I ordered a snow taxi, again

These are challenging times, these are September times.

I'm driving around Stockholm in Uber in a desperate effort to find snow. Had I booked my flights to return on Saturday, I could have gone to Hammarbyberg, a Stockholm city ski hill that has plastic skiing even outside the regular snow season. But as it were, I was returning Friday evening. Now there was just a few hours left, and my mission seemed to be going badly. I was at Ritorps ishall, with the plan to ski there and then have a swim in the next door nice swimming hall. But, there was no snow to be found on any side of the skating hall. 

Give up or continue the mission? But continuing would mean also missing the opportunity for the swim.

Still, continue, of course. The next stop was to take another Uber to Sollentuna, where there was another skating hall. And looking at the Internet, they had some kind of skating event the next day, so they must have ice. And therefore ice maintenance, and likely a snow pile outside. 

It took a while to get there, and even longer to find the snow pile, but it was there - in a narrow corridor between two halls. There was even an ice maintenance truck bringing more snow. A friend named the the snow pile Zamboni Peak, according to a famous ice maintenance truck brand :-) 

Skiing, check :-)

Now a walk to another swimming hall, a kilometer away. A nice walk along the shores in the parks of Sollentuna. Such a nice environment!

Sadly, when I arrived at the Sollentuna Swimming and sports hall, there was another setback. The hall was being renovated, not to be opened until some time in 2026. Sigh. Give up and pick up my luggage and go to the airport? 

No, I'd be too smelly after all the heavy climbing to the Zamboni Peak :-) But I could choose a close by hall that I had been to before, or one further away. I was torn, but decided to choose the further one. It was the Sundbybergs Simhall & Gym, such a nice find! There was a total of five pools. Two 25 meter pools, one regular temperature and another warmer. In addition there was a kiddie pond, kiddie pool, and teaching pool. Very nice.

Of course, I had again forgotten to take one of the twenty locks I had at home, all bought to lock the lockers in Swedish swimming halls. They don't have locks but you have to have your own. Fortunately they sell them, but indeed now I have a collection.

I also made it in time to pick up my luggage from the hotel, and to the airport - only to find out that my flight was two hours late. And when your flight takes off at midnight and the lounge closes at 9pm... Oh well, just first world problems. Arlanda airport was empty and I was able to sit in a nice place with power for my devices. After the flights I was at home 3am, but was able to sleep in the next day.

Locations:

Ritorps ishall, the first skating hall: link

Medley swimming hall in Solna (next to Ritorps ishall): link

Cyloq Arena in Sollentuna: link

Medley swimming and sportshall in Sollentuna: link

Sundbybergs Simhall & Gym: link

Video:

Skiing and Cyloq Arena:

Sollentuna:

Sollentuna swimming hall:

Sundbyberg swimming hall:

Airport:

My previous failure to ski in Ritorps ishall was here.

For more skiing stories, check out the Planetskier website! For more sauna and swimming stories, check out planetswimmer.com and saunablogger.cool websites! And of course the Planetcaver for other stories in Blogspot! The photos and text (c) 2025 by Jari Arkko. All rights reserved. I never take photos of swimmers or saunagoers. Pool photos by the Sundbyberg city, all rights by them.