Vaella Laella

Tervetuloa kesän 2011 aikana tapaamaan BerttaJurtta ja tietenkin itse OssiBussi Taidelaitos Haihatuksen “Paikalla” -kesänäyttelyyn. Avajaiset on 11.kesäkuuta ja lisääkin infoa löytyy www.haihatus.net

Suhteellisen jännittävää oli kaivaa jurtta esiin Bussin takakontista (huovat) ja katolta (puut). Olihan se siellä rytkytellyt viimeiset kahdeksan kuukautta. Etenkin huovat jänskätti, että mitä kirgiisi-hiiriperhe (jonka jäseniä siis KYLLÄ tuli SUomeen asti) olisi siitä jättänyt jälkeensä. Vaan oikein kilttejä olivat olleet ja ihan kokonainen jurtta (pienin paikkauksin ja rapsutteluin) saatiin eilen nousemaan Haihatuksen puutarhaan.

Ens viikolla jurttaan ja sen sekä kirgiisikuvien kautta Kirgisiaan pääsee tutustumaan neljä ryhmää joutsalais-koululaisia. Bertta ja Ossi ja me mukanaan olemme enemmän kuin Iloisia voidessamme jakaa tätä kautta soluissa vielä sykkivää suurensuurta matkaa. Paluu Suomeen ei ole ollut liian shokeeraava sillä asumme yhä Bussissa…

OssiBussi’s traveling circle is about to close..We are already in Latvia! Two years and eight months of Amazing travelling in 25- or something like that - different countries, such different sceneries, landscapes, cultures…. And now Tallinn is just 300 kilonmeters north….AMAZING…

But as OssiBussi loves offering us Adventures, so does it for the very end (maybe to guarantee an exiting end for our road movie…?) The piece of motor which was fixed in Kyrgyzstan by an old spare part, fell in parts in Poland - just after crossing Tatra mountains, and well that was the only possible timing for this cause one day earlier we would have been in too big mountains for the Bus to cross with broken motor.  DUe to this accident also the breaks stopped working and Gabriel the McGyver used his skills again to attach the air compressor straight to the break system… yes it works, yes it is possible…

But since this every meter on road has been Miracle… nothing is for granted…  OssiBussi shall go as far as possible and wish it could be Finland… And now… we have come more than thousand kilometers with our half-motor and fake-breaks and always pushing the Bus to start… Minute by minute , day by day… we move to north… coming with swans… And enjoying, respecting every meter this vehicle moves!!! We thank of all your support in all possible ways, thank you for co-living also this time of challenge with us!!!

It was a sunny day to climb up up up ith small Fiat to reach a spot from where to walk ten minutes more to reach Aldajo village for a little meeting with seven to nine years olds for some nature games …

…and then it was time to make a small garden each for some sunflowers! All hands were digging enthusiastic into soil… and after we saw these children running to get some water for seeds !

In the end we wrote some letters to Finland…

This guy’s name happened to be Moj  (hello in Finish:)

Elfi community was a pleasure to visit. Such great Power in people who silently live the alternative  True. Everything is simple, natural… far from busy traffic, electricities, shops whatever… Good energy!

Yes it was a shock to arrive to Venice, in a foggy snowy wet weather… Even more shock was to end up communicating (too much) with Venice police as we had parked the Bus not proper  way (which cost us 250 euros). This lead us to leave Venice very fast, escape to mountains to root ourselves to the change… European system…

well, there wouldn’t be better place than a local warm-hearted home to arrive: Sara, Marco and kids Rio and Tea, living in their house of four generations: grandma on the first floor, Sara and Marco second and Sara’s parents up.

And: OssiBussi in the yard! Stayed two and half weeks and are deeeeply thankfull of the time there!!! special indeed…. to feel the change of the season, from winter to spring… and meet all those powerful souls of mountains… share so much…

…day by day…Beautiful! So, in the end Europe showed the nice faces too and it didn’t feel too bad to be here after all!

We miss you, beautiful souls!

