Christoffer Petersen blog

Not so much. 😉

It was while we were in Finland that I started playing around with ideas for Winter Bounty, the 3rd Polarpol novel. Shameless plug there, eh?

There are hundreds of cabins, many of which are luxurious, on Lake Saimaa. And we were just a few kilometres from the Russian border, which made for a few plot elements, and makes me think about the current war in Ukraine. Just prior to us arriving in Finland, letters had been sent out to all eligible men and women, preparing them for an eventual mobilization as Russia was (2015) rattling one sabre or another. And now (2023) Finland is a part of NATO.

However, Petra’s got other things to worry about in A Dog called Blitzen on Patreon. Day 15, folks! 😉

The best fruit in the world, if you ask me! Blueberries!

But back on the water…

It’s time for another nap!

If you’re following this blog, and if you have yet to pick up our approach to canoeing trips… well, I think you’ve probably got the picture now. Being outdoors is all about relaxing. As a younger man, I used to think it was all about survival – man against nature and all that crap. Now, I’m happy to say, it’s about relaxing, going with the flow, and just taking it easy. It helps that Jane feels the same way!

Not sure about Petra, though. Things are getting rather intense in A Dog called Blitzen on Patreon. Day 14, you know. 😉

But taking it slow! 😉 There’s so much to take in. And, as a certain Ent (Treebeard) might say: don’t be hasty! We’re not hasty. But when engine one is out, it’s up to engine two – that would be me – to keep the boat going!

Of course, after sleeping for three days(ish) I’ve got some catching up to do. It’s also nice with a bit of wind. There’s nothing worse than paddling in soup, when everything just slows down, with not even a lick of wind to give the feeling of forward progress.

But then we’re not quite in the boonies, either. It’s possible to tie up…

Check out the view…

And find an ice cream! Mint chocolate, preferably!

And then it’s back to work, setting up camp and settling in for the night!

Again, thinking of Treebeard from The Lord of the Rings, I think he would approve of this campsite!

Of course, it drives Jane nuts when I stick the pot in the fire. Especially as I cook and she cleans! Oops. 🙂

As for Petra… It’s Day 13 in A Dog called Blitzen. Find out how she’s doing on Patreon!

So, here’s the thing… I have a tendency to need to sleep for the first few days on a canoe trip. They used to come right after the end of a busy exam period at school, and the end of the year at the boarding schools I worked at. Sleeping was the way I detoxed. Jane was happy to read and I just snoozed my way into camp life. Yes, it is possible to be a couch potato in the wilds! 😉

Fortunately, Petra is far more active in A Dog called Blitzen! Day 12 is on Patreon now!

I’m not sure what happened to the colour in these photos. I also think we took a rest day as it was a lovely spot. There’s nothing urgent about the way Jane and I go canoeing. It’s just about chilling out and absorbing nature.

We’re pretty good at doing that!

And Petra’s pretty good at following clues in A Dog called Blitzen, currently on Day 11 on Patreon!

It’s difficult not to fall in love with Finland. And, if you’ve spent some time on the water in Canada, I think you might agree with me that there are plenty of similarities!

You can camp anywhere in public space in Finland, but we made things a little harder for ourselves thinking we couldn’t camp on the spots marked with an anchor on the map. We don’t have an anchor, so we guessed it was for boats. Well, it turned out it was for everyone. We pitched quite a few nights in some interesting locations to avoid the anchorages!

And Finland wouldn’t be Finland without Moomin! Hence the enamel pots we bought on the ferry! 😉

And it’s Day 10 in A Dog called Blitzen. Find out what’s going on on Patreon!