** 1997 Summary **


This is the 19 February 2005 edition of this page - and it gives a summary of Roy's visits in that exciting year. First of all, folks, here is the list of the travels (including the UK!) which will serve as an introduction to the brief summaries on each. Although the text on each follows-on from this list, the list can also be used as a link to get to each item.

Furthermore, let me precede the INDEX by saying that I intended to cover a number of WALKING TOURS during this year. Unfortunately, I was being playful with some children (grand-children of a friend in an adjacent County) and felt some considerable pain with one particular manoeuvre-sequence. What I'd done was to wreck several joints in my body. (Namely thr right-knee-joint, some foot- joints and (horror!) my hip-joints. That was done a few weeks before the first of the walking trips (i.e Jersey) and necessitated some rapid recovery techniques.

What my local doctor did was to draw a diagram of a joint, explaining the bits, including the substance between the bones in the joint. My oral medication was to operate on that substance to relieve the pain - and, hopefully, correct the problem without the scourge of an 'operation'. I was all for this - and before (only JUST before) my trip to Jersey, I was comfortably walking again.
  1. Feb - Edinburgh
  2. Mar - North-East England
  3. Mar - Southern UK
  4. Apr - Florida, USA
  5. May - Isle of Jersey (Channel Is - walking tour)
  6. Jun - Austria (Alpine walking tour)
  7. Jul - Iceland (Volcano walking tour)
  8. Aug - Norway
  9. Oct - Finland
  10. Nov - Northern Ireland

    1. EDINBURGH



    This early-year excursion to the North of the UK was driven by two desires.

    (i) My first revisit for many years to this delightful City (to be done with more detail than previously!) and ...

    (ii) My desire to get full value from the "Advantage 50" (Discount CoachCard with National Express) which had a 'Special Offer' of 9.99 return to anywhere in the Country that was on their network!!

    I started the trip on Thursday 6th February with The National Express Coach from the Malvern Link pickup point around 10 a.m.. I was to split the journey in Birmingham - this coach only going to Digbeth, anyway. I would continue later that day.

    Getting a train from New Street to Gravelly Hill, I then walked to my friend's house in Erdington. He, TREVOR (known as 'Ramrod'), a Country Music singer (and a 'Western' enthusiast) lives with his wife Josie here. We had an enjoyable day chatting and hearing TREVOR sing and discussing his the progress of his sons' band ('Good Old Boys'). All too soon, it was necessary to depart for Digbeth for the journey North - so Trevor ran me 'into town' in time for me to catch the 10.30pm coach Northwards. It is the National Express Coach's night-flight!!

    Overnight we had a few small en-route stops and arrived at Edinburgh's St Andrew Coach Station, a little early, at about 7.30am.. After retrieving my hanging-wardrobe from the coach's "hold", I studied my "Edinburgh A-Z Map" and headed for the Merlin Hotel in Hartington Place. It was a pleasant walk on this pleasant day, - along Prince's Street with the Castle on my left. It was a quite complex journey taken completely 'on foot' - but my arms suffered by being lengthened by the luggage's weight.

    I got to the Merlin at about 9.15am, was welcomed by Mrs Stewart and shown to my room, number 8. After some servicing to my dentures' fixatives I then went on my first exploration of this delightful capital at around 11am.

    Out in the City, I traversed streets, parks and gardens - and headed towards the Castle. I explored the Castle's exterior, its battlements and Prince's Street Gardens. This was wonderful for my first day back in Edinburgh after all the years!! I then covered Bruntsfield Links, West Meadow Park and other Gardens (including the Open Air Theatre, various statues and Waverley Station.)

    In the early evening, I had my third and fourth walks. I investigated locations of shops and restaurants for quick meals. I also found out where the 'Edinburgh City Tour' starts (just in case needed!) and where the ticket office for the castle is. Because of the 'dodgy dentures', I chose to eat and drink in my hotel room with the purchased food. Because of severe sleep-loss on the previous night, I got an early night tonight (Friday, 7th February). Tomorrow would come soon enough to continue the explorations.

