Part 4 - Stormy Paths to Paradise

Two days have already passed, filled with experiences.

From the nature center near Hörby, we traveled almost 350 km along the west coast of Sweden on Wednesday. The weather was extremely stormy, making driving very difficult. At times, gusts of wind up to 57 km/h accompanied us, which caused the cruise control to fail twice! When a wind gust like that hits, it can be quite startling. André had to work hard to keep the steering wheel steady.
But we reached our next chosen spot unharmed, a small parking area at a nature reserve near Trollhättan. This is located southwest of Lake Vänern, the largest lake in Sweden. From Lake Vänern flows the Göta alv, Sweden's most water-rich river, all the way to Gothenburg.
The nature reserve where we found ourselves offered many hiking opportunities. Among other things, there was a circular trail from the parking area, through the terrain to the mentioned river and back over a cow pasture. Trekking there, down hills and back up again, was a satisfaction for the soul. We encountered no one and enjoyed the peace and the sound of the rushing river.
Back at the parking area, there were still two cars belonging to hikers, but they disappeared by evening, allowing us to spend the night there alone. Late in the evening, a car driver shocked us by seemingly circling around us, then stopping in our parking lot and appearing to scout us out. At least that’s how it seemed to us, and we were a bit uneasy about what he wanted. But he eventually disappeared, allowing us to sleep in peace.

After getting ready yesterday, our first stop was the gas station followed by a trip to Biltema. We quickly bought a few odds and ends and then back on the E45. We passed Lake Vänern along the west coast, this time with significantly better driving conditions. We made good progress and even saw a deer hopping across the road. Unfortunately, still no moose.
After almost six hours on the road (including a stop to buy some groceries), we finally reached our little paradise: Nya Skogsgarden. The prettiest campsite with the nicest operators in Sweden. Rieke recognized us immediately and greeted us warmly.
Much has changed since last year. The sanitary facilities have been renovated, and a new shower house has been built. The horse area is not under water this year, so the terrain could be improved there as well. The two will never be bored. Ben and his parents were also already there, but they are currently traveling in Norway and won’t be back until Sunday, which is a shame.

Now it was time for us to settle in.
The camper was made holiday-ready in no time (meaning: awning with guy lines, windshield cover, table, chairs, and supports), allowing us to enjoy the sunbeams in the afternoon. Björn then arrived with two bags of wood, which he unloaded right at 'our' fire pit and was allowed to pick up the desired treat. Rieke and he had requested Landskron Raspberry Cherry Fassbrause, and we brought them a whole carton from home. They were so happy! For that, we got some free firewood :-)
The first bag was quickly opened, as our grill items were waiting for their turn. I don’t need to rave again about how much more delicious it tastes grilled over wood; you already know that!
A family with two children from Berlin had settled at the neighboring spot, and we quickly struck up a conversation with them. So it happened that we were once again sitting around the fire as a good group in the evening, chatting about all sorts of things until late at night.

This morning, unfortunately, we were awakened by rain, but that's supposed to change throughout the day. Breakfast was enjoyed outside under the awning with warm rolls from Rieke, orange juice, and fresh strawberries. Long. Extensive.
Then I did a quick housekeeping and am now writing this blog. But I don’t have much time left; we still need to take a tour of the place and gather firewood. The sun is just coming out, and we have plans to be back around the fire this evening. Let’s see if we decide to stay one more day...