A bungalow for rent - 10 miles out into the North Sea, on one of a group of Islands off the coast of Sweden.

Shall we? – Be different! - - Booked! – Set sail.

We took along a young friend for company for our daughter, Penny.

Smorgasbord – Never tried that before!

Travelled up to Stromstad from Goteborg, not much English spoken (a 16 year old girl in the bank the only one) We managed to find our way. Signpost to Oddo and Dafto - we loved those names. Driving from Island to Island over causeways, quite an adventure, at last we arrive.

The bungalow so lovely, greeted by the family who lived downstairs in a replica of rooms, all pinewood; a stainless steel fitted kitchen, a big sitting room and the bedrooms quite large. These places built by the Swedish Government for fishermen's families. They live down below and when the tourists have gone back they move into their home. A very good idea.

We had one problem, no grill. How to make toast? Ah, the frying pan worked, made toast on top of the stove. One evening a knock at the door, our host with a large bowl of prawns, they were so lovely and fresh.

We explored the area, found the beaches, the sea cold. The Swedes are tough and swim all year long.

At this time we were restricted on how much we could spend on gifts. Cannot remember why, the year about 1965. Found a gift shop, the owner’s daughter lived in Surrey and was able to understand us. Helping to find cheap gifts.

A visit to Trollhattan, oh how wonderful. The visit so entertaining, first thing a large sea going ship across the main road. Unbelievable! Find a parking place and then on foot to witness, with wonderment, large sea going ships come down a mountainside, lock by lock. At the bottom they joined the Gota Canal and sailed away. It was breathtaking. A visit to Ursands, cannot find this on the map. Felt like Hawaii, golden sands fringed by palm trees, with a warm shallow sea.. A most wonderful day out.

Visit to Norway on our list of must do. Oslo, we drove up and joined a roundabout the wrong way, much honking of horns. Parked up for the rest of the visit. On foot, we go into a hotel for a coffee, we in our Swedish clogs and shorts. Find elegant ladies, so well dressed. Yes, we were trippers!

Have a look around, join a trip to an island where the Kon-tiki was on display. Quite a thrill to see such an old and interesting means of transport. This is all from memory. It was so well done, all kinds of houses with a lady to show us around each one. We now have come to the end of our day out and must drive back to our holiday home, we talked on our way back - if we had a caravan we could have gone on and on. (when we got back to England the first thing, buy a caravan - a Sprite).

Holiday over, pack up and get ready to go back to Goteborg, stay at a hotel overnight, join ferry in morning. Great consternation, much running about, the family, by signs, tell the telephone for us. Call from the girl at the bank, please go home, the roads will be for public transport only when we change over driving on the left to the right. Oh yes, we know about this, we are setting off today.

Arrive at the hotel and go to the cinema at night. A Cowboy film, so difficult in the cinema, Swedes reading sub titles, drinking and talking. We couldn't hear the dialogue. When we came out oh what a shock we had, all the road signs had been taken down, we find the car and Bill drives and drives. Penny says: ‘Daddy you have passed that ship three times.’ At last we find the hotel and join the ferry next morning,

Little did we know what was in store for us. 26 hours of a Force 9 gale. The night hours were awful, the howling winds, clanking of chains on the lifeboats, our young friend so sick. Bill made his way over to the other side of the ship to find a giant of a steward helping the girls. Sleep impossible, bunks have a hardwood surround which hurts when you are thrown about. Morning arrives, no one about ,told even the crew have been sick. The ship stank, every toilet and wash basin out of use - it was awful. What a way to finish a holiday, how thankful we were to the crew who have brought us home safe and sound. Just another experience of the things life throws at you.

We did take another holiday in Sweden ,this time all around the coast. Another story.

By Jean Whitehead Wilde

      WHAT A TIME TO VISIT SWEDEN