I wake up with the sound of the rain on my tent. I don’t feel like getting up, so I wait until it stops.

After sorting out my luggage and arranging it on my vespa, I hit the road. I stop at Alta to buy some food, since I’ll camp at the North Cape for 2 days.

The more I ride, the more the weather turns better, unveiling an amazing landscape. Temperature falls instead.

During the last kilometres I’m really thrilled. I’m almost there.

I have to wait until 1, when tourists go away, to take a picture with my vespa. I pitch my tent around there, along with others.

Early in the morning I take a tour of Santa’s village with a picture on the polar circle marker. I even met Santa, and now I realize where he gets the money for the presents: 40€ for a picture with him.

An asian guy took the picture on the polar circle instead, and he didn’t want anything in exchange.

Since there are signs warning for wild animals crossing, I want to see them. During the first kilometres I already get satisfied.

Here in the north couchsurfers are a rare breed, so for the nights to come I will always sleep in my tent. I can’t complain, though.

I leave Umeå  without disturbing the couchsurfers, still sleeping. I’ve got much road to cover today and I’ll get to the destination after dinner.

Along the road I stop in a few towns and I stumble upon a country music festival. I think they like this genre very much here.

Along the road I see many classic cars, so I ask a few guys getting off one of those at a gas station and they tell me there is a show in Umeå today. Then they ask me about my trip and take a few pictures of the vespa.

Today I left Sweden and entered Finland, or, more accurately, Rovaniemi. I can’t find the couchsurfer’s place, my sat-nav sent me 20km far away. Luckily I get some help and find the right place.

I still have to get used to so much light during nighttime. I often wake up and think it’s already morning.

At the first gas station I stop to change tires, so as to wear the three of them uniformly. In the meantime a nice gentleman guffaws at my face when I tell him about my trip.

During the day I stop for a tour in the main towns.

I spend the night with an Iranian couple that hosts me in Umeå.

Without waking Cristoffer up I leave, Stockholm-bound. For a still undefined mistake of some sort I run out of gas along the motorway. Luckily I’ve got my spare tank.

After an hour from the event, a police car comes driving alongside me and tells me to pull over. They tell me I can’t ride on the motorway, but I tell them my engine size is 150. After a few phone calls they tell me I’m right and I’m free to go. We take a few minutes to keep chatting about my trip and after a customary picture we say goodbye and they wish me good luck.

I’ve got no news and no message from the couchsurfer that should have hosted me for tonight. I have to set camp somewhere. I find a lay-by near a lake along the motorway.

I wake up early. The night went well, despite the sunlight, that at this latitude is constant. Julian was right when he gave me a sleep mask, that does its job all right but scares you when you wake up and you think you turned blind.

After saying goodbye I leave. I stop at the first gas station because yesterday the right-side indicators didn’t work well. After solving the problem – a wire broken loose – I hit the road again.

Along the road I stop at a few places Julian and his flatmate recommended to me. One of these is Gränna, where they make the traditional spiral-shaped Christmas pudding, the polkagrisar.

In the late afternoon I get to Linköping, where Christoffer will be my host for the night.

With the opportunity of Franzi’s house, I try to get in touch with a few couchsurfers. I leave without hurry and indeed I manage to get to Rostock to take the 3 p.m. ferry, a little later than planned.

I cross Denmark and get to Copenaghen for a quick tour of the main landmarks.

At 10 p.m. I manage to get to Julian’s, a kind guy that lives in Lund and that will be my host for the night. He speaks Italian, so we even manage to have a chat before collapsing onto the bed.