Happy Friday! We've taken a step into the new year, 2025, and it's time for the first "Happy Friday" of the year. Every Friday, we'll run a "blogy" post with glimpses from our week and an attempt to highlight the most positive of the week.
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Houseboating in winter
Yes, now it's wintery houseboat life for us. December offered hardly any snow at all, but on New Year's night we actually got a white layer. The photos are from the days before the snow settled.
Cycling adventures in winter
We have no car in winter. Our only car is our motorhome and we store it in a garage (far from town) during the cold winter months. If you're wondering why we don't winter camp, there are many reasons, but one of the reasons is that we have a slightly older non-Scandinavian motorhome that is expensive to heat in winter. In the winters we walk, electric bike and ride the metro.
On New Year's Eve we cycled to our friends Lennart and Beata, with New Year's food in our panniers and oysters taped to the pannier rack ... It went well! We even managed to cycle home in the middle of the night, through the relatively thick snow, which had suddenly settled ...!
New Year's Eve 2024
We celebrated New Year's Eve at the home of our friends Lennart and Beata. We divided it up so that we were responsible for a few dishes each.
Best 9 on Instagram
At the end of the year, we posted the "Best 9" on our Instagram account @freedomtravelnews. It uses an app to make a collage of the nine photos with the most likes during the year. It's a bit interesting... This year we visited exotic and fascinating places like South Africa, Zimbabwe, Uzbekistan and Georgia. But which photos have been most popular? Well, photos from much closer to home. The photos below are from:
- Dalarna: Helena, Peter and the motorhome
- Dalarna: Dalhalla outside Rättvik
- Hälsingland: Fricamping at Vinströmmen
- Dalarna: Silvberg mine outside Borlänge
- Stockholm: Lucia in the houseboat
- Dalarna: Tällberg campsite outside Leksand
- Estonia: Tallinn
- Småland: Sauna raft at Ödevata Gårdshotell
- Dalarna: The hellish case outside Orsa
Best this week
The best thing this week? Yes, it is probably that we had a nice New Year's Eve celebration with our friends and that the new year started winter white and beautiful. We are also grateful for a nice evening with the eldest son a few days earlier.
Your turn ... what has been the best part of your week?
The week ahead
We will continue to hang out in Stockholm, and in the houseboat marina where we live, for the next week. Here at FREEDOMtravel, you can expect food and travel inspiration as well as reports on houseboat life. Have a great Friday and weekend!
Did you miss the last Happy Friday? Read the Quiet Christmas celebrations and finally some time to spare...
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Hanna's crib says:
I had no idea you had a houseboat. I would like to read more about that. Do you live like that all year round?
03 January 2025 - 7:36
Helena says:
Hi Hanna! Yes, we live in a houseboat all year round. In the summers we sometimes stay a few months in our motorhome, when we're travelling around - but when we're home, it's in the houseboat. On Sunday there will be a post about the year in the houseboat! 🙂
03 January 2025 - 8:32
Daniel says:
Crazy that the most liked pictures are the ones that are easiest to reach and destinations like South Africa are not so liked! Have a Good continuation!
03 January 2025 - 11:07
Helena says:
Isn't that interesting ...! I think it might be partly to do with what is easiest to reach, and partly about recognition - i.e. liking things you know, places you have visited yourself etc.
03 January 2025 - 12:15
Snows says:
What a nice New Year's celebration you had and what good food.
You can actually transport a lot on a bike. Our son and his family live in Stockholm but they don't have a car but rent when needed. So far it works well.
Good luck!
03 January 2025 - 11:42
Helena says:
Yes, we have bought panniers for our electric bikes and they "devour" a lot! Good continuation!
03 January 2025 - 12:16
Netti Starby says:
What a lovely New Year's Eve you had and good food. Hugs <3
03 January 2025 - 12:01
Helena says:
Yes, very nice! Good continuation!
03 January 2025 - 12:16
Hanneles book paradise says:
Why not, we have a walkway to the sea, ten minutes to the forest, where we see the sea up on the mountain, see cows from the terrace. Fifteen minutes by bus to Gothenburg's entertainment life, quite ok 🙂
03 January 2025 - 13:01
Helena says:
It sounds like a great location! 🙂
03 January 2025 - 18:38
The menopausal witch says:
It's nice to be able to look back and see a nice end to the old year, and greet the new one dressed in white! I think I know people in houseboats in the same marina ... very nice it is.
Good luck!
03 January 2025 - 13:05
Helena says:
Wow, is it true!!!? Fun!!! Good continuation!
03 January 2025 - 18:39
Hanneles book paradise says:
I have eaten two raw oysters in my life, one in Scotland, one in France where they grow oysters. Doesn't the flavour go away if you add lots of strong cheese? 🦪
03 January 2025 - 13:06
Helena says:
Yes, some people prefer to eat the oysters just as they are, possibly with a little lemon. So there are probably many who think so! I myself like them gratinated 🙂
03 January 2025 - 18:40
JoY says:
What a nice ending you seem to have had with good food. Thanks for the tip Peter on the pea purée with the scallops. I changed the recipe a bit and added yellow onion and cream. Very good and appreciated.
Of course it's good to have a bike. We, or rather Jakob, have a bike trailer that he attaches to the bike. It's great for transporting all sorts of things and especially when you're going shopping. We also have bicycle bags, but the trolley is great.
