{"id":22564,"date":"2016-07-09T17:59:17","date_gmt":"2016-07-09T16:59:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ourtour.co.uk\/home\/?p=22564"},"modified":"2021-07-25T20:19:53","modified_gmt":"2021-07-25T19:19:53","slug":"a-final-stock-up-and-two-degrees-north-saariselka","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ourtour.co.uk\/home\/a-final-stock-up-and-two-degrees-north-saariselka\/","title":{"rendered":"A final stock up and two degrees north &#8211; Saariselk\u00e4"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Zagan the motorhome is once more in a ski resort. He loved his time in the Alps earlier this year, so we thought we&#8217;d treat him to a Finnish ski resort. Sadly there is no snow, only\u00a0rain today in Europe&#8217;s northernmost holiday resort, Saariselk\u00e4 (<a href=\"https:\/\/maps.google.com\/maps?q=loc:68.41852,27.42678\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">N68.41852, E27.42678<\/a>) but we don&#8217;t mind. We&#8217;re both pooped from a long day of driving and are now some\u00a0250 kilometers north of the Arctic Circle.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_22576\" style=\"width: 630px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-22576\" class=\"size-large wp-image-22576\" src=\"https:\/\/ourtourmedia.s3.eu-central-003.backblazeb2.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/DSC04613-1024x750-1024x750.jpg\" alt=\"Motorhome parking Saariselka Finland\" width=\"620\" height=\"454\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ourtourmedia.s3.eu-central-003.backblazeb2.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/DSC04613-1024x750.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/ourtourmedia.s3.eu-central-003.backblazeb2.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/DSC04613-1024x750-300x220.jpg 300w, https:\/\/ourtourmedia.s3.eu-central-003.backblazeb2.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/DSC04613-1024x750-768x563.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 620px) 100vw, 620px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-22576\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Tonight we&#8217;re stopping next to the info hut<\/p><\/div>\n<p>This morning while Charlie had a lie in, Jay and I went for a stroll around Santa&#8217;s village. It is pretty much a collection of tat shops, with a few Lappish things such as a snowmobile museum, reindeers (as if we haven&#8217;t had enough of those on the roads) and husky dog sledding. We could hear the huskies howling when we woke this morning, it reminded me of a fantastic snowboarding holiday we had in Finland a few years ago when we went dog sledding &#8211; fantastic fun.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_22578\" style=\"width: 630px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-22578\" class=\"size-large wp-image-22578\" src=\"https:\/\/ourtourmedia.s3.eu-central-003.backblazeb2.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/IMG_20160709_100906201-1024x837-1024x837.jpg\" alt=\"Dog breakfast in bed\" width=\"620\" height=\"507\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ourtourmedia.s3.eu-central-003.backblazeb2.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/IMG_20160709_100906201-1024x837.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/ourtourmedia.s3.eu-central-003.backblazeb2.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/IMG_20160709_100906201-1024x837-300x245.jpg 300w, https:\/\/ourtourmedia.s3.eu-central-003.backblazeb2.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/IMG_20160709_100906201-1024x837-768x628.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 620px) 100vw, 620px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-22578\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Breakfast in bed for pampered pooch<\/p><\/div>\n<p>We treated ourselves to a few practical souvenirs (the only kind we have space for in the van). Jay got a t-shirt, I got some cloudberry lotion and Zagan got two new place mats for his table, as the old ones had fallen apart, and of course the obligatory moose sticker for his rear (to be stuck on when he&#8217;s a bit cleaner).<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_22568\" style=\"width: 630px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-22568\" class=\"size-large wp-image-22568\" src=\"https:\/\/ourtourmedia.s3.eu-central-003.backblazeb2.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/DSC04509-1024x768-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"Santa Village Rovaniemi Finland\" width=\"620\" height=\"465\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ourtourmedia.s3.eu-central-003.backblazeb2.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/DSC04509-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/ourtourmedia.s3.eu-central-003.backblazeb2.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/DSC04509-1024x768-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/ourtourmedia.s3.eu-central-003.backblazeb2.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/DSC04509-1024x768-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ourtourmedia.s3.eu-central-003.backblazeb2.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/DSC04509-1024x768-174x131.jpg 174w, https:\/\/ourtourmedia.s3.eu-central-003.backblazeb2.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/DSC04509-1024x768-70x53.jpg 70w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 620px) 100vw, 620px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-22568\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Santa Jay in his sleigh<\/p><\/div>\n<div id=\"attachment_22569\" style=\"width: 630px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-22569\" class=\"size-large wp-image-22569\" src=\"https:\/\/ourtourmedia.s3.eu-central-003.backblazeb2.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/DSC04513-1024x793-1024x793.jpg\" alt=\"Map at Santa Village Rovaniemi Finland\" width=\"620\" height=\"480\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ourtourmedia.s3.eu-central-003.backblazeb2.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/DSC04513-1024x793.