Sweden - Becky Ohlsen [282]
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THE LONELY PLANET STORY
Fresh from an epic journey across Europe, Asia and Australia in 1972, Tony and Maureen Wheeler sat at their kitchen table stapling together notes. The first Lonely Planet guidebook, Across Asia on the Cheap, was born.
Travellers snapped up the guides. Inspired by their success, the Wheelers began publishing books to Southeast Asia, India and beyond. Demand was prodigious, and the Wheelers expanded the business rapidly to keep up. Over the years, Lonely Planet extended its coverage to every country and into the virtual world via lonelyplanet.com and the Thorn Tree message board.
As Lonely Planet became a globally loved brand, Tony and Maureen received several offers for the company. But it wasn’t until 2007 that they found a partner whom they trusted to remain true to the company’s principles of travelling widely, treading lightly and giving sustainably. In October of that year, BBC Worldwide acquired a 75% share in the company, pledging to uphold Lonely Planet’s commitment to independent travel, trustworthy advice and editorial independence.
Today, Lonely Planet has offices in Melbourne, London and Oakland, with over 500 staff members and 300 authors. Tony and Maureen are still actively involved with Lonely Planet. They’re travelling more often than ever, and they’re devoting their spare time to charitable projects. And the company is still driven by the philosophy of Across Asia on the Cheap: ‘All you’ve got to do is decide to go and the hardest part is over. So go!’
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CRISTIAN BONETTO
Thanks to co-author Becky Ohlsen, and Fran Parnell, co-author of the previous edition. In-house, a big thanks to Emma Gilmour, Fiona Buchan, Jo Potts, Victoria Harrison, Gabbi Stefanos, Mark Griffiths and his cartography crew. On the road, tack så mycket to Penny Christodoulides, Anders Cato, Ann-Charlotte Jönsson, Ulrika Palmblad, Petter Lundgren, Madelaine Possman, Tia Lindström, Tove Råberg, Malin Persson, Daniel Eriksson, Karin Stenmar, Annika Axelsson, Anna Reimegård, Maria Hanseblad, Matilda Lindvall, Carolina Falkholt (aka Blue), Alexandra Pascalidou, Anna Lindahl, Mathias Dahlgren, Ragnar Olofsson, Camilla Bäckman, Neil Stewart, Andreas Jemn, the team at Röda Sten in Göteborg, Theodore Bergström and family, Jan Erkinantti, Hulya Baysal, Linda Kante, Eleisha Mullane, Lia Sandberg, Cameron Macintosh, the wonderful tourist office staff who helped out, and the many Swedes who spoilt me with their insight and hospitality. Last, but never least, a huge puss och kram to my very patient family and friends.
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OUR READERS
Many thanks to the travellers who used the last edition and wrote to us with helpful hints, useful advice and interesting anecdotes:
John Adolfsson, Johan Ahlström, Jee Sung Ahn, Shannon Andrus, Christel Bockting, Sarah Burston, Caroline Coombes, Petra Cyganski, Niklas Damm, Edwin Deventer, Lars Doyer, Stian Eriksen, Robert Gerzon, Not Given, Stéphane Henriod, Lisanne Imhof, Adrian Jones, Esther Jones, Anne Juhl, Alex Kim, Vlastimil Koncel, Pepijn Lemmens, Ulf Lowhagen, Barbro Lowhangen, Luke Lundmark, Shad Magno, Ruth Mair, Ellen Mattisson, Bill Mcginn, Asa Melander, Jo Middleton, Kris Oreskov, Alan Pearson, Julia Roberts, Fee Romein, Ankie Rutgersson, Nathan Slowinski, Jenny Sundqvist, Annemieke Van Den Dool, Lisette Van Eijk, Harry Van Kints, Anton Van Veen, Lukas Wampfler, James Welsh, Johan Wikland, Redmar Woudstra.
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Many thanks to the following for the use of their content:
Globe on title page ©Mountain High Maps 1993 Digital Wisdom, Inc.
Internal photographs Pixonnet.com/Alamy p98 (#1); Bryan & Cherry Alexander/Alamy p100 (#1). All other photographs by Lonely PlanetImages, and by Anders Blomqvist p93 (#1), p94 (#1), p99 (#2); Graeme Cornwallis p95 (#2); Jonathan Smith