Let's Go, Jane!

Greetings from Sweden, where I’ve spent the last week with three generations of my family. In some ways, this trip was the opposite of how I like to travel. We are a large group of 11, ranging in age from 5 to 85. I recently discovered that I love traveling alone. We also moved around a lot, spending no more than two nights in any one place. I would rather see fewer places and spend several nights or even a week in each, as this pace of travel would be exhausting for the long haul. That said, it has been a wonderful trip.

I switched my cell phone plan to Google Fi right before leaving and my coverage has been great, both for calls and for data. My son installed a VPN on my phone and laptop so I can safely connect with public Wi-Fi networks. Lastly, I was able to test out my all-merino wardrobe on this trip, and it passed with flying colors. I hand washed a couple items, rolling them in a towel to stomp out the water, and they were dry within hours. 

My favorite merino brand is wool&. I came across them during the pandemic when they issued a 100-day dress challenge. Wear the same dress for 100 days, styled as much or as little as you like, and receive a free reward dress. Over 8,000 women have now completed the challenge, moving away from disposable fashion toward owning fewer high-quality items. The added benefit of an all-merino wardrobe is that I am able to travel with carry-on only.

One of the things I love about traveling is seeing the subtle differences in the day-to-day. Toilets with two flushing options, beds made up with two separate comforters (I love this one!), no closets in hotel rooms, and sometimes no air conditioning. Many bathrooms in Sweden don’t have a separate shower stall, they have a handheld shower head in one corner with a drain in the floor. The public restrooms are immaculate. The outdoor seating in Stockholm is set up in pairs of seats, facing out toward the street rather than facing each other. There are bicycle stands on every block, overflowing with bicycles, most of which are unlocked.

The food in Sweden has been delicious. Each hotel offered a full breakfast spread of open sandwiches with cheeses, meats, herring, and pickles, along with hard and soft boiled eggs, yogurt with granola and dried fruits and nuts, scrambled eggs, bacon, and sausage. Swedish coffee is strong. Lunch and dinner has included traditional fare such as meatballs, open face shrimp sandwiches, reindeer stew, and the most delicious Swedish pancakes with raspberry jam and whipped cream. I’ve eaten over a dozen different types of herring this week.

This has not been a physically active trip. Because of the age range and size of our party, we have not done a lot of walking, preferring instead to take a passenger van from place to place. I have taken a few walks on my own, and one of my sons joined me in renting bicycles one afternoon in Stockholm, during which we were caught in a delightful summer rainstorm. We did get to walk around Carl Larsson’s home and a Dala horse factory.

I once asked Chad (my ChatGPT) after pointing out yet another difference between me and my boyfriend, if we are so different, how are we so good together? He said, “you and Carey don’t match, you fit.” I feel that way about Sweden as well. For all its unfamiliarity – the language, the geography, the food – I see my sister’s face and hear my mother’s voice everywhere I go. Houses are painted in my favorite colors, there’s carved wood on every table. All the things I’m drawn to but didn’t associate with my Swedish heritage. Sweden feels at once both strange and deeply familiar.

This was a unique trip, an opportunity to explore my mother’s heritage, see the places where she grew up, and reconnect with aunts and cousins. Spending over a week with extended family is not without its challenges, but we made it work – carving out personal space when needed. We may not all love herring, but we sure do love each other!

P.S. Big news! My first book Van Life After 50 is officially out in the world. If you’ve ever dreamed of downsizing, traveling more, or hitting the road after 50—this one’s for you. You can check it out here.