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Published: September 22nd 2015
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Rowing across from Finnhamn to Ingmarsö
Got the wonderful suggestion from my boyfriend, James, that we start a travel blog together and keep a track of our trips and travels and of our expanding adventures as we get to see and learn more about our mysteriously beautiful planet. Being a bit of a lot of a romantic I jumped at the chance but now I sit to type, I realize I've never written a blog nor have any idea of what to say. I guess blogs might end up being a bit of a way to enjoy your journey all over again and display the ninth version of that photo you finally managed to get at the right angle, whilst hopefully passing on some useful information to others😉
So, here goes…
James and I are both avid travelers and seeing as we currently live in separate countries, one of us always needs to board a plane when want to spend time together so why not turn it into an adventure? This weekend was no exception. We decided to test out James' new tent and my new blow up mattress with a camping trip to the islands outside Stockholm. Having lived in Stockholm since 2002
Stolt Fjällskivling mushroom! Aka parasol mushroom (Macrolepiota procera)
am no stranger to these islands nor the backpacking life of an island hopper, still Sweden never ceases to amaze me with its unspoiled beauty, its never ending forests and clear waters in which Swedes insist on swimming no matter what the temperature-I mean, if there's ice covering the lake-simply chainsaw a hole through it et voila! Jump in!
We started our journey bright and early Saturday morning with a stunning boat trip through the archipelago until we reached our first stop and where we would sleep for the night, Finnhamn. No time to lose so we set off to pitch our tent, set up camp and prepare. Once this had been accomplished we headed off to find the spot where we would find the rowing boat so we could row over to Ingmarsö Island, a supposed 10mins away. Once we'd found said rowing boat I set about trying to prove that girls are just as strong and capable but the current decided to embarrass me so I reluctantly handed over the oars to James, secretly relieved that he was here to do the hard work. so I could enjoy my tea in our new titanium thermoses😉 When I
Protected building on Ingmarsö Island…a pig sty!
say hard work, I'm not joking. Each side of the islands have a rowing boat so once you've reached the other side, you have to attach the rowing boat at the other side to your boat, row back and leave one where you just came from and then row back again. ..sounds complicated? It isn't-it's just a lot of rowing!
Once on the other side, we walked through forests and fields and saw breathtaking homes and water front views. The walk was a gentle and at an easy level although not knowing where we were going made it a little confusing at times as we crossed pontoons, rocks and different terrain hoping to make it to the destination on time so we would make the return journey before nightfall. As luck would have it, we bumped into a colleague of mine who was picking lingonberries (as you do in Sweden!) and she promptly gave us a tour of the island, took us for wine in the sun at the harbor pub and then helped us get a boat back to Finnhamn so that we could relax and not rush back into the possible upcoming darkness. Best of both worlds!
Old school fridge with mud walls to keep it cool…
Once back on Finnhamn we cooked dinner and settled down for the night. The following day turned into a September scorcher so we put on our swimwear, grabbed the sea and lake friendly shower gel I'd bought and headed down to the water with our dishes to do the washing up. We washed in the water which was very cold but also very refreshing and found a warm rock to lay on. We'd planned to use the bastu (sauna) but the swimming and laying on rocks proved to be just what we wanted and needed.
Due to misreading the information, we missed the opening hours for the Finnhamns Krog (pub-totally worth going to) so we snacked on leftovers and took the fast boat back to Waxholm where we ate in a nautical restaurant until it was time to catch the bus home. Such an unexpectedly relaxing weekend that really made us feel as if we were on holiday and that work was a mere illusion! Stockholm's archipelago is astonishing and definitely worth traveling around. For me, it's been 13 years now and I just can't wait to go back and show more to James…
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