31st May Senja island

Today our motorhome incurred a little damage, only the wing mirror and thankfully the main mirror is okay. We took two ferries today to get us into Tromso, the party capital of the north. We found a car park full of motorhomes and went into town to check out the night clubs.....! When we returned to just shower and get ready to party we found that all the motorhomes had gone and we were all alone. It just did not feel right, so I packed my party outfit away and we took another ferry to this remote island. We are at a campsite which would not pass inspection by the caravan club but the beachside location is lovely. The first phot is for my friends who knit, taken outside a shop in Tromso. The second is our view from the motorhome, taken this evening.

30th May Kviteberg

We left the North Cape yesterday and returned to sunshine and hot weather. We stopped at Alta river camping making full use of their facilities including the necessary laundry. Our fellow campers were all sunbathing, none were British. Today we have visited the Alta museum site where there are hundreds of rock carvings dating back 6,000 years, an amazing site next to the sea. We are now on our way to Tromso, still in the arctic circle and are wild camping at the side of a fjord, off the beaten track. In the photo of our view are a pair of eider ducks.....mmmmm, duck in orange sauce, not for us tonight we have pasta with tomato sauce. BUT...there will be wine.

28th May Midnight sun

The low cloud and freezing wind persisted but the midnight sun shone through.

28th May Nordkapp

We experienced the midnight sun from our overnight parking at the lighthouse on Sunday night, it was so cold that night we did not leave the van. The next morning with no wind it was hot again. We spent yesterday driving to get back on track after our detour to Nordkyn. The drive was on the old Atlantic highway and was a test for the build quality of our van, they have yet to repair the road after the ravages of the winter weather. We drove through a very stark landscape for about 60 miles that looked like the after effects of a nuclear attack. Finally the landscape improved and we parked on a beach at the side of a fjord, we sat outside in 25c sunshine. There were plenty of birds to spot, perhaps not quite the type that Ron had in mind. In the morning we were lucky enough to see 2 dolphins. We are now at the north cape and we have gone from summer to winter in the space of an hour. We are here at the most northerly point in Europe, we paid the rip off sum of £26 each but somehow it had to be done!

26th May Gamvik

We are on the Nordkyn peninsula, parked near the most northerly mainland lighthouse in Europe, overlooking the Barents Sea. We are in the sub-arctic where there is no summer, it is very windy and not exactly beach weather. We are parked next to a bird reserve and we have braved the elements and followed the three mile trail. We were lucky enough too see a white tailed eagle, a very impressive sight. One of today's photos is especially for slippy, a rack of fish, drying in the wind. They dry the cod heads here and grind them into a powder that is sold in Nigeria, where it is prized by cooks as a flavouring or seasoning. The beaches here are disappointedly full of rubbish from boats, there was even a fish box with a UK telephone number on.

25th May Norway

This morning the temperature at Inari was probably 25c, by the time we drove 50 miles north a cold wind was blowing. We are now in Norway and suddenly things are very different. We are on a peninsula east of Nordkapp overlooking a fjord. We are wild camping, completely alone in this remote and windy landscape where the sun and moon will not set tonight......it's great. Photos today are of a route that has only just re-opened after the winter.

24th May Inari

Just been told by my boss that I posted the wrong picture of the skidoos !! So here we are.

24th May Inari

Long journey today 200 miles but plenty of wildlife, including many reindeer and also a very large hare still in winter white but changing to brown for the short summer. Here at Inari the sun will set at 12.59 and rise at 1.17. We stopped off at a national park today which borders Russia, just 30 miles away. They have brown bears in the woods but they must have been sleeping when we were there, still it was a good walk with thankfully a lack of mosquitoes.

We are yet again parked on the edge of a lake, weather lovely, 20c and right next to us is a big boys toy box. Ron asked to be taken up in the seaplane but unfortunately the pilot is not here.

23rd May Rovaniemi

I could not help adding this photo, it is 10.30pm, sunset at 11.30, sunrise at 3.00am, it never really gets dark, too many photo opportunities.

23rd May Rovaniemi Finland

Just a 2 hour drive today to this campsite beside a lake. Yet again this site is not open yet but the owners were here preparing for the summer. The campsite amenities are not yet ready so they are letting us park next to and use a summer cabin. All for the normal camping fee. The cabin overlooks the lake, it is lovely.

We have just returned from seeing Santa Claus so if any of you doubted his existence, I include a photo to prove otherwise.

