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Scandinavian Adventure
  • JulieReganAdventures
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  • JulieReganAdventures

Scandinavian Adventure

An opportunity to enjoy some endless summer days across Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Estonia. Read more
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    🇸🇪 Stockholm, Sweden
    JulieReganAdventuresScandinavian AdventureTraveler
    Fun fountains in the park for the childrenA plant called Wolly Burdock, fascinating flowers.Each allotment was adorableMini Swedish house on this allotmentBoat marina very close to central StockholmExercise and play area in the parkVery prolific growth in summerI imagine the apartments have beautiful views across to the allotments.

    Heading back to Malmo

    July 2 in Sweden ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    The weather has been kind to us again so we made the most of a morning discovering the area of Stockholm we had been staying in before our 12pm room checkout. We had breakfast back at the bakery we had found on our first morning. The area is lovely and the pastries delicious.

    We then walked south-west to a park called Tantolunden which is at the northern end of the Södermalm island . This is a very large hill dotted with the most beautiful personal allotments. Most of the plots had little shacks on them, lots of berry fruit and vegetables and beautiful flower gardens. The relatively short growing season seems to make these plants grow very fast.

    The allotments are on council land but are managed but a number of societies spread out right across Sweden. The system was established in 1919 although allotments have existed earlier than that. The societies own the land and individuals own the houses/sheds on their site. It is the societies who control the sale and purchases of the properties to keep it more affordable and equable.

    After a further walk we came to a an area in the park with a few people exercising. This was adjacent to a Little Bay which had a swimming area. The water was cool but surprisingly warmer than I expected. There were plenty of people partaking. There was also a boat marina.

    We strolled back to the hotel almost feeling like a local. At the hotel we had a shower and packed our very full bags. By now we were experts at using the Metro so wheeled our bags to the station then onto our regional train to Malmo.

    The train was very comfortable but more bumpy than the Finnish trains. We were out of the city quite quickly and as expected lots of trees and large fields out the window and again no sign of livestock.

    It was blustery and wet when we arrived in Malmo, We changed train to get off at the closest station to Emily’s called Hyllie. Onto a bus where Grant met us with the cargo bike to save us trundling our bags back to the house. It was so nice to have a lovely home cooked meal, a sofa to sit on and a washing machine.

    Our Stockholm experience
    - mostly clean with lots of high density apartment living
    - the main tourist attractions are an easy walk if you stay in town.
    - the locals make the most of the long summer evenings
    - traffic is quiet and relaxed. Bikes are king. Pedestrians need to be alert all the times.
    - try to ignore the prices. The exchange rate kills us. But we’re on holiday!    Read more

  • JulieReganAdventuresScandinavian AdventureTraveler
    The ferries moving around the harbour
    Outside the Vasa museumVasaSternThe ship is 30 metres tall with another 20 metres of mastThe ship would have been brightly painted so they recreated some of the carvings as they would haveSome local Harbourside houses. Quite largeDinner in a square.Meatballs seemed the obvious choice this evening

    Stockholm

    July 1 in Sweden ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    A good incentive to get out of bed is a windowless hotel room! Another lovely warm day greeted us so we walked along to Slussen ferry terminal and had breakfast sitting outside watching the world pass by.

    Then we hopped on the ferry and headed to the Vasa museum which is on an island filled with museums and amusement activities. It took a leisurely 15 minute cruise. The museum is built entirely for the warship Vasa which was built for the Swedish King in 2 years by 400 men in the 17th century. It was launched and capsized 25 minutes later. It was top heavy. Not much was understood about the centre of gravity back then. There were also 64 cannons on board at 1000kg each. This ship was doomed. It sank in 30 metres of water in the middle of the Stockholm harbour.

    The sea water here is dark and brackish and preserved the oak timbers. Then 333 years later the ship was refloated in 1961 and has been preserved. The work to restore it has been incredible. This ship is a must -see. We had seen some reviews showing the ship but it really takes your breath away when you see it for the first time.

    We then hopped on another commuter ferry and headed further out to the suburbs. It was a very cheap way to explore the harbour and check out some amazing houses. We got off at the more commercial port and it was interesting to see the contrast. We took a metro train back into town. It’s alway nice to sit back and watch the view and the people.
    Lunch was near the main shopping area then a dive into Uniqlo for clothes shopping which was a chance to top up the basics Julie loves at Uniqlo. As our 24 hour travel pass had expired we walked back along the harbour edge to the hotel for a break.

    Dinner was watching the England vs Congo World Cup match outside in the nearby Pelarbacken area. So many people and all restaurants were very busy. Such a good vibe on a warm evening. I think the locals make the most of the long warm summer days. Winter here isn’t that nice.

