Today is my last day in Visby.
And even though I’ve done so much—walked the wall, wandered the ruins, stood inside Fröjel church, survived my first Swedish driving adventure (to Fröjel and back, without injuring a single sheep!)—I’m still not ready to leave.
This morning, I went to the Gotland archive to dig deeper into the story of VK429.
They confirmed what I suspected: her data and information are currently locked down for someone’s PhD research.
Which is fair. Important.
But standing there, I couldn’t help feeling a little gutted.
Like I was so close to a window into her world—and had to leave with it still closed.
🛣 A Drive and a Determination
Yesterday’s drive out to Fröjel felt like a pilgrimage.
Golden fields. Quiet roads. A sea that felt like memory.
Even though I couldn’t pinpoint her exact resting place, just being there mattered.
It felt like returning.
🔍 The Story Isn’t Over
I’ll be contacting archaeologist Dan Carlsson to see if he can help me cross-reference VK429’s genome ID with her grave number or give me another clue.
This isn’t the end of my connection to her—or to Gotland.
It’s just the beginning of a much deeper dig.
🇸🇪
Swedish Word of the Day: “arkiv”
Arkiv – archive
Used in a sentence:
Jag besökte arkivet i Visby idag för att hitta mer om VK429.
(I visited the archive in Visby today to find more about VK429.)
Swedish Wanderlust 