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/ourtourmedia.s3.eu-central-003.backblazeb2.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/DSC04513-1024x793-300x232.jpg 300w, https:\/\/ourtourmedia.s3.eu-central-003.backblazeb2.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/DSC04513-1024x793-768x595.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ourtourmedia.s3.eu-central-003.backblazeb2.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/DSC04513-1024x793-70x53.jpg 70w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 620px) 100vw, 620px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-22569\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Ju&#8217;s geography is getting good!<\/p><\/div>\n<div id=\"attachment_22572\" style=\"width: 630px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-22572\" class=\"size-large wp-image-22572\" src=\"https:\/\/ourtourmedia.s3.eu-central-003.backblazeb2.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/DSC04538-1024x768-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"Distance to London from Santa Village Rovaniemi Finland\" width=\"620\" height=\"465\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ourtourmedia.s3.eu-central-003.backblazeb2.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/DSC04538-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/ourtourmedia.s3.eu-central-003.backblazeb2.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/DSC04538-1024x768-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/ourtourmedia.s3.eu-central-003.backblazeb2.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/DSC04538-1024x768-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ourtourmedia.s3.eu-central-003.backblazeb2.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/DSC04538-1024x768-174x131.jpg 174w, https:\/\/ourtourmedia.s3.eu-central-003.backblazeb2.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/DSC04538-1024x768-70x53.jpg 70w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 620px) 100vw, 620px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-22572\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">I&#8217;m sure we&#8217;ve done about five times more than that to get here!<\/p><\/div>\n<div id=\"attachment_22573\" style=\"width: 630px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-22573\" class=\"size-large wp-image-22573\" src=\"https:\/\/ourtourmedia.s3.eu-central-003.backblazeb2.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/DSC04540-1024x775-1024x775.jpg\" alt=\"Souvenirs from Santa Village Rovaniemi Finland\" width=\"620\" height=\"469\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ourtourmedia.s3.eu-central-003.backblazeb2.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/DSC04540-1024x775.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/ourtourmedia.s3.eu-central-003.backblazeb2.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/DSC04540-1024x775-300x227.jpg 300w, https:\/\/ourtourmedia.s3.eu-central-003.backblazeb2.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/DSC04540-1024x775-768x581.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ourtourmedia.s3.eu-central-003.backblazeb2.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/DSC04540-1024x775-174x131.jpg 174w, https:\/\/ourtourmedia.s3.eu-central-003.backblazeb2.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/DSC04540-1024x775-70x53.jpg 70w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 620px) 100vw, 620px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-22573\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Our treats from the tat shops<\/p><\/div>\n<p>We also paid a visit to Santa&#8217;s main post office where elves sort out all the letters Santa receives from children around the world. They were having a quiet time of it at the moment, but around Christmas he gets about 32,000 letters a day. As it was still early, we left Santa to his pyjamas and slippers and headed off for a long drive north.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_22580\" style=\"width: 630px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-22580\" class=\"size-large wp-image-22580\" src=\"https:\/\/ourtourmedia.s3.eu-central-003.backblazeb2.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/IMG_20160709_113822058_HDR-1024x576-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"Elves in post office Santa Village Rovaniemi Finland\" width=\"620\" height=\"349\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ourtourmedia.s3.eu-central-003.backblazeb2.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/IMG_20160709_113822058_HDR-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/ourtourmedia.s3.eu-central-003.backblazeb2.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/IMG_20160709_113822058_HDR-1024x576-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/ourtourmedia.s3.eu-central-003.backblazeb2.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/IMG_20160709_113822058_HDR-1024x576-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 620px) 100vw, 620px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-22580\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Happy\/bemused elf in the post office<\/p><\/div>\n<div id=\"attachment_22579\" style=\"width: 630px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-22579\" class=\"size-large wp-image-22579\" src=\"https:\/\/ourtourmedia.s3.eu-central-003.backblazeb2.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/IMG_20160709_113524984-1024x717-1024x717.jpg\" alt=\"Sorting office in Santa Village Rovaniemi Finland\" width=\"620\" height=\"434\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ourtourmedia.s3.eu-central-003.backblazeb2.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/IMG_20160709_113524984-1024x717.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/ourtourmedia.s3.eu-central-003.backblazeb2.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/IMG_20160709_113524984-1024x717-300x210.jpg 300w, https:\/\/ourtourmedia.s3.eu-central-003.backblazeb2.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/IMG_20160709_113524984-1024x717-768x538.