Travel report to Dals Langed
by Simone Hatami (ZAK PEER-Academy)
Suitable for replicating for people who love predictability and travel by car with their dog.
The Autistic Way: The Day Before Departure
We start with the day before; not everything is done yet, stress is rising, and one wonders if the trip really makes sense. Can it even work? It’s hard to plan when you’ve never taken the trip before. Is there perhaps a hint of a cold or signs of a more serious illness? Can you rely on everything being taken care of in your absence? What will it be like in a foreign place—with new people? Should one perhaps stay at home just to avoid all the excitement?
My tip: Just let the arguments that want to call off the trip chatter away and acknowledge them with amusement. During the ferry crossing on my way back, I reflect on these moments and thank myself for having ignored all counterarguments…
Getting to the first stop: Horsens
This is located about 1.5 hours from Flensburg in Denmark, on the way to Frederikshavn or Skagen.
Getting there: From Hanover, it feels like you’re just driving straight on. Shortly after Flensburg, you cross the Danish border. The road narrows to a single lane, and everyone drives past a small border post at walking pace, where they’re warmly greeted by a Danish policewoman. That’s it.
My sat-nav gives up the ghost after the border. Two things become indispensable for this trip: my iPhone and my glasses. Sounds unspectacular to most people, but everyone who knows me knows: this is a TURNING POINT!
The first night’s stay:
I’m staying at the Hotel Korning near Horsens – completely autism-friendly and reasonably priced by Danish standards. https://hotelkorning.dk/ No reception, no small talk; the room is unlocked and the key is inside, everything’s clean and there’s even a kettle. All around is nothing but open space and a church. The ‘no need to socialise’ continues at breakfast; you simply help yourself from the fridge in the lounge and disappear back to your room with it. The Wi-Fi is great, and it’s dog- and smoker-friendly too, thanks to the separate entrance. The surroundings are very quiet in the evenings, so I’m happy to put up with the fact that the building itself is a bit on the noisy side 😊
Next stop: Skagen Lighthouse
If you just want to get to your destination quickly, skip this section and continue reading from ‘Frederikshavn’. From Horsens, it’s about a 3-hour drive to Skagen; if you’re heading straight to Frederikshavn, it’s about a 2-hour drive from Horsens.
Skagen has a magical pull on me, and Daisy and I realise that it’s well deserved. After about a three-hour drive through beautiful countryside, we reach the lighthouse and enjoy the endless expanses of the dunes and the beach – almost entirely to ourselves.
There are also some fascinating little bunkers here, and seal pups lazing about on the beach. I didn’t take any photos of them, though, for privacy reasons 😊
We’re asked to please not disturb the pups, as they’re resting here on the beach.
Daisy and I are enjoying this sunny October day…
Next stop: Overnight stay in Albaek
It’s situated between Skagen and Frederikshavn, about 30 minutes’ drive from each.
By Danish standards, Hotel Hvideklit offers good value for money. Luckily for us, Daisy and I are the only guests in the huge hotel complex today: https://hotelhvideklit.dk/
A great place to recover from the long drive and enjoy nature and the beach once again. Here too, every room has a ‘back door’ leading directly onto the terrace or green spaces. We like that. We also like the hotel owners; they’re incredibly friendly and unobtrusively helpful.
Given the scenery around me, though, I’d be happy even with the broom cupboard. Just a five-minute walk from the hotel lies a vast expanse of dunes, and beyond that stretches a beach and the sea for miles on end, where I’ve hardly come across anyone. In fact, no one at all.
Except for a red glove, which was also enjoying the solitude. Daisy told it that she was absolutely exhausted from the long day, but her owner still hasn’t had enough and is determined to stay on the beach until the sun dips into the sea.
A piece of art of a fish sandwich
Eventually, the sun sank into the sea, and my stomach started to rumble… Since there’s only one dish on the hotel restaurant menu that actually sounds Danish, I decided to be brave – and was rewarded with a work of art. From every angle and perspective. And it’s delicious too!
At night, it is so quiet and so dark that you can almost feel and hear the stars.
A sudden drop in stress levels
The danger in such an environment could be that the stress drops so rapidly that the body becomes completely confused. I wake up in the morning with lumbago and a coughing fit. Both take up a lot of my time, and I decide at that moment not to drive straight to Andreas’s place, but to treat myself to another night of ‘winding down’ in Sweden. After all, I don’t want to make a grand entrance with my tail between my legs, completely overwhelmed and with a whole host of psychosomatic symptoms. Fortunately, my body then decides to start functioning properly again.
And so we greet the day together with the sun, on a deserted beach… Daisy thinks it’s lovely.
Next stop: the ferry terminal in Frederikshavn
Frederikshavn is about a 25-minute drive from the hotel in Albaek. Before we set off, we fill up with petrol. In Denmark, you simply insert your debit card into the pump and fill up as much as you like; the cost is deducted straight away. So there’s no need for small talk at the petrol station. But you can’t buy anything from the café either – that’s something that’s going to stay with me all day… By the way, everyone I spoke to here speaks English pretty much perfectly.
