Swimming and playing in Ulricehamn

by | 27 June, 2020 | Uncategorized

It was a few hours in the RV through the forests of Småland. The trees were near the road, the lupines were wavering, and when we stopped for a pinch of air which almost vibrated in the Swedish summer heat. But what magical roads!

drive RV

It felt nice in the car with the AC running and since both children were sleeping, it was just to roll on! We had our sights set on Ulricehamn, and landed there after a few hours. We got a parking spot (it was a great free-parking where we could park wherever we wanted to). However, there were a few spots that were a bit larger than the traditional ones, one of which we took, right next to the toilet-house.

Would not say service house really, but a handicap accessible toilet and a regular one, thus, the RV toilet had to rest a bit and it’s some kind of service however. But a wonderful motorhome parking,absolutely free. Ulricehamn really seems to invest in motorhome tourism, and we found this and several other pitches in the municipality here.

Martin started right away with the food, while me and the kids explored the playground with a big P! An obstacle course, swings, water-sand playground, slides, a “spin-carousel” as Noomie said.. and a sandy beach! Which was still so far from the play area so that you do not have to feel that the children run there uncontrollably. In other words… absolutely perfect!

 

set location ulricehamn 2

We took walk in the evening. Noomie finally got to ride her bike, and we found a restaurant just down by the water. Unfortunately, it was quite full this nice evening, but we still got a chance to order and got seats near the water where the children could walk around a bit in the grass. It was not a very long evening, but we got to see the sun go down over Ulricehamns lake. And what else do you really need? Than a sunset by the water…

Could you keep flowers in the RV?

Could you keep flowers in the RV?

by | 29 March, 2020 | Tips and Tools

Har man många intressen, vilket vi liksom har, måste man ju kunna kombinera dem även i husbilslivet, va? eller hur! Det är självklart för Martin att packa med fiskeutrustning för att kunna utfodra familjen enbart på fiskefångst i veckor….. mina intressen tar inte riktigt lika stor plats, men kanske är något bökigare………

Här är dom! Årets små fröisar!

Nu är det i all enkelhet, några solrosor, Sommaraster och lite tagille, som än så länge var för små för att klara sig själva hemma i 4 dagar i sträck. Nämen då får de ju hänga med i husbilen tyckte jag!

Martin var inte riktigt lika övertygad om att det var en bra idé, och kanske när Lowe kröp fram till dem och rev sönder en kruka och hällde ut jord på den vita mattan … kanske att jag var beredd att hålla med Martin då om att det var en halvbra idé. Fast det säger jag ju inte till honom.

Jag satte årets små frön i en ugnsform från Tupperware, som var lagom stor för att rymma alla, och som var lagom smidig att ta med och flytta runt på. Mest har de stått framför instrumentpanelen när vi stått stilla och vid mina fötter när Martin kör. Ja, det är bara Martin som kör än så länge.. Jag behöver fortfarande ta tag i att ta det där C-kortet……….

Men så svaret på frågan, JA klart man kan ha med blommor i husbilen! 😉

 

 

One wrong turn and… we ended up in Ullared

One wrong turn and… we ended up in Ullared

by | 18 August, 2019 | Long distance travel, Sweden

Ullared

It looks like bad weather, and what is better than an indoor activity like shopping in Ullared? Most have heard of GeKås in Ullared, many of you have probably been there. If you haven’t been there yourself, you probably haven’t missed the TV show. GeKås (or popularly known by the city name Ullared) is regardless a truly special destination. A single large department store, with everything from clothes, tools, fishing gear, toys to interior design and shampoo.

But yes, we would well lie if we said that all parts of the family are equally excited with the choice of activity. Martin, even at work, usually quotes GeKå’s CEO Boris when talking about knowing his business. In one episode of the TV series (which we really do not follow, but have happened to see at some point) he says that “After 1.5 hours, the man is the biggest threat to our business”. It is of course a very funny saying, but oh so true.

