Autumn. But these surroundings doesn't support my feelings; I feel the warm see breeze on my face, walk on white beaches and relaze on shadows under coconut trees.
But now and then I sat inside of my mind, put a blanket over my shoulders, listen to Anthony, Gave, Cohen, and on light of candles I take sip of red wine..

Now I just look at the see and wait.
I wait for a boat.
I wait for a new visa to my passport.
I wait for something to happen.
I wait for something special to happen.
I wait for full moon.
And I wait for a boat...

Waiting

I just wait and wait
and try to be..

And dry soil of West-Timor is waiting for the rainy season, the Sun show all it's powers and temperature rise up to 35°C already in 9AM. Daily power cuts in Kupang turn fans off, I sweat and can only repeat again and again:
"Panas, panas!"

Helsinki-Uluru chapter 6. is out soon! The letter will include my journal from my time in heat of Cambodia and a tale called "The green pearl" with drawings by Lars Kastilan.

Jalan jalan

I wandered on a isolated beaches, sat on a bonfire with fishermans, played some pool in Teddy's bar and went around of Kupang city on these grazy bemoes with loud soundsystems and huge colourful stickers of either Jesus or sexy playboy girls.

But anyway, my daily routine for last ten day has been following: Just walking on Jalan Sumatera, Jl Garoda and Jl Silaweda, looking at the sea and the boats, dreaming, coffee and internet in Lavalon, Manggo juice and Nasi goreng in night market and few bottles of Anker beer in Robin's place (Pantai Laut Resto)
So I have been just hanging around, made some questions here and there, met many awesome characters in night of Kupang and got some new tips, heard some new rumours about yachts, got some new contackts and my hope is ingreasing. Maybe I don't meet the Persian Princess just right now, but it seems that I might get a ride in yacht to Australia!

Streets of Indonesia

I ran from Bali to Kupang or I could actually say that I rushed from Central-Java to West-Timor. I passed without any thoughts beaches of Bali, wild and free tourist girls, Hindu temples and sweet smell of Indian incenses..
I waited a ferry to Sumbawa, ate some banana chips, watched the sun sets over the mountains of Lombok and weird sorrow filled my mind. I know that Kupang will be my last stops in Asia before entering Australia and so called western culture. Is it this running how I say goodbyes to Asia?
Anyway I sat on a next bus and continued my journey towards the east. I passed Mosques in Sumbawa, Komodo Dragons, Flores hobbits, Kelitmutu's magical tricoloured volcanic lakes and thought that one just can't see or experience everything..

But anyway in those long hours in buses I saw many beautiful smiles, met many new friends. And in a last ferry from Ende to Kupang I sat 18 hours on red wooden box, saw dolphins swimming next to the ferry, played "I like.., Do you like?" game with a ten years old boy from Bajawa and the full moon of October shine on the sky and made a silver bridge over the sea..
And I felt in my heart: I just love this country!

Pelantsuhan Benoa

I came to Bali and for the first thing I went to harbor Benoa, ordered an ice lemon tea and chatted with sailors. Yes, I have already begun to understand that I'm late or just traveling on a wrong season. The winds are blowing to the north and to the west. Almost nobody is going to the east on these days. But anyway hoping for some kind of miracle to happen I put my note on the wall:

Heading to Australia?
Do you need extra crew on your boat?

Some temperature and also some weird feelings in my stomach say to me that would be better not to travel for few days. So I'll write and just rest some days on hills of Bali. Then I start to rush, run and race with my poor money situation and approaching cyclone season. I'll follow a hint I got six months ago in Irkutsk (Thanks Alex). The hint about place in Timor where sailors and yachtmans from Darwin might hang around.
Kupang and Teddy's bar. I'm coming!