As Italian cherry trees started to bloom  (wow-ow-ow!) we checked the compass, to take the destination: NORTH.. There will be new and new and new springs for us to see as we head to our northern home… Full of excitement, joy, to travel through blossoming Europe…Finland… melt your snows, we are soon there !!!!!!!!!

JOOO!!

This was written on the Syria-Italy ferry 01.03.2011:

Floating the fourth day on the Mediterrean Sea, one more night to go before arriving the port of Venice, Italy, it is exactly the right moment to look back our last month in Asia and the whole great adventure so far…

South coast of Turkey and Syria offered us exactly what we needed: fruits and retreat; every now and then real sunny days, empty beaches, forests… It was the time to reflect our long journey and to digest the choice of heading back to Europe…

OssiBussi’s two-and-half-years journey consists certainly very different episodes: there has been the times of big communities 2008-2009, times of great challenges (like Kazakstan desert), times of uncertainty (like the giant motor fixing and running out of money), times of taking the distance when we left the Bus in Kyrgyzstan for eight months while we were in India, Haiti and Finland. There has been times of rebirth - the new phase in OssiBussi’s journey as we came back to it and really wanted to continue with it back to Europe and Finland…. All through different times we have met thousands of people… in different ways, some inspired, some confused, some maybe terrified. We have waved our hands from the Bus window — I cant even guess how many zillion times… And now, in between of adventures: the one behind and the european one in front…

Looking back the arrival to Turkish coast in January was already like entering to the Sea that shall take us to the other side…to Europe… first we were horrified… feeling not ready to leave, not even knowing what it is exactly we are leaving. At least the cheap fruits and vegetables, the seasonal fresh things you couldnt get in wintery Europe. But yes, we still had more than month to enjoy, so we did! We ended up staying for example one week in an amazing mandarin valley, starting every morning by breakfast straight from the tree! Thats the way to live! And no, we didnt need to do this hiding, cause all the villagers kept on bringing us more and more mandarins… Abundance, really!

Also, we had marvellous camps by the sea and in the pine forest, all the time was needed to really root and get full ready to go on. As we thought our retreat had come to an end as we entered to Syria, no, it still continued for another week. We found really fascinating beautiful place near Ram-al-Baseet, behind an empty beach there was a rocky peninsula, full of different-shaped and sized caves.

We had a great fullmoon-fasting and silence day there. Yes, after all this we could feel charged and ready to move on. As we drove out from this last retreat camp, after three-hundred meters we were enthusiastically stopped by an English guy Nat who wanted join us for rest of our time in Syria. Also, some kilometers more, we met first two cyclist and then one more and had a camp together… hee, thats how universe works: as soon as you are ready to meet people, the people shall come!

Syria all in all was great experience, though we didnt learn to read the arabic letters of the road signs. However we met the most hospitable people and very soft policemen too. They only wanted to serve us. Only if you ever enter Syria with car we suggest you only stay the time you have paid diesel tax for… overstaying caused us to pay an extra week plus fine.

So, from port of Tartous we got into Italian Visemar ferry, lately re-opened line between Tartous-Alexandria (Egypt) - Venice… And here we are… sailing overseas 86 hours in hilarious companion. You know, sometimes this kind of occasions put together very diffrent kind of people and you are one family after all.

What shall wait for us in Italy… Venice… Apennines mountains… Some soulmates to be met… Full of excitement, full of curiousness… OssiBussi is back in Europe in few hours…

A new phase is about to begin!!!

