Monday, October 19.

After four fantastic days in Riga, we finally set out for Tallinn in Estonia. This will be our jump off point for Helsinki in Finland. 

Weather was overcast but a pleasant 12 degrees. Did not matter as we were in a heated cabin.  On the way out we passed the American Embassy, which we have tried to take a photo of.  

  

 It is huge, sitting in 100 hectares, armed guards everywhere. They really want to keep a presence here, so close to the Russian border.  

   
Trip today is 290kms over very flat ground, but as the speed limit in Latvia and Estonia is only 90kph, and the high number of semis on the road, this could take awhile. 

Finally on the road at 11. There was a frost last night so we would wait till the roads dried out. Again very dense farming, not many cows, this far north. Autumn is really starting to set in and the trees are looking magnificent. Followed the Baltic Coast all the way to Tallinn. 

    
   
Had to stop for roadworks and a lady tapped on the window. She said she was in the motorhome following and wanted to know if we were from Australia, as there is an Aussie number plate on the back of Myrtle. When we said we were, she said that they were from Brisbane, and heading to Tallin tomorrow to catch the ferry to Helsinki. Small world, lights went to green so we had to move. Maybe we will see them in Helsinki.

Passed through the old border crossing between Lithuania and Estonia. It looks very desolate now, but 12 years ago would have been markedly different. Just past the old check point, the police were again pulling over vans, looking for refugees.  

   
Arrived at Tallinn at 3.20, which was not too bad after all. Found the camp ground, right on the waterfront. The water is actually 6 metres from the door. The camp is part of a huge marina complex, where they were busy lifting boats out of the water in preparation for winter. The bay actually freezes over.  

    
 Walked 200 metre to the bus stop and caught the bus back into Tallinn, 6 kms away. Jumped off the bus and walked down to the ferry terminal to purchase tickets for the ferry trip to Helsinki tomorrow. That done we walked up to the old town which still has a great deal of the Middle Ages wall still surrounding the town.  

    
    
    
    

    
    
    
    
    
   
Lots of cobbled streets and beautiful buildings. It looked very similar to many English villages we had seen. Wandered around for a while and then found a restaurant in the main square for a quick bite before heading back to Myrtle.  

  

  

 It was beginning to get cold, 12 degrees, but there was this very lazy breeze coming in off the Baltic. Lucky we have our hockey coats from home.