tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-42095656506702675122024-03-13T11:03:27.689+01:00Longboard LadyLongboard Ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01353476446044377362noreply@blogger.comBlogger42125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4209565650670267512.post-5597753786427440812018-05-28T16:50:00.001+02:002018-05-28T17:10:01.848+02:00Where are all my muscles?<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxAocBAcLzaipJVYpUTThN3IDdaZyR6hTq5WftYop2I7EKFyGS0yuwj20MFZ_FOa59rY63yTGUDRiSgVoJ9Jxj6QEtbjRRfjlHBEwbg8wca406kXPDsjRrvNFGINu5FwAtwIVYVFGVkuY/s1600/P5257564.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxAocBAcLzaipJVYpUTThN3IDdaZyR6hTq5WftYop2I7EKFyGS0yuwj20MFZ_FOa59rY63yTGUDRiSgVoJ9Jxj6QEtbjRRfjlHBEwbg8wca406kXPDsjRrvNFGINu5FwAtwIVYVFGVkuY/s1600/P5257564.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cycling in Denmark</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Well, Southern Sweden is kind of flat except <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hallands%C3%A5s">Hallandsåsen</a> but that was doable even for a newbie biking with 53 extra kilos. Denmark on the other hand I expected to be totally flat but that was not true. It isn’t the Alps and I will most likely laugh at this a few months from now but the seriousness in my biking career is relatively new and I kind of struggle in the hillier areas without any major results. I’m waiting for my thighs to become giant, but might be too impatient. Anders tells me to fight harder or wait longer for the results. Guess he’s right. He has giant thighs already which I think is unfair.<br />
<br />
We started our journey in Halmstad, Sweden two weeks ago and had time for a few stops along the way before taking the ferry to Denmark. First stop was <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B%C3%A5stad">Båstad</a>, a well known summer city in Sweden, at least if you watch tennis and just a nearby town if you have a car or go by train. We prefer another option and spent significant more time by bike to find a shelter just outside. This is where we uncorked the small bottle of Champagne given to us at the farewell party a few days earlier, wrapped up in various kind of coolers in the morning and with a “Poff” in the dusk, filled glasses and an enormous amount of moskitos. We celebrated fast and enjoyed the rest of the evening in our tent. Slightly tipsy.<br />
<br />
Second day we found an abandoned shelter along <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sk%C3%A5neleden">Skåneleden</a> and set up camp there, just above <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hovs_Hallar">Hovs Hallar</a>, where we spent the next day hiking in sunshine and happiness. Again, just outside town if you have that car i referred to earlier. We continued slowly south but then, out of the blue, a text message came. “Your package is delivered”. I’m not a fan of the Swedish postal service and my delayed parcel, my long wanted kickstand for my bike, had been expected during a long time until I gave up and we left without it.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgivg5v7Ocf52-qT78rrbnPIOLyKsnFzuwl8maBbwMtcxrRvVk_HVN5bNs0UkZat8S9gractwiry3mZFq-gHOB92Q6jThNc4hmW2Sy0yc9qwqNJIEw9MWVvYXO4oppk85UjRmkbNpMEh9Q/s1600/P5146681.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgivg5v7Ocf52-qT78rrbnPIOLyKsnFzuwl8maBbwMtcxrRvVk_HVN5bNs0UkZat8S9gractwiry3mZFq-gHOB92Q6jThNc4hmW2Sy0yc9qwqNJIEw9MWVvYXO4oppk85UjRmkbNpMEh9Q/s1600/P5146681.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hiking in Hovs Hallar</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
So, as we were still in Sweden and it was only one hour of train ride back to Halmstad which was were my parcel finally had found itself, I put myself in a seat and travelled back just to pick it up. I wanted it badly and the bonus was an unexpected chat with the deliverer, my "father-in-law" much earlier than expected. I mean, we had a tearful goodbye only a few days back. You never know when the next time to meet is, I keep on saying that.<br />
<br />
Later that day, back with Anders in Helsingborg we took a twenty minute ferry to Denmark, without knowing how fast twenty minutes past. We had just put all our things in the socket for charging when they announced the arrival. Denmark, up and go. New land as bikers (except that teenager route I did once), pretty well-known otherwise as travellers.<br />
<br />
Except those hills I was talking about, Denmark has been exactly what I imagined it to be with its sunshine and white and stunning beaches. That imaginary picture rarely exist cause Denmark is still in Northern Europe with it’s unpredictable weather forecasts and it's always a gamble if you chose to have a vacation here. But, we’ve had sunshine for two weeks. Until yesterday when a few raindrops hit us, enough to dig into our bicycle bags, totally confused and not with the slightest idea in which one you had put your rain jacket. Found it and used it for 5 minutes. That's ok, I don't necessarily want to use my rain jacket only because I found it. Today I'm glad I knew were it was though since rain started pouring down as soon as we entered the streets of Fredrikshavn.<br />
<br />
So, I could give you a lot of details about “off the beaten track beaches” in Denmark where we have spent most of the time when we haven't been riding the bikes but all I need to say is that they are lovely and everywhere and if you are into skinny-dipping it seems to be as natural as with a swim suit. Denmark seems to live up to the, often referred but maybe false, reputation of Swedish liberated beach style. This is at least what we have experienced in the Northern Zealand (Själland) and in eastern Jutland (Jylland). Don't get naked on a beautiful beach just because I said it was alright though. It's not illegal but you shouldn't offend anyone.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3zEnfjj2nX_3NRN8FotmOUjpXSqWL3F2KmhNKnDfVp7pGk-RiPSKou55pQdjfWJhebnnq7cOBxn2iPPHZPC4V0wba3TG2Nakn0FhyphenhyphenoMeWo2PCVczaXHkGi5DidSZtSW8Dw1JZFHqouEE/s1600/P5207102.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3zEnfjj2nX_3NRN8FotmOUjpXSqWL3F2KmhNKnDfVp7pGk-RiPSKou55pQdjfWJhebnnq7cOBxn2iPPHZPC4V0wba3TG2Nakn0FhyphenhyphenoMeWo2PCVczaXHkGi5DidSZtSW8Dw1JZFHqouEE/s1600/P5207102.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Anders reading at the beach</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The biking paths are usually great and well marked here but every now and then we need to share space with heavy traffic. Not as nice but at least, according to me, car drivers seem to be more tolerant to cyclists than in Sweden where I experience traffic more aggressive and sometimes even provocative.<br />
<br />
Denmark doesn't have the Swedish “Everyman’s right” which, in Sweden, mean you can put up a tent wherever you want or need for a night unless you are told something else. Instead Denmark has shelters which you can find on <a href="http://udinaturen.dk/#{%22x%22:671157,%22y%22:6240022,%22zoom%22:2,%22categories%22:[%229%22]}">Udinaturen.dk</a>. Good to know if you aren’t confident to ask the landowner or just want to hide your tent and move away before anyone take offence.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY7Zk7_UrREScU8BPF4IDqJHb8s18_5G37XuXj-id2AjBQ09H3VIrEmp_2IlvL1TuVNHkfT_ui8p7PFto-za-75rkoDZcVQBPu_fuEMYi7-SJvErweTrYs9bti0HW4gQSaauagJ4KFodc/s1600/P5267718.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1140" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY7Zk7_UrREScU8BPF4IDqJHb8s18_5G37XuXj-id2AjBQ09H3VIrEmp_2IlvL1TuVNHkfT_ui8p7PFto-za-75rkoDZcVQBPu_fuEMYi7-SJvErweTrYs9bti0HW4gQSaauagJ4KFodc/s1600/P5267718.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dinner time</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijFrHvONQWt47Lblt-VliIwWeHYAtuFZc9JoC2jwtTcIIXfL5OObZcEkK1myA7eKblVOnC8-7oRkXq55oWvAn5SgS-L10pzLCIS9aekUnVqI6ZwbdYXMsNlv2fuy5eImDv8LbeNZPHD4I/s1600/P5257535.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1122" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijFrHvONQWt47Lblt-VliIwWeHYAtuFZc9JoC2jwtTcIIXfL5OObZcEkK1myA7eKblVOnC8-7oRkXq55oWvAn5SgS-L10pzLCIS9aekUnVqI6ZwbdYXMsNlv2fuy5eImDv8LbeNZPHD4I/s1600/P5257535.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Estruplund's church</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
We will have a few days more here, reorganise things before the ferry take off to Iceland, that is where I will need the muscles I’m still missing. We start with a huge, in my point of view, mountain first day. Anders just said, “Think about the ascent you made a few days ago, how surprised you were that it was so easy. It will be just like that but nine times in a row.”. Easy peasy. Anyhow, Iceland will be awesome!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8gnUz-ZHrezugDPKJxBaYfuLVLuD8Tl87qVhFdH0w9ivBT7O1GQmW2kcaZWBqng1_vG12EVV8j7II4MFwuEDWK7RMRQQQG1WG2saa6C2Gztq3zAeHJCW0AGaEuMRmf_XePs5Ys3SkVJA/s1600/P5136520.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1387" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8gnUz-ZHrezugDPKJxBaYfuLVLuD8Tl87qVhFdH0w9ivBT7O1GQmW2kcaZWBqng1_vG12EVV8j7II4MFwuEDWK7RMRQQQG1WG2saa6C2Gztq3zAeHJCW0AGaEuMRmf_XePs5Ys3SkVJA/s1600/P5136520.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coffee time</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG4ifcQ3aCkI7K_n2DAux5EvFHsFzEK_gJIpiF-A0RncignWDWUeBINS53cnh942PVYy0KmWZjsz5EgCX_B2auCNh4x_6IPm7wxpCmD2c1Rn5es3sSRK01RxN_FZVxhPfJGnHivUine6g/s1600/P5247518.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1315" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG4ifcQ3aCkI7K_n2DAux5EvFHsFzEK_gJIpiF-A0RncignWDWUeBINS53cnh942PVYy0KmWZjsz5EgCX_B2auCNh4x_6IPm7wxpCmD2c1Rn5es3sSRK01RxN_FZVxhPfJGnHivUine6g/s1600/P5247518.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brekkie</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHRAYwAsUetyXo_ysnUlnkdfs_4dKvT80IkLdWmxH7sF4zi3gtpiKS4C1Y_HFLTvLbJcB_N7qk4FY97XQCMpHU_TXEGrJHy1S_ZBShiwmAF9q0MhX3dscmVI_abhmm9J85o56KcbV8kFo/s1600/DSC07546.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHRAYwAsUetyXo_ysnUlnkdfs_4dKvT80IkLdWmxH7sF4zi3gtpiKS4C1Y_HFLTvLbJcB_N7qk4FY97XQCMpHU_TXEGrJHy1S_ZBShiwmAF9q0MhX3dscmVI_abhmm9J85o56KcbV8kFo/s1600/DSC07546.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Udbyhøj ferry </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0xjjBq26ZYNi-AuHd6ZMdQkSS-1XRPRrQC5sxldH2ryQwrCn04SBIMEBrxSufps3qN2_zW1C-Ea7yz1rY4MXerb8DEZ0hJdalt8JYKXcuqcJFsEhaChyphenhyphenoL-kldk5wE1rkgkz-_bFFvjY/s1600/P5257610.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1293" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0xjjBq26ZYNi-AuHd6ZMdQkSS-1XRPRrQC5sxldH2ryQwrCn04SBIMEBrxSufps3qN2_zW1C-Ea7yz1rY4MXerb8DEZ0hJdalt8JYKXcuqcJFsEhaChyphenhyphenoL-kldk5wE1rkgkz-_bFFvjY/s1600/P5257610.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Traditional Danish house</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />Longboard Ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01353476446044377362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4209565650670267512.post-91059973916453064422018-05-22T23:53:00.000+02:002018-05-22T23:55:45.960+02:00You can’t beat the sand
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhikzKTkmrifQV67cPVcbQuJg-_TL_ijPJFsYWcueHYs1ktI_kBDkw7ywV14InopLWwjaoLkgWYAJp_H-U_FFhvhZ5A93I4NYv7lNk_-H6hksuztEihFOFYV-9wlFgk9kyjOyt7oBr0yUs/s1600/P5207110+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhikzKTkmrifQV67cPVcbQuJg-_TL_ijPJFsYWcueHYs1ktI_kBDkw7ywV14InopLWwjaoLkgWYAJp_H-U_FFhvhZ5A93I4NYv7lNk_-H6hksuztEihFOFYV-9wlFgk9kyjOyt7oBr0yUs/s640/P5207110+%25281%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dinner before sunset, how lovely.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
We had just finished a camp stove dinner with a Danish beach sunset and tried to get rid of some sausage grease from our titanium plates (and later from our hands) in the salty water without any success. With still dirty plates, defeated by the grease, and slowly moving towards the tent in the bushes behind the beach, a couple stopped us. “Hi there, we are your new neighbours!”, they said pointing at the bushes. “How do you get rid of the sand in the tent?”. Apparently it seemed to be a normal way to start a conversation and we must have looked as we had the answer… and yes we had. “Just get used to it, you can’t win the fight.”. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgDGaKFVDBGaQ5I8jnnUu4F87MtUsxW_1cTaXq95r_2qO4H7HBZXgEUQbm0OCWZ_AW8gANVLOpOn5Ay8396FSozqLIfuz0Nr6OUYaLpHYjw31iuTMWA_oK4-WhY2ZtdN7h8Ptc727eBkY/s1600/P5217131+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgDGaKFVDBGaQ5I8jnnUu4F87MtUsxW_1cTaXq95r_2qO4H7HBZXgEUQbm0OCWZ_AW8gANVLOpOn5Ay8396FSozqLIfuz0Nr6OUYaLpHYjw31iuTMWA_oK4-WhY2ZtdN7h8Ptc727eBkY/s640/P5217131+%25281%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me and my Thorn Nomad hidden behind all my luggage.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
We have recently started this life and must say we love it! Not every single minute of it of course, it is still a lot to learn even if we consider us to be at least quite experienced campers. Hardest things in life right now is how to find enough water, it should be easier when you've built up the courage to ask for it, and how to get your things together in the mornings before lunch time. Well, we’ll learn to do that to, eventually. At least we have time.</div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
We are not moving fast but we are in no hurry either, Denmark is beautiful and the weather has been marvelous so far. Slightly chilly in the nights but daytime the sun is shining and shining, turning our skins happily brown being outdoor almost all the time. We are considering taking the ferry to Iceland in the nearby future but the weather forecast in Denmark says sun for as long as it shows, Iceland on the other hand is showing hard rain and 7°C. Not what we have ever asked for but the longing for a new adventure might win, how lovely Denmark with it’s sun may be.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
