On my way home

Dear supporters and friends,

I'm in Roskilde now, where I'm staying over at the apartment of Jon Jessen (again =) ). The train left early yesterday and took me here in the evening. Today the night train is waiting for me in Stockholm. Of course, I had to pay like 300 kronor extra to get a booked bed on that train but from experience, I know that it's worth paying extra money for a bed. This in, should be mentioned, despite the fact that I have payed 160 euro for a Interrail card. But I am leaving Copenhagen at around 14.20.

I tried all the way yesterday to write something down, something very important to say. But the pen didn't work and too much thoughts was running through my head. Life is really depending on what speed you have travelling through it. For a month now landscapes has slowly come and gone away again, and my mind has been able to process all the incoming information. On the train, it just passes by so fast, all this distance that I've taken a month to cover.

It has not been an easy journey. Most problems I've had during the day just to almost forget them during the evening when I've posted my blogposts. It started with the shoulder problems. I can tell you, it was really unnice. Then my toe nails started hurting because of the bad asfalt. That ment sometimes going through extreme pain just to make some more kilometers. I've had massive blisters on my feet and hands, and I also think the bones of my largest toes are slightly damaged because they have hurt all the way after the bad asfalt started in the north of Sweden. I haven't been able to feel anything at the tip of my toes, due to this. Which perhaps is not very good. It is starting to return to normal now though - I think! =)

Fact is, sometimes I've had to tell myself that "tomorrow will be a day of rest" just to manage to keep on going. I've set my eyes on the piece of road furthest away from me, gone there and set my eyes on the next piece of road. Going towards Brussels costed me sweat, blood and tears. Honestly, sometimes I've wanted nothing else than to write a full blog post with swearing words describing how shitty I sometimes have felt during my inlining trip. It's been a very long trip. A very tiring trip. A very inspiring and interesting trip. A massive adventure that I look back at with a mixture of hate and love.

But despite all my efforts, I did not reach the European parliament in Brussels. And I'm telling you: for the inhabitans of the European Union to actually reach their democracy, they need to spend just as much energy as I have. The effort they have to put in to understand what is going on in Brussels, it is just as great as the effort I had to put in trying to reach it myself. All these drops of sweat I've spent, common people also need to spend reading books explaining the European Union to them.

It's far too far to Brussels. And now it is proven.

Saying that, I've done my very best in my attempt to reach the European Parliament and Brussels. All the comments, e-mails and text-messages I've recieved has really inspired and helped me to not give up. The people I met, both in this blog and on the road, have been the main reason for how this trip could be possible. I have seen so much enthusiasm and joy in peoples eyes when I've told them what I am doing. I have seen that what I was doing was actually giving those people energy - and positive energy creates positive energy. You have all supported me in an amazing way and should feel very proud of the fact that we together came very far in our attempt to reach Brussels. If I've been the engine of this vehicle, the people I've come in contact in various ways have been the fuel. The shell of the vehicle? My inlines, of course! =)

I'll be writing some more when returning home. I do not know still where this political action and blog will end up. I do not know what way to guide our common enthusiasm next. I have to think, and that I will have time for on my 20 hours heading for Skellefteå. But until then: Don't just let this pass your world, don't just forget about this great journey you made possible. Keep that flame burning that I've seen from you. I will do the same.

All the very best and thousands of "thank you".

/Johan Lundstrom