first day, 12,8 km

That means only a short introduction to walking on the first day. My feet will have time to get used to it.

A while later I’m at lake Buletjavrri where a Sami man shows me a drier route that goes south around the lake. Estonian and Sami languages are related, he knows. So I can walk with dry feet for the first six kilometers. Meager birch trees line the trail and a willow warbler sings. When I meet the official trail, it is time to splash in the swamp. There are more mosquitos now. In addition to them are heavy horseflies and small annoying black flies. A lot of bugs really. The swamp and there being no wind do not help at all.

I recognize my camping spot from five years ago but it’s too early to put up the tent. More wet mud ahead and no flowing water. I’m thirsty. Although there are suitable places for a tent but they don’t come with suitable water for cooking. More and more bugs. I pretend to ignore them and try taking pictures of globeflowers. Not very successfully. I have more luck identifying a bluethroat. The trail crosses many cottongrass fields. It all looks very nice but did I already mention that there are a lot of bugs?

There’s a stream between some trees. I use it to drink and fill my water bottle. Now I only need some flat ground, preferably with wind. No wind. The trails goes up a bit and there I settle. My only meal today has been breakfast and motivation is not very high anymore.

Cute light. The part of it that is visible through the bugs. I hide in the tent with my dinner. Kill all bugs that have entered with me. It sounds as if it was raining, the bugs outside, hitting the tent. After eating I need to brush my teeth. A new big killing round after that. The horsefly season is supposed to be over in a few weeks.

12,8 km of walking today.