We are now at the beginning of our journey into the arctic circle, it is still very good, sunny weather but there is a cold wind. 

22nd May Kukkola

Day off from touring today, time to do the chores and just relax. We cooked and ate in the camp kitchen last night with facilities that you never get at home. There are also several wood burning saunas to use but that is a step to far!

21st May Kukkola

Great day today, visited the Storforsen rapids, very spectacular. We then had an interesting time finding a place to refill our LPG but succeeded in the end. We are now at Kukkolaforsen, a campsite next to rapids which are in full flow with the ice melt. Campsite facilities here are better than home with full cooking facilities and a lovely dining area. The weather continues good.

20th May Swedish Lapland and Skype

And still the weather continues to surprise us with blue skies and high temperatures. We have driven north (170 miles) to the cultural centre of the Swedish Sami, these are the reindeer herding people. I fully expected to see reindeer roaming the streets of Arvidsjaur but not a sign of them. We visited the small Sami cottages and the Sami church but the highlight of the day has to be talking to friends and family on Skype, technology is wonderful. Photos today are of the Sami huts, called gahties, then and now.

19th May Wow it's hot here

I cannot believe the weather here, it is hot, maybe 27c, something we never expected. We are in a very remote area and the locals are all in swimwear, circa 1970. We planned to wild camp tonight and having found nowhere suitable we have found a closed campsite. It is full of summer cabins and the people preparing the place for 1st June opening have let us stay for a very small amount of money. It is a very lovely forest location and still at 8pm it is very, very hot. All I need to make my day complete is a moose to wander by....it's possible!

18th May Sandarne

We consider ourselves lucky as we have had lovely weather today. 168 miles north, we are wild camping tonight by a beach in a very beautiful location.

17th May Culture in Stockholm

The easy and popular way to get around the city is on a bike and interestingly Ron picked up speed on his bike when following certain cyclists. Particularly as summer has arrived and short skirts and scanty tops become the norm. With his bicycle clips and wild grey hair I think the girls were cycling ever faster!
We visited the NEW museum in Stockholm, the ABBA museum but at £20.00 each to go in we stopped at the shop......never liked abba anyway.
Tomorrow we are on the road again, time to get into the countryside.

16th May Stockholm

Today we have travelled 170 miles to Stockholm. We are in the city centre in a motorhome park/boatyard which is underneath a flyover bridge! Not quiet but definitely in amongst it!
Our Swedish neighbours have a naked lady painted on the side of their van and a pet rat called kontiki who is currently sunning himself outside. If you look at the photo he is in the bottom left.

14th May Sweden

Here we are in Sweden after a day of driving in the rain and a 20 minute ferry crossing. We are at a campsite on the shore of Lake Vattern at a place called Granna.... famous for peppermint rock? Our view from the van is stunning and now it has stopped raining, the sunset is pretty good. Campsite facilities in Sweden are very good and I include a photo of the kitchen that we are free to use. Day off tomorrow, time to sample the peppermint rock.

13th May Copenhagen

We are staying overnight on the edge of the city. Just back from cycling into the centre and seeing the sights, I did not realise how small the little mermaid is. We have cycled 18 miles and have seen a lot of the sites, tomorrow we are off to Sweden. Our weather is grey but thankfully not too cold yet!

12th May Stroby

An easy drive today, just 100 miles to a campsite south of Copenhagen on the Baltic Sea coast. Today we crossed the Storebaelt bridge at a cost of £40.00, to be fair it is a very long bridge. We are here just 1night and have been cycling along the shoreline in this predominately holiday home area. Tomorrow we plan to stay in Copenhagen.

11th May Denmark

After a smooth trouble free ferry crossing we have travelled just 70km to a place called.......Middelfart! We are on an aire style 7place parking spot, we were extremely lucky to get the last place as it is a bank holiday weekend here. We are at a marina, it is lovely here and now when in Denmark do as the Danes do, get cycling.

9th May first night

Here we are on a cl site very close to Harwich, ready for our ferry crossing to Denmark tomorrow night. Finally our adventure begins after weeks of planning....and we are still talking!

Here comes summer

Bank holiday weekend and finally we have lovely weather in Shaldon. We are off to Scandinavia on Thursday, guess it will be colder there.

Dinner with friends

Had an enjoyable evening at home with good friends, sharing memories of happy times spent together.