    After meeting an interesting couple at breakfast (she an Italian-American and he a Norwegian) - together with an Argentinian pair - I started my exploration by walking to the Castle entrance where I caught the City Tour Bus which provided a good description and view of many places which would 'take an age' to visit on foot, - for example The Royal Mile and its interesting buildings and history, the North of Holyrood Park with its vulcanology and history, - all BEFORE the New Town area of the City. After being dropped on Waverley Bridge I walked to the Camera Obscura Building, but time prevented my visiting the interesting inside.

    Next, I purchased a ticket to visit the Castle's interior. The 'system' is excellent, with each individual receiving a programmed tape guide to wander wherever and whenever one wants. Each person can do their own individually designed tour at their own pace!! Very, very good! Further references and subdivisions of the programme enabled one to investigate further detail on any item, if and when required. My only problem was getting all the straps intertwined (those from the headset, the tape unit, one's own camera, binoculars etc etc). At one stage, I got a 'battery-low' warning on my screen, and on prematurely returning it to 'base', the whole set was exchanged (for speed, I guess!!). In the Castle, I photographed many things, including the MONS MEG, the vaults, the "One-o-clock Gun" which booms over the City for good historical reasons - and so on. During the visit, incessant rain started so I made a reasonably rapid return through the cold February winds to the warmth of the Merlin Guest House.

    When there, I had some hot coffee and biscuits in my room before indulging in some TV (not normally done on MY tours and expeditions). Some of that TV was quite appropriate in view of the location and the weather, - i.e there was the documentary "Tornado Chasers" (from the USA) and in Cilla's "Blind-Date", one 'couple' won their 'date' in Edinburgh!! (Surprise , surprise!)

    So ended Saturday, 8th Feb '97, - and onto Sunday!! This day had better weather, so I walked to Holyrood Park for its hills. I went via Meadow Park and Bruntsfield Links. Thereafter the temperature plummeted and the winds increased.

    On my return route, the rains practised for the season's monsoons - and it was very necessary to take many shelters!! Although about the same height as the Malvern Hills, these had a totally different character, being of very obvious volcanic origin and appearance. I as only too pleased about the comparative warmth of my room in the Merlin Guest House. It felt great to be indoors when the night's noisy storm and lashing rain punished the windows and roof areas.

    On the Monday, after packing for the journey back to England, I made a further visit, whilst still in Edinburgh, to the Royal Botanic Gardens there. It would obviously be more attractive in the Spring and Summer. I didn't wait to see how attractive it would be when the snow started - but headed back to the Waverley Rail Station and the St Andrews Bus Station. A long wait for the 9.30pm coach was inevitable, but I made the best of the "London Lounge", a complementary waiting lounge for "National Express" ticket holders. The coach started on the scheduled time (close enough!), made its way with romantic rainy views of the Royal Mile and the illuminated castle itself.

    At Glasgow, just as I dosed off, the driver made an announcement to the effect that some travellers (including those for my destination) would have to make an unplanned coach-change here!! This was not a refreshment or toilet break "Just get on the coach to your left!" I discouraged seat-sharing with me by my necessary holdall's position on my double seat. It worked. Our driver was intent on breaking the LandSpeed Record for overnight coaches on icy roads. I was awakened by flashing blue lights from a police car that had stopped us to give a serious warning about his dangerous driving to our pilot. His motorway colleagues would keep a watchful eye out for further infringements - and, if appropriate, have him and his coach removed from the road!!!

    That journey was "shear hell" with no toilet stops, no paper in our own VERY CRAMPED toilet, no water, no flush, no anything!! I made an appropriate complaint - and, furthermore, would report these random 'contract coaches' to the National Express Office back in Malvern. At least, one female crew member came around later handing out moist tissue-wipes to the disgruntled passengers who needed them. On arrival back at Digbeth Coach Station in Birmingham (so early that it was still closed) I decided NOT to wait all day for the Malvern Coach but to pay for an expensive alternative - like the TRAIN which left at 8.50a.m..

