peterjl

Another possibility is a cruise control fault. I had problems a year ago when cruise control just kept switching itself off for no reason. A new control switch fitted under warranty solved problem.

For me finding a pump is problematic, I have only ever seen ones for lorries and Google only seems to show where I can buy containers. I top up 10 litres at a time which seems to cover about 4500 miles. Always carry a couple of litres with me especially in remote areas such as Scandinavia. I cover about 12000 miles a year travelling about 12/14 weeks a year.

We had a vet in Belgium give rabies jabs and pet passport for our two labradors, in feb, for about 100 euros. We came home and then had another trip to Europe with no problems. We will need to have them vaccinated again in a couple of years but will tie that in to a trip to the Xmas markets.

I had an auto trail with no spare about 12 years ago. Contacted a garage selling replacement alloy wheels and bought a steel wheel with a used tyre as a spare. Not ideal but it would have got me out of trouble. Never had to use it but it’s peace of mind when travelling across Europe, especially Eastern Europe. Peter.

Chat bots are good cos you can get a print out of the conversation to keep as evidence. peter

I would agree the Oresund bridge is not cheap but we travel with two labradors and try to avoid long ferry crossings where they have to go in a kennel. this sept we take ferry to Shetland but, from Orkney, it’s only 7 hours and they will happily sleep in the van for that time ( labradors sleep anyway). used puttgarden ferry a few times over the years, a very slick system, book on line night before, flash your bar code, and drive on. Peter

Hi. not long returned from Sweden. Lovely country and will return next year. we took train across then two nights three days through Belgium, Germany, then ferry Puttgarden to Rodby, and over the bridge to Malmo. About 2 and half days driving. Found a couple of good stops enroute where we could walk so it wasn’t full days driving. Try and get through Germany over a weekend so fewer lorries. have a good trip peter

Hi. It depends on the outside temperatures which influences how long the fridge runs, soooo in outer Hebrides 3 days off grid was fine albeit we did drive short distances during the day which would help top up battereies. On the other hand in Sweden a month ago with hot weather and brilliant blue skies would hammer battery overnight, still ok but wary about a second night without a good mileage to top up. on our fridge there is an overnight setting which lowers consumption but I rarely bother and did not use in Sweden. this is our first compressor fridge and I find I prefer over the gas/electric option. peter

Just to add that in Europe LPG pumps are everywhere. Just back from driving round Sweden and no problems refilling.

Hi. I always switch sound off and just use screen. I find the voice both annoying and distracting. peter

Thank you everybody. we generally use train to Calais then drive cos it’s better for the dogs( 2 labradors). Similarly I prefer shorter ferries, less than say 6 hours, cos again labradors will just sleep on crossings of that nature. we have visited Sweden a couple of times, Finland in Winter, Poland: a 5 week tour round country including up near to Belorussian border, and Germany countless times, so I do not feel need to do lots of stops in most of those, rest rest days and easy drives. that leaves the Baltics and Finland in the spring as main objectives plus wilderness road which we have missed on other trips. thankyou for your thoughts. I am going to plot this out in detail and look at options to shorten plus push the trip to 60 days. I will let you know. Turning to the glass, below is a link to the first draft of a photographic panel. Only roughly processed but has promise. It was the closeness to the glass workers that I loved. https://www.behance.net/gallery/171429775/Glasriket all the best Peter

Thankyou Robin and Max. Robin, so the 3000 miles and 25 days was Uk to Uk? If so it makes it feasible. Max, we have just completed 28 days in souther Sweden ( south of Mora) when we included Opland etc.some places we would return to, others not so much. Really loved Kosta and Glasrik. Visited twice, before and after Opland cos the photographic opportunities in the hot glass shops, where you are next to them pouring glass, is amazing. Really feel the heat. I decided they cannot have health and safety rules cos you just wonder up to the glass blowers. I am going to do more research. I do wonder when some of the roads open cos of snow. Last time in Norway, late May early June, some roads closed by weather. No trouble with biting insects this May June ( well a couple but no big deal) but I wonder if, on a longer trip the latter part of June could be a problem. lastly the Swedish school holidays, the huge campsites we sometimes used were effective empty but the school break up mid June I I beleive the sites go crazy so want to avoid that. Peter

Hi everbody some years ago we drove up Sweden and back through Norway. Brilliant trip. 60 days in total without pushing it. currently we are on our way home ( in Brugge for dog vetting early tomorrow) from 4 weeks driving round souther Sweden. this has us thinking about driving round the Baltic. Proposed route would be through Germany. Poland and up through Baltic states to Tallin ( we have toured Poland before but the 3 Baltic states are the only European countries we haven’t visited with exception of Albania where insurance is an issue). Then up Finland round the top to Umea, a detour down the Wilderness Road, then home via Denmark etc. via Michelin has a trip of 4000 miles from/to calais so add 50% for detours that’s 6000 miles. my question is, who else on the forum have done this ( I recall someone doing this but my searching couldn’t find) and how long did it take plus of course any tips. Leaving early May I am reckoning on 50 days cos that’s 120 miles a day on average which feels doable given there will be some longer days and some rest days. Is that reasonable given the roads and conditions? I have budgeted 50 days cos that gives me a buffer of 10 days before home insurance becomes an issue. I know about Finnish dog regs re getting wormed 1-5 days prior to entry. The ferry from Tallinn to Helsinki is only 2 hours or so so dogs would be fine in the Moho. Does this sound doable or should I be less ambitious? peter

Hi. yes,I have tried these websites in the past but the differences ( they are 20p per litre different) don’t really help. peter

Hi. what is the price of diesel in Sweden? We are heading off there in about 10 days. regards peter

Hi. We last went 10 years ago and have been planning to return since 2020 when covid interfered. it’s long distances up to the Lofoten island but for me, they are worth the effort. you might find April is to early, once you get north, with roads blocked by snow. We left Uk in mid May and some roads were still blocked then! I don’t think we ate out at all on that trip cos not many opportunities unless you are in bigger cities plus the cost is very high. peter

£120 for two dogs sounds a bargain, I have been quoted £225. Where did you get yours done? peter