Decisions

Shawwal's (شوّال ) new moon will rise up to the sky next week. The end of Ramadhan and a holiday season of Indonesia will make all transportation crowded and prizes will increase 50%.. What to do!
Should I hide here in Yogyakarta, climp to mountains or run to Bali? I don't know!
It could be good in here, I could relax for a moment, stay in a same place, look around, listen stories and enjoy this culture capital of Java. But fewer inside me is burning and makes me wanna travel to the south.
In my passport there is stamp from Dumai on 9Th of September, witch means that I have around 40 days time to find a boat to Australia or I have to travel to Timor and fly to Darwin..
O' what to do!?

Bye bye Sumatra

I'm hanging around in Bukit tinggi and preparing my self to 24 hours bus ride to the south.. Java here I come!

Helsinki-Uluru chapter 5. is out now!
In the letter there is photos and my diary from my time in Lao PDR and fictitious memoirs of Peter Jones called "A dance of a dragonflies"

Please order the story letter and read more!

0.3°S 100°E

I got lost in a jungle..
I waded in a river and fought with leeches.
I found myself in a small village
preparing a cane sugar to the market
and finally on a crater lake eating vegetables in peanut sauce..
Life is good!

It's time for Ramadan

I organised some of my things in KL and finally Australian immigration officials friendly granted me a one year working holiday visa.. So I took a bus to Meleka to buy a ferry tickets to Sumatra and to enjoy few days a fresh air of a little town.

Now I'm back in KL and celebrate Malaysian 51. independence day and beginning of Ramadan with culture witch capital can offer; In Merdeka cafe I listened stories about sexual rights in Malaysia and history of sexuality in Asia, I hope to see some modern and experimental theatre in KL performing art center and just wander on bookshops looking for Persian poetry..

Tomorrow I'll buy a new shirt. At least I'll comb my hair and wash my face, then I'll knock a door of Indonesian embassy and apply for two months tourist visa.

P.S. I bought a new camera, but from two options I chose the worst one.. OK, I learn something everyday..At least now I know little bit more about digital cameras..

Kuala Lumpur

I walked under skyscrapers in narrow streets of Chinatown wishing that I could somehow send this amazing and stimulating mix of smells, sounds and colours or deliver the beauty of the moment when I sat on a roof terrace in middle of the night, watched lights of the city and listened sounds of calming drumming of a warm monsoon rain on sheet metal roofs.

A chilly morning

I took a bus to Cameron highlands to escape for few days from this hot weather. We drove through rubber and palm trees towards green mountains and tea plantations. I talked with a driver and listened stories about history, farming, illegal immigrants and corruption.
Finally I found a bed in old army barracks and took a sweatshirt from my bag, a shirt witch has been useless so long time. Then I put a pink blanket on my shoulders. O' weather is so nice and so cold!

Day by day and kilometer by kilometer I'm getting nearer to Australia, working and earning some money, but there is still some miles to go. And I start to be little bit worried about my financial situation. So if it has been in your mind to order some story letters, now would be a perfect moment:)

Atmosphere..

I cross a border to Malaysia and walked on a streets of Kota Bharu, looked at the mosques, listened sounds of the city, felt a different rythm of muslim countrey and enjoyed tasty food from banana leafs.

Now I look at crystal blue waters in Perenthian Islands, wait that the full moon of August will rise up to the sky. I recall Oscar Wilde's story about fisherman and his soul. And fisherman's shadow's words are echoing in my mind (as I remember those):

"After one year, at the full moon evening,

I'll be waiting for you on this same beach.."

Towards south

Few days ago I made my way from heat of Bangkok to Island called Ko Phangan in southern Thailand. With some nice people I found lonely beach and rented a bungalow and hammoc for myself. I looked around and tought; maybe I could stay here for a while. So I unpacked my back, put some photos on a wall, build up my little kitchen, prepared bowl of noodles and some coffee. Then I lighted an incense and laid on my bed. I have a home. For a moment..

P.S. Somehow I managed to broke my camera, so unfortunately there will not be any new photos before I fix or buy a new one.
O' stupid me!

It's raining in Sianhouk ville

It was raining yesterday, it's raining today..
And I love it!
But the day of elections in Kingdom of Cambodia will be soon.
I pack my bag and move to Thailand..

