Tuesday 25 June 2013

Day 20-Helsinki

Today I woke late, had breakfast, showered and packed up the tent. I drove back into town and walked around for a bit before more breakfast at a cafe so as to use the internet.

Timo had given me directions as to where to meet Jyrki but I didn't really understand them and drove too far into Helsinki. So I drove back to where I thought was the correct petrol station. However, I didn't get it right but not long after I emailed Timo to let him know where I was (the petrol station had WiFi) Kimmo and Eveliina Savin arrived. There was something about the way they looked at the car that told me the were looking for me. However, at the time I was talking to Ros and the Boys on Skype. They kindly took me to where I should have gone but finding that the cafe there was closed, took me on to a nearby petrol station with an open cafe. After a short chat they had to leave as they were in route home to see their son before he returned to army service.

A short while later Jyrki arrived and we took the car to his workshop. Jyrki services machines that clean, polish, smooth the ice at skating rinks.

Jyrki kindly offered to let me to stay at his house. It is out in the countryside and is fantastically quite. Jyrki's wife Eeva and teenage daughters Oona and Elina, who gave up her bed for me, all welcomed me as did the two family dogs.

Jyrki then showed me his shed. To an Imp enthusiast this was like walking into Alladin's cave. Jyrki has his race Imp outside with his immaculate green Stiletto sitting under the car hoist with another Imp above. A fourth Imp sits in another corner. All around these are various engines most of exotic capacity and state of tune. The many shelves and cabinets are filled with competition and standard parts that would make any Australian Imp owner weak at the knees.

I think I have fallen into the best possible hands in the whole world. Not only does Jyrki and his many friends have the capacity to do the repairs but they are willing to do all of it without any input from me while I go home.

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