Auf ein ruhiges halbes Jahr in Bertilstorp freue ich mich schon.
Gäste willkommen.
Holz für den Winter
Stop.
I have chosen to rent a house. For practical reasons. To spend the next weeks or months in it. Not a big deal.
What surprises me is: how right it feels.
I noticed that I enjoy unpacking my few things from the car into the house. Hanging my jackets in the wardrobe. Moving my food supplies into the kitchen.
I had not moved my car in 48 hours (since moving in) and I do not feel like it needs to travel any long distances in the near future.
I don’t know where and why exactly, but it feels like I have arrived.
Now I will investigate “why here”.
Population Register // Einwohnermeldeamt
… was my today’s visit destination at Simrishamn.
Two equally friendly and competent people helped me with choosing the best approach for my official life in Sweden.
Update 2020-08-12:
Yesterday I expected this to be a merely a formal step. I was surprised who satisfied and relieved I feel now. Even though it will take 2 to 10 weeks for approval, because being part of the Swedish population comes with all benefits of social security. So the Skatteverket will check my ability to contribute (via pension or savings or business) in the first place.
Gestern halfen mir zwei super freundliche und kompetente Beamten bei der Auswahl der richtigen Formulare für meinen Antrag zur Aufnahme in das Schwedische “Einwohnerregister”.
Wenn das Amt dieser Aufnahme zustimmt dann sind damit alle Vorzüge der sozialen Sicherheit verbunden. Daher schauen die lieber zweimal drauf dass ich auch etwas beitragen kann und z.B. über regelmäßiges Einkommen verfüge. Die Zeit bis zur Entscheidung dauert 2 bis 10 Wochen.
Nach dem Besuch beim Amt war ich erstaunlich erleichtert. Davor hielt ich es für eine Formsache. Jetzt merke ich dass es mir wirklich ein Anliegen war.
Wiese, Picknickbänke, Grillplatz und ein Hinweisschild…
Auf dem Schild steht (frei übersetzt – Satz und Hervorhebung von mir):
Willkommen […]
Hier ist es erlaubt ein Zelt über Nacht aufzustellen und den Grillplatz zu benutzen, gemäß Jedermannsrecht.
Eine komfortablere Alternative ist die Pension weiter oben im Dorf. Dort gibt es auch ein Café.
Einen schönen Aufenthalt noch.
Grüße – Matthias und das Team von Värsjö
Warum gefällt mir das so sehr?
1. Weil die Gemeinde Värsjö hier etwas ermöglicht und nicht etwas verhindert.
2. Weil ein kommerzielles Angebot (die äußerst liebevolle Pension von Saskia und Chris) und ein kostenloses Angebot friedlich koexistieren und sich ergänzen können.
3. Weil sich der Unterzeichner Mattias namentlich präsentiert. Wer positives verkündet, der muss sich nicht hinter Stellen- oder Funktionsbezeichnungen verstecken.
4. Vielleicht ist Mattias sogar Bürgermeister? Den Titel muss er hier aber nicht raushängen lassen. Wer etwas Schönes anbietet der muss das Angebot nicht mit Amtsautorität bekräftigen.
5. Mattias versteht sich als Teil eines Teams und nicht als Spitze einer Hierarchie.
Kira und ich fühlen uns sehr wohl, hier in der Gemeinde sowie in der Pension. Vielen Dank Mattias, Chris und Saskia!
roof tent in the storm
Today I had another nice talk with Pierre, preparing my service as a tandem pilot during July.
Then Kira and I enjoyed a long walk by the coast. An awesome storm almost blew as away, both metaphorically and physically. Kira loved it a lot and ran crazy circles, all the time.
Now I set up the tent.
Wind speed ~ 80 km/h in the tree tops, but lower at the ground, where we park.
Nevertheless I mounted one of the wings to the side of the roof tent, to protect against the rain. I was hoping also for some wind shelter so I can set up the wood stove – but it is still too windy.
