TRIP DIARY: ROMA – NORDKAPP 2015

Travelling with a 4WD Fiat Panda towards the far north

ITALY TO GERMANY

15.09 DAY 1: ROMA – NURNBERG (16hr) - 1177KM

Leaving Rome at 2am and driving north, just stopping at the Brenner pass for breakfast and in Austria for lunch. In Nurnberg we have been visiting around the city centre and the old castle.

ACCOMMODATION: Jugend hotel in a 4 beds dorm

16.09 DAY 2: NURNBERG – ROSTOK (13hr) 708KM – TOT: 1885KM

Stopping along the way for a while in Bamberg before reaching the harbour of Rostok to catch a ferry to Sweden

ACCOMMODATION: Ferry Rostok – Trelleborg (7hr)

SWEDEN

17.09 DAY 3: TRELLEBORG – STOCKHOLM (12hr) 698KM – TOT: 2583KM

Stopping in Jonkoping and having a lunch in the nice town of Granna before arriving in the evening in Stockholm

ACCOMMODATION: Angby camping in a 4 beds cabin

18.09 DAY 4: STOCKHOLM   69KM – TOT:2652KM

Visiting the Hogalid church, Sodermalm lookout with a panoramic view over the city, the Gamlastan suburb and getting lost at night in Skogskyrkogarden cemetery

19.09 DAY 5: STOCKHOLM   56KM – TOT: 2708KM

Walking around the city centre, visiting and having lunch into the Ostermalm market and arriving at night at the Fjallgatan lookout

20.09 DAY 6: STOCKHOLM – ROVANIEMI (18hr) 1335KM – TOT: 4043KM

Leaving Stockholm late in the morning, stopping along the way in Hudiksvall, having a lunch in the fishermen village of Kuggoren, then passing by Ilsbo, Grangsjo, Sundsvall and Ornskoldsvik. Stopping in the night in Umea for some food and a break, then arriving the morning after in Lulea where we had breakfast and after visiting the old town of Gammelstad, and after in Kalix, Sangis where we found some nice wooden sculpture and the Haparanda border

ACCOMMODATION: Car sleeping

FINLAND

21.09 DAY 7: ROVANIEMI

Driving along the Kemijoki river before arriving in town, then walking around the city and the Ounasvaara sky centre

ACCOMMODATION: Kallentalontie arctic apartment

22.09 DAY 8: ROVANIEMI   35KM – TOT: 4078KM

Visiting the Santa Claus village, spotting some Reindeer in the forest nearby the town and visiting around the city centre

23.09 DAY 9: ROVANIEMI – INARI (8hr) 402KM – 4480KM

Driving north to this town on a lake, and stopping on the way at the giant kettles of Hiidenkimut

ACCOMMODATION: Holiday village Inari in a 4 beds cabin

NORWAY

24.09 DAY 10: INARI – NORDKAPP (8hr) 395KM – TOT: 4875KM

Passing by Karasjok, Lakselv and Olderfjod before arriving in the European northernmost point where we settled down and had a dinner under the northernlights

ACCOMMODATION: Car sleeping

25.09 DAY 11: NORDKAPP – TROMSO (13hr) 678KM – TOT: 5553KM

For the first time driving south, we stopped in the towns of Skarsvag, Honningsvag, Olderfjord and Alta where we visited the Hjemmeluft rock carvings before arriving in Tromso

ACCOMMODATION: Ami hotel in a 4 beds room

26.09 DAY 12: TROMSO

Visiting around the city and taking some relaxing time

27.09 day 13: TROMSO – SOMMAROY – TROMSO (4hr) 237KM – TOT: 5790KM

Visiting the arctic botanic gardens in town before driving and visiting around the local fjords, and visiting Eidkjosen, Kaldfjord, Sommaroy, Hillesoy, Hella and Kvaloyvagen

28.09 DAY 14: TROMSO – GROV (8hr) 267KM – TOT: 6057KM

Stopping for lunch under the Stortind glacier, and then passing by Balsfjorden and Setermoen

ACCOMMODATION: Elvegard Hytteutleie Og Fiskeferie 4 beds cabin

29.09 DAY 15: GROV – FREDVANG (9hr) 299KM – TOT: 6356KM

Driving through the Lofoten islands all day long under an heavy atlantic storm

ACCOMMODATION: Milas house B&B

30.09 DAY 16: FREDVANG – TRONDHEIM (18hr) 1087KM – TOT:7443KM

Driving back the Lofoten islands under a very bad weather and visiting the Utakleiv beach and Haukland stranden beach, taking the ferry from Lodingen to Bognes, stopping under the rain in Fauske and having a dinner inside a bus stop, the driving the day after through Medja where we had lunch

ACCOMMODATION: Car sleeping

01.10 DAY 17: TRONDHEIM

Arriving in town late evening and just relaxing inside our hostel

ACCOMMODATION: Trondheim Vandrerhjem Hostel in a 2 bunk bed rooms

02.10 DAY18: TRONDHEIM – KRISTIANSUND (7hr) 200KM – TOT: 7643KM

Visiting early morning the city center of Trondheim, then driving to Kristiansund and taking a ferry from Halsa to Kanestraum

