Finland to Estonia...

We crossed the boarder to Finland in painless fashion - our easiest and quickest boarder crossing yet. We had been trying unsuccessfully to get Green Card insurance online - the required liability coverage for driving a vehicle in the European Union.  Since we were now in Finland we had no choice but to buy it at the boarder - 300 EUR each, ouch!  For some reason motorcycle coverage is the second highest of all the vehicles - second only to a motorcoach.  Cars are only 120 EUR - WTF???  Seems a car can do much more bodily harm and property damage than a motorcycle - but oh well, what can you do.

Shortly after crossing into Finland the sky's opened up and pissed cold rain on us.  It rained all the way to Helsinki and continued to rain while we researched ferries at the seaport.  We wanted to catch a ferry to Estonia on Wednesday - and ended up booking a 1:30pm departure on a 2 hour fast ferry to Tallinn.  We originally wanted to camp as there are many campgrounds just outside Helsinki - but I had no desire to set up camp in a downpour.  We found a cool hostel at the Olympic stadium - basically the original housing for the athletes that competed in the 1952 summer games when Finland hosted the Olympics.  The facility had everything we needed - bed, shower, laundry, WiFi and a 6.50 EUR breakfast buffet.  I really needed the laundry as it has been several weeks since the last opportunity.  It will be nice to have some fresh, clean clothes.

I'm looking forward to the Baltic's of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.  We should arrive in Tallinn around 3:30pm.  We also have made plans to meet up with Mark again in Lithuania on Thursday.

Hostel at the Olympic stadium.

Bikes strapped down on the ferry.

The cargo hold - big boat!

Helsinki, Finland.

Tallinn, Estonia.