Jokkmokk, 30.7.2017

As is customary, today we conjured up a proper Sunday breakfast from toast, eggs, and bacon. To be honest, we only had it because we were given the expensive eggs from Coop with the bacon. Very gratifying. The Swabian doesn't hesitate for long. It has been raining continuously since last night. Not heavily, but reliably. Thick gray clouds hang low over the earth and obstruct the view. The next scheduled stop was supposed to be the Lofoten Islands, a chain of about 80 small and large islands. In good weather, the Lofoten Islands offer attractions such as the small fishing village of Reine, a midnight boat tour, or hikes to breathtaking viewpoints. Perfect for a motivated photographer and his personal racing reporter. But unfortunately, we are completely dependent on the weather and so we had to realize, upon arriving at the beginning of the Lofoten Islands, that the weather in this area would interfere with us in the coming weeks and obscure the view. Consequently, we made the difficult decision to leave the Lofoten Islands behind and continue south. This means that we now have another long drive ahead of us in the next few days, which unexpectedly started today. We drove through dark forests, along wide green meadows, along long fjords and small lakes, through hilly steppe landscapes and past nice small towns, accompanied by the constant pattering of the rain on our roof. The mood on board was accordingly subdued - with Leon, who would have enjoyed and captured the views, and with me, currently because the rain was constantly pressing on my bladder. In an even more elusive way, even my singing („In der Weihnachtsbäckerei“, „Der Königsjodler“, „Heissa Kathreinerle“, the English national anthem… my repertoire is inexhaustible) did not directly contribute to an improvement. Despite the disappointment of the days on the Lofoten Islands being cancelled, we continued to look out for places that fascinated us, like the one where some of the above photos were taken. So we passed back into Lapland (Sweden), with Rita Falk's Franz Eberhofer in our ears, the city of Kiruna, which is particularly known for its ore and coal mining. In winter, snow hotels, igloo campsites, and husky sled tours attract a multitude of tourists to this area. By the way. At a toilet, a little outside of Kiruna, a flyer caught our attention: A transfer for huskies to southern Sweden and Germany is wanted - exactly our way. In my mind, I had already agreed when Leon's words slowly sank in. We don't have enough space, he said. But let's be honest, who needs a tent, sleeping bag, or a camping stove? But the bull among us prevails and we continue on together. The husky and I. Almost two hours later, we reached Jokkmokk, the historical and cultural center of the Sami people, where we will spend our night by an idyllic lake. (And don't worry, the husky was a joke!)