    Tomorrow we board a fast train south to Malmo to meet up with our family.    Read more

  • JulieReganAdventuresScandinavian AdventureTraveler
    Old square on Galma Stan
    This is designated a very narrow streetMusic adding to the atmosphereRiddarholmen ChurchInside Riddarholmen ChurchThe Royal ApartmentsThe silver throneDo you think this will work in our living room, should fit in the suitcase.View from the restaurantAnother viewChanging of the guard

    Welcome back Sweden

    June 30 in Sweden ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    The ferry berthed at 6.30am and after being awake 2 hours earlier to watch the ship come into the Stockholm archipelago we knew that today was going to be long. We ignored Google and walked along the water front with lots of other passengers. Took a shortcut through a metro station and we were greeted by our hotel. Sometimes gut instinct wins over Google! ( let’s not talk about the other times when Google proved me wrong!)

    Dropped our luggage at hotel and then set off for breakfast. Bakery and coffee very early with the locals chatting and dog walking. Weather is calm and very mild. A walk into the old town around 9am. Gamla Stan doesn’t open before 10am so we strolled the cobbled roads in relative peace.

    Our first stop was the Riddarholmen church which is the final resting place for the Swedish kings and families. There were burial caskets everywhere. The church dates back to the 1300’s so a few of the royals have passed since then.

    The Royal Palace was open so we walked through the Royal Apartments. A lot of the rooms are still used today for formal functions. These rooms were impressive.
    We managed to be outside for the changing of the guard. A lot of practice must happen for this.

    Walked through to the main shopping area for lunch. That was a long morning! Temperature was 24 most of the day. Picked up a metro day pass so back to hotel to check in and have a couple of hours break before dinner.

    Then a long round-about walk after dinner at a roof top restaurant as the evening was amazing. So much action in the streets especially as Sweden has a World Cup game this evening so yellow and blue everywhere. We discovered there are at least 5 roof top bars/restaurants on the roof of the building our windowless hotel room is in.    Read more

  • JulieReganAdventuresScandinavian AdventureTraveler
    Turku's Seine
    Traditional Finnish HouseCastle exteriorInside the Castle wallsCastle interior2Regan practicing falling off the wall as instructed by the signVentilation tubesOur cabinLeaving Turku

    Turku in a day, especially on a Monday

    June 29 in Finland ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    We booked a late checkout at the hotel as our overnight ferry wasn’t departing until 9pm. The warm weather from Europe arrived and we were mostly in 28 degrees for the day. Turku claims to be the Finnish Paris and with a river running through the middle and with the large established street trees you can see the reference. However the marketeers have slightly exaggerated the scale somewhat. We walked around town for a while checking out a few shops then hopped on a bus to Turku Castle.

    While we were walking especially first thing after the rain we kept smelling this familiar smell. We eventually worked out that the street trees were beech and they smelled like our native bush so it was very pleasant. On our walking we noticed a number of shiny chrome spheres on poles all along the streets. After some investigation we discovered they are heating release tubes to take away the moisture from the town’s central heating network.

    Being a Monday the castle was closed so we wandered around the walls then popped across to the ferry terminal that was nearby to see what to expect in the evening. We decided to walk back to the famous funicular railway. It’s famous for its unreliability. It was working fine for us. It’s only about 100 metres long up a hill to the old prison which is now apartments, hotel and wellness spa. Walked back into town for a well deserved cold drink and lunch, then across the river to Luostarinmaki museum quarter for a look. Closed on Mondays - do you sense a theme?

    Back to hotel for a shower and packing then spent an hour or two in a mall browsing. After a meal we hopped on the bus again with our bags and checked in to the Viking ferry. We had booked an internal cabin . We spent the first two hours on the deck watching the boat navigate the Finnish Archipelago before it was too cool to stay out. This was the first night in weeks that we hadn’t seen some light in the evening in our bedroom.
    The crossing was smooth all the way. The ferry is 12 years old and kept in good order. The same stores, bars, restaurants and duty free as in the Estonia ferry last week. Duty free prices were very high. We will wait until we arrive back in Auckland if we want anything.
    We got up super early to watch the ferry cruising into the Stockholm archipelago. There were some massive summer houses perched on hilltops.    Read more

  • JulieReganAdventuresScandinavian AdventureTraveler
    1Midnight sun.
    Rovaniemi stationTrain arrivingHappy train buffEverything is sooo green

    Onward to Turku

    June 28 in Finland ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C

    We started our “day” by getting out of bed just after midnight to see the midnight sun. As we walked through the shopping area there were lots of people still enjoying the pubs and clubs. A lot of outdoor socialising. One bar had a big screen outside with the Football World Cup showing England vs Panama. We headed down to the river and watched the sun setting on the tree tops, Still a few people around and one group playing Kubb.

