My Finnish agility vacation is ending, and I’m getting emotional. It felt like coming home when we reached Helsinki by boat two months ago. All the memories came alive – like June 2022, when I was here for the last time, was yesterday.
This year was different. Instead of staying in Nummi-land like before, I came with my VendaVan, my home on wheels. Traveling across the country and exploring – it all had a different taste because I was more connected to nature, living in it. So many hikes in beautiful lush forests, swimming in lakes, blueberry and wild strawberry picking, very late sunsets and crazy early sunrises with birds singing almost all day long. I was bitten by so many mosquitos and horseflies that one could have nightmares about it!
Though I did return to Nummi for two weeks when Sisu broke her leg. I needed to slow down, mentally and physically. Honestly, no one can make me believe everything will be ok like Jessi, my friend/family hosting me there. The population in Nummi-land has increased since I was here last time: we’re plus one boyfriend, one newborn, three dogs, two cats, and three ducks. Full house! Exactly as I remember it, as I love it!
The Roads and the Journey
Finland is huge. To explore, visit old friends and lead seminars across the country meant accepting I’d spend a lot of time driving.
Here’s a funny contrast: I’m from Slovakia, tiny but perfectly positioned. Drive 10 hours from Slovakia and you could reach 12-15 countries – Poland, Ukraine, Hungary, Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Slovenia, Croatia, Italy, Switzerland, Romania, Serbia, Bosnia, even parts of France or Netherlands. Drive 10 hours from Helsinki? You reach Santa’s village above Rovaniemi, with 6 hours still ahead to Norway’s border.
Driving in Finland is special and kind of “boring” simultaneously. 95% of roads are perfect – no dodging bumps or holes like in Slovakia, where side roads feel like slalom courses trying not to break your car. I’ll never forget driving to competition in Bogotá. Thank God I wasn’t driving – if I had been, legend says we’d still be there. Enormous traffic, cyclists everywhere as normal traffic, plus the biggest road holes imaginable. Sometimes I closed my eyes rather than see if we’d hit them. Those holes were so big we probably would have gotten stuck, and somebody else would have had to judge.
But back to Finland. Nice roads, drivers following limits, less traffic as you head north. You can drive half an hour without meeting another car. Yes, speed cameras everywhere, but visible – unlike Slovak policemen hiding behind corners with mobile radars, almost jumping under your wheels to “surprise” you.
What you really watch for: deer, reindeer, elk. You never know when these beauties will jump in front of your wheels. This keeps me super alert. Deer are cute, reindeer like fairytale creatures, elk otherworldly. You don’t want to hit any of them.
The People and Stories
Every time I had a seminar somewhere, stories stuck in my head.
Like the girl with a Brazilian terrier working as a beautician doing Brazilian waxing. She said I’ll get one next time – I don’t think so! 🙂 It’s incredible how many different professions agility handlers have. Inside the ring we’re all the same; outside, hundreds of different life stories. Some really unique, like the girl doing genital piercings. I’ll never forget her describing penis piercings during dinner with Jan Egil Eide and Vittorio Pappavero – their faces twisted in imaginary pain.
Or the sweet girl with an even sweeter one-eyed dog, running so smoothly it was balm for your soul to watch. Many sweet people with sweeter dogs crossed my path this summer. I’m thankful because even though I’m a dog agility trainer, it’s always about the people – the energy we spread, the attitude we have.
Many old friends have new dogs, young puppies, new challenges. Every dog is a completely new story – like reading a new book. Even though we want them to be like previous dogs (especially if the previous one was an agility star), they’re different. Just as everyone we meet can teach us something, so can puppies. They teach us about ourselves, about life, about agility. If they’re challenging, it’s ok – this is how we grow. I know Sisu will challenge me; she already does. I can’t wait to see what I’ll learn by her side.
Many friends’ previous dogs have died. Sometimes from old age, sometimes sickness came from nowhere. You’re left with a hole in your heart, accepting it as it is, even though tears well up whenever you think about them or someone asks without knowing they’re gone.
Many friends can’t run as well because of knees, hips, health problems. In better cases, they run even better after knee or hip replacements. 🙂
Many stories. Many emotions.
That’s what agility is about for me nowadays.
Thank you, each of you who were part of my training these past months. Thank you for your trust, smiles, good energy, and love for the sport and, most importantly, your dogs – it was contagious.
It was my pleasure being part of your journey.
Stay safe, enjoy what you can, and see you next summer. This migratory bird is moving south again.
With love,
Vendula
AGILITY ON THE ROAD 
Leave a comment