Gabi Froden: Sunbathing in roundabouts

We are all enjoying the change of seasons. When I look out my window, people are wandering past in shorts, legs streaky with sunscreen. Children are demanding ice cream every day of the week, and rosé wine is suddenly back on the menu after having been slighted for months on end.

The parks are full of people barbecuing, drinking, and getting terrible sunburns. The outdoor pools are open, the pollen is high, we are all digging out the sandals and cursing ourselves for not keeping the sunglasses somewhere we can actually find them.

So far, we are pretty similar, UK and Scandinavia. If the sun comes out, we go out to enjoy it. The Swedes will plonk themselves down into deckchairs, onto towels in the parks and sit on any available bench with their legs out to work on their tan. But… I am yet to see a Swede sunbathing by a main road.

This is not as odd a sight in the UK. I am aware that there is not as much space or greenery available to the UK population, and you need to work with what you have. But I would draw the line at roundabouts and car dealerships. There are many social media posts showing pale Brits on display for cars, trucks and buses going past. These people seem completely oblivious.

I will not judge anyone for seeking out the sun, in fact, I am a little bit jealous of this attitude. But I dare you to find me a swede in swimming trunks in the middle of a roundabout. Even for a tan, there are just some things not worth exposing yourself to. Like pollution and extreme mockery.