I booked the ferry a few days in advance with Stena Line. https://www.stenaline.de/routen/frederikshavn-goeteborg. Of course, you could turn the whole booking process into a science. Stena Line won out because they explicitly advertise themselves as dog-friendly😊. Daisy and I are already quite excited – it’s our first time on a ferry.
No sooner are we inside than I realise I could have spared myself 90% of the fuss – everything is straightforward, self-explanatory, and the crew are very helpful. And there’s a pet lounge where Daisy and I feel right at home.
Only a certain number of dogs are allowed on board, so every dog owner has plenty of space, and Daisy and I even have our own table by the window.
There’s even a dog toilet – it’s a patch of artificial grass on deck with a hose next to it. We’re a bit too posh for that, though, and can easily hold it in for three hours. Still, good to know! 🙂
This is where the lack of a café really comes into play…
My tip: If, like me, you’re travelling alone with your dog, it’s best to stock up on snacks and drinks beforehand. There’s no restaurant in the Petlounge. If you don’t want to leave your dog with strangers – or make friends with them so they’ll bring you a coffee from the on-board restaurant – there simply isn’t a café for dog owners. The dogs are well looked after there with little bowls of water😊
Next stop: Arrival at Gothenburg ferry terminal
I use the time on the ferry to text Andreas to let him know I’ll be arriving a day later and to book a hotel for my first night in Sweden. The crossing takes about four hours, including check-in and check-out. The first thing you see as the ferry approaches Gothenburg harbour are endless stretches of rocky landscape, some of which jut out of the water.
Disembarking from the ferry is surprisingly uneventful, and I quickly find the right exit in Gothenburg. It’s only on the return journey that I realise how lucky I was to arrive in Gothenburg on a Sunday. There just isn’t that much traffic… But you only realise that once you’ve tried to get to the ferry terminal there on a weekday…
Next stop: Overnight stay in Vänersborg
It’s about a 1.5-hour drive to the Strandhotell in Vänersborg https://www.strandhotell.com/ that we’ve booked, and we’ll make it there before it gets dark. I congratulate myself once again on the decision not to drive all the way to Dals Langed today.
The name ‘Strandhotell’ is a bit misleading; it’s more of a city hotel by the canal, but here too everything is autism-friendly, with check-in via a door code and everything self-explanatory. There’s also a kettle, tea bags and instant coffee here.
A nice touch that I’ve come across in every hotel in Scandinavia.
Daisy and I are, of course, going for another stroll through the town to round off our first stay in Sweden in style.
In the process, we discover a nice green space for our morning walk, a supermarket opposite the hotel, and the Sunday shopping street. What’s more, in Vänersborg, cannons are fired at tightrope walkers.
That’s enough new experiences for today – I’ve run out of energy for more chatter, curiosity and tolerance of neon lights this evening. So I gratefully accept the delicious Thai food, which I can pick up from the window at the station about 500 metres further on.
You can really pay with your debit card everywhere here, which makes things a lot easier. I didn’t need any cash at all during the whole trip.
It’s also worth mentioning the impressive wallpaper in my hotel room.
Now imagine that in a 16-square-metre space with a continuous surface… Even the cupboards were wallpapered!
Poodles don’t shed – a big plus when travelling😊
Our destination in sight: setting off for Dals Langed
Dals Langed is about a two-hour drive from Vänersborg. It takes Daisy and me longer, though, because we keep stopping off to take in some of the stunning natural scenery along the way.
As we drive on, we find ourselves venturing deeper and deeper into Sweden’s forests and rocky landscapes. I have to pull myself together whilst driving to keep my eyes on the road, because there’s so much to look at.
Arrival in Dals Langed
The closer you get to Dals Langed, the more rustic and secluded the area becomes… And then, at some point, you’ll see this sign, and you’re almost there.
By the time you realise your sat-nav must be playing up – because you’re currently driving over a bridge towards the Vattenfall site – you’ll know you’ve come to exactly the right place!
Just leave Vattenfall on your left and drive straight past the ‘roundabout’ on the right, leaving the light-coloured house (the second-hand bookshop) on your left as well, then continue straight on for about 80 metres.
Then, on the left-hand side, you’ll see a mysterious door set into the rock.
And another one shortly afterwards…
Andreas will tell you later where these mysterious doors lead. If you see these stairs, you’re in the right place. They lead to the main house.
Just a few more steps straight ahead and you’ll be right in front of the studio. This is where the HajoSeng Academy is located.
You’re now standing in front of the seminar room and the outbuildings. Walk through the garden and you’ll be back at the main building. It would be a miracle if Andreas hadn’t already heard you. If not, open the sliding door and knock!
You can find photos and information about the house and the rooms here: https://dalslands-studio.eu/about-the-house/
Daisy and I are lucky enough to be staying in a lovingly decorated, dog-friendly room. Colourful, full of character, unique, a bit cluttered yet utterly harmonious – that’s how the main house with its guest rooms welcomes you. “Bullerbü,” say some. “A Swedish porcelain museum,” say others. An art and antiques collection. A chill-out area, you might think. A feel-good place that invites conversation. No, more like a library! “How do you manage it?” I ask Andreas, completely impressed, “keeping this huge house so clean and tidy?!” No idea how, but he manages it! It’s an absolute haven of well-being, where somehow everything is allowed… including you!