Have a nice weekend.
03 January 2025 - 16:50
Helena says:
Glad you tried the pea puree, and changing a little in recipes is part of it! 🙂 Bicycle trolley sounds practical!
03 January 2025 - 18:41
bmlarstravellingblog says:
Of course you can manage really well without a car when you live fairly centrally and if you need a car sometimes it is perfect to rent, so I did when I lived alone. You had a nice New Year's Eve and so it was for us too. Otherwise, we think the best part of the week is that we got some real winter weather and think today it creaked under the shoes when we took a walk between the snowfalls. I hope the snow and cold will last a while, because grey weather and sleet do not exactly make us happy.
We also did a test on the most liked Instagram photos and got roughly similar results with a few exceptions.
03 January 2025 - 16:58
Helena says:
That's right, we sometimes rent a car when needed. It's still cheaper for us than owning one. Interesting that you got a similar result with the Instagram pictures!
03 January 2025 - 18:42
BP says:
Anything goes! Even cycling during the winter. Guess you won't be doing that today as the thermometer has dropped to 12 degrees below zero at the time of writing.
Also had scallops as a starter on New Year's Eve, followed by a lobster au gratin. Your oysters look divine, but I haven't dared to gratinate them. Have gratinated mussels, but as I said, not oysters... yet.
It doesn't surprise me that "domestic" photos win. It is more realistic that most, like 90% of your readers are travelling by motorhome around Sweden. Few will end up in Uzbekistan or South Africa. Personally, I like your "exotic" destinations best. One can ride a free ride with you around the world, almost:-)
03 January 2025 - 17:51
Helena says:
Scallops and lobster doesn't sound wrong!!! I like oysters au gratin very much, but some people like them better raw... And yes, you are probably right! The local destinations are visited by many and perhaps therefore liked by many!
03 January 2025 - 18:44
The Adventure of the Future says:
You live a good life, it is visible from afar, yes, all the way to Madeira. You have good bikes too...they can surely roll in quite deep snow for example.
What was the highlight for us...I think all the days have been the highlight, we have met nice people, we have been lazy and on our own.
I'm happy to travel with you wherever you take me..thanks again for a nice blog!
Good luck!
03 January 2025 - 18:37
Helena says:
It sounds like you had great days! And many thanks for your nice comment! Good continuation!
03 January 2025 - 18:45
Mr Nilsson's wife says:
Nice houseboat you have and also your neighbours. I wonder, can you go out on the sea with them or are they built just to be on land? You have sturdy bikes, good for winter road conditions. You have had an eventful week and nice New Year, looks delicious the food you show pictures of.
Kramiz
04 January 2025 - 5:43
Helena says:
Hello, mate! We can't go anywhere with our boat, but it is simply a floating accommodation. It has been a passenger sloop once, and then it could be driven, but it was converted to a houseboat long before we bought it. Most of the other houseboats here in the marina cannot be driven either, but work as accommodation. But it's cosy 🙂
04 January 2025 - 8:06
Nilla thought bubbles says:
Happy new year! What fun to see this page. It's exciting to live on a houseboat and, in many ways, to choose a different lifestyle. Have a great weekend.
04 January 2025 - 11:27
Helena says:
Thank you all the same! Yes, houseboat life is cosy and a bit different! We will show some more pictures on Sunday! 🙂
04 January 2025 - 14:16
Carita Liljendahl says:
The dessert looks wonderful - the other stuff too of course 🙂
Motorhome, houseboat, dreams for me! But can't afford it. However, I now live in an old house where I mostly heat with wood, so it is lovely and was a dream I fulfilled.
I can enjoy reading this blog, I see, then I get some of what I otherwise only fantasise about 🙂
04 January 2025 - 12:47
Helena says:
An old wood-fired house sounds cosy too!!! Houseboat life is wonderful in many ways (although of course there are challenges too, as with everything in life;)), we will show some more pictures on Sunday!
04 January 2025 - 14:18
Yossu says:
Most of your nine most liked pictures really make me look for summer in Sweden. And the picture of you in Lucia clothes is wonderful, no wonder it got many likes.
04 January 2025 - 17:16
Helena says:
I thought the picture of us in Lucia clothes would get so many likes, haha 😉
05 January 2025 - 8:54
Susjos says:
Great to see so many "likes" on photos from lovely Dalarna!
Best 9, surely it costs a sum to get ?
Happy New Year!
Hugs
05 January 2025 - 0:19
Helena says:
I did not pay anything for Best 9. I downloaded the app (for free). There was some popup about paying, but it was probably for some pro version. I ticked away or scrolled past, and then it was free... 😉
05 January 2025 - 8:55
Orsakulla mum at 20 - Dala life, fine china & poodle life says:
As a resident and native of Dalarna, I recognise all the places. Have visited everything too, is from Orsa from the beginning and it was such places you had to go to as a child but is appreciated today as an adult.
I understand that you use a bicycle this time of year.
05 January 2025 - 17:44
Helena says:
So nice in Orsa! 🙂 Understand that you know these places! And yes, some places you understand better to appreciate as an adult 😉
06 January 2025 - 16:56
Orsakulla mum at 20 - Dala life, fine china & poodle life says:
Did my comment get through?
05 January 2025 - 17:45
Helena says:
Yes, your comments will appear! But I have to approve before they appear!
06 January 2025 - 16:59