Weather: 16
°C (61 F), cloudy Distance: 86
km (54 miles) Time: 4:25 h
(8:20 - 14:30) Av. speed:
19.5 kph (12.2 mph) Accomodation:
$ 6/psn (camping)
463 km (289 miles)
Finally some flow. The rain continued
falling during the night – none of our clothes dried
in the humid room – but when I left Oskarshamn, the
rain had stopped and the roads were drying. And how I
love getting off early.
In Mönsterås, a typical Swedish village, I
stopped at the local bikeshop to get longer screws for
the lowrider and more oil. With the thin kind of teflon
oil that I prefer, I have to oil the chain quite often.
Outside Mönsterås I had coffee and snacks in
the ruins of Kronobäck Hospital Church, where I learnt
the following fact: The collection bag net is on a long
stick only because the leprosy victims begged money in
that way, in order not to infect the one who wanted to
give them a coin.
Adam took the bus to Kalmar, and we live at a quite nice
camping. We've seen the castle and the magnificent cathedral,
and right now we're enjoying a cup of tea in the outdoor
serving of the camping's bar, where a troubadour tries
to entertain us.
What's so nice with bike touring is that you never really
get fed up with it. Even if you just have been through
a real hell stage, in the evening you turn the page of
your map booklet and start to plan next day's biking.
New windling roads to hit, new Swedish towns and villages
to see. I'm sure I will tour again, because it's a great
way to see a country.
Tomorrow Adam will go back to Malmö, where he lives.
It feels sad, because even though I've biked alone the
last two days, having company in the evening is very nice.
Especially when you camp.
Once again the atmosphere in the camping's tv room was
depressed as the weatherman presented the forecast. Only
clouds and rain, and only over the exact strip of the
eastcoast where we happen to be at the moment.
I taste something bad in my mouth, like you do when you're
about to get sick. I hold my thumbs...
The castle
of Kalmar. Note the blue sky in the background,
an unusual sight on this tour.
The ruins
of Kronobäck Hospital Church, a nice place
to have a coffeebreak.
We camped
under big trees and hoped there would not be a thunderstorm
during the night.
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