    Back to bed for our early train. Breakfast at Rovaniemi Station then the first train to Tampere which is a 6.5 hr trip. Like many of the European trains this was a double decker. Most of the view on this leg was trees and the odd lake. As we headed further south there was more farmland and trees. The train had a varied speed but did reach 200km for stretches. In total the trip was 830km so similar distance from Invercargill to Blenheim.

    Silver birch trees seem to be the prevalent type here as wildings. There was some areas where the trees have been harvested and waiting for transport. We noticed that all trees here have very thin trunks. Nothing like our robust NZ trees when harvested.

    A change of train at Tampere was easy and organised. The air temperature has risen into mid twenties. We are still far enough north to avoid the heatwave that Europe is experiencing.

    From Tampere we moved through a farming area. It was obviously a cropping area as there were no stock at all or fences. Each farm appeared to have some sort of grain drying facility which looked like a metal square tower with a small red Swedish cottage perched on top.

    It was raining in Turku when we arrived but still very warm. It was a 15 min walk to our hotel across even more cobblestones. Our hotel room is the nicest one yet and super central for our one day of exploring tomorrow. Julie is still feeling like she is on a train and hopefully s good night sleep will cure that.    Read more

  • JulieReganAdventuresScandinavian AdventureTraveler
    I matched the foliage today
    Arctikum MuseumAmazing painted silk fabric exhibitionGreat way to display tiesCouldn't encourage anyone to join in the fun.Aurora interactive screenThe Arctic CircleIn Santa's forest.Restaurant decor2Reindeer for dinner

    Rovaniemi

    June 27 in Finland ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    Yesterday was a travel day. We left Tallinn by ferry and a quick stop at the Helsinki harbour markets, we headed to Helsinki Airport for our flight north. Got to our Rovaniemi hotel by 6pm then out for dinner. The town itself seemed to have little character with a lot of buildings that are less than 50 years old. Little did we know at this stage the towns history. More soon.

    On return to the hotel the outside door was locked and we didn’t have the code. There is no onsite reception. After trying for 10 minutes with another guest who had the same issue, we were lucky to have a guest exiting the door. I got his code on the door which has continued to work. Later on I found out that I had been given the code but the email sent to me was in Finnish and Google Translate didn’t do well on this code instruction. I emailed the hotel with this plus the aircon wasn’t working. Within 30 minutes a knock on the door to check the issues. This was after 10pm and I definitely didn’t expect that prompt service. Next day the aircon fixed. Top notch service here..

    Our full day in town started with a visit to Arktikum Museum. We’re not always interested in museums but this one was good. It had excellent interactive displays about the Arctic area. One fact that fascinated Julie was how much of Earth’s water is frozen in Greenland. If it all melted the world’s oceans would raise by 7 metres. We also learnt a lot of history of the region. The town of Rovaniemi was occupied by the Germans in 1939 but later the Finns railed against them. As the Germans left they blew up 90% of the buildings. This explains the lack of old buildings. The Russians annexed part of the country too so the Finns were being challenged from all directions. The Finns stood up for themselves and still do.

    A quick walk to grab a bus for our next tourist spot but a rainstorm hit us so a fast walk to hotel for shelter. Out to Santa’s Village which is a big thing here. Quite a big area and all geared around a winter wonderland with lots of Santa paraphernalia. As this is midsummer the attraction was quieter. We both felt sorry for the shop workers who suffer 365 days of background Christmas songs.

    We took a walk along a nature trail into Santa’s forest. Mainly spruce trees and all quite small with little undergrowth. The mosquitoes fly 24/7 here. They will big and mean. So many of them. They broke through my repellant! Once back to town we stopped at an authentic Lapland restaurant where Julie had the reindeer meat. Tasted like reindeer!

    Now that we are in the Arctic Circle we are seeing 24 hours of sunshine. We are 5 days past the longest day. The locals tend to start late and finish later during this time.
    Tomorrow we move once again and take a fast train to Turku.    Read more

  • JulieReganAdventuresScandinavian AdventureTraveler
    Shopping area. Note the cotton reel seats
    Estonian parliament. Couldn't see security......Another church. More Russian influenceOld town viewDinner for two

    Tallinn

    June 25 in Estonia ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    The hotel breakfast was expansive. It has tried to cater for all nationalities. We needed to burn it off so by the end of the day we had achieved over 17km of walking. Tallinn doesn’t open before 10am so some of the areas were very quiet. We scouted out some shopping to return to later. The main malls were outside the old town. Prices were ok - more like NZ. We have to remember that we are shopping on the Euro.

