It feels like yesterday when we pedalled our way out of Uppsala that Monday morning a year ago. It´s so easy to reassemble the fresh breeze as we waved goodbye to the city that have been our home for so many years. The feeling of total freedom hit us instantly when rolling out of the city on our bikes. Until that point none of us had realise that this was real. That we we´re really doing this. We were now following our dreams.
We were sick of coming home from dive trips lasting only two weeks. Longing for the next trip before the plane home had even landed. We started to share our dreams with each other and after watching a family on tv sailing around the world in their sailboat we made the decision. That time they’ve spend together was something no one could ever take away from them they said. We wanted that. Time. Time to do what really matters. Be with each other and following our dreams. We did´nt have a sailboat and even if we would have we could not sail. But we could bike.
Said and done, the day after we started to save money, planed what to sell and not (turned out we sold almost everything), read about bikes, equipment and routs. One and a half year later it was that Monday morning in Uppsala and we pedalled our way to freedom.
How we see time has changed fundamentally during this trip. Time is now the most important thing to us. Time with each other, time to do what we like without our head somewhere else. Because we don’t have to do anything. We can do exactly what we feel like. We don’t have to go up early to push the distance. We don’t have to bike this or that way because we planed to. We don’t have to be there by then because we said so. We can do whatever bumps into our heads, because it´s our time. Our time and our dreams. Our freedom.
On this journey we have really taken the time we need. Time to stop and get to know a new place because we liked it. Time to stay the night with new friends even tho we had planned to get going. Time to stop for a long tea break when farmers waves at us on the road. The amount of new friends and places we got to known during this trip is surreal. When you see the news today it´s easy to think there is not a single nice person left in the world. But we have met them and we will continue to do so. For us this trips is all about the people we meet. From everyone who helps with directions, cheered us on from the side of the road, act as a translator, invite us for food or even to stay the night at their home in their company. We are forever grateful.
You might think we gave up having a home for the sake of time and our freedom in an attempt to reach our dreams. But even though we left our home in Uppsala one year ago we find a new one every night when we pitch our tent or slip into a new bed. The world is now our home and everyone we meet a potential new friend.
Read about how we celebrated one year on the road here.
It’s insane. Already a year has passed!?!?! Every now and then I check into your website to read about where you are at the moment and what you have experienced. Well, you must be experiencing impressions-overload almost daily, I reckon. That’s what longtime-travelling is all about. Per and Lina, I wish you all the best in your further travels. And try to stay healthy! Dear greetings from Ekebydalen. /Anders PS 2017 has been the shittiest year ever for apples, blueberries, raspberries, cherries etc. Almost all flowers got frozen during spring time. Well well…
We can´t belive it either, a year!!
Thanks for your support.
Sad to hear about the harvest, maybe next year will be a better one. As we learned the past year, a year pass by so fast.
Hopefully the mushroom season is better!
What a great takeaway from a year on the road. Now the challenge is maintaining that perspective if you ever end up back in a more “normal” routine…
Let’s Hope we never get a normal life again ?
Wow… so inspiring. Following your dream and living the way, you want to live.
Great read. I will come back and read other posts of yours to keep myself inspired 🙂
Thank you!
I was the same with my office job! It was never enough!
What a great milestone! You should be proud of yourselves. It’s good to hear that even though you may feel a little home sick, you are still going! Taking it easy is a good way to go 🙂
Thanks. Can´t really belive it ourselves, but it really feels like a milestone!
What a beautiful post! I think it’s amazing that you have been traveling for a year. I left my hometown 5 years ago but have been moving to differet bases every 6-12 months as I get too exhausted from constant travel. I am looking forward to doing my next backpacking trip though. The feeling of freedom is incredible.
Thank you! Moving to diffrent bases also sounds like a great way of getting to know new places!
This is beautifully written! I so envy the freedom you must be experiencing – this is truly inspirational. Thank you.
Thanks! The freedom is amazing, we try to enjoy it as much as we can!