Colder nights

As the nights turn colder, leaves are beginning to gather in our garden, even as the days still offer summer warmth. Few things spell autumn more clearly than my signature risotto with chanterelles, guanciale, and Västerbotten cheese. With four days in Halmstad coming up next week and a need for food containers, any leftovers will also be more than welcome.

Before digging in, I just have to share the story of the politest seat-swap request I have ever heard aboard an airplane. Considering the countless hours I once spent standing with a baby carrier in the galley to avoid disturbing other passengers, I am deeply grateful that my days of flying with small children are firmly behind me.

Upgraded

To my surprise, Cunard accepted my £60 per person upgrade bid to Queen’s Grill, so my dad and I are now booked into a mid-forward Queen’s Suite on Deck 9 for our two nights aboard the Queen Mary 2. This means we will get to experience the best Cunard has to offer in culinary terms, along with a welcome bottle of champagne – which I plan to bring with me and save for Christmas in Kiruna.

With Halland Ultra-Beach coming up in just three days, it is good to have this grand maritime adventure on the horizon to help keep my nerves in check. Yesterday, Deutsche Post delivered this summer’s Monocle Mediterraneo newspaper, and since my custom-made Pan Am retro luggage tag arrived already a few months ago, I am almost ready to start packing.

Château Bonnet

Sometimes, a wine can be just uncomplicatedly good. Retailing at 69 SEK at Systembolaget, a half bottle of Château Bonnet Blanc was exactly what I needed for dinner tonight.

After creating the quiz below using ChatGPT, I asked for dinner suggestions based on an xml-file that contains every blog post I have written since 2006. Among the many tantalizing ideas, I went for red pepper bulgur with pomegranate and mint (next time, I will go all in with the Turkish Airlines classic: bulgur pilaf). Sadly, we were out of Greek yoghurt, so I had to brutalize the dish somewhat with the last of the bearnaise that I had bought for Anna’s brother.

In just over a month, my dad and I will take the train to Hamburg, where we will board the Queen Mary 2.  I have already read up on the sample menus to get a sense of what awaits us – if nothing else, to keep me motivated through those long kilometres at night during Halland Ultra-Beach. As we get closer, I will share more about the trip and what to expect aboard, as that may depend a bit on whether my shameless £60 bid for a Queen’s Grill upgrade goes through.

Beau Marin

Two months before setting sail with my dad on the Queen Mary 2, I was finally able to upload the last insurance details – and with that, we are officially ready to go. Believe it or not, this will be my first time aboard a cruise ship, though the QM2 is technically more of an ocean liner one might add. Either way, I am very much looking forward to the journey, not least from a culinary perspective. To get into the right maritime mood, I made pan-seared salmon with a creamy avocado sauce and asparagus, paired with a chilled can of “Beau Marin” from the Loire Valley.

I have made a conscious decision not to book any internet package while onboard the QM2 in order to be more present in the moment. But I promise to update the blog once I am back ashore in the UK. With everything currently unfolding in the Middle East, including Qatar closing its airspace in anticipation of an Iranian attack against the Al Udeid air base, I find myself doom-scrolling news at a pace not seen since the early days of the pandemic. Perhaps it is time to disconnect a little already, and give some more attention to my research.

Run up a hill, swim in a lake

Waking up to the disturbing news that Trump has followed through on his long-standing threat to bomb nuclear installations in Iran, I was at least heartened to see Sweden’s former prime minister Carl Bildt clearly denounce the action as a blatant violation of international law. I remember seeing the city lights of Tehran at night as Anna and I flew to our new home in Hong Kong in 2011 and daytime flights over the snowy mountains of Shiraz in 2015. The futility of all our conflicts, our tragic inability to see the bigger picture and the hope that could be humanity.

Trying to shake the gloom, I went up Brudarebacken in my old Hoka Torrents with my legs feeling a bit heavy after yesterday’s Alpaca hike. 200 meters of elevation gain later, I jumped into the lake below, swam a few hundred meters in the cold water before heading back home to make a failed attempt at Poffertjes with blueberries. 