Anyway, it’s another sunny biking day tomorrow, at least according to the forecast. Maybe we get bored at this summer weather eventually and move on to colder destinations. Until then, let’s keep up the fight against the sand.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXKIj-HvXdoet9WIWqfYWz6Ya0ONWp8nFb-sDadUjixpJF0QOwrhRNTE4SEp_gWOeVeO3b-2IlYCQn6kYdoZwhcU4-qgKegyNqdW80JkTYF1m_bCtzwIpS_Vlw1bgfbjBpGBmYgsYFijg/s1600/DSC07384.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXKIj-HvXdoet9WIWqfYWz6Ya0ONWp8nFb-sDadUjixpJF0QOwrhRNTE4SEp_gWOeVeO3b-2IlYCQn6kYdoZwhcU4-qgKegyNqdW80JkTYF1m_bCtzwIpS_Vlw1bgfbjBpGBmYgsYFijg/s640/DSC07384.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Northen Zealand in Denmark</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlmygFod6h1mAun4peuWMHasyNMSNVvwMYB8V6XPqOyRVLMYtbLpUm0UUiCZ2k5laxg0T-RRcg1Vx0bfkV6tkjQfnmu4qAaxseHyyIoDBxYiuuK7vq5pkR88wpnAx8MtDXuoi8uHjhqxE/s1600/DSC07416.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlmygFod6h1mAun4peuWMHasyNMSNVvwMYB8V6XPqOyRVLMYtbLpUm0UUiCZ2k5laxg0T-RRcg1Vx0bfkV6tkjQfnmu4qAaxseHyyIoDBxYiuuK7vq5pkR88wpnAx8MtDXuoi8uHjhqxE/s640/DSC07416.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Good morning sunshine!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<br />Longboard Ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01353476446044377362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4209565650670267512.post-34190485991247418242018-04-08T18:55:00.003+02:002018-04-08T19:47:37.136+02:00After work is freedom<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_afvtUxmCe1JD5qBkK21Hfovp61oKu-3mjQELMhOa99L98LkrThRkui0eB0JK5zKDp7g6HEbLhSOvoN0kirh5XkX1-_WuhwFWSMjXxAk2fpOq1KDfnSY9c0vyagwrIMBU_qlf9r8nWGM/s1600/IMG_20150817_203956.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1274" data-original-width="1274" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_afvtUxmCe1JD5qBkK21Hfovp61oKu-3mjQELMhOa99L98LkrThRkui0eB0JK5zKDp7g6HEbLhSOvoN0kirh5XkX1-_WuhwFWSMjXxAk2fpOq1KDfnSY9c0vyagwrIMBU_qlf9r8nWGM/s640/IMG_20150817_203956.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A young aunt Lena enjoys life.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="p1">
<br />
It’s time to skip mandatory early mornings, negative stress and far too little time for happy things. I’ve quit my job, sold my things and I look forward to a lot more adventurous future.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> No longboards this time, we choose bicycles. Longboard Lady on a bike!</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
It won’t be a future in luxury in the sense people often refer to the word, but never have I ever asked for that either. We'll have our own version of it. More demanding, more simple and always with huge gratitude for the opportunity to change life to whatever we wish for.</div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
Anders has been talking about his upcoming bicycle tour around the world since the day we met and had already detailed plans made. Time flew and we had other gorgeous adventures together, fell deeply in love and shared both happiness and grief, weakness and strength and lots and lots of travels. My total match when it comes to obsessive yearning for freedom and also the only man I could ever consider to ask if he wants to join the sort of craziness I sometimes desire so madly, with always a “Yes!” in respond. And now, suddenly we own our future and "the right time" is here. We have saved and planned and dreamt for such a long time and today I'm free from the ordinary “work-kind-of-life”. Now I'm the one who say "Yes!" to craziness.</div>
<div class="p2">
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj0HFoN5UuBIQZJCqXxSy67rbvWIdzkkwBmeaGlGi4SDWtDlsxiJLxQxLx5jz93rZtB9jNIksmRgY4O-N-GYLQCsnWXaCVbAPo9lCDvCRQKe6W8KNQsMKhDZaw4BYLnypSIPJ3KQ6j80k/s1600/IMG_20180328_163634.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1386" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj0HFoN5UuBIQZJCqXxSy67rbvWIdzkkwBmeaGlGi4SDWtDlsxiJLxQxLx5jz93rZtB9jNIksmRgY4O-N-GYLQCsnWXaCVbAPo9lCDvCRQKe6W8KNQsMKhDZaw4BYLnypSIPJ3KQ6j80k/s320/IMG_20180328_163634.jpg" width="277" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Thorn Nomad waiting for a new life</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We have bikes and dreams and a tent, the rest is unknown in a world full of beautiful uncertainness.</div>
<div class="p1">
<br />
One person who inspired me to do this, I mean to go together with Anders plus bikes for as long as we want to, is my beloved aunt Lena. She died at the age of 53, 2015 in cancer. She had a beautiful soul, full of love and respect for everyone close to her and she always said yes to spontaneity in life. She fought so hard to live longer. I know that she would had been more than proud of me doing what I do right now and she will always follow me on my journey as a reminder of what's important in life. </div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
Follow us on a long bicycle tour around the world, without time limits and with plenty of joyful stops. I slowly start my trip from Borås in the middle of April towards Halmstad in the south of Sweden. The big trip together starts from there in May.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
I will always keep my Instagram account updated, sometimes even my Facebook page. Follow/like them please! ;-)</div>
<div class="p3">
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/_longboardlady_/">www.instagram.com/_longboardlady_</a></div>
<div class="p3">
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/longboardlady/">www.facebook.com/longboardlady</a></div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
Follow Anders as well, he's really good in writing! :)</div>
<div class="p3">
<a href="https://www.globecyclist.com/">www.globecyclist.com</a></div>
<div class="p3">
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/globecyclist/">www.instagram.com/globecyclist</a></div>
<div class="p3">
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/globecyclist/">www.facebook.com/globecyclist</a></div>
<br />Longboard Ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01353476446044377362noreply@blogger.com6Borås, Sverige57.721035000000008 12.93981899999994357.58537050000001 12.617095499999943 57.856699500000005 13.262542499999944tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4209565650670267512.post-13976631284628172072016-02-19T14:49:00.000+01:002017-01-22T15:02:20.871+01:00Remembering those days of happinessSweden again, a couple of months of winter, darkness and another life. Spring is hopefully here soon, at least that is what most people are longing for. Anders spent the winter months editing the Stuart Highway movie. Watch it and read about our last skating days.<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/HSL3sdmNCXk" width="640"></iframe><br />
<br />
<strong>The last days!</strong><br />
The car was bigger than expected, a 4WD SUV was going to replace our longboards and arms with mixed feelings loaded the trunk. We had had this on our minds for a while, how to travel faster and less strenuous and also be able to see more things thanks to that. But the original plan had also been to skate all the way down to Port Augusta, not ”only” to Alice Springs. Even if we had to change this plan parts of us wanted to skate further. This had been the days of our lives. <br />
<br />
Barely a week earlier, all we wanted to achieve was to reach Alice Springs and so we did. We arrived at the ”Welcome sign" outside town, fully equipped with skating gears. Triumph and "happy photo moments" later we tried to enter the city without having a speeding ticket, the hills were pretty steep. Well, a little too steep according to us but we were so close to reach the goal. Some kilometers later we landed at a shopping center, bought 2 ice creams each and tried to convince ourselves that this was it, mission was completed! Emptiness and happiness, side by side.<br />
<br />
So, this was the end of our skating adventure. After that we were lucky to have a lot of adventures by car in the southern parts of Australia before we went back to Sweden, happy and precious memories. But longboarding the Stuart Highway is absolutely the most interesting and best thing we have done! Some of you have seen my pictures on Instagram or Facebook, for the rest of you, they are still there. Otherwise, have a look above at the movie Anders made!<br />
<br />
So long!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUTGaVUBudZbo8g4xZLnrmtDKWCqi8F00n8p2nFEkY6ZA_2CHYpaGBUTYHG48aVkqT61DEcZR098XDWnfMwJtd-jVp6k9-xJq5EE2fMB2cfV8DW7RvjjyA6UmpA14MC6K8sZixDzGPpGc/s1600/20151024_132643.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUTGaVUBudZbo8g4xZLnrmtDKWCqi8F00n8p2nFEkY6ZA_2CHYpaGBUTYHG48aVkqT61DEcZR098XDWnfMwJtd-jVp6k9-xJq5EE2fMB2cfV8DW7RvjjyA6UmpA14MC6K8sZixDzGPpGc/s640/20151024_132643.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />Longboard Ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01353476446044377362noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4209565650670267512.post-63944224758264025552015-10-24T10:58:00.000+02:002017-01-22T15:01:33.547+01:00Luxury for skaters<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUeBhFvFDPAVl7bxuz4fNRkhcXHN-8i7VfDcxuQugX2sVroL26dTN_8KSPbSbsnrretPXy9gzf3otapqvveHhoVqRrEiYqhcWg9UPHOyWYHPzFHly4SSycwUWnhZhIQo7Ph7pNouHSIPc/s1600/wpid-p9220033.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUeBhFvFDPAVl7bxuz4fNRkhcXHN-8i7VfDcxuQugX2sVroL26dTN_8KSPbSbsnrretPXy9gzf3otapqvveHhoVqRrEiYqhcWg9UPHOyWYHPzFHly4SSycwUWnhZhIQo7Ph7pNouHSIPc/s640/wpid-p9220033.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<em>Wild camp (Photo: Anders Karlsson)</em><br />
<br />
We set camp for the last time for this skating adventure. The day had been a fight towards a bad temper and tired legs and we had had two choices, to split the distance in three days instead of two and drink crappy water the last day or to push ourselves to exhaustion, have fresh water all the time but be in terrible moods. Both of us. The flies were in hundreds and all we wished for was to be in Alice Springs already, hopefully with less insects.<br />
<br />
We took a paus in the shade of Warburton memorial's stone, tried to cheer each other up and decided to skate just a little bit more. Off we went and on surprisingly smooth pavement for the first time of the day we could feel a tiny little descend.<br />
<br />
Moods changed to happy, we were flying for several kilometres. On top of that a man stopped and gave us a litre of ice in a bottle which slowly turned into the coldest and greatest water ever. <br />
<br />
All this lasted only for half an hour or so, but the luxury of a stretch of smooth downhill and a friendly man with ice made the difference. On rough asphalt we skated the rest of the day, picked a lovely camping spot in the golden afternoon light which I adore so much. The sun gave color to the sand, the trees and to the two of us. The last piece of melted water was shared in a joined toast for the last wild camp and for 43 days of hard skating days, one to go, and a lot of fun in between. Shared with tons of flies, but anyway. <br />
<br />
If that's not luxury, what is!?<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_-N7urTa7neW1QekkhFKfk8HGMGmMDoQbHbe4SaBH5xVjxqKPUCpPNlHzbIuuh7aycVmoIvthuSkWmcQbQI4M1sNruhsJNjEkI3TAPoxR1mv2pBpCR3HnMPErNx2mIBNDjQf4PjPAd48/s1600/wpid-img_20151023_204212.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_-N7urTa7neW1QekkhFKfk8HGMGmMDoQbHbe4SaBH5xVjxqKPUCpPNlHzbIuuh7aycVmoIvthuSkWmcQbQI4M1sNruhsJNjEkI3TAPoxR1mv2pBpCR3HnMPErNx2mIBNDjQf4PjPAd48/s640/wpid-img_20151023_204212.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<em>Another kind of luxury along Stuart Highway</em><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHmzApHzduZrnP2UURVbYrPxnSMVbS6FV3KovYiNtQEiZrwgR19x2S91Dj89R4wC1nqonilGBga779Dvt21Hg6WgQlK9F5ccoSqlgaZqh2-Rbp4pJDdnbyxkIJ78t_cR5HCe0f9EMXQik/s1600/wpid-img_20151024_132149.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHmzApHzduZrnP2UURVbYrPxnSMVbS6FV3KovYiNtQEiZrwgR19x2S91Dj89R4wC1nqonilGBga779Dvt21Hg6WgQlK9F5ccoSqlgaZqh2-Rbp4pJDdnbyxkIJ78t_cR5HCe0f9EMXQik/s640/wpid-img_20151024_132149.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<em>Tropic of Capricorn </em><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjlzydI8BzwX-BPEkI0FqljdId3LdLIpssEcp6de5KJWr2JtGDCzcI0yji8xk8Gj-NuUCcdnxOdAzwbJ-CaQnezkkLQbWDhdjXel0nemZW8tUGPxj22HeONgSTcXLJ-vZ495OjHe1d5L4/s1600/wpid-img_20151023_2101521.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjlzydI8BzwX-BPEkI0FqljdId3LdLIpssEcp6de5KJWr2JtGDCzcI0yji8xk8Gj-NuUCcdnxOdAzwbJ-CaQnezkkLQbWDhdjXel0nemZW8tUGPxj22HeONgSTcXLJ-vZ495OjHe1d5L4/s640/wpid-img_20151023_2101521.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<em>Stuart Highway</em>Longboard Ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01353476446044377362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4209565650670267512.post-72935521535439739502015-10-19T10:51:00.000+02:002017-01-22T15:00:22.300+01:00Where are all the kangaroos and where the hell is Alice?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMvIwwxBd4nCU9k2MHKS5yGR6UQrRCVxDs-LaK7oD7DcoCJMOt0eA20HMtgwvYIjgSpBMWHwYbysV9YSyXjTLwUMBKULvPvHCC_N2Asv58r9ZeKC5eEb3TWEHEGUXHru_P6NlFGobYa_k/s1600/IMG_20150928_151643.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMvIwwxBd4nCU9k2MHKS5yGR6UQrRCVxDs-LaK7oD7DcoCJMOt0eA20HMtgwvYIjgSpBMWHwYbysV9YSyXjTLwUMBKULvPvHCC_N2Asv58r9ZeKC5eEb3TWEHEGUXHru_P6NlFGobYa_k/s640/IMG_20150928_151643.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<em>Where are all the kangaroos? </em><br />
<br />
Six weeks ago we had our first experience of the outback, if you can call it "outback" only 43 kilometres away from Darwin. We did. Noonamah had a roadhouse, a gas station, a pub/restaurant, a camping and not much more to brag about. We were exhausted but thrilled, everything was new and we had a serious laugh at the stickers you could buy at the gas station. They said <em>"Where the Hell is Noonamah"</em> and we couldn't do more than agree. Where the hell had we ended up?<br />
<br />
Several weeks later, and with a lot more confidence and experience of the outback and the roadhouses, we've learned that those stickers are everywhere. <em>"Where the hell is Hayes Creek/Emerald Springs/Dunmarra/Wycliffe Well/...".</em> Not so funny anymore even if we still wonder where the hell we are sometimes.<br />
<br />
As we continue travelling we meet a lot of friendly people. Some of them stop to take photos, some of them are just curious or want to give us something cold. A few stop because they assume we are hitchhiking, I presume we sometimes look like that when we're waiting for cars to pass by. Anyway, we tell our story and lately people have started to say, <em>"Aah, you're only going to Alice."</em> Well, in my opinion it's not like skating to the neighbour. For your information it's still almost 300 kilometres away and the asphalt doesn't seem to get better. You're welcome to join if you like and if you're unsure of the map I can point Alice Springs out for you and explain how far "almost/only/just" is . ;-)<br />
