From 3 years of traveling to finding peace in Åre - Camilla Johansson

Say hi to Camilla! The woman who settled down in Åre, after traveling around south/central america for three years. She tells us about her experiences, dreams about the future and gives us her best Åre-tips, such as: The best ski slopes in Åre, the best hiking trails in Åre, and the best summer activities in Åre.

You live in Åre, have the most amazing dog and you’re a pro at filming while skiing and leading great hiking tours. Did we forget something?

If you’ve followed me for a long time you’ll know about my three year long trip across south/central america but for those who don’t know, I was at a place in my life where I felt really lost and I fell in love with surfing on the other side of the world and decided to move there. That ended up doing a lot for me and my own personal development.

I didn’t just stay in the same little fishing village that I first ended up in. Once a year I took my backpack and traveled to different places. I traveled to places like Colombia to hike and I sailed over to Panama. I also went to Mexico to go dive in cenotes (underground caves) and I got to experience a culture far from the Swedish one.

Another trip I made was with a surfing team from Brazil even though they were on a completely different level than I was. I learned so much about how to handle myself in a scary situation because I often ended up in waves that were way too big for me and my abilities. That trip went through smaller towns in Panama and Costa Rica.

I also traveled alone by boat from Brazil to Peru. At first I was a little bit nervous getting on that boat but as soon as I did I was once again shown the kindness and consideration from people who took on the responsibility to show me how everything worked.
It wasn't a normal kind of boat with cabins, armchairs and restaurants. It was basically just a deck where you would hang your hammock from beams in the ceiling, and that was my home for the next five days.
Peru impacted me in a lot of ways. If you ever want to start believing in magic and faith, Peru might be the perfect place for it. Because it really was for me.

How’s life at the moment?

It’s great! I’m making a lot of progress in my own personal development and last week I got some new exciting photography projects. I’ve also decided to start working more with Adventure Stories and Nordinary. I’m really happy that working with projects I really love will now become my everyday life.

How come you’ve settled down with Bowie in Åre? And how hard is it to find housing in Åre?

I did a lot of seasonal work when I came back from traveling. I coincidentally ended up in Åre and immediately felt like there were more people like me here, feeling just as lost, but in Åre they felt at home. The mountain, the forests and the river offered a lot of fun adventures and after working three seasons here I bought my own apartment that I’ve been living in for two years now.

What's the best vs. the worst things about living in Åre?

The best thing is definitely having adventure on your doorstep!
No matter what you feel like doing there’s always a lot of options here. (Except for surfing, some people are actually surfing in Kallsjön, but that's not for me)

The worst part, worth mentioning, is the housing market. There's not enough places for everyone who wants to live and work here unfortunately. The places that are on the market are way too expensive for anyone with a normal salary. And you’d need a really long queue time to be able to rent.
I’m really happy that I was able to buy my apartment before the prices went up

How do you spend your days?

I’m trying to prioritize my spare time and having adventures as much as possible, so to be able to pay rent I work as a security guard in the evenings. I spend a lot of time with Bowie on the mountain during the day. Working evenings has allowed me to take on other projects that are now starting to pay off. I get more and more photography jobs and to start working more with Adventure Stories feels amazing.

How’s your relationship with nature today compared to before?

I’ve always been drawn to nature in all forms.
I grew up in Höga Kusten and I always feel like I want to spend some time there a few times a year. The forest and mountains are and will continue to be a healing place for me where I can get new energy.

Have you had any events in your life that had a big influence/ impact on you?

For sure. The person I am and the life that I'm living has come with a lot of ups and downs.
But everything has worked out in the end even though the solution hasn't always been an obvious one.
It hasn't always been easy and sometimes my biggest opponent has been myself.
I’ve learned a lot about myself through my experiences but also my surroundings. I think self-leadership is something everyone needs in their lives to be able to grow in a good way.

What are your future dreams?

I dream about a summer by the coast! My dream has always been to be able to spend a few months in Portugal, and I would of course bring Bowie and my surfboard!

If not Portugal, I would go for the Swedish east or west coast.

Other than that I would like to spend more time on my photography which I love doing. I also want to develop within content creation and social media which I am now doing with Adventure Stories, but I also run other projects on the side.

I’ve always done a hundred things at once and I don't see any tendencies on stopping.

How do you like your Minna Fleece?

I love it! It’s so versitile and that's something I really appreciate when it comes to clothes. I have a lot of outdoor clothes in my closet that's not the most fashionable and I've been missing something I can wear going into the village. The Minne fleece has been a great addition because now I have something to wear that I actually think looks GOOD as well as being functional. I wear it going into the village with a nice sweater and jeans, on the mountain and I definitely wear it on the coldest days as a middle layer when snowboarding. I absolutely love it!

Camilla in Minna Wool Fleece Jacket, size L

5 quick questions:

Best ski slope in Åre? - Sadeln
Best restaurant in Åre? - At home with friends!
Best hiking trail in Åre? - Storulvån
Best activity to do during summer in Åre? - Hike, outside cooking, swim in a mountain stream, sleep under the open sky
Best off-piste skiing in Åre? - Huså

Thank you so much Camilla for taking the time to have a chat with us and for sharing your life in Åre! Follow Camilla on Instagram and if you want to read something similar we recommend this one.