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 620px) 100vw, 620px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-22579\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Santa&#8217;s sorting office<\/p><\/div>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-22570\" src=\"https:\/\/ourtourmedia.s3.eu-central-003.backblazeb2.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/DSC04518-1024x768-2-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"Post for santa at Santa Village Rovaniemi Finland\" width=\"620\" height=\"465\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ourtourmedia.s3.eu-central-003.backblazeb2.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/DSC04518-1024x768-2.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/ourtourmedia.s3.eu-central-003.backblazeb2.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/DSC04518-1024x768-2-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/ourtourmedia.s3.eu-central-003.backblazeb2.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/DSC04518-1024x768-2-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ourtourmedia.s3.eu-central-003.backblazeb2.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/DSC04518-1024x768-2-174x131.jpg 174w, https:\/\/ourtourmedia.s3.eu-central-003.backblazeb2.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/DSC04518-1024x768-2-70x53.jpg 70w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 620px) 100vw, 620px\" \/> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-22571\" src=\"https:\/\/ourtourmedia.s3.eu-central-003.backblazeb2.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/DSC04524-1024x806-1024x806.jpg\" alt=\"Dummies at Santa Village Rovaniemi Finland\" width=\"620\" height=\"488\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ourtourmedia.s3.eu-central-003.backblazeb2.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/DSC04524-1024x806.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/ourtourmedia.s3.eu-central-003.backblazeb2.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/DSC04524-1024x806-300x236.jpg 300w, https:\/\/ourtourmedia.s3.eu-central-003.backblazeb2.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/DSC04524-1024x806-768x605.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 620px) 100vw, 620px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>I took the first stint, getting us up to Sodankyl\u00e4 which has a big circle around it on our map, it&#8217;s the furthest north Lidl in Finland. As we ventured in we noticed something different about it, it was all posh. A large, light space where the shelves aren&#8217;t stacked too high, there was even a cafe in one corner. Well I say a cafe, there is a coffee machine and you help yourself to items from the bakery bit and you can pop them into the microwave if you need them heating up. Our first meal out in Finland cost us \u20ac3.50 for a slice of pizza, a raspberry cake and a hot chocolate between us &#8211; we know how to live!<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_22581\" style=\"width: 630px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-22581\" class=\"size-large wp-image-22581\" src=\"https:\/\/ourtourmedia.s3.eu-central-003.backblazeb2.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/IMG_20160709_142053758-1024x657-1024x657.jpg\" alt=\"Lidl Sodankyla Finland\" width=\"620\" height=\"398\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ourtourmedia.s3.eu-central-003.backblazeb2.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/IMG_20160709_142053758-1024x657.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/ourtourmedia.s3.eu-central-003.backblazeb2.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/IMG_20160709_142053758-1024x657-300x192.jpg 300w, https:\/\/ourtourmedia.s3.eu-central-003.backblazeb2.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/IMG_20160709_142053758-1024x657-768x493.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 620px) 100vw, 620px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-22581\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">About to enter Lidl for the last time for a long time<\/p><\/div>\n<div id=\"attachment_22582\" style=\"width: 630px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-22582\" class=\"size-large wp-image-22582\" src=\"https:\/\/ourtourmedia.s3.eu-central-003.backblazeb2.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/IMG_20160709_143418793-1024x576-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"Lidl Sodankyla Finland\" width=\"620\" height=\"349\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ourtourmedia.s3.eu-central-003.backblazeb2.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/IMG_20160709_143418793-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/ourtourmedia.s3.eu-central-003.backblazeb2.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/IMG_20160709_143418793-1024x576-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/ourtourmedia.s3.eu-central-003.backblazeb2.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/IMG_20160709_143418793-1024x576-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 620px) 100vw, 620px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-22582\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">It&#8217;s Lidl Jay, but not as we know it!!<\/p><\/div>\n<div id=\"attachment_22583\" style=\"width: 630px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-22583\" class=\"size-large wp-image-22583\" src=\"https:\/\/ourtourmedia.s3.eu-central-003.backblazeb2.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/IMG_20160709_144128331-1024x776-1024x776.jpg\" alt=\"Lidl Sodankyla Finland\" width=\"620\" height=\"470\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ourtourmedia.s3.eu-central-003.backblazeb2.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/IMG_20160709_144128331-1024x776.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/ourtourmedia.s3.eu-central-003.backblazeb2.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/IMG_20160709_144128331-1024x776-300x227.jpg 300w, https:\/\/ourtourmedia.s3.eu-central-003.backblazeb2.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/IMG_20160709_144128331-1024x776-768x582.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ourtourmedia.s3.eu-central-003.backblazeb2.