<br />
So, we're "almost" there according to a bunch of people but still we haven't seen an alive kangaroo. A dead one, yes. But that doesn't count. <br />
<br />
We fall asleep to the strange sounds of howling dingoes and wake up to a lovely bird song in the dawn. We've seen more wallabies, dead and alive, than we thought were possible and the parrots are making us crazy with their noise. Their colours are beautiful though. Ants, frogs, toads, spiders, lizards, emus, peacocks, unfenced cows and fenced camels. Even a group of wild donkeys.<br />
<br />
But where are the roos? Can't leave Australia without having seen one, can we!?Longboard Ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01353476446044377362noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4209565650670267512.post-48608570357377196062015-10-08T12:18:00.000+02:002017-12-13T22:16:54.213+01:00Therapy, wanderlust and exhaustion<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7rPhjXrphUiCkZiFwXNzokurpVzxBPQezBwTPSx1jX5PRxGWuejzoJuGLJ9S_F0bWKDU7-4ssdMSefhO9_JTrc23sx304GXJBvUze0Ry4NVDvf5tyVqJuC5M72ohQZouRufuWu8WvRyo/s1600/IMG_20150930_201716.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7rPhjXrphUiCkZiFwXNzokurpVzxBPQezBwTPSx1jX5PRxGWuejzoJuGLJ9S_F0bWKDU7-4ssdMSefhO9_JTrc23sx304GXJBvUze0Ry4NVDvf5tyVqJuC5M72ohQZouRufuWu8WvRyo/s640/IMG_20150930_201716.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
Stuart Highway <br />
<br />
I arrived at the Stuart Memorial rest area in tears, tried to hide them from Anders but it might have been them who made him say, "Let's stay here, it's great!". Or maybe he just thought the place <em>was</em> great, when I had a look around it suited our purpose quite well. Toilets, water and the possibility to have a cold one if we had company. The pain in my right thigh didn't go away at once but I certainly felt relieved and one of the least effective days for me had an end. <br />
<br />
We didn't have to wait long until a caravan with a fridge turned up. Cold drinks for dinner, more than appreciated. So was the wine we shared with the owners later on. When the sun almost touched the horizon I zoomed out from the conversation for a while, the bushes behind the small gathering looked like they were on fire... I didn't mention it to the others, just enjoyed the colours of the nature by myself. <br />
<br />
We've had some "killer days", the wind made it into our minds and the pavement absorbed all energy from both of us, sucking it out through heels and toes, leaving nothing but cruel exhaustion. Together in misery we tried to encourage each other but I guess I wasn't the only one falling asleep with a silent wish on my lips, "Please, let it be less demanding tomorrow, let the wind ease or turn into a tail wind. Please!"<br />
<br />
Then one day the wind just turned. The rough asphalt became smoother too and with a silly smile and reasonable fresh and cold water we took off for the two best skating days ever. No pain, and Tennant Creek, the next town was getting closer fast. I mean in longdistance skating terms. We also had a few people stopping, some offering fruit and cold drinks and one couple was actually already fans of Longboard Lady. That's cool!<br />
<br />
<strong>Skate on</strong><br />
"One, two, three, four, five... one, two, three..." Pushing, thinking or emptying your brain. Sometimes it's a total and perceptive presence where every thought is clear and vivid. Other times it's more like meditation, where every time you push and put a number to it becomes a kind of mantra. Stuart Highway gives me the opportunity to have the thinking, the meditative moments and of course the admiration of this magnificent landscape. <br />
<br />
<strong>Tennant Creek</strong><br />
It is what I expected. A small mining town without anything really exciting to explore for us. Lovely rest days though at the only hostel in town. Reading, cooking, drinking a bottle of wine. That's a lovely life for a tired skater.<br />
<br />
We've been here, in Tennant Creek, for two days now, plan to leave tomorrow morning but who knows... It's not a big city but they have a food store where I could find coconut oil, chia seeds and 100% peanut butter. We all have our needs and I'm lucky I found these luxury things of mine.<br />
<br />
We have actually spent a lot of time trying to find out how to make it possible to transport all the food we'll need for the rest of our trip. We have one third left to skate before Alice Springs, where we plan to stop this adventure, but only one opportunity to buy food once we've left Tennant Creek. Thankfully there are a couple of roadhouses along the way. They won't offer any food to bring but I guess they have exactly the same menu as the other roadhouses and we will gratefully accept it for refuelling. Still, we will be overloaded with cans and water when we're slowly moving to our final skating destination.<br />
<br />
Let's see if we find internet along the way, otherwise Alice Springs will be the next place for updates a couple of weeks from now. <br />
<br />
So long!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixuERXO-y61lCPYTWIlzQxfmxhE2uwfoReRSGiVN0Zmg3NtypE_LGm3Rx2yts4qRSl10zfMBx-bhSEna53jaAMDX6i_CyY_kir_SluYta6JJiIdcEM6Q9HYY_ViS2N8OkoMQovKuk8zow/s1600/IMG_20151002_195405.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixuERXO-y61lCPYTWIlzQxfmxhE2uwfoReRSGiVN0Zmg3NtypE_LGm3Rx2yts4qRSl10zfMBx-bhSEna53jaAMDX6i_CyY_kir_SluYta6JJiIdcEM6Q9HYY_ViS2N8OkoMQovKuk8zow/s640/IMG_20151002_195405.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
Stuart Highway on a longboard <br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwdZxomnhm55ZTrlf5vgWQAtS0FI1teAkyBKKamrLRgZoyUAdpJ50yMIupFujhGCj6hvt-2gUJ67Y33x7t06fWSEAJy9olX91C3QwLsCfaTa9O8d7wnbr2gEqEYO3gQrWejwAPb1XMVCM/s1600/IMG_20151006_155635.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwdZxomnhm55ZTrlf5vgWQAtS0FI1teAkyBKKamrLRgZoyUAdpJ50yMIupFujhGCj6hvt-2gUJ67Y33x7t06fWSEAJy9olX91C3QwLsCfaTa9O8d7wnbr2gEqEYO3gQrWejwAPb1XMVCM/s640/IMG_20151006_155635.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
Me and Anders having a lovely stay at Three Ways<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiluVS_Y2aoMUm_lHxkyV8_aJfD9NPYHGxZDFHeyUgA9RGgzgxc8A151Y-PGNgE89gGGjCDoV1Du1myklgEajZb_-qR_UOS3Zq8ot_dbshE_oOKAFLpHnrWh-CTvbbjedL0BB11kYz_pak/s1600/20151008_183346.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiluVS_Y2aoMUm_lHxkyV8_aJfD9NPYHGxZDFHeyUgA9RGgzgxc8A151Y-PGNgE89gGGjCDoV1Du1myklgEajZb_-qR_UOS3Zq8ot_dbshE_oOKAFLpHnrWh-CTvbbjedL0BB11kYz_pak/s640/20151008_183346.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
Fans stopping for a chat and some cold drinks. I hope you are OK with me posting this picture!Longboard Ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01353476446044377362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4209565650670267512.post-75165391572096081212015-09-29T14:52:00.000+02:002017-01-22T14:53:22.564+01:00Elliott, the shithole<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkoFI6OxmM2EwJyR6rqaEE6xKevNCUxpaXYXgE7WEhIp1u4rak6CDWQYIfuJwz1_nUl_UxVpa20DkatICirJiHvdU1_9LKL-G0nNoLYEfycdqmP2YZt7KRLevn4nFiEkaWPL7ZdOBNPjU/s1600/IMG_20150929_213517.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkoFI6OxmM2EwJyR6rqaEE6xKevNCUxpaXYXgE7WEhIp1u4rak6CDWQYIfuJwz1_nUl_UxVpa20DkatICirJiHvdU1_9LKL-G0nNoLYEfycdqmP2YZt7KRLevn4nFiEkaWPL7ZdOBNPjU/s640/IMG_20150929_213517.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
"Elliott is a shithole." The tone she used was neutral but the words very clear. Ok, we still wanted to believe that Elliott was the next "heaven" for us, no matter what the young girl at the reception/bar/restaurant in one of the former small towns said. A place where we, a week later, should be able to relax, refuel, eat and drink from more than one menu and maybe even buy new shoes for Anders. Well, now we know. Elliott IS a shithole. She definitely knew what she was talking about! A friendly shit hole though.<br />
<br />
We have another week of skating until the next imagined heaven, Tennant Creek, and our legs beg us for a rest day. The skating equipment too, things loosen on a longboard riding this, mildly described, shaky road. We'll stay in the shithole for two nights.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrERRlgqSfN-VLiEXzUo-0ncCM1sW1yKna8LQD5dF76j8P0GwP16wFo0rcIg-3fwjx4RPTCV44cnXgEMKHccWHO2BuzlrfzVjrctNCf87HbadoEMTKyAFp-OhrlihajdK8Psb2C0-tPYc/s1600/wpid-img_20150929_205049.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrERRlgqSfN-VLiEXzUo-0ncCM1sW1yKna8LQD5dF76j8P0GwP16wFo0rcIg-3fwjx4RPTCV44cnXgEMKHccWHO2BuzlrfzVjrctNCf87HbadoEMTKyAFp-OhrlihajdK8Psb2C0-tPYc/s640/wpid-img_20150929_205049.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
So, for anyone else who reads in a few years old guidebook or have any kind of fantasies about Elliott as a metropolis, please remember that it's still a nice town but:<br />
<ol><br />
<li>There are NOT a couple of roadhouses here. The only room we found was an old cabin at the hotel, when you enter the town from the north. It had seen its better days to be honest but the bar area is really nice . The hotel didn't open until noon due to the "Alcohol restriction law" though. (We just wanted a room but as mentioned it also serve as the local bar.) There is a caravan park at the other end of the town too, according to Google Maps, 750 metres away from "our" hotel. Didn't find any rooms there, can't be sure.</li>
<br />
<li>You can't buy any other footwear than thongs here and that's not what Anders needs.</li>
<br />
<li>The only "Breakfast Menu" in town, which is in the hotel that opens at 12, is no longer available. Same thing with "Lunch Menu" which is said to be between 12 and 1 pm. Doesn't exist. The "Dinner Menu" though, between 6 pm and 8 pm is still there and pretty decent for the outback too.</li>
<br />
<li>There is a "Take Away" kitchen at the BP store. When we went there the kitchen was closed though, because of the chef's birthday. The next day it seemed to be her birthday too!? Besides that the staff is helpful and friendly.</li>
<br />
<li>Another place for hot food around lunchtime is in the store next to the campsite. The store is randomly closed though and when we were hungry around noonish yesterday we couldn't find a single soul. All doors closed. No sign and no opening hours available. Today at the same time the store was open but the kitchen closed. Friendly staff here too, that helps.</li>
<br />
<li>The minimart that's supposed to be adjoined to the hotel is no longer there. I guess they've just closed.</li>
<br />
<li>If you find the store next to the camping open and make some complementary shopping at the BP store you can refill your grocery supply pretty well. They do have a selection of canned food and some other things you'll need if you travel slowly in the outback. That's good! Expensive as hell of course but what the heck, we are just passing.</li>
</ol>
<br />
Elliott is also the place which is almost in the middle of what we have decided to be the "Grand Final" of our skating adventure. Darwin to Alice Springs, hurray... If I find the opening hours for the bar, if they keep it open on these hours, if they actually store gin, which seem surprisingly rare, and if they have someone serving I will try to find a GT tonight, celebrating that we only have another 761 kilometres (Google Maps again) to skate before we'll turn into, what other people call, more "normal" travellers.<br />
<br />
Well, now it sounds like Elliott is a totally boring place to be. I must say that it's not fair. We've had our share of smiles and warm faces and the people still living here can't be blamed for the decreased numbers of inhabitants, which I guess is one of the main reasons for this towns status. It's still a shithole, but a nice and friendly one.<br />
<br />
Cheers! :)Longboard Ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01353476446044377362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4209565650670267512.post-38199923460963033962015-09-23T15:00:00.000+02:002017-01-22T14:51:01.377+01:00Insects, the wind from hell and Chinese television<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7nnuc_iCyFhqpNlXT4sd9P3Zzkp87x_pXNGGLQFDgL_Hes3XPOsQzpOEXjETELE_AsO_HLHs0OEE34gVGlT_hFoV-qpRFeSrBwQAl44g_A79A7lV8URCaQtQ_5PEwqBLtJBPfyVWH2lo/s1600/wpid-img_20150923_165250.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7nnuc_iCyFhqpNlXT4sd9P3Zzkp87x_pXNGGLQFDgL_Hes3XPOsQzpOEXjETELE_AsO_HLHs0OEE34gVGlT_hFoV-qpRFeSrBwQAl44g_A79A7lV8URCaQtQ_5PEwqBLtJBPfyVWH2lo/s640/wpid-img_20150923_165250.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Lately we thought things were going better and better day by day. Then the head wind started. Phew... A warm and hard wind, right in your face. Making every push a hard struggle continuing for hours and hours with heavily loaded trailers containing huge amounts of water and the daily dosage of canned food. The asphalt was also teasing us, and for a while happy faces turned into not so happy. The good thing with the head wind though is that the flies don't know how to keep up crawling in your face. <br />
<br />
I had new cravings, ice cream or/and really chilled Fanta! I could also see myself eating "raw" ice. That's not a new one though. I've always loved it.<br />
<br />
Two days of this wind, staring down on your feet for every single push, slowly moving and slowly taking all the fun away. Then, the Chinese TV team stopped, asked for an interview and offered us less warm water than we had in our water containers. Chatting and a photo shooting was fun and when we finally took off again the wind from hell had decreased a tiny little bit and we had new energy for an hour or so, enough to find us a new and excellent wild camp. No ants, a million flies but no ants. Happy faces.<br />
<br />
Today we just decided to take a detour to Daly Waters Historical Pub. What a place! I can't decide what's better than the other. The delicious food or the clean shower. We need to rest from five days of skating with a head wind. Looking forward to two lovely days of gluttony and a massive consumption of soap. Gaah! <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe0akYXkztOG9cjlePma52XN3ZM-mPIcjQIzHCGPuPlawwoSyIhzZyY1Yt42TdZYW30cJl7getvvIuqygiIabj3H4Gswj8Yozsp440-5FMBqcDbmlGAop3VexsqzV6UenFwc5fgRoOQLM/s1600/wpid-img_20150922_201925.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe0akYXkztOG9cjlePma52XN3ZM-mPIcjQIzHCGPuPlawwoSyIhzZyY1Yt42TdZYW30cJl7getvvIuqygiIabj3H4Gswj8Yozsp440-5FMBqcDbmlGAop3VexsqzV6UenFwc5fgRoOQLM/s640/wpid-img_20150922_201925.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
