Angela's world

New address

2009-06-21T19:30:00.002+01:00

This blog will move to a new address due to google technicalities. So just press here and continue reading like nothing has happened and eventually this address will be deleted.

Room with a view no1

2009-06-20T16:00:00.001+01:00

Looking out the window from my sisters guest room made me think about different places I have visited and the view from where I have been staying. It was not difficult to come to think of a few favourites, like the YHA in Threadbo, the Grand Hyatt in Seoul, the cruise boat in Galapagos and so on. I will try and find pictures of the best bedroom views I have had during my trips and I am starting with this one:

The lovely view from my sisters guest room in Luleå. Always when I visit here I end up spending a lot of time looking out the window and I know I have several pictures of exactly this view. This picture is taken close to midnight on Midsummer Eve 2009.

Midsummer and the light

2009-06-19T21:49:00.005+01:00

It is Midsummer weekend and I am visiting my sister Viktoria and her husband Janne in Luleå in the northern part of Sweden. The 21st June is the longest day of the year and even though we are south of the Arctic Circle it does not really get dark because the sun only goes down for a short while. The picture is taken around 11 pm when we were finishing dinner. The light up here during summer is simply spectacular. I love watching the sun go down while having tea after dinner and see it rise before finishing the next drink. I am having a great midsummer much thanks to my hosts, you guys are priceless! Thank you!

Citybanan

2009-06-16T12:00:00.000+01:00

In 2017 it will not necessarily be as nice to arrive by train to Stockholm from the south as it is today. Just before you arrive at the Central Station the train exits a tunnel and all of sudden you can see the central part of Stockholm. The view is really spectacular, to your left is Riddarfjärden and the City Hall and to the right the old town. Especially if arriving in the late afternoon when the light makes the facades glow in the sun light it is magical. However the two available tracks are limiting the traffic and the work to build a tunnel under Riddarfjärden to extend the capacity has just started. So it will then be important to get on the right train that will give you the view, but how are you supposed to know? I wonder if they will mark the trains with a view in the timetable...

Working at Riddarfjärden

Taiwan go go go!

2009-06-15T21:07:00.003+01:00

When I went home from my long holiday in Australia and Fiji I flew through Taipei where I had been for about 5 months before the trip. It was a little weird to come back and I was only going to spend a few hours in the airport. But as I was walking between the terminals I saw this poster on the wall and got very happy. I had almost forgotten but Taiwan is still the same and somehow I will miss it.

Taiwan really good!

Better to have it and loose it...

2009-05-16T00:03:00.002+01:00

The best thing about travelling is that you continuously meet a lot of very nice people. Even though you might not spend much time with all of them they often mean a lot to your experience of a place. It is sometimes difficult to say goodbye to the new friends you have made. I often wish I could just stop time for a while, I do not feel ready to go on yet. Sometimes I even wonder if it is worth the effort to get to know new friends if you just have to say goodbye and probably never see them again. But at the end of the day what you gain is so much more and it is better to have it and loose it that not to have it at all. And you never know, you might meet up again somewhere, sometime.

To all the new friends I have made in Australia: I will miss you loads!

Spirit of Freedom

2009-05-04T00:33:00.008+01:00

The Spirit of Freedom. Photo: Andy Durrer

Last week I had the good fortune to be diving the Great Barrier Reef on the Spirit of Freedom. It was an intense week with a total of 27 dives including 3 night dives. When we were not diving we were eating or sleeping. The chef fed us great food constantly.

Unfortunately we did not make it out to Osprey Reef in the Coral Sea due to the weather. We were hoping for good visibility and possibly some hammerheads and other sharks. Instead we continued to dive the Ribbon Reefs. The diving was easy, mostly fairly shallow and none or weak current. The corals are amazing and it was mainly small stuff we were looking for. There was the occasional white tip reef shark and turtle but otherwise we focused on nudibranchs, flatworms etc. My favourite dive sites were Cod hole, which is known for it spectacular coral formations and the potato cod (huge, ugly fish) and Steve's Bommie, a pinnacle that has lots to look at on depths from 5 to 30 m. Unfortunately on the pinnacles it becomes very crowded when 25 divers gets in the water at the same time...

Deep talk with a Potato Cod. Photo: Andy Durrer.

Beautiful nudibranch. Photo: Andy Durrer.

We found this sleeping pufferfish on a night dive. Is he not adorable? Photo: Andy Durrer.

This liveaboard was different from others I have done. The biggest difference was that there were about 25 divers (a lot!) and that the dives were not lead by a dive master. The navigation was not very complicated so it was no problem to dive on your own. I was lucky though and got my own personal dive master and instructor. My buddies, Birgit (dive master) and Andy (instructor) were simply the best. We had lots of fun both in the water and on the boat. I will miss you guys!

Having a well deserved glass of wine with my buddies, Andy and Birgit.

Apart from excellent diving the crew and the other guests made the trip unforgetable. I had a spectacular time and will never forget this lovely week.

Me! Photo: Andy Durrer.

Trust me

2009-04-27T00:05:00.001+01:00

I won't.

Part two

2009-04-26T23:48:00.004+01:00

When I arrived in Cairns yesterday it felt like a whole new trip had started. It was 10 or more degrees warmer than Sydney and the humidity a lot higher. This kind of weather is for me strongly connected to holidays while the Sydney weather is more familiar. The pace is also significantly slower, people walk slowly and are just hanging around.

This is the kind of environment I will spend my last month of travelling in. Actually today I am a little worried that I will find it boring after being fairly active down south with hiking and other activities. But I have two weeks of diving and 3 days of sailing planned so I think I will be fine. :-) I am very good at adapting to the surroundings...

In just a few hours I will board the dive boat, the Spirit of Freedom, which will take me and about 20 other divers around the Great Barrier Reef and the Coral Sea for 7 days. So in a week and after 25 or so dives I will be back to civilisation in Cairns with more stories.

Until then...

Oh, did I tell you I bought a boat....

Dear Debbie and Graeme

2009-04-25T04:13:00.002+01:00

One good thing about joining a group is all the nice people you meet. Hiking the Overland Track was not only a fantastic experience when it comes to scenery but I also got to know you. I enjoyed our conversations about travels and Australian football. I didn't realize before I came here that australian rules football even existed.

Thank you so much for you hospitality, for inviting me to your lovely home in Ballarat and to the footy game in Melbourne! You made me feel very welcome and it was a real treat to spend a few nights with you and your family.

I hope we will meet again soon, maybe in Sweden or hiking somewhere in the world. Maybe the European Alps next time?

Take care and send the family my love.

Angela

Canberra - hmm

2009-04-21T12:19:00.006+01:00

I passed by Canberra on my way from Thredbo to Sydney without any expectations really and ended up mostly fascinated. There is a weird feeling about the place. Although there are people around, it is quiet and somehow unpersonal. I got a strange Metropolis (you know, Fritz Lang silent movie) feeling... I do not know if it was how the city is custombuilt for workers (it was designed by an American architect not even 100 years ago), the people who all seemed to be programmed to be going somewhere special or the cool Art Deco architecture of the Hyatt Hotel. I guess it was the combination.

It is like a big factory where it is decided how people should move and behave. Like everyone is here for a purpose, not just living here.

It is also odd how the city is small enough to walk around but not made for walking. Many streets does not have sidewalks, footpaths sometimes just stop and when you reach a crossroads it is not always possible to cross it. Again I get the feeling that somebody is trying to make you move in a certain pattern. I guess usually cities are build around people while here it was the other way around, the people was put in a city.

When I arrived I went for a walk to find lunch and have a look at the Parliament and other sights. The guy at the hostel had suggested Kingston or Manuka for lunch where there are many cafees and restaurants. Sure enough I found a nice place called "All things chocolate". No, it is not what you think, it was actually the soup of the day posted outside that caught my attention. But after reading their menu and the raving articles on the wall I could not leave without a hot chocolate with chai flavour. Yummy!

The new Parliament.

After coming back to the hostel which was cituated in the centre of Canberra, I decide to go and check it out. I arrived 5.35 pm just to find that everything was closed! This is the capital city, is it not? The only thing I could see was people in suits walking focused down the street.

I decided to go to the movies to kill time. When I came out after 9 pm I could actually feel a different atmosphere. Finally, I thought, this is when things are happening. It turned out that the cafees all closed at 10 pm... But thankfully this is a big city and it was possible to find food later at night. I am sure you need some time to find where to go and figure the place out and that is what I do not have right now.

I was only staying one night but I could not leave until I had seen the city during business hours. This was just too interesting. So the next morning I went out to see the difference. The shopping centres were now busy so it seems that also here shopping is an important activity. Still though the streets were quite empty and it was fairly quiet.

Canberra is really a nice city, beautifully set at the foot of the mountains with a nice lake and lots of parks. The roads are very wide, it is very easy to get around and even in rush hour there is no traffic. The people are very friendly and helpful. I did like Canberra, maybe because it was interesting and made me curious. During my stay in Australia I have met a few people from the capital and after visiting the place it somehow makes sence.

