Days 28 and 29 (3.8-4.8) – Seyðisfjörður to Hirtshals
I didn’t want to get up early to pack my tent before the ferry, so I stayed in Hafaldan Harbour HI Hostel for 112.1 €. The rooms may not look that good in pictures, but everything was clean and cozy. Specially the well-equipped kitchen and living room, with nice views to the port. I totally recommend the place.
One sees many interesting vehicles in the ferry, and on this occasion I want to show you an Africa Twin with a sidecar. I actually met its Belgian owner during the trip, he built the sidecard to travel with his wife.
The ferry trip went pretty much the same as when I came to Iceland. Actually, at this point I stopped taking notes, so I can’t give so many details about the rest of the trip. I thought the trip back wouldn’t be so relevant to others, since I took a detour to Copenhaguen and stayed there at a friend’s place for a few days. Again, refer to the description of the trip from Helsinki to Seyðisfjörður to know the most direct way and its estimated cost.
Day 30 (5.8) – Hirtshals to Copenhaguen
The ferry arrived to Hirtshals in the morning. Then I took the road to Århus, and from there a ferry to Sjællands Odde. I can’t find how much the ticket costed, but at the moment of writing this a passage with a motorbike costs 250 DKK. I didn’t book it in advance and it wasn’t necessary, I could board the next departing one. From there I continued in the road to Copenhaguen, where I arrived during the afternoon.
Days 31 to 33 (6.8-8.8) – Copenhaguen
As mentioned, I spent three days in Copenhaguen at a friend’s place. I had been living there for four years and a half, and it was nice to see the same places again and how the city has changed since I left.
Day 34 (9.8) – Copenhaguen to Gränna
That morning I took the road to Helsingør so I could cross to Sweden by ferry. At the moment of writing this, the ticket with a motorcycle costs 22 €. From Helsingborg I took motorway E4 to Stockholm, planning to spend a night half way. By recommendation I first checked Jönköping, but I didn’t find it so interesting to stay. Then I stopped in Gränna and I liked it right away.
Gränna is a touristic little town by the big Vättern lake. It has beautiful wooden houses and their speciality is candy, of which I bought a few bags. I stayed two nights at Grännagården Hotel, which was all right but costed about 90 € per night. I found some dirt roads up the hill, but they were narrow and with blind curves. I don’t recommend driving them just for fun.
Day 35 (10.8) – Gränna to Stockholm
I took off to Stockholm in the morning. When I was in the E4 on my way to Gothenburg I noticed the signs of the Swedish Air Force Museum and this time I thought I had time to visit it, but I couldn’t find indications entering Linköping. As you know my phone didn’t work and I didn’t want to waste too much time looking for it, so I continued to Stockholm.
Driving in Stockholm is a nightmare when you don’t know the city and you don’t have GPS. The main roads go through tunnels that prevent you from having any idea of where you are. I didn’t see signs showing the way to the ferry terminals. I had to stop somewhere in the center and ask the first person that passed by, who very kindly found the right terminal and gave me good indications. I arrived at the very last moment, so much that the gate to the car deck started closing as soon as I crossed it.
The next time I had to take a ferry in Stockholm, I got lost again and I actually missed it. But that’s another story.
Day 36 (11.8) – Helsinki
The ferry arrived to Helsinki in the morning, and that was the end of my trip.