Burned area along Stuart Highway <br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0iOYiltNhHnspP8AkUeYjYID2Zl6yR5c_kIOnWtYXWwFj4uAA24IMDst5G0xZ9zhRF-DWPbPESVCeN_TyEOVc8rAS3zVZMAq8HiXTBCCB-vd6E575P1oFp1UTWRybjMO8CI9X6KvbeLc/s1600/wpid-img_20150922_202505.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0iOYiltNhHnspP8AkUeYjYID2Zl6yR5c_kIOnWtYXWwFj4uAA24IMDst5G0xZ9zhRF-DWPbPESVCeN_TyEOVc8rAS3zVZMAq8HiXTBCCB-vd6E575P1oFp1UTWRybjMO8CI9X6KvbeLc/s640/wpid-img_20150922_202505.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
Anders is taking a break along Stuart Highway <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhskyoVAv30n7QLwDk2YPIv9K4go672ogYwxm1dW4lAWvzsSeF6wd3zLnqyzdF2TopLCYrqEly68_rUndtzmf8BhOT39fKhuUt9W9CZ45lQaF1wHK5msp7jJnbLPulg0BgJMP2l-pNjFeA/s1600/wpid-img_20150922_202832.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhskyoVAv30n7QLwDk2YPIv9K4go672ogYwxm1dW4lAWvzsSeF6wd3zLnqyzdF2TopLCYrqEly68_rUndtzmf8BhOT39fKhuUt9W9CZ45lQaF1wHK5msp7jJnbLPulg0BgJMP2l-pNjFeA/s640/wpid-img_20150922_202832.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
The Chinese TV team! <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOGtXjjgHwussWsA6S69TofanXgOFQ8A8NVsyTOvAO08tUoKEriBiSmYcTMPuZiLTHYvdnbMS28BDLe8wGBq93823E0ovHH_5ZLjY7K0NmjzqOXN37r1v7biNhczx4YdWkhZCwYcO5FJg/s1600/wpid-img_20150922_201316.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOGtXjjgHwussWsA6S69TofanXgOFQ8A8NVsyTOvAO08tUoKEriBiSmYcTMPuZiLTHYvdnbMS28BDLe8wGBq93823E0ovHH_5ZLjY7K0NmjzqOXN37r1v7biNhczx4YdWkhZCwYcO5FJg/s640/wpid-img_20150922_201316.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
Flies, flies and more flies!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSuPMIvNDulZBY5TvC9AYs9qO1etlfyqVMl6pm_5fBvZKOMcgwFEcs9_NLKIfK8MnoQzib2i-QIygfVnsqaBjp39fNkaCFsbz5hRSiPaX4jZjMJ2VLleXfg867Sf4CzhaLGZxh4ygrTnw/s1600/IMG_20150922_203546.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSuPMIvNDulZBY5TvC9AYs9qO1etlfyqVMl6pm_5fBvZKOMcgwFEcs9_NLKIfK8MnoQzib2i-QIygfVnsqaBjp39fNkaCFsbz5hRSiPaX4jZjMJ2VLleXfg867Sf4CzhaLGZxh4ygrTnw/s640/IMG_20150922_203546.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
Sunset at wild camp<br />
<br />Longboard Ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01353476446044377362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4209565650670267512.post-17397936878809978902015-09-20T10:23:00.000+02:002017-01-22T14:28:44.754+01:00Just another day of travel with a longboard<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8hDWwiFJ0A1HTbxqZ6r2NSbRWMd1qJTDVRZdW2iQ1emQ31Dru9mCtfGs0PFE8vN2FrvLITgRXq_A_BSS3CE4ZQ3TYXLXXDZaWX_7FFsx235VzRvCCkVPovHcM9HAGILbpVm9qbCBAvyE/s1600/IMG_20150918_183614.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8hDWwiFJ0A1HTbxqZ6r2NSbRWMd1qJTDVRZdW2iQ1emQ31Dru9mCtfGs0PFE8vN2FrvLITgRXq_A_BSS3CE4ZQ3TYXLXXDZaWX_7FFsx235VzRvCCkVPovHcM9HAGILbpVm9qbCBAvyE/s640/IMG_20150918_183614.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
It's 40 degrees and we're sipping on hot chocolate from a powder portion bag stolen from one of the fancier rooms we had, mixed with newly boiled water from our gas stove. Dirty and totally soaked in our own sweat we hear each other giggle quietly, what a choice for drinks on a hot afternoon like this but wow, it's so good. <br />
<br />
We've just chosen our spot for wild camping but the sun is unbearable where the tent is pitched and we found a grassy area shaded from a tree next to the highway, not far from our campsite. As soon as my hot chocolate is finished I use my longboard as a relaxing bed and begins to listen to a new audio book, downloaded to my phone.<br />
<br />
The only car we hear passing by the next hour is a single police car and we start to wonder if we should have continued skating for an hour more or so. Legs were awfully tired though. <br />
<br />
When the golden hour before sunset is over we see the moon rise as thin as it is. We only have the inner mesh tent and lying on thin sleeping pads we watch the sky getting darker. No sleeping bag needed in this tempature. While the birds stop singing the stars get more and more twinkling. We fall asleep like that, but only an hour later or so I wake up again. The silence is broken by someone jumping on dried branches, a wallaby I guess and get back to sleep, accompanied by Anders' heavy breathing.<br />
<br />
Traffic is still slow at 7.30 in the morning and we don't have to be as patient as usual. Just pushing and enjoying the relative fresh air with the knowledge that an hour from now the sun is already hot and burning. The asphalt is behaving and the ride is quite smooth. Only 20 kilometres today and less food and water to carry since we are reaching civilisation again and our stocks are either eaten or drunken. Well, if you call the tiny town of Mataranka for civilisation. I guess you can have different opinions on that. <br />
<br />
Life is so much easier with running water, a bottle of chilled wine and someone else preparing your dinner. More expensive too. We enjoy the cabin life for two nights and mix it with a lovely swim in the thermal water called Bitter Springs.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixuERXO-y61lCPYTWIlzQxfmxhE2uwfoReRSGiVN0Zmg3NtypE_LGm3Rx2yts4qRSl10zfMBx-bhSEna53jaAMDX6i_CyY_kir_SluYta6JJiIdcEM6Q9HYY_ViS2N8OkoMQovKuk8zow/s1600/IMG_20151002_195405.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixuERXO-y61lCPYTWIlzQxfmxhE2uwfoReRSGiVN0Zmg3NtypE_LGm3Rx2yts4qRSl10zfMBx-bhSEna53jaAMDX6i_CyY_kir_SluYta6JJiIdcEM6Q9HYY_ViS2N8OkoMQovKuk8zow/s640/IMG_20151002_195405.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Longboards ready to go <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9uwoSWarPwVkDiDoiAUsXlaPmNC_aLCDTpuyo_M-gpxpPokwX_qpCMXzylFUYA4jdYpqODcMFGU9Lon2YNigAb7jab2r_Sx8MRSyxAzEBxnkVNaBj3q1zrCuTZlw9Xuz1uT3xvwfgz6I/s1600/wpid-img_20150918_184149.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9uwoSWarPwVkDiDoiAUsXlaPmNC_aLCDTpuyo_M-gpxpPokwX_qpCMXzylFUYA4jdYpqODcMFGU9Lon2YNigAb7jab2r_Sx8MRSyxAzEBxnkVNaBj3q1zrCuTZlw9Xuz1uT3xvwfgz6I/s640/wpid-img_20150918_184149.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Camping dinner <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL78-lepyYSX3j2BOGU5Ux8PA0t9jc_V0Q2fXCLCzegQjmcny2GKRPV4MBL74kKvmgTxJL1T110xfAPua1Lli9zOQDq8EsLfAt7201ThxmAUS_Jy_IrZ75EPUYx_UXgMudk_zgFoSQS6o/s1600/wpid-img_20150919_205640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL78-lepyYSX3j2BOGU5Ux8PA0t9jc_V0Q2fXCLCzegQjmcny2GKRPV4MBL74kKvmgTxJL1T110xfAPua1Lli9zOQDq8EsLfAt7201ThxmAUS_Jy_IrZ75EPUYx_UXgMudk_zgFoSQS6o/s640/wpid-img_20150919_205640.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
A shoulder on Stuart Highway <br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvxFk5Pnq3_eFFmmgcS0UtkzQIXam_wmAw-sU_IM48OvUZkabIMqVo5kuIULzdemx8QoCEuf0h2YZ0A0sz1ynld5Y1TjcB_6-ppgKhPKWcyFqpzTzQ1j6wvPcHH4S41i_8unJhk2Bhyphenhyphen5k/s1600/IMG_20150919_204931.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvxFk5Pnq3_eFFmmgcS0UtkzQIXam_wmAw-sU_IM48OvUZkabIMqVo5kuIULzdemx8QoCEuf0h2YZ0A0sz1ynld5Y1TjcB_6-ppgKhPKWcyFqpzTzQ1j6wvPcHH4S41i_8unJhk2Bhyphenhyphen5k/s640/IMG_20150919_204931.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Me, on Stuart Highway <br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwIKXP1yZJ7EHibLR8S4L8FCSQhGm0BST7m0jsDdU7yL2YOaORg94eavFGNPz5_IOw_2421kPgUyx9K5c-ftB-howskg_E0P9yzVReoegkUZ10ol-DliSP6nTqqTri9fn1rDrldT_f-hw/s1600/wpid-img_20150920_141010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwIKXP1yZJ7EHibLR8S4L8FCSQhGm0BST7m0jsDdU7yL2YOaORg94eavFGNPz5_IOw_2421kPgUyx9K5c-ftB-howskg_E0P9yzVReoegkUZ10ol-DliSP6nTqqTri9fn1rDrldT_f-hw/s640/wpid-img_20150920_141010.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Bitter SpringsLongboard Ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01353476446044377362noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4209565650670267512.post-47663076427810057682015-09-13T15:20:00.000+02:002017-01-22T14:26:31.732+01:00A short one<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwLdlgHpjehZjjMDIXgoakbg8uxPUhed_BMwcgEp0eoFtEuzPExAy0gP-vChebUQhJH8oZegXxoqtUFC2INiG37YLrt0Nk4q63xEqprImucea5ZFBwzC-Ns8Q31xI6q9PXFsFIGDmHrzg/s1600/IMG_20150908_205458.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwLdlgHpjehZjjMDIXgoakbg8uxPUhed_BMwcgEp0eoFtEuzPExAy0gP-vChebUQhJH8oZegXxoqtUFC2INiG37YLrt0Nk4q63xEqprImucea5ZFBwzC-Ns8Q31xI6q9PXFsFIGDmHrzg/s640/IMG_20150908_205458.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
This, my friends, will be a short one. Travelling, exploring and skating has taken all my time and no matter how long I have it's always to short. I might have more spare time soon but less Internet. That's also hard for a travel blogger.<br />
<br />
Well, we've been skating some really rough roads lately and we are going to slow, that's a fact and we're trying to deal with it. Last one was 10 hours and 48 kilometres. That will give you an idea of what kind of asphalt we're fighting. We needed a nice break in Katherine with surroundings.<br />
<br />
Rivers, gorges and a burning sun gave us a nice break with refreshing swims and stunning views.<br />
<br />
Tomorrow we leave again. Internet will be limited so don't worry if you don't hear anything. We will be busy fighting new asphalt. :-)<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjbdt-xbYfvHSP8EVi4qZtrpFIMV6QwgK7GhZKkUjJeF6qQHcmuIGd6s2ovvt6pJcGPEv55PP1ugmcow_3dZM15N4IbZEZwtxWowznyc5X0M5fRX5ESCh1J4U0AoJjr2d8-z-gBnLbW_I/s1600/IMG_20150912_171735.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjbdt-xbYfvHSP8EVi4qZtrpFIMV6QwgK7GhZKkUjJeF6qQHcmuIGd6s2ovvt6pJcGPEv55PP1ugmcow_3dZM15N4IbZEZwtxWowznyc5X0M5fRX5ESCh1J4U0AoJjr2d8-z-gBnLbW_I/s640/IMG_20150912_171735.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAAdmsuIOTOVIEb7aD7sDTtYllwKORmjFDG1pMPYhdINtrnnZEU3zXyb3nkPW-72kvAlvkgnpi4Yvb9s7WeWWDJEx3hsoId4p4b6yBkm9DGgeRHK6_ZXHfGfhd6pOyLv5IdexMIKEETgM/s1600/IMG_20150912_171102.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAAdmsuIOTOVIEb7aD7sDTtYllwKORmjFDG1pMPYhdINtrnnZEU3zXyb3nkPW-72kvAlvkgnpi4Yvb9s7WeWWDJEx3hsoId4p4b6yBkm9DGgeRHK6_ZXHfGfhd6pOyLv5IdexMIKEETgM/s640/IMG_20150912_171102.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6vlqWC_HpzSEpCGdxdEi4wJTn6ai18XibEaCZc-GBqykzfiWNx70RO-SE74izzsSIRCxMfqUUe1MMSJ0P48F00t8dJgRr6PTs9VXO7Elw9Mvcapr5lDpioOBu3hLiYtgqNfqvpnnvIb4/s1600/IMG_20150913_192518.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6vlqWC_HpzSEpCGdxdEi4wJTn6ai18XibEaCZc-GBqykzfiWNx70RO-SE74izzsSIRCxMfqUUe1MMSJ0P48F00t8dJgRr6PTs9VXO7Elw9Mvcapr5lDpioOBu3hLiYtgqNfqvpnnvIb4/s640/IMG_20150913_192518.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />Longboard Ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01353476446044377362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4209565650670267512.post-43732698043235708962015-09-06T14:54:00.000+02:002017-01-22T14:24:22.768+01:00It's not flat, mate."Let's give it another day or two before we give up, honey.", "Wow, this asphalt is fantastic!!", "Why the bloody hell does the road train have to disturb my ride right now!?", "Seriously, if we don't stop now I will die... for real.", "Look, wallabies", "Look, more wallabies", "Can you help me, my legs are too stiff to climb those 5 steps of the stairway!?", "Oh God, can we go to sleep now? (8 pm)", "Wow, even more wallabies"<br />
<br />
Ok! Here I am, 6 pm in the afternoon... have been drinking beer since one o'clock and was just reminded of what a lazy lifestyle I have. Well, try skating Stuart Highway yourself is all I have to say.<br />
<br />
Anders said, "How hard can it be?". Now it's more, "How slow can it be?"<br />
<br />
My wheels are already very much eaten up by the asphalt, the trucks have scratches everywhere. We try to fasten every bolt every day, still... the road loosen it again and we sound like someone who's dragging an old cart on gravel.<br />
<br />
Still, every day is laughter and sometimes relaxation too I guess. I need that.<br />
<br />
We found a new friend in Ralph, she picked us up and invited us to her outback life. She seems to have everything, living in a shed with a lot of rooms and as simple as that she shares it with birds, snakes, cute dogs and a pair of teenagers. She loves them all.<br />
<br />
Ralph became our private guide in the area and she showed us Litchfield National Park before leaving us there for some bush walking and camping nights with the Milky "starry" Way accompanied with a full moon. Waterfalls, swimming and a couple of days of Beef 'n Chunky for dinner. Ralph also squeezed in time for a rodeo night and taught us how to appreciate a muscle car burning rubber. What a difference from the silent camping nights.<br />
<br />
We've been alone for a while now. Well, you are never alone when you travelling the Stuart Highway with a longboard and a trailer but anyway... being almost by yourself is good too.<br />
<br />
The flat road turned out to be quite hilly. At least around Hayes Creek where we approached yesterday and left this morning. Tonight my legs are resting nicely towards the armchair. Hopefully recovered a little until tomorrow, early morning.<br />
<br />
That's a strange thing by the way... I fall asleep around 9 pm and get up at sunrise. I guess that is amazing for you people who know me. :)<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVWbHCL_NNVJUJ2pIqk3JPUviNjKAMpZW1Nj3-AReocy1NnY3hLOyFu4cHnnGxs1LfMjMStKVjNyvTzn1yqZLKveOWCRipzdLmMqf-9D2kqfPrmpiuZw636-ta-Uo99oWcuYIGN1PYZsw/s1600/IMG_20150828_232740.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVWbHCL_NNVJUJ2pIqk3JPUviNjKAMpZW1Nj3-AReocy1NnY3hLOyFu4cHnnGxs1LfMjMStKVjNyvTzn1yqZLKveOWCRipzdLmMqf-9D2kqfPrmpiuZw636-ta-Uo99oWcuYIGN1PYZsw/s640/IMG_20150828_232740.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Ralph 's friendly bird<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1b4W2T0Q8_ibLLBGbfJqrJCjI1Xw2RzUcjoRsRczXfSCGCGE1z0LezZxrQxj8iVar1eOzKktnBgUY3rinbcua87uTzeAqbFupmABseF4FVAM73jIFkjRZRJUhZtgdz3h14Ox8UJTw2Xk/s1600/wpid-img_20150830_140951.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1b4W2T0Q8_ibLLBGbfJqrJCjI1Xw2RzUcjoRsRczXfSCGCGE1z0LezZxrQxj8iVar1eOzKktnBgUY3rinbcua87uTzeAqbFupmABseF4FVAM73jIFkjRZRJUhZtgdz3h14Ox8UJTw2Xk/s640/wpid-img_20150830_140951.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