    That gave me ample time to go to the "RSRE Lecture Society" evening on the "Creation of the Universe" and the "Hubble Telescope Progress". I also vowed not to take another overnight coach journey!!

    Return to Top of 1997 index


    2. NORTH-EAST ENGLAND



    This trip was driven by two requirements:-
    a) To visit my publisher in Bishop Auckland (Durham) for a discussion and contract meeting.

    b) To travel and explore a part of the country not yet examined - by means of the "National Express" discount card.

    On 3rd March I travelled by coach from MALVERN to DARLINGTON via BIRMINGHAM (Digbeth). The night was spent in a small hotel and on the morning of 4th March I had a lift in Rachael's car (a member of my Publisher's staff) to BISHOP AUCKLAND to meet PENTLAND PRESS and sign the Memorandum of Agreement for the publishing of "An Arctic Adventure".

    After the meeting, I was kindly driven to 'North Road Station' by another member of their staff and, on my own, visited the RAILWAY CENTRE in Darlington, and there I saw the earliest trains from last Century!

    On the 5th March I travelled from Darlington to Birmingham and Malvern by National Express Coaches (yet again!)

    Return to Top of 1997 index


    3. SOUTHERN U.K


    It was on 14th March that I set forth on what the FARTHINGS travel company called their "WINTER WARMER" Tour.

    It was in Bournemouth (based at the Kensington Hotel) and we called, en route from Malvern, at Winchester which was much changed from when I used to frequent in in the previous decade. We were to have three nights at this hotel, with visits to the New Forest, Lyndhurst, the Beaulieu Motor Museum, Lymington, Portsmouth (including the "Mary Rose") and various stops on the way home.

    Mary Rose Entrance.
    Entrance to Mary Rose Exhibition.

    View No 3.
    HMS Victory!!

    Thus, on 15 March, I did some private solo explorations of Meyrick Park, the Zig-Zag path,the Middle Chine, Alum Chine, the leisure centre, the pier and Horseshoe Common -- all within Bournemouth.

    On the Sunday (16th March) we started a full excursion in the coach after breakfasts were completed. These visits included The New Forest, Lymington, the Beaulieu Motor Museum (doesn't appear to have had its WLSR information updated in the 10 years since my previous visit!!) and Lyndhurst. The peripheral exhibits to the main museum provide the only new interests.

    On the Monday, the return journey to Malvern started after breakfast - with interesting visits to Portsmouth, the "Mary Rose", the Charles Dickens House and elsewhere enroute home.

    Return to Top of 1997 index


    4. FLORIDA, U.S.A


    The full TRAVELOGUE starts in the following LINK
    , now that I've found the relevant notes!!

    However, the fleshed-out outline is as follows:-

    Flight from Gatwick to Atlanta.
    ....departing 9 April 97 on a MD-11 aircraft
    ....nice to identify, from altitude, Southern Coast of Ireland before
    ....passing over Dingle Peninsula and Ring of Kerry
    Flight from there to Orlando for 3-day stay.
    ....flew with Delta Airlines
    ....first met up, and shared travels with, a great mate
    DOUG GIBSON of South Wales

    ....Visited Disney-MGM near near Orlando
    ....went on the "Great Movie ride" but did not take the fast lift in the "Tower of Terror"
    ....Visited EPCOT Centre(and used Internet there).
    ....Visited Kennedy Space Center (waited for this for YEARS)
    (this on 12 April '97)

    ....Saw no launches whilst there!! Shame!!
    Vehicle Assembly Building
    ^Vehicle Assembly Building at KSC^.
    _______________________________________________
    Coach trip westwards (100 miles) via Busch Gardens
    .... to Clearwater
    ....(Who said Florida was the SUNSHINE STATE? The weather forecast each morning showed that the fronts approaching over the Gulf of Mexico, made Florida the only Rainy state in the Union! So 'pull the other one'!!)
    Whole day at Clearwater
    ... where we got absolutely drenched with clear water
    ... then coach via Tampa Bay plus Sanibel (further South)
    ... Visited Ringling Museum
    Whole day near SANIBEL
    ... visited Darling Wildlife Refuge ( 16th April)
    then coach to Coral Gables, Miami(147 miles)
    ....Fortunately, only an overnight stop at Coral Gables
    (Miami is just too big and an impersonal town!!)
    ... left this place on Friday, 18th April
    .... then via Cypress Reserves, Air-boat ride, Everglades
    .... seeing what HURRICANE ANDREW (August 1992) had done, Woweee!
    ...............over $20Billion damage!!
    .... Everglades National Park to the 'Keys'.
    .... an Alligator Farm

    Medium sized 'gators.

