Check off your bucket list in 2024 - with Astrid Wilds co-founder Maria

I have a dream.

To go skiing at lunch with my girlfriends. Instead of meeting at an overpriced restaurant in Stockholm, I see us gathering in the parking lot by the trail, strapping on our skis, and heading out together. In my dream, we catch up on life once we've conquered the first uphill stretch, stoping at the top to snap a few pictures of the view. But not for too long, as we all need to get back to work. It's Tuesday after all. 

That was how my life looked when I lived in Sri Lanka, meeting up with friends for a morning surf at sunrise. That way of socializing is truly one of the best ways I know. The combination of movement, small talk between waves, and moments of awe when the sun sparkles over the sea. 

My dream now is to create a similar routine, but on home turf. I don't own a mountain cabin yet, and even though there has been some snow in Stockholm this winter, it has felt challenging to make it happen.

So, when I was in Åre for a week, I thought "this is my chance". I had talked to several people about meeting up and simply started a group chat with all of them. The best girls Camilla Johansson, Jennie Nystedt, and Sara Gärdegård, whom I had never met IRL but only interacted with in the digital world.

Maria is wearing the Emma 3L Shell Jacket in size Large and Agnes Dungarees in size 38 and Sara is wearing Minna Wool Fleece Jacket in size Medium.

We agreed on a day and decided to defy the weather forecast, which promised a steady minus 25 degrees. I was still a bit nervous; after all, all these girls grew up in the Northern parts of Sweden and were practically born on cross-country skis, would I be able to keep up with their pace? I was incredibly relieved when Jennie asked about the pace we had in mind, exercise pase" or "cosy pace", and I quickly responded "cosy pace". 
When we met in the parking lot in Ullådalen, we realized it was probably no more than minus 10 degrees (in other words, warm!), and the sun even broke through. Sometimes you get lucky! I learned from the gang that you tend to need to pee more often when it's cold, and they advised me to take advantage of the moment. It's always nice to learn something new!

Skis on, and off we went! The beauty of skiing on a Tuesday in harsh January must be that you're almost alone on the trails. I can tell you that we stopped a few times just to "say wow, wow, wow, how beautiful it is here". I think the pictures speak for themselves.
The absolute best part of the trip, aside from the magic nature, was the flow. We stopped now and then just to chat about this and that, or peek into a mountain cabin to see if the café was open (it wasn't).

After about 2 hours outdoors, we were satisfied and headed down to Åre village for a warm soup lunch. Our discussions revolved around life, job interviews, and preparation. How prepared are we for a crisis, really?
Thank you Camilla, Jennie, and Sara, for letting me experience my dream with you!

Now, I have a new dream, and that is to cross-country ski behind an eager husky like the awesome Camilla. 
I mean, how cool is she? I also want straps with carabiners around my waist. Who knows? Maybe in a few years.

My tips for checking off your outdoor bucket list:
  • Say your dreams out loud!
  • Gather a group that is already doing what you dream of. And dare to ask someone you don't know!
  • Let everyone take responsibility. I often do myself a disservice by thinking I have to plan everything.
  • Dare to express that you're a beginner if you are, and dare to ask for advice!
  • Dress accordingly (check out our Astrid Wild's winter collection)

I hope I can inspire you to check off some of your bucket list dreams in 2024!

Maria is wearing the Emma 3L Shell Jacket in size Large and Agnes Dungarees in size 38.

Photos by Sara Gärdegård and Camilla Johansson.

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