Son of small lakes and the ocean

In a silent and peaceful island of Koh Tonsay, near of Vietnamese border I saw the gulf of Thailand. Me, son of small forest lakes saw huge ocean in front of me and wonder and respect towards that unknown filled up my heart.
Somewhere there far away is Australia. Between us there is only Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesian islands. It's quite easy to get to Indonesia, but how to travel over that sea? Where do I find a boat for my last step to Australia?

I'm ready almost any kind of arrangements. Cargoships, fishing boats, yachts, sailing boats etc.. Working on a boat or paying..

So my dear friends! All ideas are welcome!

Helsinki-Uluru chapter 4.

The moon and the story letter give rhythm for my journey. I wonder in middle of this beautiful world with my notebook and pen, keep my compass pointing to south and towards Uluru and I write some notes, nonsense and ideas for stories.
Once a month I go to a bigger city and hope to find cheaper Internet cafe. Then I type my letters and stories, develop some photos and look for place for photocopies. Usually from some little dusty street I find a shop with photocopy machine. With body language and smiling we find understanding how I want it to be copied, how many copies and for what price. Happily I listen sounds of the machine and watch sight of warm papers flying out from the machine. And almost every time the machine will get stuck. Then we clean, fix, wait and smile. No problem, there is no any rush, I have time..
Finally all the letters are in envelopes, get stamps from post office and I say goodbyes to the letters and wish them safe journey.

New story letter, Helsinki-Uluru chapter 4. is out soon! Letter will include photos, diary from my time in Peoples Republic China and legend from northern Laos called "Drums in the night" illustrated by Lars Kastilan.

Until this day the letter has been sended to Finland, Sweden, Germany, Belgium, China, Mexico and Australia.
-Order the story letter and join the group-

Ruins of Angkor

I walked days in old capital of great Khmer kingdom, wandered in Angkor, it's ruins of palaces and temples. In city where lived around 1 million people at the time when London was only small town with population of 50 000. Time pass, trees grow, kings and kingdoms fall down, but stones stay. And these ruins whisper magical stories of old cultures, glory and powerful kings, who's offspring are these people in Cambodia, who today seek for their identity, healing and forgetting after their history full of violence.
Only 35 years ago Khmer rouge marched to Cambodian cities, took power for it self, decided it is year zero and started to build up Pol Pot's utopia. First they killed all educated people; teachers, doctors, monks etc. Finally this civil war killed nearly 2 million people and left deep wounds in heart of this country

I repeat my self and say: O, books of history!
What we can learn from you?

Same same - But different

Up on Bolaven plateau, in middle of waterfalls and coffee plantations I enjoyed village life and little bit cooler climate. In good care of Mama Pap's I watched children, cows, chickens and piglets running wildly between houses and country yards.

O This Laos, one of the most bombed countries in the world.
I heard a story about photograph where old woman is standing front of her tiny shop. On shop you can see goods for day to day life; rice, chili, soy sauce, some fruits and in middle of it all there is an unexploded pineapple bomb.. And stories about caves where tens of thousand people has lived and hided almost ten years during Vietnamese war when USA fight it's so called "secret war" in Laos.
O books of history, all this violence and suffering!
Despite all of this people live their simple basic life and on their face you can see a smile, so true, friendly and beautiful.

Now I wonder few days 4000 islands on river Mekong and then I'll continue to Cambodia and new stories..

Summer solstice

In monsoon I travel through amazing landscapes, following the Mekong river I go through peaceful and laid back Lao. Monks and beautiful temples. People sleeping in offices, restaurants, little shops and on a streets... Why not?

And the daily rain witch comes as sure as day and night.
One day we hiked on muddy jungle paths and over rice fields to little village. We sat down on the end of the village, ate some noodles and watched sunny scenery..
In one moment we saw dark clouds running and flowing over the mountain. We could hear and see the rain coming.. One-two-tree.. it's here
But you get used to the rain and being wet. And when it's not raining it's so hot that only little thought in your mind about walking makes you sweat and your shirt becomes wet anyway.
Maybe I could just lay down here, do nothing and rest.. Why not!?

