Doing absolutely nothing for a change

This has not been a good summer for camping but one of the many hot days earlier in the summer me, my love and Kim went camping by Viforsen. I look back on it now and cherish the memory: Being outside doing absolutely nothing is something I will keep with me now that fall is here and work is taking up a big chunk of our lives.

From my journal

We’re sitting in a shelter on the banks, here the river runs through a valley that acts like a tunnel with the wind howling through it. The strong breeze is well appreciated and needed in this heat. Fir branches scratch against the roof and an older man with a dog stands in the waters fishing.

This is a favourite spot of mine, located not far from Sundsvall and easily accessible via bus. We’re here to camp for two days and enjoy nature and escape the hot concrete and bustling city life. 

In the shade of the shelter we sit reading short stories as a snake slithers towards us across the beach, the rocks probably way too hot for it. It hides in the shadow of my backpack and we just observe it for a bit. Then we move the pack and the snake takes off up into the forest, crawling through fallen branches and under dry moss.

It’s nice to be outside and do absolutely nothing for a change.

Kim invested in a filtering system from Grayl and it’s utterly amazing! Just add water to the fill mark and push down, it works on all fresh water. The pressure pushes the water through a filter and one press is enough to purify the water from pathogens and inorganic contaminants, and it filters more impurities and toxins like chemicals and heavy metals better than block or granulated carbon.

 

“Purification and filtration in [ONE PRESS]. The world’s most efficient and convenient purifier bottle makes safe, clean drinking water from virtually any fresh water source in the world — in only 15 seconds”

– Grayl Website

 

I recommend reading up on it on their website if you travel a lot and need a good option for purifying water. Cause we all know, we can’t continue to buy bottled water for the sake of the environment. The cartridge has about 300 uses and is replaceable – so this is a very sustainable and reliable alternative.

If you think this is something for you, you can buy it at Naturkompaniet. I might invest in one for myself for my next trip where I’ll either be outdoors or in a country where drinking the tap water is not an option.

After a nice day just hanging around reading, journaling and skipping stones we make dinner using my new outdoor stove. The Primus Onja Stove.

»  Naturkompaniets own enamel plates

As evening approaches we set up our tent, and Kim her hammock. We tie a rope between trees to hang our packs on. An easy way to protect them against the moist of the night, as well as curious critters and ants.

Night comes and the water starts to boil with activity. It’s only a few splashes at first and then it’s like someone flips a switch, the fish gather to feast on the insects dancing across the waters. Fly fishers have gathered here to try their luck and we sit in silence on the beach and watch.

After a while we go to bed and the mosquitoes trapped between the body and fly of the tent hum as if they we’re a choir singing us to sleep.

Day 2

In the morning we eat breakfast and swim. We sit on the beach and balance rocks.Then we want to hike to a new spot but the trail is really bad and we end up going back to our old camp. “It’s like we’re stuck in a story”, Kim points out.

After years of travelling and fiddling with an easy way to make coffee, I’ve finally found a good way of getting my caffeine kick in the mornings, meet my new X-Brew from Sea to Summit! 

It packs up small, is lightweight and the filter in stainless steel is reusable so no one time filters here, woooh!

We have lunch and read a few more stories. The same old man with his dog comes to fish again, and a woman we saw yesterday is back to once again swim with her dog – who reluctantly stays on the beach despite of the heat.

After a while we decide to go explore some more. This time we leave our packs and walk along the beach, and scramble over rocks. We search for paths leading in to the forest, hoping to find something new. We follow a trail that leads to nowhere and at the end of it I exclaim “I don’t know what we found”.

“It doesn’t matter, it was an adventure” is Kim’s reply. And she’s right.

For what is an adventure? Does it have to be grand, take place far away or be dangerous even? Or can it be simply going where your feet take you, exploring a new path close to a place you are familiar with? I believe so. 

We go for another swim to cool down and then we fall asleep on the beach… When we wake up we realise it’s getting late and it’s time for dinner. We are all trying the Norwegian food Real Turmat from Drytech for the first time – and it is delicious! 

» Real Turmat is available at Naturkompaniet

With us we carried two games but we never played. I was so completely relaxed here and I am glad we managed to do absolutely nothing, without ever feeling bored or anxious. A rare feeling today when we’re always so connected and constantly fed with new impressions, images, likes and status updates.

I need to spend more time like this, especially now when I live in the city and lead an over all more active life. I love it, but find I crave that slow, relaxed time spent in nature now more than ever before.

“Things have happened today, not a lot of things, but things” – Dan.

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