We are certainly not alone in following the fascinating blog Mary af Rövarhamn. Linda, Ludvig and their children left Sweden in their sailboat four years ago and since then they have been... everywhere! You have been able to follow them in the South Sea as well as in Greenland.
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We ourselves were lucky enough to meet the family in Malaysia last winter, when we celebrated New Year's Eve together! Now the family is back in Malmö, which Evening Post wrote about a few days ago. We have to say that it has been fantastic to be able to "follow" around the world via the blog.
The journey this family has taken is inspiring in so many ways. They haven't had exceptional circumstances, but they have dared to make sacrifices and fight for something - and then achieve what others only dream of. Whether your dreams are big or small, this family is a fantastic source of inspiration! Take a look at the blog Mary of Rövarhamn.
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Katarina Wohlfart says:
My spontaneous thought is, how do you do with the school for the children for such a long time. But god how exciting it has been to follow 🙂
02 September 2014 - 21:02
Rkuth i Virginia says:
Adventurousness takes many forms. I would feel like I was in prison if I couldn't close the door behind me and go out for a walk or a drive, go to the library, pet the neighbour's dog, have lunch with friends, plant some flowers and herbs, etc. etc. etc. Couldn't imagine living on a boat.
Having said that, I have to admit that it's great fun to read about other people's adventures, even if I think it's a bit foolhardy to take very young children out on the seas;
think of diseases.
I wonder how Ludvig feels about starting work so quickly?
02 September 2014 - 21:02
BP says:
Oh that blog you are recommending NOW... you could have done that before;-)
02 September 2014 - 21:12
admin says:
Katarina, the youngest boy is not yet of school age. As for the girl, they have postponed the start of school for a year. So she starts now, when she is eight.
Ruth, how you feel is different! For me it would be totally impossible, as I can't sail. But their journey fascinates me! And yes, I also wonder what it feels like to go to work... and how you get used to life in Sweden again....
BP, haha, well that's one way to look at it... I've probably mentioned them once before, but it might have been a while ago... But apparently their trip will be on TV this winter!
02 September 2014 - 21:23
Ditte says:
I have followed their blog and journey with great interest. Imagine daring to go out! I am far too cowardly and afraid of the sea to even think about it. But having a dream and trying to fulfil it is impressive.
And not everything has been easy along the way...
But what a journey! And what experiences!
02 September 2014 - 22:10
Marina says:
An amazing journey! It is so wonderful when someone dares and succeeds in realising their dreams no matter what they are.
02 September 2014 - 22:16
Johanna says:
Yes, it is cool! Feels almost strange that they are back home again 🙂 .
02 September 2014 - 22:41
Ulla & Torgny says:
I have also been following their journey around the world, an amazing journey....their storytelling in the blog regarding the children has been incredible. As good as any........
It will be interesting to see the series on TV this winter, we are looking forward to it....
02 September 2014 - 23:39
Steve says:
What wonderful shared experiences for a family to take with them through life. I admire people who not only dream and talk about their dreams but also make their dreams come true.
03 September 2014 - 6:42
admin says:
Ditte, I probably also have too much respect for the sea. But it has been fascinating to follow from a distance!
Marina, that's what I find inspiring! If they could realise such a big project, surely the rest of us can do things too, even if it doesn't have to be as big!"?
Ulla & Torgny, would like to see the TV series too!
Steve, that must have welded them together! I agree. A lot of people just talk, but it's admirable when people have the drive to realise the dreams too.
03 September 2014 - 7:19
Lena i Wales says:
Have read their blog from time to time. Truly an adventure!
03 September 2014 - 10:36
joy says:
I have also followed their blog and shared the link with several friends who have enjoyed reading it.
Hugs
04 September 2014 - 17:30
admin says:
Lena in Wales, indeed!
JoY, I hope they continue blogging! It will be interesting to see how you experience living in Sweden now!
04 September 2014 - 20:31
Mary af Rövarhamn says:
Hi Helena,
Thank you for the nice post. We are very glad that we made this journey now, when the children were young. Because if there's one thing everyone regrets on their deathbed, it's that they didn't spend more time with their children. It's also the time when people seem to have the hardest time putting the everyday puzzle together.
As for school, we have taught the children ourselves. Both can read/write/count and speak English without much difficulty. Lovis has now started second grade without problems, and little brother Otto has become a first grader.
And to Rkuth in Virgina who thinks we're a bit foolhardy, it's a common reaction. What is unknown and slightly different is perceived as scary and stupid. We see it a little differently. At sea, the dangers are limited, we know who they are and have a plan for how to avoid them and what to do in case of an accident. On land, however, the dangers are much greater. And if you ask the insurance companies, the risk of damage is much higher on the roads than at sea. Anyway, we are home now. Everything went well.
Stuff,
Linda
08 September 2014 - 0:38
Rkuth i Virginia says:
I wasn't really thinking about accidents, because they happen everywhere. I was thinking more about serious illnesses, where
high fever or 'dehydration' after a stomach illness e.g. puts
in. If ONE of the adults became ill, it would be difficult for the other to look after both the boat and the children.
It's not as if you're always sailing close to shore, there's help.
can arrive by helicopter.
Glad you are back without any problems.
Guess the kids are happy to make new friends at school.
08 September 2014 - 3:35
admin says:
Mary af Rövarhamn, glad you're writing Linda! And thank you for sorting out the children and schooling. Perhaps it would be interesting if you, in retrospect, wrote something about diseases and being at sea, around the world. You surely have many experiences that can be interesting to read about!
08 September 2014 - 7:31
Mary af Rövarhamn says:
A late reply to Rkuth in Virgina
You don't get so many diseases if you cook all your food on board, purify your water and spend almost every evening and night on board far away from the malaria mosquitoes on land. And we have done that. The worst thing we have encountered than an occasional cold, but hardly that because most viruses tend to thrive best in slightly larger communities and we usually avoid them for completely different reasons than diseases.
But yes, I understand your thinking. At sea, help is far away. But there are no viruses or infectious diseases. The most acute disease at sea is probably appendicitis, for which we have bromide and morphine on board. In fact, we have medicine and equipment to treat much more than that. And throughout the journey we have had two doctors on standby on a satellite phone if we need advice.
In the unlikely event of an emergency at sea that cannot wait, the most common solution is to transfer to a larger ship with a doctor on board. But we have never even been close. In retrospect, we have never been as healthy as during this trip.
/Linda
21 April 2015 - 9:04