I travelled up from Germany to Copenhagen, then stayed in a sailboat in small town Sweden and rested a few days in Oslo before crossing Sweden in a day to Stockholm.
Ways to stay - Back in 2009 I plunged in to Couchsurfing for the first time and loved it staying in 4 different cities hosted by lovely people. Unfortunately this time around finding a host on CS was more challenging especially on weekends. It feels like a lot of people that once shared their homes have decided to put them on Airbnb renting them for a few nights (but I can't prove that). So with less CS options I turned to Airbnb and Booking to find accommodation in the very expensive Scandinavia. Here's what you get...
CS - free accommodation (I usually buy dinner or drinks for the host), usually a nice spot to sleep and a great host who tells you the spots to check out and for me guidance on my route ahead which is most important.
Airbnb - paid accommodation which is usually cheaper then hotels with much more amenities like free washing machines, nice kitchens, a full apartment if you select that option. Plus the host usually gives you the general layout of the city and answers other questions. Then you're on your own.
Booking - is the website connecting you to most hotel and hostels available on the days you want. Surprisingly you can find great price points on here and good locations with the least intimate experience if you choose a hotel and of course a traveller experience if you choose a hostel. Local knowledge is limited to front desk / reception information, but it's usually pretty good.
Copenhagen Couchsurfing with Bert! About 500 km with a brisk breeze in the air as I moved more in to Windmill territory and less hills. E20 - C2/3R7T4V5/6. Almost running out of gas, just one litre left. I guess I was hoping I could stretch the 1.40 euro/litre prices and my 18 litre tank. But does it matter when you get nailed by a bridge road toll of 18 euros! It should be noted I could have taken a ferry from Kiel or other spots in Germany, but regardless you are paying to get to Copenhagen.
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| Been there Denmarked it! |
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| quick border slowdown and go |
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| More Denmark motos than Germany |
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| Every time I'm in Denmark (twice) I see classic cars, wtf? |
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18 euro bridge in to the island
where Copenhagen sits |
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| Pretty nice and bloody high! |
18 euro bridge video to get my monies worth!
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| No freebies in Denmark |
I arrived to Cope meeting up with Nic and Rory a few friends from NZ and then settled in at CS host Bert's who is a Swede living in Denmark for a few years. What an experience including welcome drink, tonnes of stories and great dinner and breakfast. Unfortunately I had only the one night, but it was ok because I had been in Cope before.
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| Just about there |
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| Good separation of Bikes and Cars |
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| Finally resting at the markets |
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| Bike Town |
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| Mr Bert and his beautiful oven salmon |
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Turkish Egg dish for Breaky
DELICIOUS!!! |
Left Copenhagen going North avoiding the 25 euro bridge to Malmo and taking a ferry for the same cost (saving km on the day) from Helsingor to Helsingborg.
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| Chain adjustment in the streets |
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| Bike lanes in Cope |
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Chem trails in otherwise
beautiful clouds |
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| Can't imagine the cost of these coastal properties |
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| Damn! Chilly swimming? |
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| Nice life for these cows |
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| This is cool |
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| Hi Relsingborg |
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| Bye Denmark |
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Holy Shit! How much for this little
salad?
9 euros or $13 CAD |
In Sweden as the safety bars come up on the ferry, excitement!
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| Hi Sweden! |
Helsingborg on Hwy E6 to Skarhamn, C2/3R7T3V5 - farms, some coast, tunnels.
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| Helsingborg seems nice |
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Oh shit, major detour
GPS won't like that |
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| Curve signs in Swede Blue/Yellow |
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| Is this a better design or not? A bit tricky stuffing the dog in |
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| Here's my spot at Swede gas stations |
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| Farmland, Windmills |
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| Yeah |
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| So fun |
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| Signs Sweden is a lot more Americanised than most countries |
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Big underground interchange in
Goteborg |
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| I should have been a civil engineer |
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| Fishing villages among islands |
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| We're here |
Staying on a boat in Skarhamn. Having 600 km ahead of me I decided to look for something halfway and airbnb has a few boats to sleep for the night. One owned by Petter in a small fishing village called "Skarhamn". Great experience and nice to have my own space for a night, which is harder to do economically in Scandinavia. And getting me ready for owning a boat soon!
Taking in the Skarhamn Marina
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| Lady Ellen behind me |
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Quick tour nearby while I waited
for Petter |
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| Oh Jellyfish |
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| Stay away from the beach!!! Oh no! |
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| 22 foot sloop, racing boat |
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| All the way to the end |
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So exited, getting the case on was
tricky, surprised I didn't fall in. |
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| Just great |
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| Look at this |
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| Good parking too |
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| Smiling, possibly found my next life |
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Not sure I'll spend this much
on my boat purchase. |
Oslo or not?
Small highway out of Skarhamn to E6. C5R7T4V6
Skarhamn taking E6 to Oslo. C2/3R6/7T3V5 Amazing that Norway has lights lining the highway the entire way. wow. Also surprised to see Norway is not in the EU, I had no idea.