On vain yksi Ossi, ei toista moista

Surisee, pulisee, paukkuu, narisee, tuoksuu, haisee, nousee, laskee, kiihtyy, hiljenee,
pysähtyy, keikkuu, kallistelee, hyrähtelee, puhisee, murisee, ärjyy

Se on auto
Se on laiva laineilla
Se on lentokone tuulessa
Ihmekone kumien päällä

Se on koti, unelma kahden ihmisen,turvakolo kotoinen monen kulkevan ystävän,
unelmamatka isäpapan

Se tarjoaa katon suojaisan, ruuan elävän makoisan, keskustelut, opit syvät elämän
etsinnän, kosketuksen lämpöisen, unet makoisat, matkan turvallisen

Se kestää monet jarrut, puristukset penkinreunan, huudahdukset kummajaiset,
ympäristön piippaukset, katseet, naurut, hörähdykset, arvioinnit, ihmetykset

Se vain kulkee tehtävässään, sateenkaari,ihmeauto, ilon tuoja
Ossibussi onnekas
Unelma kahden ihmisen

Shiny Happy New Year 2011 People!!!!
….May it bring you what you need and help you fullfill yort Heart’s True Desire….

It was very tempting idea to set up tepee in the mountain valley in Georgia BUT we knew winter was on the way there too so we said goodbyes right after New Year and headed south: Turkey. We knew there was going to be snow on the way for sure and -20 degrees in the highest spots (2200 m). And YES, there was! The worst road was on georgian side though.
Being called “highway no:1″ we didnt guess it would such narrow holey lane full of ice and snow..

not so much traffic but those who where there had to push their cars at times…hallelujah we did it.

All together we passed inTurkey in ten days eight mountain tops more than 2kms high. Mostly the roads were okay, and we already thought “wow this is easy”. Next morning we woke up and were surrounded by deep snow and needed to put on the snow chains for Ossis wheels to get out of that camp.

Once the road was blocked for few hours as there where half meter snow and some men cleaning it. And all the way the landscape was stunning with snow tops…

…And it was almost culture shock to find finally the Mediterrean sea…to get off the woollen clothes and sleep without three blankets and sleeping bag…And the sea is always giving the breeze of new adventures… Something new is waiting for us… Yes, Europe is on the other side of this Ocean and Yes, we shall get there over this ocean: there is a car ferry from Tartous, Syria to Venice Italy… Thats the Way, in February! Mamma mia!!

Georgia, Armenia annd the Songs of Wizards…

The Road leaded us to Georgia, and it was like coming to home to enter there from Azerbaijan. In azeri-border the last conversation was “sir, you have many many problems” as they were trying to get some bribes from Gabriel. In Georgia the first words were “Welcome to Georgia! Oh, you have lovely home!” - We people really have the chance to make the difference!

Washing up - day… Ossi is burning?no no, it is Kalle Kamiina, the stove heating cool days and especially evenings! 

In Georgia we had honour to share our home first with French girl Lara and then we had special guest for 10 days from Finland: Gabriel´s father Tapsa! This was first time anyone of our families joined us abroads and also it was his first journey outside of Scandinavia, so very special indeed.

Not only experiencing those amazing landscapes and places both in Georgia and Armenia but sharing our simple road life with everyday routines; washing dishes in church yard (growing sprouts), carry sticks and wood for our the stove, spend the evenings in the candle light… To share it all is to live in OssiBussi!

Those days were our pilgrimage deep into the ancient roots of these old nations… very holy and magical…

  Like here, large cave monastery called Vardzia in south Georgia… nobody knows the origin of the caves, but in 9th century it has been monastery… We could feel there has been life and wisdom inside these rocks loooong before that already!!! As Georgia and Armenia are the oldest Christian nations there is very strong history in churches and monasteries. Most attractive ones were in North Armenia Sanahin and Haghpat monasteries from years 930-950. The other one was straight from Harry Potter…as I was imaging Dumbledore and other wizards living in this “castle”, there came a monk who was exactly from that picture…

It was true time travelling to enter all these ancient places, just to sit there and breath and sense. Amazing.

   Just before Christmas ıt was time to say byebyes to Daddy…he went to snowy Finland. we to snowy Turkey…               

We did it! After all, it was just two of us as Fraser prefered to spend 30 hours on the border eh eh (hope you are fine, man, we miss you!) . So, Gabriel was driving 12 hours a day as I tried to keep him happy and prepared some happy meals :)

The most clever can see in this picture we are still three of us! Its taken near border of Turkmenistan Uzbekistan

What we saw of Turkmenistan was mostly different sorts of sands, some camels, some kids in their green school costumes, some statues of ex-leader Turkmenbashi and many pictures of him.

