Mari Travels with Tango

Along with the nearing of the end of this journey, everything seems to be getting easier. Today, I only had to ride the about 15 km from Lübeck to this little seaside town, and with the gentle tailwind and my feather-light state of mind, this was no trouble at all. The weather that had seemed decidedly chilly in the morning was now back to summery warm, and my only slight discomfort came from the fact that the inner tube of the front tyre that I had hastily changed yesterday on the train from Osnabrück to Hamburg did not seem to become really hard, no matter how much I pumped it. However, as it wasn't getting any softer either, it apparently wasn't leaking, so I could ride on. As the kilometers rolled by, I found myself in a contemplative mood quite fitting for the end of this trip. Events, people, sceneries, animals (and yes, dances) were flashing through my mind, and with every memory, some important-seeming realisation came to mind. At the same time, I marvelled at how qui...

In front of the Central Railway Station in Brussels, just about to start the homeward journey.   After weeks of making my way across Europe, the first part of the return journey through 3 countries was over in a heartbeat. However, getting here did mean a long day of train travel, with no less than 4 train changes in various Dutch and German towns. I like train travel as such, and the multiple stops made it more interesting,as I had to keep moving the bike and the bags on and off trains every couple of hours. What really made the day memorable,though,was that my equipment started to fall apart. First,it was one of my Ortlieb panniers that had lost a screw and as a result,was hanging periculously from the rack. After half an hour's search in Deventer,I finally found a somehow fitting screw at a locksmith's, and made it to the next train on time. However,things got a lot more interesting in Osnabrück,where I got a mysterious flat while sitting in a café 15min ride from...

Isnt it funny how the event that kind of motivated this whole trip turns out to be the one that the least manages to touch me? My second Marathon del Chocolate is now over, and I must say it was a totally different experience from last year. Then, I was incredibly impressed by everything at this marathon: the level of dancing, the beauty of the people, the warmth with which they all seemed to great each other and the how close friends they all seemed to be. I wanted so desperately to become a part of that circle, to be included in the conversations, feel accepted in the groups of people relaxing on the sofas scattered around the dance floor, be invited by those amazing dancers. I also remember that although I felt slightly intimidated by it all, this marathon was the first one where I started to feel sufficiently at ease to believe that one day, I would not feel like an outsider anymore. I suppose the day has now arrived. I am not an outsider anymore, and I know a great many of thes...

Crossing the final border into Belgium, feeling elated. Often in life, when the thing that one has been eagerly awaiting for so long finally materialises, it does not feel at all like what one expected. The same thing happened to me today riding into Brussels. After all those weeks on the road, often feeling like I simply could not carry on, that the only thing I wanted was to finally arrive, the arrival felt like, well, nothing. All of sudden, not even noticing it, I had crossed from the Flemish-speaking previous town to Brussels, and the only thing that changed was that the signs were now all in French. Thus, I did not even have a chance to stop and take a pic of entering the city, just kept on riding, slightly dumbfounded by the fact that I had arrived. Getting into the city center happened amazingly quickly compared to my hours-long wandering in Berlin, and as it took me a while to get oriented and actually place myself on the inner city map, before I noticed it, I had basi...

One of the rare occasions on this trip where I rode on gravel without difficulties. This morning, as I wanted to get as close to my final destination as possible, I made a conscious effort to get out of my wonderfully warm sleeping bag at the reasonable hour of 8. Despite this, it was not an early start, and I only rode out of the campsite a little before 11 (what I was doing until then, I still don´t know). Add to this the fact that I totally ignored the signposting for a ferry across the nearby canal only to have to return to it half an hour later, and I ended up riding 10 extra km right in the beginning of the day - bloody annoying! However, once I really managed to get going, things started moving fast, and I was able to get much further today than I had dared to hope. Finally, my body seemed to be totally adapted to the cycling, there were no cramps, and even the headwind did little to slow me down. I even followed the marked cycle routes for much of the day, and although t...

