Today, off the boat, drive to Stockholm and find a campsite to settle into (from the list we have from the Garmin and the Internet).
First, we had a couple of hours from waking up in our cabin in which we went down and had breakfast. Then we went out onto the deck to watch the docking. We were impressed by the truckies last night. We were impressed by the captain of the boat this morning. He manoeuvered this huge craft so it just gently kissed the buffers, coming to a standstill exactly at that point! Suspect he may have done this once or twice before! We watched passengers being ferried to shore from a cruise liner as we were coming into port. (After we had landed, some time later, they were still shuttling back and forth!)
Okay. Up to Stockholm and a campsite. The first one we got to was small, near traffic — and full. So we went to the next one. This one was across a narrow bridge (over a little canal) with no passing, so you had to wait for oncoming traffic before even starting your crossing. Got over to find two negative points about the site — it was grotty, under a busy bridge, and it too was turning people away!
The next site was on Strandvägen, on the north side of the little harbour area on the edge of Gamla Stan (the Old City). Turned out this was little more than a car park — and once again, full to bursting.
So we went out to our fourth choice, somewhat further out of town. This one wasn't full, but we wouldn't wish it on our worst enemy. If it were a place for animals in Australia, we would have been reporting it to the RSPCA.
Our fifth choice was even further out, and looked like it would be much like this last one, so we decided to give Stockholm a big miss! Especially as the roads and the traffic were total chaos — luckily Suzie saw the funny side of it all.
So we set off southwards on the E4, heading roughly towards Malmö and our crossing to Denmark — but with still a lot of Sweden to see!
We turned off the E4 at the Järna exit, about 30km southwest of Stockholm, aiming for a campsite, Farstanäs Havsbad & Familjecamping. We arrived — it looked great, but the reception was closed — locked up even — so we turned round and went back to a picnic area we noticed as we came off the highway. This turned out to be a great campsite — so great that a family of Romanians came in and tented there overnight. Warren was a little puzzled at first, as they were obviously not speaking Romanian — until he realised they were Romanies, speaking their own language (we can now add another language to our count for the trip!), and obviously very seasoned travellers. They partied on, but not too late into the night, so we had a comfortable and quiet night in their company.
Distance driven — today, 93 miles ( 150 km ); to date, 26,221 miles ( 42,199 km )
Sounds like Sweden's for the birds to me, but perhaps they find it too crowded too.
ReplyDeleteSo you finally saw some travellers did you? Do they still look different from the rest of us? I met some at the Red Cross Shelter here in Adelaide where I volunteered during that Serb/Croat thing-displaced Albanian Gypsies and boy were the kids rough little tykes! Nice enough people though, but my first taste of refugees and travellers/gypsies.Terrible situation they were in but quite a number came back here as migrants later we were told. The review goes on and on, but is finally taking better shape I think. Will see in September when I see my two mentors once more. I have, cross fingers, got the last of the paperwork needed into AHPRA for re registration. I'd hate to be a refugee to this country! Sophie has to bew Alice in Wonderland for Book week on Monday so David and I trawled the 2 local opshops for costume for her. For nine dollars between the Red Cross and the Salvos we found a nice little Alice blue dress and a white broderie anglaise cotsheet, from a pack which also contained a lovely soft and brand new teddy bear and soft blue cot blanket. I tacked the sheet up as a waist apron through which I threaded a blue scarf. I found a brand new soft white pair of Nike socks in the back of Jay's drawer which he said didn't fit him and she has a pair of blue shoes to go with it. She's wearing a red ribbon bow in her dark hair(she said she is a modern Alice) and the little dress has white butttons in two neat rows down the front and is a size 2 American (34 European but just!! fits her nicely) She sure is a big 10 (almost 11 year old on September the 28th) as she keeps telling me. Like her mum did, she milks her birthdays.
The ferry looked very large, clean and comfortable and glad you made it. Liked the honour flower stall if that is what it was. Gertie sure is a seasoned traveller now. Are your young buyers still in place? I fell into bed at about nine last night and it is now almost one. But I felt a hot coffee would be nice so I read the blog too. Did you get my email Suze? Love from Cathy
Dear Cathy
ReplyDeleteSophie will look lovely -- you are wonderful grandparents. As for the email, Microsoft (grrrr, grrrr) has blocked my account, so I can't use it at all until hopefully we get back to the UK and will b e able to jump through all the hoops to get it back! So, in the meantime, please send any emails to Warren -- ring Tris if you don't have his address.
Love, Suzie
Dear Warren and Suze, Tried email address I had for you Warren but they say once again that is not the one. Tris is NAV. So could you please ring me on 08) 83575713 reverse charge so I can talk to you. Am missing you two. Can I do anything with Microsoft for you Suze to sort the problem out? Might be better to gmail! Love Cathy
ReplyDeleteBetter than ringing me because this is to be private, could you email me Warren please and I'll send my thing to you as reply. Suzie knows my email, cathy
ReplyDelete