The year is coming to an end and it's time to summarise the 2018 motorhome and travel year. In total, we've visited 12 countries on three continents this year, and soon it will be 13. We've travelled both by motorhome and by plane, and we've also managed to do a lot of sightseeing at home in Stockholm. Join us on a quick trip through our 2018!
Table of contents
January: Israel and Finland
The first month of the year started in Israel. We visited the lovely Eilat and went on an exciting road trip through the West Bank, past the Dead Sea, Masada and Qumran before arriving at Jerusalem. A fantastically exciting and interesting trip that gave us a taste for more. Next time we would like to see Tel Aviv!
During January, we also had time to make a trip to Helsinki, where we visited both the Nordic region's largest railway station. Matka travel fair and The Caravan Motorhome Fair.
February: Caravan Stockholm 2018
In February, we were in Stockholm for the Caravan Stockholm 2018 trade fair. We spoke about motorhome travel in Poland and the Czech Republic, as well as Croatia and France.
We also wrote about new motorhomes, if ploughshares, if campers, if camping equipment and about "boat van" - caravan and boat in one. Afterwards, we wrote about the storm around Svea Motorhomes not allowed at the fair and I guess that's why we are not invited to the 2019 fair.
March: Allt för Sjön & Explore 2018
During March, we continued to hang out in Stockholm, visiting both the trade fair Everything for the sea and Explore 2018. A little adventure and enticement in everyday life!
April: Agadir, Morocco
In April we travelled to Agadir in Morocco - a journey full of spices, flavours and colours. Here we saw everything from crocodiles (at a safe distance) to goats in trees. We also made an excursion to the beautiful city of St. Petersburg. Taroudant, which is like a miniature Marrakech.
May: Ireland
For two weeks in May we travelled around Ireland in a motorhome. What an amazing experience! We fell in love with this green island, with its flowers, sheep and historic buildings. It's hard to pick out the highlights among all the amazing things, but if we had to, it would be the rope bridge. Carrick-a-Rede, the city of music Galway, the ride on the the beach in Kerry, the monastery Glendalough and the exciting and interesting city Belfast. And of course - all Game of Thrones filming locations!
June: Bodö, Norway
In June it was time to travel to Norway. We flew with SAS directly to Bodöand then had a few days of unforgettable experiences. It was incredibly interesting to experience Salt currents, and perhaps just as exciting to go on ribs safari and that fishing for halibut. We must also say that we appreciated the trips to Tranoy and Kjerringoy very much - extremely beautiful!
July: Germany, Czech Republic, Austria & Italy
At the beginning of July, we set off on our two-month motorhome trip through Europe. The trip started with a lot of experiences in Germany: sandy beaches at the Baltic Sea coast, bat cave in Bad Segeberg, cowboys and Indians in Templin, castle in Oranienburg, palace in Potsdam and baroque monasteries in New cell.
We continued to the Czech Republic where we discovered, among other things, the beautiful Bohemian Switzerlandwith the largest sandstone arch in Europe. We also had time to visit Litomerice (where we unexpectedly met a large group of Swedes!), the concentration camp. City of Therezienstadt and the cool castle in the James Bond city. Loket. We also had time to visit the health resorts Karlovy Vary, Marianske Lazne and Frantiskovy Lazne - the city that is completely yellow.
After the Czech Republic, we travelled on to Austria where we experienced the amazing city of Vienna. Salzburg, the dramatic ice cave ice giant world and Zell am See with its 3019 metre high peak Kitzsteinhorn.
We also had time to visit Italy! First up was the Instagram-friendly lake Lago di Braies in the Dolomites. Then it was wine buying in Valpolicella before proceeding to Chioggia, which is like a "little Venice". We then went on to lovely Umbria where we tried a magically beautiful wine. eco-resort and another hotels near the lake Lago di Trasimeno.
August: France, Switzerland, Belgium & Germany
From Italy, we rolled the motorhome into Cannes, which is a city we like. This time, we also visited the beautiful island outside called Lerins Islands. We also visited the three 'golden islands': Porquerolles, Port-Cros and naturist island Levant Island. We ended our stay in France with a few days in the stunning natural area. Ardeche.
We then travelled on to fantastic Switzerland, where we visited interesting places such as Geneva, flavourful Gruyere and Appenzell, the capital city Bern and beautiful Lucerne with the dramatic Mount Pilatus. Perhaps the strongest memory of Switzerland is the time we tried the hang gliding in Interlaken. Wow!
In Belgium, we experienced three beautiful cities: pier with its charming canals, Ghent with its relaxed student atmosphere and Antwerp with its diamonds and artists.
We ended the Europe trip with a visit to the beautiful Moselle valleys and the ancient Roman city Trier in Germany, and a visit to the German North Sea coast.