In the end, I did make it out of Germany, although only just. Am now at a campsite just a few hundred metres on the Dutch side of the border, in a village that just like its Norwegian namesake, boasts some serious hills (full 27 m above sea level!) Riding towards the border, I had to admit that although this had been by far the hardest part of my journey, this time Germany treated me very kindly.With the exception of the "übercool" tangueros in Berlin, I was met everywhere with smiles,and everyone I asked went out of their way to help me (not forgetting those who helped me without asking!).And yes,the men look great! My final impressions were,however, all related to animals. First,I saw an adult cow blissfully suckling another. Then,there was a pair of doves,sitting side by side on a fence,grooming each other with devotion. And finally,a (milking)cow with huge udders,resting in a paddock,with a tiniest calf lying peacefully next to it. I rode out of Germany with...

At the Rhein. As this year's journey does not take me from one sea to another, I had thought there were no remarkable milestones. However,riding to the bank of the river Rhein had an unexpectedly big effect on me. After all, being here means that I have now almost crossed another big country. Am sitting in a riverside café,having an enormous piece of raspberry tart and feeling quite content with everything. It really is amazing how mercifully fast one forgets the hardships. Now,it all makes perfect sense; the endless headwind,the crazy traffic,the loneliness, the boredom and anger with oneself. What remains is a sudden clarity and peace of mind, an acceptance of oneself and a great love for life. Will sit here enjoying this sense of achievement a bit longer, then carry on to Holland still today. ---------- Lähetetty Nokia-puhelimesta

Despite my contemplation on happiness yesterday,today was not a happy day. I woke up from a nightmare I haven't had for years,and although I was able to laugh at it the moment I was awake,somehow it set the mood for the day. Other people's nightmares include running to escape a persecutor,falling or finding oneself suddenly naked in a crowd. Mine are always about one theme:having forgotten to do something important and trying,in vain,to minimise the damage caused by it. Invariably,I wake up anguished and thinking that this time,I've really screwed things up. Little surprise,then,that today's ride was marked with annoyances and delays. The route was winding through every farmyard, there were several heavy rains that my lousy so-called Goretex suit could not take so I had to wait them out,and I got lost inside a forest and was forced to turn back,something I loathe. Still,I think the real reason for my bad mood is that instead of enjoying the ride,I am waiting fo...

Against my expectations, today was actually quite enjoyable. Enough sleep, moderate speed and many stops along with some Magnesium tablets I had got from my hosts in Magdeburg probably all contributed to the fact that for the first time on this trip, I had absolutely no cramps! The absence of pain and the fact that I was not as affected by the headwind as on previous days got me thinking about what it takes to be happy. Firstly, one must be able to do what one loves. Then,one must be exposed to culture,something to enrich one's mind. There must be physical exercise, healthy food and enough sleep. And yes,it is absolutely crucial to share one's life with good friends. (One needs a lover too.) Animals,be they wild or tame, form a part of a happy life, as does being exposed to the elements;the wind,the sun,the rain. Breathing fresh air is essential too. And finally,one needs a job,something that one has to do,like it or not. On this trip, I have had (almost) it all. Bu...

The past few days that would have been pretty bleak because of a strong headwind and intense cramps have instead been painted with bright colours by the lovely people I have met. It started already in Magdeburg, where I was invited for coffee by the people I had asked directions from. An incredibly active and energetic pensioner couple,they told me their life stories while practically force-feeding me a huge lunch. True to my habits,I had only really looked at the map now and discovered that a diagonal route through the country would take me across considerably hilly terrain. Instead,I decided to make a detour North. Still, I was exhausted by 7pm, when a passing cyclist saw me resting my aching feet and promptly invited me to stay with him and his wife in their wonderful house!They were really interesting people and I had a lovely evening with them,staying up late talking. Yesterday,made it to Hannover in time for a milonga filled with friendly,lovely people. Only the cycling ...