Exciting questions:
- Will the roof tent survive the night?
- Will I be able to grill halloumi tonight?
- Where do we all come from and where do we go?
Tomorrow morning I will have answers. At least two.
I wish you all a peaceful night!
P.S.
Perhaps I found what I was looking for, on this journey and the years before. I will sleep over it and sense how true it feels tomorrow…
Vielleicht habe ich gefunden wonach ich gesucht habe, auf dieser Reise und in den letzten Jahren. I werd nochmal drüber schlafen und drauf achten wie wahr es sich morgen anfühlt…
Good Morning from Markaryd…
… on our way back to Kåseberga.
There I will be flying with guests (Pierre’s and mine) during the month of July. Because Kåseberga is the perfect place for coastal paragliding.
Now I wish all of you a perfect week, too!
Rührei solare
Das Experiment ist geglückt: Bio-Rührei aus dem Solarofen.
Dazu gibt’s Cranberrybrot mit Körnern aus der lokalen Bäckerei am nördlichsten Supercharger Schwedens, getunkt in verflüssigter Bio-Margarine von Naturli.
Smaklig måltid!
hike & fly @ Vassitjåcka
Flight video linked here (uncut, no action in the middle except brilliant scenery)
hike & fly @ Nikkaluokta
to do: add video and more photos
Finally: mountains again.
My first impulse was to climb Kebkenaise. Of course. Considering that I had hurt my knee just from walking 13 km previously, and it still aches, I came to the conclusion that a 30 km hike is not the smartest move which I could do.
But the region around Nikkaluokta looks so lovely. All those different features of beautiful Swedish nature: rivers, lakes, birch trees in bright white and fresh green and finally: real mountains that are topped with snow.
So I picked to closest hill to Nikkaluokta that seemed accessible by hiking, suited for launching and provides a glide ratio for a paragliding flight back.
I could not find a name for that hill. But on the highly detailed Windy Maps I found a trail that leads up to the plateau just beneath the top:
Also the wind was promising: somewhere between south and northwest, which all seems possible to launch on the hill, as far as I could tell from the terrain model. And low windspeed (2-4 m/s) is just perfect for Kira + myself on the large (tandem) wing.
I was still not confident whether this hike would stress my knee to much. But I really wanted to see the world from above and also test whether some exercise perhaps has a postive effect on the knee.
At Midsommar there is absolutely no daylight constraint and the weather forecast predicated no significant change in windspeed nor wind direction. So I could be as slow as I wanted.
Kira and I began hiking by 18:30. The trail through the forest was beautiful. Mosquitoes constantly pushed me forward. The knee was OK.
After 5 km, on the plateau we saw individual reindeer and also a small herd. Kira had lots of fun with patches of snow. I took off my shoes to cross a little river of melting water. Then I climbed the remaining distance barefoot. Stepping even more carefully, slowly and delightfully was actually a good therapy for the knee.
On the top I deeply enjoyed the view around, took many deep breaths and some photos. Then we prepared for the launch. Both the wind and the slope of the terrain were just perfect. Wind was just enough to launch without running and also without too much force.
Very smooth tailwind took us back to Nikkaluokta. There was even a small lift (convergence?) so I could fly one full circle and gain 3 meters of altitude 🙂
The knee was actually better after this tour. One additional reason to hike more in the future!
Later at night I grilled and we enjoyed some leftovers that other hikers gave to us, at one of the incredible Naturrastplats that have public picnic tables and fireplaces. This is where I am writing this post now, one day later.
What a happy day.
Thank you, Universe, for all your awesome resources!
Thank you, Sweden, for your openness and for the great infrastructure!
And thank you, dear friends and readers, for sharing these moments with me virtually. It feels good speaking to you…
— at the circle —
18° Celsius and little wind at 300 m amsl.
(along E10, Sweden, on my way Up)
Touring Test 