Thankful moment and changed plans

My last day in Vaasa/Vasa is nice, the weather is actually okay and I walk a little bit through the city. What impresses me most: the university in an old factory building close to the sea. Everything looks friendly and inviting. Like a Canadian guy said whom I met in town: the Finnish people know how to make it a good life. The architecture in town is very mixed, hard to find a style. Sometimes it looks Swedish to me, then I suspect some Russian influences and of course there are modern, tasteless buildings, too. But everything fits together somehow.

The next day I leave late and follow the coast line to the South. The countryside is not as varied as in Sweden and some farms (mink and fox) are stinking extremely. But the forests are nice and some wonderful views make my days. I find a quiet place in a harbour to pitch my tent for one night and enjoy a wonderful sun set. Yes, sun is going down again. From about 23.00 (local time) on it is dark night.

The next morning remembers me how fragile the happiness of travelling is. I follow a nice track through a forest. The track turns into a farmers path where rocks are hidden in the high grass. My front wheel meets a rock and I jump from the bike. With the right foot I land on the edge of a rock, my foot strains... It is not very painful, but it could have been much worse. Biking is no problem, only walking is not very comfortable. I am happy that nothing serious happened and I am thankful for all the weeks I have been travelling healthy and unhurt.

Tonight I try to figure out the ferry connection between the Åland islands. And I come to the conclusion that it makes not sense to go this way. So I decide to cycle to Turku and take a ferry from there. Thanks to a couch surfer in Turku I find a place to stay within one hour. So, no Åland and a reunion with Stockholm much earlier then I thought.