On long journeys, the mind has the opportunity to go wandering in any direction it pleases,and although this often results in daydreaming about food or sex, there are times when one stumbles upon important realisations. Today,after a pretty easy and effortless ride on mostly empty country roads, I had such a moment when arriving at a campsite by a river that had a vaguely familiar feel to it. Upon walking to the riverbank, I had an almost physical sensation on being back in Africa, on my favourite river bordering Namibia and Angola. The opposite bank had exactly the same shape, the air had the same, heavy quality, there were herons and storks flying overhead... The only thing missing were the acacia trees and the elephants browsing them! In a flash, I realised how much I still love and miss Africa. No amount of tango can ever replace those years, and the longing to return will probably stay with me all my life.In some strange way, this is a comforting thought despite its sadnes...

My camp looking peaceful in the morning light. No sign of the mosquitoes,  you'd be fooled! Despite the fact that I had no particular reason to prolong my stay, leaving Berlin was a chore. Although my host James had printed out a detailed route for me, I managed to make a wrong turn at the very first street corner. However, I only admitted this to myself half much later, and thus, an hour later, was back at where I started. Not surprisingly, I felt miserable, and once again, was kicking myself for the stupid idea to carry on cycling. However,once I got on the right street, finding my way out of Berlin was easy, and with the vary favourable conditions, I ended up covering a fair bit of ground today. Actually,the absence of wind and the flat terrain together with moderate temperatures made the going even enjoyable,and I had to admit it was not all bad after all. Found a campsite well before dark,and was just giving myself a pat on the back when it happened: an army of the...

Setting off from Berlin.  Although I like the city itself, my previous trip to Berlin three years ago left me feeling truly inadequate as a dancer and uninteresting as a person. Because of this, I was curious about how I would feel now, when my dancing experience has increased so much. Often, upon returning to a place one sees it in a completely new light, and I must say I was hoping this would happen to me and Berlin tango too. Unfortunately, despite the nice experiences at the High Noon Marathon, this time around has not proved much better. The moment the marathon was over and I was visiting local milongas, I was confronted with the same, seemingly quite typical Berlin attitude that local tangueros have towards strangers. In most places, even bigger tango cities like Amsterdam or Paris, there is always at least some curiosity when a new tanguera walks in to a milonga. True, it may take a while for her to be invited, but once she has danced with someone, it will usually ...

Although I thought this could not happen, I think that I have now discovered my personal limit for how much tango is good for me. During the previous two years, I have been travelling abroad to dance more or less once a month, and although always wondering how it would feel to be doing more, have actually felt quite happy with it. However, this summer things have sped up quite a bit, as there has been a tango event basically every two weeks ever since June. And frankly, I think this is a bit too much for me. The past weekend I participated in a really well organised event, the High Noon Tango Marathon here in Berlin. The atmosphere was friendly, there were lots of very nice people and I had a good deal of wonderful dances, but still, I felt slightly detached from it all. True, the considerable physical exhaustion caused by the bike ride in pretty extreme circumstances may have affected my ability to enjoy it all to the fullest. Or then, just maybe, I am slowly growing out of the most...

Just arrived in Berlin, about to go dancing at the High Noon Tango Marathon. It was a really, really hard journey, and the last couple of hundred kms I was not having much fun of it. However, given a little bit of rest, good food and the company of my dear friends, all will be fine. Will write more soon, but right now, the only thing on my mind is getting onto the dance floor.

If I thought the wind had shown its force yesterday,today was far worse. Ever since the morning,my legs felt heavy and every km seemed 10times as long. And the wind was still so strong that riding downhill, the bike was brought to a halt if I stopped pedalling! Still, I felt sad knowing that my stay in Poland would soon be over. There are so many reasons to love this country;the wonderfully friendly little dogs,the smiling people all greeting you as you cycle past,the beautiful,ever-changing scenery and the countryside full of all kinds of animals, the omnipresent village shops selling all you can think of... And,my personal favourite:the most considerate truck drivers in all Europe! The one thing that makes you glad to make it out alive is the totally crazy speeding,regarless of road conditions.Judging by speed,you would think there is someone giving birth on the backseat of every car.Little wonder that the roadside is full of crosses marking deadly accidents! Still, I'll...

