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TRAVEL
. .11“ W I, " ghee
A Sami woman with reindeerskins
correspondingly wild by 'night'. In places well served by the state liquor monopoly Alko. the unprepared traveller can easily fall prey tO marauding gangs Ofdrunken rowdies.
The next step on my journey north was lnari. at the edge of the birch tundra. on the shores of a desolate lake. lnari is a frontier town. a feeling enhanced by the freezing mist which quickly descended on my tent. I had reached the edge of civilisation. an inhospitable outpost where the peoples of Europe and Asia meet to trade reindeer skins for personal stereos. But it was only on the other side of the Norwegian border. far out in the remote moorlands of Finnmarksvidda. that I discovered evidence of real Sami communities. maintaining a semblance of their ancient. pagan
culture. A bizarre racial mix of f Mongoloid and Nordic (many are l blond. but with oriental features).
they live protected from the polluting influence of Europe only by their remoteness. their inherited sense ofseparatedness. and the billions of mosquitoes ready to devour the foolhardy tourist who
‘ ventures on to the birch forest trails.
ln Kautokeino. one ofthe principal
Sami towns. I visited a traditional homestead. a living museum restored to the condition it was in before the retreating Wehrmacht destroyed all in its path. Yet even in the surrounding community. tent-like dwellings like those ofthe American Indian stand alongside 20th century timber houses. and many people still wear traditional costumes.
As I moved south. the barren fells soon gave way again to spruce forests. the endless Taiga stretching over all Siberia. I meandered east and west over Finland; everywhere lakes. islands. trees. hayricks. In Oulanka National Park I camped out beside the sandstone gorges of KiutakOngas rapids. Day and night (for there was no night). hikers passed by on the 80km Bear Trail. But for them. I might have been overwhelmed by solitude. Yet two days later. as day gave way to twilight. and eventually to darkness. I found myselfyearning for that wilderness.
I left Finland by way of Helsinki, surely one of Europe‘s greenest. cleanest capitals. but one devoid Of the affluent sterility ofother northern European cities. It is surely worth a visit. if for no other reason than to see the most extraordinary art deco railway station in the world: the 20th century‘s answer to the Gare D‘Orsay. Helsinki's two main churches. the Uspensky (Russian Orthodox) and Lutheran cathedrals are also works Ofexceptional architectural bombast. the latter's neO-classical lines dominating the cityscape.
Driving to Lapland was certainly an endurance test. but also a welcome escape from mass tourism. The only crowds I encountered were ofreindeer. sheltering in the damp. cold entrance of an Arctic road tunnel from the warmth ofthe summer sun (though I did avoid Nordkapp at midnight. where busloads of central Europeans are reputed to gather). Instead. I chose to view the Midnight Sun over the ocean from a mossy hillside above the tiny fishing village oijesvaer: which is where I fell in love. alone. with the planet.
about £65 (one-wa )lor a Helsinki (010 358 0 693 INFORMATION car plus two. iora dyay 1347). Seasonal crossing. with an extra £20 iniorrnation on BVBIIIS III I Scandinavian Seaways 0! $0 per person lora I‘IBISIIIKI and Turku IS operaie car (my services 4-beth cabin overnight. published in the from Harwich and English-mama 03088 OI Newcastleto Bergen in Where to stay and thelrlistmos newspapers. Norway and Gdteborg in wha‘ to do both called City (0103580 Sweden. Prices range from 6221033ior Helsinki and about 2300 return tor a car I Details at hotels. youth 101 358 21 342100lor plus two. An alternative, but hostels. campsites and Turku). much more expensive route all-inclusive holidays are Contact student travel
lrom Scotland is via available lrom the Finnish specialists Campus Travel Shetland (on P50) to Tourist Board (071 839 at The Hub, Hillhead Street, Norway (on the Faroese 4048). Information on Glasgow (041 357 0608) or Smyril Line). Ferries Summer Hotels. which otter Campus Travel. 5 Nicolson between Stockholm and discounts ior students and Square. Edinburgh (031 668 Turku or Helsinki are academics. can be obtained 3303) and Edinburgh Travel operated by Viking Line and from their oiilces at Centre, 8risto Square (031 Silja Line, who charge Yribnkatu 388. SF-00100 668 2162).
74 The List 25 October — 7 November 1991