I love Finland. The country works. It is friendly and efficient, the trains and buses run on time yet there is a friendly easy going nature in the place. People seem to want to be helpful.

Today we went into town as we had read that the Roveniami Tourist Centre had free public computers I could plug my camera into. How exciting being able to up date the blog with about 200 more photos. Look at any album after Oslo, there will be new pics.

What we also found out at the Tourist Centre was that none of the attractions are open on a Monday. The lady in the centre suggested the Ranua Zoo. Gave very accurate directions to the bus stop so after lunch we were off.

A 1 hour bus trip to cover the 90kms south to Ranua. The Zoo was brilliant. Each enclosure is built between board walks through the natural forest. The enclosures are big and well fitted out for the animal's entertainment. The focus is on Arctic animals so no animals struggling with a foreign environment. We saw Polar bears, brown bears, moose, minks, weasels, snowy owls, Eagles, arctic foxes and reindeer and wolves. It was a great way to spend the afternoon after the few hours up dating my photos.

Dinner was at the pub with a great and affordable pizza bar, salad and red wine to toast to leaving the Arctic and south to Helsinki and ferry to Tallinn. Big travel night and day.

I am actually writing this entry from the sleeper carriage on the train. It is like being in our own little Agatha Christie murder mystery. The odd foreign gay couple, the soldiers gathering in the dining car, the single blonde girl in her 20s wrapped up in her head phones, the lonely old man hogging extra tables and the overly made up mutton dressed as lamb lady with tight black pants and far too much red lipstick. We walk down the side corridors to our sleeper births back and forward to the Buffet car for drinks. Who will murder Lars Erikssonssons? Stay tuned, I am going to finish my wine and go to bed. ....... No alibi dah dah daaaaah.

Written by Rod