SK500

After a full day in the British capital – with a research visit to the Imperial War Museum, lunch at the Mandarin Oriental Mayfair, and an absolutely miserable 2.5 km “Quadzilla” park jog through Berkeley Meadows – Anna and I caught the morning SAS flight back to Copenhagen.

Despite leaving Star Alliance last autumn, SAS still grants its elite members access to the Lufthansa Senator Lounge in Terminal 2. With Lufthansa’s own flights to Munich and Frankfurt already departed, Anna and I had the lounge more or less to ourselves. While it may not quite reach the standards of Qantas or Cathay over in Terminal 3, it remains one of my favourite lounges.

Morning departure

When in Copenhagen last week, Anna discovered that the Imperial War Museum is hosting a special exhibition on the Japanese “comfort women” system which seemed highly relevant to her research. As such, she decided to make a last-minute surprise trip across the North Sea today. With roundtrip tickets available for 1,500 SEK by combining Ryanair and SAS, I could not resist tagging along for a spontaneous day in London.

Now at Landvetter, we are waiting to board our flight to Stansted. My legs are still absolutely smashed after Alpaca, so I am hoping to go for a gentle recovery jog this afternoon to help ease out some of the muscle soreness.

Lounge hopping at Heathrow T3

As long planned, Anna and I made full use of a delightful loophole in the lounge access policy at Heathrow’s Terminal 3 when flying to Gothenburg. By booking Club Europe seats for just 15,000 miles each plus 14 SEK in taxes, we were able to visit, in turn, the Qantas, Cathay Pacific, and Centurion lounges. We began with an Australian brunch: a smoked aubergine salad with zaatar cauliflower, baby spinach, broccolini, and a poached egg, followed by salt and pepper squid with green chili and aioli. Paired with a sparkling wine from South Australia, we were instantly transported across continents.

Served with a sparkling wine from South Australia, I was in true lounge heaven even before heading over to Cathay Pacific in time for the lunch departure to Hong Kong. Picking up some Korean fried rice at the bar to go with a Layton’s Brut Reserve champagne that was simply divine. I both cannot recommend this loophole enough – and urge you not to spread the word too widely. This is an unbelievable way to fly home to Sweden after an ultra weekend adventure in the UK.

High Life

At noon, our Airbus was ready to board at Landvetter. In no time, we were on our way above Skatås and Gothenburg’s southern archipelago towards the United Kingdom. Seeing Ringkøbing Fjord from above, I was reminded of the wild proportions of those 100 kilometres, and from the folded menu (that once used to be the High Life magazine), I ordered a very British cheese and ham sandwich.

Once on the ground in London, we picked up a Citroën C3 and hit the M4 towards “The West”. Driving for nearly five hours and stopping only for coffee once, the first hours were in sunshine but, as we approached the coast, it started raining. Now at our small B&B in Broad Haven (a little more than one kilometre from the start in Little Haven), both Anna and I have slept really well, listening to the rain and the distant sounds of the Atlantic. According to the forecast, the rain will stop in about an hour and, while there may be some light drizzle during the day, conditions look good for Anna’s first ultra, with sunshine expected later in the afternoon.

Trebbiano

While the grape Trebbiano is often associated with cheap mass production, I was positively surprised by the Trebbiano d’Abruzzo that I was served last night at VRÅ. Sitting in the evening sunshine with Anna overlooking the railway station, we had just checked in for today’s flight with British Airways and, with my parents taking care of the children back home, our ultra-running adventure could not be off to a better start.

Now in the lounge at Landvetter, we are waiting for our Speedbird A320 to make its way across the North Sea, while I am busy preparing slides for my upcoming lecture on International Relations. Considering our destination, I could not resist bringing Anders Källgård’s Öar i Europa along, and reading about the Isles of Scilly, I am back thinking that, if I were to successfully finish Halland Ultra-Beach in August, I would have the qualifier needed for the Arc of Attrition in Cornwall...