September: Elmia caravan motorhome
In September it was time for the Scandinavian Caravan Show, outside Jönköping. Here we checked out mobile homes, ploughshares and electric bikes and caravans.
October: Stockholm and Gothenburg
In October, we took the opportunity to have a proper holiday in our own city of Stockholm, and we went sightseeing with amphibian bus and visits to National Museum, Museum of the Middle Ages and adventure museum Viking life.
We also went down to Götebor to be there when my (Helena's) mum was nominated as the Honorary doctorate at the University of Gothenburg.
November: Stockholm
In November, we continued to explore our own city of Stockholm. We had time to visit Rörstrand Castle, Drottningholm Castle and Mediterranean Museum.
December: Brussels and Sri Lanka
In December, we went on a long weekend to the exciting city of New York. Brusselsand also made an excursion to the lovely little town of Cairo. Mechelen.
In December it is also time for us to travel to Sri Lanka! We have booked accommodation for the first two days, and then we will travel around and discover the country, together with our friends Lennart and Beata. Feel free to follow our journey here on the blog!
Johnny Friskilä says:
Great year! Maybe it's time for me to go to Bodö. I actually lived there for a few years, went to college, did my military service, worked... Have a nice trip to Sri Lanka! You will have a great time!
22 December 2018 - 8:23
Helena says:
Glad you lived in Bodö! Fantastically nice there! 🙂
22 December 2018 - 11:10
Ama de casa says:
A movable and lovely elastic (haha! elastic???? maybe elastic fits better even if there is a red curl under that word 😉 ).
And it's not over yet 🙂
Lovely pictures too! I probably like the sunflower picture best of all 🙂 !
22 December 2018 - 8:25
Helena says:
Elasticated ... haha. I think I prefer travel year, even if it is red 😉.
22 December 2018 - 11:11
Linda, travelling consciously says:
What a wonderful year you are creating together!
22 December 2018 - 8:59
Helena says:
A very fun and interesting year of travelling!
22 December 2018 - 11:11
pilla says:
Good mix of trips! Sri Lanka feels like this year's Zanzibar but I save my trip there for 2019 🙂 🙂
22 December 2018 - 9:01
Helena says:
Glad you are planning for Sri Lanka! We will return with a report 🙂
22 December 2018 - 11:12
Solan says:
⭐Good Christmas & Happy New Year 2019 to you both globetrotters! ⭐
You rent a motorhome in Sri Lanka...just kidding...?
22 December 2018 - 9:02
Helena says:
Likewise! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!! And haha IF we see a motorhome, I promise to photograph it ?
22 December 2018 - 11:14
Linda, travelling consciously says:
What a wonderful year you have had together
22 December 2018 - 9:02
Anna / Boihusbil says:
An eventful year, always exciting to summarise and also reflect on the past year, I think.
22 December 2018 - 9:09
Helena says:
Great to summarise, then you remember everything again 🙂 .
22 December 2018 - 11:14
Lena - good for the soul says:
Damn, you've done a lot! I won't forget your reports from Ireland. They really hit me in the stomach. Must go there!
Hug Lena
22 December 2018 - 9:18
Helena says:
Glad you remember the Ireland reports! The trip to Ireland was fantastic!
22 December 2018 - 11:15
Husis blog says:
Nice to read a summary like this and then the light goes on again, oh how they travel Helena and Peter.
There are some parts of me that have made more of an impression than others, although it has always been interesting to follow your journeys.
Czech Republic, seems to be a nice country for me to visit and I nag my owners to go there. I know that my owners like to go to places that not everyone else has been to and that's why it was Poland for me this summer.
Stockholm and the amphibious boat are written up and I am absolutely convinced that my owners will try it during their next stay in Stockholm.
Elmia, well it was probably mostly because my owners got to meet you and have a nice chat.
Germany is a wonderful country to holiday in and there is so much to see and the Germans also take care of me in a good way.
22 December 2018 - 9:26
Helena says:
Yes, there has been a lot of travel 😉 Glad you travelled to Poland, and we also think the Czech Republic is an interesting and nice country! Agree that Germany is a very good motorhome country! Wishing you a nice Christmas holiday!
22 December 2018 - 11:18
Britt-Marie Lundgren says:
What a great year for travelling!
We actually sat last weekend and talked about the past year, what we had expected and how it turned out, and looked ahead to next year, which will be a little different, as I will be almost retired.
Then we just said we were going to do a blog post about this so we may have to spend a few hours of the Christmas holidays on it!
22 December 2018 - 10:08
Helena says:
It is not bad to summarise and reflect on the year! Then you remember and think about everything again 🙂 ðŸ™'
22 December 2018 - 11:20
Eva on a rucksack says:
What a great year for travelling! End the year on top now in Sri Lanka! Have a fantastic trip and safe travels on the roads ?!