Lao Lao

Mekong,
hammock
and me..

Last night in China

Zembla, Zendu, Xanadu:
All our dream-worlds may come true.
Fairy lands are fearsome too.
As I wonder far from wiew Read,
and bring me home to you.
-Salman Rushdie-

Last night in China and tomorrow I'll cross border in Mo Han to Lao. O, can't wait anymore.. goodbye China!

A Third storyletter is published. Its includes feelings and moments from my time in Chengdu and from journey through Lijiang to Lugu lake. Thanks for Marnix for drawings, M.J. for Chinese names, Alec for editing and correcting my English for the letter! A Story in the letter is a fictitious tale from modern China. .

"Smell of spring"

Soft rain on a small street. Everything is still. Only two guys intheir raincoat drive with bicycles pass the post office. Roses aresmelling and smoke from a nearby restaurant is floating down the rainystreet. Nothing is happening, everything is still. But if you stand ina street you can feel and smell it. The air is full of magic.Something important is happening just here, just now!

Order the storyletter and read more..

Helsinki - Jinghong 12783km

233hours in public transport
9 days and nights in trains and one day and night in buses..
and journey go on..

There is no train lines for me anymore and it's time to say goodbyes for lovely trains for a while and travel with logal buses through Southern China and Laos to Thailand. I gonna miss that smoothly going and calm sound of the trains.
From Kunming to Jinghong I travelled with one of Chinese specialities: A Sleeper bus.. O my! The Beds in three lines and on two floors, quite good, clean and comfortable. But, but, I'm scandinavian man, almost 190cm tall and these beds made for Chinaman. So most of the night I spent for seeking for best position..

Kind of miss home sometimes..

In my mind I travel to Helsinki. Sit down in Alppi park, drink some red wine with friends and speak (in Finnish!) about world, poetry and love. Then I take a train to Parikkala (bloody 3,5 hours!) Walk through small paths in Likolampi to home of my childhood, sit down on dining-table, smell warm and familiar smell of home and eat some of the words best rye bread.
I wake up from my daydreams and notice that I'm sitting under a banana tree on my bamboo hut's balcony and a chrysanteunum tea is steaming on my cup.
I sip some tea and smile.
I'm happy where I am!

A cup of tea and some stories

Sun is shining in Kunming. Last weeks rain were only a warning what is coming soon. I smile, look at the world around me, eat some chocolate ice cream, say again goodbyes to my friends and prepare myself to journey to the south..

With Andre we organized yesterday a storytelling evening in Cloucland's bar. Great moments in world of stories. Some folktales and improvised stories around a tea pot.
If you ever meet a man on a street with his camera and a shiny tea pot and if he is offering you some tea, don't hesitate! That man and his tea pot are full of magic!

Full moon in Dali

Three months on the road to Uluru.
Days are passing slowly and my way continues towards south.

All these crisis in Asia. A typhoon in Myanmar, situations in Tibet, train accidents and earthquake in Sichuan. In middle of these I realised it in some moments how small, helpless and mortal I am.
I left Chengdu just one week before the black monday. And in Yunnan I only saw lights on roof shaking little bit and some mountain roads were blogged by landslides. All my friends in Chengdu are allright, but thousands of others are not. So weird is this life of human beings.

I got my visa extented. So I'll go aroud Yunnan for awhile before I'll enter Laos. About monsoon I don't understand a thing yet, but last week it has been raining everyday and allmost all the time. Slowly it came to my mind that I might travel next months throught the rain and I bought a raincoat for me. Rainy season here I come!
I'm ready!??

A candle

Earth is shaking in China. In Luguhu everything is allright.

I light a candle for victims of Sichuan's earhquake..

Rainy morning in Luguhu

Clouds are flouting around the lake and mountains.
Silence, me, cup of tea and puppy.

