17 questions about travelling - and our answers

Today we offer 17 questions about travelling - with our answers to the questions. We were inspired to write this post by our travel blogger colleague "Discovering the Planet" who wrote questions and answers here. Do you have a blog or website? Feel free to borrow the questions and write your own answers! Don't have your own blog? Choose one of the questions and write your answer in a comment!

1. How do you prefer to travel and why?

We prefer to travel with our motorhome FREEDOM. The motorhome means freedom for us. We can stop when we want and change direction when we want. It's also comfortable. You always have your bedroom, bathroom, kitchen and office with you, and it feels a bit like home, even when you're travelling. Men Even though we like travelling by campervan, we like to mix it up with other types of travel.

2. Name an experience you would like more people to see, visit, try or "expose" themselves to?

When we are travelling, we like to ride a horse or canoeing. These two activities, which can be done in many parts of the world, often provide a peaceful, natural and exciting experience. It often feels like you are experiencing the place in a new way, from a different perspective!

3. What is your favourite restaurant in the world?

It's hard to choose from all the amazing restaurants we've visited, but we'll keep the following in mind Entrée Restaurant in Olomouc i Czech Republic. Everything in this restaurant is inspired by nature, from the decor to the amazing small dishes. Make sure you book a table well in advance!

4. Which three countries have the best food?

It is of course difficult to choose ... We say France for great seafood, cheeses and wines, not to mention sauces, soups, stews, 3-course menus and all the other goodies. We also say Turkey for all the appetisers and delicious scrambles they like to fill the table with, before the main course. Last but not least, we say Sweden, for all good restaurants, and for treats such as seafood, chanterelles and berries.

5. Have you ever made a cultural mistake?

When we travelled to Kenya Many years ago, we would visit local families, so we brought gifts from Sweden. We bought nice Swedish handicraft products that could be used in the kitchen. Once we arrived in Kenya, we realised that the families we met never went into the kitchen themselves, as they had employees in the home who did such chores. So, the gifts were completely wrong ...

6. What is the worst thing you have experienced while travelling?

Our first trip to Kenyawhich is usually a relatively safe country to travel in, became dramatic. The 2007 elections in Kenya led to widespread unrest throughout the country, and where we were, in Mombasa, the roads were closed and the violence escalated. When some 50 people who had taken refuge in a church in Eldoret were burned to death in cold blood, it felt like there were no longer any limits to what could happen.

We finally managed to escape the country in a taxi, together with a Dutch couple. The taxi driver drove as fast as he could towards Tanzania, with darkened windows and crossing between burning car wrecks. For us it ended well. In Kenya, around a thousand people were killed and over 300 000 were displaced.

7. If you could only travel to one country, which one would you choose?

What a tough question! We answer France. In France we have the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic coast, as well as the Alps, beautiful natural areas and vibrant cities. And then there's the fantastic food and wine.

8. What is the strangest thing you have eaten abroad?

On Iceland Every year in February, the festival of Þorrablót (Thorrablot) is celebrated as a midwinter festival. This feast features a wide range of exciting dishes such as boiled sheep's head, fermented shark, sheep's testicles, black pudding and liver sausage. It might be wise to wash it down with a sip of Icelandic 'Black Death' brandy.

9. Have you ever challenged yourself during a trip?

I (Helena) am extremely afraid of heights, and I don't even like going on a ski lift or going up high buildings. When we visited Switzerland on a press trip, the tourist office included 'hang gliding' in the programme without asking us first. I thought never that I would really do it, but a combination of relaxed guides and a slowly sloping mountain made me actually venture out... I'm still impressed that I did it!

10. What is your favourite place in Sweden?

I (Helena) come from Skåne and my family comes from Halland. Peter grew up in Stockholm and the Stockholm archipelago. Instead, we choose to mention an area of Sweden that we have both become extremely fond of: Bohuslän. The west coast of Sweden is stunningly beautiful, with picturesque islands, stunning cliffs and fantastic seafood.

11. What can you not travel without?

We never travel without our computersat least not if the journey is longer than 24 hours. We work almost all the time and need to be able to write, post and manage emails and other tasks. We also each carry a protective laptop case and an extra power battery.

12. Tell us about an underrated destination that more people should discover!

This summer we travelled in Finlandand we have to say that this is an underrated destination that more people should discover. Among other things, we were fascinated by the beautiful coastline and all the beautiful and well-preserved wooden towns. We also experienced that it was very calm and comfortable to travel with a motorhome in Finland during the high season - no congestion, and easy to find space on campsites and pitches.

13. What are your three favourite cities and why?

We like Prague, which is a fantastic capital city, full of history, beautiful buildings and exciting museums. We also love the romantic Rome, where it feels like you're walking around a living outdoor museum. Last but not least, we mention Istanbul, a vibrant and culturally exciting city on the border between Europe and Asia.

14. Is there any place you would never want to go back to, and if so, why?

We feel that most places have something to offer a curious traveller. Then you can feel "done" with some places. Since we write travel reports, we usually want to travel to new places (so that we have something new to write about), and it is quite rare that we go back to exactly the same place.

In some countries, such as the Philippines, it is not the cities (which can be hectic and noisy) that attract visitors, but the islands and beaches. But usually it's okay to have a short visit even in the cities ...

15. What languages do you speak, and how does this affect your travelling?

We both speak Swedish and English, and I (Helena) also speak Icelandic. I have studied French, Spanish and Danish at different times and we have studied Russian together. We don't speak any of those languages, but we have some knowledge that can help along the way. How does this affect our travelling? Nothing really. You can get by in English in most places, and when that's not possible, you can help with sign language or Google Translate.

16. Tell us about a meeting that led to something unexpected!

When we were in Philippines Earlier this year we ended up on a boat trip together with Henri and Michelle from South Africa. We had an incredibly nice day together and then two more boat trips together. After that, they invited us to visit them in South Africa, and if everything goes as planned, we will be travelling there early next year!

17. If you had unlimited money, where and how would you travel?

Well, where and how would we travel then? I'm pretty sure we would still want to travel by motorhome from time to time, because it is such a feeling of freedom. Of course, we would also take the opportunity to realise trips to some of our dream destinations such as Japan, Samarkand and Canada. Maybe we would also take a trip on the world's most luxurious train, Rovos Rail, which runs through southern Africa?