I left the northern open landscapes behind and turned south. The last time I visited the south to see my friends and family was in December. After moving north, I joked that it would be hard to get me to leave more than twice a year. It seems that what started as a joke is turning out to be more true than I thought.

The van is starting to feel like home. I still make the bed every morning—mainly because it doubles as a prep area and counter when making breakfast—and before hitting the road, I tidy everything up into its place. But otherwise, Bertta feels very much like home, with all its disorganized charm.

Life in the van is starting to feel normal, too. In the mornings, the gas stove lights on the first match, and when I dig through the under-bed storage, I make sure it stays open with a wooden stick. After the heavy bed lid drops on your hands a few times, you learn to play it safe.

Van life—like any other life—isn’t always sunshine and beautiful views; it comes with its share of everyday mishaps. One morning, I accidentally kicked the breakfast table leg, causing the hinged table to collapse and spill the freshly poured coffee onto the floor, the white curtain on the back door, and into my lap. Since that morning, my van has had a permanent coffee scent.

I drove south from Utsjoki via the eastern route, heading first to Kuusamo, where I spent the night at the end of a small dirt road I found along the way. It was at this latitude that the mosquitoes, or sääsket, made their first appearance. Up north, there hadn’t been any yet, and somehow, I always forget how easy life is without them.

In Kuusamo, Papu went off on his own. Whether he’d had enough of the long day’s drive or his sense of direction was off, I’m not sure. Normally, I let him out of the van without putting him on a leash. He stays by my side and follows me everywhere without a problem, but this time he disappeared. I called for him for a bit until I heard a man’s voice from the direction of the main road, "Is this the dog you’re looking for, running along the road?" Exactly. Apparently, Papu had given the man a thumbs-up and tried to continue his journey. Thank you, kind stranger, for stopping and bringing Papu back to his owner 🤗

From Kuusamo, I took a small detour to climb Iivaara. After a few days of almost nonstop sitting in the van, my body craved movement. It was raining heavily, but the air was warm and fresh. From the top of the hill, the view opened up over Kuusamo's dense forests and the bright lakes that reflected the sky’s colors. Somewhere below, a cuckoo was calling, and the wind howled through the hill’s rocks and old pines. Mist rose from the lake below in ghostly clouds, swirling as they made their way upward. For a moment, I toyed with the idea of long-dead souls dancing—a sight witnessed only by me.

The journey continues through the family’s summer place in the forests of Kainuu, and then further south, where I’ll spend over a week with friends and family. I’ve already promised myself to return north for Midsummer, as it pulls me in. That’s where my home is. After Midsummer, I have no plans at all for where I want to go next. I’ll stay up north, but where exactly? I’ll figure that out when the time comes.