Collecting Moments

If Denmark is about flat fields then Southern Sweden is definitely about lakes. Whether it's Vänern, the largest lake in the EU, or a tiny Södra Kypesjön in the town of Borås, there's always a body of freshwater somewhere near you! Surprisingly, they do not swim naked in Sweden (not even topless), it is much more conservative than Germany in this regard. That is despite Sweden topping the charts as one of the most secular and liberal countries in the world. Almost always we had to cover ourselves in those wet clothes called "bathing suits". Even on Södra Kypesjön where red-faced red-skinned ladies and gentlemen jumped naked from the sauna into the chilly water, I had to swim in those sticky rags. But other than that annoying nuisance, lake dipping in Sweden had been a wonderful experience throughout our whole journey. The water was usually warm enough to enjoy a long relaxing swim and the surrounding nature was enchanting. And, of course, we found a fair bit of se...

Here's the gist of our hitchhiking journey from Copenhagen to Uppsala in June 2023. In hitchhiking communities Sweden (along with other Scandinavian countries) is often described as a paradise for thumbing. We'd say it's a bit more difficult than Iceland but hey, at least the weather is nicer. You don't stand out there feeling miserable under a pissing rain and a freezing wind at seven degrees Celsius in July trying to hitch a ride out of Reykjavik airport. However, we must admit that this particular summer in Sweden was abnormally warm, dry, sunny and overall pleasant. There are also some things about Swedes that we learned from our couchsurfing hosts. This secret knowledge might come in handy if you are planning to hit the road in this country. Firstly, they need a lot of time to make a decision so you'd better be visible from afar. Secondly, they like watching American horror movies where every hitchhiker is a murderer. Just try to look innocent, that's all...