Pitching a tent among Baltic pines, the sea nearby, blueberries in season; what could be better? Drinking water, but I’m not complaining. The forestry department (RMK) facilities are free of charge, clean, and spread through Estonia within easy cycling distance of each other.
We did get caught out on our first evening on the road, arriving thirsty at a forested site west of Tallinn. I spoke to the mother of a young family who had laid claim to the fireplace, and were unpacking. She said in Estonian there was a shop 7 kilometres away that sold water. Curiosity got the better of her, as I trotted out my explanation of who we were - the sons and grandsons of exiled refugees, returned home to the old country.
Before long she filled our water bottles and wished us a good evening. Off we went, to swim, wash our clothes in the Baltic and dry off in warm evening light. At the end of July the sun was setting at close to 10pm, so plenty of time to cook and eat and wander about, and it was still light on crawling into our small MSR, a perfect cycling tent.
At that time of the year the daytime temperature was 17-21 degrees, and usually fine. We had the odd bit of rain, and on one memorable day on the island of Saaremaa, thunder, lightning and pouring rain. We were lucky; further south, hailstones fell the size of tennis balls, wreaking havoc. It made the news, and friends and family asked after us.
Greg did better in using the local mobile data than I – in ignorance, I had not activated my account. Estonian SIM cards are very cheap, and if one uses others’ data availability as much as possible, travelling in Estonia is a perfect online experience. Unlike New Zealand, there are no black spots, the country being basically flat.
We soon got into a cycling routine, the delight of pedalling around the country, no more than 60km a day. By mid to late morning, we had usually found a café, for coffees and pastries, free Wi Fi, and catching up on news. I practised ordering drink and food in Estonian; it was the holidays, and the university students at the till were happy to practise their excellent English.
Along the way, there was always something to look at: the old ruin of a Baltic German manor among blackberries, seaside cliffs of Ordovician limestone, or the unexpected – an old man offering homebrewed beer, as happened once on Saaremaa, or chancing on a village soundshell where girls in local folk dress danced to music on loudspeakers.
Everywhere we came across small supermarkets to replenish our stocks of rye bread, pastries, pasta and sauce, cucumbers, salami and occasionally tinned fish, water if we needed it, and always family-sized blocks of Kalev chocolate. We stayed off the alc while camping, knowing there was plenty to be had when staying with family or friends.
On the whole we saw few birds, although when we did they were in abundance. Towards the end of our trip large grey cranes, at times in the hundreds, stood in rye stubble. Storks we saw on occasion, atop telegraph pole nests, or stalking along field edges for prey. Large grey-backed crows stumped about on the ground, ravens on occasion winged their way somewhere, and pigeons or woodpeckers could be heard in the forests where we camped.
An idyllic time of six weeks in Estonia (except for the ticks), as the days grew noticeably shorter. A good time away, and by early September we were ready to leave, much as the national bird, the pääsuke or chimney swallow. Only when to return?
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