Sweden 🇸🇪
Asljunga, August 13, 2024 🇸🇪
In a small village called Asljunga, we find a really nice campsite at a B&B. Adriana walks around the local lake and takes tons of great photos, but unfortunately, I’m still in bed, and there doesn’t seem to be any real improvement at the moment. We can still manage at least a short trip to the lake, but we decide that if I don’t feel any better by tomorrow, we’ll see a doctor.
Halmstad, August 14, 2024 🇸🇪
On Wednesday, I’m still not feeling well, so our hostess sets up a doctor’s appointment for me.
We’re glad we can get there so quickly, and soon I’m lying on the exam table at the doctor’s office while all sorts of tests are being done. After some waiting, the results come in: My CRP level—a measure of inflammation—is higher than the machine can measure. The doctor can’t take responsibility for treating me, so I’m sent straight to the emergency room in the nearest major city, Halmstad.
There, I go through the same procedure again, which lasts well into the evening, and in the end, I’m prescribed antibiotics for the next 14 days……
Langaryd, August 14, 2024 🇸🇪
After all the excitement of the last few days, we now need some peace and quiet. And we find it in the countryside in Langaryd. We’re given a very warm welcome by the family and look forward to exploring the area the next morning.
Very close by, there’s a lake—what else? Time seems to stand still here, and you feel as if you’ve stepped into an Astrid Lindgren story. By the lake, we fly the drone and capture beautiful shots of the region. We could actually stay here much longer, but we want to go a little further today.
Gränna, August 15, 2024 🇸🇪
Our destination today is Gränna, and it’s quite something—because there’s one thing here above all else… Swedish sweets, and plenty of them! We’re greeted, however, by a monument featuring a balloon. It honors the famous polar explorer Salomon August Andrée, who was born in Gränna in 1854. His story is both fascinating and tragic, as he was presumed lost for more than 33 years during his expedition to the North Pole in a hydrogen balloon.
But then it’s off to Candy Land! The place doesn’t seem exactly unknown, as there are tons of tourists—mostly Swedish. Of course, we have to try the candies called polkagrisar, or simply candy canes. They’re not quite to our taste, though, so we just enjoy the atmosphere.
In the end, our team gets a new addition… a moose will now show us the way north. Until its “christening,” let’s just call it Moose…
Kumla, August 17, 2024 🇸🇪
Our stop today is Kumla, just before the town of Örebro. Here we’re once again at a campground, taking full advantage of the facilities, since it’s time to do laundry again.
On the way to Kumla, we make a quick stop at one of Scandinavia’s oldest healing springs, Medevi Brunn. Some of the buildings are a bit dated, but they have a very special charm and character. Then we continue on to Kumla, a small town with about 16,000 residents.
Leksand, August 18, 2024 🇸🇪
Today is all about Leksand, the famous crispbread company. The parking lot is already pretty full, but there’s enough space for everyone. By the way, staying overnight in a camper here is no problem—you’re even allowed to use all the facilities. No sooner had we arrived than we saw visitors leaving the factory store with shopping carts filled to the brim with boxes! It certainly seems worth the trip… The factory store is really lovely, and you could stock up on everything your (culinary, Swedish) heart desires. The Dalarna horses, in particular, are truly beautiful—especially since they’re made right here in the region. We stock up on crispbread, too, though we’ll probably only have enough to last until the Norwegian border and not much further.
Next, we head to our campsite for the night—a large field by a… lake. Even with overcast and slightly rainy weather, this is a beautiful spot. Adriana sets out right away to “forage” for berries, and I launch the drone to get a better view of the vast landscape.
Östersund, August 19, 2024 🇸🇪
Today we’re heading to Östersund, pretty much in the middle of Sweden and one of the larger cities on the way north. Along the way, there are, of course, countless sights that we don’t want to miss. In Sveg, we’re right in the middle of bear country, though there are only about 200–300 of them, so our efforts to spot one are pretty much in vain. A quick stop to shop, and then we’re on our way. Of course, we can’t go without a good dessert—today we’re having yeast rolls… we’re really looking forward to them. But things turn out differently, because the delicious yeast rolls have gone missing after lunch. Even an intensive search doesn’t help; it’s a lost cause, and we resign ourselves to the fact that we must have left them behind in the store. In the evening, after our walk, our Joey seems to smell quite strongly of cinnamon, and lo and behold… our dessert is in the bag behind the passenger seat. So there’s still something good for our health after all… We’ll pass on the surströmming, though, and just stick to a picture.
Östersund, August 20, 2024 🇸🇪
Östersund is pretty much the last “big city” we’ll see for a while, so we’re in for one last city tour. After a short walk, we reach the downtown area, which consists mostly of traditional buildings. You’ll find the usual shops here, though there’s quite a bit of activity. For lunch, we have a buffet at a local restaurant, and then we head back “home.” It’s striking how many vehicles have tons of auxiliary headlights—in all kinds of designs….
By the way, the cans in the last photo are snus, a very widespread and popular form of oral tobacco. A small pouch is taken from the can and placed behind the upper or lower lip, where it remains for about 15–30 minutes until the effect wears off.
Strömsund, August 21, 2024 🇸🇪
We’re taking our lunch break in Strömsund today. But before that, we’re taking a stroll through the local park. There, we come across the giant Jorm, a fairy-tale character from the movie “Dunderklumpen” by Beppe Wolgers and Per Åhlin. The sculpture was erected in 1974. It stands here in the Strömsund Open-Air Museum because Beppe Wolgers is a native of the town.
Afterward, we’ll have some coffee (unfortunately not for me…) at Kafé Tomten, which is really cozy amid the garden benches that are now quite full. There are more and more moose monuments, which we’d of course love to see out in nature (not on the road…) as well. After our break, we’re back on the road, as there are still about 80 km to go to today’s campsite.
Vilhelmina, August 21, 2024 🇸🇪
Today’s campsite is located a bit south of the town of Vilhelmina, beautifully situated by a lake. When we arrive, another camper is already there, and by evening there are four of us in total. In the immediate vicinity of the campsite, there are a few vacation homes, some of which are occupied. In Sweden, a lot of effort goes into maintaining outdoor spaces, especially the lawns. That’s certainly true of these vacation homes—everything looks perfect, as if someone were always living here. Adriana immediately spots some mushrooms, and despite her partner’s skepticism, we end up having them for a delicious dinner. We survived, and our trust in the mushroom hunter is growing…
Arvindsjaur, August 22, 2024 🇸🇪
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