Elamus Pluss took on quite an adventure last summer, led by the locomotive Merlin. We took a boat from Tallinn to Helsinki and then a 16-hour bus ride to northern Sweden to hike the Kungsleden hiking trail. As a side note, Kungsleden is known for its scenic views and snowy peaks. The hiking trail is over 400 km long, but we took on the Abisko-Nikkaluokta section, which is about 120 km long.
Now, to the point. There probably won't be many people jumping for joy when we mention that we'll be traveling by bus for 16 hours and only then can we let off steam. Well, it's actually not that bad. If you like at least one of the activities from the list below, there's no need to worry:
1. card game,
2. knitting socks,
3. gossip,
4. sleeping,
5. eating,
6. listening to music,
7. singing,
8. various word games.
These activities were what made our long journey worthwhile and time really flew by. In between all the above activities, we miraculously even found time to take inventory of our group's bags and leave anything unnecessary on the bus. There were also some whose bags we made 5 kg lighter. Thank me later!
The further north we got, the quieter we became, because when we looked out the window, we were greeted by reindeer and snowy mountain peaks in the distance.
When we arrived in Abisko, our 6-day hike began. The whole group was excited and a little nervous, because none of us really knew what exactly awaited us on the trail - but if you don't look, you'll never know. So we set off.
During the first days of the hike, the trail ran along the riverbank and it seemed that the Gods of Kungsleden were protecting us, because miraculously we were accompanied by the warm sun. The trail is very well marked and it is really impossible to get lost. You can also leave your compass at home. The only thing that caused us some discomfort at first were the large swarms of mosquitoes. We had prepared for this, but none of us really expected such a welcome. I have never seen so many mosquitoes in one place at once (i.e. on our own hands). Fortunately, we had brought some decent mosquito repellent with us, which we affectionately named Teet. So the mosquito problem was also solved and the initial fear disappeared. Whoever I scared off with my mosquito story, by the evening of the second day we were already far enough away from Abisko and free from mosquitoes.
As the hike continued, it seemed more and more that the Gods of Kungsleden were abandoning us. We had to face various challenges that tested both our physical and mental endurance. We crossed icy rivers barefoot, fought blisters, and fell behind schedule and did not arrive at our only booked overnight stay on the right day. Since the previous nights had been spent in tents, the loss of a warm and comfortable bed was quite sad for all of us. However, this evening was one of the best of the entire hike! We found a beautiful place to camp, played Sasku at our campsite, rested and told stories for hours in front of the tents, and enjoyed this beautiful evening together.
The next morning we woke up to rain. Since we were hoping to stay in the cabin we had booked earlier, we packed up early and continued our journey in the rain. There is no phone coverage on the Kungsleden trail, so we were unable to contact the accommodation. However, when we arrived at the mountain hut, we received the best possible news ever – they had room for us in the cabins and we were able to postpone our booking by a day! It seems that the Gods of Kungsleden were still with us. It was a real luxury to be able to get under a solid roof after a whole day of soaking in the rain, dry our clothes, play Sasku and rest in a soft bed.
There were still 2 days left until the end of the hike when the weather decided to take a turn typical of Northern Sweden – it was raining like a bean stalk. We decided not to let it spoil our mood. We packed our bags and the contents of the bag in the mountain hut as waterproof as possible, put on our rain jackets and set off. However, the rain was so heavy that in the end, even waterproof clothes were of no use. We arrived at the Kebnekaise mountain hut in the evening. Since we were all soaked and some were wringing water out of their sleeping bags, it was clear that we would not spend that night in tents. At this point, our good negotiating skills came into play and we managed to book a small house in Kebnekaise for a good price. Once again, we were able to dry everything nicely and then start the last day of the hike.
Despite the various challenges we faced on the hike, none of us lost our enthusiasm and motivation. If any situation caused frustration, we all laughed about it together that same evening. Each day of the hike brought new surprises, and regardless of the various challenges, the hiking trail rewarded us with awesome views and heartwarming memories, and taught us to appreciate the beauty and power of nature's perseverance. We also saw a large herd of reindeer and hiked in the polar day. Yes, it never got dark, and at 2 am it was as light as at noon!
Merlin the Adventure Train is incredibly grateful to the entire group for the awesome memories we created together on our trip to Sweden. I hope we do it again soon!