Cycling to Hakenpaa

Warning: your car may fall into the sea.  Do not be alarmed; this is not prophesy.  It is the charming sign alerting motorists they are close to a ferry.  This is important information when you are traversing the Turku Archipelago.

And that is exactly what we started to do, by bicycle, today.  Because the tour is self-guided, we didn't know if there would be anybody else, or just, us.  Readers, it is not just us.  We are nine.  Two kiwis (hooray), an aussie (more on him later), two brits (but you get that), two belgians and, to finish (bad pun alert), two finns (from Helsinki).  More stats:  there are four known current and former teachers in the group; one medical specialist (ENT, thanks for asking), a lawyer, an insurance guy, and the belgians who are an unknown quantity, plus one union official who gives no quarter.  None.

Unbelievably - to the extent that this will never make it into a novel - the readers would throw down the book and exclaim - what rubbish - who could expect me to believe this hogwash? - anyway, on with my true story.  The first of the group is Geoff, an aussie, former teacher and, get this, education consultant.  No, you exclaim.  Yes, I insist.  Plus, he likes cycling and drinks quite a lot of red wine.  Too scary?  I was scared.  He's not as nice as Kiwi Geoff, but he seems like a pretty good guy.  How could he not be with all those habits (matchy-matchy alert).

On the only ferry of the day, but a crucial one, as it was the ONLY ferry, leaving at 2.45pm, we observed a swallow's nest.  It hung from the bridge, and the swallows came and went, feeding their noisy kids, throughout the journey.  I'm thinking this speaks to a certain level of swallow intelligence... No pics tho - the swallows were too fast for me.

No swallows but one giant seagull and brood... NB helmet, Ma #safetyfirst

It's so quiet out here.  The beauty is calm and understated, less showy than home, but peaceful and lovely.  Also, there are cycle paths everywhere city-ish and when the paths run out the motorists are considerate and careful - so it's very refreshing to cycle through the countryside reasonably safe in the knowledge that the larger vehicles will keep their distance.

We spent ages at Teersalo waiting for the ferry.  The route notes put the fear of god into all of us about not missing the damn boat, so five of us had arrived at Teersalo by 12.30 - a mere two and a quarter hours before our boat departed.  (Kiwi) Geoff and I had pizza for lunch and some non-alcohol beer (responsible), while Aussie Geoff had a tuna salad big enough for the multitudes.  I  neither know nor care what the others ate so don't ask.

Turns out the cafe was a bit of a bogan magnet, with lots of soft metal and rock ballads pumping out across the (otherwise) calm waters of the harbour.  Saw some kids swimming in the weedy, murky, what-passes-for-a-beach-round-here, and at least one of their attached grown ups rocking a full head mud mask - perhaps the local dirt is renowned for its qualities... I don't know, but he rocked a cigarette whilst waiting for his face to dry.

Final piece of news - potentially in the TMI dept, so tender readers should stop right now - was that our boatshed accommodation includes 24-hour access to communal (by gender) showers and sauna. But that is all.  There is a toilet in our room, but no shower.  Aargh.  I had to have my first conversation with the Helsinki ENT starkers: "I can't stop the shower. How does it work?" 

- It's automatic, just step away.  

Oh. My. God.  I will never diss any shower that only I am in, ALONE, ever again, even if the water is a trickle.  This is my solemn oath.

So, one way and another, quite an epic first day of Turku Archipelago cycle touring adventures.  Tomorrow includes six ferry rides, so I'm sure there will be something to report.