#throwback – May 2024
ROUTE
Amsterdam – Copenhagen – Malmö – Borensberg
- From Amsterdam to Copenhagen by Flixbus
- From Copenhagen to Malmö by train
- From Malmö to Borensberg on foot. This stretch covers a large part of the Swedish pilgrimage route: the St. Birgitta Ways
NUMBER OF KILOMETERS WALKED IN MAY
682 km
Maximum distance walked in a day: 32 km
Minimum distance walked in a day: 14.5 km
Days not walking: 2
- May 1st: on the bus from Amsterdam to Copenhagen
- May 10th: stayed in a hotel due to a knee injury
OVERNIGHT STAYS
1 x on a bus
3 x in a hotel
2 x in a shelter
25 x in my tent
EXPENSES
Public transport: €73.01
Hotels: €123.60
Restaurants: €18.89
Groceries: €10.32 per day
Total: €535.42
WEATHER
Fantastic. A total of 9 hours of rain, of which 3.5 hours were heavy showers—luckily, I was dry in a bus shelter. 2.5 hours of rain while walking, the rest fell at night. During the first week, nights were still quite cold, around 4°C. During the day it was fresh but great for walking. Later in the month, temperatures rose, with some days well above 20°C.
MOOD
Only good vibes! The first 10 days I felt euphoric. Proud that I finally hit the road and dared to take this step. In the beginning, I was still very much in my head and occasionally caught up in worries. That lasted for about 20 days—after that, I could let go. I hardly worry anymore and just see what comes my way. I notice I’m like a diesel engine: I start slow, but once I get going, I can walk for hours. I start late in the day and usually walk until sunset (around 10 p.m. or even later). I experience moments of deep joy, sometimes even moving me to tears. I feel alive, grateful, and truly blessed.
LOW POINTS
I honestly don’t experience any. Sure, there are setbacks, but I don’t even want to call them that. I had a minor accident with my knee, and my response was simply: “Oh well, I’ll have to adjust my plans.” It turned out to be a blessing: I had time to dive into Instagram and start writing my journals—mainly for myself, to remember what I’ve been through. As it turns out, many people enjoy traveling along with me. The second setback was a technical issue with my cart, but I was so sure it would be fixed that it didn’t feel like a low point at all.
HIGHLIGHTS
Every single day is a highlight. I’m loving the nature, the peace, and the (inner) journey. Sweden is a country I’d never visited before—but now I’m in love!
