One week of in Stockholm

Two weeks of vacation is coming up. Before Corona I thought two weeks was way to long to have vacation so 10 days in a row was my max. Right now I have no other choice than having two weeks off and of the top of that it is not possible to travel abroad which I always do when I have time off. So what to do? I have now spent a full week in Stockholm doing vacation and below was what I managed to do. Wish I could have visited museums also but other than that life is pretty normal in the city except that you get reminded to keep the distance all the time, wash your hands and so on.

Monday

Woke up and went for a Bodypump class at SATS. Got home to have a decent breakfast. Packed lunch and got on my bike for a four hour biking adventure in the South of Stockholm. Found some great new places like Flatenbadet, Drevviken, Gamla Enskede. It was nice weather but the wind was very cold. Came home and went for an interval session with a running club I am training with, Runday. Forgot to mention I also baked cookies and read the book Breakfast at Tiffany’s plus watched the movie Parasite which I really enjoyed.

Tuesday

I wasn’t waking up over excited about another day at home. Started with a walk in the sun around Klarabergskanalen followed by a Bodybalance class at SATS. Home for a smoothie lunch then it started to rain. I took a nap and then went out for a second long walk in the rain around Norra Djurgårdsstaden and Brunnsviken. Another smoothie and then off to soccer practice. Can’t say I am not in relaxing mode right now. Actually too relaxed for my taste (meaning bored).

Wednesday

This day I woke up to snow. In May. Welcome to Sweden. I just wanted to stay in bed the whole day but I forced myself out to SATS for a yoga class. The class was great. Then home and cooked food for the first time since last week. I watched the weather app and counted down to the sun. The app was right and the sun happened so I went out for a run. 13K around Kungsholmen. It wasn’t my best run but it felt great to be outside after a full day at home. Wasn’t in the best mode since I heard that it won’t be allowed to travel abroad until 15 July now. That feels like ages. The two months here in Stockholm have felt like two years. At least.

Thursday

A new day and I woke up happier. No snow and blue sky. After breakfast I went out for a walk and listened to Framgångspodden. I listen to several pods every day now. Then I went to SATS for a yoga class but since the classes are extremely popular I didn’t got a spot so I changed plan and biked to Bauhaus in Bromma to buy some pottery for my plants. Then I went grocery shopping. In the afternoon it was actually warm so I sat a my balcony reading a book and enjoyed a homemade Dalgona coffee (the super trendy coffee) before I took off for a 13K run around Brunnsviken. Every day is a runday now. Almost. Then I finished my home gardening and that was it. Well, I don’t have any problem to entertain myself but still these aren’t the things I dream about doing when having days off.

Friday

Shorty after breakfast I took off at my bike in direction towards Hässelby strand. For years I have had a project to discover all SATS training centers in Stockholm and still I haven’t managed to visit them all. I did the same thing when I lived I Oslo and it was a fun project taking me to areas I normally wouldn’t visit so same here. SATS Vinsta was my tourstop this day and a class of Bodypump. Joining me on the class was a person I know from my hometown. Everyone, and I mean everyone have moved from Västerås to Stockholm and are hanging out at SATS. Before that I enjoyed the shoreline in Hässelby and this sunny day it was fantastic. I could definitely go back here later in the summer for the beaches.

In the evening I met up a friend for some rose drinking and gossiping at Hallwylska. They have a really cozy bar that is a must visit in Stockholm and ask the museum is a must see.

Saturday

No day should start without a proper breakfast so I did if course had one. Then I was off towards a 10K run before I had a relaxed session at my balcony enjoying the sun. I was after that going to met up with a friend at Rappnes to look at the flowers and have a coffee. We managed to shop a few items and I had a delicious carrot cake before we had to leave since they were closing. Off to nearby Kista galleria where we bought grocery’s to make tacos to our gaming night that was going to take place at my crib. Then we played Sequence and Ticket to Ride so many times I lost count. But a fun day!

Sunday

Last day of my doing vacation at home week. I was happy waking up knowing it is one day closer to not have vacation. I started the day with a walk for 40 minutes to pick up my bike that I left yesterday then I biked to SATS Täby centrum. A new location to me so one more check on my visit all SATS project. There I was joining an outdoor cross training class which was great. I love outdoor training. Then biked home again. It was a beautiful bike ride through Enebyberg and Danderyd. I could live there. Miss living in a house. When I got home I had lunch and finished my second book of the week. My plan was to go for a yoga class but I felt for running so I took off for 14K around Kungsholmen. Was a relaxed way to end the weekend and when I got home I decided to go for a home spa.

Thoughts after spending a week at home

Honestly if it was a choice I wouldn’t stayed home. I hope this was my first and last stay at home vacation. In the end I think I didn’t do anything I wouldn’t been doing normally if it was a normal workweek. It felt like weekend every day. I really miss my old life every single day. I miss the everyday stress, working, travel abroad, run races, play soccer, differentiate between spare time and office time. To spend the vacation at home suits some people but not me. But at least I have tried it and thanks but no thanks. If I will be forced to spend more time home during the summer I have at least signed up for a full-time course in law which I look forward to. For me Stockholm is the place where I live and work. That’s it. Would you like to have vacation at home?

/ Pernilla that just spent a full week in Stockholm