Dear Chris

2009-04-19T12:20:00.000+01:00

Dear Chris,

When I finished the Overland Track I was full of energy but when arriving in Hobart I relaxed and took the time to do nothing. It was wonderful after 4 weeks of travelling without any real stops. I loved having long breakfasts at the cafe around the corner from your house. It was great just wandering around town during the day, visit you at work and helping you with your (yes, it was boring...) paper work. I have never seen a jeweller work before. You make the most beautiful things and I can see how it can be very rewarding. Your customers are always happy! I do understand that you really love what you do. (http://www.metalurges.com.au/)

Thank you for meeting me in Lake St Clair and taking me in for a few days. I enjoyed every moment of it, the view from Mt Wellington, the pancakes, your delicious soup and your Skyline. Do thank your Dad for lunch and showing me around his winery. I have some hope for Chardonnay now. And thank your friends for extending their invitation to include me. I loved the lobster pizza. Jaaa....

I hope we will meet again soon.

Love

Angela

Late afternoon at St Clair.

More hiking

2009-04-18T13:13:00.004+01:00

This trip was from the beginning going to be a diving trip but has so far been mostly focused on hiking. (I am planning to do about 50 dives so that is still to come.) Honestly I was not really aware of the hiking available in Australia. I did buy a Lonely Planet called Walking in Australia before I left Sweden but I did not read it until I arrived here. The result has been that I have gotten stuck in places like Bright and Thredbo, ski resorts which offer lots of brilliant hiking.

Because I did not bring any camping gear I can only see a small part of the National Parks and makes me realise that I have to come back to do more camping.

I had some bad luck with the weather in Bright. One day a storm prevented me from hiking and when the forecast promised me good weather on Mt Bogong, they were just joking... Mt Bogong is the highest peak in the Victorian Alps (1962 m, I think) and a challenge with its 1400 m elevation change in 8.5 km. In a few hours I was at the top and it was freezing... It was still frosty on the ground and a very cold wind was blowing. I managed to stay at the ridge for about an hour before it got too cold. It was partly cloudy and I had some good views but not the 360 degrees I was hoping for. The hike was beautiful though, especially when you reached the ridge above the tree line. On a nice summer day it would have been lovely to spend a day up there.

Mt Bogong.

On Mt Feathertop I was more lucky. I hiked the Razorback, a 10 km long ridge walk, to the top. When I started it was overcast but I could see blue skies at the horizon and I did have good views. About 1 hour before I reached the top clouds came rolling in and kept coming. It was not too cold on the top so I stayed there, had my lunch and hoped that the weather would get better. Just as I decided to leave the sun came out and when I turned around it was clear. I had the most fantastic view towards the Mt Buffalo Plateau.

The Razorback and Mt Feathertop.

On Mt Buffalo plateau I found my own little spot on Mt Dunn. This is one of the granite peaks on the plateau but obviously not the most visited. I got about one hour of solitude on the peak, one of those moments you feel like you are the only person in the world. Lovely! The highest peak on the plateau, the Horn, was full of people but a really good sunset spot. It had the most amazing colours.

Enjoying Mt Dunn.

On the way to Mt Dunn.

Sunset on the Horn.

In Thredbo, the main target was to climb Mt Kosciuszko, the highest mountain in Australia. Since Thredbo is a ski resort you can take the ski lift to almost 2000 m and then stroll up to the top at 2228 m. It is basically a highway to the top and it is very crowded because it is so accessable. The hike itself is not as rewarding as Mt Bogong but the views are spectacular from the top. Tomorrow I am heading up to the same area to climb a few more peaks.

On Mt Kosciuszko.

The Grampians

2009-04-18T12:40:00.003+01:00

After reading about and seeing pictures from the Grampians I included Halls Gap to my travel itinerary. The mountains in the Grampians are not very high, below 1000 m, but they are spectacular. There is a lot of exposed rock (my favourite) and rock hoping or easy climbing is often required to reach the peaks. The highest mountain , Mt William, was actually the least spectacular in the area because there was a paved road all the way to the top which was littered by masts and a humming transformer. But the views and the sunrise from the top still made it worth while to go there. Sunrise on Mt William.

Mt Difficult, in the centre of the park, was very good. It took about 2 hours to reach the top and that was obviously enough to loose the crowds. Scott, an english guy who I met at the hostel, and I were the only ones there except for the wallaby which escaped as soon as we arrived.

View from Mt Difficult.

Made it!

My favourite though is Mt Stapylton, a not very famous peak in the northern part of the park. It was not very high in comparison but the rocky peak and the climbing required to get there was just the best.

Taking it easy on Mt Stapylton.

During my stay in the Grampians the weather was just perfect for hiking. It was around 22 degrees and sunshine. Can it be better?

Heavenly hiking

2009-04-01T00:07:00.004+01:00

One of the highlights on this trip was the Overland Track, a 6 day hike on Tasmania. I have dreamt about hiking here for a long time and when I realised it was still hiking season I did not hesitate. The Overland Track is supposed to be one of the best in the world. Of course I had to see if this was true...
23 March I started the track with a tour company called Wilderness Expeditions. We were 6 tourists and 2 guides. Since I am travelling alone and not carrying any hiking gear I had to join a tour that would provide everything I needed. We carried all gear ourselves except food which the guides, poor guys, did. The gear was exceptional, Hilleberg tents and Marmot and North Face clothing.
Before we started I thought it was going to be harder. I am not used to carrying a lot, I usually go for one day or two day hikes were it is possible to buy a meal by the end of the day. My backpack weighed about 12 kg and honestly it was no problem at all. We hiked 3-5 hours a day and it felt like a luxury hike especially since the guides insisted on doing all the cooking... The first few days it was difficult to just hang around watching someone cook your food but it was surprisingly easy to get used to. :-)
Tasmania is not known for its good weather and I believe we were very lucky. We only had rain one day and some showers for two days but the rest of the time was fine. Temperatures were ranging from 5 degrees at night to about 20 when the sun came out. In the evening my hands and feet got a little cold but otherwise the gear kept me warm and cozy.
The scenery varied from great views of the vast country to lakes and rain forest. It was absolutely beautiful at all times and I was walking with a smile on my face for 6 days.
Of course can not any picture make the place justice and it is terribly difficult to choose a few pictures that would describe the whole track.

At Marions lookout. Cradle Mountain in the background.

One of the many lakes we passed.

Sunset at New Pelion Hut.

Never stop travel

2009-03-21T08:21:00.006+01:00

The view was painfully beautiful at Cape Borda lookout on Kangaroo Island. The dramatic cliffs and the waves against the rocks in contrast with the soft afternoon sunlight. We saw dolphins playing in the waters further out to sea and the sea lions swimming closer to the rocks just below us.

I was talking to Marilyn, a lady double my age, who happened to take a left turn when she was supposed to take a right. She ended up at Kangaroo Island and did not know when she was going back home. She usually slept in her car but today she had treated herself to one of the cottages just by the light house. This was not the first time she was travelling like this and certainly not the last.

You just never know where life will take you. If you let it.

Marilyn. My hero.

To die for

2009-03-21T08:18:00.004+01:00

This little baby koala was found under a tree without its mother. Is she not adorable?

Guess what I found on Kangaroo Island?

2009-03-21T07:40:00.004+01:00

Kangaroos! And wallabies, lizards, scorpions, possums, koalas, sea lions and more. So far Kangaroo Island is the place in Australia I have seen most animals and that's without even looking very hard. Unfortunately they always turn their back to me when I want to take a photo... Kangaroos, wallabies and lizards were often seen from the car, unfortunately more often flat on the road than alive on the side of it (and no, Stu, I did not take any pictures).

One day I walked to Grassdale Lagoon on my way to Hanson Bay on the south coast. I found that it was packed with kangaroos early in the morning. I had no problems getting close to them. They did look a bit sceptically at me while chewing the grass and eventually lazily bounced off to a different location when I came too close.

At Seal Bay I saw a pup with its protective mother. The little sea lion took a few very hard looking "steps" before it fell back flat on its stomach like it suddenly decided to play dead. Otherwise there was not much action on the beach at Seal Bay, they were just lying around in the sun relaxing. I can understand that they need a few days of rest after being out to sea feeding for three days, which is what they apparently do.

Kangaroo Island is a very beautiful place. The scenery is spectacular and it is a very relaxed place. Definately worth a visit.

On the ferry to Kangaroo Island.

The southern coast of the island.
At Remarkable Rock, which really is remarkable!
The colour of the sea was amazing at Remarkable Rock. It had a deep blue intense tone which was fantastic.

Great road that leads down to Remarkable Rock and the light house.

It's a tough job but someone has to do it...

2009-03-21T07:29:00.004+01:00

Wine tasting at Peter Lehmann in Barossa Valley.

Dear Adam

2009-03-17T01:34:00.005+01:00

Dear Adam,

Too easy. That is probably my favourite of your favourite expressions. It sort of describes the West MacDonnells, the pub at Glen Helen and you.

Thank you for showing me more of the area and a couple of the best breakfast spots ever. Climbing Mt Sonder in the dark and having breakfast on the top is definately on the top 5 list of things to do. Ok, we missed the sunrise by a few minutes but the beauty of the place is unreal.

It was a treat to spend a couple of hours on the top before heading down for a swim in the gorge below.

I am very glad to have had the fortune to see some of the West MacDonnells with some who knows and truly loves the area.