At the Noonamah Rodeo<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTN_lmHlIN0Q4dzki9IHAyHihKLfSlInmmgcCy47caZycNU4SFHk7Z5h5AqvD7cUJ9VIT-fxrqLrUZUCkxbeA2XBGNpaJQ-lO5OM0MZ3Bmp39EYIQX2Cpafn6_e0j59su0K2OH5Kd7adQ/s1600/wpid-img_20150901_1203251.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTN_lmHlIN0Q4dzki9IHAyHihKLfSlInmmgcCy47caZycNU4SFHk7Z5h5AqvD7cUJ9VIT-fxrqLrUZUCkxbeA2XBGNpaJQ-lO5OM0MZ3Bmp39EYIQX2Cpafn6_e0j59su0K2OH5Kd7adQ/s640/wpid-img_20150901_1203251.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Our camp site in Litchfield National Park<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1N6VFffr6rm0jClQ8AhQmORGeMoinrXWfDva7x4oz4DfUZoSN2MVUeZKCtktU7_TvgsMoeshKTrcLIqx62QSrNyAMCJYhPhUlFjyZKaXYpgrPfIhzN1ZcWf9rw0egoPymbwDoMwFgWLg/s1600/wpid-img_20150901_1220301.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1N6VFffr6rm0jClQ8AhQmORGeMoinrXWfDva7x4oz4DfUZoSN2MVUeZKCtktU7_TvgsMoeshKTrcLIqx62QSrNyAMCJYhPhUlFjyZKaXYpgrPfIhzN1ZcWf9rw0egoPymbwDoMwFgWLg/s640/wpid-img_20150901_1220301.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Anders is bush walking<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSZsb5Se7Cnw_gG8nDrBnbxYk-e1jdkDrqf-E1cqRN5yWB1dgHlTop1KotBciMia-2YIuwzloKxGbPujOBt-kHASU3X1YXB-WoyHAOdsYZ8t-fzQ57tevFqg8G-vGTL3gZMIBScrXbTs8/s1600/wpid-img_20150901_1537251.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSZsb5Se7Cnw_gG8nDrBnbxYk-e1jdkDrqf-E1cqRN5yWB1dgHlTop1KotBciMia-2YIuwzloKxGbPujOBt-kHASU3X1YXB-WoyHAOdsYZ8t-fzQ57tevFqg8G-vGTL3gZMIBScrXbTs8/s640/wpid-img_20150901_1537251.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
A nice afternoon shower<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvQ-xipvRMOk9AcNQGKfwVBBkopZto911vtH8S0rLFr8lh2yW0RD-1j-rfJGLFzaulEmyu8nO1lDA7vYl_y2-PxG279DMs7aBJRBTk2aWNi3f9SslLXA_JwQcXuiF7mvz4F82iwJSANZQ/s1600/wpid-img_20150902_163720.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvQ-xipvRMOk9AcNQGKfwVBBkopZto911vtH8S0rLFr8lh2yW0RD-1j-rfJGLFzaulEmyu8nO1lDA7vYl_y2-PxG279DMs7aBJRBTk2aWNi3f9SslLXA_JwQcXuiF7mvz4F82iwJSANZQ/s640/wpid-img_20150902_163720.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Me, my trailer and some rough asphalt<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoWOLEVuwSpWCbuLZX1lRehm_wF0jus4p9_YwVriLCueCLEQs8GJLap1A1vQqMRrBdCxfs2EBFgX_Wq2hac5gFHsxNChsmVMawDJcF4ityQfey_vne_SK8grQqb_1ppx_rehTUu0SMgqg/s1600/wpid-img_20150906_165526.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoWOLEVuwSpWCbuLZX1lRehm_wF0jus4p9_YwVriLCueCLEQs8GJLap1A1vQqMRrBdCxfs2EBFgX_Wq2hac5gFHsxNChsmVMawDJcF4ityQfey_vne_SK8grQqb_1ppx_rehTUu0SMgqg/s640/wpid-img_20150906_165526.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
Preparing before take off<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvtm34QVrUZTLi9UVz6H7kAHzGF6zTMYzGEh9sviY2n2Jgms_qCSK_rjrG1h9Q1LsTTAAkEw-0OmmxfBl0OgjZqy8vNGOUJNtevHxIJpkHQMshCzvN5uufthSlexUBf3wKa49Jze6fX78/s1600/wpid-img_20150906_162037.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvtm34QVrUZTLi9UVz6H7kAHzGF6zTMYzGEh9sviY2n2Jgms_qCSK_rjrG1h9Q1LsTTAAkEw-0OmmxfBl0OgjZqy8vNGOUJNtevHxIJpkHQMshCzvN5uufthSlexUBf3wKa49Jze6fX78/s640/wpid-img_20150906_162037.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
Anders is teaching a local how to skate<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9ThTHNVGkT0DEkQduz714krkw7Jheja4qYU9JEzuLMouaOxSxw4y1T-1G0WLuN14P84Wg0ijkspSXfQqp57GKfdNBLGnwHYgF0lnYYSoCqHkC-kG90RkvBw0Y5vHKCaHs2oUlzOMX7vk/s1600/wpid-img_20150906_164309.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9ThTHNVGkT0DEkQduz714krkw7Jheja4qYU9JEzuLMouaOxSxw4y1T-1G0WLuN14P84Wg0ijkspSXfQqp57GKfdNBLGnwHYgF0lnYYSoCqHkC-kG90RkvBw0Y5vHKCaHs2oUlzOMX7vk/s640/wpid-img_20150906_164309.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Bush fire between Hayes Creek and Emerald Springs<br />
<br />Longboard Ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01353476446044377362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4209565650670267512.post-43829045289398816712015-08-26T16:20:00.000+02:002017-01-22T14:18:03.767+01:00Darwin, chasing crocs in Kakadu and to start the tripSo, what's happened the last 4 days since we got here? Well, we found a festival, we have changed our minds about Darwin from boring to really nice and we had a long and expensive day on a bus with old people, going to Kakadu National Park where we saw a large number of impressive crocs and birds. We also got famous in Halmstad, Anders home town, where the local newspaper had an article about our trip. <br />
<br />
Today's mission was to start our journey south. Woke up too late, didn't have time to pack our things properly and realised that we drink more water than expected. <br />
<br />
Anyway, the bike path was lovely and the day wasn't too strenuous. We found some drunken locals in a bar, spent a couples of hours there until we had to check in at the expensive (when you're on a budget) but really good Rydges Hotel in Palmerston. Not far away from where we took off but a good distance to start with. The shower was great, the bed seems lovely and hopefully we will go to sleep early enough to wake up for the included breakfast tomorrow. We'll see about that...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjxF2uiraW5qYXBQGfG8Eg-3hNmQXBTKDRGb9G5QhWwJKhN58b0RCUx3euizA0htrGFtmDM-SFFmicOPlydFyxojeIUCK8jzgvnPjGOFqlXxt8ZMXBy4R8PxqD5k_UjbEsfVSRs-VulZc/s1600/wpid-img_20150824_140230.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjxF2uiraW5qYXBQGfG8Eg-3hNmQXBTKDRGb9G5QhWwJKhN58b0RCUx3euizA0htrGFtmDM-SFFmicOPlydFyxojeIUCK8jzgvnPjGOFqlXxt8ZMXBy4R8PxqD5k_UjbEsfVSRs-VulZc/s640/wpid-img_20150824_140230.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<em>Darwin, the waterfront. </em><br />
<em><br /></em>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQVV7T2sJNwBm2rL6NF3-Q2C6nizmcGFRJmA-WI-mDZePnS7ONHsw2coEpf8rSJm96R8MUEHp6rLQ9Os2XjVQdKMhIOnxLD1YxOVQI8AwKERgwJ_j1faEEPwZ8DxBiFts72lL6J4bZJFg/s1600/wpid-img_20150825_154042.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQVV7T2sJNwBm2rL6NF3-Q2C6nizmcGFRJmA-WI-mDZePnS7ONHsw2coEpf8rSJm96R8MUEHp6rLQ9Os2XjVQdKMhIOnxLD1YxOVQI8AwKERgwJ_j1faEEPwZ8DxBiFts72lL6J4bZJFg/s640/wpid-img_20150825_154042.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<em>A crocodile in Yellow Water. </em><br />
<em><br /></em>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx_l9dJdog-7M9_E6dibjJcIruP-gctMsO6p5S8_bOitZ5JJRLYLNcDrRXjy5vT3VtAM1OHO3yNSX1sXaht1UAurZRcnttGsi4U5MPzzBlCy_fWkYoDKdjQDrUgfvZgmF1JtjtjRa5b94/s1600/wpid-img_20150825_154453.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx_l9dJdog-7M9_E6dibjJcIruP-gctMsO6p5S8_bOitZ5JJRLYLNcDrRXjy5vT3VtAM1OHO3yNSX1sXaht1UAurZRcnttGsi4U5MPzzBlCy_fWkYoDKdjQDrUgfvZgmF1JtjtjRa5b94/s640/wpid-img_20150825_154453.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<em>Yellow water in Kakadu National Park. </em><br />
<em><br /></em>
<em><br /></em>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOe0wMa8-xgc3uek2BBv9JHRIcM6GdoD8iApBOnWuoVgiS-EMVz-1N_ccHqZblYe2CoXezOhyV3Yp8weqHYG_kmAjzf0AR0hcV8gv2gPI7fJH6IHwcYG_wTvh9fs2VE0TQO6wdp4kKfJc/s1600/wpid-img_20150826_104827.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOe0wMa8-xgc3uek2BBv9JHRIcM6GdoD8iApBOnWuoVgiS-EMVz-1N_ccHqZblYe2CoXezOhyV3Yp8weqHYG_kmAjzf0AR0hcV8gv2gPI7fJH6IHwcYG_wTvh9fs2VE0TQO6wdp4kKfJc/s640/wpid-img_20150826_104827.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<em>About to take off. </em><br />
<em><br /></em>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMQ_8bmRL2EvaW56xqPE9i78WISc2l2qBKmq5fzcC2kP5Y3s4qjcuseRJU3GoWOIEoqtCB7zR5hkkF5DxYOTc1Iy4VuwjMUpzYiwD8GqlhdmI2XkYBBz9f9Dk6JjyxiBxJSsD3UaL8-FA/s1600/wpid-img_20150826_214256.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMQ_8bmRL2EvaW56xqPE9i78WISc2l2qBKmq5fzcC2kP5Y3s4qjcuseRJU3GoWOIEoqtCB7zR5hkkF5DxYOTc1Iy4VuwjMUpzYiwD8GqlhdmI2XkYBBz9f9Dk6JjyxiBxJSsD3UaL8-FA/s640/wpid-img_20150826_214256.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<em>My trailer loaded with a lot of stuff.</em><br />
<em><br /></em>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiEgqiKXiAUMbSxYePAeTMiyQowP9Ipik-4ADHbjcxxsKEM45lFXI4z1so2G_7xcllAeEfVAK1Y_sh7fxdbaAeTR_gfu93J4d1LXoTBEljz6EhhRLmr7krGlh_ZXMm_xQ1Z4gOEZ06Tl8/s1600/wpid-img_20150826_214830.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiEgqiKXiAUMbSxYePAeTMiyQowP9Ipik-4ADHbjcxxsKEM45lFXI4z1so2G_7xcllAeEfVAK1Y_sh7fxdbaAeTR_gfu93J4d1LXoTBEljz6EhhRLmr7krGlh_ZXMm_xQ1Z4gOEZ06Tl8/s640/wpid-img_20150826_214830.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<em>Trees burned by fire along Stuart Highway. </em><br />
<em><br /></em>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEismAQ2hdTg0HEE37QNQrYPB4LE5th46x-TRDQvFHhXWP_36u9uZYV0vGolYE1gHRRIT6S5WlThYvExjsrWovG6jBoVEEQZrjW_nonkA170PxLR7-kWLKxE2_FXRIrgkfzQgtr1lTnx-Mc/s1600/wpid-img_20150826_215046.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEismAQ2hdTg0HEE37QNQrYPB4LE5th46x-TRDQvFHhXWP_36u9uZYV0vGolYE1gHRRIT6S5WlThYvExjsrWovG6jBoVEEQZrjW_nonkA170PxLR7-kWLKxE2_FXRIrgkfzQgtr1lTnx-Mc/s640/wpid-img_20150826_215046.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<em>The bike path next to Stuart Highway. </em>Longboard Ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01353476446044377362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4209565650670267512.post-4226106008951936852015-08-19T10:29:00.000+02:002017-01-22T14:11:29.825+01:00Here we go again<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO7Upw86W2Aa5VnNAUMWK3sNXWSwp-1Kp8emqdd_xRD0N8RUg0l2Hv-5D7sTDL_OhhuFLJUG_mLRMTnakel3xEowysFEuFjSKe1BdhC_GcP79GIKeNEfnI9D0EIQgXv9MCLnGS_DXdYfc/s1600/wpid-img_20150810_101124.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO7Upw86W2Aa5VnNAUMWK3sNXWSwp-1Kp8emqdd_xRD0N8RUg0l2Hv-5D7sTDL_OhhuFLJUG_mLRMTnakel3xEowysFEuFjSKe1BdhC_GcP79GIKeNEfnI9D0EIQgXv9MCLnGS_DXdYfc/s640/wpid-img_20150810_101124.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<strong>Yes, here we go again…</strong> and yes, it’s WE! I asked my gorgeous biker if he was ready for another adventure, and he said ”Alrighty, let's go then". If you ask him, I was the one who persuaded him to go longboarding in Australia but it was actually his own idea to change the bike to a skating longboard. At least that’s how I remember it.<br />
<br />
So, we will leave Sweden the 22nd of August, only a few days left, and after spending a couple of days in Darwin and hopefully <a href="http://www.parksaustralia.gov.au/kakadu/" target="_blank" title="Kakadu National Park">Kakadu National Park</a> (looking for waterfalls and crocs) we will skate down south on Stuart Highway. Through the desert, with trailers and a looong straight road ahead. About 2834 km. Hopefully we will end up in Port Augusta in time for some sightseeing in the south and a week in Bali before heading back home (but I won’t think of that part yet).<br />
<br />
He says it will take 2 months, I say 3. Something in between will probably be right if we stay away from injuries and heat stroke. I know how blisters and soared legs feel. He doesn’t. Yet.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrUhBV0BSvNXmXrG0_ICbzSBdDBildNVOJzPHt6KumQF2XMxLL1FVoLc369pNWT_16yEEKUs9o1VM7WhM1torz4gk9LM4mEpnhuo63RChaDujVVC2Xzpa187JkNM5iGQaeGoIFXH6eubo/s1600/wpid-img_20150810_102042.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrUhBV0BSvNXmXrG0_ICbzSBdDBildNVOJzPHt6KumQF2XMxLL1FVoLc369pNWT_16yEEKUs9o1VM7WhM1torz4gk9LM4mEpnhuo63RChaDujVVC2Xzpa187JkNM5iGQaeGoIFXH6eubo/s640/wpid-img_20150810_102042.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Anders thought it was ok to share the road, the tent and the desert with me for 3 months but when I told him he was welcome to join the blog posts of Longboard Lady too he said "Enough is enough". You can read his side of the story at <a href="http://longboardaustralia.blogspot.se/" target="_blank" title="Longboard Australia">Longboard Australia</a>.Longboard Ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01353476446044377362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4209565650670267512.post-79321311143709318792015-02-16T04:04:00.000+01:002017-01-22T14:09:22.844+01:00When grief calls me back<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwJeJbPOK-3T6JP-lA70kLT73d7DmKb359yA-mIVFK0r3Ux8utRTuKQX_3dYtKTiICOTPqojTK-Zw0gsHD2W_nw_DMzK9yzwqSXHumnoIT0_Qid1gUMTgC5WbbLdPY4LRiVXKAbP0_1R0/s1600/10832228_402016823293719_1179103875_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwJeJbPOK-3T6JP-lA70kLT73d7DmKb359yA-mIVFK0r3Ux8utRTuKQX_3dYtKTiICOTPqojTK-Zw0gsHD2W_nw_DMzK9yzwqSXHumnoIT0_Qid1gUMTgC5WbbLdPY4LRiVXKAbP0_1R0/s640/10832228_402016823293719_1179103875_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
It looks so white and fluffy, like friendly cotton balls, but I know it is a lie. It is more like a darksome and unsteady gateway to the harsh and ugly reality down there. A slap in my face again, too soon and too cruel. We leave the blue sky and shining sun above the clouds and descend to a less beautiful world. The world where I'm back in Sweden to grieve another family member. This time I have to stay for a while.<br />
<br />
I still want to tell you about the time before I went back. About the small Costa Rican town Orosí, and how I changed my mind about San José. It wasn't even two weeks ago and still, another life. A life where my longboard finally arrived and I was about to start skating again, towards Nicaragua. Beautiful beaches and cone shaped volcanoes. I saw it in my mind but couldn't reach it.<br />
<br />
Orosí was too cold for me but I ignored it and wished for the sun to shine the next morning every time I went to bed. I could handle it because I liked everything else so much and when the clouds rolled in at the same time every afternoon it was quite stunning. They talked about the weather, the locals. It was supposed to be warm and sunny in January.<br />
<br />
I went there to escape the hassle of San José and to attend a Spanish school for a week while I was waiting for the post office to get in touch with me. Unfortunately the "school way" to learn a language didn't suite me. I learned more from Maria, the sweet student whom my friend Kari introduced me to. The three of us took walks in the small town, spoke English half time and Spanish half. She invited us to her family's house one evening and all of a sudden the dad in the family had organized a barbecue. We spent the evening with a lot of meat, sweet wine and many stories of each other's countries. We left the house with memories of laughter, full stomachs, hand-drawn world maps on plywood boards and a lot of new local words. The perfect way to learn Spanish.<br />
<br />
