After a few good cups of coffee, I went on my way early to meet up with my wife Monica and my youngest daughter Ava. We had arranged to find each other at Arlanda airport, where I would also park my motorcycle for a few days.

As I hurried to Arlanda, I noticed a few strange marks on my windshield. It turned out to be ... cracks! How could that have happened? I didn't remember hitting anything in the days before. And my dinner party with the rocket scientists the previous night hadn't been THAT rowdy (last year I caught someone drunk trying to push my bike over, but I'm sure that didn't happen this time). While I assessed the damage, it dawned on me that it probably was the navigation device. It sticks out quite far, which causes it to twitch at high speeds. That probably transferred some strain to the linking points between the windscreen and the frame. Those were exactly the points where the windscreen had started to crack. To put it very technically: the windscreen would not live to see Nordkapp.

So I had to deal with it. But first things first. Meeting up with Mo and Ava was all I could think about, so I hurried along to the airport. I was just in time to have a grand reunion, as Ava came running to me exclaiming loudly for the whole airport to hear: Paaaapppaaaaaaa! And then I kissed and squeezed Mo until we were both out of breath.

We had a wonderful three days in Stockholm. We were staying in an appartment in Gamla Stan, the old town center. Stockholm is a beautiful, monumental city and we made sure to have a look around. Some highlights: a boatride through the Royal Canal, a walk around the old town and (very much our favourite) playing hide-and-seek with Ava in the gardens of the Riksdag, the Swedish parlement. Take a look at the pics below. Most importantly though, we got to be together as a family, and that was all we really wanted. Travelling like this wouldn't be possible for me, if Mo didn't make it possible, and I am forever grateful. Luckily nowadays we have the technological ways to connect every day, but there's nothing better than being together in the real world.

So when the moment came to say goodbye again this morning, I really had a tough time. Hardest thing I had to do on this trip until now. I am so lucky to have such a beautiful family.

As I saddled up the bike again (which I had found to be in perfect order after four days at the airport) and rode off, I did so with a heavy heart. The weather decided to match my mood and it started to rain, well to pour really. I had expected some difficulty, so I came prepared with my rain suit on. And I had managed to repair the windscreen somewhat. So I made it through, though a bit weary.

About the windscreen: while in Stockholm I had tried to find a replacement. That turned out to be complicated and I ended up ordering the correct windshield but with a weeks delay. So I had it sent ahead of me to the Arctic circle! When I arrive there, Wednesday or Thursday, I hopefully will be able to pick it up from the local post office. I will then put it on the bike myself, that probably won't be too complicated. If it fits, that is ....

Well, those are worries for later. Right now, I'm at a farm near Soderhamm. It's a nice place with an orchard and a view of the hills. But tomorrow I will roll on to the High Coast on the Gulf of Bothnia. It's supposed to be one of the prettier areas of Sweden, and I managed to get a little cabin there.