The pub at Glen Helen is really the best water hole. The people and the atmosphere made me want to stay. I really hated to leave the beautiful sites and your good company.

Don't ever change!

Angela

Having breakfast on Mt Sonder at sunrise.

Like magic

2009-03-15T10:00:00.008+01:00

I booked a 5 day tour in the Red Centre mostly because that is something you should do when in Australia. Then only thing I knew about the area was that this is where you find Uluru (Ayers Rock). I was not very keen on doing a tour either but decided it was the easiest way to see the place. I had chosen the bit more expensive tour and was happy to avoid the partying 21 year olds.

The first day we visited Uluru and did the base walk around the rock. The colors are wonderful and it is a quite cool rock. I did enjoy it, especially the sparkling wine in the sunset and sleeping under the stars.

Uluru at sunset.

Next stop was Kata Tjuta and a walk in the Valley of the Winds. Now I got a little more excited because I liked the hike and the views better.

The Valley of the Winds.

When we arrived in Kings Canyon the next day I was convinced that this is an area that one really has to experience. The colors are spectacular and the views fantastic.

My favourite spot in Kings Canyon.
Kings Canyon.

Day 4 we spent a few hours with Craig, who is an aboriginal. He told us about their culture and showed us some rock art. The stories he tells makes perfect sence when you are in this area.

Craig.

The last day in West MacDonnell National Park I probably fell in love with the place. I can not really say what it is, it just made me happy to be there. Maybe it is the emptiness (in comparison with the always busy Taiwan) and the space or the atmosphere and the people. Probably the combination. Our tour guide, Adam, obviously really loved the area and I think it rubbed off.

Ormiston Gorge.

When looking out on the desert you feel like you are the only person on earth. You see nothing at all in any direction except a beautiful landscape. No cities, roads, lights, nothing.

On Mt Sonder.

The Red Centre definately worked its magic on me and I hated to leave.

Darwin-Alice Springs

2009-03-06T09:11:00.007+01:00

After a brief stop in Brisbane, I went to Darwin. In the end I only got one day there and the city itself might not need much more attention than that. I did however find some very nice places and had a good time. The reason why I went to Darwin at all was to catch the train to Alice Springs. I arrived yesterday and enjoyed the city and the company of some new friends. The sunset from Anzac hill was fantastic.The train ride itself seemed faster than I thought, the main reason being that I ended up in the restaurant car drinking beer with two Aussie truck drivers, one war veteran and some other travellers. We had a great time and the beer helped us fall asleep in the uncomfortable chairs. It is however very fascinating that you can go for 20 hours without actually seeing anything except desert. The reason why it takes so long is because the train's average speed is not more than 85 km/hour. Partly because there are a lot of animals in the area that might cause the train to derail if it is going to fast.

From one thing to another

2009-03-06T09:03:00.006+01:00

This is the last thing I saw in Taiwan before I left:

And this is the first thing in Australia:
My holiday has started.

Leaving Taiwan for new adventures

2009-02-28T05:40:00.006+01:00

My stay in Taiwan has quickly come to an end. Tomorrow I leave and will travel around Australia and Fiji for 3 months before it is time to go back home again.

It has definately been an adventure to work almost 5 months in a country which is so fundamentally different from where I live. The Taiwanese, I have found, are very friendly and helpful when they can. The language makes it difficult many times. I have not had much time to learn and often people start talking to me although they must realize I do not understand. They can talk for a long time usually it all ends with laughter but sometimes they seem somewhat irritated. Normally they give up and walk away, like the police officer who pulled me over for speeding on the freeway...

It does feel nice to leave but there are some things I will miss also, especially the food. I know it is a bit contradictive but I will miss the things that are also the biggest difference from home and the things that makes it hard to be here in the long run. I am still fascinated by the infrastructure, the houses, the traffic and the total adoration for small cute things (Hello Kitty). Like how many seem to move their livingrooms partly out onto the street, the fantastic Taiwanese left turns (you sneak over just before it turns green or simply ignore cars driving straight ahead) and the shops which sell loads of unnecessary stuff with cartoons on them. Maybe it is not so surprising, the things I recognize from home I have probably not noticed very much.

What I will not miss is the lack of fresh air and calm and relaxing outdoor areas. The mountains in Taiwan are beautiful but far away from Tainan.

Well, it is time for new adventures...

Snacks

2009-01-10T06:14:00.003+01:00

Fragrant crispy entry. What is that? Sometimes it is difficult to know what to buy in this country. How do you avoid everything that tastes like dry fish? This one looked particularly promising. Best tasty! Click on the image and read all the text. Crispy crispy good flavour. :-) Actually it was one of the better snacks I have had since I came to Taiwan.

Necklace

2008-11-19T16:43:00.003+01:00

Have you not always longed for a necklace like this...? Complete with thermometer and everything.

Red lights

2008-11-11T02:19:00.006+01:00

The traffic in Taiwan is interesting like in many Asian countries. The scooters are everywhere, carrying anything and driving fast. Taxis have a tendency to pass a whole line of cars waiting for a red light and just stop in front of everyone in the middle of the cross roads after the pedestrian area. These guys would not be very popular in Sweden but here no one seems to be very upset.

Red lights does usually not stop anyone. When walking across a street you should never start walking immediately when it turns green because there is always someone who decides to drive through the red light. There is also a small difference between Taipei in the north and Tainan in the south. One taxi driver explained it very well to our chinese colleague, Kezhao. He said that a red light in Taipei is a warning but in Tainan it is only decoration.

Walking down the street

2008-10-24T08:36:00.005+02:00

The houses on a typical street in Taiwan are narrow and tall, much like town houses. Commonly not more than maybe 3 meters wide. On the ground floor it looks like a garage with a metall door that can be raised all the way to the ceiling. In most cases there are some sort of commercial activity on the street level and I guess that they live upstairs. It might be a restaurant, garage, mechanical work shop, hair salon or any type of shop selling a wide variety of things, from clothes and watches to motors and scooters.

Sometimes it is hard to figure out what they are up to. Often the place just looks like a normal messy garage but if you look closely you can see some kind of product laying around. Business does not always seem to be very good and there are usually no particular opening hour. So to make sure they do not miss out on any customers they simply move their livingroom halfways out on the street. It is not uncommon that you have walk around some people watching TV on the sidewalk.

It can be tricky to walk down the streets of a Taiwanese city. The sidewalk is full of scooters, cars, tables, trash or anything really that they can not (or do not want to) fit in the house. You simply have to step out into the street and risk being hit by a car or racing scooter.

Often the same type of shop is clustered in one area. The other day we found the wedding area, several streets only containing shops selling wedding clothes. When we turned around one corner there were instead only jewellery shops. We had to walk several blocks before we found any type of restaurant which we were really looking for.

Hello Kitty!

2008-10-24T08:27:00.003+02:00

I did not get the Hello Kitty Suite. I am so disappointed!

Chicken what kebab?

2008-10-12T07:06:00.001+02:00

Chicken butt shish kebab. Mmmm...

Scooter

2008-10-10T16:55:00.003+02:00

In Sweden the laws for how to behave in traffic are very strict. Here in Taiwan what you see in the picture is a common sight. Two adults and two kids on the same scooter and only the adults are wearing helmets!? Adults have to wear helmets but obviously not children and there does not seem to be any rules for how many people you are allowed to be on one scooter.
Would you treat you family like this in the Taiwanese traffic??

About a week ago I arrived in Tainan, Taiwan. The plan is for me to work here at least 5 months.

As I came here I thought it would be nice to learn some mandarin and possibly be able to understand what is on the menu. Yesterday evening we found a chinese restaurant with an english menu.

Sounds good?

Squid mouths?

When I start realizing what actually is on the menu I am not sure anymore that I would like to learn. Maybe it is better not to know what you are eating...

The end of the world

2008-10-02T17:42:00.002+02:00

Yesterday I was flying from Bangkok to Taipei. As we took off from Bangkok I looked out the window and saw the flooded rice fields. They formed an uneven green brownish pattern that ended in the sea. It was sunny and the light was reflecting in the water. It was very humid and hazy which made the sea have exactly the same orange colour as the sky. The effect was that the rice fields that ended in the sea looked like the end of the world.

Lovely Alps

2008-09-14T11:58:00.009+02:00

It is windy, a bit chilly but I have the most amazing view over the eastern parts of the Alps. I am standing on the top of Gr Priel in Austria, tired from the long climb. The mountains here are steep and bright grey, almost white, since it is all limestone.

Around us people, equally in need of energy, are trying to find a spot sheltered from the wind to eat their packed lunches. Amazingly enough the wind seem to be blowing from all directions at the same time. We sit down in a fairly calm place. A dry sandwich never tasted this good. I only wish I had brought that lemon soda I have been dreaming about the past half hour.

Me and my brother, Richard, have just finished a very long and demanding Via Ferrata called Bert Rinesch klettersteig. I took us 3 hours to finish the climb which was secured the whole way. It was necessary to be constantly hooked in using the Via Ferrata equipment since it was quite airy and we often had several hundred meters below our feet. In some places it was overhanging which made me wonder how well the iron bars that secured us were fastened in the rock. I chose not to think about this for very long though. The climb was not as hard as I thought but just very long and there were no really good spots to take a rest. But best of all, it was great fun! I loved each step of the way. And the picture is of me, I did not steal it off the internet this time...

