74.31km –10H55’
Altitude: 327 m
The rain …no, the snow froze slightly this morning so we can say that it’s not chilly but cold.
We are navigating between taiga and tundra, at an altitude of between 300 and 380 meters. The only vegetation here consists of small birch trees without leaves and today the scene is swept by a violent wind.
This morning a journalist from Karasjok came to see Serge on the road, saying that he was lucky. So why was he lucky, with a strong head wind that made progression difficult until km 37? Simply because at this time of year if it were not for this cold wind there would be swarms of mosquitoes and we would be overwhelmed. So, it’s better to cover up as if it were winter than to have to spray oneself with mosquito repellant. Eliane and René aren’t able to get warm all day….
Life in Norway is not cheap and yet the region of Kautokeino does not look prosperous. Homes are not as well maintained as they are in Finland. Life here seems hard and we have been surprised to see that the roadside is not always clean: natives or tourists or both don’t hesitate to leave refuse at roadside parking spots or rest areas. In 2009, Norway was the 2nd exporter of natural gas, worldwide, and the 6th exporter of oil. That does not keep the price of diesel fuel from being 12.5 Norwegian Crowns, i.e., 1.50€ per liter.
Rivers and lakes are a fisherman’s paradise. We are in “salmon” country. The Norwegians are the biggest producers and salmon farming is intense. But some of these fish are still wild. They are born in fresh water and then swim to the sea. Then, they swim back up the rivers where they were born in order to reproduce. The Teno River, which we crossed between Finland and Norway, is a natural border between the two countries for more than 200 km. Wild salmon abound when they are spawning. The Norwegians have a tendency to be “obsessed” about parasites and sickness. Fishermen are required to disinfect their equipment thoroughly. Animals are systematically kept in quarantine for 4 months. Yesterday, an Alaskan Husky breeder told us that now if a dog has a vaccination card that is up-to-date and a microchip implant, this quarantine is not mandatory. What about foxes, bears and other wild animals that unknowingly cross borders?
Norwegian Lapland, also called Finnmark, covers the north of Sweden and Finland and even a border with Russia. Tomorrow we should be back in Finland for the end of the stage.
Town : Gievdnjegoikka (lieu dit)