3rd time

I have been in Latin America and in Andes 2 times before.

It was 11th of September in 2001. We had had a nice 2 weeks hiking around Peru's highest mountains, Cordillera Huayhuash was the name of the trek. We had just returned back to Huaraz and today there were a plan to go to see Pastoruri glacier. When I step into the bus at around 9:00 AM, I see from the TV, that aeroplane is just crashing into the tower in New York. Terrorist attack is ongoing.

It was 26th of December in 2004. I was climbing on the slopes of Aconcagua. Christmas Eve were spent in Base Camp, Plaza Argentina, at 4200 m. On 26th we are climbing to camp I (5100 m) to leave some gear and come back to Base Camp to rest and sleep. I'm climbing 4 hours to reach the camp I and I'll leave some food, climbing boots, my ice axe, crampons, small and big bag with clothes in the camp and return in two hours back to Plaza Argentina. It is not earlier than on 6th of January 2005, when I have returned back to Finland, I heard there has been a huge earthquake in Indian Ocean on 26th of December resulting huge tsunami, which has killed lots of people. It killed nearly 230 000 people and it caused the entire planet to vibrate as much as 1 cm!

Now I'm going there 3rd time. I know a Finnish saying, which says that if something has happened two times, there will be third time as well. I really do hope, this saying is not going to be true this time. But if it turns to happen, then I need to consider to visit Latin America and Andes never again...

Tipi

American Indians had a close relationship with the nature. I'll try to experience the same and hopefully will have good memories of Central- and South-America nature and people. I'll try to avoid big metropolis and cities and concentrate more on small picturesque villages with mountain sceneries and white sand beaches next to royal blue sea.

But at the same time I'll be travelling to see again how beautiful place Finland is to live. Hopefully I'll understand it once again. Sometimes you just need to travel far away to see very near. Things, which I consider as self-evident, will be definitely re-evaluated and the real value of those things will be enlightened...

One of the wisdoms from the American Indians, how we try to escape the nature and move away from it:

"Tipi is a good to live; always clean, warm on winter, cool on summer, easy to move. White man builds big houses, like a cave, they are expensive, not lighted by sunlight, difficult to move and white man is always sick."

Indian chief - Flying Hawk (1852-1931)

Tampere City Hall

On a weekend I had a chance to visit City Hall of Tampere. I was invited as a guest to the event arranged by Tampere city, where all those persons were awarded, who did "Pirkan kierros" this year. "Pirkan kierros" is a series of excercise events (4 different long distance events nearby Tampere : Skiing, cycling, rowing and jogging) and everybody who finishes all those events during one year has achieved the title "The finisher of circuit of Pirkka 2009".

Vice mayor of Tampere "Perttu Pesä" had a welcoming words and we all had a chance to see beautiful and renovated city hall and feel it's athmosphere. There were even some snack and wine served during the evening.

At the very same evening I had farewell parties at my home and we had even more wine and some snacks during the evenning and night. At some point of time there were mysterious relaxing exercise ongoing, how to relax with your hands up. You can try it as well....

5 days and counting. There are still something to do before the trip...

Endemic species in Caribbean Islands

Ground was white when I was taking my bicycle from the storage in the morning. Slowly winter is taking a firm grip of autumn and inevitable turning the scenery into snowland!!! Cold wind was blowing from the north when I cycled towards the hospital with woollen hat and gloves to warm my head and hands.

When waiting my turn for the doctor I happened to read magazine "Suomen Luonto" (Finnish Nature), which had plenty of interesting articles. There were one article about new endemic species, which were named after national heroic epic of Finland "Kalevala". I was amazed, when I realized there are some species in Caribbean Islands, which are named after Kalevala. Trinidad has one endemic butterfly species, whose latin name is "Archaeoprepona demophoon ilmatar" and Lesser Antilles has endemic fern called "Danaea kalevala". Kalevala epic has been inspirer to biologists in addition of J.R. Tolkien, who read Kalevala even in original language, finnish!

Oh, I nearly forgot. The results of the health check was OK. There were even 3 doctors (2 of them just graduated and learning), who made the examination. One of them even said to me, "You have a good heart" :)

Documentation

I have been sitting on front of my PC whole day writing a story of kayak trip from the last summer. I made the longest and the most demanding kayak trip so far by paddling from Stockholm to Turku in 14 days. Alltogether 391 kilometers on the Baltic sea and crossing of Åland sea between Finland and Sweden. It was successful and rewarding trip, but next summer I'm planning to do even more demanding trip. My aim is to paddle both Swedish and Finnish coastline in a row, about 3600 kilometers during 3 months. I'll be starting the trip from the border between Sweden and Norway in the beginning of May and ending the paddling on Virolahti on Russian border on August.

Today I have been finalising the booklet for Annapurna circuit hike, which I'm planning to lead just before the kayak trip. If I can get minimum the group of 5 people for the 3 weeks' trek, then we'll head to Nepal on beginning of April to experience spring in Himalayas with brilliant Rhododendron forests and gigantic peaks of seven and eightthousanders. This would be my fourth time in Nepal, and third time in Annapurna, which is definitely my favourite one of Nepal tea-house treks.

Medical check-up

It was time to check my physical condition again (fortunately not the mental :)). Blood test, ultrasound and X-rays in a hospital are familiar to me as an yearly check-up procedure in recent years. The feedback will be given by my doctor on Thursday, when I need to go back to hospital to meet him for a medical check-up and analysis of the test results.

Meanwhile arrangements for the trip are fluently proceeding. No problemos, nada !

Voluntary work "Talkoot"

Yesterday the kayaking club had a gathering for combined work and enjoyment. There were over 20 club members eagerly gathering together already at 9:00 AM in the saturday morning.

We headed to the island owned by the club and the purpose of the day was to start the construction of the "Laavu", which is kind of a shelter with a sloped roof. There will be room for 4 people to sleep.

We cut the trees and started to build a base for the laavu. The actual logs, from which the laavu will be built, will be cut in near future and will be floated to the island still before the lake will get frozen. During the winter logs are carved and lifted to build a walls and floor. The roof will be built on spring and laavu should be ready by the next summer.

Unfortunately I'm not able to participate next voluntary work events, and next time when I have the chance to kayak to our island, laavu will be ready. Then I can enjoy the view from laavu to the lake and watch the beautiful sunsets over the Näsijärvi lake.