Introduction Two Weeks: Exploring Western Sweden and Skåne with Volvo’s Car + Vacation program One way to see Sweden is to buy a plane ticket, rent a car and explore the countryside. Another way is to buy a new Volvo through the company’s Overseas Delivery Program and save up to 8% off the US MSRP. Volvo throws in two complimentary roundtrip tickets to Europe with Scandinavian Airlines (SAS), one free hotel night in Gothenburg Sweden (where you will pick up your vehicle), and a fifteen day European Car Insurance coverage […]

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DAY 3   Volvo Tour, pickup vehicle, drive to Lysekil Enjoy a hearty breakfast at the hotel. A driver will pick you up in the morning and take you to Volvo’s headquarters. Volvo offers a unique experience for buyers overseas interested in purchasing a new Volvo. They combine picking up your new car with a personal trip in which you get to test drive your new vehicle. Then when you are finished exploring Sweden, simply drop off your car and Volvo will ship it to your USA address. Here are […]

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DAY 5   Relax in and around Klädesholmen Breakfast Salt & Sill – if the weather is good – enjoy a sunny side view of the bay and take your breakfast out to the deck. On a bright sunny day, it can be dazzling here – from the water reflecting as well as the from the brilliant colors of the nearby buildings. Relax day – explore Klädesholmen and nearby vicinity. Stay Salt & Sill DAY 6   Drive to Lyckorna, hiking, relaxing Drive to Lyckorna morning Driving time: 45 minutes […]

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DAY 7   Drive to Helsingborg – explore this city Leave early from Villa Sjotorp and drive to Helsingborg Driving time: approximately 2 hours and 45 minutes. Check in at the Clarion Grand Hotel – this historic hotel is centrally located – minutes walking from the waterfront and nearby a number of Helsingborg’s central attractions. There is a pay for parking garage as well as a select number of parking spots in front of the hotel that you pay for during daytime hours. Visit: www.clarionhelsingborg.se Helsingborg has long history – […]

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DAY 9   Explore Ystad & Ystad Studios Today is minimal driving day spent exploring beautiful Ystad and or enjoying the pampering amenities of the Ystad Satsjobad Hotel. Ystad is only about 10 minutes from the hotel. For a small town (only 17,000 live in the city limits) Ystad packs a pretty powerful punch when it comes to tourism. This picturesque town is a photographers dream, especially during late spring and summer. If the town was only historical buildings (of which there are plenty) it would be a beautiful place […]

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DAY 11   Agri Tourism, car museum After a late morning breakfast at Kiviks Strand – it is time to head out. Driving time: about 30 minutes Gunnarshog Specialty Oils Farm Gunnarshog in Hammenhog is a large agricultural farm specializing in a number of natural oils including rapeseed, flaxseed and linseed oil. If you visit during late Spring and Summer you may see fields ablaze in yellow – these are most likely rapeseed flowers. This product is rich in vitamins, anti-oxidants and the “good” kind of fat which can help […]

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DAY 13   Hallakra Vineyard, Angavallen Breakfast at Angavallen. Driving time: about 30 minutes. Hallakra Vineyard The thing about driving through the rural and agricultural Skåne countryside is vineyards are easily spotted – because they are so rare. Hallakra is located among fields of other agricultural crops including wheat and rapeseed. In the late 1990’s, Proprietor Hakan Hansson left a long career as a successful International banker, based in Stockholm and moved back to his family’s property to start this vineyard. Hakan is a visionary and an early pioneer in […]

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Over the years we have fallen into our share of pitfalls when it comes to arranging day tours on the spot. We haven’t had as many problems as we have had with taking taxis (read our article on how to use Taxi’s here), but we have identified several things to be aware of. This information is geared to those who have already arrived at their destination and want to go on a day tour. There are always some basics to consider when choosing day tours from any agency. Often you […]

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Chances are if you have traveled to other countries you have at some point used taxis in your travels. In general, this article is about problematic taxi drivers. It is really hard to put a percentage on the “bad” taxi drivers I’ve used on trips around the world as each country is different and it is these “bad” drivers who really stand out in your mind. If I had to choose a number, I would say maybe 20-30 percent of the taxi drivers I’ve used around the world have tried […]

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I use the following methods when shopping for air travel, cheap tickets and low air fares. 1. Initially I use the web. I will check out Booking Wiz (use their airline price checker below). I also check out major travel sites such as Skyscanner, Google Matrix, Expedia.com and Travelocity.com. I then directly check the airline websites offerings flights to my desired destination. Typically I will spend 90-120 minutes researching airfare on the web before a buying tickets to an international destination. 2. In order to find cheap tickets and low […]

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Located in beautiful East Tennessee, Gatlinburg is a friendly mountain resort town known for its charming wedding chapels, cozy mountain cabins, family-friendly attractions, local moonshine, fall foliage, and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park – the most visited national park in the U.S. With so much to do and see, it’s a top pick for honeymoons and romantic trips, reunions, church retreats, family vacations, girls’ weekends, father-son trips, and last-minute getaways. Founded in 1807 (originally named White Oak Flats), Gatlinburg was a hub for bluegrass music, arts and crafts, and […]

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The following Gold Mining Article first appeared in the August 2001 issue of Upbeat Times and has been heavily revised since then. Read on for info about Gold Mining, Prospecting, Metal Detecting, Gold Panning and how to find gold nuggets. Gold is valuable – why? It is the most non-reactive metal found meaning it does not rust or corrode like other metals. Place a nugget of gold and a piece of iron or aluminum in the sea for several weeks. At the end of this time the aluminum may not […]

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In every inspiring natural creation there is a realism that speaks to you. In every moment on a mountain you find it more and more. You discover yourself in ways not possible through other means. This stays with you and guides you for the rest of your life. May everyone have this chance at least once. ~ Dave Remember, the key to getting high is not “the herb”, but rather time spent acclimatizing ~ Dave Huaraz (population 100,000) is the epicenter of climbing in the Peruvian Andes. This mountaineering city […]

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The shoulder seasons (early spring, mid to late fall) are excellent times for visiting Yosemite National Park. The weather is a bit cooler than the heat of the summer (nights are chilly but days warm up nicely) and you are sure to miss the masses of crowds that converge on the valley floor during the mid summer. Not to be outdone is the winter season – Badger Pass Ski Area with its set of lifts, runs and an excellent ski school is found within the park’s borders. Cross country ski […]

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The foothills in Mariposa County are generally above the incessant wintertime fog that sits in the valley floor, are slightly cooler than the sizzling hot temperatures in the valley in the summer and there is typically plenty of sunshine most of the year. Yosemite Valley sees some snow during the winter at times (elevation is about 4000 feet) but certainly doesn’t have the depth of snow that the higher elevations receive at times (above 5500 feet). The weather in the Sierra’s can change dramatically anytime of the year especially at […]

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