Monday Travel Update – Midtown Manhattan Edition

My ride in Sweden

After spending the week in Sweden, I flew back to the US from Copenhagen last Friday and have settled in New York for the week. My week in Sweden was hectic, but I really enjoyed the country. Much of the landscape I drove through reminded me of rural Wisconsin and Minnesota…which is probably so many Swedes immigrated there.

I’d the pleasure of exploring the western and southern parts of Sweden in (appropriately) a Volvo. Not only was it the first time I ever drove a Volvo, but it is the first time I’ve ever really been able to drive in a modern, decked out car. Usually when I drive I’m in the cheapest rental car I can afford, which usually means no fancy electronics.

 

The Volvo had Bluetooth which automatically connected to my iPhone when I started the car, it had a detection system that beeped if I strayed too far left or right in my lane, integrated GPS and a cruise control that would automatically slow the car if I approached another car too quickly.

When I was given the keys (technically, it wasn’t even a key. Just a key fob type thing with a radio receiver) it took me about five minutes of fiddling to figure out how everything worked, including how to start the car. Once I figured it out, I was gold.

The reason for my visit was to check out the Volvo Car Vacation program where you can pick up your car from the factory and then drive it around Sweden/Europe before having it shipped back to the US. I’m always a sucker for creative ways that people can integrate travel into their lives and picking up your new car in Sweden was a pretty clever one. I can testify that driving around Sweden as an American driver was not a problem.

Also, if you click on the above link, you can enter to win a trip to Sweden to explore many of the same places I did.

This week I’ll be in New York taking care of business stuff, meeting friends, writing and editing photos. On Friday I attended the New York Premier of my friend Adam Baker’s film “I’m Fine, Thanks”. When it is finally released online, I highly recommend you check it out.

Sponsor Updates

Scottevest Remember that the $1000 Scottevest shopping spree ends this week. It only takes a few seconds to enter and if you win you will be able to totally outfit yourself and probably a travel companion for your next trip.

ALSO, I’ve begun giving out random $150 Scottevest vouchers to people I meet in person. If you want to know when and where I’ll be giving them out, just follow me on Twitter or Facebook. At random times I’ll announce where I am eating/drinking/working and whoever if the first one to show up will claim the prize. It is that simple.

G Adventures The folks at G Adventures travel to every corner of the Earth. Literally. They have trip to over 100 countries and all 7 continents. I’ve personally traveled with them on 4 continents! You might not have known that they are the world’s largest provider of tours on the Inca Trail in Peru. Not only do they run the most tours but they are giving back to the community by hiring local Peruvians and organizing a woman’s weaving cooperative.

Monday Travel Update – Midtown Manhattan Edition