Actually, it was fun with the Czech-Swedish group of four. When I went to the bathroom early in the morning, I saw to my great surprise that daughter Mia was sitting in the hall in her pyjamas, against Tosca. Certainly she was looking for love. She had gone to sleep with her JackRussel “spot” (because of the black spot on his back) against her. But Spot preferred sleeping with Mia’s mother. That’s why Mia exchanged Spot for my Tosca, in the front porch, on the other side of the door.
Mia with my Tosca
Grandpa, 84, was on top of the double beds. Of course, he was up early, while mom and her girlfriend tried to hold on until 8 o’clock. Really like an old Ironman, who still experienced 2nd WW. I asked him how he felt, walking more than 20km. on his 84th. through the snowy mountains. Whether he had been an athlete. Yes, I did climbing as a hobby, he said, in the Tatra mountains. Because it was cozy, I just joined the family life. So getting up in the morning a little later than usual, full breakfast, I accepted the leftovers of their porridge that they offered. They still offered me coffee. Je ne refuse rien, I refuse nothing, I had learned in France.
But next. Yesterday I had already taken photos of a semi-frozen lake and the day before yesterday of a dangerous, steep snowy field. Because I’m going to cross the highest point of 450 km Kungslede today, at the Tjäktjapass, that bit of snow of the previous days was only a warming up. Every hour more snow and ice fields and finally nothing else. Under the snow, small rivers and if you had bad luck, you would sink in such a “snow bridge”, with your shoes in the icy water. Whole patches of melting snow, very wet. Rivers from a couple meters wide up to 30m. wide, which |I tried to cross, stepping from stone to stone and jumping. Tosca had to be unleashed, because she jumped and pulled and that was far too difficult and risky for me. Until she noticed reindeer. She was untamable, unmanageable. Those who do not want to listen should feel. Then the soft approach of dog lovers doesn’t help, who make their sweet doggy wear dog shoes when they walk to the corner of the street, in order to next let thim lie on the bench, getting fat in front of the television. Those who do not want to hear should feel. In the hard way, she is ordened to listen and not only with my voice, although only with moderate success. Flawlessly, without fear, she walks over the rocky, springy suspension bridges, across the gauze with wide holes, under which the river flows. Tosca completely ignores the countless attacks of the mountain birds, shaving right over her and my head, , while Tosca is looking for mice and lemmings. I saw a snow owl and a raven and, of course, herds of reindeer. Photos.
Right across the Tjäktapass was a shelter. I had lunch together with a couple, of which he was Spanish and she was Swedish. They had been living in Sweden for a long time. Right after that another couple came in. She was Iranian and he was an Englishman. They also had been living in Sweden for a long time. The Iranian and her parents, 30 years ago, fled from Iran when the ayatolla took over power. By accident, I mentioned that in yesterday’s blog. Photo. A couple of Dutch men, over 50, also came along, and so , by chatting, we kept spirits high. I encounter more and more people, walking one or two day trips with a dog. Photo. I pass the Tjäkta cabin
Going to Tjakta pass, in the middle of the picture
Lunch stop at Tjaktacabin on top of Tjaktapass: Muessli with water and milk powder.
Tjäktapass cabin
Tjäkta cabin
After Tjäkta shelter downhill, on to the North
While Tosca reduced the Lapland lemmings population with one, I arrived at Alesjaurestugan in the beginning of the evening. At the reception, as usual, a glass of lemonade. Diner, planning for tomorrow, next washing in the sauna and then on to the specially assigned dog room with two high sleepers and 4 beds. Again, I have done two day trips in one If I do that again tomorrow, I will be in Abisko tomorrow, Sunday and 450 km. Kungsleden, Kings road, will be finished. Then I’ll try to get in touch with German Jan who ran another route to Abisko, the Padjelantaroute, last week. Perhaps we can continue together from Abisko, the 250 km. inhospitable Nordkalottleden walk in Norwegian, Swedish and Finnish Lapland. Perhaps I am earlier than him in Abisko, because his padjelantaroute to Abisko is longer. Moreover, I do not expect him to cover two days in one every day. Because I haven’t had Wi-Fi for many days, I may stay a little longer in Abisko, to update everything, the blog, doing the laundry for a change, answering many overdue sms and repair a hole in my tent, and so on and also to prepare the next few weeks. If I keep going like this I’ll be at Cape North at the end of August. But maybe I’ll take some more break days in Abisko. Then Jan has time to catch up on me. We’ll see, quisas.
Bridge suspending Bossusjånkka