    After a few items deposited back at the hotel we ventured back into the old town and the throngs of tourists. Maybe we were ready for it today as the town square felt less frantic. Lots of Asian tourists with the obligatory guide holding the flag for them to bustle a long behind. The guides have radio transmitters to talk to their passengers. No more yelling. I just look and see the poor guides herding the cats. What a job!

    We managed to find more streets undiscovered. Bought the best cinnamon rolls and sat up on the hill behind the town to enjoy.then while walking back we found all the bus tourists at 2 viewpoints that we didn’t know existed. Very busy of course.

    We took a look at the KGB prisoner cells. Now an exhibit of course. From what we could tell, once you go into this building, you won’t return to freedom. Usually shipped off to the gulags if you’re lucky. Plus if you are convicted of a crime, your family also get convicted and sent away. Dinner was a pork hock that I had spotted yesterday. We know we’re in Europe with that much meat served up. Walk required again to settle stomachs.

    There is quite a contrast of people travelling across from Finland. Tallinn has more Eastern European influences, the look and the accents. All very stereotypically Russian to us.
    Friday is a travel day. We are back on the ferry to Helsinki then to the airport for an 80 minute flight north to Rovaniemi in the Arctic circle. Uber is our friend!    Read more

  • JulieReganAdventuresScandinavian AdventureTraveler
    Fairytale town
    30 years of friendshipHaven't changed a dayLoading the shipOur perch to watch the bar activity on the ferryDeparting HelsinkiAmazing streetsSo many architectural styles in one photoCobble stones everywhereOne of the entrance gatesGateEvery corners gives another amazing viewTown hall square14th century turretsImpressive spire

    Onward to Estonia

    June 24 in Estonia ⋅ 🌧 14 °C

    We were up to say goodbye to Line and Jesper and then finished our packing. It was raining this morning so we decided to Uber to the ferry terminal. It was a good call as it was further than we thought. The ferry trip to Tallinn was 2.5 hours and there are approximately 8 sailings a day between Helsinki and Tallinn. They are vehicle ferries with cabins and we observed one family with children cycling onto the ship.

    It was chaos boarding the ship as everyone was fighting for seats and we of course had our large bags with us which didn’t help. We initially secured seats in the main bar area and were quite surprised to see the number of people lining up for the signature cocktails at 10:45am. The other attraction on the ship was the very large duty free store, plenty of alcohol was ferried to the cars below.

    We docked in Tallinn at 1:15pm and as the rain had stopped we decided to walk to our hotel in the old town. The first kilometre was smooth sailing and then we hit the cobblestones and the tour groups so the last 500m were more challenging. Our hotel room is compact but in a charming old building with wonky walls and creaky stairs.

    Once we unpacked we decided to wander the old town, what a treasure. Every view is amazing and there are so many periods of architecture all mixed together. There were, as expected, massive numbers of tour groups off cruise ships and also an amber store on every corner. We got lost a few times but were not worried as it just gave us another view.

    We had dinner in the old town hall square and then went walking. We discovered another section of the wall where we could walk on the outside and back in. The towers are so incredible with the massive wall linking them. On the way back we went past the church at the entrance near our hotel. It has one of the highest spires we have seen.    Read more

  • JulieReganAdventuresScandinavian AdventureTraveler
    Delicious granola and yoghurt
    Uspenski CathedralUspenskiTemppeliaukio ChurchTemppeliaukioThe church roof1Inside the churchHard to imagine building on this site.The roof top bar finally opened

    Farewell Finland temporarily

    June 23 in Finland ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    Yesterday was a busy day for us getting in our last sightseeing and enjoying our last meal with Line and Jesper before they flew home this morning.

    Regan and I went to the food hall in the morning for breakfast, I was a little disappointed as it is basically a series of cafes and tourist food stalls now so not quite what I was expecting. However I did manage to have a delicious breakfast with incredible yoghurt and delicious rhubarb jam. They really embrace the rhubarb flavour in Denmark and Finland which I have appreciated.

    We walked to the Uspenski cathedral near the harbour to meet Line and Jesper. This is a Greek Orthodox cathedral built around 1868 and very distinctive with onion domes. Inside it was surprisingly small but every inch was painted and guilded.