Picture perfect

2008-08-11T15:04:00.003+02:00

A lonely old woman with a bent back standing in a rice field. Water up to her knees, her hands searching under the surface. The rice field is on a slope and there are several terrasses just like the one she is standing on. The fields are bright green and are almost shining in the golden afternoon light from a hazy sky. Above the fields there are some trees and behind the trees are several tall modern apartment buildings. They look unreal, does not go together with rest. The contrast is striking, the traditional agricultur against the modern arcitecture. This was a photo opportunity rarely seen but unfortunately I was sitting on a high speed train when it all passed by.

The joy of planning

2008-07-09T22:17:00.001+02:00

To plan a trip is for me a big part of the whole experience. I usually check some websites, maybe read books, look at the surroundings on GoogleEarth and talk to people I know have visited the place I am heading to. I like to have some sort of idea of where I am going. Usually you do not have unlimited time at your destination so in order to make the right decisions and get the most out of your time, it is not a bad idea to be prepared. But it is also important not to plan too carefully. The one thing you can be sure of is that it will not go as planned. You will have to make decisions along the way that will have a significant affect on your holiday. This is the charm of travelling though and I am always careful not to have my mind set on what I "have" to do.

Planning gives you the opportunity to enjoy your trip during a long time. If you start reading up on things early you can start dreaming and longing for your departure. Right now I am planning my holiday in Austria in August. The main purpose of the trip is to visit my parents who have a house there and do as much hiking I can possibly take. I have missed the mountains for a long time and am looking very much forward to it. Already a couple of months ago I was reading about the hikes and via ferratas in the area. I have been looking at films on Youtube, pictures and read stories about hiking trips to this particular mountain range. I found the via ferrata I would like to do (weather permitting) and because it is a very demanding one I have also started to train for it. I still have 5 weeks to become just a little stronger and more fit. My brother and I are pushing each other and we have ordered the gear needed for it. The picture is taken on the Bert-Rinesch Via Ferrata on the Gr Priel which is my goal. It was stolen from an Austrian site about hiking (www.bergsteigen.at) where Josef Zwedorn had left it for others to admire. Does it not look fantastic? It almost feels like I am there already.

At least for another 5 weeks this trip will be exactly the way I want it to be. Once I get there, you never know what will happen and that is when it becomes real. It is the moment I long for when I am facing reality and will find out what the trip will really be like. During the preparations I get a feeling about the place where I am going and I am always equally curious to see if it is right. It never is but I keep on trying and I am enjoying it.

Parawaiting

2008-05-11T14:09:00.005+02:00

The plan today was to go parasailing with Linda and Frank who I met at the hotel in Seoul. Unfortunately what we ended up doing was parawaiting. For a couple of hours we sat around watching where the wind was blowing wishing that we were up in the sky enjoying the views. It never turned the way we wanted so we had to go back without even trying to fly. :-(

At least it was a lovely day and we were enjoying the weather and the company. Well, better luck next time.

Hiking in Bukhansan National Park

2008-05-10T06:25:00.016+02:00

In Korea hiking is popular. The hikers have the latest equipment, the right clothes and they look very professional. Question is how good the hiking is in this country that is not really known for their impressive mountains. Last weekend I decided to find out in the local National Park, Bukhansan, just north of Seoul which is very popular and crowded during the weekends.

I had read on the internet where to go and took the subway to one of the stations close to the park. I did not find the bus I was looking for but a nice enough Korean pointed out another one that would take me in the right direction. On the bus I found two men with all the fancy gear for a day of hiking. I asked if they were going to the same place as me and with their not very impressive english vocabulary they made me understand that they would show me the way.

They started off in a fast pace. I tried to stop at the ranger station to find a map but the guys were stressing me on like I was a race horse. But I figured that I would not get lost if I followed these guys so I did not bother about the map. I kept up with the first guy and realized after a few minutes that we had left the other guy behind us. I asked Mr Fast Guy and he just pointed at his watch and said time, so I guess they had no plan of walking together.

After half an hour or so we reached the first gate of an old fortress that is situated on the ridge in the park. You walk along the wall which was restored after the Korean war. The gates are popular places for picknicks and many seem to have come there mainly for eating and not necessariliy for hiking.

Mr Fast Guy took me almost all the way to Baegundae Peak which is the highest point in the park. This was my goal but not his so we parted just below the peak. The hiking in this national park is more technical than I thought, it is often very steep and in some places it is even easier Via Ferrata hiking. The last bit up to Baegundae Peak is the steepest and hardest part. This however does not scare the Koreans and the path up to the peak is full of people. At the top you have a lovely view of Seoul and the Bukhansan National Park.

On the top of Baegundae I met Nina from Switzerland. We had a rest and enjoyed the view before we started walking back together. It's always fun to be one Swiss and one Swede, very confusing for everyone. I am still amazed how Swiss people always are accused of being Swedish and the other way around. Where is the logic in that?

If you ever get the chance I can really recommend to go hiking in Bukhansan National Park. It is easy to get there from the city and it offers great hiking and wonderful views.

Samsung museum

2008-05-04T16:18:00.006+02:00

Samsung does rule this country it seems. Even one the nicer museums is the Samsung Museum of Art, called Leeum. It is situated very close to my hotel and I have wanted to visit it many times but never got around to. Today I did managed to go the 5 min down the hill to see what it is all about (you can see my hotel in the background). From the hotel I have seen some statues on the roof of the museum which look like huge spiders and since I found out it is a museum I have had in my mind to go there.

This Art museum covers both traditional art like ceramics and paintings from 13th to 19th century and modern art, local and foreign.

The artifacts themselves are nice but the best thing about this museum is the building itself. The architecture is superb. The two main buildings have their own style and are very beautiful. Not only what is inside the buildings is interesting. Don't forget to look out the windows, everything you see is well planned and stylish. Just the staircase in the brick building is worth a visit.

The rooms that show historic art are spatious and dark. The items themselves are lit up individually which creates a calm and relaxing environment. It is a welcome feature compare to other sights like the War Memorial Museum (which is interesting really and very well made) which attracts groups of screaming children that runs around your feet.

Whenever in Seoul, I can really recommend this museum.

Getting lazy

2008-05-03T12:39:00.005+02:00

Although I do love adventures and often seek them, I can also get lazy. This is easily done when travelling for business. When I go to work in e.g. Korea I stay at a moderately nice hotel during the weeks but at a very nice one during the weekends. When I go on holidays my budget is very different and I often stay at hostels or very cheap hotels in order to be out as long as possible. At those times the goal is to have an adventure and not to rest and save your strenght for the coming week of facing the customer. When I do get the chance to stay longer in a foreign country for work, like now three weeks in Korea, I do want to take the opportunity to see something else than the customer site and the area around the hotel. But staying at these really nice hotels makes me lazy. From my room I have the most beautiful view of the Han river and Gangnam area in Seoul (picture). The hotel is situated on a hill which makes the view absolutely stunning. It has a garden with an outdoor pool and sun deck, a sauna, a gym and a lounge with complimentary snacks and drinks in the evening. Staying in this kind of environment is a treat itself and absolutely necessary for a stay this long in a foreign country that you did not choose yourself. Without these weekends, working in Korea would have been very hard.

Sometimes people accuse me of being to active and wanting to take advantage of every moment but here it is almost the other way around. I love spending a lazy weekend at the hotel and just do some minor outings to museums or shops. But then again I am not here on holidays, I am here on business. It is different.

Decoration

2008-05-01T15:00:00.005+02:00

Along the river mentioned in the last text there were water outlets in several places. For some reason they had decided to decorate these. You decide which picture you find most suiting. :-)

Landscaping

2008-05-01T14:08:00.003+02:00

In Korea they are very good at landscaping. In the big cities there are small beautiful parks that makes a big contrast to the grey, boring city. Also companies build small, nice areas for people to spend their lunch break in or hang around smoking. These places are very well planned and clean. Usually the main features are stones and flowers.

Today I was working at the hotel in Suwon where I stay on workdays and in the afternoon I couldn't resist going out for a walk in the beautiful weather. I decided to find the small river I have seen from the car going to and from work every day. It turns out that they have built a wall along the river and planted flowers in it. And they have put stones in the river in some places for people to cross. This was a welcome escape from the busy streets with all the traffic.

Für Elise cont.

2008-04-03T16:27:00.003+02:00

I just have to continue the sounds of Asia stories. I thought when I left Korea to go to Taiwan I had heard "Für Elise" for the last time this trip. I was wrong. As I was writing the last text I heard a faint melody being played. It sounded like they had hidden speakers somewhere playing the radio on very low volume. But when I listened carefully it was just a short melody that was repeated, quite annoying actually. You know when you hear a faint noise and it irritates you to dead but if you don't listen you don't hear it. I could not figure out where it came from and was just hoping it would be gone by the time I would go to bed.

Later when we were sitting at the window in the restaurant next door to the hotel, I suddenly heard the melody again! I looked out and saw the garbage truck driving by. I had heard a truck in my hotel room on the 22nd floor emptying garbage bins in the neighbourhood. This means that it is played quite loud. Poor guys that have to do that job all day. I can imagine that kind of treatment being used as torture.

