Category Archives: Scandinavia 2011

Day 15 On the road to Stockholm, originally uploaded by Big Al!.

TStayed in really bad hostel last night. In a country that experiences almost 24 hours of daylight, why do they have such useless curtains? The early start because of the early light at least gets me a hundred miles down the road before the rain starts. The scenery is like Scotland (I’m sure everyone says that), but with the complete absence of other people, the long stretches of empty road, and the weather, It reminds me of Siberia. When the rain starts and I find a road side cafe for a coffee and smorgasbord, I’m reminded of that day on the trans-siberian highway when I had a similarly early start, empty roads, cold rain, and the restorative warmth of a truck stop, copious coffee, and fatty food. Back then I didn’t have the comfort of Gerbings heated clothing. I’m going to sign us as a salesman or co ambassador for them, it’s utterly brilliant to be toasty warm in cold weather. I enjoy my breakfast, wondering how much colder, windier and wetter it will get by the time I hit northern Norway. I wasn’t expecting to get a tan up here (although how come so many Swedes are so tanned? And why are they walking around in shorts and summer dresses when it’s like winter?), but I didn’t expect it to be this bad when I’m only really at southern Scotland latitudes. I re-fill the coffee cup and contemplate the rain outside the window.

Day 15 Oland, Sweden, originally uploaded by Big Al!.

Guide book made Oland sound good, but it isn’t. It’s rubbish. And it’s windy, which just exacerbates the buffeting I get from the rubbish screen on the F800. It’s mid-summer’s day, which apparently is a big deal over here, but there’s not much life. Everything is shut, and everyone must be in another part of the island.

Day 14 Tranquility on Sweden’s Baltic coast, originally uploaded by Big Al!.

The heavy rain subsides by early morning and I leave Copenhagen in the dry, which makes navigating my way out of town a little easier, and soon I’m approaching the Oresund bridge to Sweden. On paper it sounds like co interesting bridge. The first half is a tunnel, several km long, which emerges on a small island and turns into the bridge, one of the longest in the world. You cross the border part way along the bridge. In reality, it’s a bit dull, and in strong winds on a bike it’s quite frightening. I nearly get blown over several times. EU borders being a non-event I’m onto Swedish soil in an instant and make for the coast road. Sweden is very pretty, very yellow and blue, but the weather spoils things. It’s cold and very windy all day, but thankfully dry. And just as I think that, the heavens open and I decide to stop. Camping is out in these conditions, but I get lucky and find a campsite with a cabin, So I can be warm and dry. No sooner am I inside than the sun comes out. I walk the 100 yards down to the shore, which I can see from the cabin. It’s sensational. There’s no-one there but me, and there’s no man made noise. The sea is calm, almost like a lake it’s so smooth, and it’s a rich dark blue. The slowly setting sun (it is mid-summer’s eve after all) turns the sand and the rocks a bright gold. The only noise is the gentle breeze in The trees, the water lapping at the rocks, and the sea birds talking to each other. They seem to be as relaxed as I am, it even looks like they are yawning and stretching too. It’s beautiful, serene, pure. A perfect moment, and pay-back for all the rain.

Day 14 Southern Sweden, originally uploaded by Big Al!.

Quick lunch break (sandwiches made, and technically stolen, at breakfast buffet) overlooking the Baltic sea on the south coast of Sweden. Cold, windy, expensive, and busy, but at least dry. For now, anyway, though the large black clouds that have followed me everywhere are looming on east and west horizons.

Day 13 Sunny Copenhagen, originally uploaded by Big Al!.

First sun I’ve seen in a while. Copenhageners don’t seen to work, they just sit around drinking expensive beer in Irish pubs or sunbathing or Kongenshaven. Me too.