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The ferry arrived at Visby, the main city of Gotland. City with ruins and beautiful sea. Walking up a hill, I could look down the town with orange roofed houses and Baltic sea. Nice.
When I asked where is the most popular sight to visit in Gotland at the tourist office, the guide said Faro island. So I decided to go there, simple. There are bus going between Visby and ferry port to Faro, but I thought why not rent a bicycle. Since there are many cycle roads and it's quite common for visitors to do so. I rented a standard three geared bike. They also gave me a pump and other tools for tire repair. Around mid day, off I went. In my opinion, the weather in Gotland is the best in Sweden!
Although it was a rough one, I had a map of Gotland and it showed the recommended cycle roads. Mainly around the coastline. I tried loading my backpack on the back, but since it's heavy and big, I gave up. I carried it on my back instead. After riding along for a few hours, the bike suddenly felt heavy. Moving forward became difficult, the rear tire was punctured. I thought it would happen sometime, but it came earlier than I thought. Although I felt irritated, there was a repair seal in the kit so it didn't take long. Just find the puncture and glue, seal, done. But, ten minutes later, I felt the same dullness again. Even worth, it felt like there was something in the tire. Every time the wheel span, there was a bump. It was around four so I decided to camp at the next campsite I find and do the repair next morning. I wasn't in the mood to do the repair again. Ten minutes was a bit of shock for me.
picture: Visby
As a capital city, I imagined a city with skyscrapers. But as the bus approached the city center, I noticed that there aren't any. Another thing about Stockholm is that the city is surrounded by water.
Major sights I visited in Stockholm were Gamla Stan(old town), Nobel museum, Skansen and Vasa museum. To the hostel, I had to walk through Gamla Stan so I walked around the area every day. Walking through an old town with colorful houses and walking by the water to Skansen was very nice. Skansen is a big park with everything such as zoo, farm, historical buildings and restaurants. I didn't look all the parts but the zoo was definitely worth a visit. So many creatures that I've never seen before. Vasa museum is a museum about a ship. The ship sank during the war and was salvaged in the sixties. The whole ship is in the museum! It's in a good condition and the details are still there.
I also walked around the city center which was filled with tourist. On Saturday, so many people shopping and sightseeing in the city center.
The shopping areas were like other cities but the old towns and other surrounding parts were very unique. Again with okay weather, I had a great time in Stockholm. I'm moving to Gotland next. Three hours ferry trip from main land.
picture: above, the old town on the left and city center on the far side. below, ring-tailed lemur
On the last day in Kiruna, I joined a tour to go down a mine. To be precise, the biggest undermine in the world. The tour departed from the city center at one o'clock. Only five minutes or so on the bus, we arrived at the gate of the mine. As the bus driver held his card to the machine, the gate swung open and the bus entered the mouth of the mine. Soon it got dark and I felt the slope. The road was sloping 10%, I drove a 9% road in Norway and it was quite steep. We got deeper and deeper by the second. There are no lights in the tunnel so that the truck drivers can tell the oncoming vehicles by it's headlight. After a few minutes, the bus stopped at a gate. Inside was unbelievably spacious room for the visitors. There were cinema to show how the mine was made, long corridor where the monstrous machines awaits the visitors, and cafe for a small break. The machines they use for mining were just like the ones I saw on the Discovery channel, big and vicious. It was very interesting tour. The tour group was small and the guide spoke English. I've gone up near the highest of the country and the deepest in the world. Kiruna, sure has it's ups and downs. In a good way of course.
After Kiruna, I took a train. I stopped at Lulea, Umea and took a bus to Docksta, where the world heritage site, High Coast is in a walking distance.
I didn't have enough information about High Coast, but I figured if I go there I would find something. So, after walking for three hours through a forest full of spider webs, I reached Skuleskogen National Park, one of the well known parts of High Coast. (Also known as Hoga Kusten) At the gate of Skuleskogen, there was an information board which read that the hike up to the top is quite demanding, trained man would walk up to the top in 1to1.5 hours and some might take 2to3 hours. Worrying and looking forward how tough it is at the same time, I started the hike. At the start the trail was very well paved with planks but soon it got rocky. It was unusually hot day. After walking for an hour or so, the trees were sparser and the ground were covered with red rocks. I thought I've come quite high and stopped to look around. There was a beautiful view behind me! The top of Skulesberget is 294m above sea level and the highest coastline is 286m above sea level. I wasn't at the highest point and I knew this wasn't the highest coastline, but still it was amazing. Sunlit small islands in the high coast was beautiful. BUT! On my right, I found a huge raincloud. As soon as I found it, I felt a drop on my face. I though it won't come just yet, but I decided to put on my rain gears on. Wise decision it was, soon the weather changed into a typhoon. Strong wind and heavy rain. I thought the summit wasn't too far, so I decided to continue my hike. Soon I came to a place where small rocks were stacked up into a pile. Often seen in the mountains. It wasn't the summit yet, but I put a stone on the pile and decided to descend. The wind was too strong and the wet rocks were slippery and dangerous. Rain didn't bother me since I had a fine gear with me and I waxed my boots the day before. When I got near to the entrance, I got a lift. Very kind old man who drove a Japanese car drove me back to Docksta. Too bad I couldn't take good pictures because of the heavy rain, but the beautiful views will stay in my mind.