    From there we took an Uber to Temppeliaukio built approximately 100 years after the Uspenski and could not have contrasted more. This church was built on a design which won a competition in the sixties and proposed building a church down into the rocky site rather than on top of it. The design is really breathtaking in its simplicity and the way the sunlight plays across the space. It has an amazing copper coiled roof and if it rains the water runs down the rocky walls and drains away under the floor. We spent quite a bit of time marvelling at the construction process.

    As mentioned we had discovered a second hand shopping area the night before so that was our next stop. Line and I had fun trying on items and she made several purchases. I struggled to justify anything when I had to double the tag price. There were two pieces I loved but the price tag was 350 Euro so they did not come home with me. It was super fun though.

    The end of the afternoon we poked our noses into some of the famous Finish shops such as Iittala for glass, Marameko for clothing and the Moomin shop which is a huge cartoon and children’s obsession over here (think the Finish alternative to Bluey).

    We had booked dinner at a traditional Finnish restaurant opposite the Helsinki Cathedral.
    Before we left the hotel we enjoyed a drink on the roof top terrace which was finally open. The restaurant was filled with groups from an American cruise ship and so noisy. In the end none of us chose the really traditional food, with the boys having lamb burgers and Line and I had rainbow trout.

    We had an ice cream in the park on our way back to the hotel where some very aggressive seagulls had a good attempt to snatch mine from them. One managed a beak sized scoop through the top of the ice cream. We had a cuppa in Line & Jesper’s room and chatted about the fun we had had over the past 6 days.    Read more

  • JulieReganAdventuresScandinavian AdventureTraveler
    One of the many walls of the fort
    Such a calm dayEnough room for a cannonHelsinki CathedralBreakfast option this morningLoved the way they just built up on the stone walls

    Helsinki Full Day

    June 22 in Finland ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    The hotel room is small and comfortable. We thought it best to leave the window open overnight as was a warm evening. High flying mosquitoes decided to visit. They were viscous.. By the time Julie worked it out she had multiple welts. 2am and we were hunting them down. Close to 10 of the little blighters that exploded with Julie’s blood when we killed them. A bit messy. Apologies for the detail. Not what we wanted to be doing. Sunset here was at 11pm and sunrise at 4am. Twilight was short.

    A leisurely walk down to the markets for breakfast. Fresh strawberries and raspberries. Then hopped on the ferry to discover Suomenlinna. This is an old fort at the entrance to the harbour which is now a World Heritage area. The fort was built from 1749. Russia took it over during the Finnish war in 1808 then Finland declared independence in 1917 then annexed the fort back from Russia in 1918. The stone walls are very thick and solid.
    The weather is warm and sunny again. Sunblock in use and we enjoyed any shade we could find.

    Once back in town it was a rest with coffee and cake then climbed the steps to Helsinki Cathedral in Senate Square. This was completed in 1852. We wandered back to the hotel via the main shopping streets, there are some very tasteful things that tempted me. Unfortunately when I doubled the price they were left behind.

    Dinner was yet another Italian restaurant then we meandered back to the hotel via the design precinct. Fascinating ornaments in lots of shop windows and we found the vintage clothing area too. I expect return there tomorrow for a closer look.    Read more

  • JulieReganAdventuresScandinavian AdventureTraveler
    Oldest house in Forslev
    The church with the very distinctive square roof detailsSo beautifully maintainedYou can see the extensions over the centuriesBags packed and on our wayHard to say goodbye to the girlsVery long escalator to the train in Helsinki airportOur first hotel room om this tripDinner chosen10pm

    Helsinki arrival

    June 21 in Denmark ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    It was a quieter morning today as we were all washed out from a very hot night and limited sleep. After breakfast Regan, Siljie and I went for a walk to the beautiful church in their village. The original section was built in the 12th century and expanded over the next six centuries. The gardens around the grave stones were immaculately maintained.

    Line, Jesper, Regan and I said goodbye to the girls and headed to the airport. It was a very smooth process to check in and board the flight to Helsinki. We did not have to show our passports on the way out or on our arrival into Finland. Another currency change to the Euro.

