As we didn't know much about Sweden before we had no specific plan of what to see other than a visit to Gothenberg - Stockholm was really too far out of our way to make the effort. But we wanted to see enough of the country�to do it justice so decided to spend our first couple of nights by a lake in a town called Lidkoping which happened to have quite a glam campsite! I believe Northern Sweden�is mountainous and rugged like Norway but the central and Southern part we've seen is more like Hampshire�with rolling hills and generally being quite pastoral. This made it pretty good cycling country so we had a couple of days exploring around the lake which was very pretty.The weather has been very good the whole time we've been in Sweden which helps too!�

So what have we learned about the Swedes? They are a bit like the British as they seem to like shopping - there are big shopping centres all over the place and much more choice of food than in Norway. It is also much cheaper here and we've been able to eat out a couple of times. They use campsites like second homes leaving their caravan and tent erected during the week ready to come back to them at the weekend, so while the campsites we've been in have looked busy at first, in fact they are almost empty of people on the weekdays. And they like crazy-golf in a big way.

After Lidkoping we spent a day in Gothenberg which is a lovely city - small like Bergen and very friendly. As beer is more affordable here than in Norway we stayed for a while at a�bar and got chatting to a Merchant Navy Captain who knows Scotland quite well from his travels - its nice to be nostalgic when faraway from home!

Now we are staying in my favourite campsite to date on the coast between Gothenberg and Malmo in a little fishing�village called Torekov. As before there is hardly anyone here even though there are quite a few caravans dotted about. We are looking out over a lake and the sea is 2 minutes away. The weather has been lovely and we've cycled again - this time with�the basket on the front but no picnic as yet! Time to go as we're out to a fish restaurant in the village tonight - well we're making up for all the abstinence in Norway! And tomorrow we're off to Denmark