    Middle-sized 'gator pen.

    .... the Royal Palm Visitor centre
    .... the Anhinga Trail
    >>A marvellous Nature-Trail, these magnificent birds, PLUS 'Gators!! <<
    .... along full length of Keys to Key West.
    Key Largo was crap .. but KEY WEST more attractive

    KEY WEST !!
    The island-hopping over the Keys put us on Key West (about same area as Isle of Jersey - but fully built-up) in early evening. Doug Gibson and I shared the front seat (what a fortunate coincidence!) for this terrific day's journey - 18 April).
    ....Tried a shore walk for clear skies for watching Comet Hale- Bopp.
    ....Day's worth of rides on "Old Town Trolley"
    ....Visited airport
    ....Martello tower
    ....Casa Marina
    ....Higg's beach best!
    ....Southern-most bus stop in USA

    Most Southerly point
    ^Most Southerly point^.
    ....Close to Cuba!
    ....Naval Air Station
    ....Glass-bottomed boat
    ....Hemingway's House
    ....Farewell dinner at Kelly's Place

    Coach to Miami on 20th April.
    Then flight to Atlanta on a Boeing 767.
    Then flight to Gatwick on an MD11
    where we arrived on 21st April at 8.50am..



    OVERALL IMPRESSIONS OF FLORIDA


    The State is all very low in altitude, some of it flooded like the Everglades (although this flooded state-of-affairs is NOT permanent - that is why our airboats almost found themselves high-and-dry!).The pilots of these vehicles(well featured in documentaries) had to follow some gouged-out channels to move about the Everglades. Not really as expected!!

    However, the SUNSHINE STATE is, I believe, a myth (see notes under Clearwater above!).

    The wealth of theme-parks around Orlando gave everyone, including 'yours truly', time to indulge in a wealth of fantasies (and computery in EPCOT). The exhibits at the Kennedy Space Centre were worth every second of the day spent there. Could have done with a week there - I'd waited long enough to visit the place!!

    The 'pure white' sandy beach at Sanibel, all very nice probably with eye-protection from the reflected solar glare, was very painful for 'yours truly' - so I retreated into a closeby wooded area where I could observe myriads of newts (at least four or five varieties), with no eye-strain with the shaded environment, and marvel how common they were, being like plagues of ants in the UK!

    A visit to an Alligator Farm in the Everglades (see one photo above - although more were taken) was another highlight in my view, as was the visit to the Ringling Museum, - but, as a country-boy, who loved the Anhinga Trail, I was not impressed at all with Miami (see above).

    Return to Top of 1997 index


    5. ISLE OF JERSEY



    OVERALL IMPRESSIONS

    This island, like Key West, has a nice relatively flat terrain and is conducive to extensive walking (the reason we are here!). If, like my party, you can arrange transportation to take you to a different start-point each day (or half day) then that pleasure can be experienced in different scenery each time!

    Unlike Key West - it is a beautiful green island and NOT wall-to-wall tarmac!!
    The range of different scenery is only hinted at in this summary - and this will be expanded as time progresses.
                       JERSEY  WALKING TOUR
    
                         by Roy S. Peters
    
                            in  May 1997
    
    
    
    
    Day No & DAY   Date    Activity      Notes
    
    
    1    Sunday   11 May  Own Car to B'ham    Aircraft (JY425) 
                              airport	dep 13.00
                                         	 Arr Jersey14.00
                                         	 GrouvilleBayHotel
                                                 St Helier
                                                 
    2  Monday    12      5mile circular walk
                          via La Hougue Bie
                          and headland. 
    On this walk, I passed BERGERAC's "Bureau de L'Etranger"
    - made famous by the TV series filmed here!! (Actually, it was
    a former 'Home for Boys'!) 
                         Gorey Harbour for lunch
                         Explore Gorey Village.
    Gorey Harbour
           Gorey Harbour by Mont Oreuil Castle!
    