After all crowds and Chinese new build plastic old towns I took bus towards from Lijiang to Sichuan and Yunnan border. Towards Luguhu, mountain lake in altitude 2690 meters. Chinese tourist bus drop me off in road next to the stone where was written Lige. Down there will be village where I'm heading. I sat long time on stone and looked at the beautiful blue lake in middle of the mountains.
Luguhu is home of Mosu people and many other small tribes. Lasts matriarcal societys in world. But in China everything is for sale. In many places minority people live like in zoo for tourists to come, pay and watch them. Here everything is anyway small, peacuful, beautifull and quite real.
I wait for the sun come out of the clouds. Then I will again hike in small paths, climbe on hills and jump to swim in clear and cold Luguhu's water..

1. May

I'm hiding Chinese holiday week in Chengdu and I start to be frustrated to this city. Anyway I eat my daily mangos, the queens of the fruits and feel happy becouse of little miracle who borned this last Tuesday. I'm now uncle of two pretty girls!

A first story letter has been sended from China. The letter includes my travel diary from Helsinki to Uluru, photos and story called Crocodile and maiden in north.
The second letter will be out soon also in English. It will include moments from Irkutsk to Chengdu, an old legend from Baikal, a true story from Finland and drawings by Marnix van Dixhoorn It's possible to order old letters too! If you wish so please just send a message to me.

Now it's time to continue my jouney towards Uluru. In few days I'll take a train to south and to Yunnan province. Days in my China visa start to run out, but I hope to get one month more and go around in Yunnans minority villages, mountains and jungle paths for some time. Let see..

Oasis

Two weeks in worlds biggest little city, Chengdu. Nighst in Mix-hostel, few beers and chatting with other backpackers. Daytime I took a bus to lively oasis in suburban Chengdu, local Waldorf school and it's biodynamic gardens around a small pond. Lovely people, full of love and inspiration and huge will to learn, do and understand.
To my joy I had a possibility to keep few workshops about speech, drama and storytelling. It was great to do some old speech exercises!
And memories were running all over my body when we were doing eurythmi, stepping and doing Hallelujah with our Japanese teacher and piano.
Have to admit,few tears came to my eyes.

Now I'll pack my bag and take a bus to Mountain Emei. Climp up to the sun rise and try to think how to avoid becoming holiday weekend...

About stories

From country to country slowly by train and buses. But oh so fast anyway. Cultures, languages and people are changin to new in one moment and sometimes I just would like to stop a train, jump out and continue by feets.
Without local language it has been quit hard to find stories and I feel it would be easier to go back to Finland and sit few days in great Finnish library looking for stories. But this journey is something different, without language you miss somethin but see something else. You feel all the sounds, smells and smile faces of people. Song of the bird and soft whisper of the wind are singing their own story. Sometimes you can hear it, sometimes not.

And everywhere I go I meet lovely people who are helping in a daily life situatuions and also helping with local languages and in my seeking for stories. Example in Beijing I got possibility to handcrafts from minority tribes and hear stories from wedding clothes. Creation of the world was all showed as pictures in a cloth!

This writing stories and letters is quit new for me and quality of it so different to oral storytelling. An oral storyteller I feel I am. Storyteller in this moment, with these people around me. So sometimes I have started to fear that i'm becoming to be literal animal, that I live and create my life only throught my blog writings, throught letter and this blog.
Fortunately there has came situation for story evenings, in Olkholn Island, nomad tent in Mongolian desert, Beijing's World trade mansion's 21. floor and in Mix-hostels garden on Ghengdu.. Those moments has kept flame of storyteller burning inside me.
Thanks for you people who made those situations possible and lived stories with me!