This afternoon we got stuck in the weekend traffic coming back from customer site and guess what I suddenly heard!? "Für Elise". And guess what it was!? The garbage truck. Good thing that they work during the day...

A box of chocolates...

2008-04-02T12:19:00.004+02:00

I might just have checked in to my new favourite hotel, The Ambassador Hsinchu, Taiwan. The room is large and very tastefully decorated in the Asian simple but beautiful kind of way. The colors and materials are very nice and the bathroom luxurious. But what really made it was the content in the little box in the picture... Mmmm, they know exactly what I need after a long day of travelling and work.

Now it's time to find out what kind of food my colleagues decide to have me eat today. I'm hungry!

Für Elise

2008-03-31T17:59:00.004+02:00

If you're in Korea and you suddenly hear "Für Elise" being played for no appearent reason with a very loud, digital, metallic sound, you should watch out. I know, it can be very confusing. What could it be? Someone's mobile phone? Public speakers warning for earthquakes? You never really can tell over here. But in this case it is that small type of van that is mostly found in Asia. The kind that is smaller than the average american car and seems to fit better in a playground than on the motorway. And it is reversing so be careful! Nothing in my mind would automatically make me watch out when I hear a piece of music being played. Bummer..

Asian photo pose

2008-03-27T13:51:00.010+01:00

Have you seen asians (well, at least from Japan, China and Korea) when they have their picture taken? Have you noticed how popular the v-sign is? It seems to be impossible for them to do anything else in front of the camera. I have seen it in Asia, all over Europe and even in front of the train to Stockholm at the station in Gothenburg. And of course I had to try it too. Check out my authentic pose from the garden in the Forbidden City in Beijing. Does it not look good? :-)

I also got a picture of our taxi driver and a guy who was hanging around the Great Wall. As soon as they saw the camera they automatically raised their hands in a v-sign. Aren't they cute? Did you notice the pipe that the guy to the right is holding?

What's wrong with this picture?

2008-03-24T20:47:00.004+01:00

This is the castle in Prague. Would you have guessed by looking at the picture? You just can not escape, can you? You might have to click the image to see what I mean. :-)

Temperature problems in Korea

2008-01-25T17:47:00.001+01:00

During the winter in Korea it gets really cold and it's a humid kind of horrible cold. But the Koreans seem not to have grasped this at all. At the bus stop you can see girls waiting in short skirts and thin jackets, they do shiver but do not seem to understand that you can do something about it by putting more clothes on. I guess it is not fashionable.

They have totally missed out on the invention of winter tyres and traffic is therefore catastrophic whenever it is slippery or snowy. They simply can not go to work if it is snowing! (imaging trying that with your boss in Sweden..)

Also they have a huge insulation problem which means that they have some difficulties heating the buildings. But when they do succeed with this they are persistent to keep about 30 degrees. This all means that you need to bring a lot of clothes because you do not know if your meeting room is going to keep 15 or 30 degrees. The Koreans usually where their winter jackets inside even if it is 30 degrees (how does their thermostat work??)! Often you end up sweating or getting a cold shock because without warning the temperature changes by 20 degrees and you are still inside! Is this why their major soft drink is called "Pocari sweat"?

I am starting to understand why it is so popular to grill your own meat on the dinner table. It is the only way to keep warm while eating (before they get drunk enough not to notice that is) in the constant draft of the poor building constructions.

If you visit the old temples in Seoul they are very proudly showing the advance floor heating systems they built hundreds of years ago. Koreans seem to have a very bad memory...

Tomorrow...

2008-01-25T17:37:00.000+01:00

...I am leaving Korea and am going to Beijing for the weekend before returning to Sweden on Tuesday. I have never been to Beijing and am very excited to be able to visit the Great Wall (weather permitting, it is cold in these parts of the world now!) and the forbidden city. I have finally finished work for now and can concentrate on going to China tomorrow morning. Looking forward to it! (And the best thing is that when I return to work on Wednesday I have only three days to go to my three week holiday of diving with hammerheads in Costa Rica and cruising around Key West!!)

Samsung rules

2008-01-23T17:59:00.000+01:00

Just the day before I went to Korea last time in December I read an article about the Samsung scandal involving bribes and economic crimes. It said that there is a saying in Korea that there are three things a korean can not escape; death, taxes and Samsung. And it is so true. The first thing you see when getting off the plane in Seoul is Samsung flat screens and it continues with heaters, cars, buildings, roads, ships, department stores, insurance, telephones, computers, any type of electronic device.... Even the little plastic thing on the dinner table that holds the drinks menu is made by Samsung! They are everywhere! According to my collegues here about 15 % of the stock market is just Samsung. Also about 15 % of Koreas total export is Samsung! It is impressive how one company can be so dominant in a country of this size. I think that I have been able to spot the Samsung logo from everywhere I have been standing in this country. I will give you some examples when I get the chance.

simple

2008-01-19T12:56:00.000+01:00

Can someone explain what this means? The sign was mounted at the window in my hotel room in Korea.

Can not get enough

2008-01-06T11:59:00.000+01:00

Some people are under the impression that I have been everywhere. Several times I have gotten the question if there are places that I have not seen. I might have visited more places than the average person but every time I am equally surprised by the question because there is an endless list of places to go to. I have not even visited all the continents!
When I was in Samoa in the Pacific Ocean I met an elderly man who had the goal to visit every country in the world. At that time he had some 20 or 30 to go. I do not know if he has made it by now but he was very determined and was more or less travelling all the time. He had spent his entire life reaching for this goal. I am now probably about half his age and still have a long list of places to visit and the list is steadily growing as I read and hear about places I knew nothing about before. Often I also feel like returning to some places because I liked them so much or I want to give them another chance.
Perhaps I will travel less in the future, perhaps not. So far I have not gotten tired of it. When I know that I will not travel for a while I can get cramps in my stomach just thinking about it. Especially when I think about hiking in the Alps or somewhere similar. I miss that always. That is funny because I have not been to the mountains for several years now. But it is definately time to go!

A new year

2008-01-01T19:05:00.000+01:00

Another year has passed and a new one is ahead of us. The first day of this new, exciting year I have spent mostly in my sisters sofa, tired from yesterday's celebration. It has given me time to think about the past year. 2007 was a great travel year for me although it seems like a long time ago now because most of my holidays were in the beginning of the year. Business trips which I have made mostly the second half of the year are somehow parts of a different category.

I started off with an 11 week holiday travelling around India and diving in Palau. Just to take 11 weeks off work is a treat in itself and adding a fantastic trip to that makes it even better. I have several times been asked if I like India and that is actually a tricky question to answer. I would be lying if I said I love the country, but I do like many things about it. It is not always relaxing to be there, not often at all actually. However I think it was worth going there and I would go there again at some point because it is a very fascinating place. The diving in Palau was a wonderful and relaxing end of the trip.

During the summer I travelled to Italy and spent a week driving around north Italy with mainly the purpose of eating and drinking well. That was not particularly difficult, it is hard to fail in Italy on that topic.

On top of these trips I have visited family around Sweden and made some business trips to Asia, including Taiwan, Japan and mainly Korea. As already mentioned I classify business trips somewhat differently than holiday trips. The main purpose is of course work and is therefore connected to other responsabilities and gives little time for sightseeing or other private activities. If that happens it is more of a bonus although I usually try to plan something else than work to get more out of the experience.

This coming year I have only one trip planned so far. In February I am going to Florida, Miami and Key West, and on a 10 day liveaboard (diving) to Cocos Island in the Pacific Ocean outside of Costa Rica. Of course I have many destinations in mind and am certain I will travel more later this year, exactly where is yet to be seen...

Happy New Years and travel safely!

The sun is always shining on 10 000 meters

2008-01-01T12:59:00.000+01:00

This Saturday was a grey and boring day in Stockholm as I was heading out to Arlanda to catch the flight up to Luleå to see my sister and brother in law. I wasn't in the greatest of moods, easily irritated and there was chaos in the departure hall at the airport. But as soon as the plane passed the layer of clouds and the sun came out all bad thoughts were but a memory. When I later walked out of the airport in Luleå it was cold and a bit of snow, real winter. Nice!

The flight is only about an hour which often gives me a more catching-the-bus-feeling than actually flying. But still, for me, there is something special about flying. It helps me clear my mind and focus on the important things.

And remember: no people in the enging! (click on the image to see the details)

Learning languages

2007-12-16T16:40:00.000+01:00

In Sweden when children are taught languages the focus is on reading and writing. To be able to speak does not seem to be as important. Swedes are often afraid to say anything unless they are confident that what they are about to say is grammatically correct. And how often is it more important to speak perfectly than to just make yourself understood? Most people will only use their language skills on holidays and no one will be upset if mistakes are made. Usually people are just very happy that you try to speak their language. As I was on an Air France flight it became obvious when the swedish man who sat next to me was translating an article in a French newspaper to his wife but when he ordered beer he did that in English. ?? Why are we so afraid of saying or pronouncing something wrong? We never learn unless we try.

