Hi All
I will soon be heading to sweden, in December for 10 days. any ideas, tips that can help a SOWETAN born n' bread, to survive there in winter time.
Reply to this Hi Ben, are you South African? Sorry, not quite sure what sowetan means so googled it 😊
I am in Perth Australia which is quite a hot climate and lived for 2 years in a snowy location... i think layers, layers and more layers is what is called for. As they will have heating in all indoor places so you just need to get from your car to the shops so to speak and then you'll need to take off your giant jacket. Also i never ended up wearing the snow shoes i bought so just go with something like doc martens or blunstone boots that will net get really wet.
Also not sure about SA but even if you buy winter stuff from a mountain shop in Perth it most certainly wont work or even be close to what is required in an actual snowy location. So i wouldnt bother buying gloves or jackets or anything really for winter until you get to a location that actually has cold winters.
tam
Reply to this Hi Benna, it is going to be cold, definitely below zero, could be much much colder. The most sensitive areas of your body are the hands and feet so pay special attention to that. You will need gloves (or mittens), a warm headwear of some kind (could be a hood), long underpants for legs(this could be a tight pyjama, if you have one), scarf. I usually wear a fleece jumper underneath a wind and rain proof jacket, although a down jacket is great (but expensive). The jacket should be covering your bottom, not just to your waist. Some kind of waterproof boots, with warm socks, double layers are best. As Tam says it is very warm indoors everywhere, so you don't need to bother about anything specific for that. However, if you will visit peoples home you always need to carry indoor shoes with you, because it is not polite to enter peoples homes in outdoor shoes (if it is informal you can walk around in your socks though). I would suggest you try to find these things in your country, as it may not be so easy to find a shop immediately you come to Stockholm. And unless you are met at arrival you need to get from the airport into the center and there will be waiting on cold platforms and some walking. Taxis are expensive, so I guess you will use the public transport. Of course you can always buy something extra you need but do have the basics as you arrive.
Reply to this Hi Tam/Inga
Yes, I hail from South Africa, in Johannesburg. I really appreciate the time & effort you guys took to supply me with answers & infor.., from my post. i just hope I'll survive the etreme wheather condition there. It will be boiling hot(summer)n S.A, when i fly out to Sweden by then. 😉
Keep well
Benna
Reply to this Hi Ben, from a fellow South African! Very good advice from everyone above. Best place to shop would be Outdoor Warehouse, Cape Union Mart. Get some good leather shoes that can take moisture - keeping in mind thick woollen socks and possibly another pair of socks underneath will mean you might need a bigger size shoe than you normally wear. Lots of layers of clothing is also the best as well as a good warm jacket. (preferably with zips, because it is handy to unzip at times but not remove the top) That way you can peel off layer by layer as you get warm and vice versa. Protection for head and hands is also a very good idea - they say most of your body heat can be lost through your head, if it is not covered. Thermal underwear is also a good idea. You are not in Sweden for that long, but if you have the basic things, you should survive. Enjoy your trip!
Reply to this No matter where you go a rule of thumb is to bring layers. And try not to over pack. People always does, especially with shoes. Have an outdoor pair, a dress pair, and maybe sandals for the hotel. Bring layers over heavy clothing that take up to much space. And if you can't fit an item than you dont need it.
Reply to this Hi benna,
Its going to be very cold at this point of time. I would suggest you to carry boots and leather jackets. Also, carry lifesaving suit if you planning for camping or something. Also, a very important thing to carry is international sim card. It ll help you stay connected always with your family and friends in all hours of need. You can buy that from companies like AT&T, Brightroam, Rebelfone, Cellhire and others.
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