From Berlin I rode to Travemunde to get the ferry to Helsinki, this will save me riding a couple of thousand kilometers and save my tyres and chain by that much as well. I need them to be as fresh as possible before I enter Russia for the 10,000 km ride across to Vladivostok, though I am carrying a spare chain, an extra 3kg added to my panniers.

The ferry run by Finnlines takes 29 hours to complete the journey, check-in starts at 2100 Friday night, boarding at 2300 and it leaves at 0330 Saturday and arrives in Helsinki at 0935 on Sunday morning, cost 261 euro for myself and the bike. There were quite a few motorcyclists on the ferry and the company helped pass the time. I did this same journey in the other direction in 2013.

From the Helsinki port I first went for a ride along the coast with a friend I met on t boat and then rode to Lappeenranta a town close to the border with Russia. The speed limits are much lower in Finland and there are speed cameras everywhere.

Europe is taking a beating with the weather, still cold and wet in the middle of summer.

The journey so far