    After a little confusion on the uber pick up spot we arrived at our hotel which is right in the centre of town. We quickly settled into our rooms and headed out for dinner. We picked an Italian restaurant and enjoyed delicious food. We then wandered around the city getting back to our hotel at 10pm in full sunlight, it is 11pm as I type this and there are no street lights on yet. The days will be longer still once we head north this weekend.    Read more

  • JulieReganAdventuresScandinavian AdventureTraveler
    This morning's baker
    Koge old buildingsKoge town centreKoge town centreSuccessful shopping tripEvery body together for dinner last night

    Another hot day

    June 20 in Denmark ⋅ ☁️ 24 °C

    The temperature never dropped below 22 degrees overnight. Danish houses are built for the winter cold so there must be a few uncomfortable locals with this heat

    We have eaten all our meals outside including delicious fresh rolls Jesper had cooked fresh this morning. Today was around 28 degrees with humidity and no wind. We all drove to a local town called Koge where there seemed to be a lot more women’s clothing stores than I would’ve liked to see!

    After a wander around and some purchases ( of course) we headed back home for a break. We picked up things for a simple lunch as Denmark does not have a cafe culture like NZ you are basically ordering a meal from a menu.

    There are a lot of EV cars here in Denmark also. The incentive I am guessing is the price of petrol here. It is the equivalent of NZD4.15 per litre. Most EVs are European of course. Not many Japanese or Chinese cars.

    Tomorrow 4 of us head to the airport for our Helsinki flight. We are of course looking forward to a new country and also Jesper and Line haven’t been there either. The days are long here. 4.30am sunrise and 10 pm sunsets. Helsinki will have even longer days    Read more

  • JulieReganAdventuresScandinavian AdventureTraveler
    Forest Tower
    Forest TowerForest TowerOur hostsRingsted Church 1100ADFaxe Ladeplads

    Forslev

    June 19 in Denmark ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    Woke to a warm day. Temperature climbed quickly to 26 degrees which was a big surprise for us. After a leisurely breakfast we headed to Camp Adventure which is a local attraction set in 50 hectares of forest. There are walks through the trees to the Forest Tower. This was built in 2019 and is a spiral walkway of 650m long as it climbs to its 45metre height.
    There are high ropes to climb along and zip lines as well. This is a very popular tourist attraction and as we were early we missed the crowds. Our hosts work at the site so we had a preview of the cabins and yurts that are available - very expensive. Plus a large sauna room and obligatory plunge pool.

    Then a quick view of Jesper and Lines new home that they will be moving to in September as Jesper has a new job looking after a forest on an estate.
    A lovely outdoor lunch at Ringsted with a walk around the church in the centre which was built in the 12th century and then home for a relax.

    Dinner was on a beachfront restaurant at Faxe Ladeplads which is on the Baltic Sea. Plenty of people swimming as it has been very warm here today but the water was very chilly.    Read more

  • JulieReganAdventuresScandinavian AdventureTraveler
    In the queue
    1Thumbs upView from the top of the towerRosenborg Castle GardensHow incredible is this purple elderflower treeThe marble churchNational Opera HouseKaren Blixen the author of Out of AfricaThe view from the field behind Line & Jesper's homeOur little blue home for the next few nights1View from front seat of MetroLunch

    Denmark arrival

    June 18 in Denmark ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    We packed up our bags again. Man - can we spread around a house quickly. A very short walk and bus to Hyllie station where could catch the train right into Copenhagen central station. We stored our bags and had perfect timing to meet Line off her train. It has been 14 years between visits so we were both excited to see each other.

    First stop was Saint Peders bakery for the best cinnamon roll in Copenhagen according to Regan’s colleague who grew up in Copenhagen. Well obviously the word is out across YouTube as there was a constant queue the whole time we were waiting. Bo’s recommendation was spot on and the rolls were delicious sitting in the sun in a beautiful church yard.

    Recharged we embarked on a extensive walk around the royal highlights of the city starting with climbing the Round Tower. It is attached to a church which King Christian IV commissioned so he could ride his horse up the tower and look over the city. Then we made our way through the Rosenborg Castle gardens, past the Marble church and past the Amalienborg palaces where then Danish royal family live ending up on the edge of the harbour looking at the amazing new National Opera house funded by the Maersk shipping owner.

    By then we were due a rest and have some lunch. We finally were experiencing the summer weather so chose a shady spot in front of a hotel offering delicious fresh sandwiches and a cold drink. To save our feet we took the driverless underground train back to Central station, Regan of course took the front seat. We then picked up our bags and got on a train to Koge where Line had left her car.

