Ten countries later and this is what stuck
- Richard
- 17 hours ago
- 5 min read
Over the past six months, we traveled with Globus 2 across Europe: Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Finland, Norway, Sweden, and Denmark. Almost 20,000 km, through familiar and unfamiliar countries. We traveled leisurely and lingered longer where we felt comfortable. In this blog post, we look back. Not as a travel guide, but as travelers. We share both the positive and negative experiences.
Review by country
Let's go through the countries one by one, but we won't be covering Germany. After all, we just drove through there as quickly as possible to get to Poland. Prefer to watch video? Our YouTube channel has all the videos we made during this trip.
Poland 🇵🇱
Poland surprised us. Not with the landscape, which we found somewhat dull and monotonous, but with the sense of safety and cleanliness. The cities were cleaner than we expected, much cleaner than the larger Dutch cities. However, we did miss the lively atmosphere and bustle in these cities.
There are a few places we'll always remember: the Adršpach Rocks, just across the Czech border, where the rock formations feel like a fossilized fairytale. Auschwitz , which takes you back to the events of WWII. Don't forget to book in advance, as it's often fully booked. And then Gdańsk: unlike the other cities we visited, we found color, life, and character here. Don't forget to try the pączki , a delicious filled doughnut. Or the freshly made pierogi at a local restaurant.
Baltic countries: Lithuania 🇱🇹 , Latvia 🇱🇻 , Estonia 🇪🇪
The countries (don't call them states!) Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia created some healthy tension beforehand. Is it safe? What exactly is the toll in Latvia for cars over 3,000 kg? In hindsight, this was completely unwarranted; here too, we felt safe everywhere and didn't pay a toll anywhere.
While in Poland we primarily felt the effects of the former German occupation, here we sense the USSR past. Old Soviet apartment buildings, Orthodox churches, the KGB museum , and memorials to the silent resistance, such as the Baltic Road and the Hill of Crosses, made a deep impression on us.
The landscape remained flat, yet slowly changed. More and more forests and more silence. We also saw more and more animals: cranes, storks, foxes, deer, badgers, and even brown bears. That makes our hearts beat faster. Watch our video about photographing brown bears here . Free camping is also well-organized in Estonia. Campsites deep in the greenery, with wood already laid out for the evening fire.
Would we return to any of the Baltic countries? Probably not. It was a beautiful experience, but not worth repeating.
"The real home of man is not his house, but the road."
Finland 🇫🇮
Finland means forests and lakes. Endlessly hilly with forests and lakes. Peaceful and sometimes a bit boring. And mosquitoes. Lots of mosquitoes, which have had a rather negative impact on several of our hikes. Anyone who absolutely loves Christmas should definitely visit Rovaniemi, where Santa Claus lives. Yet, the country has a certain purity. Free camping, well-marked trails, fire pits by the water, often with already-cut firewood. And of course, you'll encounter the first reindeer from the Arctic Circle.
Connecting with the locals isn't easy. Finnish is, of course, completely incomprehensible, but the Finns are also very private and don't stop for a chat. In Finland, they don't engage in small talk at all. Children have to learn that when they have English lessons at school. For those who want to slow down, fish, or disappear, this might be the perfect country. We missed the ruggedness of the mountains.
Far North of Norway 🇳🇴
As soon as you enter Norway, everything changes. The mountains take over the landscape. In summer, the sun refuses to set. This does something to you. You have more energy, and you might as well take that mountain hike in the middle of the night. And that ruggedness—that's what we love! The number of reindeer we saw here is staggering.
We started in the Varanger region , far from most tourists. It's so raw and breathtaking. Along the Barents Sea towards Hamningberg, you drive along a seemingly endless coastline. Water, rugged rocks, and reindeer. We need nothing more. Then we head towards the North Cape, and then slowly descend along the coast south. The vibrant Sami culture is truly inspiring if you delve into it a little. We wrote this blog post about it in August.
We feel so privileged to have been able to explore the Lofoten Islands for a full three weeks. There was no rush to get back in time for work. We took all the back roads and enjoyed several mountain hikes. The Lofoten Islands, however busy in summer, are a must-see on any trip to the far north. But the island of Senja and Vesterålen are also gems where you can easily spend weeks. If you're still in this area after September 1st, you have a good chance of seeing the magical Northern Lights. Something you'll never forget.
We've skipped southern Norway (everything below Trondheim) for now. We chose to visit some more highlights in Sweden and return another time to explore the beautiful south of Norway.
Sweden 🇸🇪
Sweden may be less spectacular than Norway, but it possesses the same vastness. The country exudes space, especially in the north, where young people are flocking to the big cities of the south. It's not always easy to connect with the older, less-populated population. Even if you do manage to connect, don't talk about your feelings; that's simply not done in Sweden.
In central Sweden, the Wilderness Route is a must-see on any trip. We were there in September and thoroughly enjoyed the beautiful autumn colors. Note: The Wilderness Route is usually closed from mid-October to early June, depending on snowfall.
What surprised us was the sheer number of mystical places in the south. Burial mounds, stone circles, and tranquil landscapes that recall a time we can no longer imagine. Places that don't scream for attention, but whisper. Anundshög and Ale's Stones were well worth a visit.
Finally, Denmark. Just like every other time, we had mostly wind and rain. Perhaps we were unlucky, perhaps it's just part of it, but the sun barely showed up. It should be noted, however, that we didn't have much time for Denmark because we had to rush back to the Netherlands due to Richard's father's health.
Copenhagen slipped through our fingers. Too wet, too crowded, not enough room for Globus 2. But we definitely want to come back for that. What was definitely worth visiting were the burial mounds, the dolmens , and the cliffs of Møns Klint. Even under a gray sky, they exuded a timeless quality.
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Finally
Six months on the road, ten countries. What remains is not the sum of places, but the understanding that travel always brings us back to one point: attention. To the landscape, to the moment, to the two of us, and to ourselves. Some countries asked for time and were given it. Others turned out to be primarily meant to be driven through. That's okay too. With Globus 2 as our home, we feel that this journey isn't the end point. It has become a way of life. As long as it feels that way, we'll keep traveling.
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