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/IMG_20160709_144128331-1024x776-174x131.jpg 174w, https:\/\/ourtourmedia.s3.eu-central-003.backblazeb2.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/IMG_20160709_144128331-1024x776-70x53.jpg 70w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 620px) 100vw, 620px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-22583\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">A spot of lunch in store to recover from the shock<\/p><\/div>\n<p>A couple of hours later and Zagan is fuller than a centipede&#8217;s sock drawer, but still Jay manages to persuade him to haul himself further north. Now every fourth vehicle on the road was a motorhome or caravan, so at least our arms got a good workout today from all the waving.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_22575\" style=\"width: 630px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-22575\" class=\"size-large wp-image-22575\" src=\"https:\/\/ourtourmedia.s3.eu-central-003.backblazeb2.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/DSC04592-1024x768-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"satnav 158km to next junction\" width=\"620\" height=\"465\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ourtourmedia.s3.eu-central-003.backblazeb2.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/DSC04592-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/ourtourmedia.s3.eu-central-003.backblazeb2.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/DSC04592-1024x768-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/ourtourmedia.s3.eu-central-003.backblazeb2.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/DSC04592-1024x768-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ourtourmedia.s3.eu-central-003.backblazeb2.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/DSC04592-1024x768-174x131.jpg 174w, https:\/\/ourtourmedia.s3.eu-central-003.backblazeb2.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/DSC04592-1024x768-70x53.jpg 70w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 620px) 100vw, 620px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-22575\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Next time you have to turn the wheel is in 158 km, that&#8217;s becoming normal these days!<\/p><\/div>\n<div id=\"attachment_22574\" style=\"width: 630px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-22574\" class=\"size-large wp-image-22574\" src=\"https:\/\/ourtourmedia.s3.eu-central-003.backblazeb2.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/DSC04558-1024x642-1024x642.jpg\" alt=\"Motorhomes Finland\" width=\"620\" height=\"389\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ourtourmedia.s3.eu-central-003.backblazeb2.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/DSC04558-1024x642.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/ourtourmedia.s3.eu-central-003.backblazeb2.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/DSC04558-1024x642-300x188.jpg 300w, https:\/\/ourtourmedia.s3.eu-central-003.backblazeb2.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/DSC04558-1024x642-768x482.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 620px) 100vw, 620px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-22574\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Big Ten, this is Rubber Duck, we got us a Convoy!&#8230;.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>So after a good few hours of driving along tree lined-roads, over lakes, past reindeer and spotting the odd colourful house hidden in the forests we turned in Saariselk\u00e4 just as the rain started. I doubt we&#8217;ll get out to explore much, the town is criss-crossed with skidoo tracks for the winter and from our windows I can see the drag lifts on the nearby fells waiting for the first snow of the season. Hopefully that&#8217;s a long way off\u00a0as tomorrow we&#8217;ll venture further north to Inari, home of the Sami people who live in Lapland. A few more monster drives like today and we&#8217;ll be at North Cape &#8211; it&#8217;s now dawning just how far away it is.<\/p>\n<p>Saariselk\u00e4 is the last ajokaivot (motorhome service point) on our route, so we&#8217;ll service the van here before we set off north tomorrow and should reach Norway before we need another, and before our remaining 6kg of gas runs out (the fridge and freezer are both stacked, so that won&#8217;t be allowed to happen!)<\/p>\n<p>Ju x<\/p>\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong>New to motorhome life,<br>planning your own motorhome adventure, or<br>looking for the perfect gift for the motorhomer in your life?<\/strong><br>Check out our\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/ourtour.co.uk\/home\/motorhome-and-campervan-books\/\"><em>OurTour range of books<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image is-style-default\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/ourtour.co.uk\/home\/motorhome-and-campervan-books\/\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ourtour.co.uk\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/All-OurTour-Motorhome-Guide-Books-With-Text-Bars.png\" alt=\"\"\/><\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\"\/>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Our motorhome tour of Scandinavia continues into arctic Finland. After staying at Santa&#8217;s home, we visit the most northern Lidl and stay at Saariselk\u00e4 ski resort.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":22569,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[417,452],"tags":[1731,955,1099,1100,1730],"class_list":["post-22564","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-motorhome-blog","category-finland-motorhome","tag-lidl-finland","tag-motorhome-europe","tag-motorhome-finland","tag-motorhome-scandinavia","tag-saariselka"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>A final stock up and two degrees north - Saariselk\u00e4 - Our Tour Motorhome Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Our motorhome tour of Scandinavia see us head north high into arctic Finland. 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