HIGHLIGHT OF FINLAND - VAN LIFE in LAPLAND

[@mantelikukkapenkki2368]

My grandfather was a lumberjack. He built 2 houses with his own hands, raised 7 children and fought in two wars. He taught me how to hunt, fish, how to make a log building, to drink like a man and countless other skills. A tenacious and tough man who didn't take crap from anyone and I miss him dearly ❤

[@Raimond799]

There is Finnish defense forces airbase in Rovaniemi. Thats why u saw and hear those fighters.

[@sprintervanconversions]

Ah okay! We did wander! The day before we saw a group of Chinook’s fly over too! Crazy times!

[@kaivaja]

No need to worry. Airforce is just training there and at this moment US and UK is also taking part of the exercises to get both sides familiar on each others methods. BTW really enjoy your positive energy on each vlog!

[@sprintervanconversions]

Great to hear! Also great to hear you enjoy the videos, thank you so much! Appreciate the comment :)

[@hightie1]

I watch a lot of videos like yours but this is by far one of the best. The way to show history and other things gives a context to the country, not just gasprices and food and so on . Keep up the good work.

[@sprintervanconversions]

Aw that’s so nice to hear, thanks Harri!

[@Ruija27]

That was a highway landing strip at the one minute mark

[@koukkuleuassa484]

So nice that you're interested in traditional things as logging! Love your vlog !!

[@sprintervanconversions]

Super interested! Loved Finland so much :)

[@arska77]

Nice to see that you have enjoyed your trip here in Finland 👍

[@sprintervanconversions]

We couldn’t be more in love with Finland!

[@petrisandberg3887]

As you are heading towards north I highly recommend to drive all the way to North Cape (Nordkapp) to see the edge of the continental Europe. Views are spectacular and the cliff is unbeliavable place to stand. Hånningsvåg is a nice little town next to it.

[@sprintervanconversions]

Thanks, it’s definitely on our maybe list!

[@oh2mp]

@@sprintervanconversions I agree with Petri Sandberg. To be honest Nordkapp is quite a touristy place, but definitely should be seen once in life and the nature and views are spectacular. That is the northernmost place where you can get by car in Europe, so it could be a remarkable point on your journey.

[@Gibbetoo]

that logging museum was awesome, i didn't know it's existence until now, and i live less than 400 km away.

[@sprintervanconversions]

It was very good and very informative!

[@bambit08]

Loved the tour and information re the Forestry Museum. Thank you. I would love to live in a Finnish log cabin. 🇫🇮

[@sprintervanconversions]

Glad you enjoyed! We felt so inspired by it!

[@onr-o1h]

With that tour you gave, the museum should've given you free pass! Excellent coverage! 👍🏻

[@sampohonkala4195]

The opening scene at 1:00 of the wide road is actually an airfield. The fighter jets you heard later take off and land on those. I guess the real airfields are targets that are fairly easy to destroy, therfore there must be several places that the fighters can use as a base. It is likely one of the best kept secrets of Finland that it is either the most militarized country on this planet or at least very close to the top, as every sixth person of the entire population is actually a soldier in the reserves. Santa Claus is no exception. If they all wore a uniform for a day Finland would look really weird.

[@sprintervanconversions]

Equally weird if those uniforms were all Santa suits 😂

[@lokieec.r.p.swarrior8740]

Hiya‼ 👋 New subber from watching the chores of van life and keeping it real.💯% I would love that lifestyle but I have paid off cars and a 800 sq foot house in Ca that is also paid off and a pain issue health condition. So being grounded yet close to things of enjoyment is great and I cherish it every day. I also have been to more than 40 states in my life from being dragged to different areas with immigrant parents. You two are so adorable!

[@dancing8595]

Omg! That last out take. The flags of …. Lol!!!!

[@sprintervanconversions]

Haha I know!

[@serveri69]

You are in Finland and you haven't been in sauna!? I don't think they let you out of country.

[@sprintervanconversions]

I know! We were actually really sad not to find a public one yet!

[@samhartford8677]

I live in Tampere. There are always air force exercises and the weekly siren testing everywhere in Finland. The border with Russia is as long as Finland.

