Merry xmas

Merry christmas people all over the world!

Safe to say I am hardly religious yet I do find that there's something a bit magical about christmas. It's got nothing do with a "god's son being born" mind you. We don't even call it "christmas" in Sweden. Back home it is known only as "Jul" which comes from the old nordic mythology if I'm not mistaken. To me it means getting together with family to spend some quality time with the people that you love, lighting candles to hold back the cold outside, and generally eating yourself half to death.

A swedish tradition that all the people I've told think is weird to the extent that they think I'm joking, is that we watch Donald duck on christmas. Yes the cartoon. Yes the entire Sweden watches it. It's sent on the TV. We also usually eat raw pickled fish and meatballs, and, get this, we celebrate it on the 24th.

This christmas was a lot differnt to say the least. Being halfway around the world means that family and friends back home are far, far away. Thank the gods that we live in the day and age that we do as I got to skype my family and say merry christmas to everyone.

Another big difference was that it was about 30 degrees celsius. The cold replaced with vibrant blue sky and summer heat. Although it felt a bit weird, it was nice being able to spend the day in the sun, eating pizza and bbq with coworkers and friends.

In everyday life I'm looking for a job because my old one is closed for about a month. I'm currently squatting at two good friends (Sheep and Sofie from earlier). I'm running out of money but not friends it seems.

I updated my facebook with a lot of new pictures from my sketchbook. I was thinking I'll post some here as well for good measure. That's all for this time. Miss all of you guysback home and on different places on this blue ball of dirt.

Baibai.

Hmmm, Quite

Well hello there dear reader. 

Hmmm, I say, you are most welcome if you haven't been here before, mmmyes, quite. This electronic paper is full of scribbles by the one and only, mhm, mmmyes. A man of many words and a fun, yet in some cases *harumph* annoying habit of playing on his ukulele. Quite. 

I have nothing of, what would you call it, worth, to say today. Alas, I have returned to my old workplace. Hmmyes. Good workmates, appalling workflow, to say the least. 

I am still residing with two characters of distinguished taste in friends, and although they do smell a bit odd at times, they are a lot of good old fun! Yes, quite. One might even say that me, the author of this magnificent page, is outright grateful for the warmth and hospitality shown to me. Both by coworkers and friends alike. Hmyes. 

So I do say, I will try to update this, glorious of sites a bit more in the future. Maybe even try to do it a couple of times a week. Myes, quite. 

So for now; Cheerio!

Back in Melbs

Hi guys! I'm back in Melbourne!

Wifi has been greatly lacking in both Sydney and New Zealand, which is why I have been absent for far too long. Last time I wrote about the Tangariro alpine crossing, and my plan was to continue writing about the days in New Zealand, but I think it will take too much time and I will never be able to come back to the present.

So in short, what happened after the mountain climbing in Mordor?

The 30th we woke up and eight or nine people stormed into our room to wish me good luck on my travels and to say goodbye. I said goodbye to all of them and then went back to my bed. Lying there I realized my sweater was still on the bus, so I jumped up and ran to the bus. They were just about to pull out on the highway when I caught up with them and I jumped on, telling Twinkles I would just get my sweater and then be off. I was met by a happy cheer. I proceeded backwards in the bus (because of course, my sweater was in the very back) and Twinkles drives off! Next thing I hear his voice in the speaker; "Who want's Phil to stay on the bus?". There was a loud roar of happy voices as we drove off. I went back to Twinkles and asked him to pull over by the side, turned around and told everyone I would gladly stay on, but I already planned the next few days with Henrik.

After saying goodbye to the Stray-family I returned and packed some stuff, ate a little breakfast and took it easy, facebooking and what not. We were picked up by another stray bus that took us straight to Auckland and there we ended up spending some time at Burger King, just because they have free wifi of course. We went to the airport around nine-ish and that's when I realized I had forgotten not one, not two but three pieces of clothing near Tangariro. Argh...

We went up to the viewing area in the international airport and slept on the floor. It was not pleasant.

We woke up early the 1st of December and flew to Queenstown. It's a beautiful little city surrounded by mountains. As to not make this post too long, let's just say that we didn't actually do that much in Queenstown. We saw Millford sounds, which was beautiful, we climbed the hill near Queenstown to get a magnificent view of the city (or town whatever), and we went out a few night for drinking.

Queenstown

 

Millford Sounds

I'll probably add some more pictures later.

So what else? I've been to Sydney once again and this time for a little longer period. Not that much longer mind you, but still longer than the last time.

In Sydney I met a shitload of nice people, I got drunk a few times (surprise surprise) and I met up with some friends I traveled with in the beginning. I really like Sydney, it's a cool place. Especially Ivy was cool. A big nightclub with loads of bars and a rooftop with a pool. Really, really cool.

Of course I had to see the operahouse as well when I was there for the second time again. This time though, we also went to Manly and as such I got some nice photos from another angle.

Henrik left and I am now travelling "on my own" which is both nice and scary. I'm not particularly worried about that though, I'm more worried of my current financial situation. Wah. I'll have to get a job REALLY soon.

During my last days in Sydney I met a german guy named Patrick who I talked a bunch to. It turned out he and his friend was travelling to Melbourne and that they had a spot left in their car. Booyah! Roadtrip!