Energy density

One thing I often struggle to communicate in debates about renewable versus nuclear energy is the concept of energy density. Yesterday, at Tom Titt Experiment in Södertälje, I think I found the perfect illustration in the human-powered helicopter above.

Now, on the train back to Gothenburg, I am commenting on thesis drafts from my students, but I find myself distracted by the many moving tributes to Stina Oscarsson, one of the most important voices in the Swedish public debate, who went silent four days ago after a life-long struggle with anorexia. While I occasionally disagreed with some of the things she wrote or said, I always made time to read her texts when they appeared. I will dearly miss her perspective.

BRA

Having flown with BRA only once before, back in 2019, chances are I will have more opportunities in the future now that they have partnered with SAS as its main domestic wet lease operator – covering routes to Kalmar, Halmstad and, this morning, Kiruna. Today’s flight was on an Airbus A319 that once served with Air Namibia for nearly a decade, a past still legible in the Portuguese signage aboard as we left Kiruna and the High North behind in stunning sunshine. 

Last night, I made lamb meatballs with zucchini, sweet potatoes, feta, and mint for a final Easter dinner. After a morning spent cleaning the house, it feels strange to know we will not be back until Christmas, meaning that we will miss the big summer event when the old church will be moved, in one piece, across town.

Just before boarding, I learned that Pope Francis had passed away. Despite his occasionally populist tone on environmental matters, I think he has been as good a pope as one could hope for – pushing the Catholic Church toward the present in meaningful ways.

After the Cold

After spending a week resting and recovering from my cold, I finally got to go for a long run this morning, heading out to the airport in Kiruna just in time to see Zimex Aviation's ATR 42 touch down from Umeå with the mail.

Over the course of my run, the sun broke through the clouds, making me wish I had taken shorts and t-shirt rather than winter running gear. This year, the spring is unusually early in the Arctic, melting away glaciers that are already at record lows – all consistent with what we would expect in a changing climate. In today’s Dagens Nyheter, there is an article about covert climate activists working in different Swedish government agencies. Reading it, I am struck again by the tragic mismatch between individual moral conviction and the scale of action required to address the global, gigaton realities of climate change.

Pontus remixed

After signing up for a Platinum card with American Express back in February, I have been able to visit a few Priority Pass lounges as well as making use of the “Dining by Amex” benefit but today I got the check-out their signature lounge at Arlanda for the first time. Using the old "Pontus in the Air" restaurant room, and maintaining some of the Pontus Fritiof branding, I was filled with memories from my many great escapes in the past, be it Colombia and Peru with Anna in 2018 or when I was heading down to Morocco to run the Marrakesh Marathon in 2019.

While the food offerings felt more suited for adults than kids, I had an excellent smoked salmon sandwich and fruit salad, with coffee served at the table. According to the reviews that I have read online, food later in the day is even better so I look forward to returning in September when I have my next evening flight out of Arlanda.

New horizons

Well, that didn’t take long. I am now officially registered for the 100-mile edition of Halland Ultra-Beach on 2 August. Unlike the 100-km edition, which started at midnight in Olofsbo, the longer race will start at 10 am in Åskloster just north of Varberg, which I think will work much better with my internal clock.

Well before that however, Pembrokeshire Ultra with Anna is coming up in six weeks’ time, as we head over to London with British Airways which once again offered incredible value in Club World for 30,000 Avios and 14 SEK in taxes. Flying Club means that we will also get to check out both Qantas and Cathay Pacific’s eminent lounges in T3 at Heathrow (which I have long had on my bucket list) for a celebratory brunch before we fly back.

Back to Skatås

Taking off from Copenhagen Airport this morning with “Estrid Viking”, Öresund was like a misty fairytale and, once on the ground in Gothenburg, I could not resist lacing up my marigold Torrents for 11 km of spring sunshine in Skatås.

