Southern Sweden
Unfortunately I could not stay one more night in Jellyfish hostel in Rostock so I took of making my way north to the ferry port. I checked in and at night the ferry entered Trelleborg port. It was late so I followed the camping signs and decided to stay there for one night (which is 25 Euros just putting up a tent). Well, from now on its free camping again.
The weather was, like my riding motivation, not the best the next day and so I stayed an extra night in Lund. Lund is a pretty student town and I found a hostel which is inside an old Swedish train from 1933. For two nights I took an apartment and went to town with the other hostel people.
One thing you should not miss in your cycle equipment are yellow or red glasses. If its cloudy and a little dark I got depressed by looking through my dark sunglasses all day long.
Travel Diary Day 18: 24.06.2011
“… Midsummer is just calibrated here in Sweden and all the Swedish girls are wearing floral wreaths on their heads. On every second house the have put out the Swedish flag and outdoor parties are all over. I met an old Swedish guy, he worked a few years in Austria and loved to cycle there as well. We talk a bit, also about the Swedish beer prices and bevor he took of he opened his walled and with the words: I love Austria, now you can drink lot of beer here – he gave me a 1000 Swedish krona and took off. I tried to regret but, okay my defence was not the best. I fought against the wind the rest of the day and in a little wood inside Falkenberg I hide my self with my tent and stay overnight …”
On the last two days I rode more ore less the Ginstleden Cykelspåret (Ginstleden Cycle Route) which you can ride from Kopenhagen up to Gothenberg. But basically riding in southern Sweden didn’t impress me too much. There is one farm after the other and the coastline you only see a few times. The area is very crowded and free camping options are limited. Campsites are like in Trelleborg very expensive (25 Euros/night just putting up the tent).
After a the last 114,1 km long riding day I reach Gothenberg at 10pm I meet Martin (the guy from the 2010 Iceland cycletrip) we exchange the latest news and make planes for a few days of exploring Gothenberg together.
In total I did about 1500 km and the hardest thing was the timing. If you go on long distance cycling you should no how much you can do in one week. I did’t about 550 per week, this is a valuable information fur further planning.
Especially I enjoyed the save environment and the good infrastructure in Germany and Sweden. Cycling shops (lost a screw from my cycling shoes and changed tires) and good restaurands, also campsites you will find everywhere. Also the language is not a big issue, with English you are fine all the way.
I had planes to go further up to the “North Cape”, but it was not meant to be this summer. Maybe another time, another year …
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