Don't ask me why there is a big space showing up here in the browser, since I have absolutely no clue at all.
You know - following the coastal line, first of lake Vättern and then Halland and Skåne along the Atlantic and Östersjön, kind of connect you with the roots of Sweden's history, from the middle ages and forward. The DH and I have always kind of envied the great national pride that Americans have, since it's something that we Swedes lack in spades. But this road trip of ours, made me sort of feel with a something I never had before - a feeling of belonging.
In lack of available lots at the camping grounds, we went to Simrishamn and checked out the harbor parking space for opportunity to "free camp" there and even though I kind os sweet talked the harbor master into using one electricity outlet, we decided to try our luck someplace else. Not that there is anything wrong with Simrishamn, quite the opposite - it's such a charming and cute town and has such a nice feeling to it, that we started to contemplate to move there after retirement LOL. But after much more phoning around I found this small family owned campingsite Landön, which is situated in the only archipelago there is in Skåne. On our way there we passed Kivik and Brösarps kullar - places I only read about and utterly fell in love with the area.
You know - following the coastal line, first of lake Vättern and then Halland and Skåne along the Atlantic and Östersjön, kind of connect you with the roots of Sweden's history, from the middle ages and forward. The DH and I have always kind of envied the great national pride that Americans have, since it's something that we Swedes lack in spades. But this road trip of ours, made me sort of feel with a something I never had before - a feeling of belonging.
In lack of available lots at the camping grounds, we went to Simrishamn and checked out the harbor parking space for opportunity to "free camp" there and even though I kind os sweet talked the harbor master into using one electricity outlet, we decided to try our luck someplace else. Not that there is anything wrong with Simrishamn, quite the opposite - it's such a charming and cute town and has such a nice feeling to it, that we started to contemplate to move there after retirement LOL. But after much more phoning around I found this small family owned campingsite Landön, which is situated in the only archipelago there is in Skåne. On our way there we passed Kivik and Brösarps kullar - places I only read about and utterly fell in love with the area.
Sadly they don't clear up and maintain the beaches at Landön, if they did this place would turn into a small paradise and as it is now, it's kind of uninviting to put your toes into all that slimy, green goo.
Anyhow - we stayed there a couple of nights and believe it or not - even had some visitors. Two of the members of the DH's motorcycle club came by for a chat and told us a lot of local gossip ;D
Our plan with this trip was to follow the coastline from the southern parts of the west coast to the east. So after leaving Landön we set our sights for Kristianopel. We passed this amazing place - Trollehus - home of the Trolle noble family on the way.
We have been to Kristianopel once before when we sailed with Maggie from Stockholm to Bornholm and it's such an amazing place that I would easily say - if you ever visit the Nordic countries, this is a "must" place to go.
Once again we struck lucky lot wise and this is the view from my bed window. We had very nice neighbors, the beach was wonderful and the restaurant served up a delish barbecue buffet - what more could you ask for? The place was so tranquil and restful that we ended up staying for four nights before we went north to Kalmar and over the bridge that leads to Öland. We had called round at most of the camping sites on Öland, but since it was the "Victoria day" that week, they all where booked solid. Finally I got lucky and caught the very last free lot at Haga Park and we stayed there for four days. But believe it or not, I never got around to take any pics :-8 Haga Park is not a bad place and the lot we got was in the outmost corner, but the people living in the trailer right behind us....well to put it mildly - their behavior left a lot to be desired for. Not toward us thank heavens, but lordy me the way they treated each other...... I confess, there was times while we sat outside having dinner, when I had to cover my ears cause listening to them was way too disturbing and if you think I can be a bitch, oh my - that girl beat me to the post umpteenth times over LOL.
The beach attracted the male parts of my family, but for me it was so and so. There was grass, then pebbles both on land and in the water before you hit the sand and with my wayward sense of coordination and balance, I simply didn't want to take the risk. Plus - after my horrible swimming experience when I grow up (try learning to swim in +13C water!!) I have this rule not to bath in any less temps in the water than +26C :-O. The guys also took bicycle trips in the area while I relaxed with a nice novel...I think I had come to the newest Trudy Canavan "The Ambasador's Mission" by then. I have all her earlier novels and have loved each and everyone of them and this one really lived up to my expectations.