After being so cold in Spain (sic!), it is simply wonderful to be back and having this beautiful forest just outside the door. With Bandolerita cancelled (still no official communication), I am seriously considering signing up for the 100-mile edition of Halland Ultra-Beach in early August, starting in Åskloster and finishing in Båstad.

SK588

From some time after this summer, SAS will discontinue its Plus fares and align its service offerings with its new Air France/KLM owners, meaning that it will once again offer a true business class within Europe in terms of the soft product (the hard product will stay the same, with the only exception being that the middle seat will be blocked). As such, I appreciated this last opportunity to fly SAS Plus for an affordable price on Sofi’s and my flight to Copenhagen this evening. For dinner, we were served a lentil salad with baby potatoes, chicken breast, creamy piquillo sauce and green leaves together with a cute bottle of Shiraz “Down under” with a koala on the label. Just passing Paris, I can now look forward to five weeks on the ground in Gothenburg until all of the family heads up to Kiruna for the Easter holidays.

Distanca conducida 681

681 kilometres on the road later and I am back at Málaga-Costa del Sol Airport with Sofi after duly celebrating her 50th birthday with four unforgettable days in Spain, featuring our Airbnb with the kind donkey Cleopatra, a cancelled race in the storm, and a visit to Jerez de la Frontera that for so long had been on my bucket list.

From Jerez we drove along the A-381 through the Parque Natural Los Alcornocales to La Línea de la Concepción and Gibraltar which I last visited in 2009 on my way to Tangier. Like last time, it really felt so different from Spain just a few kilometres across as we had lunch at a waterfront Wagamama, speaking English, and paying in Pound Sterling. While the UK is about the introduce an ETA requirement also for EU citizens from 1 April, this time we were just waved across the border. I will see how different things will be in six weeks when I am heading over to Wales with Anna to run the Pembrokeshire Ultra. Right now, I cannot escape the feeling that I have cheated somehow by feeling all fresh in my legs as I walk through the airport in Málaga, so different from in Seville a year ago.

Flying start

And with that, Sofi’s and my trip to Spain is off to a flying start. In three hours, we will touch down at the far end of the European continent, with Africa just opposite, like so many years ago. Equipped with a new biography about Ernst Wigforss, the Halmstad-born social democrat who was one of the main architects of the Swedish welfare state, I now have something to read in case the race does indeed end up being cancelled. Right now, the forecast is pretty awful with a rainstorm throughout the whole day.

Before boarding, I helped Sofi book her conference trip to Thailand in October, reminding me of how much I enjoy planning global adventures and, being my father’s son, finding the best possible tickets. In the end, we settled for Austrian Airlines even as Qatar Airways with a possible stop-over in Doha was a close contender.

Tomorrow morning, Sofi and I will pick up a Fiat 500 Peugeot 208 and head up into the mountains. I am uncertain how much I time I will have to update Rawls & Me, but I will definitely make it up with a few retroactive posts once the race is over.

Thirteen Forty Five

Joined by my fox from Örebro, I entered the SJ lounge just as it opened at 6 am this morning for a post-run breakfast. Though I was able to catch some spring sunshine with Anna and the kids on Sunday as we walked up to Lyckan for waffles, much of the past weekend has been spent in front of the computer finalizing my grant application to the Swedish Research Council.

As for less important things, Air New Zealand is launching its own wine label called “Thirteen Forty Five”, a name that is paying tribute to the airline’s inaugural flight from Auckland to Sydney, which covered a distance of 1,345 miles 85 years ago. With all the dark things going on right now, it is indeed tempting to dream of an easier existence at the other end of the world. With regard to Trump and Ukraine, I remain divided though since our overriding obligation to posterity must be to avoid a nuclear apocalypse and, with that in mind, I have a hard time seeing how appeasing Russia can really be a bad thing, whatever the moral loss may be in the present. Besides, the chance of regime collapse in Russia presumably increases monotonically for every year that passes so, to some extent, it is about waiting it out.