    3  Tuesday  13      Queen's Valley
                           after breakfast.
                           Via lanes to St.Martins
                           and ancient path thro'
                           Rozel Woods.
                        St. Catherine's Harbour
                           via coastal paths to
                           Ann Port, headland and hotel.
    
    4  Wedn    14     La Pulante,
                      St Ouens Bay,
                      Petit Port, Corbiere,
                      St Aubin, Noirmont Point
                         then woods to Ouine Bay
                      Pub Lunch at St Aubin
    
    5 Thurs   15      Jersey Zoo for morning.
    
    This is the marvellous collection of animals, birds, etc started by the great
    Gerald Durrell - and specialises in the preservation of those species that are
    about to go extinct. To emphasize the point, a caged (but extinct) DODO is at
    the entrance!!
                      Afternoon walk
                         back to hotel via
                         country lanes -
                         6miles - arr 4.15pm
                      Dinner at Zoo
    
    
    6  Fri  16      Day at Leisure
    
    
    
    7  Sat 17     Start walk at Etacq.
                  Gronez Castle,
                  Plemont, 140 step climb,
                    breather,  Greve de Lecq,
                    St Mary, Mourier Valley
                    Greve de Lecq for lunch.
                  Refreshment stop
                     before catching coach.
    
    
    8  Sun  18  FlightJY428 dept 14.35hr
                Arr B'ham Airport:15.35 hrs
                Own Car to Malvern
    

    Return to Top of 1997 index


    6. AUSTRIA

    This trip was a walking tour, based in the delightfully situated village of Zell Am See. The walking programme occupied the whole time, apart from overnight stops to and from Austria. Those were taken in Antwerp on 21st & 28th June 1997.

    My guide and walk-leader in this mountainous country was a pleasant wiry-legged guy who started life in the Netherlands. Obviously a great change for him - but he was very well adapted to this role!!

    The first day was a 'getting used to the environment' day, as the brochure had said 'no climbing, we keep to the bottoms of valleys'. Zell So they fibbed!! No, I suppose they were right, really as, that day, we didn't climb more than about 4000 feet. Mind you, we did leave the valley-bottom far below us!!

    More of this story in a little detail now, folks!

    Austrian Walking Tour

    (June 1997) - Roy S. Peters

    
    Day  Date   Actions                     Notes
    
    
    Fri  20   Car Ready for Worcester
    
    
    Sat 21    4.15 a.m Alarm
                 Motor to Worcester in own Car
                  9days of advance-parking tickets!!
                  Dept Worcs 0540
                 on  Coach to Dover
    (In coach labelled "Prague & Czech Republic")
              Coach from Dover
    (The "Walking in Austria" Coach)
              Sail to France   Dept 15.00
    	(in Ferry called "Pride of Calais")
              Arr 17.15 in Calais
              Coach to Belgium
              Currency Exchange	        Night in Belgium
                   on ferry           		 (HolidayInn
                                       			Crowne Plaza
    		                                   Antwerp)
    
      
    Sun  22   Coach south to
              Zell-am-See:Austria
       (with Lunch in Germany)
    			          Start of 6-night
    			         single- accommodation 
    			               at    PARKHOTEL
    		                                   Eder-Victoria
       		                                Zell Am See
       
    Mon  23  Walking Programme
                      'no climbing, we keep to the bottoms of valleys'
    	Waterfalls were a feature today
    	 also trips on the Lake
    
    Tues 24  Walking Programme
    Zell from Hills
                Zell am See from the Hills.
    
