Friday Blog: We haven't even unpacked...

Writer: Helena Bergström

We've been home from Greece for a week now. The suitcases? They're still unpacked. We've simply had more important things to do. Or at least things that we obviously think are more important. We've become completely obsessed with updating FREEDOMtravel.

Home again after Greece

Last Thursday we returned home after a wonderful week in Greece, where we had time to experience both Naxos and Sifnos. After an intense period of traveling, it actually felt quite nice to come home to the houseboat again.

You would think that we would then unpack. Wash. Put things away. Get some order in life. But no...

The day after we returned home, we were invited to Peter's youngest son Billie and his girlfriend Amy, who also traveled with us for a while in Norway this summer. It was very nice to see each other again – and after that a new week began.

A week that can be summed up in one word: FREEDOMtravel.

We have become obsessed.

We have previously told you about our big project of cleaning up and updating the site. FREEDOMtravel has been around since 2009 and in all these years there has been a lot, a lot of content.

Some old reports are still as good as ever. Others need updating. Some can be merged. Some are so dated that they simply have to go in the trash. And then there are those old, sloppy posts where you suddenly discover that the subject itself, and perhaps the web address, is far too good to throw away.

Then it starts. ”We’re just going to fix this a little bit…” A few hours later, they’ve researched, rewritten the entire report, found images, fixed internal links and come up with three more ideas about things that should be done.

And the worst part is that we've both been affected. Peter is sitting at his computer. I'm sitting at mine. Every now and then someone shouts: "Look what I found!" Or: "We have to redo this!" Or the most dangerous thing of all: "This is probably going to happen pretty quickly..." It never does.

At the same time, everything else must be done

Because it's not like the rest of the business is taking a break just because we've decided to do a major cleanup at FREEDOMtravel.

New reports are being written. Guest writers are submitting material to be read and edited. The emails continue to pour in and there is a steady stream of questions, ideas and suggestions for collaborations.

And somewhere in all this, our suitcases are still there. Unpacked.

An evening with Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania

We have actually left the computers at some point too. One evening we were invited to an event at the German-Swedish Chamber of Commerce with a focus on the German state Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. Several representatives from the region were present and we had the opportunity to meet new people and make some interesting contacts.

And then something happened that actually made us very happy. During the presentation, FREEDOMtravel was highlighted in front of the German representatives and we got to say a few words ourselves. Afterwards, several people came up and said: ”We have heard so much about you!” That's heartwarming.

Especially during a week when you spend most of your days with your nose deep down in your own site and mostly see everything that still needs to be fixed. Sometimes you might need to see your own business a little from the outside.

A great relief

This week also brought news that made us breathe a big sigh of relief. We have been struggling with a compensation claim for an image we used. We had used the image in the belief that it was a press image, but several years later a claim came from a company that works with image rights.

It took a lot of detective work to try to figure out what really happened and find documentation from several years ago. In the end, we sent in everything we had. And this week the news came: The case is closed. Sooo nice! And yes. We will be even more picky with pictures in the future.

Sometimes you have to go out too

At least there have been a few walks. When you sit in front of the computer all day, it's almost necessary to get out and move around every now and then. And if you live where we do, of course, walking is often overlooked. Karlberg Castle and through the castle park.

It's a tour we've done many times, but it never really gets boring. The seasons change, the light changes, and there's always something new to look at. And most of all: you get to leave the computer for a while.

Life behind a travel blog

It may not be the most adventurous week we've had. No new Greek islands. No Norwegian mountain roads. No motorhome going up a hairpin bend and no ferry that suddenly makes an unexpected detour. But weeks like this are also part of life with FREEDOMtravel.

The trips are of course the most fun and visible part. But in between there are all the hours in front of the computers. The research. The writing. The pictures. The emails. The guest writers. The collaborations. The technology. And right now: the big cleanup.

It may not sound very exciting. But strangely enough, we find it very fun. So much fun that we apparently would rather update old reports than pack up after a trip. Maybe it will be done this weekend.

Although we just found some old reports about Kenya that really need to be reviewed...

This week: Grateful for ...

That the picture case is closed! What a relief. But also that we can still, after all these years, get so engrossed in FREEDOMtravel that we forget both time and unpacked suitcases. And that other people sometimes remind us that what we have built is actually appreciated.

What are you thankful for this week?

The week ahead

Maybe unpack? And continue with all the things we are currently so engrossed in. We have already opened our eyes to our old Kenya reports, so there is a good chance that some of them will be next. In addition, new reports will be written and all the usual things will continue.

Happy Friday!