This is how excited I’m every time I’m about to go on an island trip.
If you enjoy spending time in the great outdoors or have a desire to spend a night in the wilderness, you’ve come to the right place. This blog is dedicated to encouraging and inspiring you to explore beautiful locations in the Finnish archipelago, sleep under the open skies, and connect with nature.
You’ll find recommendations for stunning islands and places to visit in the Finnish archipelago and camping tips. I want to motivate you to get outside and enjoy and appreciate nature, no matter where you are!
In this blog you’ll get
Tips for exploring the Finnish archipelago
including how to use ferries
Inspiration for adventures in nature
with the hidden camping spots
Stories from the islands
with a hint of history
This is how I ended up writing a blog about it
This happened a view years back:
My house burnt down, my husband took a job halfway around the world away, and I was diagnosed with breast cancer, all within one year! I couldn’t have survived it without nature!
At first, after all these events I thought what a bad luck I had. I must have been the unluckiest person in the world! But soon, with the help of my husband, I realized that actually I had been very lucky.
There must have been a reason why I was saved, not only once, but twice.
I was so unlucky… or was I?
I could have died in the fire, but I didn’t. And believe me, it was a matter of minutes. Me and my husband lost our beloved home and nearly all our possessions, but we were alive.
My cancer was detected in its early stages. After undergoing two surgeries, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and antibody treatment I am now healthy and slowly growing back my hair. I had an aggressive cancer type, so it could have been a different outcome if it hadn’t been detected so early. Again, how lucky I was!
I was already feeling down after losing my home, but after the cancer diagnosis, I felt terrified and depressed. Due to seven months of sick leave, I lost my work community and with my husband working abroad, I felt lonely and lost.
I didn’t feel like hanging around in my temporary apartment, which didn’t feel like home. I have always loved nature and being outdoors, so I ended up on an island in the Baltic Sea, in-between Finland and Sweden.
I thought I would just visit, but I ended up spending my whole chemotherapy time (four months) there. I lived in a little camping site, where I slept in a hammock for 50 nights! Surprisingly, it ended up being one of the best summers of my life!
The healing power of nature
A miracle happened. I was enjoying nature, and the company of new friends, that I made.
Even my regular trips to the city for chemotherapy treatments became a minor inconvenience (well, I didn’t enjoy feeling sick after the treatments, but I knew it would pass).
The healing power of nature is amazing. It can shift your focus away from yourself and towards gratitude for simple pleasures such as the sound of birds singing and the warmth of the sun on your skin.
With mental health problems rising around the world, I wanted to highlight the healing power of nature and that’s how I ended up starting this blog about the area I love so much.
That summer changed my life
I had received reminders that life is short and can end any day, so I decided I wanted to do what I love the most and spend as much time in nature as possible.
in the summer of 2024, I slept one hundred consecutive nights out, 52 of which I slept in my hammock. I intend to continue this passion for many more years to come!
Recently my life changed in another way too. I managed to get an apartment in Kökar, so I sold my house in the city and moved full-time to Kökar, Åland!
I hope you enjoy reading my blog and get to feel the power and beauty of nature yourself!
Now, go and read some of my, mostly solo, adventures!
