Oh what a night,… not in late December back in 63, but July 2026. 23 liters of rain fell last night in the neighborhood of Karlstad. We’re still so thankful to Sara and Johan for letting us sleep in their house instead of setting up a tent in their garden, as initially planned. We would have been completely soaked.
In the morning, we were invited at Sara and Johan’s breakfast table. Everything went with a cozy spontaneity, as if we had known each other for years. We even tasted some typical Swedish breakfast goodies like Fil (or Filmjölk), a traditional fermented milk product.
Packing went smoothly, so we were back on the road at half past nine.
It was cold this morning when we left (14° C), at least compared to the past few days. But by 9:30, we were off. Besides a little drizzle, we didn’t get too much rain. But the wind was chilly, and luckily our raincoats blocked most of it.
Along our way we encountered many old milestones:
These milestones were apparently introduced in 1649 to calculate the costs of renting horses and carriages. One mil was a Swedish mile, or almost 10 kilometers. The stones were placed in a fixed pattern to calculate distances.
At noon we found a COOP to buy some food for the coming days and we also had our lunch there.
The rest of the afternoon’s drive was a mix of gravel and highway, pretty typical for this part of Sweden. We even saw a moose with two babies and two deers that crossed the road almost right in front of our bikes!
We arrived at Södra Halla in Älvsbacka at a quarter to five, a pretty good time for us, and Johanne and Kees immediately welcomed us with coffee, cake, and homemade cookies.
We had already been here a few times in the past. It is a little heavenly place in Sweden.
Kees made us a welcome dinner. We started with a spicy curry soup, then had splendid nasi with egg and peanut butter sauce.
He also made a super nice ice-cream dessert with chocolate cookies.
We spent the evening sharing cherished memories and stories about ourselves, our children, and our grandchildren until quite late. Eventually, we retired for the night, feeling both weary and yet deeply content, our minds and bodies well-nourished.
Two or three days of rest coming up! We’re listening to our bodies and giving them what they need.
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