There is quite a many people in China

All travel guide books advice that you should avoid trains and tourist atractions on puplic holidays in China. I kind of forget last fridays holiday of remembering ancestor and booked a train tikcet to TaiShan for night before holiday.
So I ended up to be pushed in a train and stand there allmost 7 hours with more than 200 Chinese in same wagon.(I had a seat, but just could't get to other side of our wagon before allmost end of my journey) And glimbe up to sacred taoist peak Mount TaiShan with I think over one million Chinese. Like huge worm we were going slowly up and up. Step by step over bridge of clouds and finally to the Southern gateway to heaven and to the summit in altitude 1540m. It was quit opening experience, somehow.. (Read more from next storyletter)

In Tai'an the summer came and I said goodbye to my old army jacket. I carried it to bank of river witch flows from sacred Mt TaiShan. I was remembering all those 12 years we had been going together, all travels, all tears of desperation, countless amount of Sorbus bottles and some ramdomly kisses. I lighted up an incense, wishing he would find a new good home and said goodbyes to my old friend.

Beijing

"Happiness is a half dollar ring.
Happiness is voice of cat.
Happiness is bark of familiar dog.
Happiness is a new bag.
Bag full of hopes
Bag full of hopes
that everything is going to be allright"
-Tohtori Orff & Herra Dalcroze- (from record: Muuvaara)

Helsinki-Peking 8092km
From Mongolian emptiness and after horseback riding in natural park I got myself to Beijing. To huge metropol with 17 million people. My train train took me here at a day of full moon and spring equinox. Expat family Rinkinen was waiting for me with open doors.
For my surprise I came to rest here. I taught I'll stay only few days and continue to south and more rural areas. But here I'm still and happy. Eat some breakfast with kids, Paju and Suvi-Elina, look their paintings, games and go to fantasy adventures in nearby parks.
Beijing is city of many faces. Millions of people, cars, pollution and polices. New high buildings rising up everywhere. And just next street from crowd there is an old temple with rich flavor of incense. And next corner there is peacefull park. Grannys playing drums, colorful kites on a sky, and old fellow doing calligraphy with two big brush to stones of street using water as a paint.
Somedays you just can't see the sun from pollution and next day you woke up and see than wind has been blowing and the sun is rising to clear sky! Cheery trees are in blossom, willows branches with light sprin green leaves are hanging over the Houhai lake and lovers are kissing on the bridge.. I'm singing:

"Happiness is a half dollar ring
Happiness is voice of a cat.."

About journey and the letter

Today Ulan Baator and day after tomorrow Peking. But why?
To remind also myself I'll post on to blog my original letter from January. Letter about my plans and dreams.

Dear storytellers and friends!

"The longest journey starts with a single step" - Laotse-

I have a dream to step on a path. The path trough the world of stories, journey from Helsinki to Uluru to the secret rock of the Australian aboriginals. Travel to border of the dreamtime, to old ages and awakening of the stories. My plan is to travel by land and sea, with trains, buses and boats. Trying to avoid rushing with aeroplanes. I'll leave Helsinki at time of Februaries full moon, take train to Peking via Moscow and Irkutsk. Then from Peking go south to Asia and Oceania trying to reach Australia and Uluru one day. Journey back to Finland I would like to go trough India, Pakistan and Iran to Istanbul and Europe. But let see I don't have so strick plans nor timetables.

On my journey I would like to listen story in side of me and seek stories from countries witch I visit and from people who I meet on my journey. Stories about our existence, fighting our way in a world and stories about our seeking of inner and outer peace.. Listening stories so that when I come to new country I would have stories from countries where I have been with me to tell.

You can follow my journey from my net blog:
www.helsinki-uluru.blogspot.com (in my broken English)
www.tarinoidenmaailma.blogspot.com (in Finnish)

You can also support and read more about journey by ordering a storyletter. You will receive the letter once a month to your old style mailbox. The letter will include my travel diary, photographs, stories, legend and fairy tales from countries where I visit. First letter will be posted on march probably somewhere from China.You can order the letter by sending about 10e once a month (or a amount you think is best. US dollars, English pounds and Swedish crones are OK also)
-more information on left side-

Net blog and the letters will be written in my broken English (or Finnglis), I'm sorry about all mistakes and hope my grammar will get better!

