Jealous of the boys trip to Koster two years ago, I suggested we try to make the trek this time around. A grueling 2 hours by car, 4 hours by train, and 45 minutes by ferry brought us to Kosterhavet National Park, close to the border with Norway. We were greeted on the island by uncle Björn and a friend, who schlepped our things to our campsite more than 1km away. Did I mention that there are no cars allowed on the island?
Our campsite couldn't be more perfectly situated. We got busy setting up and the kids got straight to exploring. Anders, in typical form, generated chaos. Magnus was immediately occupied with making a collection of shells, moss, and stones.
After a quick dinner at a restaurant, one of just two on the island, we watched the sun begin to set and cozied in to our tents.
The following morning we sprang into action, with swimming trunks and nets on a quest to catch crabs and sea creatures.
The boulders were meant for climbing. Mattias began coaching Anders but quickly realized this kid has some natural abilities.
The afternoon brought more crab fishing and ice cream at the only store on the island. After a full catch, the crabs were allowed to race back to their homes and we enjoyed a late night sunset back at camp.
The next day was set aside for hiking and more beach exploration. I woke up in the wee hours to treat myself to a short, solitary hike along the shore. While walking we thoroughly enjoyed counting all the huge slugs along the trails and searching for smultron (native strawberries).
Kerstin and Magnus watched the kids for 2 hours so that Mattias and I could go on a hike by ourselves. The trail, wrapping a mere 2km around the island, took us through all the different ecosystems of the land. We were delighted to have Björn's dog, Momo, on the hike with us.
We ended our last day (and Linus' 8th birthday) with a lovely dinner at Björn's place. We grilled on the patio and enjoyed the views, while the kids misbehaved on the expansive lawn.
Our time at Koster was short, and it was very hard to leave. The pristine landscape and wildlife, long days, and absence of technology made for a perfect escape. Living in the present isn't a challenge when your surroundings inspire. Dirty and tired, I promised myself to return one day.
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