Annorlunda
That means “different” in Swedish. Let me say this up front: I wasn’t all that different here, because it’s so different here that I’m completely normal. The people are unobtrusively friendly, some of them live a long way from their neighbours, and they have a penchant for pragmatic solutions.
My stay in Dals Langed
Somehow I’m still searching for Hajo, and in the process I’ve found Andreas.
And I met Serena, who has been a close friend of Hajo and Andreas for many years. In this way, I’m getting to know completely new sides to Hajo through the people closest to him, and in doing so, I’m somehow continuing the long-standing dialogue with him as well. He is always present for all of us, even when he isn’t there.
Future plans: ZAK goes to Sweden!
We spend many intense hours together, working on developing what Hajo and Andreas started: filling the seminar centre at Dalsland Studio, where Hajo’s work will be continued and further developed.
We share many wonderful moments, collect old and new memories, walk for miles, enjoy really good food (Andreas is a culinary artist), come up with lots of great ideas and make plans for our collaboration.
After three days of brainstorming, visualisations and long discussions with AI, we find the name that makes the most sense:
“Hajo Seng Academy”
Under this name, Andreas will bring together the work and network surrounding Hajo Seng at Dals Langed Studio in future. More see: Newsletter 18, October 2025
A ray of light in the sky!
From 2026, ZAK will also be offering a programme in Sweden – here’s a sneak preview:
Based on Hajo’s concept of ‘skills workshops’, we will be offering a programme for (young) adults on the spectrum who wish to find their way in their careers and in life. More on this elsewhere: https://www.zak-germany.de/newsletter/
What people get up to in Dals Langed
Loppis: You go to flea markets or you organise flea markets.
Serena and Andreas share not only the aim of completing a book project by Hajo, but also a passion for Loppis (flea markets). It feels as though they can be found in every fifth house. Andreas is now the proud owner of a new teapot, which he’ll be trying out this evening.
The Norwegian border is only 45 minutes away. From there, it’s a short drive to Halden, which boasts an impressive castle complex. Oslo is about three hours from Dals Langed, as is Stockholm.
The hotels in the region are extremely expensive – it’s essential to bear this in mind when planning your trip. I treat myself to a day trip to Norway and am rewarded with a moose I come across in a forest. I’d thought of everything else, but not to take a photo. There he was.
Daisy and I are impressed.
What’s more, there are plenty of rivers, locks and opportunities to explore the countryside by boat… And it all starts right on your doorstep.
And you’re kindly warned not to ride your bike down the hills without braking. Otherwise, this might happen:
Fika?! I pester Serena with questions about Swedish specialities, but all I get in reply is “terrible fish and more terrible fish”. In the end, I answer the question myself after having had the chance to peruse several Swedish displays of pastry artistry. The Swedes have fika. And the fact that you mustn’t turn it down is even mentioned in every single travel guide. Fika is always very sweet, very sticky, very tasty and, if you’re not careful, it makes you put on weight! https://visitsweden.de/aktivitaten/kultur-geschichte-und-kunst/kultur/lebensstil/fika-mach-es-wie-die-schweden/
The return journey, autistically
I had big plans, really. I actually wanted to go back via Copenhagen and see more of Sweden and Denmark along the way. After a truly lovely, stress-free week, rich in social and intellectual experiences and close to nature, the mere thought of the return journey is extremely difficult. So I’m kind to myself and suggest to Daisy that we drive back almost exactly the same way we came. Repetition reduces stress!
From Dals Langed to Gothenburg to the ferry terminal
So one morning, feeling a bit wistful, I set off from Dals Langed, and on the way to Gothenburg, Daisy and I make the odd stop to take in the impressive scenery. The sat-nav estimates about 3 hours. I was glad I’d allowed 5 hours!
Andreas warns me that it can get a bit confusing in Gothenburg until you find the right lane for the ferry at the harbour. He’s right about that. My tip for the departure: choose a Sunday, then you won’t have to deal with rush-hour and city traffic in Gothenburg. And feel free to allow an extra hour so you can get lost ‘stress-free’ – i.e. with absolutely no time pressure – and simply enjoy the odd involuntary city tour as a tourist.
From Gothenburg to Albaek
Daisy and I are old hands at the ferry by now; we take it all in our stride. This time, my owner has also stocked up well on snacks and drinks. Just the sea, blue at first and then black at night.
From Frederikshavn, we head back to the familiar Hotel Hvideklit; I simply check into ‘my old room’ and eat the same thing as last time, and it already feels like a holiday… So we treat ourselves to another day in Skagen and Grenen before setting off for Hanover the next day.
That’s where the North Sea and the Baltic Sea meet.
A little warning for those with social anxiety: you’re probably never alone here.
How can you tell you’re back in Germany?
At the very latest when an Audi A5 is tailgating you on the motorway, flashing its headlights, or a BMW overtakes you on the left at 240 km/h, honking its horn – that’s when you’ve crossed the German border. Welcome home! 🙂
We’re putting garden gnomes out to counter that.
And let’s have a fika!