All ideas, stories, comments, interesting projects where to visit or volunteer and contacts for people will be thankfully received!

let the story goes on..

markus

21. day on journey

Hanging around in Irkutsk. Don't have knowledge to speak any Russian. Going to sleep in Luba's moter's place. Wandering, looking and seeking information.
Finally decission to go to Lake Baikal, sacret island of Buryats and shamans. Did't have enough information and to get a ride took three days. But finally got there!
Five days on island. Walking on clear ice, playing cards (some Tura moska) and trying to find best place to see sun rise. Great Olga from guesthouse helped us and organised a fishermans hut in north part of the island for us to sleep. Then we walked in darkness to see sunrise and we ended up to walk 40km in a one day. Could't believe I can do it. But it was great! Olkholn island is something special.

Now I'm back in Irkutsk. Try to organise things. Buy train tickets, do some laundry etc.. And prepare myself to new country and new culture. Tomorrow towards Ulan Baator, Mongolia and Gobi desert.

Oh Russia, siberian I will miss you. And gonna miss all these beatyfull russian girls and their smiles that melted me completely.

journey goes on..

Morning in Siberia

Irkutsk

I woke up in a train and jump out of my green wagon after sleeping ther five nights. I got out to clear sunny Irkutsk morning, new and unknown city. Stuff to the storage room, a map from shop, hot cup of black coffee and start to wander where am I?

But let's go back in time for a moment.

I started my trip from Helsinki 22.2. Took a russian minibus to Saint Petersburg and everything started great. Waiting two hours to bus to come. But finally got to Saint Petersburg with my friend Hanna who was also my great guide to St Petersburgh and for Russian manners and language. Int he city there was waiting Duynja and Dennis and their flat with a landlord. Warmnes, laught and soft bed!
Saint Peter is something fantastic. People selling flowers in the corners all night long, lovers kissing on bridges and somewhere I can hear a sounds of a streetmusican's quitar. Oh what life, what a city, I fall in love!

Let's go

"Early one morning Snifkin woke up in his tent with the feeling that autumn had come and that it was time to break camp. Breaking camp in this way comes with a hop, skip and a jump! All of a sudden everything is different, and if you´re going to move on you´re careful touse every single minute, you pull up the tent pegs and douse the fire quickly before anyone can stop you or start asking questions, you start running, pulling on your rucksack as you go, and finally you´re on your way and suddenly quite calm like a solitary tree with every single leaf completely still. Your camping site is a rectangle of bleached grass. Laterin the morning your friends wake up and say: he´s gone away, autumn is coming.
-Tove Jansson-

With these Tove's words I start my journey towards east and spring. Same time I light up a candle for my friend Jaana Ulriikka who left on her travels two years ago..

Sun is shinig over the old buildings and bridges. Saint Petersburg is beatyfull.

One week to go

And here I am in Parikkala the village of my birth. To meet my lovely parents and grandparents. I have been breathing this fresh air, walking in old graveyards and skiing in snowy forests. Healing and receiving strenth from this soil, trees and lakes in place where I have born and lived allmost 20 years.
It's so enjoyable to listen my grandmothers stories. Her rich life, full of colours, sadness and joy. Listen that wonderful karelian grammatic what she is using in her language. And hear the laught sparkling on air and see it same time in her eys. That is healing.

Beginning

The Road goes ever on and on
Down from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the Road has gone,
And I must follow, if I can,
Pursuing it with weary feet,
Until it joins some larger way,
Where many paths and errands meet.
And whither then? I cannot say.
-Bilbo Baggins-

With these words from Tolkien I start my netbglog, traveldiary of my journey from Helsinki to Uluru. Last month I have been dreaming, wandering about journey, not sure is going to happen or not. Today the day of januarys full moon the things are finally getting real. Visa application to russia have been sended. Day of departure will be after one month on fabruarys full moon. In my mind I am allready walking in St Petersburg, wandering in Malesian rainforests, learning shadow theatern in Indonesia. Anyway at the same time I'm here, In my everyday life, spending rainy tuesday morning in library. I Think about my friends, cafes, streets of Helsinki. I understand it.. I will miss you!