That was Willie's second prank, but the third one...

The closer we got to the capital, the busier and more chaotic the traffic became. Our first real traffic jam on vacation caught up with us in Stockholm in the end! After we found a parking meter that did what we wanted, we strolled towards the old town (Gamla Stan) in the drizzling rain. The narrow streets were filled with shopping tourists. Typical tourist shops with cheesy souvenirs could be found on every corner, but there were also boutiques with unique wood or wool specialties. Of course, we didn't miss out on the Swedish Fika (coffee break with pastries). We even witnessed a military music parade in front of the Royal Palace. The old buildings and narrow, sometimes steep streets had a lot of charm, but we still prefer the solitude of Scandinavian nature.

After we had enough of all the hustle and bustle, we continued to Lake Vättern. Here we had another phenomenal last sleeping spot under (initially) a clear starry sky and a last cozy campfire for this vacation.

The next morning, we drove for 4 hours to Trelleborg for the ferry - meanwhile we listened to the audiobook "Inferno" by Dan Brown. Before boarding, we enjoyed a coffee and a Kanelbullar at Espresso House - a break that Lotti will definitely miss! The ferry ride was different from the first one. Let's call it somewhat bizarre... we settled down in a corner with our books and snacks. Shortly after the ferry set sail, Polish-speaking men kept pacing back and forth in front of the board shop. It was visibly difficult for them to stay on their feet. Walking straight ahead was no longer possible. It remained an unsolved mystery for us who ultimately got to drive all the parked trucks in the basement.

The nighttime journey greeted us with numerous construction sites as soon as we arrived in Poland. Nevertheless, everything went smoothly. Just after crossing the German border, we suddenly lost cell reception for a longer period of time... we were just starting to sing a bit of home music when the song paused indefinitely... However, we still arrived and were warmly welcomed by two little tigers. Hello Berlin!

Just like last year, a few numbers about our trip:

30 days

3 new countries

7142 km of pure driving distance

759 km of pure ferry distance

18 nights in the rooftop tent

10 nights in accommodations / cabins

1.5 nights on ferries.

Our conclusion: We would go to Scandinavia for a vacation anytime and again - great, varied landscapes, hospitable locals, hiking- and camping-friendly countries, fairly empty in September, ultimate delicious cinnamon pastries (Kanelbullar) and and and... only the beer is too expensive (Karsi).