    Wed  25  Walking Programme
              Grossglockner  Glacier
    Glacier recession!
            Gros Glockner Glacier - showing recession!!
    	(A Tyrolean Evening was one of today's features)
    
    Thurs 26  Walking Programme
    Heiligen Blut Walk
    Fri  27   Walking Programme
    OwnWalk -Pleasant Spot
    Sat 28    Travel from Austria
              to Belgium               Overnight stay
                                       Moat House International
                                       Antwerpen
    
    
    
    Sun  29   Ferry Dept 12.30
              Arr Dover  12.45
              Returned to Worcester  
              at  20.50.
              Motored home by 2130       
    
    
     

    Return to Top of 1997 index

    7. ICELAND

    ( CHAPTER 10 of 'ICELANDIC DREAMS')


    This trip was a walking tour, based in the southwest corner of Iceland. As everyone knows, the Iceland view of weather is "If you don't like the current weather, just stick around for three minutes and you'll get what you want!!" I have always found this to be true, but in 1997 the rules-of-thumb changed!! Just when I needed some great weather for a long-awaited walking tour of this fabulous island! Day after day we were inundated with water. An overall picture of my movements was as follows:-
    
    Walking Tour - Roy S. Peters
    
    Date    Day        Activities                            Accomdn-Notes
    
    
    25 July  Fri   [Prematurely waking up twice before 6.15a.m., but, after the
                    clock/radio/alarm, I was on my way walking to Malvern
                    Link (7.10-7.45) for my NATIONAL EXPRESS coach]
                   Coach 7.55 from Malvern Link (Service 511)
    
                 [Coffee was served, on the coach, whilst we were in Worcester,
                   food being available just after Pershore - so had packet of
                  sandwiches which were made at Victoria Coach station!!]
    
                [Our route was via Pershore, Chipping Norton (feeling travel-sick
                  from here onwards), Oxford, the M40 and Heathrow. I was fairly
                  dazed and groggy after the driver announced "Heathrow - All Terminals".
                 I wanted "Terminal 1" for Iceland, and my case was already waiting
                 for me as I exitted!  I wandered around the maze of paths, passages, etc
                 and eventually found Terminal 1 and my 'checkin zones' at C and D!!
    
                For my  Flight to Keflavik  (on FI 451 ) I checked into a non-smoking-
                area seat (36F), and then made my way to the 'departure lounge' after
                a few friendly words from the 'rep' for "Arctic Experience". Feeling
               somewhat dehydrated, I felt like, and was recommended to, a drink. 
               Finding a restaurant/bar, I then got a diet-coke can and had that with
              one of my sandwiches bought on the coach. That felt better!!!]
    	
     Continued in   Part 2 of Chapter 10 
    
    or return to Top of 1997 index


    8. NORWAY

    Please bear in mind that these trips are now coming 'pretty-close' together now and this one's start only gave me a week since the completion of the walking-tour of ICELAND. This busy week meant that I needed see to packing, Iceland's photoprocessing, trip documentation, not to mention the 'Page-proof' checking of the 'Arctic Adventure' (1993) for my Publisher!!

    Thus, now on 9 August 97, after these activities, I commence my early morning walk (from 7.20am) to Malvern Link to catch a National Express Coach to London's Victoria. Tomorrow, I flight out to Norway! Rather than the 1993 trip (Coastal Voyage) this time I'll be travelling West to East in mainly ONE fjord rather than the dozens in 1993. This ONE - the SOGNEFJORD - is Norway's longest and will keep me occupied the whole time. Arriving at Victoria, easily on time, I sauntered the streets to the Underground Station to catch a vehicle to Paddington.

    Once there, I started my walk to the BORDER HOTEL which I had booked weeks ago. The worst part of today's walking was from the Coach Station at Victoria to the Underground station. Major redevelopment had confused this usual route for me (I had used it for at least 30 or so years) - the signs were wrong, meaningless and directed one through a shopping complex which I hated!!

    (More text and pictures to come later - see the new LINK!)

    First, a few photos from my digital camera - to be getting on with!!

    Starting with a shot in the old medieval Bryggen part of Bergen.

    View No 4.

    Now a shot along the fabulous Naeroyfjord:-

    View No 1.