[@EsaNuutinen]

That line and Santa village is not exactly on Artic circle (and as you said it moves some meters). If I remember correctly it is actually like 10-20 km north from the line in the village (or maybe even bit more). Village is there near the airport that it is easy and fast access for tourists in winter time that come and stop there for half a day or something and fly back home.

[@karisalonen8984]

Thump's up for visiting a "savotta" museum

[@sprintervanconversions]

It’s was so great! Highly recommend!

[@oh2mp]

Nice video again! Sorry to tell but that arctic circle line on the ground is a little fake. It's not even west-east direction and the actual arctic circle is about two kilometers norther than that. But it is very swampy area and because of that the Santa village is built there where it is. Actually the circle crosses the runway of Rovaniemi airport. When you leave that Santa Village by E75, you cross the actual polar circle about 5 km after that. It's not even marked there, but as you know and said, it changes its place several meters every year because the axle of Earth is wobbling slowly.

[@sprintervanconversions]

Yes you’re right! It was just a bit of fun : D

[@oh2mp]

I'm a Finn and was first time in Santa Village last September. I had of course been in Rovaniemi earlier but had skipped that place :)

[@Mari-ok6xg]

Wow what an interesting museum you found 😲. I'm a finn and have never heard of it. Thanks for sharing.

[@sprintervanconversions]

it was probably one of our highlights of 2022!

[@noniinpostia3244]

Hi, when you tell Finland good 👍🌹 I like and learn english. 🇫🇮

[@BeerForBreakfast]

So cool that you got to meet Santa and Mrs Santa! Love this vlog, you two are so fun to watch! Also, how did they end up giving you that pic for free? 🤩

[@sprintervanconversions]

Aha thanks so much! We just went up to the counter and they had already printed ours as an example. We said we couldn’t afford it but we really liked the video and the lady at the counter said we could have it 😄 nice bit of Christmas cheer!

[@smurph4959]

Omg guys that was my last hol with my son pre first lockdown. We adored it … super magical. We stayed at Phya just north of there. I’ve lost all my photos 😭 but it’ll always be set in our mind anyways. I’ll def go back for the dog mushing (?) that was super fun.

[@sprintervanconversions]

We really want to go back too, maybe in the winter!

[@smurph4959]

@@sprintervanconversions the winter is amazing. It was so magical. 100% recommend ❤️

[@DbSawoJarkko]

I don't know your route, but if you go near Tankavaara i highly recommend visiting the Gold Village. Really cool museum about gold mining in lapland.

[@Aquelll]

Lapland Air Command is based on Rovaniemi so hearing fighter jets in the city is a daily thing.

[@sprintervanconversions]

Ah that explains it!

[@Pyllymysli]

It's funny how tourists always react to reindeer since when you live up here, they become such a nuisance that I'm mostly happy when I don't see them when driving. xD They all are actually domestic, mostly for meat production. They roam free during the summer and since they don't fear humans or cars they just walk up to the road and chill there and give absolutely zero fucks if you sound your horn, yell, wave and scream to them. They sometimes form quite formidable blockades. xD E: Oh actually on that note. If you do a lot of driving around lapland, you wanna pay attention when coming over crests or going in dips. They sometimes become visible quite late and they like to hang around those areas sometimes.

[@sprintervanconversions]

Haha after this video went live, we’d driven quite a lot in Lapland and totally sympathize with you locals 😂😂 such a novelty for us at the beginning though!

[@toinenosoite3173]

I am so happy for you that you have experienced a lot, and also, hopefully, learned that if you are close to wetlands/lakes there will be a lot of mosquitoes! Interestingly enough - you haven't really experienced anything of Finnish people, more the lack of... Well, to each her/his own.

[@sprintervanconversions]

It’s true, I don’t think we met any Finnish people, not that spoke good English anyway (except Mr and Mrs Santa Claus 😂). It would have been nice to get to know some Fins and also to have a sauna but we have a good excuse to come back to Finland some day!

[@toinenosoite3173]

@@sprintervanconversions Welcome back any time!