Biking in Sweden
At the beginning of 2021, I decided to sail to Sweden and explore Karlskrona on my bike. Fortunately, Stena Line (a Swedish shipping company) organizes trips like that and it was not something difficult to manage. I had to buy a ticket and wait for the date of the journey.
I decided to pack up my traps one day before sailing. I thought it is easy-peasy, but unfortunately, easier said than done. I made a packing list on Nozbe, and I was absolutely shocked. For one person, who wants to only bike in Sweden, I took down 42 things to pack. I believe that it would be useful for someone who is torn, and doesn’t know which things should be taken, therefore I decided to share my list.
1. Underpants 3x (1x sports pants)
2. Socks 3x (2x sports socks)
3. Toothbrush
4. Toothpaste
5. Antiperspirant
6. Moist toilet tissue
7. Shower gel
8. Face cream
9. Shampoo
10. Hairbrush
11. Towel
12. Slippers
13. Shorts
14. Sneakers
15. Pajamas
16. Bike pants
17. Sweatpants
18. T-shirts 3x
19. Bike sweatshirt
20. Waterproof jacket
21. High-visibility vest
22. Bandana
23. Sunglasses
24. Bike gloves
25. Helmet
26. Bike pump
27. Bike keys
28. Tube
29. ID
30. Payment card
31. Chargers
32. Power Bank
33. Selfie stick
34. Water bottle
35. Bike water bottle
36. Masks 2x
37. Wipes
38. Bike case for iPhone
39. Keys
40. AirPods
41. Kindle
42. Meds
That’s all. I packed it in two 20 litres panniers and my indispensable backpack. Fortunately, I could leave my baggage in the cabin because the ship was in the harbour the whole day waiting for us.
Sail-out day
The ship made sail at 9 p.m. We were obliged to be there at least an hour earlier because of customs. I was quite impressed because everything was flowing seamlessly. We left our bikes on the car board and then we could settle in cabins. After accommodation, we had a brief organizational meeting with our guides. They explained all the rules, especially about traffic regulations which obtain in Sweden. Surprisingly, bikers are privileged in Sweden, and almost everywhere they have preference. In the meeting, we were choosing a trail as well. I chose the shortest, 35 km trail, with the most objects to visit.
I was back in my cabin about 11 p.m. I read a little of “The Needful Things” by Stephen King and it was time to sleep.
Biking day in Sweden
I woke up at 6. I had an hour to take a shower and prepare clothes and things to bike because the restaurant was open from 7. I knew that it was too early for the majority of people, but to be honest, I don’t like cramped restaurants, especially during the pandemic. I ate a hearty breakfast and picked up my lunch box, which I ordered the day before.
We arrived at 9 sharp, took our bikes and followed our guides. The first station was a beautiful open-air museum, with fabulous houses and an enormous pig :)
After a few kilometers I decided to abandon my group and explore Sweden on my own. I was a little worried, but I noticed that the guide omitted several additional points on our route. Due to my decision, I could be on a captivating overlook and, at the end of my journey, in an astonishing wild reservation.
After feasting my eyes on the view, I decided to bike on Aspö, the island near to Karlskrona. By the way, I met my group in the harbour, and we were sailing on the same ferry. One of the fun facts the guide told us was the fact that about 600 people live on the island. In the statute of Karlskrona we can read that the city is obliged to ensure free transportation to the city centre from every place where more than 500 people live. When it comes to Aspö, time stopped there 100 years ago. There is a completely different style of life. You can feel the vibe of calmness there, kindness, gratitude and an unstressful approach to life. The houses are fabulous, the views are breathtaking and the island is so small that exploration takes about two hours. We saw the only school on the island that resembles the school from “The Children of Noisy Village” by Astrid Lindgren, forests full of mushrooms and small roadside shops without any vendors (you put money into a jar and take what you want). Moreover, I appreciated one thing the most. We had a time for sitting on the seaboard, staring at the horizon and doing nothing. I was completely present, as I have never been.
After exploring Aspö, we came back to Karlskrona and we were biking around the centre. Guides taught us some historical facts and showed us the most magnificent place in the centre of Karlskrona — a district of small, colourful houses.
After that, I had me-time. Alas, I didn’t find any Swedish cuisine. To enhance my good mood, I ate delicious Swedish ice cream. I took advantage of being in the centre and I bought a few souvenirs.
It was almost time to go back to the ship, but I couldn’t omit the last attraction. I had dreamt about seeing a real wild moose and I forced myself to bike to the wild reservation. This place was in the middle of nowhere, but I didn’t regret it. To be honest, I didn’t find any moose, except their poops, but I bumped into a wild horde of sheep. The reservation was a joy to behold, furthermore, I was there almost alone, I met only two Swedish runners.
It was my last point on the map. I was amazed by my results because I did inclusively 53 km. I circled back to the ship, took a shower, changed clothes and ate something. After that, I was exploring the ship, waiting for a meeting where we were watching a presentation of our trip.
The next day at 7 a.m. I was back in Gdynia. It was only one day in Sweden, but I recharged my batteries more than during my 3 weeks of vacation. I truly recommend biking in Sweden to everyone. I am sure that it was not my last trip. I will bike there as long as I see a wild moose :)