    And another at its end!

    View No 3.

    Norwegian Fjord Exploration - 1997
    Sognefjord
    Roy S. Peters

    Date      Day               Activities             Notes
    9 August Saturday Natl Express Coach: Went direct to: 07.55 hours from Malvern Border Hotel in 11.50 arr Victoria Paddington Got small amount of NKr in London 10 Sun U.Grd to Heathrow (Terml 3) Strand Hotel Flight BD2515 Dept Heathrow 9.30hrs Arr Bergen 12.25 Transfer to hotel 11 Mon 0845 Met friends at Admiral Hotel Crossed floating bridge Lunch on banks from Admiral's Pier. of Fjord at Over Romarheimsdal to Brekkestrada Htl Sognefjord Joined MS Starcruise Explored Finnabotn Bay Evening at Balestrand Kvikne's Hotel, Balestrand 12 Tues
    Balestrand.
    Coach to Gaularfell & Lake Jolster. Jostedal Glacier Fjaerland on Fjaerlandsfjord Rejoined MS Starcruise Lunch on board Down fjord & cross it to Vik. Sogndal Hotel, Hopperstad Stave Church Sogndal Later went to Sogndal 13 Wedn Into Aurlandsfjord and down Naeroyfjord. Disembarked at Flam and took the Flam Railway to Myrdal. Changed trains to Voss. Fleischer's Hotel, Lunch at Voss Voss 14 Thurs Exploration day in Voss Fleischer's Hotel, Voss
    15 Friday No 619 Train to Bergen (dept 10.45) (arr 12.03) Transfer to Airport (dep 1230) Flight to UK on BD2516: Dept 14.00hrs Arr Heathrow 15.05hrs Nat Express Coach: dep 18.15 Walked home arr Link 21.20 Bed at own home!!


    More text and pictures to come later.

    Return to Top of 1997 index

    9. FINLAND

    This was an inland visit to "The Land of a Thousand Lakes". [That's an understatement - as the actual number is (probably) between 60000 and 65000!!]. I was based at the Talluka hotel in Vaaksy, about 80Km north-east of Helsinki, to which I flew from Gatwick after an overnight stop in London's Paddington.

    The flight had been changed to a two-leg hop with a change in Stockholm, where we all had quite a quick change. Once in Helsinki, we were shown to a Coach which would serve us for the whole trip.

    In Vaaksy, at the Talluka Hotel, we had a breakfast the following day, after which the 'guide' offered around her carefully prepared maps of the village - showing the proposed group-walk marked in yellow along the roads. "It has the advantage", she said, " of calling on shops on the way to the canal AND on the way back". This filled me with dread as SHOPS are the thing, in my mind, to MISS on tours. I decided to "doing my own thing" - so having informed the guide, I set off on my own (with one other person who was keen to do the same thing). We were going to 'do our own thing' together!

    We followed the guide's route for a very short distance then went via a beach, a small wooded area, a canal, lock, woods,and reached Lake Paijanne - whose shores we explored in great depth.

    This replaced our "Orientation Walk" of the district! I did another walk in the afternoon, after a swim in the hotel's pool and enjoying the jacuzzi. The afternoon's walk was to explore different areas to the morning's walk. I walked miles, through woods and lakeshores etc. Eventually, I found a collection of rocks to sit down on, rested my feet, and looked at the fabulous views across Lake Paijanne to the islands!!

    Abbreviating the details of the remainder of the adventure, I included, in my travels:-

    * Paijanne National Park
    * Boat trip to island of Kelvene and walks thereon
    * Nature walks
    * Group quizzes
    * Glass Factory, Museum , Castle
    * Asikkala
    * Jacuzzi and swimming pool visits
    * Helsinki exploration

    After, Helsinki, on the way home now, I called on Stockholm and Gatwick airports. Return to Top of 1997 index


    10. NORTHERN IRELAND

    Go to Northern Ireland file for report.


    Return to Top of 1997 index

    Return to Roy's home page for full list of books & travelogues, either finished or under preparation.