Hi all, we're planning an RV roadtrip to Scandinavia in July. We'll be taking off from France and so far we're clear on the route until we get to Denmark; the issue is picking between Sweden and Norway for the main leg of the trip. We take off July 5th from Paris and need to be back the 26th. Ideally we would have done a bit of both countries in that time, but I don't think that's realistic (I'm the only driver) and we don't want to rush.

I've trawled the internet for information and advice (Reddit, Youtube roadtrip sites etc), but it's only made it harder to choose. There are so many cool places to visit, and things to see and do! We're leaning towards Norway, but I'm looking for others' thoughts before making our final choice. Here's what we've considered so far:

• We want to focus on being in nature and enjoying the outdoors. Other than spending a day or two in Copenhagen, we're not really looking to stay in the big cities.
• We (well, my wife and kids) are pretty active. We'll probably be looking to go hiking, cycling, swimming, climbing, kayaking/paddling, etc. Between the two, Norway seems to have the most opportunities to do this?
• The RV is fairly large, more than 7m in length, so I'd rather not find myself driving on very small, tight and winding roads. I understand Sweden's roads are more forgiving in this regard?
• We want to avoid places that are overly crowded in the summmer. While places like Trolltunga and Lofoten are beautiful, I expect there will be a lot of tourists there at that time. We dont want to contribute to clogging roads and overcrowding.
• I have downloaded a bunch of apps and maps that give us info on places to park and sleep overnight. I'm not opposed to wild camping, but my main priority will be my family's safety. Staying at paid campsites is not an issue, but we also want some degree of freedom to move around.
• It seems our best option would be to stay in the southern areas of either/both, but I confess I'm tempted to visit a glacier if we can (though it's not a deal-breaker).
• I'm a birdwatcher (I know, summer is not the best period for this), so if anyone knows interesting spots for that I'm all ears!

I know that's a lot of information, but we'd be grateful for any thoughts that could help us make a decision and plan out our itinerary. Any tips you may have are very welcome!

I'm going camping for the first time with just my partner (as opposed to a bigger group) and it's been a while since I've camped in general so I'm looking for some food ideas! Do you have any go to things you always make? Any special meals that are best enjoyed outdoors? Or simply dishes that are convenient and tasty for camping? I'll be car camping with a stove and cooler, but all suggestions are welcome!

Hi everyone,

Recently I became interested in learning about wilderness survival for the first time since I was a Cub Scout. I like to camp, but I'm the type of person who pours a can of fire starter on the camp fire after setting it up tipi style and then goes around bragging about how good I am at fire-starting. (I would be completely lost without a lighter and starter fluid.) I am planning on taking a camping trip with a friend of mine who has a great deal of wilderness survival training after COVID-19 restrictions are loosened, and I would like to come prepared.

I have found outlines for several course syllabi on wilderness survival, but not resources for each of them. Here are two examples below:

Example 1

Lesson I: Introduction

Lesson II: The Psychology of Survival

Lesson III: Introduction to wilderness survival planning

Lesson IV: Fire

Lesson V: Clothing

Lesson VI: Shelters

Lesson VII: Sustenance (Food and Water)

Lesson VIII: Introduction to Signaling

Lesson IX: Introduction to map and compass

Lesson X: Survival Kits

Example 2

Lesson 1: Introduction to Wilderness Safety and Survival

Lesson 2: Survival Essentials for the Wilderness

Lesson 3: Selecting the Right Gear

Lesson 4: Health and Safety

Lesson 5: Treating Illness, Bites, and Stings in the Wilderness

Lesson 6: Traumatic Injuries and Environmental Illnesses

Lesson 7: Environmental Illnesses and Their Treatments

Lesson 8: Understanding the Importance of Your Clothing

Lesson 9: Procuring and Purifying Water

Lesson 10: Food and Nourishment: Plants, Fruits, and Bugs

Lesson 11: Food and Nourishment: Crustaceans, Birds, and Fish

Lesson 12: Food and Nourishment: Tracking and Acquiring Mammals

Lesson 13: Food and Nourishment: Preparing and Cooking Game

Lesson 14: Navigation

Lesson 15: Signaling

I was hoping that perhaps some Tilderinos could help me out in filling in the blanks with resources for wilderness survival topics, or even some anecdotes about learning wilderness survival yourselves.

Thanks for any help!
-gbbb