ACCOMMODATION: Atlanten Turistsenten in a house

03.10 DAY 19: KRISTIANSUND – SJOHOLT (10hr) 167KM – TOT: 7810KM

Visiting in the morning the city center and the local street market where we had some street food, then we passed by Sandoy, the awesome Atlantic road, the city of Molde and the Varden lookout before taking the ferry from Molde to Vestnes

ACCOMMODATION: Sjoholt camping in a house cabin

04.10 DAY 20: SJOHOLT – GRODAS (12hr) 282KM – TOT: 8092KM

Visiting Alesund in the early morning, the art nouveau city, the Fjellstua lookout, having lunch along the Storfjorden, then taking the ferry from Linge to Eidsdal and arriving at the most famous fjord of Geiranger before reaching the Dalsnibba mountain lookout by car

ACCOMMODATION: Knausen cottage

05.10 DAY 21: GRODAS – AURLANDS (11hr) 320KM – TOT: 8412KM

Another long day in the car visiting the Innikfjorden, Loenvatnet lake, doing a trekking up the Kjenndals glacier, the driving along the Oldevatnet lake, Brigsdal, Skei and taking the ferry from Mannheller to Fodnes and after driving inside the Laerdals tunnel, the longest on Earth

ACCOMMODATION: Skahjem house

06.10 DAY 22: AURLANDS – OSLO (25hr) 792KM – TOT: 9204KM

Visiting the Aurlands town and the lookout over the fjord and after driving some panoramic roads to the city of Bergen, where we had a walk and the dinner before taking the car on the way to Oslo, passing by the Tynkrysset pass the day after having our first and only snowy day

ACCOMMODATION: car sleeping

07.10 DAY 23: OSLO

Having a big walk around the city center and the harbor

ACCOMMODATION: Vandrerhjem hostel in a 4 beds dorm

SWEDEN

08.10 DAY 24: OSLO – HELSINGBORG (12hr) 588KM – TOT: 9792KM

We had our last stop in Norway in a supermarket in Moss before passing the Swedish border, then visiting the Hallristningar heritage site, having a lunch in the nice fishermen town of Fjallbacka and visiting at night the town of Goteborg with the famous towers of Skansen Lejonet and Skansen Kronan and the old suburb of Haga

ACCOMMODATION: Nyckelbo hostel

DENMARK

09.10 DAY 25: HELSINGBORG – COPENHAGEN (5hr) 119KM – TOT: 9911KM

Visiting in the morning the city center and the castle of Helsingborg and the city of Malmo before passing the Denmark border over one of the longest bridge on Earth

ACCOMMODATION: Valmuevej apartment

10.10 DAY 26: COPENHAGEN

In this morning Daniele and Luana arrived here to spend a few days together for Daniele’s birthday, we spent all the day around the city center; Christiania and Nyhavn

11.10 DAY 27: COPENHAGEN

One more day around the city and up to the famous little mermaid

DENMARK TO ITALY

12.10 DAY 28: COPENHAGEN – ROMA (42hr) 2432KM – TOT: 12343KM

Having a breakfast in the morning all together, then Daniele and Luana went back to the airport and we went back on the road, visiting the Danish cities of Roskilde, Hejlsminde and having a dinner in Aabernaa

ACCOMMODATION: Car sleeping

13.10 DAY 29: GERMANY AND AUSTRIA

Driving all day long through Germany and Austria, stopping along the way on Rendsburg, Rosdorf, Mader and driving the Arlberg pass before arriving at the Brenner Pass

ACCOMMODATION: Car sleeping

14.10 DAY 30: ROMA

Back home early in the morning

TRIP DIARY: MAMA AFRICA 2015

UAE

20.1 ABU DHABI, leaving Italy with an Alitalia flight (6 hr)

21.1 DUBAI, moving here by bus and spending a whole day around the airport waiting for my next flight to Cape Town

SOUTH AFRICA

22.1 – 30.1 CAPE TOWN, arriving here with an Emirates flight (9hr)

- 22.1 In my first day here I went to sleep at the “forty8 hostel” in the city centre and then I met Filippo which is working here, driving around with his car and going to the beach

- 23.1 Together with Filippo driving to Simmon’s town to see the penguins and then around the Cape peninsula and to Scarborough beach

- 24.1 Walking around the Bo Kaap neighbourhood

- 25.1 Visiting in the morning the Waterfront and then going in the afternoon with Filippo and Donna to Camps bay

- 26.1 Another day around the city centre, Hyde park and the Good Hope castle

- 27.1 Back at the Waterfront for visiting the aquarium

- 28.1 Moving to the Ashanti lodge in Green Point and visiting Table Mountain for the sunset

- 29.1 With a rented car, driving around the Cape peninsula up to Cape Point and the Cape of Good Hope

-30.1 Last walk around the Waterfront and then meeting the Acacia’s group to get ready for the road trip

