Leaving Stockholm on a Friday afternoon was maybe not the best start on our vacation. The build up of traffic heading south was rising as our stress levels were too in order to make it to Helsingborg at a reasonable hour. Arriving at the ferry port about midnight, we quickly fixed up the roof tents and put the kids in without too much complaint and slept uneasy in our anticipation of the next day long drive through Germany.

The ferry trips between Sweden and Denmark and Denmark and Germany were a welcome break before the long tedious stretch of road which connects all the major cities of Gemany together. The first thing you notice about driving in Germany is the speed at which you cannot possibly go in a Land Rover.

After two nights literally spent on the side of the road our first proper break was Austria. Austria’s beauty teases you from kilometres away as you watch the fantastic mountainous scenery get closer and the little arrow on the GPS screen approach the border line. A small town called Hallstadt just outside Salzburg, with two possible camping spots to choose from, was our destination. Darkness and steep winding roads were the obstacles that we had to overcome, and after asking a friendly hotel manager where the campsite was we drove the last 15 km with all children screaming to get out of the Land Rovers. It was about time they got angry, they had been so tolerant up to this point. The games and snacks were coming to an end of their amusement. At the campsite we put the kids in their new Nanook fleece gear and put them to bed with little argument. The adults then got the table and chairs out, cold beer from the fridge and tried to realise that now we can take it easy; a full day without driving.

We woke up to a little chock. It was dark when we arrived and we had no idea that surrounding us was very steep mountains. The view was magical. We got ourselves ready for a walk into the town. What a place! Right on the side of a lake surrounded by mountains, the phrase “I could stay here” floated around and it was decided on to find a wienerschnitzel for lunch to accompany the need to taste the local brew. Later that afternoon Lina, Richard, Tuvalie and Oliver took a trip up the mountain train to have a short walk around the archaeological site that was at the top to the salt mine mountain. We stayed just a short time as dinner had to be bought and made in time for an early night for Tuvalie and Lukas.

Off early, 9am, the goal was to drive through Slovenia in a day and pass into Croatia, one step closer to the coast. It was not to be. The roads were not quite as good as we had hoped and we had to settle for a riverside camp close to the Croatian border. The place was perfect for us to try our new Primus tents. All of the other equipment from Primus had proved easy to use, the tent was to be no exception. Pitching the two tents took no time at all and introducing the kids to their “new bedrooms” was not a problem.  This was the first time we actually used all of the equipment kindly given to us by Primus. The omnifuels cook food and boil water faster than anything I have ever seen and the lighter, with its pencil flame really does burn at about 1000C, as Milan found out =). The head lamps and the gas lamps were invaluable, especially when putting the tents up in the dark.

The getting started record was broken and we were in the cars on our way to the Adriatic by 8am. Loading up the photos for our sponsors to the computer the power cable came out of the inverter socket in the car and thus the majority of the pictures were lost along with all the photos of our stay in Austria. Disappointed we added the importance of a backup hard drive to our list of improvements in the vehicles. Feeling the rise in temperature our spirits were not lost as we drove through Croatia toward Split and the coast. The new highway was easy and as soon as we found a way to get on it took us quite quickly through mountain regions and finally to the first sight of the blue water we longed to jump into.

Splash! The water was a little cooler than we had looked forward to but so, so nice. Tuvalie and Lukas got their swim that we had been promising them. Watching the sunset and Tuvalie and Lukas throwing stones into the water we finally relaxed. A quick camp was made close by and we agreed that it would be nice to stay for two nights in Dubrovnic and then take the short drive over to Montenegro and our final south destination of Milan’s grandmothers home.

To get to Dubrovnic you must pass in and out of Bosnia and Herzegovina. This took about 35 mins to cover their coastline with no stops. It seams that everybody wished to live on this small piece of coastline, as we saw construction on every inch of land available. Back in Croatia and arriving into Dubrovnik is no ordinary entrance. It hits you like no other city. A full panoramic view. Finding the only place that you are allowed to camp is not so difficult. Time spent relaxing on the beach and walking around the old town was truly relaxing and having a seafood platter at one of Dubrovnik’s best fish restaurants was worth the drive. The children appreciated the time away from the car seats swimming and running around our camp spot. The last night spent here was our first “bad weather” experience. The temperature cooled down and then the wind kicked in. Sleeping in a roof tent one notice the wind, swaying back and forth with gusts of wind keeping us awake Richard insisted that is was safer for everybody that we should build the Primus tent and avoid being sandwiched by the roof tent. 2 am and the scene is Richard, Lina and Milan building a flapping Primus tent only just holding on to it in the wind with lightning cracking all around. The storm was a fantastic sight. Once the Primus tent was constructed the wind died down and the rain kicked in. Up we climbed back into the roof tent so as to not disturb the children who had not noticed a thing. The morning was long.

