Pre-ringmeet roadtrip 2015, let the planning commence! [Long Finland/Norway Roadtrip]

Last call for cheap beer - if nobody says anything I won't bring any beer with me.
 
6-pack of mineral water for me, thank you. :)
 
I'm still willing to bring a case of Belgiums Finest with me (Jupiler) but since Eye-Q has to carry it, and he's made it clear he doesn't want to ferry it all the way round the trip someone had better help me drink it. :p

Or I could just bring cans, that way we're not left with an empty crate/bottles that need to be brought back.
 
I'm still willing to bring a case of Belgiums Finest with me (Jupiler) but since Eye-Q has to carry it, and he's made it clear he doesn't want to ferry it all the way round the trip someone had better help me drink it. :p

Or I could just bring cans, that way we're not left with an empty crate/bottles that need to be brought back.

If it seems like there's an oversupply of beer (lol), I can leave my crate at home, and help you with your Belfium's Finest on the trip ;)
 
Sorry, didn't notice your earlier call! I'll take a crate of something. Astra is fine.
I don't know a beer called "something", and why do you want me to buy you an Opel? :p (Added to my shopping list)

6-pack of mineral water for me, thank you. :)
Added to my shopping list. :)

Or I could just bring cans, that way we're not left with an empty crate/bottles that need to be brought back.
Good idea, but cans here in Germany cost 25 ct deposit as well so if we don't want to chuck money away they still need to be brought back. In that case a crate is much more convenient since the cans mustn't be deformed to be accepted in a deposit machine.

That said, I could bring 5-litre-keg(s) with me, and 5-litre-kegs are non-returnable so we won't chuck money away when we throw it in the bin somewhere in Finland or Norway.
 
One crate of Oettinger or something cheap please, I'll leave it at the cottage so it's not touring all over the world.
 
Good idea, but cans here in Germany cost 25 ct deposit as well so if we don't want to chuck money away they still need to be brought back. In that case a crate is much more convenient since the cans mustn't be deformed to be accepted in a deposit machine.

Cans don't carry a deposit in Belgium, so we can just throw them away recycle them after use. ;)
 
One crate of Oettinger or something cheap please, I'll leave it at the cottage so it's not touring all over the world.
One more item for the shopping list...

Cans don't carry a deposit in Belgium, so we can just throw them away recycle them after use. ;)
Yeah, I was just contemplating about myself bringing cans. ;)
 
So, first batch of errands done - obtained:

  • 2x 6-pack 1,5l still water for Fairlady
  • 1x 6-pack 1,5l sparkling water for DaBoom
  • 50 each plastic forks and knives
  • 20 plastic soup dishes
  • 20 plastic shot-glasses (I think forks, knives, soup dishes and shot-glasses will be useful on the trip - they didn't have normal plastic dishes, otherwise I would have bought some of these as well, but I do have four plastic dishes for multiple use anyway)
  • 800g Stroop waffels (just because)
 
Don't forget that you're not allowed to bring any alcohol into Norway, so make sure to drink it all in Finland!
 
I just had a chat with a friend who "spontaneously" went to the north cape and he told me some things to consider:
- Bring Mosquito repellent! At the moment northern Finland is swamped with Mosquitos apparently...
- Sometimes in Finland there is no fuel station for 200 km so if your tank shows less than that, fill up at the very next station. In Norway the net is tighter.
- Fill up to the brim before you enter Norway, fuel is fucking expensive there (we all knew that beforehand though)
- In northern Finland there is a high chance of encountering elks/moose on the road, sometimes they won't leave the road for 10 minutes

He flew to Helsinki, went by train to Joensuu (yes, we've been there last year), rented a car there, went to Ivalo in one day (!), to the north cape the next day and then back on the western coast of Finland (Oulu).
 
I just had a chat with a friend who "spontaneously" went to the north cape and he told me some things to consider:
- Bring Mosquito repellent! At the moment northern whole Finland is swamped with Mosquitos apparently...
- Sometimes in Finland there is no fuel station for 200 km so if your tank shows less than that, fill up at the very next station. In Norway the net is tighter.
- Fill up to the brim before you enter Norway, fuel is fucking expensive there (we all knew that beforehand though)
- In northern Finland there is a high chance of encountering elks/moose reindeer on the road, sometimes they won't leave the road for 10 minutes

He flew to Helsinki, went by train to Joensuu (yes, we've been there last year), rented a car there, went to Ivalo in one day (!), to the north cape the next day and then back on the western coast of Finland (Oulu).

Yeah, reindeer don't care about traffic. But on the other hand because of that they don't do sudden moves either, so while there is light they're easy to deal with. I would've made everyone buy insect repellent here anyway, I didn't think it's worth mentioning beforehand. :) And yeah, on the northern stretch we'll probably have fuel stations only in towns we'll drive past, but since we're sticking quite close to the main road we shouldn't have gaps longer than 120-130km or so.

Also, I've driven from (hello) Kittil? to Joensuu in a day (well, night) after a snowboarding trip, to attend the BMW club ice track day the next day.. :p
 
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I have both Finnish and Aussie insect repellent.
Since everything in Australia is out to kill you, it should still be effective, but just in case... :)
 
That's a detour of 80 km on a leg which is already 485 km long according to google maps...
 
That's a detour of 80 km on a leg which is already 485 km long according to google maps...

What's a small detour in return for the epic deserted roads... coming from the polar circle it only adds about 62km, unless you're staying at a place past the exit of course :dunno:
 
Going to get mosquito repellent tomorrow (I'd already been warned by my upstairs neighbour who happens to be married to a Finnish girl), but I'm having trouble getting my hands on a sleeping mask/airplane mask. What with the midnight sun and all and a tent that lets in quite a bit of light I figured that'd be a good idea to actually be able to get some sleep. But so far I've had no luck getting one, any chance of being able to pick one up along the way somewhere?
 
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