31.1 HIGHLANDERS CAMP, Leaving the city with a big overland equipped truck after visiting the Langa township, having lunch there, and then heading north to this campsite in this wine region

01.2 ORANGE RIVER, driving all day long up here, nearby the Namibian border, a relaxing campsite where we could have a nice swim into the river

NAMIBIA

02.2 CANYON ROADHOUSE, heading into Namibia via the Vooilsdrift border post, and crossing the Namibian sandy desert up to the Fish River canyon, which is the second largest canyon in the world

03.2 SESRIEM, another full day driving over the Namibian dusty roads to reach this place, which is the gateway to the Naukluft national park

04.2 SOLITAIRE, waking up early in the morning before reaching this town, for going to climb the famous Dune 45 and have the opportunity to see the sunrise from the top of the dune. After the hike up we have been walking around the Sossuvlei desert

05.2 – 06.2 SWAKOPMUND, Leaving Solitaire and heading for the Atlantic coast, crossing the Tropic of Capricorn, we arrived in this coastal town. Here I could hang around this German style town and it’s market and relaxing for a while

07.2 SPITZKOPPE, driving back inland to reach this national park surrounded by this red rock formations, and where we could also see some Bushman paintings. This was the first day we broke down the truck engine

08.2 OTJITOTONGWE, after few hours driving we arrived in this place, where there is a cheetah park, a nice spot where to familiarize with this awesome animals

09.2 – 10.2 ETOSHA NATIONAL PARK, arriving here in a campsite inside the park, we stopped for two days in order to have plenty of time for some very interesting game drives with our truck around the park

11.2 WINDHOEK, a full driving day to reach the capital city of Namibia, having a walk around the city before reaching the campsite

BOTSWANA

12.2 GHANZI, leaving Windhoek and crossing the Kalahari desert to reach the Botswana border, then we arrived in Ghanzi late evening due to several police roadblocks, we had to set the campsite quite fast before the sunset

13.2 MAUN, waking up early morning we had a walk in the bush with some native bushmen showing up plants and animals, then we drove to a campsite in the city of Maun

14.2 OKAVANGO DELTA, Leaving the campsite in Maun, we had first a drive on an open 4WD truck through the Okavango river delta, and then with a canoe to reach the Elephant camp inside the delta. Here we had the opportunity to walk around the river system and spotting few hippos

15.2 NATA, canoeing and driving back to Maun, the we drove to the Elephant Sands campsite in Nata where we could sleep in a place surrounded by the elephants

16.2 KASANE, driving up to this city, which is the gateway to the Chobe national park, here we took a cruise over the Chobe river where we spotted a lot of crocodiles, hippos, elephants and more

ZAMBIA

17.2 – 19.2 LIVINGSTONE, moving from Kasane we took a ferry across the confluence of the Chobe and Zambesi rivers into Zambia, we settled for three days at the Waterfront campsite and from here we had the opportunity to visit the Victoria Falls from both Zambian and Botswanian side

20.2 LUSAKA, a full driving day to reach the capital city, sleeping at the Pioneer campsite

21.2 CHIPATA, another full day driving on the Great Eastern Road through many small villages, sleeping at the Mama Rula camp

22.2 – 23.2 SOUTH LUANGWA, settling down for two days into the Wildlife campsite, from here we had some awesome game drives inside the South Luangwa national park, probably the best of the entire trip

MALAWI

24.2 LILONGWE, after we arrived at the border we broke down again the engine, we have been waiting several hours for a mechanic, spending our time to have some fun into a local pub, we could reach the capital city of Malawi only late at night

25.2 – 27.2 KANDE BEACH, another day full of problems for our truck, after several hours we could finally reach Kande Beach, where our truck definitely abandoned us. We have been stuck here for three days waiting for a new truck to rescue us from Tanzania, fortunately it was a great location with a nice beach on the lake Malawi and a small interesting town to walk around

TANZANIA

28.2 IRINGA, after the new truck came to rescue us, we had probably the longest drive of the whole trip, about 20 hours for crossing the Malawi countryside, the border with Tanzania and the Tanzanian highlands before arriving here at the Kisolanza campsite

01.3 DAR ES SALAAM, another full day driving towards the Indian ocean to reach this city, one of the busiest in the world where we have been stuck few hours for a traffic jam, here we settled into a campsite at the beach side called Kipepeo village

02.3 – 05.3 ZANZIBAR, arriving here by a ferry

- 02.3 STONE TOWN, sleeping here in a guest house and visiting around the old city, an interesting Arabic style city, and also doing an excursion to a local spice farm

- 03.3 \ 05.3 KENDWA BEACH, sleeping in a nice resort at this beautiful beach, the perfect place where to relax after this African experience, laying down at the beach, do some snorkelling and having parties before going back home

06.3 DAR ES SALAAM, back here with the ferry and sleeping again at the Kipepeo village

07.3 Leaving the village to reach the airport, where I had my Emirates flight back to Dubai, here taking a bus to Abu Dhabi and my final Alitalia flight back home