Finland

This was my first time in Finland, another country I’d always wanted to visit because I knew I’d find the kind of nature I love there. I wasn’t disappointed.

I went with two close friends, Matilda and Noa, for a short escape. We rented what was advertised as a cabin, but it was really a big wooden holiday house next to a farm, complete with its own sauna. We were off to a great start. There was nothing around us but fields and lakes, and every day was spent outside, roaming the forests, enjoying the quiet, breathing in the smell of wood, and taking the opportunity to photograph my friends, with, as usual, absolutely no budget for clothes. Every evening ended in our little wood-fired sauna. It was pure bliss.

We then headed to Billnäs, with a stop at Kurjenrahka National Park along the way. Yet another beautiful spot, where the trails wind through the forest on raised boardwalks that weave between the lakes.

In Billnäs we met and stayed with friends of Matilda, Saara and Jarno, who have since become very close friends of mine too. We spent a few days at their farm, enjoying more time outdoors, and this time also in the company of sheep. One morning we jumped naked into the lake at sunrise. The water was freezing, but the experience was incredible. A first for me, and probably one of the most refreshing ways to start a day.

This trip was the beginning of a tradition. I’ve been coming back to Finland every single year since. What an amazing country that keeps calling me back.