The Finnis word 'sisu' is hard to translate, as it consists of maybe 1/6 guts, 1/3 persistence but for the most part, just refusing to give up. The past couple of days have been an enormous battle due to an almost stormlike headwind,and without a fair portion of sisu I think I would have just put the bike on the train. Instead, my progress has been at best modest and mostly snail-like. I have tried to console myself by the fact that it is still at least a little faster than walking! Yesterday,after an arduous day of dodging storm clouds and trying to not fight the wind but just accept it, I had a lovely surprise when Elzbieta,the owner of the campsite I was staying at in Wagrowiec invited me to the local water park/spa where we spent a lovely couple of hours soaking ourselves in the jacuzzi. However,the best part by far was the Finnish sauna that made me feel a bit homesick for the first time on this trip. Today,all my sisu could only get me here,so Berlin tomorrow is ve...

  The view to the lake in the morning. One of the things that makes travelling by bike so interesting is that as you find solutions to some problems and get used to hardships, new ones arise. This morning, I woke up to the sound of distant thunder, but felt reasonably confident that it wouldn't really affect me. After all, the dark clouds were clearly far away, and the almost constant thunder made it seem obvious that the storm would blow itself out before reaching the lakeside where my tent was pitched. Little did I know. Only half an hour later, and *just* as I had managed to pack up my tent and my bags, the first, heavy droplets started to fall. No matter, I thought, and calmly left my bags under a tree and took cover under the roof of the only building in the campsite, a tiny cottage. And not a minute too soon: For the next half an hour, I was in the middle of the wildest, most violent thunderstorm I have ever experienced. I am not scared of thunder as such, but it did o...

A re-sending as the previous one failed. Thus, this post is actually from Sunday, July 28. Date: 28. heinäkuuta 2013 20:42:00 GMT+0000 Subject: About attachment and letting go (Ilawa,PL) After a wonderful two days of floating on a cottonwool cloud produced by lovely company, delicious food, long hours of sleep and beautiful dancing, leavin Olsztyn today was really difficult. Despite all my years travelling and the constant practice due to tango, I am not getting any better in letting go of people, places or memories. On the contrary, each good-bye seems a little more difficult than the previous ones. It feels almost as if there was only a certain amount of faith in all of us,and as years go by,the reserves run low. Indeed, every time it feels that I leave a piece of me with the person I am saying good-bye to,and there is less and less of me left. And still, I continue on this trip that is turning out quite different from all my previous ones. Today,the tropically hot weat...

One of my favourite quotes, from the movie "Out of Africa' states: " Perhaps the earth was made round so we couldn't see too far ahead". This is very apt, as in my life and especially on these trips things can (and do) change very quickly. After the previous days' hardships, I was more than a little apprehensive about setting out from Olecko, but somewhere at the back of mind still hoped to make the 165 km to Olsztyn in one day. I have covered that sort of distances in the past, but with a lot more training under my belt and ideal conditions. This time, I had only a vague idea what the terrain or weather would be like, and knew that a more realistic goal would be somewhere around the usual 110 km mark. Riding on an unfinished highway, surely the widest bike lane I will ever have! :-) Just as the previous day had been full of bad omens, things that made me irritable and discontented, this morning I seemed to notice only sights that made me smile. There ...

 Fixing a puncture for the second time in a day, not amused. On every trip, there comes a day when I regret the whole idea of travelling by bike. Usually, it has come after persistent bad weather, interminable uphills or some emotional upheaval that have taken the wind out of my sails. This time, it started innocently enough,when my departure from Kaunas amidst heavy traffic made me turn into a smaller road. The shrapnels of metal I found buried in my tyres. Miraculously, only those in the front tyre had caused a puncture. The road soon turned into a sandy track that got steadily softer,making the bike skid and slowing the speed to almost walking pace. Refusing to backtrack, next I arrived to the worst corrugated surface one can imagine. When I finally got back to tarmac,it was clear I would not make it past Marijampole,where I had to check into a motel. In Suwalki after getting a new front tyre, ready to carry on again. Today,getting to the Polish border only ...