22 December 2018 - 11:42
Helena says:
Thank you very much Eva!
23 December 2018 - 5:56
Maria /Magnolia Magis says:
Ha ha ha what year?!!! And you wonder why you were tired for a while...
? But now you have a nice trip to! Fun to compile as you can sometimes think you haven't done anything... Usually it's not true! What a wonderful year! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! ? Exciting to see what happens then!
22 December 2018 - 12:12
Helena says:
Yes haha, there is probably some explanation why we were so tired ... 😉 Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
23 December 2018 - 5:58
Across the board says:
Nice summary. You have really done a lot!
22 December 2018 - 13:10
Helena says:
It's been an eventful year 🙂
23 December 2018 - 5:58
Ruth in Virginia says:
An amazing year of travelling - and me at my desk in Northern Virginia
have been able to participate even though I haven't travelled ANYWHERE.
It was great to visit Salzburg and Zell-am-See again,
where I was in 1960 and 1973,
Czech Republic = total surprise. Eastern States could not be visited
for many years, so most of it is new to me.
Helena among sunflowers - WONDERFUL
Thank you for everything I have enjoyed and participated in.
Wishing you all the best on your journey and in the coming year.
Stuff,
22 December 2018 - 15:05
Helena says:
So much fun that you wanted to join us on all these trips Ruth! Thank you for your nice comments! Wishing you also a Happy New Year!
28 December 2018 - 16:53
Mr Nils-Åke Hansson says:
What a lot of travelling you have done. Looks like we have the wrong priorities!
22 December 2018 - 15:06
Helena says:
What do you mean by mis-prioritisation? I'm not at all sure, but please tell me what you mean!
28 December 2018 - 16:54
Ditte says:
Truly an exciting, fun and varied year of travelling. And indeed, travelling is a way of life.
Wishing you a nice trip and wonderful experiences in Sri Lanka.
22 December 2018 - 18:19
Helena says:
Thank you Ditte! Wishing you a Happy New Year too!
28 December 2018 - 16:56
BP says:
What a fantastic travel year illustrated with equally fantastic photos. Superb what you have had time for besides work (Helena). Wishing you an equally successful year 2019. As I said, I like to go free ride: -)
22 December 2018 - 18:42
Helena says:
Nice that you want to ride free with us BP! 🙂 Thanks the same, wishing you a happy new year!
28 December 2018 - 16:56
Daniel @ finallylost says:
Wow, you've done so much! You will love Sri Lanka. Try sri Pada/Adams peak... it is not an easy to get up before sunrise.
22 December 2018 - 22:57
Helena says:
Thanks for the tips! (Although I don't know if we will fix this :))
28 December 2018 - 16:58
Christian says:
Yes, you've seen a lot in 2018, nice that we can keep up with the blog!
22 December 2018 - 23:29
Helena says:
It was a lot! 😉 Glad you're keeping up with Christian! 🙂
28 December 2018 - 16:58
Denny says:
What a fantastic year of travelling you have had. We ourselves are beginners as motorhome owners. So we have stayed in Sweden except for a turn into Finland (Killpisjärvi) to visit Treriksröset. In total there have been 42 nights and about 700 kilometres. It has been so nice that we switched to a new motorhome. Be careful both in traffic and otherwise. Looking forward to following you on your travels. Happy ending and Happy New Year.
26 December 2018 - 10:45
Helena says:
How nice that you have found the motorhome life Denny! And fun that you want to follow us! Happy New Year!!!
28 December 2018 - 17:00
Anette says:
What an eventful year and it's not over yet.
Nice to see the world through your eyes ?
26 December 2018 - 17:05
Helena says:
Glad you wanted to "follow" Anette! Happy New Year!
28 December 2018 - 17:01
Reiselinda says:
You have really managed to do a lot. Nice to meet you on one of the trips too! We were at the motorhome fair in Kista at the same time and several places in Germany visited both you and us at different times before our paths met!
27 December 2018 - 17:43
Helena says:
Super fun when we met on the ferry! Sooo perfect end to the trip 🙂 Wishing you a Happy New Year!
28 December 2018 - 17:02
4000mil says:
Really liked your motorhome trip this summer, as you visited so many unknown places, which felt like little "pearls". 🙂
29 December 2018 - 10:35
Sofia / Fantasy travel says:
Wow what you have done in a year! Got very hungry for that lake at the Dolomites. Happy new 2019 to you both!
30 December 2018 - 23:28
Maria's Memoirs says:
Wonderful travel year! Israel is a fantastic country despite the problems that exist there, and Agadir I'm looking forward to at the time of writing 🙂 .
31 December 2018 - 12:02