Getting to Hemavan

I woke up early to catch a 6:20 train to Umea. Who am I kidding -- I barely slept; I was already awake. The train was packed and there were several people with full packs. At the end, they were not going as far as me. 

At Umea I switched tracks for a local train to Vannasby station. I'd been on a train for7.5 hours. I alighted thinking now onward to the last leg of my journey: a five-hour bus trip deep into the mountainous interior. Hahaha, first I had to figure out where to catch the bus. 

I walked toward a parking lot, thinking, I'll have time for a snack and potty. I saw a man getting on a bicycle holding his crutches. He rode up to me and I heard him say Hemavan. I said, Yes! Then in English, he said: You must take the walking path there for about a kilometer to the E12. Then added, I think you have time. 

Okay, thank you. I took the walking path and wound around with no clue. It was the question of did I have time to figure this out. I was not finding the busy E12. I started to panic and just then a Dad pushing a baby carriage came down the path and I showed him my ticket. He said follow me. My favorite words in these situations. I swear, I would 1. Never had known I'd have to walk so far to get the bus and 2. I would have never found it on my own.

 

I sat and waited and a big blue bus blew by me that said Hemavan. That's my bus! I waved my arms and he came back. He spoke to me in Swedish and I just hustled on board grateful. He explained in English then: You have to stand up (I was, but never mind). Just glad to have gotten this far.

Long evening shadows fall on a river the E12 is following. 

mountain station, Hemavan