Category Archives: Uncategorized

Day 17 Stockholm, originally uploaded by Big Al!.

Museum overload.

Day 16 Sensational Stockholm, originally uploaded by Big Al!.

The rain eases and I leave the truck stop, heading north on empty roads, and enjoying the lack of traffic. All cars in Denmark seem to have had their indicators disabled. All drivers in Sweden seem to have had their brains disabled. Most of the occasional biking Vikings that I pass don’t even wave, but an intelligent few do. The miles fly by as I enjoy the view and keep a look out for moose. I see plenty of warning signs and one carcass. The size of it makes it clear if I hit one it will be the moose that wins. Finding the hotel is a breeze, avoiding city centre traffic, and it has a secure underground car park, both important features for motorcycle travellers. It’s also much nicer than I expected given I chose from the budget end, and after a short walk I’m in the centre of the old town and surrounded by camera wielding tourists and (happily), Irish pubs again. Hoping I don’t look anything like the stereotypical tourists with their cameras, bum bags, anoraks, and arguing spouses, I retire to a tourist filled restaurant for tourists and sit surrounded by tourists eating food for tourists at tourist prices but knowing I’m not really one of them. Bikers are different.

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.