“Travels to a Different Time” : 9July1975: On the Way to Norway: Deliver Me from Temptation: Bug Buffet

Up early with a goal of making it into Norway. Horrible Finnish hitchhiking. My Aussie friend gave up and headed to the bus station. Bought breakfast of a litre of milk, bread and ham. Unfortunately I broke my record for waiting with one of just over 5 hours. There was traffic but full of people and luggage. Probably heading south on vacation. To amuse myself I swore at all the people who didn’t give me a lift. It was getting desperate as I was attacked by swarms of mosquitoes and biting flies. I had to keep walking to avoid being a stationary buffet for the little buggers. I was up to ten bites. They can’t kill you but can drive you to insanity. Finally a lift from a Norwegian who said he would return me to his hometown. He stopped for his lunch break in some small town and I bought a litre of milk and some cookies. Incredibly beautiful scenery which is more enjoyable when you aren’t outside being a bug buffet. It was so cold that some of the leaves were turning gold. He had to stop before the Norwegian border to fix his gas line. We were waved through the Norwegian border checkpoint. Lakes. rivers and beautiful fjords just like in the books. He let me off at his hometown and I met a Norwegian girl who was hitchhiking. Norwegian girls are the best! Friendly intelligent and very good looking. We got a lift in a lorry for 130 kms. It was raining when he let us off at 1 a.m. and I was so tired I could have dropped. Initially she was wanting to continue but for her safety I asked her to reconsider. Looks like she is stranded in the campground with nowhere to go so I offered her a place in my tent. Being exhausted we dropped off to sleep. I realized I didn’t even know her name. Strange very few girls travelling in Sweden, Finland and Norway. Why is that?