Vicks Torp to Saro: Escaping Ting

I had kept trying to leave Ting and continue my journey but everyday something kept me.
Days at Ting could be spent in the forests, lake of water lillies, doing workshops on meditation, Sin Do, Tai Chi and so on. It was totally inspiring. The Forest at Ting had glades of Moss so thick it felt like you were lying on a duvet. You could easily go here during the heat of the day and fall asleep.
Evenings involved a group helping to prepare the dinner which was then eaten in a large circle in a forest clearing this was then followed by announcements, thoughts, songs and music.
Anybody could adress the Ting by taking hold of stick from the centre of the circle next to a fire. The music was incredible. A mass rhythm section accompanied a harmonica, accordian, violin, guitar the list goes on in long renditions of everything from Nordic folk songs to Thriller, each rising to an ecstatic often improvised crescendo! These setions lasted long into the night and dotted around the lake and forest were many smaller fires each with their own groups, stories and dreams.
Ting is very small festival. Only 160 people attend and you quickly get to know everyone. It is not an architypal 'hippy' gathering either. Drugs and alcohol are banned and the the people that attend range from the quitly counter-cultural to magnificently eccentric.
One of the highlights for me at Ting was going into Gothenburg to busk with the musical group. 14 of us squeezed into the back of a windowless van in the baking heat and drove for 45 minutes to the city centre. We warmed up on the way, a cozy experience to say the least. The hippy's had come to Gothenburg and everyone stared mouths open, laughing as we made our way down the main boulevard, semi naked and unwashed playing multi-instrumental Nordic folk, our hearts blazing. We set down our pitch in the main square, an 18 strong ensemble of jugglers, dancers and musicians and set about energising the experience of those passing by. I was playing two logs and a saucepan! We were well recieved, made lots of money and quite a few passers by joined in. It was the first time I had ever busked and it was a real privilige to support such accomplised musicians.
When I left Ting, Emma gave me a beautiful necklace she had carved out of an avacado seed of a tree with the hammock in it.
I felt horrendous as I made my way west to the coast, it was so strange being back in the 'real' world.

Pictured here is the sunset over Saro on the coast. Saro was the residency of the Swedish Royal family in the 18th century and the cycle route there follows the railway line they had specially built to take them there from Gothenburg. The place is now full of mansions and tennis courts.

Ting: As close to Paradise as I have ever been

Some very helpful people with a house by the lake helped us in the morning with showers and water and directed us to the actual location of Ting which was about 10 miles south-west next to another another lake and a house called Vicks Torp.

We cycled through more pristine Forest and up yet another endless winding dirt track before finaly arriving.

There is no photography allowed at Ting and when I have more time I will write at more length about what happened in those proceeding 5 days which I spent there. For now all I will say is that the most extraordinary, beautiful group of people I have ever met had gathered together in the most idyllic place I have ever been. It took me quite literally to another world.

Gothenburg to Ting

Emma brought a bike in Gothenburg and at about about 10 at night we began our journey south to Ting. By nightfall we were still passing through endless forest.

One turning, which proved not to be right, came out, after hours of walking through dense forest, on to one the most beautiful lakes I have ever seen. Because of its lattitude this part of Sweden is never truly dark on summer's nights. It was as if the lake contained its own universe of stars. Somewher in the distance we could hear the faint beat of drums. Perhaps these drums came from Ting and had been carried through the night but after after a long time searching we decided to camp for the night.
Pictured here is the lake in the morning, our camp and cooking lunch on the way.

Kungalv to Gothenburg: A midsummer's night's dream

Having avoided the extortianate camping pices in Kungalv, 1300 Sek, by camping beneath the castle, I made my way to Gothenburg.
Passing through the centre of Gothenburg I came across 3 German Kids who had just finished thir A-levels and had decided to cycle from Potsdam to Denmark, through Sweden and then home again. They only the most minimal of equipment on them, their bikes were old town bikes and there was not a pair of cycling shorts between them. Their resourcefulness and zest for spontaneous adventure put me to shame! We brought Chicken together and cooked it in a city park on a cooking stove they had brought with them. I am deffinately going to get one. It was at this point that we met a Finnish Girl who was hitchhiking around Sweden. She had hitched up her hammock about 10metres from the ground in an oak tree along with all her equipment! I was very impressed to say the least.
The German trio decided to keep moving in order to get to their connecting ferry at Trelleborg and cycled of into the night. Emma, the Finnish Girl and I decided to sleep in the park and make our way to an ancient Nordic festival called a Ting which was taking place the next day about 5km soth of Gothenburg.

Trollhattan to Kunlagv: Deceased Beaver

Having overcome the near total disaster of losing my bike, I said my final goodbyes, and set of from the town of Trollhattan at 15.20 beneath a bright blue sky.

The road to Kunlagv follows the Trollhattan canal though beautiful undulating countryside. Small areas of hilly forest give way to orchards and farmland giving the route a great variety of scenery. It is also, once you have climbed out of the steep valley that Trollhattan sits in, mostly downhill, which is a great blessing!

Pictured here are: My last view of Trollhattan looking down river from the hydroelectric dam, Vincent, a man from Belgium who I met passing through Asbracka. He was cycling up through Sweden, Finland, the Baltic states and back down to Belgium. He was delighted to have met me and was interested in my plan to cycle to Beijing one day.
A dead Beaver I passed just outside Lilla Edet.
The Castle at Kungalv and sunset over the Göta Ölv.

Trollhattan: A dark cloud with a silver lining.

Hello Everyone!

Apolagies for this late 1st blog entry but there have been a few disasters here in Trollhattan at the beginning of this trip. My bike was stollen from outside the Konsthallen on the second night, despite being secured with two chains! This expedition threatening disaster was mitigated by the very kind curator of the Konsthallen, Peter who has contributed very generously towards a new bike. I have ended up with a better one then I came out with so this cloud does seem to have a silver lining.

The Deviant Art Festival is much smaller this year but there is some beautiful Drawing and video work on display. I have been camping with two other Artists; Angus Braithwaite and his wife Corinne Mynatt, next to a very friendly German family with a blind puppy which barks at everything!
I have included images of Frederick Lindberg and Angus Braithwaite recreating Yves Klein's famous photo of him jumping from a building this evening using the Trollhattan canal as a softer landing.

Due to these earlier problems I may starting my journey on Monday 21st but I will keep you posted

Best wishes,

Oliver