Stage 3 - West Sweden

Unbelievable but true. It is Tuesday, around 1 pm and Chris and Steffi rumble out of Finkenstein with the cinnamon roll. Hannes is standing and waving and surely wondering if we will come around the corner again in the next 10 minutes. We too cannot really trust the peace yet. Just a moment ago, when we started driving, Hannes spontaneously had the bathroom window in his hand. And Chris yelled, 'There is water in the bathroom!' I turned the ignition key back and took a deep breath. Then fatalistic laughter. Howling. Laughter. Come on guys, it's not that bad, is it? Chris drains the water by pulling out the chain from the plug. It tears and he holds it in his hands, smiles tiredly at Hannes, who is standing outside with the window handle, and says, 'We are used to tougher situations.'

So 10 minutes later, we're off. Just go. Even if we don't get far, at least we were on the road, further than Berlin.

However, the worst-case scenario does not happen, we arrive quickly and punctually at Rostock ferry despite the construction sites. Woohoo!

I love this atmosphere: lots of waiting station wagons, campers, and trucks on the left. People get out, make phone calls, look around. Everyone in a holiday or homecoming mood, perhaps just passing through for some. But a trip! The sun is shining, the sky a deep blue, the huge cranes on the horizon, in the foreground the larger-than-life ferry into whose belly we will soon roll.

On the ferry itself, it's nice as long as you stand on deck. There were times when we had to crouch under the stairs to have a place outside. But not on this random Tuesday in August. Seats are ready for us and we nibble on the leftovers of last night's farewell pizza, while we watch the ScandicLine glide past Warnemünde and the Hotel Neptun. Only 'Mein Schiff' next to us is bigger.

Below deck, it doesn't feel as free. Families play cards loudly, guest workers sleep with their bellies exposed on the chairs and benches, and slot machines are ringing. My mood immediately drops because it's raining now and we have to stay inside. Chris cheers me up and shows me a tanker in the distance. And a ferry that seems to have a huge chimney, but it's actually a sail for alternative wind power.

When we roll off the ferry, the weather is nice again.
This time we don't stop in Copenhagen, but we keep driving and driving. To Sweden via the Øresund. If you've seen 'The Bridge', you can imagine the feeling and the sound that accompanies us. We've been here before, that's why we know how special the moment is. First through the seemingly endless tunnel under the sea, then over it, between the steel gates of heaven. And then: Our Sweden. We're back!

We fly along the highway in our cinnamon roll, which feels like a country road. Jack Johnson is singing for us and we quickly reach the first official stop on our camping trip, which we spontaneously found through Park4night: A small boat harbor in Barsebäkshamn.

The sun is just setting behind picturesque clouds as we sit happily and satisfied on the pier wall with Hawaiian beer. Our view is of the Øresund, Copenhagen's skyline, and the bridge. A ferret hops by, and in the distance, a tanker - what could be more beautiful!?!

The next morning, it's time for sports. That's what I think... but then I fall asleep again.
The next time I wake up, it's already 10 am and I no longer feel like running, but I want to enjoy the morning. When I come out of the shower, Chris has already swept the camper and goes for a walk alone, while I set up breakfast on the table. Newspaper in hand and ready. Perfect. Our peaceful morning with muesli and homemade jam from Leonard and organic bread from Carola is only disturbed by aggressive wasps.

We leave the farm at exactly 12 pm.
We meander along the picturesque coast, stopping here and there, always with fantastic views of the sea and the little red wooden houses standing in front of the archipelago. In between, we go shopping, and while Chris and I shop, I can cozy up in the back of the van. It's wonderful to have your cozy home with you all the time.

Chris brings Swedish cookies - oat and chocolate - the most delicious ones I have ever eaten!
I get myself a cappuccino and then we continue. The sky is blue, the wind blowing through the window, we only follow the road intuitively northwards. We stop again in Landskrona and take a walk by the water. The seagulls are screaming, small shacks sell fresh fish. The majority of herring cans worldwide come from here. I'm craving fish and chips. Apparently, many well-off retirees are too, and we don't feel like waiting in line. So we move on. The wind drives us towards Gothenburg. Not far anymore. Unfortunately, our new friends from last week's swimrun are also on the road themselves, so we won't be able to meet them again this time. I realize that I would like to have a magnet from Gothenburg, just like the ones we bring back from every trip. No problem! Chris saw a delicious burrito restaurant there during his last bike ride. We want to take a closer look at it ('eat there').
Luckily, the souvenir shop we stroll to in the trendy district of Haga turns out to be a gigantic candy reservoir, so I add a big bag of sour gummies to the wonderfully kitschy magnet. The burrito place, Tom Tom, is an original and we indulge in spicy quesadillas with an even spicier sauce, along with some nachos. Delicious!
Tired and full, we leave the city and return to nature, finding a cozy spot by a small bay next to a Swedish house and wild rocks. It's only the second night, but we're already fully immersed in the Swedish fever. So far, by the way, we haven't encountered the feared swarms of mosquitoes. Well, this time we're not near the lakes.

Day 3 begins with lots of reading the newspaper, or rather, catching the newspaper - the wind blows it away and Chris happily runs after it.
We have to leave at 2 pm, otherwise, we have to pay again. The owner of the property rents out the beautiful spot to motorhome guests and opens his wooden hut with a modern chemical toilet - for a small fee. Preferably in euros: 'For some shopping in Europe!'

We meander through the landscapes again, over bridges, through forests and meadows, and small fishing villages. There are hardly any tourists here, and we enjoy that very much. In Lysekil, we see divers getting into the sea and we're a little envious. Yes, diving would be nice again. Something different, in the north. But first, we visit Harvets Hus, a small but cute aquarium that houses the local fish. The water here is so cold that fish live 30 meters deep here, while they normally stay up to 1.3 kilometers deep. Dreamily and laughing, we wander from window to window. Creepy, beautiful, marvelous creatures. A world of their own that we humans hardly know about. 50-80% of the world's oxygen is produced by plankton. Who knew that? And glass takes 1 million years to decompose, as opposed to a plastic bag, which takes 20 years. So, throwing a message in a bottle might be the most sustainable way to leave a mark.
We climb on the rocks and stroll along the harbor. Then we continue. Only 200 km to Oslo. And that's where we want to go.

It's already dusk when we merge into the waiting traffic jam at the Norwegian border. There's enough time for me to make some tomato sandwiches in the kitchen in the back for the hungry driver. Of course, with fresh basil from our onboard plant, which seems to like its spot by the stove. The border guard apologizes for disturbing us during dinner. We pass - after asking him for recommendations for our travel route ('West coast!') - and a new country opens up before us in all its vastness.

Norway has only 5 million inhabitants, but it's very big and it quickly becomes clear - here we have space. We drive and drive, into the darkness.
It's almost 11 pm when we reach the campsite on a mountain above Oslo. Everything is quiet. The first lights of the city promise something unique! We just need to drain the water, add a new dose of Dr. Keddo to the fresh water tank for safety, and wash the dishes. Then it's time to cuddle up in bed. I fall asleep while Chris reads to me from the travel guide about Oslo, the city at our feet, which we will conquer starting tomorrow..