Day 16 & 17- Heading North

Monday morning and it’s time to pack the suitcases again and get ready to drive the last 300 km north to Hudiksvall. At lunchtime we say goodbye to Lisa and her family for this time. As always it’s been a great stay with the Gustafsson family and we are very grateful for their hospitality and generosity. We hope that someday we will be able to host Lisa her family again in our house and enjoy their company for more than just a couple of days.

On our way north we stop at the Arlanda airport just north of Stockholm where we see Salme board her flight to Helsinki, Finland where she will spend some quality time with members of her family and friends.
The trip to Hudiksvall is only interrupted by a fuel stop at the halfway mark. We’re somewhat novices when it comes to the unmanned service stations but still manage to get 600 Swedish crowns worth of diesel into our little Citroen without triggering any security alarms.
Just after 5pm we arrive at Hudiksvall and Mum & Dad is there to greet us with a warm welcome. After pre dinner champagne we have a lovely dinner while catching up on many of the events that has happened in the 3 years since we last saw them.

Waking up on Tuesday morning and the sun is shining from a clear blue sky. The temperature is around 15 degrees but the sitting outside the sunshine makes it quite a pleasant experience. After breakfast we take the 15 minute walk town to the city centre to explore what has happened since we were here last. I can report that it pretty much looks the same as it did 3 years ago. After some strolling around in shops we head back home. We take lunch with my friend Lars at a local lunch restaurant and enjoy a yummy “ Pytt I Panna”. Pytt I Panna is a traditional Swedish dish where you raid the fridge for any leftovers from the last two weeks, chop it up in small pieces with some potatoes and throw it all into a frying pan. Together with a fried egg and some sliced beetroots it makes the perfect lunch!

Afternoon is spent helping out with some gardening and an excursion out into the countryside to enjoy the local scenery.

Dinner and World Cup soccer is enjoyed in the evening before it’s time to hit the sack.