Traveling by land within Europe is relatively easy, and for me it’s also a conscious choice to push back against the fast pace of modern travel and the normalization of flying.
Mervi the dog enjoying the warm spring sunshine (Photo credit: Maiju Ylönen
I chose to drive a van instead of taking the train mainly because of my dog, and because finding pet-friendly accommodation during the high season was challenging. I’m visiting the Snow Hydrology research group in WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF to exchange expertise and explore how my experimental snow-bottom temperature data collected in Finland using distributed temperature sensing cables can be applied across different spatial and temporal scales. The aim is to better understand the factors that control snow depth and snow-bottom temperatures in boreal forests.
Leaving Finland for Switzerland with my dog and a camper van felt like stepping into the unknown. We had arranged to meet my receiving professor at SLF on Wednesday at 9 a.m., but beyond that, I had little idea what everyday life in Switzerland would look like—or how well van life with a dog would actually work out in the middle of winter.
Me and Mervi the dog in Poschiavo (Photo credit: Ilona Korpela)
Our journey began with the ferry from Helsinki to Germany, where we unexpectedly shared the crossing with hundreds of Dutch banger rally drivers, giving the trip an unforgettable start. From Hamburg, we drove all the way to Davos in a single day, arriving just after half a meter of fresh snow had fallen. For the first week, every morning began by digging the camper out of the snow.
Now, two months later, both my dog and I move through Davos with ease, on snowy streets, ski trails, or mountain slopes. We’ve been exploring the Alpine landscapes, got lost in tiny villages, and driven curly roads through Italy and Austria. And of course enjoyed the snow! Life is hard to predict, but sometimes it offers the most beautiful surprises.
Sharing a little snack in St. Moritz (Photo credit: Ilona Korpela)
