Rovaniemi 

Arriving in Rovaniemi was like returning to civilisation. There were shops and houses and cars and lorries and factories and warehouses and all the things I hadn’t seen much of for the last couple of weeks. Even a McDonald’s, though sadly no longer the northernmost McDonald’s in the world.

It’s also where Santa spends his time when he’s not travelling faster than the speed of light and hometown of Lordi, Eurovision winners in 2006. So if it’s good enough for them… I booked two nights in Hostel Rudolf.

I visited a few bars that night, drunk lots of beer and heard stories about Finland’s role in WWII (complicated enough with no beer) and chatted rubbish to a local Fin and his Swedish cousin. All the usual stuff you do after too much to drink.