Pole to Pole
Day 22: Rovaniemi to Helsinki
At a quarter to midnight the telephone rings. It's a particularly insistent Finn who wants to talk to me for his university newspaper. In vain I point out the time, the fact that I was asleep, and the work I have to do tomorrow.'I am down here in the lobby,' he persists.
'Well, it's not really a good time.'
'I am doing an article, please, on John Cleese and I think you know him . . . '
That does it.
'I am in bed. I have four months' travelling ahead of me, and I have no time to talk about John Cleese!'
Somewhat surprisingly, this seems to amuse my caller greatly, and only then do I recognize in the cackle of non-Finnish laughter the unmistakable tones of a tall fellow Python.
'I just rang to see how you were getting on,' wheezes John cheerfully . . . and I remember how much he enjoyed doing Scandinavian accents.
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PALIN'S GUIDES
- Series: Pole to Pole
- Day: 22
- Country/sea: Finland
- Place: Helsinki
- Book page no: 47
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