Swedish Reunion (Home – 20th)

7-Münster, DE	8-Aabenraa, DK	9-Borby	10-Eksjö	11-Stenberga	12-Stenberga - Reunion Day!
13-Brevik	14-Brevik	15-Ljungskile	16-Ljungskile	17-Gothenburg	18-Gothenburg
19-Gothenburg	20-Stena (Kiel)-Home

Monday, July 20th
Kiel – home
map link

I am combining the last two days of travel into one day, as not a lot happened on either day. It was all about taking advantage of having a Van! and just covering the miles to home. Technically we probably could have been home on Monday, but since our cat sitters were still at the apartment, we figured that might be a bit awkward if we showed up early. So we grabbed a very basic hotel in Karlsrühe to optimize our time.

Still on the ferry but getting closer to Kiel

Beach chairs waiting for the beach goers

History: this building traces its manufacturing roots back to 1866 as a military ordnance and torpedo depot before becoming MaK and later Caterpillar

Leaving the ferry was not as easy as getting on the ferry. They only opened the doors to the vehicle decks 15 minutes before they would dock, which meant that hundreds of people were crammed into the stairwells and hallways with their bags, waiting for the “GO!” signal. And even when that signal was given, there wasn’t a lot of movement. It took a long time to funnel all of those people to their cars.

The slow exit from the dockyard

We left Kiel around 9:30 that morning, meeting up with Matt and Lucia farther down the motorway to give them some of the luggage they left with us (they were on a motorcycle and had a LOT of gear with them). The rest of the day was uneventful, barring the horrendous German construction zones. They seemed worse this time than when we were coming north two weeks ago.

Construction zone – one of many

*** Tuesday ***

We were at the Ibis (budget) hotel for the night; it lived up to its name. Granted, it was inexpensive, clean, and comfortable so I really have nothing to complain about. But yet… it just didn’t feel “nice”. It was also close-but-not-on the motorway, so it was convenient and quiet. Maybe it was that the staff that stood outside the main door (and below our room’s window) smoking for most of the evening. Eh, regardless – it was our last night on the road and we’d be home tomorrow!

Getting closer to home

But not out of the Construction Zone zone!

We were home just before noon and made quick work of unpacking the van, putting things “out of the way” until they could be properly put away, and returning the van to the rental company. The sitters and the cats were happy to see us and it felt good to be home again. I love to travel, but I also love to come home.

END

Bonus: our cat sitters were keen to share photos of our cats and their fuury love for the sitter’s suitcase. Every couple of days I’d get some photos showing who was getting Prime Suitcase Seating that day