Orosí isn't the place to visit if you want lively evenings at bars and I surprised myself with early nights every day and even more interesting was that I liked it. Me, known as a night owl since I was a child. I slept a lot and the cold mountain air made me sleep good to. Maybe I needed it for the future.<br />
<br />
Kari and I spent the weekend together. We did some excellent hiking in the close by cloud forest in Tapani National Park. We had stunning views, saw a spider big enough to serve as a hairy pet, took pictures of the waterfall far away while we ate the food we had brought and then, she took a swim in the cold and clear river. She became an appreciated company and we took scenic bus rides and drank beers in the favorite bar, looked at old church ruins together and talked a lot.<br />
<br />
I left Orosí and went back to San José again when I received a notification from the post office about my longboard. Several weeks delayed I could feel it getting closer, and so did my plans for Nicaragua. I decided to stay in a nice area called San Pedro this time. Strangely, the busy and in some way aggressive city, changed to something interesting and the, sometimes threatening, atmosphere was totally gone. I know the area was different but maybe I was too. I took walks and tried restaurants, lent a bench in a park for reading and spent hours and hours trying to get my board out from the custom and post office. Then, finally I walked out of there with a smile on my face. I saw future.<br />
<br />
<br />
Unfortunately plans had to change. I still look forward to skate in Nicaragua but right now I need to be in Sweden. The snow prevents me from trying my new longboard too and I long for the spring when life is coming back to nature and the sun allows me to stay outdoors longer. I know it will come.<br />Longboard Ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01353476446044377362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4209565650670267512.post-3815390365116531932015-01-26T01:15:00.000+01:002017-01-22T14:07:42.839+01:00To find peace and prepare for new Spanish skills<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEHODKycwzp8yyecvm4shXQu3W7efwOsHL_vtJGP-xlx5-DI1kV97OIPxt4lkWhKa2bFn_7yl6UE3IB1e0JNGE-zOW8F6YETPkG6Aa-eagRTmbSvHOsPrl3FTkldEPSrrvQEQBEb2s_UI/s1600/IMG_20150125_170039.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEHODKycwzp8yyecvm4shXQu3W7efwOsHL_vtJGP-xlx5-DI1kV97OIPxt4lkWhKa2bFn_7yl6UE3IB1e0JNGE-zOW8F6YETPkG6Aa-eagRTmbSvHOsPrl3FTkldEPSrrvQEQBEb2s_UI/s640/IMG_20150125_170039.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
As I wrote the other day I escaped to the little town of Santo Domingo, to breathe and think without San José's heavy traffic, almost non existent outside areas and without noises around me all the time. It turned out Santo Domingo wasn't the right thing for me either and after spending a night in a really nice hostel but together with too many people in a tiny little area I sent an email to a language school in Orosí, an even smaller town among mountains, where I have been before. I left for the green hills this morning. Three smooth bus rides later I arrived to the well-known hostel I left a little bit more than a week ago. Tomorrow I will attend school and try to learn some Spanish while I'm waiting for my longboard to arrive in San José.<br />
<br />
Now, finally, I have what I was looking for. I guess I was lost without travel company and without a proper plan. Now I have chilly but fresh air to breathe, a lot of space, hammocks and nice and friendly people around me... and a plan for at least a week. I love the fact that I can empty my backpack for a while and tomorrow I will hopefully learn some more words in Spanish and also be able to do my laundry, or actually pay a small amount for having it done. What more could I ask for? <br />
<br />
¡Hasta luego amigos!Longboard Ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01353476446044377362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4209565650670267512.post-43806817668590290212015-01-24T03:29:00.000+01:002017-01-22T14:05:58.797+01:00The moment of loneliness and to still not have a longboard<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOJA3b_XwNp4AeCjRwdVkehSyJEGznEzGs5EDHlbnQxVtTt1Vr1BjnnqJrI8xVtzpqY75rdOdBpfXfLq-rxAVJTPZR46D-hxp_Es22CDgEhhSDyoeChRgAZwy5Cj19KCRQDAO4Z1FhgLI/s1600/10547349_415464705277105_2082242561_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOJA3b_XwNp4AeCjRwdVkehSyJEGznEzGs5EDHlbnQxVtTt1Vr1BjnnqJrI8xVtzpqY75rdOdBpfXfLq-rxAVJTPZR46D-hxp_Es22CDgEhhSDyoeChRgAZwy5Cj19KCRQDAO4Z1FhgLI/s640/10547349_415464705277105_2082242561_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<strong>He left, they left! </strong>For many weeks I've had the luxury of traveling with Anders and when he left four friends of mine arrived from Sweden. We have seen Costa Rica's extraordinary nature, all kind of beaches and some cities as well. Excellent, beautiful and expensive, I am now a poor woman going from eating out twice a day to making my own meals as cheap as possible. They are now all back in the cold Sweden and at once I felt a sting of loneliness. Kind of unexpected and kind of too emotional. Stuck in San José, a city which I don´t exactly like and waiting for a new longboard to arrive which I'm pretty sure I can't use for a while anyway when/if it arrives (already more than 3 weeks delayed). The mountains here are to steep for me. Hopefully Nicaragua will be better, so I've heard.<br />
<br />
I guess everything just caught up with me, grief over my mom who left me very recently, longing for Anders and worries about my family back home. I also think that all stories of tourists who get robbed effect me, make me insecure of traveling solo the way I do as a woman. Should I do it in a different way? I want my life to be long and strong and lucky.<br />
<br />
Today I took the decision to get out of town while, waiting for the post office which I guess will recieve my longboard to get in touch. I will escape, at least during the weekend, to the small town of Santo Domingo just outside San José. I need space and some time to relax. Give some thoughts to all that has happened lately, and what to come. I will wait for the return of the great feeling of curiosity and the well-known desire for adventure again. Not that it is gone, it's just taking a pause and after weeks of fast and intense travels I do need to slow down anyway. When it's coming back I know it also helps me to be more self confident in my decisions.<br />
<br />Longboard Ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01353476446044377362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4209565650670267512.post-74539090169910741352014-12-31T19:57:00.000+01:002017-01-22T14:02:09.556+01:00A Christmas with a mugger and to end up in Costa Rica for New Year's Eve<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHVN3669d4cPe7oliNXMyFp_1HbrMSquPfneTJLB7-nPRomhVQXV2orJKhCLwxrgHQKQB_R1t_Nirzj3PeaCvVSYwUo2uHJMj0A6dQBNQM52kurK8wonM6sJTV_zSMCQX0mkPrrFd1k98/s1600/IMG_20141223_212032.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHVN3669d4cPe7oliNXMyFp_1HbrMSquPfneTJLB7-nPRomhVQXV2orJKhCLwxrgHQKQB_R1t_Nirzj3PeaCvVSYwUo2uHJMj0A6dQBNQM52kurK8wonM6sJTV_zSMCQX0mkPrrFd1k98/s640/IMG_20141223_212032.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
So, my board is broken. I wait for a new one and it will be sent to me within a couple of weeks. Anders gave up his bike to. It had given him too many flats and broken spokes and he didn't seem to enjoy the Panamanian mountains anymore. We will have a couple of weeks going by bus instead. We were thinking both of us deserved a normal and relaxing time spent together.<br />
<br />
We started at <a href="http://www.thelostandfoundhostel.com/" title="Lost and Found">Lost & Found</a>, a hostel were Anders had stayed for a while and had made friends. It was great to see him again, had longed for that moment for so long. Nothing else there, just the mountains and the nature. Well, hammocks and the chilly air too.<br />
<br />
Lost & Found gave us time to drink some Gin & Tonic and watch animals in the jungle I had never heard of before and others I had been looking forward to see, as sloths. We also met some Swedes who we joined for a day and we went swimming in waterfalls, in a canyon and in some hot springs. Lovely days.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg7_rOslTJ3L5FNYY0tenpou0A8XfFhGAFq-A3l4CeRrldTXwHK-cCfCE7IA0LTJU2bbjeDWErq-t3BGmupAqk2ISksBEyTnqieUhhgwQzJvJ2v9LaIMSn9Pe7ZKLJwHSCrjPOhQvUb4k/s1600/IMG_20141221_205250.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg7_rOslTJ3L5FNYY0tenpou0A8XfFhGAFq-A3l4CeRrldTXwHK-cCfCE7IA0LTJU2bbjeDWErq-t3BGmupAqk2ISksBEyTnqieUhhgwQzJvJ2v9LaIMSn9Pe7ZKLJwHSCrjPOhQvUb4k/s640/IMG_20141221_205250.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKPKsMaEfqURIxyc4pBRdWUZLCa6fBZjP_-Jlk_PG0q7IobZXNqrd1fLLJw_aizP-cecdzbZkIp-qXdKGiB3tmW-vKuxdw_egMfKJVS-QKo6Yt-38uHUJAVWYer8dbpoxsqAQUoCbCfTM/s1600/IMG_20141221_214700.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKPKsMaEfqURIxyc4pBRdWUZLCa6fBZjP_-Jlk_PG0q7IobZXNqrd1fLLJw_aizP-cecdzbZkIp-qXdKGiB3tmW-vKuxdw_egMfKJVS-QKo6Yt-38uHUJAVWYer8dbpoxsqAQUoCbCfTM/s640/IMG_20141221_214700.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1pUiMa0Mtt38DHQR1p0FtrTDIwrxjQRgZ_UFiSOI85vBS89rE1iF01UuzsT5bAaRarm8GuI6cHHYDho-AWbGqTwaiznDGOV-Q34nSLvaCU5wcs_n3wDcnVEpeWwkJ6_sqyIqEob_pgQw/s1600/IMG_20141221_215801.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1pUiMa0Mtt38DHQR1p0FtrTDIwrxjQRgZ_UFiSOI85vBS89rE1iF01UuzsT5bAaRarm8GuI6cHHYDho-AWbGqTwaiznDGOV-Q34nSLvaCU5wcs_n3wDcnVEpeWwkJ6_sqyIqEob_pgQw/s640/IMG_20141221_215801.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT_FvPxrE9uL9bhKGHuwfsgCxSdOq8d_tA-fTSBNGVcmT0sBuA393ti66oJQsEKUYNdc2Bv4rqN7X9oDcCa9KxqwDa83H3lVZ8zDngtSP0TEU5DNHih7EQag4AzcGHLoYTOBtqjfJXwJE/s1600/IMG_20141221_220343.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT_FvPxrE9uL9bhKGHuwfsgCxSdOq8d_tA-fTSBNGVcmT0sBuA393ti66oJQsEKUYNdc2Bv4rqN7X9oDcCa9KxqwDa83H3lVZ8zDngtSP0TEU5DNHih7EQag4AzcGHLoYTOBtqjfJXwJE/s640/IMG_20141221_220343.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<br />
<strong>Christmas</strong><br />
Christmas was coming up and we decided to go to the well-known Bocas del Toro at the Caribbean coast. The turquoise water and the mangroves was a nice contrast to the mountains and a water taxi took us to the island called Bastimentos where we had time to do a hike along the coast, palm fringed beaches colored with white sand and clear water. The jungle was literally on the beach, green leaves framed pictures in my camera display. Two steps in from the beach you could find the trail covered with mud and cute but poisonous red frogs decorated the path.<br />
<br />
We woke up in time for a family gathering on Skype on a bad internet connection moment. It was nice to see them, truly. We started a hike again, took off to Wizard beach. The trail was hard to follow and muddy, all the sounds of the nature was intense though the creatures of the jungle was hiding from us.<br />
<br />
Finally a long and, what appeared to us as, empty beach was in front of us and when the waves were to high shoes were soaked and laughter was loud. We were aiming for next destination, a coffee farm up amongst the hills. A couple on the beach we hadn't noticed before told us where to and Anders went ahead.<br />
<br />
All of a sudden I heard him scream from above, "run, run, run". I was looking up to were he stood, waiting for me, and saw the reason. A man with a machete was running towards him, his face all covered up and with hunter eyes. I felt fear and ran back from where I came. Anders took the lead, I was running downhill but sprained my ankle pretty bad and lost speed.<br />
<br />
Every time I looked behind me he was still there, yelling "Para, para!". My guess was it meant "Stop" but I couldn't. Started to scream, me as well, hoping that someone in the jungle would hear us, at least the couple on the beach. Being chased by a man with a machete wasn't exactly something I had prepared myself to.<br />
<br />
We reached the beach, made the other couple aware of the danger and ran into the water. The man didn't give up and pointing with his big knife at us, one at the time, we did what he told us to do. Gave him all our money having faith in his assurance that he wouldn't hurt us if we did. He left, disappeared into the jungle again and there we were, poorer but still alive and with our cameras and cell phones left. We gave up our plans to go to the farm and scared of every little sound of the jungle we went back through mud and rainforest. Late Christmas Eve became a night talking, drinking and feeling grateful for being safe together.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFKmTyD9xdPpAndFCFL7mVqn_7siGnAgRbUDKOwVK-WWMyBDTXEPfUcQZyQrrAd4S4Bwcyjcu1w0qDtM5ElkYip02gUUur406mGW_wp0HYWxb7NfYCjBTEK5CSX7sOQZ07gRngrFm29uI/s1600/IMG_20141223_203806.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFKmTyD9xdPpAndFCFL7mVqn_7siGnAgRbUDKOwVK-WWMyBDTXEPfUcQZyQrrAd4S4Bwcyjcu1w0qDtM5ElkYip02gUUur406mGW_wp0HYWxb7NfYCjBTEK5CSX7sOQZ07gRngrFm29uI/s640/IMG_20141223_203806.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ6VPEawjS7KtTN6zETPyvu2-8Z5rtAhPZMTFZa5Qe1Ba6wxUwv5HRP7QBKI190pS5JLFmX2gtiqK-svetYYA2XWjJaEQwRR1tx7SPZ7p1vo1KdsrKuLRAUxbdCUz-eCycAT3ETBN-Hiw/s1600/IMG_20141223_210637.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ6VPEawjS7KtTN6zETPyvu2-8Z5rtAhPZMTFZa5Qe1Ba6wxUwv5HRP7QBKI190pS5JLFmX2gtiqK-svetYYA2XWjJaEQwRR1tx7SPZ7p1vo1KdsrKuLRAUxbdCUz-eCycAT3ETBN-Hiw/s640/IMG_20141223_210637.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4aouPtKvtvS7fKPu1-Am4weHJkQ3h6zPxdNmvWr0CQeR5EnthGWR36DPBOoj1R_QJderJ2ycW8duR1mQAU03dIGsAdExB-liBGnUXP2roTKFtBMNW60XdcSsCJ1qJv4ulKCc-XiiBBVs/s1600/IMG_20141224_000446.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4aouPtKvtvS7fKPu1-Am4weHJkQ3h6zPxdNmvWr0CQeR5EnthGWR36DPBOoj1R_QJderJ2ycW8duR1mQAU03dIGsAdExB-liBGnUXP2roTKFtBMNW60XdcSsCJ1qJv4ulKCc-XiiBBVs/s640/IMG_20141224_000446.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaSgnoA_TJgzUSLyhA_2WKjDCNbn63P-1kCSSTbwHAiobdnRTx4Bu9AKI7FIyoE8-WTSazCQj_hpI067N6fopeQVrDtmb9hCFPZEze0EbZSMBAE0PEK4eP7iWSlIs007GNbVGC9f3E2D0/s1600/IMG_20141224_180904.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaSgnoA_TJgzUSLyhA_2WKjDCNbn63P-1kCSSTbwHAiobdnRTx4Bu9AKI7FIyoE8-WTSazCQj_hpI067N6fopeQVrDtmb9hCFPZEze0EbZSMBAE0PEK4eP7iWSlIs007GNbVGC9f3E2D0/s640/IMG_20141224_180904.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXKFIWEKCF86MZ3ZJ2N9C-TYFmvtmSS6YwbcQxoEjP7DsM-4jspO3Mm9itQ-BcT3LahCafnpWFk4sTbLAz64z58R6P3u6xXg2KuD4ARIuXFuZ2rQYNSwjUXwaV3iDqTCCGL4FkDTKJq7E/s1600/IMG_20141224_181239.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXKFIWEKCF86MZ3ZJ2N9C-TYFmvtmSS6YwbcQxoEjP7DsM-4jspO3Mm9itQ-BcT3LahCafnpWFk4sTbLAz64z58R6P3u6xXg2KuD4ARIuXFuZ2rQYNSwjUXwaV3iDqTCCGL4FkDTKJq7E/s640/IMG_20141224_181239.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<br />