One should be aware that an excursion to Ullared is an all-day project. Getting through the entire department store, if you are going to have time to look at things reasonably in peace and quiet, clearly takes its time. As a family with children, of course, there will be a lot of time in the department of children’s clothes, as this is actually one of the things that is still quite cheap. Otherwise, the price situation feels quite mediocre. As camper nerds, we also take the opportunity to buy on us some things you to have use in the RV, like toilet paper intended for camping toilets, toiletries, some small things to the kitchen and so on.

Other stores and activities

In addition to GeKås itself, a lot of shops around the department store have grown up, as Ullared has really become a destination. Outside the department store there are everything from shoe stores to electronics stores and hunting and fishing shops. The latter to Martin’s great joy. For some reason, however, he didn’t think that my “Now you’ve gone in your store, so now I get to go in my store” reasoning was an acceptable argument. Apparently it was not “fair” that could trade 20 minutes of fishing shop for 9 hours of GeKås. Strange reasoning on his behalf ;).

Luckily for this family, there is also a wide range of restaurants and cafés. One thing is certain, if we do not follow the food pattern of an infant, with food like every two hours, then an excursion regardless of the theme will not be fun for anyone. Here, however, it is quite easily solved, and also relatively cheap. Martin made an attempt to escape to the sports bar. I laughed at him and said that “you are not interested in sports”, and I got the obvious answer that “nah, but I’m interested in bars”.

 

Martin loves Ullared

Update Ullared:

A few thousand Swedish kronor poorer, impressed by Gekås breastfeeding room on the 4th floor, and Noomie mostly fascinated by the playground on the same floor. Satisfied with today’s not so amazingly unnecessary purchase (best was probably a lined rain gear to Noomie!) and now we go on to Gekåsbyn to cook dinner and camp for the night! Must say that both RV-site and the campsite are some of the most affordable we have ever visited. Extremely well maintained facilities, which must be cleaned several times a day. The standard of the RV-site was almost good enough to qualify as a camping site. The campsite had a huge range of activities and things for the children.

We could clearly imagine going to Ullared and staying at the campsite without even visiting the department store (or yes, at least that what we leave Martin to believe ;)).

Days are coming together as one

Days are coming together as one

by | 14 August, 2019 | Long distance travel, Sweden, West Coast, Sweden

It’s apparently Monday night, and I honestly don’t know what day was which when I look through pictures on the phone.. It’s nice and vacationy not really knowing which day is which.

This morning we woke up on a farm, and started the day with breakfast buffet at Älgbergets B&B. Okay there was neither scrambled eggs nor bacon, but it felt luxurious that someone else fixed up the food (and took care of the dishes!!) and the owner, Maria, who we were sitting and talked with for a while, was so nice and easy going. I understand that her B&B has been successfully run for ten years!

If you are looking for peace and quiet, you really want to get out into nature, and if you like it a little more familiar and easy-going camping, we can really recommend this little gem! Last night offered a lovely walk down to a lake, where you could also rent a boat to fish or just enjoy the silence. What views! And which gang, Shaggy and Noomie ran the race on the way home with Martin as a constant commentator. I myself wore Lowe in the shawl of my stomach and tried not to stumble among cones and branches.

After breakfast, dog walk and mandatory “clear away in the camper” it carried off to today’s activity; LOOKING AT RVs! It has apparently become one of Martin’s favorite activities, and I can agree that it is a good passtime on a rainy days like this. Noomie, however, does not understand why we should look at campervans when we already have a camper van. It is probably one of those things that we can remember from childhood itself, the thing about watching things without having to / should buy anything.

It’s boring! However, she struggles on, and she assesses the campers according to how well equipped they are. They get good score because there are “bed in the ceiling”, “secret door” (ie door between toilet o shower that can be closed so the screens of the kitchen area from the bedroom….). Or other cool stuff, like bunk bed, giant garage, or nice fabric on the chairs. Yes, she’s entertained. Usually this is a completely free activity, at least as long as you do not buy anything.

