Today was a recharging stage. I arrived in a small town, Simlångsdalen, where I had to do some shopping and most of all recharge my devices so I can stay connected, because it means a lot to me that so many of you are walking with me.

Simlångsdalen is a small town that I’m sure was a lot livelier 30-40 years ago.

The small town where I grew up had st the time three pubs, three grocers, a post office, a bank, a shop where you could buy all kinds of kitchen appliances and other electrical items, and some other small shops. Today there is nothing left. A few years ago, a small grocery store reopened and immediately became the centre of town again, especially for the elderly, giving them a place to meet and chat. It too is now closed. Sometimes I wonder if we haven’t bought our progress at the expense of human interaction.

I ended up in the town’s pizzeria and didn’t feel particularly welcome to start with. I was sitting outside waiting for them to open, and when they arrived shortly before opening time, they didn’t seem like they wanted to have customers already. But that impression changed. They served me a huge portion and brewed an extra cup of coffee for me. When I thanked them at the end for all their help, the hostess was beaming, obviously pleased that I appreciated them letting me sit over a meal and a cup of coffee for 2 1/2 hours so I could charge my devices. Thank you ‘Dalens Pizzeria’.

I then followed an old railway line to my destination for the day. It was easy walking but the road was obviously dead straight.