Sleeping with the tent open

My tent spot by the water is so beautiful that I sleep with my tent open. Of course, with the outer tent, so I have a view. The inner tent, the nice mesh, is of course closed to keep out mosquitoes and other pests.

Waking up at night

At night, I often wake up, and it’s a delight. I never worry that I can’t fall back asleep. It only becomes a problem if you make it one, I always think. The sky is always different. It’s a spectacle. I look at the stars, at the smooth lake, at the sun rising later, and the animals slowly coming to life again.

Everything is perfect

And then I have a morning where everything comes together… I swim at dawn, my coffee tastes better than ever, my tent spot is incredible, there is peace and space, the temperature is perfect, I have my picnic/writing table, I’m in a good mood, everything is perfect… Perfection exists!

I can’t say goodbye

And just like often when I’m in a beautiful place, saying goodbye is hard. I only leave at three o’clock in the afternoon. I consider staying a bit longer, but I also feel like walking some more. Moreover, the weather has changed a bit in the afternoon. It has become cooler, with a breeze.

Old times revive

Regardless, I walk another twenty kilometers and by nightfall, after a somewhat monotonous route, I arrive at the next shelter. Along the way, I pass an interesting settlement from 1879. The wooden houses withstand the test of time! I also see a so-called ‘linbasta’, a traditional drying house where flax was once harvested and dried for further processing into linen.

Wheelie demonstration

Two Danish gentlemen are sitting at the picnic table by the shelter, digesting their meal. They are intrigued by my hiking cart, Wheelie. An extensive demonstration follows, and they take a test run. They are impressed. They’ve never seen anything like it. One of the gentlemen is struggling with the weight of his backpack on his knees. Indeed, Wheelie is the solution even in that case.

My perfect day has come to an end. I dive into my tent, the gentlemen in their hammocks.

Overnight stay: Härsjö