Day 1 Home to Kirkenes

Only 12hrs door to door and now safely arrived at the Scandic Hotel, Kirkenes – the starting point of my ride and what feels to be the end of world.

The day began less certain. At Birmingham Airport, the SAS check-in lady advised that my cycle box (pre-paid and meeting all the required SAS criteria) may be too large for their small CR J900 plane. My bag was therefore checked in as provisional and I was given the job of personally observing the bike’s loading. Only then could I confidently board!

I rarely bother looking out of plane windows anymore but north of Copenhagen along the coast north to Oslo and beyond, I saw a very unfamiliar world. Remote islands, large & small, some inhabited, some not; vast waterscapes and forests and more. I think there is an adventure waiting to be had for Christine & me.