Filling water bottles.

The last time I watched my watch was around 4am. Waking up 6:45 and I didn't end up sleeping too much.
No worries. I know that it's often enough to have only 2-3 hours for the mind. The body did get what it needed (a full night of rest).

I decided to stress to the group that our mornings are not meant to be hurried. Luckily we did live that and after 2,5hours we started our journey.

Our plan was to reach Li?kinjohka in the evening visiting the ancient reindeer fence from the 19th century.

We started the day with a decent climb uphill towards Mielke?ohkka. Once getting enough (but not too much) height to see what's around us, we started to walk upstream the Carsejohka.

After a few breaks (one to find out a way around a rough boulder soil) we were in bare mountain area above the tree line. Wind behind our back and clouds disappearing, we were having a blast.

Me taking the lead and walking alone. Not a thing I usually do.

A lot of beautiful lakes on the way, one especially beautiful where the girls wanted to go for a swim. We didn't stop there - instead we had lunch at the banks of Sirdda?v?i.

Walking toward Erttetvárri we crossed the river Erttetvárjohka. I did show good example by not opening the latches of the back bag. Luckily I did say that.

It is a good habit for a guide to have a little break before crossing a stream - during the break it's easy to spot a safe place to cross it. And once making the crossing - take first your own back bag and then come back to help others.

I did that. Luckily. As a fellow hiker fell on the river, I was right there to help the unlucky fellow.

Decided to call it a day and start drying the clothes. At 3pm. Probably I would've stayed there anyway - no need to rush with the heavy bags. I just did not quite know what the fellow hikers did expect from the journey.*

In the evening we had pancakes on an open bonfire. Lovely.

I did ask the group for a personal favor in the evening - I do not want to do things 'like they've always been done'. Thus, I asked for a permission to stay at the site for two nights and have a day trip instead. It is so much easier to do things differently in the future, if I've done that the first time. Lucky for me, they all wanted to try it out.

*Now I know and today I would stop there and enjoy. I've left my mark on what kind of a guide I am. And people in Turun Latu shall know what to expect when hiking with me. A gentle days.