Tag Archives: Scandinavia
A Weekend in Stavanger, Norway
I was looking for a cheap solo weekend away and after a little research plumped for Norway’s 4th biggest city. But isn’t Norway expensive I hear you exclaim. Well not really actually. A return flight from Gatwick with the excellent Norwegian Airlines arriving 2pm Friday and departing 7pm Sunday cost £75, two nights room only […]
Euro 24 Non-Qualifiers Part 7 – Sweden
Sweden The largest Scandinavian country I have visited many times, most recently in 2022. On that occasion I travelled with Mrs Wilbur and my nephew & his husband to Stockholm to see Snarky Puppy perform. We also did a day trip to the lovely city of Uppsala by train. My first introduction to Sweden was […]
Euro 24 Rest Day Non-Qualifiers Part 2
Finland Having visited Finland a few times, in 2022 I did a Scandinavian train tour taking in Helsinki and Kemi before crossing the border into Sweden. Greece I love Athens but the Greek Islands win in the desirability stakes. Rhodes takes top prize for me. Gibraltar Can’t see myself ever going there so here’s a […]
Euro 24 Match Day 12 – Denmark v Serbia
The Danes take on the Serbs in Munich with everything to play for in Group C Denmark My first ever visit to Denmark was in 1992. We took a train from Paris which fabulously boarded a ferry at Puttgarten in Germany to Rødby on the Danish islands of Lolland. We crossed several amazing bridges as […]
Euro 24 Match Day 7 – Denmark v England
My home country scraped past Serbia in their first match and now face the Danes who drew against Slovenia. Denmark A fun way to see the Danish capital is to take to the waterways. England London is stuffed with iconic landmarks. Here are a few. Match Prediction – Denmark 0 England 2
Tuesday Train – Iron Ore Train in Narvik, Norway
Millions of tonnes of iron ore are exported every year from Sweden via Norway. The reason? Sweden’s Baltic coastline freezes in Winter and therefore the ice-free Norwegian port on the North Sea is vital to continue trade. Each laden train can weigh up to a staggering 8,600 tonnes with the lore-class locomotives pulling 68 trucks. […]
Tuesday Train – Lulea in Sweden
This was to be the first leg of us traversing the whole Iron Ore Line from Lulea to the ice-free port of Narvik. We were going as far as Gallivare, to then continue 2-days later. We hadn’t figured on track problems however, ending up only getting as far as Boden and then having to take […]
2022 Gone, 2023 Beckons
Freedom to travel is a wonderful gift and the release from Covid shackles was a blessed relief. For any traveller, it was like a release from prison. Toulouse & Andorra Travel wise, the year got going in April with a journey to Andorra via Toulouse. My mate Hamish and I took a train close to […]
Scandinavian Tour Part 5 – Narvik in Norway
The North Atlantic port of Narvik is right at the end of the Iron Ore/Ofoten line from Lulea on Sweden’s Baltic Coast. You can read parts 3 & 4 of my tour to read about our journey there. My fourth visit to the strategically important town was my first from east to west, with my […]
Monday Morning Blues – The af Chapman Youth Hostel in Stockholm
I recently paid a visit to the Swedish capital, known as the Venice of the North. Consisting of a series of islands, it is home to a unique youth hostel, a full rigged steel ship named the af Chapman. Built by the Whitehaven Shipbuilding Company in the UK and launched in 1888, she undertook voyages […]