Travelmates

It was definitely OssiBussi’s record so far to drive this 1 500 kilometers in 3,5 days… Well done Ossi!

One day we needed for the harbour, to negotiate about getting on board with the Bus, visiting again few (14) different offices and making some tens of signatures. Must say, Gabriel had to do this also cause Turkmenistan is man’s world and they werent too much interested even on my passport… However, after many hours waiting we were happy to see this ferry arriving…may it be the one bringing us to Azerbaijan…?

Noup, it wasn’t. Ours came another day later…ha haa. But lucky we, we always have our own OssiBussi million-star-hotel-and-restaurant with us! And could invite other travellers to wait with us, stay overnight.

Wherever we are, always at home!

26th November, finally on board! Ferry left the harbour maybe 12 hours after we were in there, but no matter, we were already sleeping in our semi-freaky cabin.

Guess it was 30 hours altogether and we saw the giant flag of Azerbaijan in the middle of thick fog… We had sailed out of Central Asia.

P.S dear English speaking friends, stories of Uzbekistan are in Finnish blog, but you may see the pictures anyway! From the ossibussi -page to ossiblogi!

Salom!

korkea aika varmaankin pihaista jokunen sana… Viimeiset kolme viikkoa on suhahtanut Usbekistanissa. Täytyy tunnustaa että koimme jonkinasteista kulttuurishokkia tänne tullessa. Taakse jäi Kirgisian vuoret, solisevat purot, joukko ystäviä ja edessä tuntui olevan aroa ja poliisikontrolleja. Kuitenkin, jonkun päivän sopeuteltuamme, ohittelimme poliisikontrollit jo vilkutellen ja aroleireilystäkin osaa näin marraskuussa nauttia kun muistaa millainen hel…le ja tuskanhiki aavikko heinäkuussa voikaan olla (Kazakstan 2009 in memoriam).

Jotenkin ihmeesti onnistuimme loytamaan tiemme Usbekistanin ainoalle vuoristoalueelle jarvineen. Kauneus!

Seikkailua on edessäpäin: heti ensi viikon alkajaisiksi ylittyy raja OssiBussin maailmanmatkan 16.maahan, Turkmenistaniin. Sinneppä vaan ei mennäkään asustelemaan, viisumi sanoo että viidessä päivässä sisään ja ulos. Matkaa on reteet 1 500 kilsaa ja tuosta viidestä päivästä syytä varata yksi satamaan (Kaspianmeren yli paatilla Azerbaijaniin) ja puolikas rajapuuhiin… Loppuaika siispä suhataan aamusta iltaan! Luojanlykky, jostain tipahti ystäväksi skotlantilainen Fraser, joka matkallaan Iraniin lupautui kakkoskuskiksi ensipäiviksi. Tosin hän odottaa yhä viisumiaan, joten jännäämme viime hetkiin kerkiääko kaveri mukaan.. Hauskaa ehti olla viikonpäivät, kun Bussissa oli taas pikkukommuuni!

Fraser ja Gabriel iltateella Bussin katolla :)

Gabriel, Oktaavi Ankka ja Hulda Hanuri treenaa

Viime päivinä ollaan iloittu marraskuun huiman punaisesta auringosta ja kranaattiompuista… Silkkitien muinaisissa kaupungeissa Samarkandissa ja Bukharassa ollaan koettu Usbekistanin taikaa…

Samarkand

Synttärini kunniaksi onnistuimme ihmeesti buukkaamaan koko paikallisen kylpylan omaan kayttoomme tunniksi kymmenella eurolla! Ja parkkeeraamaan Bussin aivan Bukharan vanhan kaupungin sydameen 600-vuotisten moskeijoiden pihaan hehee..

Bukhara

Kullakin maalla on lopulta aina omat ihmeensä!