Even as we signed the papers to buy S/V Mariposa we joked that we now need to get 2 extra boats to go on her: A dinghy and a life raft. However, in all seriousness, we do have some real decisions to make: Do we need a dinghy? This is determined by our intended cruising plans […]
Sweden
Finding somewhere to live in Uppsala, Sweden
Oh no! We got the dreaded email: our homeowners are returning home. Not totally unexpected, but I was hoping to get to spend another year in this lovely home we are renting now. Instead, we embark on the dreaded journey of searching for accommodation. The housing situation in Sweden’s larger cities is notoriously complicated and […]
Laugh more! The theme of 2018
Over the Christmas holidays we snuggled a lot, ate even more, played and watched movies. It was wonderful to simply be! We had no plans, just let the days come as they did. Spontaneously, we had very good friends over for Christmas dinner, met up in town with university friends over all the way from […]
Slow travel- Exploring Eriksdalbadet, Stockholm
These were the sheds for the allotments! A stroll in Eriksdalbadet, Stockholm was perfect for relaxing after a hectic week. A post shared by ✈ Monika Travel & Kids 🌏 (@mumonthebrink) on May 15, 2017 at 11:51am PDT The kids had a waterpolo tournament at Eriksdalbadet, the biggest swim complex in Stockholm. It was […]
Family Ski and Snowboarding Experience at Kläppen Ski Resort, Sweden
This winter we decided to take our first family wintersport holiday. Super exciting! (After spending a month editing the ski issue of Inspireroo magazine I desperately wanted to go snowboarding! ) Scouring the web for ski lodges to rent for a last minute getaway after Christmas, I happened upon one in the Sälen region at Kläppen […]
5 Steps to Mastering Hygge- Lessons from Living in Sweden
I know, I know Hygge is Danish, not Swedish! The Swedes have a word for Hygge too: mysigt, and the Norwegians refer to koselig. Anyway, Hygge is, from what I can gather, all about a cozy, contented feeling of happiness through grasping the everyday moments in life and enjoying them. The Danes are particularly good at […]
Celebrating spring with the Cow release- Uppsala, Sweden
The long, cold winter in Sweden has shaped the way things are done in all different walks of life. In Sweden the cows don’t get to enjoy as much outdoor life as they do in the UK; they need protecting from the harsh conditions and spend 8-9 months of the year indoors. They don’t have […]
Exiled with a goal
The past 7 weeks have seen our family split up across two countries and 3 homes. I’ve been in a self- imposed exile at my Uncle’s farm with a singular focus: Creating a family campervan from a retired ambulance. (Some blogposts here.) Littlest was with my mum and dad some 50km away and Dadonthebrink, Angelina […]
Dressing the kids for winter and wintersports, the Swedish way
Deep minuses had had me worried and it wasn’t long after arriving in Uppsala before we were to experience our first -20C (-4F). Thankfully I we were prepared, with the greatest help coming from Hugo’s teacher who emailed us about all the gear we need, before we moved. Over the past month I’ve not had […]
Moving to Sweden from the UK: Our moving logistics were a bit nuts :-D
For months I tried to pack and sort our lives while Dadonthebrink worked away during the week and some weekends. I found it impossible. I was tired and found lots of excuses to procrastinate due to my reluctance to move. The whole situation wasn’t helped by my slower than expected recovery from my op and […]