Crossing the border into Montenegro the scenery seamed to change from tourist beaches to winding roads meters away from the water. Stalls were along the side of the road selling their home grown fruit and vegetables as well as their home brew.

Richard Poskitt

 

Entering Montenegro, the first thought is how different it seems to be from Croatia. It is exactly the same thought that crossed my mind the first time I was there. Without stepping out of the car you can sense the difference in mentality. It is a bit less organised, a bit more relaxed and not as tidy. The road goes just next to the water and the beaches are left as they always have been – and it is beautiful!

We decided to stop in a small town called Kotor which is part of the UNESCO World Heritage. Kotor lies just next to the water in a bay surrounded by the black mountains that gave Monte Negro its name. A small church is built on an island in the water outside the city, it is all like something out of a fairytale.

When stopping, all of us are happy to get out of the cars and Luka(s) and Tuvalie are running around chasing each other all over the little town. Those who are not running after them are sitting down enjoying a nice cold beer (if not feeding the smallest). It is nice to have reached the goal.

A bit more relaxed than at some parts of the trip we stroll back to the cars and start to drive towards Sutomore, which is where Milan’s family have their house. On the way there we pass some very nice places, such as Budva and Sveti Stefan. The road is going up and down and is in some places not in the best condition, but always with a view over the sea. Everywhere there are small lagoons with beaches as beautiful as in the tourist brochures (you know the pictures on the front page which you never find once you are there). The water is crystal clear.

Milan’s grandmother lives in a house upon a hill with a view you don’t get in many places. We have decided to stay for a couple of nights enjoying the hospitality and home cocked Yugoslavian food with real tomatoes, feta cheese and olives to everything. I have to say I’m really impressed with the children. I’m restless, I can not imagine how so many hours in the back seat of a car would feel if I’d be 1,5 years old (or five weeks).

The days in Monte Negro we spend visiting local market places, chilling out at the beautiful pebble beaches or walking in the nice old town of Budva or the, not as nice, city Bar. September is really the time to be here; twenty five to thirty degrees in the air, over twenty five in the water and not as crowded (as compared to July and August).

One evening we set up a camp with the primus tents close, but no too close, to the water. It might not have been the best night for that since it was a bit chilly and windy. The water was still warm though =) and at least the kids had clothes for the cold weather. (Thanks Nanook, we are really impressed!) The primus tents also exceed our expectations - really easy to put up, spacious and with three rooms =) (It has two sleeping sections divided with an area big enough for all of us and a roof high enough for Milan to stand). It’s good to have somewhere to sit after the kids are in bed and the weather is unstable. The fact that we sit just next to where they sleep actually seemed to have a relaxing effect on Luka and Tuvalie, who did not seem to be bothered at all by our lively conversation but slept well all night.

We decided to go through Serbia on the way back. Some of the roads in Serbia and Monte Negro are destroyed by the military vehicles and are bit by bit being fixed. It is important not to choose one of those! The first stop in Serbia is to be Mitrovica in Kosovo (the Serbian part of it). Milan has many, or actually most, of his relatives living there and we are of course welcome to stay.

Mitrovica is a town divided by a bridge; at one side the Serbs live and at the other the Albanians. The place we stayed in is just a block away from the bridge. The town is really interesting. Since seven years there is no law, no police, no water after seven in the evening and sometimes no electricity. But there is hardly any criminality!? (Except for the cars parked everywhere and shops being built in the middle of the pavement) Total chaos, one of the nicest cities I’ve been to =) We stay for two nights visiting relatives, drinking slivovica (home made brandy) and just walking around. We then decided to head for Novi Sad, north of Belgrade.

A days drive and we are in Novi Sad, the total opposite to Mitrovica. Here its tidy, modern, organized…a bit more like Sweden (well, not the people of course.). We stay two nights and spend a day drinking coffee, running around on the streets (the younger ones of us) and shopping. One morning we set out for Sweden. No specific stops are planned; we stop when it’s sleeping time for the small ones.

To summarize this trip I would say that we have learnt a lot. Travelling with kids is fairly new for us, and it is not easy. If the schedule does not hold things can go really bad when it comes to stress. Then it is no vacation. It is important that the goals are realistic and if not, to find somewhere else to stop - in time. Keeping the routines is essential, then everybody are happy. Those happy days are the days I will remember, the other ones I’ll take as a good lesson learnt.

Pia Harèll