Whole world is at the tip of your fingers ! Google Maps make Geography so much fun. Who knew a search for an island once in the Atlantic on Google would turn into a passionate love affair with life on islands. Heard of the Garden of the Atlantic ? Did you know just the largest archipelago in the world has over 240,000 islands ? Tens of thousands of tiny pieces of earth surrounded by waters. Life as an islander seemed too fascinating not to be lived at least once.
Next summer was too far ! I have heard Scandinavian winter wouldn’t be any easier. But I couldn’t wait for 2 long seasons either. It had to be this winter ! After an extensive search on Google, my home as an islander for 2 days was finally located in the 4th largest archipelago in the world. A cozy cottage on the edge of an island in Stockholm archipelago. Sounds terrific ? Out of 30,000 islands where do you ask I went ?
Idöborg did have some surprises for me. The excitement started the moment I received “Important information ahead of your visit” from booking.com. The mail said Idöborg was only 200×300 metres big ! How big does that sound ? Contemplation, imagination, visualisation… everything possible was debated with friends until I got there to find a piece of heaven on earth. An island with a handful of cottages but big enough to fill my heart with content.
As the countdown began, the challenges of life-on-an-island now seemed totally real. It was not going to be a cake walk ! I was informed of the absence of any commerce on the island. Which meant no supermarket. I had to carry food supplies for 2 days with me. Scandinavian winter also meant limited ferry service & sunset by 15:30. Planning had to be precise. Packing has to be minimal yet nothing essential should be missing. Never done this before ! My planning instincts & packing skills were now crucial for my islander dream to be fulfilled. Every emerging new detail made my whole idea of living the life of an islander more interesting & challenging. This journey was going to be one of a kind. I knew it !
However the surprises were not over yet. One final surprise was reserved for the day I reached Idöborg. A lady also got down from the ferry with me. She accompanied me to my cottage. “It’s just us on the island today. Are you scared ?” she asked me with concern. “I am next door if you need anything.”
I know. I know. Don’t jump to conclusions yet. It’s not time for “Are you craaazzyyy ???” yet. Alone on a lonely island out of nowhere in the Baltic !! The time to reflect on what was I thinking was over. It was time to live the moment. I had planned this for weeks. All I had to do was to believe in it. Scared or not scared, I had a whole 200×300 m big island all for myself without asking for it. Oh man ! How fantastic was that ! Do you wanna see my island by the way ?