Although I'd like to think of myself as a rolling stone, but the truth is, I am a lazy bugger. Staying in one place for more than a couple of nights, I immediately start to grow roots, and the moment of moving on seems to be getting harder as years go by. Looking back, I remember those years travelling in Africa, when every morning I was eager to get to know new places, meet new people, discover new sides to myself. Now, it seems that every departure makes me feel a little more weary, and yes, lonely. The past weekend was a lovely one: I spent it at Nida Tango Retreat on the Baltic coast, with a bunch of great people. There was a good amount of dancing too with daily and nightly milongas, but this time, the best part of the experience was the carefree, lazy time I spent with my friends outside the dance floor. Indeed, there was so much fooling around, joking, talking and laughing that I felt it was more therapy than dancing! The place itself is breathtaking: a long, narrow p...

 Just arrived in Kaunas, happy to get off the bike and escape the impending rain. With two and a half days of cycling in Lithuania now behind me, I can safely say my fears about entering the unknown were unfounded. First of all, it turned out that the road I followed was the very same one I had been on many times on my bus rides to Vilnius, and thus, for most of the way, I was travelling through quite familiar scenery. In some funny way, this already made me feel much better about this part of the trip.  Daiva and Kees, the hosts of the lovely campsite in Pajiesmeniai. True, the Via Baltica is certainly a very busy road, with hundreds of trucks passing me every day, and with a lot of cars hurtling by at breakneck speed. Still, the shoulder that had seemed so narrow seen from the bus was actually pretty wide most of the way, and the state of the road was mostly good or even excellent, meaning that passing traffic could easily leave a lot of space between us. And for...

Funny how the human mind works. As I have been to Riga so often in and even by bicycle it is my third time here, it does not really feel like I am abroad at all. However, this morning I am finally heading into 'uncharted waters' (not literally, of course), when my route takes me towards the South and the Lithuanian border. And once again, I am feeling nervous about it. Although this time I have spent only two nights in Vita`s comfy flat on Bruninieku street, I am finding it really hard to move on. Perhaps, it is partly due to the memories of my previous attempt at cycling southwards from Riga: 4 years ago, on my long trip to Croatia, I contracted a stomach bug in Riga and was unable to ride my bike for several days. Thus, I got a lift with my Dad about 100 km into Lithuania. Now, despite all those cycle trips in between, in my mind, the road out of Riga is a really difficult one. My stay in Riga this time was quite different from previous ones too. As opposed to all the oth...

Well, after two days of cycling I have both good and bad news. The good news is that very little seems to have changed for me in terms of travelling this way. Yesterday, although getting out of Tallinn was as stressful as leaving a strange city on a fully-loaded touring bike always is, I quickly noticed that indeed, I had not forgotten how to do this. Nor did the little over 100 km I covered both yesterday and today seem impossible to do, although the last 20 km certainly took some willpower. One thing that has greatly eased my settling into the right mindset is the fact that my Dad is accompanying me for a few days in his camper van. This means that not only do I have a soft mattress to sleep on and someone to pay my meals (;-), most importantly, there is someone to encourage me on (in his case, this means trying to get me to put the bike on the van and driving with him instead of cycling, something that I obviously wont do :-). All this works in my favour, as does being able to get...

With Wenla in my Dad's camper van. Oh, such luck I had today. The strongest and warmest imaginable North wind carried me a full 120km here from Parnu, and I was actually ready to carry on all the way to Riga. Fortunately, my Dad got me out of it, as this lovely campsite on the sandy beach is just what my soul needed to really get into the holiday mood. The riding is already really effortless, and even the dreaded A1 Highway that had seemed so scary a couple of years ago was now totally manageable, with trucks giving me a wide berth when overtaking. On the beach in Laučakmens, contemplating letting go. While cycling, I had ample time go think about my favourite thing: the embraces I get through tango. Their memory would have been enough to get me through the strongest of headwinds, but with the wind in my favour, I felt like the luckiest girl alive. Tomorrow, I only have another 60 km to Riga, and am already awaiting the lovely milonga at Balta Pirts.

