Thursday 20 February: the last trip of the Raid

Kiel (Germany) - home (the Netherlands) 597 km

This morning we woke up a little tired after a good last night with the four of us. Our cars were in front of the ferry so we got of very quick and then it was the german autobahn for the next 400 km. The weather expressed our feelings quite well, grey and rainy. Even after a month on the road it felt still to early to go home again, even though I did long for my own bed and sofa. But furthermore the trip may have lasted much longer for me.

Trucks holding up traffic on the opposite direction 

But okay, it really was time to go home, so we put the music on hard and pushed the accelerator to the floor and went a stunning 80 km p/h. We had a strong headwind but some nice trucks helped us again today. Otherwise it would have taken even longer to get home. At one off the last petrol station before Oldenzaal we said goodbye to Gert-jan after traveling together for a month, and to Lenneke who joint us for the last two weeks. It felt strange to go separate ways after driving together al these weeks. But the last 200 km we had to drive alone. 

Driving into the Netherlands was directly notable by the traffic jams. Weather got even worse and the gearbox was making more and more noise, so getting home was challenging, but we made it. Around 18:30 we parked the car in front of our house after 11320 km on the counter of the car

At the start

After arriving home safe

According to Polarsteps we did 11220 km, ans adding up al the km from the maps gives a total of 10.399 km.

So I keep it at 11.000 km in total, not bad in four weeks.

All what is left now is a lot of laundry and a car that needs some LCA. 

Wednesday 19 February: to the ferry

Fjugesta - Göteborg 273 km

Today we only had less than 300 km left to the ferry so first time for breakfast. Breakfast was delivered at our cottage by the farmers wife. We had fresh coffee, rolls, Orange juice and perfectly soft boiled eggs.

Then it was time to gets in our cars and start the last Scandinavian part of our trip. First hour we drove smaller roads, The snow was all gone and felt like driving into spring. 

One the way we got a lift from a truck using his slipstream we moved along fine. 

At a petrol station we said goodbye to the truck and went for car and human food. The shop at this station was a candy paradise, rows of different kinds of candy which you could scoop yourself. So we filled up our licorice stock for the last part of the trip. 

And then we went to Göteborg. We were nice and early for the ferry so the was time for some sightseeing as well. First stop was the Fiskekorka, a fish market in the shape of a church. We had the cars parked in a Q parking and went by foot to the market. The others had a great lunch of local fish which they bought at the market and ate it outside on a picknick table. 

Picknick

Then we walked to the centre to buy some clean trousers for Tanguy and lunch for me before returning to our cars. We also wanted to visit a church on a hill with a great view over Göteborg. When we came at the parking there was no way in by foot without entering a code or something, turned out we parked in a private parking from some offices instead of the public parking. We could find anybody to let us in, tried jumping in front of the door, going trough the office building, the public parking next to it, but no way we could get to our cars. It’s was a typical example of something that would happen to us. Missing the boat because we parked our cars somewhere and not be able to get back to them.

But the doors of the parking had opened before, we drove in then without any trouble, so there must be a way to get de doors to open again. Gertjan decided we needed more weight to make it look like we were a car and found a trolley to push along the entrance. It worked! Or maybe it was the other car that just arrived and entered the parking 😂, but we quickly walked in with that car. And then it was fingers crossed if the exit would open. Luckily it did and we could finally leave the parking without having to pay anything.

There was still enough time for the church upon the hill. 

Göteborg in the background 

The inside roof of the church was completely made of wooden beams, very impressive 

Outside the church you had beautiful views over the city.

And then we went to the ferry, still way to early but there was nothing else to do and we thought we could have a drink there while waiting.

Parked at the ferry gate

So we parked the car in one of the Waiting lines for the checkin, left Lenneke at the cars and went to look for a bar or restaurant. We had to walk for a minute of ten before we found a nice bar. It was part of a building that once was the largest and only brewery of Göteborg. We had a local beer and just ordered a second one when Lenneke called, the checkin openend, two hours early, and the people in the cars behind us were not happy with two cars not moving 😂. 

So we finished our beers a little quicker than we liked and walked back to our cars. Behind the 2CV’s was an empty spot because people started to drive around us, maybe they were afraid to miss the boat which would not leave for another four hours. But okay, we did start our cars, ignoring some angry look people and smiling at the ones who had more patience and humor, and drove to the check-in.

Not much later we could also enter the ferry and around four we were in our hut.

Other cars driving around ours 

On the ferry we had pur last safe arrival drink together and then some more. It was a good last night of a great trip. Tomorrow the last 600 km and then we are home again after four weeks and almost 11000 km

Hölkynkölkyn

 

Tuesday 18 February: back to school, lots of km and finally a double bed with sheets

Strömbäck- Fjugesta 711 km

This morning we went back to school, it turned out we spent the night on the campus of the Stömbäcks Folkshögskola in one of the student rooms. At breakfast in the main building we found ourselves between a lot of students, felt like being back in school again. 

After breakfast we hit the road at 8:30, we had a lot off km to cover. First few were on a smaller road where we drove into a herd of reindeer. We didn’t except to see those this far south, so it was a pleasant suprise and a great start of the day.

And the it was mostly highway, sort of. Highway in Sweden is slightly different from Holland, its mostly just one lane with small parts of two lanes to let faster drivers pass. But still highway.

Luckily the weather was nice, maybe a bit warm, and the ice disappeared from the road quickly z this made driving a lot easier so we covered a lot of km. 

Typical Swedisch farm

The highway 

“High coast bridge” 

Art beside the road

On the way we stopped for coffee, food and petrol, but that was about it. No horror truckdrivers today, so no stories about them this time. 

Overall just a good drive.

At the end we had to find a location for the night, at that point the ladies start googling and looking at Booking.com to find something. There are a few rules:

1. On the route, or as close as possible 

2. Payable

3. Charming

Combining these three is the challenge. I find it always a sport to find a great place for the night and paying as little as possible. And tonight we found a perfect match. A lovely chalet with three bedrooms, indoor bathroom, a bottle of wine and some chips as welcome and a double bed with normal sheet for me and Tanguy, and a separate bedroom with two single beds for Gertjan snd Lenneke. I could spent a week here.

Finding the entrance was a challenge, al houses here look alike so even maps got confused. It took a phone call with the owner and some extra turns to get st our cabin. But we managed with his directions.

The livingroom/ diner

Tomorrow at 8:00 breakfast will be delivered at our house, good service. 

I am curious how it looks outside by daylight. So I go to sleep now and take a look in the morning.

Good night