<strong>Going to Costa Rica</strong><br />
We spent a night in Bocas town, known for "all night parties" and all kind of life related to that. Still shaken up from the night before we went to bed pretty early to have some sleep before the next day of crossing the border to Costa Rica.<br />
<br />
The land border procedure was as time consuming and ineffective as we were expecting it to be but once in a new country it wasn't too far to the lazy town of Puerto Viejo de Talamanca. Here we recovered from stress, drank mojitos in sunsets with caribbean live band playing and watched surfers trying to master the huge waves, for several days.<br />
<br />
Since one of us are running out of time we catched an early bus all the way across the country to reach a hard raining La Fortuna last afternoon. We will try to catch a glimpse of Volcan Arenal shaped as the perfect cone here but until now the rain and the clouds are teasing us.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipD6GdjdxJ2Sk8aiYwR8jd8Gkk2JBweTQYMSkVX5ZpnEirjnvEbJug-GSxP3DVzzMkJD6_ET2_wt37lIUTE9TVsOA9rorVzICxvBj7RVTZefV85SZWiNhYl5fJTInkMk4EZm0VZ6agL5s/s1600/IMG_20141227_140013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipD6GdjdxJ2Sk8aiYwR8jd8Gkk2JBweTQYMSkVX5ZpnEirjnvEbJug-GSxP3DVzzMkJD6_ET2_wt37lIUTE9TVsOA9rorVzICxvBj7RVTZefV85SZWiNhYl5fJTInkMk4EZm0VZ6agL5s/s640/IMG_20141227_140013.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgjpvt_BvYqTRenUjQZGCOyuAt-IPW15BXxLtavc_prAO1_S1PFJDFoC6i0nNiERwwDrOVDLCacVHQRKfEL-lwQkZVk_4wDPoCk99SG_2K2-i6VfAsQAyPLajnjI6Gh25b9xiMc3Y3fUE/s1600/IMG_20141227_140604.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgjpvt_BvYqTRenUjQZGCOyuAt-IPW15BXxLtavc_prAO1_S1PFJDFoC6i0nNiERwwDrOVDLCacVHQRKfEL-lwQkZVk_4wDPoCk99SG_2K2-i6VfAsQAyPLajnjI6Gh25b9xiMc3Y3fUE/s640/IMG_20141227_140604.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuLwmuipY3svy4xcNVOeP7c3Hb_wYxn5J6XESmnn5CSUrLtTvAMCjYuUlZle5oIGZVtKDHy70shPBUwcCscNKjeCl7U_i5jk7Uek-I93jl-W0GH4M5LLbfkHmvneHsCnBd8mXZpsLU9y4/s1600/IMG_20141230_164849.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuLwmuipY3svy4xcNVOeP7c3Hb_wYxn5J6XESmnn5CSUrLtTvAMCjYuUlZle5oIGZVtKDHy70shPBUwcCscNKjeCl7U_i5jk7Uek-I93jl-W0GH4M5LLbfkHmvneHsCnBd8mXZpsLU9y4/s640/IMG_20141230_164849.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />Longboard Ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01353476446044377362noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4209565650670267512.post-40240441110724992402014-12-20T22:13:00.000+01:002017-01-22T13:59:27.817+01:00And so I went back to my biker<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDZjPdHbDtojzGRmeNeLaeNWKqECrAlOuQhsIvfbGz6Uv7zc8ejlY6bJeKvcHNBlizkozkVTqaGzdnr3Ei6mUXPGVXw0On4smtB9bW7Hf7UkjxEfENqFiBTt2qS0trB8QZS5kDROdF3co/s1600/IMG_20141220_150523.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDZjPdHbDtojzGRmeNeLaeNWKqECrAlOuQhsIvfbGz6Uv7zc8ejlY6bJeKvcHNBlizkozkVTqaGzdnr3Ei6mUXPGVXw0On4smtB9bW7Hf7UkjxEfENqFiBTt2qS0trB8QZS5kDROdF3co/s640/IMG_20141220_150523.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Two scared rabbits jumped away while I did my walk in the dark and cold night to the bus station of my home town around midnight. The streets where empty except for me, randomly passing cars and the small animals I just frightened. I had many hours left until I could rest from traveling. The weight from my backpack on my shoulders was heavy, already burdened with grief and worries about family members, the reason I left Panama to go home for a period. I found my bus, got off at the first stop at Gothenburg and realized that my imagined idea of a nap at the bus station were going to change to a walk through a town of dimmed lights and doors closed due to the late hour, just to keep myself warm until the next bus arrive. The rain and the wind were unmerciful to my face and me, not dressed for "December Sweden", was freezing. I managed to find a pizzeria which was obviously closing, but still willing to serve a frozen traveler in need. They offered me to sit down and I eagerly ate a Kebab roll while the rain made nasty sounds towards the windows.<br />
<br />
My next bus was not fully booked and since I had a 4 hours ride to Copenhagen I could curl up in a double seat. Sleep didn't bother to find me for longer periods though but I guess I had some, because the bus ride felt shorter than expected and I could embrace the early morning hour at Kastrup, the airport of Copenhagen.<br />
<br />
Before take off I had a mission. I had to find somewhere to print the bus ticket which was the proof for the immigration office in Panama and to the airline company that I had no intention to stay in Panama forever. The ticket had become one more thing to worry about since my last enter to Panama almost had become a "no entry moment" and the purchased online ticket which now was supposed to be sent to my email hours earlier hadn't been there until 10 minutes ago.<br />
<br />
My plan was to look for the Hilton hotel attached to the terminal and hopefully find a friendly face in the reception who could help me with my issue. I put some lip-gloss on, organized my tangled hair and tried not to look like the homeless and desperate woman I was. I didn't even have to walk to the hotel, the woman at the airports information desk where I asked for the direction helped me right away. Less stress, good. I was ready to sit down for a coffee and then to start my travels to Panama City via Paris, Charles de Gaulle. Hours of naps, movies, snacks and Sudoku began and the terrible tiredness I felt when I finally sat down in the shared and awfully expensive taxi from Tocumen airport was almost so bad that I couldn't enjoy the chat with my fellow traveler, the still warm evening and the skyline I knew from before. But only almost. That night I slept for hours and hours and I woke up in the morning with new energy for another day of travels, this time to reunite with the boyfriend waiting for me in the middle of nowhere and whom I have missed so much.Longboard Ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01353476446044377362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4209565650670267512.post-87547712654148234882014-12-04T00:43:00.000+01:002017-01-22T13:56:19.077+01:00Going home and longing backTo change this…<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9qNgltpF7V9tbV3IiJtfQxBdY5mez2kvncRNcHi7V5ZeSTaH35QyEqAWW-ubNZSyN6XicaqYEHaSle-6dKxJnZTdrxZKk3y3y7-d6v08RGcHAWXvWqu-CtLK8h0DF5NRN_X1eZ6hTgM0/s1600/IMG_20141203_224857-1024x1024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9qNgltpF7V9tbV3IiJtfQxBdY5mez2kvncRNcHi7V5ZeSTaH35QyEqAWW-ubNZSyN6XicaqYEHaSle-6dKxJnZTdrxZKk3y3y7-d6v08RGcHAWXvWqu-CtLK8h0DF5NRN_X1eZ6hTgM0/s640/IMG_20141203_224857-1024x1024.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
for this...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMJJkuDCgTqVZWaHCYci7xnEO9EMppkYCiOMY7pEJsA6n5vlJAMnxc5ROmNtLfj-9M8oZQN_hwPWslb_7JKZuMX_KjdPszxitjO0LFGVjNBiq1GhjNM4S_rM5RJFut4CYGkI1sLzhCM8Y/s1600/IMG_20141203_230022-1024x1024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMJJkuDCgTqVZWaHCYci7xnEO9EMppkYCiOMY7pEJsA6n5vlJAMnxc5ROmNtLfj-9M8oZQN_hwPWslb_7JKZuMX_KjdPszxitjO0LFGVjNBiq1GhjNM4S_rM5RJFut4CYGkI1sLzhCM8Y/s640/IMG_20141203_230022-1024x1024.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
I write from Sweden. Family matters made me catch a flight back home as fast as possible, to the cold and dark winter I have tried to stay away from and I will be around until the 18th of December. To be with the ones that I need right now, and who need me as well.<br />
<br />
I left "my biker" in Panama, in order to fulfill my plans or to make his own until I come back to spend Christmas with him and hopefully to continue to live the life I intended to. Brought my trailer and my Subsonic board to Sweden and will try to find some time to further changes since my board actually seemed to be broken during my last pushing day.<br />
<br />
Be patient and give me strength! My heart must be here right now, in the country with less sun and without the green and lush rainforests but with family and caring friends close by. Though, I must say, a little piece of it are longing for new rides and for the one I left behind.Longboard Ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01353476446044377362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4209565650670267512.post-32017500170642571032014-11-27T22:45:00.000+01:002017-01-22T13:54:39.477+01:00Electronic failures and how to extend your stay<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsg7is8YZa4htlcwwS1LgO6Lf26eWHSh5l1Xa2vNwD3292_ifYPrMOGASW7BZ41hprmeqYV4WEtlx4Pqc8lchc_aS65qe0N_4SbPW-IzUTw1GS31DxXjQwFKhrkndJNwnJuikmsHCTd9E/s1600/IMG_20141127_131116-1024x1024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsg7is8YZa4htlcwwS1LgO6Lf26eWHSh5l1Xa2vNwD3292_ifYPrMOGASW7BZ41hprmeqYV4WEtlx4Pqc8lchc_aS65qe0N_4SbPW-IzUTw1GS31DxXjQwFKhrkndJNwnJuikmsHCTd9E/s640/IMG_20141127_131116-1024x1024.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
I don't seem to have any luck with my electronics. My batteries and accessories for my Go Pro camera never seemed to work properly, my cell phone gave up a couple of days ago and my keyboard for my tablet have started to act more and more strange. Today I finally gave up on it and now I try to learn how to use the integrated keyboard which I find very difficult and extremely slow. Have patience with me! I guess posts will be shorter from now on. ;)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTcDuhhrrNdhkcYa2QLhNA6JBWwn_zhgzWVDnkmaqPfNEI2xOCUPZfkYZz9dB0f-I3dPQ-SLbTUM1eMysYAHuyVnF7Gn4r6Ow5QIK82Rl21l_k0N4hm-SmpvZf6tNF6J2Nx5RHiI4wSQM/s1600/IMG_20141127_131427-1024x1024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTcDuhhrrNdhkcYa2QLhNA6JBWwn_zhgzWVDnkmaqPfNEI2xOCUPZfkYZz9dB0f-I3dPQ-SLbTUM1eMysYAHuyVnF7Gn4r6Ow5QIK82Rl21l_k0N4hm-SmpvZf6tNF6J2Nx5RHiI4wSQM/s640/IMG_20141127_131427-1024x1024.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Anyway, everything else is great! We decided to stay in San Carlos, or El Palmar to be correct, for two nights. Two became three and three became four. We had a day trip to Elle Valle del Antón yesterday and today we were about to leave. Well, after breakfast Anders glanced at the hammock and I could see that today wasn't the day either. I am not in a hurry and I guess Anders found out how to relax too. Tomorrow will be the day... I believe.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu31M1Bws2JEgs9L2LBI7kWs95lcKLAQFvlpxIngIKsRAOO99b4dHVL5PxRZxbZbEMFA7SrEOPLin4sx9YrXie2fJouwTkaGkoG2z_VcRY9oiUq2BcBexemX2UkQSuMXGEV1fXj9o7dCo/s1600/IMG_20141124_160435-1024x1024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu31M1Bws2JEgs9L2LBI7kWs95lcKLAQFvlpxIngIKsRAOO99b4dHVL5PxRZxbZbEMFA7SrEOPLin4sx9YrXie2fJouwTkaGkoG2z_VcRY9oiUq2BcBexemX2UkQSuMXGEV1fXj9o7dCo/s640/IMG_20141124_160435-1024x1024.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKDczg6j-W3QqYXiHvHjJxTKWQszkW6-AS2YXrG6GPq12wHhC_Q0qsa4cjJeAleWPbqA9d7mR5MvJbzju0GeKmIQdPnkwgqzfmjLsqqtQNdT8Awis9ONTdTf-VUKN4XBEVXOgFOJfQQhM/s1600/IMG_20141125_001627-1024x1024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKDczg6j-W3QqYXiHvHjJxTKWQszkW6-AS2YXrG6GPq12wHhC_Q0qsa4cjJeAleWPbqA9d7mR5MvJbzju0GeKmIQdPnkwgqzfmjLsqqtQNdT8Awis9ONTdTf-VUKN4XBEVXOgFOJfQQhM/s640/IMG_20141125_001627-1024x1024.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1pCHG_7GF8QguGCPMBEnm6v7bqCXg5UnfskzU1U9I7YUuLHwv_anbi2ZItvDqW9mG5MCwZ0hZbjT6SVvWSc5HDGhIMTtcZXfplwZMpd0fvyuvbUs2oTfehlH3l_LSJOpLSlUc5fU961o/s1600/IMG_20141125_001203-1024x1024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1pCHG_7GF8QguGCPMBEnm6v7bqCXg5UnfskzU1U9I7YUuLHwv_anbi2ZItvDqW9mG5MCwZ0hZbjT6SVvWSc5HDGhIMTtcZXfplwZMpd0fvyuvbUs2oTfehlH3l_LSJOpLSlUc5fU961o/s640/IMG_20141125_001203-1024x1024.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT_RlG_sCflOPHp3UPiqhjasmuYU4yad3_RrGjsjdkEzpFnyBQ6NaSxq0AGDAdP8Osam-WJkInOpzwWC0Xr2zeFYCIckhsmKpeRAZChK57XCT1apM_92We-NbX9p8fiwhGQvqgnJroEvA/s1600/IMG_20141125_001823-1024x1024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT_RlG_sCflOPHp3UPiqhjasmuYU4yad3_RrGjsjdkEzpFnyBQ6NaSxq0AGDAdP8Osam-WJkInOpzwWC0Xr2zeFYCIckhsmKpeRAZChK57XCT1apM_92We-NbX9p8fiwhGQvqgnJroEvA/s640/IMG_20141125_001823-1024x1024.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVyUhpZMHcdSjY8kddwnN5CTDWg7gzJO1j7BsorlMVir9glSjgLGGmFbh81PEKLeeP-NXVjbaXwzyl1UGPxtUsootrjczXQR-UjipsZYUsL2kgutslnh793wFyzoKLWTrXfW91jk2GJS4/s1600/IMG_20141127_120639-1024x1024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVyUhpZMHcdSjY8kddwnN5CTDWg7gzJO1j7BsorlMVir9glSjgLGGmFbh81PEKLeeP-NXVjbaXwzyl1UGPxtUsootrjczXQR-UjipsZYUsL2kgutslnh793wFyzoKLWTrXfW91jk2GJS4/s640/IMG_20141127_120639-1024x1024.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif9bOXKteZ6fKW0sCElS5h5pYRrCawSB58wyNw7n3MFJNgzvWKX7VUvK_Z5pcxnMnlMFkWa_u8tWQgtjg31JReDgXxjtalKWVi6eKPi-Vtd5B7AAxI8Wu0bdtJkRFxAqLEVqpAsRyKvX0/s1600/IMG_20141127_120116-1024x1024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif9bOXKteZ6fKW0sCElS5h5pYRrCawSB58wyNw7n3MFJNgzvWKX7VUvK_Z5pcxnMnlMFkWa_u8tWQgtjg31JReDgXxjtalKWVi6eKPi-Vtd5B7AAxI8Wu0bdtJkRFxAqLEVqpAsRyKvX0/s640/IMG_20141127_120116-1024x1024.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhweQ6p0SJLEVl_Ig2m3IyZ25YmbUMUXe_sUzqSjp2IU8QNhgTVkABC1GX_FDS4q-YJwbdtVHTbP2dQiXFGdrKEz1wZxTjNsCM_JajPKYbjTGZhgDgvaHbPEkjw-JCpgvtfspTia6qDwVk/s1600/IMG_20141126_201544-1024x1024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhweQ6p0SJLEVl_Ig2m3IyZ25YmbUMUXe_sUzqSjp2IU8QNhgTVkABC1GX_FDS4q-YJwbdtVHTbP2dQiXFGdrKEz1wZxTjNsCM_JajPKYbjTGZhgDgvaHbPEkjw-JCpgvtfspTia6qDwVk/s640/IMG_20141126_201544-1024x1024.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1iyqCQPCBzZoBQaVVF8I5Br4rJ5Ay3J9hXXhb_a9Gc8YUzZQZhTq-n6E9MbH8cZF1V-xl81x0cziAiSjWeWVGcsU5PhwHmhL1WWm3J3ImfcQuPFONl4axidt-au7PRqD6QhBBi8Z0pMM/s1600/IMG_20141126_200953-1024x1024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1iyqCQPCBzZoBQaVVF8I5Br4rJ5Ay3J9hXXhb_a9Gc8YUzZQZhTq-n6E9MbH8cZF1V-xl81x0cziAiSjWeWVGcsU5PhwHmhL1WWm3J3ImfcQuPFONl4axidt-au7PRqD6QhBBi8Z0pMM/s640/IMG_20141126_200953-1024x1024.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />Longboard Ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01353476446044377362noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4209565650670267512.post-1853552002880690222014-11-26T00:22:00.000+01:002017-01-22T13:49:51.398+01:00Arraiján to Carpita and then some hammock life in San Carlos<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR3k-vS7lPc4yEiNryC9KTk4BoB_vk8jAB0ICQcdZ4XTge2X4Jm3662ZKAqYe37gI24aau6W02eRm14fgmTVNQllKG-8fhJ7wU64_hfpICUqHtbjbj2Qf6ulB6StxMaHGbKs1WdgoJBkc/s1600/IMG_20141123_205823-1024x1024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR3k-vS7lPc4yEiNryC9KTk4BoB_vk8jAB0ICQcdZ4XTge2X4Jm3662ZKAqYe37gI24aau6W02eRm14fgmTVNQllKG-8fhJ7wU64_hfpICUqHtbjbj2Qf6ulB6StxMaHGbKs1WdgoJBkc/s640/IMG_20141123_205823-1024x1024.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
