370 : A Map to Escape an Ash Cloud

In April 2010, the eruption of Iceland’s Eyjafjallajökull volcano sent an ash cloud across northern Europe, closing airspace and stranding millions of travelers. This map documents one person’s response: an overland drive from Uppsala to Utrecht, through Denmark, Germany, and the Netherlands, at a time when flying was not an option. The route south is traced in purple, passing through Malmö, Copenhagen, a ferry crossing at Rødbyhavn, and on to the Netherlands. By contrast, a red line heads north from Stockholm toward Luleå to indicate the part of the journey the mapmaker could not make.

The map has the air of something drawn to make sense of an absurd situation. A compass rose anchors the upper left corner. Flags mark each country along the route. The scale reads “0 10 20 30 40 Coupons,” a nod to the economics and expense of the trip. And finally, near Amsterdam, an SKF logo (the Swedish manufacturer with operations across Europe) hints at the maker’s employment and why the trip may have been taken in the first place.