May 9,  2024

After a lot of dawdling, I finally get going. Honestly, I’m snoozing with a capital S these days. Still, I end up walking 32 km. I find a lovely rhythm and enjoy every step.

Public toilets are really common here, and they’re beautiful and spotless. I think there’s a law that says there always has to be an accessible toilet too—super convenient. They’re spacious enough for me to roll my cart right in. Sometimes they’re compost toilets, but more often they have sinks and even hot running water. When they do, I take the opportunity to freshen up properly. Swimming still feels like a step too far—I’m not that brave yet when it comes to cold water. So I’m thrilled when I come across a little hut next to a farm that anyone can use. Of course I take full advantage. I leave there feeling fresh and clean, and not long after I stumble upon a little open-air museum. It’s lovely to see how Swedish people used to live and work.

Today I try something different: I cook and eat a hot meal around two in the afternoon. It works out well. After a long break I continue with new energy, and in the evening I don’t need to rush to cook or find a campsite.

In Örkelljunga I hear organ music coming from the church. It’s a beautiful building, with a wooden shingled roof—something I haven’t seen before. I walk inside. The organist is practicing. He comes down to see who entered after hearing the door shut. He lets me stay.
He gives me a private concert. It’s powerful—and it moves me deeply. I don’t know why, but emotions start bubbling up, and suddenly I’m crying. I’m not thinking about anything in particular. I just feel. I’m alive!

After this intense experience, I continue looking for a place to camp. This time it’s tough—there are several areas here where camping isn’t allowed, only for fishermen. But after a few more kilometers, I find a spot. By then it’s started raining, and I pitch my tent in a hurry. Not ideal, but it is what it is.

That night I sleep poorly. Earlier, during a steep climb, I pushed hard on my knee, twisted, and heard something snap. The pain went away quickly, and I thought it was nothing. I even walked another 10 km afterward without issue… But unfortunately, it’s not that simple.