Since we all missed our furry babies, we decided to pick them up a few days earlier and heaven above how happy, no correct that, ecstatic they got. Fionas breeder and her husband is the nicest people ever and even though they had plans to go out, they had stayed at home for an extra hour just to be able to meet us again. After much hugging and kissing, the girls practically rushed into the RV (in case anyone would change their minds into leaving them there again LOL) and we started a long haul to Jogersö camping just outside of Oxölösund. We had stayed there for a weekend of-season last fall, but now they was packed solid and once again we got lucky and got hold of the last available plot. The girls was (true to Birgitta's word) absolutely exhausted
and the kids was ecstatic to have them back.
You can never imagine what difference there is (or maybe you can) between staying there of season and in full blown season.....Many of the people around us was soooooo rude - one guy sat outside his RV staring at us all the time and the family next to us was extremely loud mouthed. There was even one guy who just passed close to our dinner table while we where having dinner and smoked close to our bedroom window during the night. So at breakfast next morning the DH asked us if we really wanted to stay another day and the anonymous vote was - NO!!! So in a hurry we washed up and packed everything and - went back home.
It was good but strange to be back home, I don't think we ever been away from here for such a long time ever and the house felt a bit unfamiliar. The kids was so good helping out to empty the RV and putting everything away and I couldn't help but compare how easy-peasy it is to pack and unpack a RV compared to the yacht :-)
There are good things and bad for just about every issue on this planet and when it comes to spend your vacation in a RV (or any other confined spaces) so far I have found that:
With four people living in a cramped (well not so when you look at the size of our RV, but compared to home it is so) spaced is deemed to get the tempers rising. But on the other hand it is damned cosy.
You have to plan your meals cause the fridge only hold stuff for 2 or 3 dinners, depending on how many bottles of chilled beer the DH felt he need ROFLMAO. And after two weeks you are so fed up with grilled meat that you consider going on a starvation diet ;-)
The beds are semi good, but a long way from home....I don't know the last time when I slept that badly. But when I got home I almost fell out of bed when I turned cause my bed was "the wrong way" LOL.
It costs a fortune to use the washing machine at campsites!! And it cost a fortune to do any shopping at their service shops. A piece of bread cost round 1USD!
I just loooooove our table and glass ware!!! Thanks to my very generous Wisconsin friend (thankyouthankyouthankyou!!!), who helped us to get Corelle tableware and rainbow acrylic glass ware and I promise you, we are alone in the entire Kingdom of Sweden to own such wonderful things. Call me immature, but I get happy every time we use them :-D
So yes, we did have tremendous luck with the weather for most of our 19 days and believe it or not, the day after we got home, it turned chilly and grey. We have had some days of sun but not enough to open the pool and, during last the night we had thunder and now it's grey and rainy again. My oldest has asked me to take him to a mall today, have no clue what he want to get, but it will be nice spending some time alone with him. Three more days and then it's back to work :-(
Anyhow - we stayed there a couple of nights and believe it or not - even had some visitors. Two of the members of the DH's motorcycle club came by for a chat and told us a lot of local gossip ;D
Our plan with this trip was to follow the coastline from the southern parts of the west coast to the east. So after leaving Landön we set our sights for Kristianopel. We passed this amazing place - Trollehus - home of the Trolle noble family on the way.
We have been to Kristianopel once before when we sailed with Maggie from Stockholm to Bornholm and it's such an amazing place that I would easily say - if you ever visit the Nordic countries, this is a "must" place to go.
The beach attracted the male parts of my family, but for me it was so and so. There was grass, then pebbles both on land and in the water before you hit the sand and with my wayward sense of coordination and balance, I simply didn't want to take the risk. Plus - after my horrible swimming experience when I grow up (try learning to swim in +13C water!!) I have this rule not to bath in any less temps in the water than +26C :-O. The guys also took bicycle trips in the area while I relaxed with a nice novel...I think I had come to the newest Trudy Canavan "The Ambasador's Mission" by then. I have all her earlier novels and have loved each and everyone of them and this one really lived up to my expectations.