Patrick, Roman, Barbie and yours truly

Of course we drove the wrong way, had a hole in our petrol tank, and just basically fucked up the drive, so it took us a while to get to Sydney. We had to stop for a night near Canberra and as we were so close decided to look it up. It's quite boring. Maybe we did it wrong. But it was. Really.

I arrived late sunday night, had a few beers, met some old friends and then went to bed at Jacob and Chris's place that they are sharing with a guy named Justin.

Next day was quite lazy. I looked for some work but didn't find anything interesting, met some more friends, and on the evening we went to European Beer Café. There I met A LOT of old-timers and it was a really good time.

Before going home, me, Chris and Jacob found a sculpture with water. Since it looked like one of those climbing things at playgrounds, we decided to climb it. Jacob made it all across, but me and Chris failed miserably and got completely wet. Chris was so wet in fact, he decided to walk the rest of the way in his underwear. I found a BIG branch from a palmtree and decided it needed a home. So there we walked on Brunswick street. Chris almost naked. Jacob completely wet. Me carrying a four meter palmtree branch.

Good night.

Well, that finally brings us to the present. I am trying to find some work from my computer but it seems a bit hopeless. I'll have to get my ass out tomorrow and walk around. It's better to speak to people face to face I've heard. Sigh.

See you soon suckaz. Being back in melBOURNE IS SWEET AS BRO.
 

One does not simply walk into mordor

29th of November.

The events that transpired this day will echo in eternity. This is the tale of how two brave souls crossed the Tangariro alpine crossing, otherwise known as Mordor and Mount Doom.

The day started with our brave heroes equipping the required gear for this tremendous endeavour. I, of course, had all the required gear already on my person, except trousers that would keep me dry up there on the mountain tops. Wearing them I felt ready for the perilous adventure we had settled our goals on, and ready to face what ever dangers that was laid in front of us.

We set out with a four wheeled vehicle with a tremendous amount of space, also known as a "bus". It took us to the far edges of the land known as Mordor, and then left us there to fend for ourselves. You see, one does not simply walk into Mordor, one has to take a bus. 

We came at once to the volcanic environment and we were baffled of the dark and gloomy beauty of the place.

The small shrubs growing around us seemed to accentuate the sloping hills and mountains in the distance, and one could not help but to feel a bit in awe. 

We walked on wooden pathways and climbed small rocky slopes. We were not tardy though, because we knew that we could get a earlier bus if we hurried. The only reason we stopped was to document the surrounding on our portable devices, always ready for an attack. 

We walked for hours. No days! No months! Okay, minutes, until we finally started our ascent for the mountain summit. 

Our highly trained bodies did not budge walking up those million steps and rocky pathways. We did not even break a sweat. I was not gasping for air okey? Not very much anyway. And I was definitely not whining. Anyway. We ascended the mountain side, and as we did, it grew colder and colder, the air turning thick with clouds. 

The slopes getting steeper and steeper, it occurred to me that a single slip in this wretched land could mean my downfall. My death, as it were.

We came at once to a great plane. The misty clouds laid heavy and we could not see a single soul, damned or otherwise. We walked and walked, only following the sticks that some unlucky soul had driven down in the ground, to mark the way to the crossing. Have you ever walked in clouds? I have.

Onward we went, then up and up again. This time the slopes ever steeper, the mountainside ever ominous, the stones darker and sharper. The rain hit us as we climbed. Not vertically, you see, but horizontally. It was raining sideways so to speak, up there on the ledges.

Coming down from the steep hill of loose dirt, we arrived at the fabled Emerald Lakes. These pools of green and blue held many legends. The volcanic smell of sulfur also hit us and we decided against drinking from these fabled lakes.

We moved onward, eating what little food we had brought along, hoping to see the mountain known as Doom. But we couldn't cause the clouds was in the fuckin' way! ARGH!

We continued on and got to the other side of the mountain. What met us there was more glorious than what was viewed before. It was simply beautiful.

We continued down those slopes that reminded me about why we came to New Zealand in the first place, down and down those serpentine grovel roads. 

Amazing right? Yeah I know!

The true brave heroes continued down into the forest just underneath. We walked through trees and mud and over small rivers. One could imagine that there was not a better adventure to be had in these parts of the world.

Thinking back to this trip now the 6th makes me feel like this was the best we did in New Zealand. I strongly recommend it. It was an amazing experience. Nevermind we got beat by the irish couple by nearly an hour. We had to fight orchs and help Frodo carry the ring. Did you guys do that? HUH!? Didn't think so.

After the exhausting walk we chillaxed in the jaccuzzi, made some tacos and just enjoyed the evening. Almost. Of course I first had to freeze to death getting up from the water since I had no key for the room. When I finally got the key it broke. Sigh. It all ended on a high note though, because the next morning about eight people stormed into my room to wish me good luck on my travels.

I realised a short while later that I forgot my jacket on the bus so I had to run to get it. I jumped on and everyone was happy. Twinkles started driving and said that I should stay on. It was nice knowing that I at least am a likeable kind of guy, even though I am known as Pedophil.

End of day six (and start of day seven).