The Adventure Begins | Nu Börjar Äventyret

26/06/2026

I'm reporting in from Sweden! 🥳🇸🇪

To be honest, I thought I'd manage to write my first impressions sooner, but the journey took two days, then I had a day to acclimatise, and since Monday, I've been a 'farmer', so I really haven't been bored since Friday (19 June 2026), when I set off from the Czech Republic. 😅 I'm here primarily to learn lots of interesting things and try out as much as I possibly can. There's certainly going to be no shortage of experiences, impressions, and emotions…

First, a few words about the journey to give you an idea of what it actually means to drive to Sweden – in my case, with my dog. You'll need to plan ahead, particularly regarding what you'll need to bring for your dog to enter all the countries along the way – namely Germany, Denmark, and Sweden itself. For all these countries, you'll need your pet's passport, proof of a valid rabies vaccination, and proof of worming. Also, make sure your dog is properly secured in the car. Nobody checked mine, but if you do get stopped and a police officer decides it's not up to standard, you'll obviously face much higher fines than in Czechia, just as you would for speeding – cruise control helped me a looooot with that. 😅 I also had to sort out food for Aron for the whole two months. Not because he wouldn't eat anything he could get his paws on (just today he ate a whole packet of biscuits – I'd left them too close to him 🫣), but because he's had problems with standard dog food for almost his entire life and I don't want to risk not being able to find anything suitable here. For humans, the trip doesn't require anything particularly special. You need to have your documents, money, and pack whatever you think is appropriate (so a tent, a guitar, and a drum, like me ⛺🎸🪘).

The route is approximately 1,300 km long. That's why I decided to spend one night in the lovely coastal town of Boltenhagen on the Baltic Sea in Germany. Almost three years ago, I spent a holiday at a vegetarian hotel not far from here (Hotel Gutshaus Stellshagen); I really enjoyed it there and it was just halfway to Sweden, so it was an obvious choice. I booked a pitch for my tent at a campsite, because unfortunately in Germany you can't just pitch up anywhere and sleep in a tent, and I really didn't fancy sleeping in the car at a motorway service station. All the more so as the car was full of stuff. 😶‍🌫️

I knew even before I set off that I was probably taking far too much with me (especially clothes 😆), even though I'm going away for more than two months. On the other hand – the car can carry it all, and it's my first trip this long, so I might as well give it a go. I'm not quite the sort of punker who'd set off with just a few bits and pieces in a rucksack and only sort out buying everything else as I go along. This way, I've got everything to hand – and then a bit extra. 🤣

The journey on the first day was really tough, not just because of the distance itself and the fact that you're on your own for everything – including looking after the dog – but mainly because the biggest heatwave of this summer so far hit on the very day I set off. I'd definitely recommend splitting the route into three days rather than two in such weather, and of course, it helps to have another driver in the car. To give you an idea – I set off at 7 am and arrived at the campsite in Germany after 8 pm, a total of about 700 km. As I was a bit worried about Aron because of the heat in the car (even with the air conditioning on, he was panting like mad), I took plenty of breaks so he could drink plenty of water. The flip side, however, was that outside the car it was around 35°C everywhere, and up to 40°C on the motorway. We managed to get through the first day in the end, though, and arrived at the campsite completely drenched in sweat, where the staff didn't speak English (and I don't speak German). So there was certainly no shortage of entertainment. 😁 Everything turned out fine, of course, and we were rewarded with a beautiful sunset by the sea.

As is often the case, the moment you want to set off early in the morning from somewhere whilst sleeping in a tent, it starts to rain during the night or in the morning. Neither Aron nor I minded having a bit of a lie-in, though. So we didn't leave the campsite until 11 o'clock. Fortunately, the journey was a bit more pleasant the next day, and for me at least, the time flew by much quicker. As soon as I crossed the border between Germany and Denmark, things started to get much more interesting for me, especially as, unlike in Germany, the speed limit on the motorway is often lower than back home. That gives you much more time to take in the surroundings.

Denmark was interesting mainly because I'd never been there before, and I was starting to feel a sense of excitement at the thought that I was getting closer to my destination. It was the first time I'd tried filling up without having to speak to anyone to pay (you pay by card directly at the pump), and there was the first bridge over the sea. But the more interesting one was still to come…

I've been familiar with the Öresund Bridge (Öresundsbron) for some time now from the excellent Swedish-Danish crime series 'The Bridge' (Bron | Broen). I'd definitely recommend giving it a watch. It's in the typical Nordic style – don't expect much in the way of romance, although there is some, albeit in a slightly grittier form.

The bridge is the second-longest fixed bridge in Denmark. The entire crossing is 16 km long and consists (on the Danish side) of: a 430-metre-long artificial peninsula, a tunnel over 3.5 km long running 10 metres below the water's surface, a 4-kilometre-long artificial island, and a 7,845-metre-long bridge. (source: Wikipedia)

Crossing this bridge was definitely a fantastic experience for me. What's more, the border with Sweden is right there on the bridge. 🤩🇸🇪

There are only two tolls to pay for both bridges along the route (don't expect any motorway vignettes or anything similar in either Germany, Denmark, or Sweden). The Danish bridge cost the equivalent of just under 35 euros, and the Öresund Bridge just around 70 euros. Once in Sweden, I was in for a bit of a 'questioning' from a customs officer, as I apparently looked rather confused and therefore 'suspicious'. I have a feeling I didn't mind the questioning all that much… 😇

But what followed completely took me aback. The tranquillity and beauty of the natural world around me completely engulfed me. I don't think I can put into words what was going on inside me, but the closest thing to it is probably the feeling of being moved by the fact that I'm in a place where I belong, body and soul. It was as if I'd come home. 🙏 And yes, there really is a silence here that, in the Czech Republic, you'd only experience deep in the forest or in the mountains – and even then, it wouldn't quite be the same. Here, you could cut the silence with a knife. Sheep graze beside the motorway and crows chatter on the hard shoulder about where to find the best feast, completely oblivious to the cars driving past them.

After the last 100 kilometres, I reached my destination. Dröblahus Trädgårdar farm welcomed me amidst the forests and meadows, to the sound of birdsong and on one of the longest evenings of the year. What more could one wish for after such a gruelling journey? Then it was just a matter of pitching my tent – as the owners were away that day – feeding the dog and myself, and off to bed.

On Sunday, we spent the day getting to know each other, settling into the caravan, going grocery shopping and swimming in the beautiful natural lake Bosarpasjön. The best thing about Swedish lakes is probably the way the water smells, and the fact that you can really freshen up in it – and actually wash yourself properly. Our stinking ponds can go and take a hike… 🤣

And now I'll slowly say goodbye, as this will be more than enough for many of you anyway. The next blog post will be about life on the farm, which is no less interesting to me and has completely absorbed me! (Although the heatwave has reached southern Sweden too, and it's a bit of a challenge at times. 😁)

To finish off, I'll just say that the light here now partially surrounds us even throughout the night, and it's, in a word, magnificent!

Midsommar är en av årets vackraste tidet i Sverige. (Look up the translation yourselves – don't expect this reading to be for free. 🙃)

🩵 With an open heart
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