Europe Explored, Next Stop South Africa

20,000kms, 95 days and 8 countries – a wonderful road trip through Europe has come to an end. We are now back in Copenhagen for a few weeks before we start the second leg of our travels and head to South Africa in December.

The last few weeks of our European tour was a drive back north from Italy through Switzerland and Germany and a chance to reconnect with friends and family on the way. Everywhere we went we got the same questions which I will try to answer in the following:

What was the best experience?

This question has come up a lot and to be honest there is not one definite answer – and as you would expect we all four have different opinions as well! We saw so many stunning landscapes and had so many unique experiences, which were amazing in their own right and way that it is difficult to prioritize.

Some of the things I think back on most often are the beautiful and varied landscapes: enjoying the view of Lago di Como with the gorgeous mountain backdrop, taking in the views of the Austrian Alps, driving along the Adriatic coast in Croatia and crossing the last mountain top in Cinque Terre and seeing the village of Vernazza just ahead of us. And these are just a few examples….Monaco, San Remo, Dubrovnik, Rovinj, Rome, Plitvice and many more places were also amazing and it was unique having the time to see and do so much.

Another highlight was some of the joint experiences which I am convinced we will always remember: the 15kms hike in Cinque Terre which cost sweat, a few tears and very sore feet but also gave pride and joy once completed! Diving into the history of the Roman way of living 2000 years ago when visiting Pompei and experiencing the children’s fascination of Vesuvius. Eating ice cream, pizza and pasta throughout Italy and in particular in the streets of Rome. And also just having time – time to be together, to play, to explore new places.

What could we have done without?

There are no places where we wish we had not gone or things we would rather have done without. We had an awful accommodation in Zagreb, hardly slept on our three overnight ferry trips and personally I have heard enough playlists in the car with football songs to last me a lifetime – but still these are also some of the (in hindsight) fun experiences which stand out.

There were a few accidents on the way as the time Frederik was hit in the head with a football on the Amalfi coast and all Italian mamas came running to help or the uncountable mosquito bites Niklas got while in Tuscany – but again the kids now tell these stories with laughter when asked about the trip!

What will we do differently for the next trips?

We had three months on the road where we never stayed longer than a week in one place. This was great to experience a lot and really get around Europe – yet it also meant that it was tricky to get a structure into our days and really it felt like a prolonged holiday.

For our next trip, we will try a different approach and stay for a long time in one place. This will give us more of an everyday feeling and we are excited about experiencing what it will be like to live in a different place. Also this will give us more time for sports, various projects and a more structured approach to homeschooling.

Another learning is to reduce the luggage. A classic I’m sure: you always bring too much first time around and learn to do with less clothes and personal items along the way!

Next stop: South Africa

We are now back in Copenhagen before we fly to South Africa for three months. Three months of summer during the cold European winter, of exploring a very different country with spectacular nature and a very interesting and educational history. We will stay two months in a house in Cape Town and then travel through South Africa for the last month.

We are excited about this next leg of our travels and will keep you posted via this blog as we embark on the journey. For now, we enjoy a few weeks back in our Copenhagen apartment and catching up with family, friends, school and kindergarten.