Lofoten
When I was doing my Erasmus in Finland, I read a blog by a hitchhiker from France who had decided to travel to the Lofoten Islands by hitchhiking. This story inspired me very much, and so I also decided to travel to the Lofoten Islands as a hitchhiker.
The Road to the Lofoten Islands
At the time I had no experience hitchhiking over such a long distance. The entire route was about 2000 kilometers.
I packed my backpack and set off full of anticipation. It took a long time and I did not know if anyone would pick me up at all, but after a while a car stopped. It was an older man who took me for many kilometers. I was very happy and was already far from my starting point in the city of Oulu. Eventually I found myself at the border with Sweden.
What I found particularly wonderful about Scandinavia was the fact that you could sleep almost anywhere. I had a tent, a sleeping bag, and everything I needed at the time.
There were not many cars, and often I had to wait a long time at the roadside. But when a car did stop, I usually traveled at least 200 kilometers further. In total the journey took about two days until I reached the Lofoten Islands.
On the Lofoten Islands
The weather was rainy, but the beauty of the nature was breathtaking. On the Lofoten Islands there is a main road that connects the islands from west to east. Many drivers who picked me up even told me they had seen me earlier at the roadside. I was almost famous there.
I enjoyed the nature very much, went on several hikes, and met many interesting people. Once I was even invited to spend the night in a hut. The people were tourists with whom I spent a whole day. They were very kind and helpful, and together we visited many beautiful places by car.
Tromsø and the Journey Home
Then I traveled on to Tromsø with a band from Norway who took me in their car. I could listen to their music and we had a great time. I was very happy to meet them, as they took me over 500 kilometers.
After exploring Tromsø, I hitchhiked back to Oulu in Finland. The route was long, but my confidence was at its peak and I had no doubt that I would make it. All the drivers were very friendly and this experience was the beginning of many similar journeys I later undertook as a hitchhiker.