The adventure started

The extreme motorhome adventure ("European Extreme Camper Adventure") has just started from the easternmost point in Europe, located in a rather remote area of Finland. Because of the spherical shape of the earth, in fact, the longitude here reaches 31°35′11″E and is, therefore, farther East than Romania (which does not exceed the 30th parallel). The point is on a lake, Virmajärvi, and the opposite shore of it belongs to Russia. The lake is. Thanks to the Oru Kayak "origami" canoe, Salvatore has been able to venture to the border. The area is charming and quiet and that makes you think about the terrible conflicts involving this nation at this time.
The lake is part of the Ilomantsi municipality. About fifty kilometers from the small town, through a sparsely populated area there is a very small group of houses, the last sign of civilization. After driving for another 30km or so, heading east through forests and meadows, and after crossing a small river (called Alajoki) you finally reach the small lake.
Despite being far from any sign of human presence, there is a wooden path that leads to a "lookout" over the lake, and there is the most easterly point of Finland and the entire European Union (including the Schengen area). It is marked by a few signs explaining its geography and by a folkloric installation, consisting of a wooden log with a copper canopy, standing on a rock. The risky venture...
Reaching this area was not easy and the first unexpected events already jeopardized the departure.
The first serious problem was an interrupted road. To reach Virmajärvi there are only dirt roads. Among these, one was abandoned and impassable. This involved returning to the village to ask for information and a better understanding of which path to take to be sure to get to the point. The delay was considerable.
Once in Virmajärvi, the team wanted to access the jetty which represents the easternmost point of Europe but it was blocked by a Finnish group (Pielisen Tietäjäkeskus) led by two Shamanes who, due to the well-known "Murphy's law", had chosen just that afternoon to occupy the area, otherwise rarely frequented, to perform a pagan rite called “Rauha, maailmanrauha” aimed at recalling peace in the world. The choice of the location was obviously due to the proximity to the Russian border. It was possible to see the ceremony only from a distance as a matter of respect and it was not possible to take pictures also due to the presence of naked people.
Other small unforeseen events had already slowed the departure: the airline had lost the package with the decals. Unable to wait more, Tototravel staff used normal adhesives just made at the last minute for the purpose. Although they do not give the same result, they will still make the motorhome recognizable.
Despite all the unexpected events, Salvatore is super excited and ready to grind out the nearly 10,000 kilometers needed to accomplish the feat (including a few detours). The caterpillars are arrived and seem peaceful in their mini-terrarium, unaware that in the next twenty days they will develop their chrysalis to be released as butterflies traveling Europe far and wide, high and low... literally!

The motorhome (the Malibu I 430 LE) has been branded with the company and partners' logos, and the long-awaited names of the caterpillars on this new adventure have finally been announced. Indeed, this is not the first-time animals like these have traveled with the Tototravel.it association as ambassadors and symbols of rebirth.
They have already done similar adventures by electric scooter and by bicycle all over Italy (20 Regions in 20 Days). After "Huey", "Dewey", and... "Fausto", the first three, and "Abbott", "And" and "Costello", the second trio, now the name selected are "Tom", "Dick" and... "Bubba"!

Toward the real northernmost point of Europe....
The trio is now heading to the Arctic Circle. Indeed, the next point to be reached will be North Cape and Europe's real, lesser-known northernmost point. This first portion of the trip will be about 1,500 km long. Along the way, there will be a couple of stops to learn something about the traditions of this fascinating area. We are keeping our fingers crossed because the weather forecast seems to threaten the possibility of strong winds, fog, and all the worst that we hope will be averted.
Let's give Salvatore, Tom, Dick, and Bubba a big "good luck" and let's look forward to hearing from them from the North Cape as well as from the real northernmost point in Europe that most do not know... The partners

• Malibu Reisemobile, a reference brand in the upper-class thanks to its value-added vehicles;
• Camperonline.it, the main Italian website regarding campers;
• Smart Bugs, a farm that produces educational kits, such as those of the caterpillars that are the protagonists of the adventure;
• ACTI Italia, the main federation of motorhome clubs in Italy, active since 1940;
• Virtualcamper.it - ​​by Giorico Assicurazioni - the innovative Vittoria Assicurazioni virtual agency for a policy dedicated to RV drivers and designed for their specific personal and family needs;
• Oru Kayak, the most innovative, portable boats in the world: a foldable packable, and compact fleet without compromises on durability or performance;
• Makè, the portable coffee machine: thanks to its high precision mechanics and its unique and original technology, allows you to enjoy an excellent Italian espresso anywhere;
• Camper Infinity, the problem-solving APP, all you need about camping;
• Leading Campings, one of the most prestigious, experienced, advanced, and ecological groups in European camping;
• Obitur, a camping reference in Portugal with over 20 Campsites from North to South;
• Enough With This Sh*t, The producer of the stronger, greener and better deodorizer for black tanks;
• Love The Hair, a successful online beauty shop;
• Camper Magazine, the first and most important Italian television program dedicated to tourism on the move;
• ACS, Automobile Club of Switzerland;
• Associazione Camperisti Svizzera Italiana, the Italian Swiss Camper Club;
• Radio Show Italia 103.5, an Italian radio that can also be listened to online or via the app;
• Idee Pericolose, an Italian Podcast;
• Gruppo Lumi, publishing, communication, events, advertising;
• Civetta Movie, production house, development of film projects and television formats;
• ISORADIO, Camper Press, and Turismo Itinerante, sharing the message with their news report.