Stockholm - Paris 12 Dec

2007-12-16T16:11:00.000+01:00

In the afternoon on Wednesday I got on the plane that would take me to Paris where I would transfer to get all the way to Korea. Beneath us, northern Europe was completely covered with thin flat clouds. It looked more like the snow on an early spring day in the northern parts of Sweden. As the sun was setting the clouds turned into a pink shade, almost a little shiny like they were actually made of ice. When the sun came closer to the horizon the pink colour spread over the cloud surface. Soon large parts of the floor underneath us were sparkling in pink which shifted into yellow and pale green at the horizon before turning into the clear blue sky. It all looked so peaceful and made me calm after a stressful morning.
Otherwise it seemed to be rush hour in the air above Europe. Underneath us, above us, next to us and in the horizon I saw many other air planes. Usually in a plane you don't really think about how fast you are moving. It becomes very obvious though when you meet another plane in the air, it passes by very quickly.
And for those who were wondering, Korean Air was good. Very good entertainment system and nice food (bibimbap of course).

Christmas decoration

2007-12-13T17:12:00.000+01:00

I knew it! To be able to enjoy Christmas decoration like this you have to leave Sweden. The States and Asia are champions at lighting anything just because of the holidays. I especially like the enormous Christmas tree in combination with the palm trees. :-) I find it fascinating that someone actually came up with these things. In the States my favourite activity this time of year is to drive around the residential areas in search of the craziest decoration. In Sweden this would immediately start a debate about the very hot topic environment friendliness...

Happy holidays!

Korea again

2007-12-11T22:53:00.000+01:00

Tomorrow it is time to go to Korea again. When I travel with work it is not uncommon that the trip gets delayed, changed or cancelled in the last minute. This time is not an exception. I should have left the past Sunday but am leaving tomorrow instead. Should have returned this Sunday but will return 22 Dec. Even the airline was changed and I am going to fly Korean Air for the first time. Exciting...
Often private arrangements are affected by travel changes, usually to the worse but this time I get a full weekend in Seoul which is a treat! I did have to pass on a Christmas concert but I am hoping for an abundance of Christmas music in Korea instead (I am very certain I will not be disappointed!). I am eager to see how the Koreans are preparing for the holidays. Christianty is as common as buddhism in Korea so I expect Christmas to be widely celebrated (the commercial side of it is often quickly adapted..).

Inventive parking in Korea

2007-10-17T17:49:00.000+02:00

Here in Korea they have their own way of solving the lack of parking space issue. They wildly double park. But this is commonly accepted and also understood that you should leave your car in neutral and with no breaks on. This way the poor person that wants to get passed the double parked cars can just push them away. This of course happened to my colleague with whom I was going to lunch. We ended up pushing about 10 cars (or actually he was pushing and I was taking photos :-) )before a small space opened up in front of his car. The car owners that get their cars pushed around also have to accept that they get smashed together since you don't always managed to get the car to stop before it hits the next one in line. Is this not a very creative way of solving the problem?

Big KISS in Korea

2007-10-16T15:22:00.000+02:00

This week work brings me to Korea again. When you arrive at immigration at Incheon Airport outside of Seoul you are greeted with a big KISS. On the numerous Samsung flat screens and on signs everywhere is says KISS. It also says that here at immigration is where Korea greets the world. That's nice, but aren't they going a bit too far here?? I know that Koreans are sometimes very friendly... As you come closer though, you see that KISS is short for Korea Immigration Smart Service. Aha, I thought, and immediately tried to figure out what this really means. I still do not know. You still have to stand in line forever and have your passport stamped by a grumpy immigration officer. So what is the smart service? Are the officers extra smart? Have the Koreans come up with a revolutionary immigration system that is supposed to be extremely efficient? In any case it is invisible enough for the common traveller and is that why they need all the signs...?

One day in Taipei

2007-09-13T21:22:00.000+02:00

Earlier this week I acted courier for my company and went to Taiwan and back in a few days. I got about 24 hours to spend in Taipei. I just love these crazy trips! Why do someone really want to go on a trip where you spend more time in the air plane than at the location? I realize I have difficulties finding a good explanation so I won't even try. Part of the time I spent working, mainly visiting a semiconductor trade show. But I did have some time to look around.

First thing I had to do was to go up Taipei 101 which I think still is officially the highest building in the world. In 37 second, with a max speed of about 60 km/h (!), the elevator took us up to the 89th floor. The building has totally 101 floors, hence the name...

As always I am fascinated by the view and since I went there just before the sun went down I got to see the view both in daylight and by night. The view was of course fabulous but as in many cities on this side of the globe the haze is making it difficult to see too far.

In the evening a dear colleague and his taiwanese girlfriend met me for dinner and showed me around some nice places. For example, we went to a night market which is a popular thing in Taipei. At this market there was loads of cheap stores but also lots of food stalls. Here you could find many delicacies like octupus lips and duck tongue, yummy...

Next to the Night Market there was a rather large and brightly coloured buddhist temple. I don't think I have ever visited such a commercial temple. It is not uncommon that you buy, for a small amount of money, wooden pieces och pieces of paper where you can write your prayers and leave at some suitable place within the temple. Much like in our churches where you can buy candles. Here they had taken it a bit further. There where several counters where people queued to buy a "subscription" on prayers. This means that you go there and pay a certain amount of money and someone will make prayers for you during a certain time, eg a year. It sounds awkward to me to buy that kind of service.

Long short trip

2007-09-09T22:45:00.001+02:00

Today it seems I am off to Taiwan for a day. Basically it is just to go there deliver a package and go back again. Fortunately enough I get to stay for a night in Taipei. Hopefully I will get a few hours to walk around and see some of the city. I hope for good weather so I can go up Taipei 101 (second highest building in the world) on Sept 11...

Since I am addicted to travels I of course signed up for this trip although it means more hours in the plane than in Taipei. I have never been to Taipei so I am excited!

Kyoto

2007-09-02T20:56:00.000+02:00

During my business trip to Kyoto I got one afternoon to spend in the city on my own. I had gotten a lot of suggestions of what to do from colleagues who have spent a lot of time in Kyoto. I chose to go to the buddhist temple Kiyomizu-dera. This temple is situated on the hillside, with a stunning view, west of the city center. It was of course the fact that there was a view that I wanted to visit this site. The first thing I usually do in a new city is to find the highest point.

As always in Japan the area is very well organized and tidy and the temples are kept in very good shape. I almost got the feeling that the temples were built just recently instead of about 400 years ago (the original temples were from the 8th century but were destroyed).

As I was strolling down from the temple area I walked through the Gion district where the Geishas used to be at that time. The Gion district is partly kept in old style with a lot of restaurants and you can see a lot of women walking around in kimonos. It is a beautiful area with small houses and extremely well kept gardens.

By the river down town Kyoto the restaurants build terrasses every year in the summer where it is lovely to sit outside and have dinner or just beers.

When I was walking by myself in Kyoto this afternoon I got an urge to travel again and now I mean a holiday not work. I just love these kinds of slow days when you just see what happens and where you will end up. You have no fixed plans, you just see where life is taking you.

Life...

Unexpected visit to the World Championship in Athletics

2007-09-02T09:35:00.000+02:00

Sweden has currently an unusual amount of very good athletes, Carolina Klüft in heptathlon, Susanna Kallur 100 m hurdles, Stefan Holm high jump, Johan Wissman 400m and Kajsa Bergqvist high jump amongst others. Because of this the World Championship in Athletics has been dominating the sport pages in Swedish papers the past weeks. This Championship was held in Osaka, Japan this year. As it happend I went there on business the same day it started.
When I booked tickets to go to a customer site in Kyoto, near Osaka, I was totally oblivious about the fact that there was a Championship coming at all. A colleague, who was also going to Kyoto, pointed this out to me. He suggested that we should try to go there one night and I thought, yes, why not when we are in the area. Of course we just talked about it and never got around to actually arranging tickets.
When I arrived I called another colleague who lives in Kyoto. We arranged to meet up for dinner and he also asked if I didn't wanted to come along to Osaka the next day because they had an extra ticket. Ok, I said, why not. So all of a sudden I had a ticket and to the best day of all, when Carolina Klüft was going to defend the gold medal in heptathlon. And of course she did! A very good day for a Swede be here! I got some bitter comments about it from jealous colleagues back home...
I have never visited such a big stadium before, it took 70000 people. It was not completely full but probably a good 60000 people were present at the end. It was amazing how, when it was time for the 100 m final, 60000 people became totally quiet and as soon as they start running made an impressive amount of noise.
The picture shows the chaos when Tyson Gay came around our side of the stadium after winning 100 m.

Sushi, finally!

2007-08-27T15:19:00.001+02:00

First thing to do in Japan is to go find sushi! In Sweden I usually don't feel like eating sushi at all because I know what it tastes like in Japan and as soon as I land here I instantly need to go find some raw fish (and it's not difficult here). The variation of sushi in Sweden is very limited while in Japan you will be busy for a long time if you want to try everything.
This time was no different, I immediately went to a sushi place a colleague had recommended. It was close to the hotel and it was lunch time = I was hungry. It was not particularly crowded and I got a seat at the running sushi counter. Usually I let the plates go by for a while before I choose what to take. I know that I can not eat more than 4-5 plates until I am full so I need to choose carefully.
As I was picking out my first taste of the wonderful sushi the man next to me made contact. He was a middle aged, well dressed, slightly drunk (this was a nice of me) man who started of course to speak in japanese of which I understood basically nothing. This often has no affect on the japanese who gladly continue to talk although you look like a living question mark (don't know if that expression works in english but I'll give it a try :-) ). The only english word he knew was chop sticks which I now know in japanese... But he seemed to be happy talking to me anyway and he pointed out a few very good plates of sushi for me so I was not unhappy either. As I was leaving to go see the city of Kyoto he insisted on paying for my lunch. Thank you!