    It was a 25 minute drive from the station to their house through some picturesque rural farm land. It was so great to see Jesper, Seljie and Sigrid again. Luckily they all speak fluent English so there was plenty to talk about. The evening was spent sitting in the sun enjoying bubbles, dinner and lots of chat. Sigrid even did an ice cream run to end the evening perfectly. Hard to believe the little pre schooler we had seen last visit is now 18 and driving.    Read more

  • JulieReganAdventuresScandinavian AdventureTraveler
    Apartments and cycleways
    Old village street in LimhamnCycleways...pedestrians keep off for your own safetyHow amazing is this glass collectionThe window displays were amazing here tooIt is a real holiday when you have afternoon ice cream

    Home tasks

    June 17 in Sweden ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    Today we were home based. First up was a 6km walk as we are still waking very early. Came home with more groceries from another supermarket. After breakfast we did some weeding, trimming shrubs, digging out old roots etc. The green waste bin is full now!
    Later in the afternoon we jumped on a bus and headed to Limhamn which is a seaside suburb. Had a wander and an ice cream.

    We noticed how quiet the roads are in Malmo. The city has a similar population to Christchurch yet from what we have seen the traffic is sparse and quiet. The majority of people seem to use bicycles. In fact, cyclists rule the roost. Pedestrians come second on the many shared paths. The whole city has hundreds of kilometres of cycleways that are separate from the roads. They use lot of underpasses to avoid any cars. no bike helmets and loads of cargo bikes.

    What I also noticed is that not only the traffic is light , but the majority of vehicles are electric which makes for very quiet streets. Most homes in the area have EV charging points . The variety of EVs is quite incredible. Mostly European makes with a few Kia’s and Hyundais. Japanese cars are almost non-existent.

    An unwritten rule in Sweden is that you must artfully arrange your windows especially if they are street facing. Most obey the structure of one lamp/candle, a plant and a piece of sculpture. I have included two photos where the people have exceeded the brief.

    Tomorrow we are heading into Copenhagen for the day as tourists. It seems strange that we can buy a local bus ticket then 40 minutes later get off the train in another country. Borders are invisible in Europe.    Read more

  • JulieReganAdventuresScandinavian AdventureTraveler
    Super easy working out what your neighbours house looks like on the inside
    Beautiful elegant street opposite our coffee stopI could have purchased every light in the shopSlotts parkAmazing DogwoodsElderflowers every whereSpectacular gardensOld town centreNora playing her part in the bandBy the canalBeautiful Elm Avenue

    Malmo Adventuring

    June 16 in Sweden ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C

    Regan and I went out for a walk this morning around the neighbourhood. The area we are staying had a significant amount of development in the 60/70s and it fascinates me that the whole street have exactly the same houses, it was another cool day so was pleased to have packed some merino.

    After forskola drop off for Augustine we all went into Malmo to explore. We took the bus which was very easy. First stop was a bakery for our first cinnamon and cardamom buns. They were delicious although I did taste cardamom for the rest of the day. There is no soy milk in cafes so I have had to try the local oat milk.

    Next stop was Slotts park which ran into Kung’s park is in the centre of the city. It was a beautiful space with a gorgeous lake, giant elm trees and beautiful gardens. It led to the old town centre which was so quaint.

    Emily, Judy and I did a quick shop and I managed to make my first holiday purchase of a lovely winter jacket. Lunch was in a cafe in a delicious home store but the prices were a little scary when you did the conversion.

    We walked to the area where Emily used to live which has beautiful old grand buildings and this huge elm lined avenue with parks and community gathering space all along it. We did a playground visit after forskola and then had the fun of fitting a pram, 5 adults and one very tired toddler on a packed commuter bus home.

    It was a very quiet evening once the little ones finally settled for the night. We are still trying to sleep past 4am.    Read more

  • JulieReganAdventuresScandinavian AdventureTraveler
    1New Home
    Found shelter during a showerLocal cafeIKEA assembly

    Malmo

    June 15 in Sweden ⋅ 🌬 17 °C

    We woke about 4am to daylight. We have to work through the large time difference. Today was certainly slow for both of us. Regan managed to collect a cold on the trip so was hard to tell if the jet lag was worse than the cold.

    The weather was cool with passing showers. Malmo has a lot of wind which explains the many wind turbines in the area. We managed a walk to the local cafe for coffee and cake. One of those passing showers decided to corner us on the way home.

    We have had a lovely introduction to Emily and Fredrik’s new family home. A large house with many secret cupboards including a basement. The suburb has many similar houses so was lovely to walk the back streets to see the Swedish architecture. We also had to get used to doors opening outwards.

    Of course with a new home comes many new jobs to do around the house. Grant and Regan needed to assemble the obligatory IKEA kit set. We think it may be part of the visa requirements to enter Sweden!