Since we all missed our furry babies, we decided to pick them up a few days earlier and heaven above how happy, no correct that, ecstatic they got. Fionas breeder and her husband is the nicest people ever and even though they had plans to go out, they had stayed at home for an extra hour just to be able to meet us again. After much hugging and kissing, the girls practically rushed into the RV (in case anyone would change their minds into leaving them there again LOL) and we started a long haul to Jogersö camping just outside of Oxölösund. We had stayed there for a weekend of-season last fall, but now they was packed solid and once again we got lucky and got hold of the last available plot. The girls was (true to Birgitta's word) absolutely exhausted
and the kids was ecstatic to have them back.
You can never imagine what difference there is (or maybe you can) between staying there of season and in full blown season.....Many of the people around us was soooooo rude - one guy sat outside his RV staring at us all the time and the family next to us was extremely loud mouthed. There was even one guy who just passed close to our dinner table while we where having dinner and smoked close to our bedroom window during the night. So at breakfast next morning the DH asked us if we really wanted to stay another day and the anonymous vote was - NO!!! So in a hurry we washed up and packed everything and - went back home.
It was good but strange to be back home, I don't think we ever been away from here for such a long time ever and the house felt a bit unfamiliar. The kids was so good helping out to empty the RV and putting everything away and I couldn't help but compare how easy-peasy it is to pack and unpack a RV compared to the yacht :-)
There are good things and bad for just about every issue on this planet and when it comes to spend your vacation in a RV (or any other confined spaces) so far I have found that:
With four people living in a cramped (well not so when you look at the size of our RV, but compared to home it is so) spaced is deemed to get the tempers rising. But on the other hand it is damned cosy.
You have to plan your meals cause the fridge only hold stuff for 2 or 3 dinners, depending on how many bottles of chilled beer the DH felt he need ROFLMAO. And after two weeks you are so fed up with grilled meat that you consider going on a starvation diet ;-)
The beds are semi good, but a long way from home....I don't know the last time when I slept that badly. But when I got home I almost fell out of bed when I turned cause my bed was "the wrong way" LOL.
It costs a fortune to use the washing machine at campsites!! And it cost a fortune to do any shopping at their service shops. A piece of bread cost round 1USD!
I just loooooove our table and glass ware!!! Thanks to my very generous Wisconsin friend (thankyouthankyouthankyou!!!), who helped us to get Corelle tableware and rainbow acrylic glass ware and I promise you, we are alone in the entire Kingdom of Sweden to own such wonderful things. Call me immature, but I get happy every time we use them :-D
So yes, we did have tremendous luck with the weather for most of our 19 days and believe it or not, the day after we got home, it turned chilly and grey. We have had some days of sun but not enough to open the pool and, during last the night we had thunder and now it's grey and rainy again. My oldest has asked me to take him to a mall today, have no clue what he want to get, but it will be nice spending some time alone with him. Three more days and then it's back to work :-(
4 comments:
I'm so glad your getting out and (enjoying?) your RV trips! And I laughed when I read how happy the dishes make you - anytime, Wolfie, anytime! Let me know when I can be of further help ... Love you!
We have Corelle for our RV too. It is just so nice to have real plates to eat from when camping. And not sure where the manners in campgrounds are going... but we have noticed the same thing. Maybe one or two more weekends before the summer ends?
Beth-Pretoria, South Africa
I loved reading about your RV trip. We use Corelle in our 5th wheel trailer too. We usually take short trips along the California coast. I'm ready to go again and love camping in the fall!
Tris my dear, without you I wouldn't be unique, tableware that is LOL. I am eternally grateful for your kindness and generosity:-)
Beth and flyngitrt. you know - you can't buy Corelle (or them acrylic rainbow glasses) here in Sweden. And I think neither of the companies shipped to Sweden.
When we did the dishes in the common dishwashing room I couldn't help but glance at other peoples tableware and at the best it was melamine (and every caravan/camper seller carries the same varieties) - at the worse ordinary plastic. Call me a snob, but I do love my Rosenthal looking Corelle ;-)
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