Well, we haven’t bought a new camper, but today we actually found one that we really liked. Too much, to be honest. We’re not going to buy a new motorhome now! And no we will not do either, but we can dream of course XD I guess we will have reason to return to this issue .

Like a little encouragement(read: bribe) to the 4-year-old, and because it had been far too late to cook lunch. Blood sugar needed to be raised in all, quickly, it was MAX hamburgers for lunch. Unfortunately, we stumbeled upon a bad MAX where the burgers felt as if they had been lying too long and the fries felt tasteless.

I do not know exactly where we were so should not hang out any 😛 Noomie got instead of a totally useless plastic old man in ugly colors, a MOOMIN memo that we of course tested right away! Good there MAX, some sensible stuff for the children! Perfect with a thousand bits and pieces even when you go camper.. NOTE XD

Toooooo Strömstad!

Toooooo Strömstad!

by | 5 August, 2019 | Island and Archipelago, Long distance travel, Sweden, West Coast, Sweden

“Vart ska ni åka nudå?”
“Strömstad.”
“Jaha! Vad ska ni göra där?”
“Eeeeh… vet inte?”

Så himla typiskt oss XD 

Nu fick vi för oss för ett par veckor sen att Västkusten skulle bli en bra semester-sträcka.
“Vi kan ta sikte på Strömstad och sen köra söderut och se vart vi hamnar!”
Så det är planen, tills vi om cirkus två veckor vänder Norrut och ska besöka lite vänner runt Skillingaryd (och Martin ska jobba lite)..
Så, vad har Strömstad att erbjuda? Jag kör google medans Martin kör husbilen.

Hittade en riktigt cool camping “Daftö” som marknadsför sig som “äventyrscamping” med piratteater, massa lekplatser,
öventyr för barnen, åkattraktioner….. för 800:- natten?!
WTF!? V har liksom med oss vår egen säng… och kök…. och toa…. vi vill ha lite el och om man ska lyxa till det, ett servichus med diskmöjlighet,
toa och dusch. ÅTTAHUNDRA SPÄNN?!
Smålänningnen i mig tog över, nejnej där vi får vi nog dra en gräns asså, så kul ska vi inte ha.

 

“Det finns en marin nationalpark.. tydligen Sveriges enda.. den lär vi väl åka till?”
Det visar sig vara en hel ö-värld med flera öar, vandringsleder, båtturer…. säkert restauranger, caféer, lekparker mm också.
Vi ska försöka hitta en ställplats inärheten av hamnen, så tar vi första båtturen ut till Syd-Koster imorgon och gör en heldag vid nationalparken.
Man kan fiska krabbor, besöka klappakvarium, bada i havet, äta räkor.. Det blir nog mycket räkor på den här semestern..! XD

 

När vi är ute och åker passerar vi riktigt mycket fin natur på vägen. Sjöar precis vid vägkanten, och maffiga pråliga hus vid skogsbrynen..
Det är ett vackert land vi bor i! Vägarna är ibland så raka och så långa, att man hinner tröttna på utsikten.
Vi passerar löjligt små byar och samhällen, som vi aldrig hört talas om. Och skog. Väldigt mycket skog.

Noomie sitter för det mesta nööjd med sina pysselböcker och målar/färglägger eller klistrar klistermärken, och annars åker plattan fram.
Lowe sover, korta stunder kan han vara nöjd och prata eller pilla med nån leksak, men för det mesta sover han gott iklädd en tunn body och mjuka strumpor.
(Inte på nätterna dock… #bebislogik)

Iframsätet sitter vi och sjunger country och planerar nästa stopp. Vi planerar aldrig mycket längre än ett dygn. Mest för att… vi ändrar oss så mycket XD
och, man skulle nog behöva göra en lite noggrannare planering från början om det skulle fungera,
vi har ju bara en utgångsplan..; “Västkusten! Vi tar oss till strömstad, kör söderut och ser vad vi hittar!”

Snart framme i Strömstad!