    Another walk later to the supermarket for a few groceries. I found it unusual that you can tap and pay while the checkout operator is scanning the groceries. No need to wait until all the groceries are totalled up. Another early night planned and hoping for more energy tomorrow    Read more

  • JulieReganAdventuresScandinavian AdventureTraveler
    Quiet airport
    Beijing AirportEntrance to The Great WallSnaking up the mountainside600 years oldOn guard8000km longDeceptively steep and can you spot the squirrelTourist map, we did the top right cornerSpriteStepsHigh point

    Beijing whirlwind

    June 14 in China ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    We arrived in Beijing at 4:30am and we did appreciate the lie flat bed. Unfortunately the flight had almost constant turbulence so the sleep was quite broken.

    The process to exit the airport on a temporary visa was quite painless and with no luggage we were in the arrival area by 5:30. This included a train from the departure gates to the main terminal. China does now have our images and fingerprints though. We said goodbye to John and Debbie and went to find our meeting point for our trip to the Great Wall.

    Bill arrived right on 6:30 and the trip to the wall took just over an hour. It was the Mutianyu section of the wall which is located in an outer suburb on Beijing. We were impressed with all the new vehicles with brands we had never heard of. Evidently it can take up to 10 years in a lottery system to be allowed to purchase a vehicle. The licence belongs to the owner and moves to their next car when they change the car. Each individual can only own 2 licences and preference is given to families who do not have a vehicle.

    We initially took a shuttle bus up to the entrance and then an open gondola up the hill to the wall. It was so impressive to see it in real life and watching it snake across the mountains. Only small sections of the 8000km are open to the public.

    Bill gave us lots of history and by arriving early we were able to get some photos without people in there. I walked down to the Three Watch Towers which is the largest watch tower accessible on this section of the wall. The top of the wall is basically an endless series of steps and some of them are extremely steep. Taking into consideration my recovering knee I stayed around the watchtower while Regan climbed as high as he could.

    Bill delivered us back to the terminal in the time he promised and we were able to go straight through departures. Three security checks later we were finally allowed access to the Terminal 3 departure lounge. The 36 hours of travelling was starting to catch up but we were able to have a shower to freshen up before boarding our next 9 hour flight to Copenhagen.

    Grant met us at Copenhagen Airport and helped us navigate the train across the Oresund bridge back to Malmo and a taxi to Emily and Fredrik’s house (more on that tomorrow). So much excitement with Judy and Grant already here and meeting our new great niece Nora. Judy had cooked a delicious fresh dinner and we crashed before 9pm.    Read more

  • JulieReganAdventuresScandinavian AdventureTraveler
    Best Taxi driver ever
    Beautiful day to leave ChristchurchGolf was a little tricky in Auckland this morningLunch catch upSeemed fitting to start with bubblesCousin connectionHe looks happyEspecially with his slippers

    Finally on our way

    June 13 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C

    Early wake up for us, I think it may have been our bodies way of starting to reset the body clock. Gerard picked us up nice and early as expected. It was exciting to receive all three boarding passes and hand over our luggage. Always hopeful the bags will be waiting for us in Copenhagen.

    Auckland was foggy this morning so we were warned of a potential delay, which made us grateful for the 7 hour window between flights today. Plane was about 30 mins late departing due to a slight delay on the previous flight and a technical check.

    We landed in Auckland at midday and with no luggage to collect we decided to walk across to international and then out to the shops outside the airport. Catherine came and joined us for lunch at Kauwa which was delicious. We elected to walk back to the international terminal in the sun. We had 3 hours in the lounge before we boarded the plane.

    NZ is a very small world as my second cousin and his wife walked into Koru and are on the same flight to Beijing. On the plane now and Regan is in love with his slippers. Next stop Beijing.    Read more

  • JulieReganAdventuresScandinavian AdventureTraveler

    Getting ready

    June 12 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 9 °C

    A weird day with the excitement of the trip but also the realisation for me that it was my last day at Foodstuffs. I arrived there for 6 weeks and left after 22 months. It was a great start with a team breakfast and then Millpond bought morning tea. As always sad to leave lovely people at the end of the day.

    Regan had a super busy week trying to impart enough information to the poor person who is covering for him for the month. I had yet another quick shop for trip items, honestly you would think China and Sweden do not have shops.

    Our lovely friends/neighbours cooked us dinner which was wonderful and made our final clean up so easy. Then the final pack and we are well under our 71 kilos each weight limit. We are tracking at 45kg in total. So a spare 97kgs for shopping 👏👏👏

    Our pick up tomorrow is 8am with our flight to Auckland leaving at 10:10am. We have a 7 hour wait till our Beijing flight. We are catching up with a friend in the afternoon for coffee and a late lunch. Off to bed shortly to try and sleep.    Read more

    Trip start
    June 13, 2026