Welcome to Japan

2007-08-25T06:05:00.000+02:00

As I was taking the express train from Kansai Airport in Osaka to Kyoto I saw something very unusual. When the train was leaving the station three men in uniform with white gloves were standing in a perfect line waving the train off. Where else in the world would you see that? Is that really in their job description? I like Japan!

More flying thoughts

2007-08-25T05:20:00.000+02:00

Today I arrived in Kyoto, Japan, and during the flight I thought more about why I like flying so much. Because I actually do like the flying itself. And why would anyone like being trapped in a noisy, confined space for more than 9 hours, being served more or less disgusting food, having to go to tiny bathrooms, putting up with sulky stewardesses and other passengers who are always standing in front of the movie screen (where they always show the movies that I did not want to see)? It doesn't really sound like something anyone would do unless forced under threat.
For me one reason is the fact that you are trapped without any contact with the outside world (unless in the new planes where they have internet connection). You have no choice but to just take it easy, read your book, listen to your favourite music or watch a movie. Normally I tend to be very efficient and use my time in the best possible way, which eventually results in exhaustion when I isolate myself from the world for a day or two. On the plane I am forced to just sit there, think about everything and eventually allow myself to be bored.
Although you might think that all flights are the same, you get the same safety instructions, the same drinks before dinner, the food tastes the same and the same message from the pilot, they all are different. The passengers are not the same, sometimes you're lucky and sometimes not. The weather is different and you fly on different times of the day.
This time I left Sweden in the afternoon, saw the sun set and moon rise, saw the lights being turned on in the cities below and the stars coming out. As the moon was rising it was very hard to see the horizon, it was all just different shades of blue. It did in fact look like the moon was rising below the horizon. It was absolutely beautiful. And there I was watching the sky, sipping my wine not having a very bad time at all.
Also you can learn that "määränpää" means destination in finnish. I would never have guessed that you could fit that many "ä" into one word.

Italy - the best tiramisu in the world

2007-07-16T22:50:00.000+02:00

Being in Italy is a treat in many ways but the food is absolutely the best part of coming here. During our week we sampled the typical Italian food like risotto, pizza, pasta of different kinds, gnocchi (one of my favourites this week), focaccia, cheese, parma ham and tiramisu. All of this of course came with very good Italian wine (chianti, barbera d'alba, sparkling red and white...) or occasionally a beer. And on top of all this we averaged two ice creams a day, the italian ice cream really is extremely good.

In Pisa I found the perfect tiramisu! I have had one once before which was made by a colleague at ESO (European Southern Observatory) where I wrote my master thesis. This colleague, Paola, was a happy italian astronomer and also an excellent cook. She made my stay at ESO a bright one in many ways (she is the only person I know who speak klingon!). At one point she made a tiramisu and for some reason I missed the occasion when it was eaten. But kindly enough she saved me a piece (I had forced her to..) and I remember it as the best coffee break ever! However the tiramisu in the little cosy restaurant with the cute german waiter was definately in the same league. Although I was already full after having a lovely tuna carpacchio and ravioli I had absolutely no problem finishing every bit of it. Suddenly Pisa is my favourite Italian city.

The perfect flight again!

2007-07-15T22:38:00.000+02:00

Going down to Italy I had a fantastic flight again! From the southern parts of Germany it was clear weather (well, that is where I woke up...) and as we were flying over Switzerland I could see the snow covered Matterhorn (to the left) and Mont Blanc (to the right). Guess if I was greatful to have a window seat, on the right side of the plane! Words fail me, just have a look at the picture and you will understand. Click on the picture if you want to have a better look. How can you not love flying?

Italy - perfect for a summer holiday

2007-07-15T21:59:00.000+02:00

I just had the fortune to spend about a week in northern Italy. In Italy it is easy to find just about what ever you want, ranging from mountains to city to beach. This makes Italy a perfect country for a summer holiday of any length, really. My friend Isabelle and I had a good mix of beach time (2h), hiking (2 days), driving (not more than a few hours at a time), sightseeing (always a bar at sight), shopping (Milan has it all) and good food (always).
A lot of time were spent people watching, mostly together with a glass of prosecco and some snacks at a nice bar. It is fascinating to see how many of the customers that seem to know the personnel and the little time they stay compared to Sweden. They enter, chat with the bartender (who always seem to know what they want), have their drinks possibly with some snacks that are always served complimentary here at bars in the afternoon and then they leave. This takes usually less than half an hour. Not like in Sweden where you stay for hours, if not the entire night, if you're lucky enough to find a spot in a nice bar. Here there are many small, nice bars and people move around a lot more. Maybe it's due to the climate, maybe the mentality. Either way, I love it.
Also they seem to have a lot more fun working in the bars here, they interact a lot more with the guests which is a lot easier when it is a smaller, not overly crowded place.

Italy!

2007-07-07T00:27:00.000+02:00

Finally it's time for some holiday again. Even though it's only for a week I look forward to this trip a lot. I am heading for Milan to meet up with my swiss friend, Isabelle. Last time I saw Isabelle was also in Milan actually, three years ago. It's almost tradition... Then we mainly stayed in the city but this time we have rented a car for six days. The goal is to go to Cinque Terre, which is supposed to be a lovely area along the northern west coast with small villages climbing on the cliffs. Unless it is too hot we will be hiking along the coast, probably sunbathing (in Sweden like in Switzerland it has been quite cold so far so we are longing for sun), drinking wine in the afternoon and maybe even scuba diving. There are lots of possibilities and we have no fixed plans really. Hopefully we might also pass a few wineries on our way. We will see what happens. Exciting!

Kayaking in Stockholm

2007-06-29T20:11:00.000+02:00

Today my dear friend Pontus and I had planned to go kayaking in the center of Stockholm to celebrate that he recently turned 30. In the morning it was grey and boring but as we arrived at the kayak rental the sun came out and it turned out to be a fabulous afternoon and evening. The plan was to kayak around the island Kungsholmen on which the City Hall is situated (tower to the left in the picture).

Things do look different from the water. First we passed the area were I live and although I have walked along the cliffs many many times I still found a few new places I have not seen before. As we came to the bars along the water front we were tempted to try to get them to serve us beers in the kayak but the bartenders were too far from the water... After the City Hall we turned left into the channel between Kungsholmen and the City center. This is a calm, lush area which you easily miss hurrying downtown. Several marinas are situated in the channel where you see boat owners packing and getting ready to leave town for the weekend.

Eventually we made it back in time to return the kayaks and what would be better now than a champagne picknick in the park? Said and done, there was still a couple of hours of sunshine for us to enjoy. Fantastic! Thank you Pontus for a great day!

Flying

2007-06-09T23:14:00.000+02:00

The flight back to Sweden from Munich was great. The weather was beautiful all the way up to Stockholm. I love sitting by the window on a clear day looking down on the countries we pass. It is like looking at a map but better and I love maps. It is fascinating to look at the small villages and how they are connected, the colour of the fields and by looking at buildings and how the cities are constructed you can see where the center of town is. This time we passed Berlin, Bornholm, Blekinge, we saw Öland and Gotland and I got the best view of the center of Stockholm. I could even see the building I live in. As we were passing the sea between Germany and Sweden I was looking at the boats and how the waves were progressing through the water and how the waves from several boats were interacting. This was one of the best flights I can remember.

Sweden seems popular in Korea

2007-06-08T22:54:00.000+02:00

It always surprises me when I realize that people actually know something about Sweden, we are after all a pretty small country. First thing that happened when I got off the plane at Incheon, Seoul was that I met an interesting immigration officer.
- “You Spanish?” he asked me.
- “No, Swedish.” It’s only there with big letters on my passport…
- “Ah, oh, Sweden. Sorry, sorry, sorry. I love Sweden!” Ok, he made a mistake but he doesn’t have to pretend to love Sweden just because of that.
- “Lasse Hallstrom!” (Famous Swedish movie director)
- “Oh, you know Lasse Hallström?!”
- “Yes, favourite director, great movies! Ciderhouse rules, Chocolat…”
- “Yes, I liked them too.”
By now he had finished stamping my passport and wished me a great stay in Korea. Funny how the people you least expect starts to talk to you about Lasse Hallström.

My last taxi ride today before going to the airport was an equally surprising experience. As soon as I had gotten into the car and explained where I wanted to go the driver asked me where I was from. His reaction was similar to the immigration officers; - “Oh, I love Sweden! Abba!” Since his English was just slightly better than my Korean this is where the conversation ended. But he immediately started to look around his car and eventually found what he was looking for, an Abba tape (yes, cassette tape..). He played the tape and together we sang along to Abba for the rest of the taxi ride. He looked very happy when he dropped me at the hotel and so was I.

