June,2019
In June at Hiiumaa
One lovely June morning, a group of bus drivers gathered to the Betooni street to go and see the sights of Hiiumaa.
The journey was kicked off in the fancy Irizar i6s. In Rohuküla, we met the bus drivers from Southern Estonia and once the bus boarded the ship, it was already full.
At the Heltermaa port, the travel group was welcomed by Raivo Avango, a bus drivers association member from Hiiumaa, and the trip continued towards Suuremõisa manor that currently houses Hiiumaa vocational school and Suuremõisa basic school. The bus drivers were given a thorough guided tour around the manor, from the attic to the basement, and we also got to hear everything about what the manor school is currently up to. Raivo Avango trains those interested in becoming truck and bus drivers at the Hiiumaa vocational school.
From Suuremõisa the tour continued to Palade village, where the bus drivers visited the Soera farm museum and Palade nature education centre. Walking around the farm buildings with the local guide, the tour group learned interesting facts about the farm life a long time ago when the men were at sea and women had to take care of all the farm works. The travel group was well fed with the soup brought to the farm.
From there, the journey continued towards Tahkuna. On route, the group passed through Kärdla, where we paid a visit to the local shop and posed in front of the bus station with our large bus for a picture.
The more active bus drivers climbed to the top of the Tahkuna lighthouse to enjoy the breath-taking view. The group also paid a visit to the M/S Estonia memorial and reminisced about long gone friends.
From Tahkuna, the bus moved towards our accommodation at Kassari. The majority of our group fit in the Vetsi Talli holiday village where a common dinner was also held. But before dinner, the group managed to visit the Hiiu Õlle Koda brewery nearby, where the local brewer personally introduced his work and offered different beverages and snacks for degustation.
The dinner and traditional speeches went by in great atmosphere. Raivo Avango provided musical performances. Mootor Grupp Chairman of the Board Hugo Osula valued the work of the bus drivers in his speech. The merry group sang along to Raivo Avango’s guitar melodies until the early hours of the next day.
The following day after breakfast the group visited the Vaemla wool mill where the century-old machines prepare yarn from sheep wool. The bus drivers got to see the entire process with their own eyes and also buy products made from the wool from the mill’s shop.
After visiting the mill, the bus started back towards Heltermaa port to head home.
For the bus drivers’ delight, a 1989 Paz bus drove up to the port. Many bus drivers have their own memories related with this bus. The travel group investigated the Paz from inside and out. The rarity in great condition made all the eyes light up and just like that the entire trip got even more special.
See the video here
A big thankyou to the organisers!