Yep, this is it: My bags are packed, the rearview mirror fastened, the camelbak water backpack filled to the brim... In a few minutes, I'll be out of the door and on my way. Cannot describe how apprehensive I am feeling, although at the same time, extremely eager to get going. The thing that's making me worried is that as opposed to all those other trips, this time I am physically really unprepared. Before, I had been continuously on my bike the whole year round, making all my journeys to work by bike, cycling through the worst winter months. Now, it is almost two years since I did any long-distance biking, and basically have not trained at all! Last night, chatting with my friend Kaari, she commented how she would otherwise like to do a similar trip, except that she doesn't know if she could put up with the cycling. In all honesty, I had to reply that I don't know if I can either!!! :-D But yes, despite all the reservations, I really want to do it. And the only w...

Waking up this morning, the Riga Tango Fiesta now behind me, I am getting into the philosophical mood that tango travelling always creates in me. Slightly hung-over from last nights winedrinking with my dear Friend Vita, I found myself drifting in and out of wakefulness, and contemplating the state of mind that this weekend has generated in me. Firstly, I must say that it was refreshingly devoid of the emotional upheavals that have become almost a trademark of my tango trips. This time around, I was not alternating between moments of torture and bliss, but instead, found myself on a steady, gently undulating wave of contentment. One big factor is indeed the Riga tango community itself: As I have been visiting this place so often in the past couple of years, I am starting to feel almost like a local, but with the benefits of not being around all the time. People seem genuinely happy to see me, I get a lot of invitations to dance, and feel very accepted as I am. For some reason, I am...

 Leaving work. Despite (or perhaps because of) my careless attitude, the departure from Helsinki did not run quite as smoothly as I was hoping. After finishing my shift at the cafe, I loaded the bike, bid my farewells and started riding towards the harbour in the loveliest summer weather that Finland can give. The skies were clear, the soft wind warm and every person on the street smiling, almost incredulous that the summer seems to continue. However, only a hundred meters after my smiling departure I ran into trouble: upon changing into the smallest (so-called baby) front ring, the new chain got completely jammed and I barely managed to keep from crashing into the roadside. Damn, I thought, will need to be more careful! Climbed off the bike, disentangled the chain that had come derailed from the ring, and carried on. However, when a km later, upon starting the steep climb into the boat the same thing happened, I realised something is not right with the bike. This is more th...

Although leaving things to the last moment is my trademark, this time I have really outdone myself: Waking up this morning at 6 am, I still had not packed NOR even thought very much about what I was going to take along on this journey. Bearing in mind that I only had 2 hours before I had to leave for work made it all the more poignant that now was the time to act. However, the first half an hour I just gazed drowsily at the heaps of stuff I had carelessly tossed on my bed, and must admit that for a moment, it did seem hopeless. Before However, this is where routine helps. All those previous bike trips put me in an almost automated mode, and an hour and a half later, all the stuff is packed in my (surprisingly spacious) panniers, and I am reasonably confident that I have more or less all I need. As a matter of fact, I spent the longest time trying to decide which *tango* clothes to take! Now getting ready to leave the house, bearing in mind not to leave any fruit lying around t...

With one day left for preparations, am running through the list of things to do. As writing the blog has become such an elemental part of these trips to me, not being sure I can do it from my new (although old!) mobile phone has worried me a great deal. If this entry shows on the blog, it means I have managed to solve the issue. Let's hope!

Oh, what a relief; After two years' break from bicycle travel, soon I will be back in the saddle. This time around, the final destination will be Brussels, and the trip will start on July 1st. Along the way: Riga, Nida, Kaliningrad, Gdansk, Berlin, Cologne...  The route selection is based purely on catching the tango events along the way. At the moment, the plan is to attend at least the following:  Riga Tango Fiesta in Latvia, Nida Tango Retreat in Lithuania, then Berin High Noon Marathon, and as the cherry on the cake, the  Marathon del Chocolate in Brussels. As always, I will put the bike on the train for the return trip, and even had the presence of mind to book and pay for the ferry ride from Germany to Helsinki. True, I have only been riding my bike for a week now, so am still far from being in shape.  Somewhere at the back of my mind I do also remember all those days on the road when the strong headwind, incessant rain and careless truck drivers make my life ...