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| Petter's job |
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| Peaceful place |
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| 25 km out of Skarhamn |
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| Ikea or Oslo? Tough call |
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| Still lots of Windmills |
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| Man, that's where they keep the big ass satellite dishes |
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| 2 hitch hikers never to be seen again |
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| Swedish Gas Station Food, not bad? |
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| E6 bridge view |
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| Hello beautiful Norway |
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| Highway lights all the way to Oslo! |
Lucky that I just implemented this design. I knocked a strap loose trying to block my plate with my foot from road toll cameras. Turns out Motos are free in Norway anyway!
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| double the safety factor |
First looks from the tower view point towards Oslo
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| View point tower |
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| The view from the tower |
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| taking the round about way to Oslo |
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| Lots of sailing! |
When I arrived in Oslo, I was not feeling it. I think it was my deep fear of just how expensive this place was going to be, how regulated it was and a lack of good accommodation available. I posted I was in Oslo hoping I had a connection on FB and sure enough Chris a friend in BA replied "Stay at my cousin Hege's!" I totally forget Chris was from Norway as he speaks English with a Ricky Jervais accent ;) and he lived in England for 20 years! Thanks for the connection bud.
Oslo makes other expensive cities look like punk ass bitches!
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| Poopy pants on |
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The price wasn't too bad, but i ate it in 2 seconds
cause it was so small! 7 euros. |
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| Hege and Katia |
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| Interesting carrying method |
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| Delicious sashimi by Hege |
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| The whole door lifts up 2 cm to open! |
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| Communes Skoger park |
Communes Skoger Park and Lake Sognsvann
Little chat at the ski jump Holmenkollen and talking about the wrong olympics. Not my fault, the design was way ahead of its time!
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| From the 1952 Winter games |
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| Views just below ski jump |
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| Viking ship museum |
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| Public park ciggy install |
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| Life just got easier. |
Crossing Sweden and stopping in
Stockholm returning after 12 years. Started the day in fog and 16 C on a great curvy road E22 to E18, C7R7T2/3V5 - lakes and elevation with fog, lots of green. Back in to Sweden to finish the 500 km day on the motorway (E18) in 23 C which was lovely. C2/3R6/7T3V4.
Video of a bit of E22.
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| so beautiful, but kinda dangerous |
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| Love it |
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| seems a little confusing?? |
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| Back to Sweden |
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| McDonalds, definitely back in Sweden |
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| Signs you are in rural Sweden, the gas station toilet |
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| Another sign of Rural Sweden |
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| Rust does exist on cars in Europe! |
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| Beauty and Pollution |
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The Courtesy of drivers shown as the use the shoulder lane
for over taking vehicles. |
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| Nice |
Lost my trusty Lanyard after 5 years on the way to Stockholm.
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No egg salad damn it! about the
same price as canada 8 euros |
Arrived in to Stockholm in the late afternoon going back to a hostel I stayed 12 year ago because it's so cool. Af Chapman an old cruising boat turned in to an HI hostel. A dorm bed was like 32 euros ($50 CAD). The next morning I made my way out to the Royal Residency before boarding cruise ship to Finland the next night. Friday night which I guess is party on the boat night.
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| Made it |
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| Imagine my tour like that! |
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| Oh taxis, so much love! |
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| Good old Af Chapman still floating |
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| Just beautiful |
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| Morning matie |
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| One lane bridge with light control |
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| There the Royal Residency |
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Not sure a sculpture can get more
wrong than that |
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| Nice backyard |
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| Unexpected colour, I like it |
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| Ok, now the front yard? |
Walking the grounds of the Royal Residency - Drottningholm
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| Impressive |
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| Serious game of Duck, Duck, Goose |
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| Reminded me of home |
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| Like a second home for WIFI! |
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| I got to get in to that |
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| Follow the locals |
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| Mini lobsters in a bucket |
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| Getting supplies for boat to Finland |
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Chewing tobacco for Tani
Can't get it in Finland
Tough habit to keep
"Goteborg Rape" Pronounced
differently. |
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| This looks nice |
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| Not so many motos this time of year |
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| Lots of space right? |
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Paid for dorm spot which would have been tight with
4 people, but luckily it was just me. (75 euros for all) |
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| Is that how you make a Whiskey sour? |
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| leaving Sweden |
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| Tallink |
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| Is that a FULL MOON |
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At the complete opposite end from
the moto, why did I carry all my gear |
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| Oh yeah |
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| Party time??? |
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Should I be surprised
Duty free shop like this and
people able to buy at half price.
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Surprised that this boat was a big party
More sample of the fiesta that was happening at my end of the ship. Oh and I could hear it all night as I tried for a little sleep knowing I had to ride in sub 10 degree weather in the morning...
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| Going off the rails |
Other Stuff
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Why some of the tallest countries in the world have the
smallest bathrooms? This in Bert's 92 m2 apartment.
You can basically touch your knees to the wall while sitting
on the toilet. |
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| Good old side cars |
Some weird bathroom in Sweden. Cool locking mechanism though.
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| Cool lock on bathroom doors |
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