Stage 2- Gothenburg

As we said, it's starting on Friday to Gothenburg... After some back and forth, we decide to take the camper-like unconventional route, which should safely take us to the next stage destination - by flying from BER to Gothenburg over the weekend. Sounds strange, but it works great. Only because of our ecological footprint do we feel guilty..!!! But Chris has decided on a new sporty challenge - swimming and running across Swedish islands. And being late is not an option.

So instead of checking in at a campsite on Friday evening, we check into the Radisson Riverside Hotel. Chris surgically removes the rest of a tick that I happened to find in my leg in the locker room of the local sports store. When will luck be on our side again?

A painful treatment is followed by a delicious pizza dinner by the water with even more delicious mojitos. For Chris, of course, alcohol-free because tomorrow is the competition. The alarm clock rings at 6:20 a.m. Get out of bed on the 8th floor and take the ferry to Styrsö for the Öttilö Swim Run. It's Chris' first time. After some consideration, he chooses the beginner distance. It will probably be easy, but let's see first. As it turns out, luckily!

It's always very exciting at sports competitions. A busy, joyful tension and cheerful atmosphere characterize these events. Everyone compares themselves with furtive glances at the other competitors and hopes not to look bad themselves. Remember everything: equipment, rules, schedule, good spirits! Just stay relaxed but focused. That's always the way it is. What I haven't experienced anywhere else is so many good-looking, healthy, sporty, and cheerful people in one place. The Swedes, that's it.

Chris and I go to the start an hour before his time slot and watch the other groups start their battle. It looks great, between the rocks and forests, right on a hill on the coast of the island.

Chris is in the zone. I start running to be able to cheer him on better along the way. 25 minutes left until the start, time is running out. I run along the race track, over sticks and stones. Cool, even without registration, I'm doing the run. Well, the first 2 km. At least. First through the enchanting forest, then over rocky paths and cliffs. And this is supposed to be quick? I hope Chris doesn't twist his foot with his stretched ligaments. I really want to make it to the swimming entry point. In a hurry, I stumble, fall flat on my face, pick myself up, and continue. It's exhausting, I also have my backpack with me. I realize I've lost my cap. But driven by my plan to be in the right spot to cheer, I leave it behind. I'll come back for it. Or maybe Chris will find it? And what if it confuses him? Oh no, now it's too late. The race is about to start. In 10-15 minutes, the competitors will be here, and I can't get in the way. I scramble over rocks and cliffs, following the markers. Wow, the athletes crossing over here soon. And then into the water. From island to island. Between 1 and 5 hours, depending on the distance.

And there he is in the distance. My Chris. By now, I recognize him by his running style from afar. Strong and diligent. And of course, he has my pink cap in his hand. He runs past me, hands it to me, gives me a kiss, and gasps, "It's so exhausting!" Wow! I've never seen him like this before. I still see him swimming, almost catching up with the person in front of him, then I start running again. The way back to the finish line is also long for me, as I have to be there on time to welcome him. Over sticks and stones again. I feel it even after the race and can now empathize a tiny bit with the distance and challenge. Along the way, I see a man stumble and cry, unable to get up because of the pain. It must be incredibly exhausting, that's for sure.

Sweaty, I reach the finish line. Of course, from the other side. The first runner hasn't finished yet. Perfect. I position myself at the finish line with the camera ready and start counting. The first one arrives, a second one comes a long time later. A few other runners arrive, the moderator says they belong to a different distance group. A team arrives and then individual participants again. I always clap and cheer - I feel like the only enthusiastic person here. Everyone else doesn't seem to be quite as lively. But maybe they're just too used to such events on Saturday afternoons. That's Sweden, I guess. Then he appears on the horizon. My Chris. He crosses the finish line and I shout, "You're fourth!" Yay. Chris is done. I've never seen him so exhausted after a race. And this was the beginner distance. Who would have thought how tough a swimrun can be because of the stones and hills.

We spend a wonderfully happy and sunny afternoon on the island with another couple participating in the race. Chris has made friends with his fellow competitor, and Per from Gothenburg has lived in Friedrichshain for a year. He's a Berlin fan. Great! His girlfriend has completed the more challenging distance, but apparently it's nothing special for her. I feel a little ashamed of my exhaustion from cheering as a non-participant. For Chris, who has participated in numerous triathlon, swimming, and sports competitions, it was a completely new experience. It requires not only willpower and endurance but also agility and resilience to handle inevitable abrasions. And probably a bit of luck too. Not to stumble, not to swim into one of the jellyfish, and not to get lost. Training is everything. And he's definitely not competing in a race here for the last time.

We take the last ferry home. What an exciting event, what a success. I'm proud of my husband. As a reward, we sit in the whirlpool on the rooftop terrace of our hotel at 6 p.m. with beer and wine and treat ourselves to a delicious cocktail afterwards. After all, we have a delicious dinner in the conservatory and reflect on the experiences of the day. A complete success, our short trip!

The next morning, we finally sleep in. Check-out is not until 12 p.m., and we didn't even manage to get a spot at breakfast. This time we take the bus to a breakfast café in the trendy district of the city. But then we quickly change our minds when we see a Mongolian restaurant on the corner. Chinese buffet all you can eat seems perfect for us, it's already afternoon after all. We fill our stomachs and then lie down on the grass by the river. The wind rustles through the trees, and occasionally a tourist boat passes by. We doze off.

At some point, we are awakened by jazz music coming from the nearby restaurant and decide to spontaneously ride bikes through the city to the botanical garden. It's wonderful to just go with the flow, and the weather is once again on our side, making it even more enjoyable to explore the city. The botanical garden is beautiful but too big for our remaining time budget. We stroll through the trees and flowers but end up taking an Uber and driving to the airport.

It's midnight again when we arrive hand in hand, very tired but happy, at Jörg and Katharina's house with their children. Of course, Jörg spoils us with delicious food, and we chat until our eyes close. Tomorrow we will go back to Finkenstein to the cinnamon bun and then we will really start our journey. Relaxed, without time pressure. And hopefully without any more mishaps. Although who can tell so many unexpected stories from a week of vacation? We still have 11 weeks ahead of us...