Cute

2007-06-07T22:39:00.000+02:00

Like in other parts of Asia the Koreans like everything to be cute and pretty. On our way to work we passed a road construction site where they had dug a deep hole in the middle of the street. To avoid accidents they had of course put fences all around it. This was not the unusual thing, what surprised me was the beautiful flowers they had decorated the fence with. In what other country would you find this? Also the motorway bridges were decorated with flower as you can see in the picture. Amazing!

Normally for us cartoons are considered a bit childish. Not in Asia. Even big serious companies have cute characters on labels and signs. The company I visited has a winking dog (picture) who is waiving his little finger on the tape that they plug all ports on your computer with (extreme security policy). What would a warning sign for a construction site look like in Europe? Probably it would just be text, maybe a sketch of a man without features and expressions falling down a hole or something similar. In Korea it is a cat wearing a helmet and white gloves telling you what to do and not to do. Different…

Driving in Seoul

2007-06-06T22:37:00.000+02:00

It is an experience to go by car in Korea. The traffic is heavy and crazy and I am glad I did not have to drive. Red lights for example do not have the same status as in Sweden. It is not uncommon that they drive although the lights are red as long as you let the pedestrians pass first and then drive very slowly. It is like if you sneak your way over the intersection no one will notice.
This morning we even saw an argument on the street. One taxi and one truck were driving onto the same road from different directions. I guess at least one of them was not following the traffic rules. They started shouting through the windows but this was not the end of it. The truck driver stopped in front of the taxi blocking both lanes and all traffic. He gets out and they start arguing on the street in front of us while we were waiting for a green light. It looked like the truck driver actually wanted to hit the taxi driver but he didn’t, instead he just left looking very angry. In Sweden just honking would be offensive…

In Korea

2007-06-04T22:28:00.000+02:00

This week I am on a business trip in Korea. They nice thing about travelling with work is that you get to stay at better hotels than what you would normally do. Although I was very upset when I found out that the sauna at our first hotel was for men only! What is that all about?? I know it is out of the question to have a mixed sauna, but men only?! Upsetting!

Luleå

2007-05-28T22:33:00.000+02:00

This weekend I decided to take Friday and Monday off and head up to Luleå in the northern part of Sweden. This is the place where I went to university and also where my sister Viktoria lives with her husband Janne. I almost did not make it due to a strike at SAS which of course started the same day I was leaving. Thankfully there is one more air line operating this route and it was good enough to run extra flights for us unfortunate people who got stuck. This air line also had a very suitable slogan, “FlyNordic – the way it should be”. I didn’t notice it on the way there but when I went back to Stockholm I saw it everywhere. They also had a big poster saying: “The best thing about Stockholm is that it is so easy to get back home again.” He he, they are not really impressed by Stockholm up here. Good reason to try to practice that accent I picked up while living here for five years… :-)

This is a very good season to visit Luleå. The temperature is about the same as in Stockholm but it is light all night long, the trees are just turning green and there are no mosquitoes yet. I still can not get used to watching the sun set when you are finishing dinner around 10.30 pm and then see how it is coming back up just a few hours later. Fantastic! There is something very special about the light up here (accept that there is no light at all in the winter…) and the way it affects your life. In the summer everyone wants to spend as much time as possible awake and outside compared to winter when you want to get indoors as soon as you can. Life is just different in the summer, people have more energy and seem more positive and happy. Winter in Luleå has its charm though, the crisp air, the snow and of course the amazing northern lights. The picture shows the view from my sisters apartment in the middle of the night in May.

Sunday morning walk meeting the tourists

2007-05-20T16:41:00.000+02:00

I am glad to see that also Stockholm attracts tourists. And it should because it is in my opinion one of the most beautiful cities in the world. When it comes to beauty it is in the same league as Rio de Janerio but Stockholm also has a freshness about it that is not easily found. On sunny Sunday mornings I often take a walk around Riddarfjärden (the picture) which takes me over the highest bridge in the city from where you get one of the best views of Stockholm. You see the sunshine reflecting in the water, the City Hall, the Old town, Slussen and Långholmen and it is absolutely beautiful. During this 1 ½ hour walk along the water front you have spectacular views every step of the way. Walking along Söder Mälarstrand you see visitors having breakfast on the deck of the boats that now serve as budget hotels. Some are on their way out with a map in their hands trying to locate themselves. This seems to be the ones who are travelling on their own, wanting to discover the city on foot. When you pass the City Hall you meet the crowds of tourists who are taking photos of the view and every corner of the building. If they are lucky a steam boat is just passing by on its way to one of the sites around Stockholm. Big groups of Japanese and Russians are dominating but many other languages can be heard during the 30 seconds it takes to walk through the courtyard and out the back gate. Along the water front you then pass the buses that has taken most of the tourists to the City Hall and will probably in a few minutes take them to the next site, maybe the Royal Castle or the Vasa Museum. Many probably just stay for a day or two but I hope that many of them can take the time to do the walk I just did. It is really worth it!

Going by train to Stockholm

2007-05-19T20:47:00.000+02:00

When I visit my sister in Gothenburg I take the train going south west from Stockholm. I like taking the train because you get to see a lot more of the country than if you fly. There is a lot more space and if you have problems being disconnected to the world for three hours you can use their wireless network and write your emails. But the best is just to bring your ipod, listen to your favourite music, make yourself comfortable and just enjoy the ride. Living in the city without a car makes trips to the country side rare. So I like watching the farms, fields, forests and small towns pass by. Since I was brought up in the country I get a special feeling and some flashbacks when I see the farms and small country roads that remind me of the roads that I used to cycle or walk on. Although it is nice being away, coming back to Stockholm is in this case a real treat. When you emerge from the tunnels under the southern parts of the city you find yourself on a bridge in the city center with a wonderful view of the old town and the City Hall. It only lasts for a few moments but it is time enough to fill me with love for my home town. So if you ever approach Stockholm from the south by train do not be too fast gathering your things, do not forget to watch the scenery just before you reach the Central Station.

Göteborg - Gothenburg

2007-05-18T20:29:00.000+02:00

During spring in Sweden there are a lot of holidays which gives you the opportunity to go somewhere 4-5 days without actually taking any time off work. It is excellent, really. This weekend I was going to see my sister, Helena, and her family (husband Mikael and son Joel) in Gothenburg on the west coast of Sweden. It does have a bad reputation of being very rainy and it really lived up to it too… It is nice visiting Gothenburg though, the thing that struck me this time was the amount of cafés with tables on the streets giving me a central European feeling. You could just as well be walking around Paris or Florence. Unfortunately I didn’t get to visit one but my sister and I did find a fantastic wine bar (SoHo wine bar, go there if you get the chance!) which is set in an old furniture store. It has a wine cellar, a patio with sun chairs and where the glass walls can be opened on a fine day, dining tables and sofas for the after work champagne. The place has a very relaxing atmosphere, great decoration and their motto was simple and excellent: “every day is a wine day”. The very bad thing about visiting this wine bar was that none of us felt like drinking wine!? And those of you who know me would also find this very odd. Thing was that a stomach flu had affected all of us more or less this weekend. We had all been looking forward to shopping around at the local fish market, cooking three or more course meals and drinking beer on the sun drenched veranda. Yeah, right… Instead we spent a lot of time in the sofa watching videos, looking out at the rain and taking turns being more or less sick. Well, it never really turns out the way you expect. I did get to see my sister though, which was the whole point in going so I am happy anyway.

Airplane crush (not crash…)

2007-05-12T16:41:00.000+02:00

Whenever I see the tracks from an airplane against the blue sky I get this fantastic feeling. You know, similar to being in love and suddenly discovering the subject just before your eyes. You can feel a mix of butterflies in your stomach, total happiness and/or agony because everything might not be exactly the way you wanted it to. Maybe he is walking the other way and did not even see you or he is accompanied by someone and you wanted him all for yourself. Looking at that airplane in the sky I can’t help but thinking about where it is heading, what the people on it are going to do when they get there and how I would feel if I was there. Where would I like to be heading? For how long? With whom? Or would I go visit someone who lives far away? All these questions start spinning around in my head and I end up day dreaming for a minute. When I catch myself doing this I take a deep breath and find that I am a little happier than I was just a minute earlier and anything that might have been bothering me is gone. The image is of an airplane that I saw from my sofa where I sit typing this.

Memorable flight

2007-05-06T16:34:00.000+02:00

Often it is the trip itself to somewhere which is the most memorable. One example of such a trip is when I was flying to Geneva. There were four of us going hiking in Chamonix, France, so the plan was to rent a car in Geneva and drive there. Since we were four we did not fit on one row in the plane and I ended up next to a newly wed couple who were on their way to Mauritius for their honeymoon. This was of course something to celebrate and so we did, drinking wine and chatting all the way to Geneva. All three were in a brilliant mood, this was the trip of their life time and I was simply happy because I was going somewhere. It was lovely meeting this generous, happy couple who shared a part of their trip and life with me. I really hope they had a fantastic time and I wish that if I ever get married my honeymoon will start off like that. My three friends looked at me after the flight and wondered what happened. I was very happy both from the nice company and the wine. On our way to the car rental it was obvious I was not driving…