When I first started reading this thread I thought "that is probably the last road trip that I would ever do in a Lotus"
Simply because these cars aren't known for their reliability and going so far from home and far from dealerships, it would just be asking for trouble. I'm sorry to hear...
Brake fluid flush to bleed the clutch slave cylinder? I have heard of people having air bubbles in the lines from the factory. Just know there are two, separate chambers in the brake fluid reservoir if you do it yourself.
I am trying to imagine a situation where I would ever have 6 weeks to drive around Scandinavia, etc. Sounds like a fantasy to me. I hope this trip does not disappoint.
This high-pitched noise you are hearing is the sound of air rushing through the throttle body when it is just barely cracked open. I have experienced this on a number of cars, going back over the last 20 plus years. Nothing to be concerned about