I left Docksta and took a bus to Sundsvall today. I'm moving to Stockholm tomorrow. It'll be only a few hours trip from here.
picture: above, three towed woodpecker(not sure). below, the beast in the mine
Woke up around seven again. Had breakfast and started descending. The way back to Nikkaloukta was easier than the other way. Maybe because I knew the distance and the trail. Reached Nikkaloukata and caught a bus to go back to Kiruna. The hostel I stayed at before was full so I stayed in another hostel called Yellow house. Guess what, it's yellow.
I walked 70kilometers or so in three days. For me, it's quite amazing. Like I said before, there are people who does this for much longer term in a harsher condition.
It was definitely unforgettable three days in my trip.
picture: reindeer, snow. taken yesterday
Woke up around seven. The night wasn't unbearably cold, but it was cold enough to wake me up a few times. Had breakfast at the hostel and started the hike to climb Kebnekaise. It was snowing since I got out of the tent…it's August… I checked the route on the map at the hostel. It showed some trails and what I had to do was to go west. There were a few hikers at the start but soon I was alone. Snow, reindeer and massive mountains. After walking for couple of hours, two guys were walking toward me. I said "hi" as usual, and he first said something in Swedish. I said "Sorry, I don't understand". Then he said something very very strange. A bit philosophical, he said "where, tomorrow". hmm… what did he mean. It was really tough for me to guess what he wanted to ask. I said I'm staying at the hostel, it doesn't make sense but I thought I have to say something. Anyway, I think it was the wrong answer, he started walking again. Maybe I should have said "be patient my friend, tomorrow will come, be patient". Communication breakdown.
After walking for three hours, I started to wonder whether I was going the right way or not. Still, I believed that there would be a sign which showed the way to the mountain. Four hours past, a sign! It said Kebnekaise 14kilometers… it meant the hostel. I knew it, I walked around the mountain I wanted to climb. BUT, I wasn't disappointed at all. The nature surrounded me was magnificent. Snowcapped mountains, reindeers staring at me as I walked around them, cold wind, lakes, snow. It was so WILD. And that was what I wanted to see. Superb.
I walked for 30to35 kilometers. I admire the people who does this everyday for a week or sometimes a month. Must be super fit.
Checked in at the hostel and slept in a warm and comfortable bed where there are no wind or sound of rain.
picture: taken near the sign said 14km to kebnekaise
I stayed in Kiruna for two days. Thought about leaving on the 23rd, but at the hostel, I heard that the highest mountain in Sweden is near Kiruna. So I did some research and decided to climb "Kebnekaise", the highest mountain in Sweden on the 24th.
Took the bus to Nikkaluokta from Kiruna. From there I had to walk about 20 kilometers to the hostel. With my backpack, which has many stuff I don't need for hiking or climbing mountain. Anyway, I started the hike around half eleven and reached the hostel at Kebnekaise almost five hours later. The track led me to the hostel wasn't too bad. Sometimes rocky but much better than what I imagined. I couldn't book a night at the hostel so I had to sleep outside in my tent. It is free to camp outside but I preferred sleeping inside in a warm bed. The weather forecast at the hostel said it's going to be somewhere around -4degrees. I wore everything I had.
picture: taken the next day during the hike. it's snowing!
After changing buses for four times, we reached Nervik around nine on Friday. We took the last beds in the hostel for the night. I had to do some research for the whale watch, how to go to the point and when it's open and stuff. But the internet at the hostel was super slow. So I decided to go to the information center the following morning. So, after having breakfast, we went to the center but it was shut…not again. Everything is shut on Saturdays too. Got back to the hostel. Tried the super slow internet to check the bus timetable. I found out that it is possible to go by bus. But I realized the timetable I was looking at was for Sunday. So, final option, car hire. The car hire place was next door so I walked there to check but it was shut. I thought about hitchhiking to the whale place but I simply decided to change my destination. To Abisko. Hour and a half ride on the train from Narvik.
Took the 14:50 train which goes all the way to Stockholm. Crossed the border during the train ride. I couldn't spot an obvious difference. Few minutes past four, the train arrived at Abisko. There I departed with my friend. He's going to Stockholm, eighteen hours on train. Gone around Norway with him, more fun to have a company to travel with. Also good to have a friend around so that I can speak Japanese as a first option. Now I'm back in the Englishness.
Abisko was more civilized than I imagined. Hotel and a tourist canter just by the station. I was going to camp near the station but they said I can't, unless I got out of the national park. So I camped at the campsite they offered. I was worried whether my sleeping bag was warm enough in this area. The result was, it was the limit. I wasn't too cold but I didn't feel warm and comfortable.
I went for a short hike in the morning and came back to the station to catch the train. Which was canceled for the day. Why! But there was a bus coming to pick us up, and I didn't have to pay for the ride. So, it turned out to be a good news. The bus took me to Kiruna. I'm staying here for a night and head east on the train tomorrow.
picture: taken at Abisko
The ferry arrived at Visby, the main city of Gotland. City with ruins and beautiful sea. Walking up a hill, I could look down the town with orange roofed houses and Baltic sea. Nice.