The following days included more up- and downhills. The entire way, no flat roads. I couldn't keep up with Anders speed. To compromise so he wouldn't be bored but I still could push my longboard every day I took the bus for some parts of the road. We had a night in the little town of Carpita, at the only hostel we could find, had an evening meal among drunken locals and spent the rest of the Saturday night trying to get some sleep while the citizens of Carpita decided to start a street party pretty late and continue until early morning. Meaning, not very much sleep for us.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJLYSbPbCHVnNZc0LwYE-vmsOqgoIl-4qSKScJ5jjgNLo0Bl5ORdOeKWqcmoB_S4Y9aLY4auNbHwLw_zijuiZmYTNs58sxVafaAfrdrC66w9LJ2ODxNg_PAm_N2RIUTnDv-nDtlzjoKa0/s1600/IMG_20141123_203612-1024x1024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJLYSbPbCHVnNZc0LwYE-vmsOqgoIl-4qSKScJ5jjgNLo0Bl5ORdOeKWqcmoB_S4Y9aLY4auNbHwLw_zijuiZmYTNs58sxVafaAfrdrC66w9LJ2ODxNg_PAm_N2RIUTnDv-nDtlzjoKa0/s640/IMG_20141123_203612-1024x1024.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
I was in pretty bad shape. My hip joints and one knee was in pain and my muscles sored. On top on that I had cramps in my stomach and an incipient headache. It felt like I was old and grumpy (which I'm not) and I had to convince myself several time during the day that this was actually what I wanted. To live a longboard life for a year! Well, it wasn't really hard to do if I just gave myself some time to rest once in a while. I also had some good experience with locals offering me water along the way and stopping me for a nice chat. They in Español, me in Inglés/Español. They all helped me and encouraged me to continue!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3kasf_wqsWlPmdFk7WIJ2Wb32_hjT0S7nLNfXSTk672OJH7ooMIDU9F_fico0lvDTJGBIaE9X6QpmeGbniAkfVzgPlOZYdV9qjh0sichSvhYmCstLl3wXsNfYDN8-KeKVOJspdxN_FMc/s1600/IMG_20141123_204441-1024x1024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3kasf_wqsWlPmdFk7WIJ2Wb32_hjT0S7nLNfXSTk672OJH7ooMIDU9F_fico0lvDTJGBIaE9X6QpmeGbniAkfVzgPlOZYdV9qjh0sichSvhYmCstLl3wXsNfYDN8-KeKVOJspdxN_FMc/s640/IMG_20141123_204441-1024x1024.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
We managed to meet up right before San Carlos where we had decided to camp for a couple of nights. I had read that camping on beaches was allowed everywhere in Panama but when we entered the beach the sign was pretty clear. No camping allowed!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2VQlt0ns3xfnyaJBxJmbg-9TvpKmeD4DT5ell4UYtyn3UXg0etWLMdkmmF7uwPOvjZouU_21qJ6ciaKnKf5Y997LM__PSKRHPAnQSnMk0B5DVLC9yTcFt5RvwqBK0err08xxIqfgWeTs/s1600/IMG_20141124_123631-1024x1024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2VQlt0ns3xfnyaJBxJmbg-9TvpKmeD4DT5ell4UYtyn3UXg0etWLMdkmmF7uwPOvjZouU_21qJ6ciaKnKf5Y997LM__PSKRHPAnQSnMk0B5DVLC9yTcFt5RvwqBK0err08xxIqfgWeTs/s640/IMG_20141124_123631-1024x1024.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Asked around and everybody said that camping could be hard since the beach and the tide wasn't in our favour. Instead we found a relaxed and nice hostel with hammocks all around and welcoming people who seemed to like being accompanied by a biker and a skater. We decided to stay in that pretty little place, where you could hear the waves from the frontyard and read books in hammocks, for a few days. To be kind to body and to be kind to soul!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv9LObGCyQ5YiJMCK9QlrhUCSCmi46TXArnGAc5N_p1i_4x8IqC946w3JprAjUdmTszkjfsSN6pq1SVNcf1ux54FS9UTjX4Dy2jcR0B88gtM8pvqMuR-4Ik1SvhWaFhNJlxJKBRVAxE74/s1600/IMG_20141124_121328-1024x1024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv9LObGCyQ5YiJMCK9QlrhUCSCmi46TXArnGAc5N_p1i_4x8IqC946w3JprAjUdmTszkjfsSN6pq1SVNcf1ux54FS9UTjX4Dy2jcR0B88gtM8pvqMuR-4Ik1SvhWaFhNJlxJKBRVAxE74/s640/IMG_20141124_121328-1024x1024.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />Longboard Ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01353476446044377362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4209565650670267512.post-49031591529676878582014-11-24T23:46:00.000+01:002017-01-22T13:51:57.114+01:00Leaving Panama City and trying to keep the speed of a biker<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr7_fR4F3-eBjqwydumHS1kArmjLg7uuroxs5WvQmvm4dkg8v9kxo2BcNyfSneoKERO_bsBL_0DdfDHzzpkcj4GCIx085HrhhXRMLJn8104cOWZITqMtbRnT7rmhXyc9dKy-Pgp_ivDLY/s1600/IMG_20141123_202938.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr7_fR4F3-eBjqwydumHS1kArmjLg7uuroxs5WvQmvm4dkg8v9kxo2BcNyfSneoKERO_bsBL_0DdfDHzzpkcj4GCIx085HrhhXRMLJn8104cOWZITqMtbRnT7rmhXyc9dKy-Pgp_ivDLY/s640/IMG_20141123_202938.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
The taxi driver dropped me off at a bus stop at the same time people quit work and the road was filled with people, all staring at me when I set up my equpiment. I put my things together as fast as I could and started in a slow pace up the first hill. The traffic was heavy, the shoulders littered and even if they were wide enough, cars, buses and trucks were close and I was nervous. It took a while but then I felt more self confident and I could concentrate on the not so steep but long uphills. My legs were sored and my head wanted to be released from my helmet. Hot, sweating, struggling.<br />
<br />
Downhill was something else. I used my soles to brake once again and could feel how the asphalt ate them but was to afraid of the speed that came immediately. When I finally felt a little bit braver I gave one hill a try. Unfortunately I had to swerve for some potholes in the road and my trailer, which I thought where more stable after some adjustments, turned over again. I could hear it scraping after my longboard but instead of slowing me down it went back for a while then rolled over again. I couldn't find the balance to foot brake and had to wait until next uphill before I stopped rolling. Looked at the damages, ignored them for the moment and went on, more careful but also annoyed with the fact that my equipment still didn't work.<br />
<br />
I was expecting Anders to catch up on me but guessed he had left later from Panama City than expected. A camera flash went off from one of the passing cars, I heard whistles and saw thumbs up all the way, even from a police car. At one point a couple of dogs where a little bit to curious about my longboard and I was nervous because my earlier experiences with dogs and my Subsonic board wasn't great. Those two were sniffing around and I did my best to ignore them and hoped they choosed not to play with my board or attack it. They left and so did I. Glad that I didn't have to defend my belongings.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVHRuupj-fyimdv8ZA3XEfGNkFk3S9-5R1fkYsx3fiRkCb9RDYmyGPXGMfUmJMgP0srjabxwL2xJt4H2glE2w76lCUx4xZ4gdGTige0O6DrO5yEDPtXUOMcPUQRTKGUEGwI56QoogBof4/s1600/IMG_20141123_194751-1024x1024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVHRuupj-fyimdv8ZA3XEfGNkFk3S9-5R1fkYsx3fiRkCb9RDYmyGPXGMfUmJMgP0srjabxwL2xJt4H2glE2w76lCUx4xZ4gdGTige0O6DrO5yEDPtXUOMcPUQRTKGUEGwI56QoogBof4/s640/IMG_20141123_194751-1024x1024.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
My legs started to be so tired that I didn't trust them and even if I hadn't pushed my board for slightly more than seven kilometers I felt relieved when I saw our meeting point. Ten minutes later I was accompanied by my biker again and we had a nice meal in a asian restaurant before we went looking for somewhere to sleep. No camping today either. We found a small hotell in the small village of Arraiján.Longboard Ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01353476446044377362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4209565650670267512.post-90241274434798132682014-11-23T05:59:00.000+01:002017-01-20T17:03:42.380+01:00Panama City and to meet the one you have missed<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcPGOooa4wWkA__DEgnl5Tsg2WT0E-e3VZWNYIpmJpJCOw5utOHqC8_on4I7xdsPh_qj8EVwgiwWLIdxvKRCKVnKXr0IIEqdxsE2hVNw4L48CIYHkwoL0KLu9Ebz0dOTPU78jeN1SMaN8/s1600/panamacity1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcPGOooa4wWkA__DEgnl5Tsg2WT0E-e3VZWNYIpmJpJCOw5utOHqC8_on4I7xdsPh_qj8EVwgiwWLIdxvKRCKVnKXr0IIEqdxsE2hVNw4L48CIYHkwoL0KLu9Ebz0dOTPU78jeN1SMaN8/s640/panamacity1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Like I had been before I was once again denied access to something I had planned. Last time I was stopped at the enterence at Joshua Tree National Park. This time they wouldn't let me board the flight to Panama until I had some kind of proof that I also was planning to leave the country within three months. "Easy to solve", I thought and as the LAX (Los Angeles Airport) had free wifi I started to google "How to leave Panama by bus + cheap". I found two companies, both made it impossible to purchase a ticket online and after one hour searching for a solution I kindly asked the girls at the check in desk to help out. Fifteen minutes later I had a reservation in december to Nicaragua, by airplane. Nobody would ask for it when I entered Panama I asumed but if I was wrong I could at least give them something. My plan is still to leave by longboard and enter Costa Rica though. <br />
<br />
I heard my name in the speaker at the security control. Ran as soon as my shoes were on my feet again and my computer was down in the case. The friendly girl who had helped me with my reservation was there to escort me and once on the plane I could stretch my legs out on three seats all by my own. The night arrived and above the clouds I had a nice slumber before the cabin crew asked me if I wanted pancakes for breakfast. <br />
<br class="separator" div="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;" />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwA2iwHKFCclcF0lv0DryIEK2APkYtxBEGmC6tDxLjtkb98rznBGNGOgTwzHfF0KuMhVVsi2i_u2KutUbCbSBZWxCQaGkKVuuBA0I3eUyztbGOJ0LYjMBsQcQmqy_PEgrEPdzv9UepefM/s1600/panamacity2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwA2iwHKFCclcF0lv0DryIEK2APkYtxBEGmC6tDxLjtkb98rznBGNGOgTwzHfF0KuMhVVsi2i_u2KutUbCbSBZWxCQaGkKVuuBA0I3eUyztbGOJ0LYjMBsQcQmqy_PEgrEPdzv9UepefM/s640/panamacity2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
I couldn't help smiling in the overpriced taxi from the airport. The smell of the humid Panamanian air, the pleasent heat, the many skyscrapers which we drove into in a zigzagging and jumpy minibus and the few minutes left until I should meet the man I hadn't seen for more than six weeks. I knew he would smile to. And so he did...<br />
<br />
We spent the next day enjoying each others company, exploring the city and trying to learn how to handle the heavy traffic by foot. Didn't know until later that we had tried the areas tourists are told to stay away from both day and night. We were still safe though. Later Anders bought a bike and tried the streets of Panama City on rubber wheels too. <br />
<br />
Panama City is spread out and we had to take taxi once in a while too. It is supposed to be cheap and it happens that you actually are given a fair price from time to time. Mostly, I must say, it was the "tourist fare" that we were offered.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrHOrvQNmVaiZ0psdTMugQ-7P-ihT1-I2469kSx74b4lMNSjE3z6P8IDhqeyhVs6h91kuQbBT8t5yZTjxzVZOjFJurmtyZUrBQ8_i8oiImDUn05EPrfP4WNXOOWp1a3xCundyVTgNaQ_8/s1600/panamacity3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrHOrvQNmVaiZ0psdTMugQ-7P-ihT1-I2469kSx74b4lMNSjE3z6P8IDhqeyhVs6h91kuQbBT8t5yZTjxzVZOjFJurmtyZUrBQ8_i8oiImDUn05EPrfP4WNXOOWp1a3xCundyVTgNaQ_8/s640/panamacity3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
We did most of the things you are supposed to do once in Panama City. Had a walk in the old town and then home through Via España with its shopping (we saved our money though), took a taxi to Panama Canal and watched boats pass, walked the Amador Causeway with a splendid view over the city's skyline and did the same along the water closer to town. Same view but closer. We also had fish chevishe at the lively fish market. A new taste, a good one.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvagpMSPRThMo2Ryevk0ppOA1jzATUnfk1J9c_Br60gwr9AU_se8DLpwhjPFKNa8tCJyaKoqaK8dN6Bz6kDErRZqUvy7s0-7-wmXkvXjGPZE76LE0_dUq6518Masqp4ztu5nID293WqAo/s1600/panamacity4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvagpMSPRThMo2Ryevk0ppOA1jzATUnfk1J9c_Br60gwr9AU_se8DLpwhjPFKNa8tCJyaKoqaK8dN6Bz6kDErRZqUvy7s0-7-wmXkvXjGPZE76LE0_dUq6518Masqp4ztu5nID293WqAo/s640/panamacity4.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Organized our things and a late afternoon we went off, left the city. Anders had to take his bike out of town, again through qarters we were told to stay away from. I knew he would be fine but didn't like it. I took a taxi to a safer spot where I could begin the climb up and down the green hills outside Panama City.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz23m0MYIMMQDnMzkafJEwKUOXjiQFc-lZUlaJsRv6nuWyJDjCUdx_gs3G81jtYGurgIDuU0C8Eh2eFCLgfurBh1upLWIZopYUV_Ep-5sH_QLamWebwsrBf1N5_I42dvJc0oGggqZygWs/s1600/panamacity5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz23m0MYIMMQDnMzkafJEwKUOXjiQFc-lZUlaJsRv6nuWyJDjCUdx_gs3G81jtYGurgIDuU0C8Eh2eFCLgfurBh1upLWIZopYUV_Ep-5sH_QLamWebwsrBf1N5_I42dvJc0oGggqZygWs/s640/panamacity5.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
Longboard Ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01353476446044377362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4209565650670267512.post-25017139137680812272014-11-20T08:20:00.000+01:002017-01-20T16:55:29.747+01:00San Diego in my heart<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-version="7" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:8px;"> <div style=" background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:50% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"> <div style=" background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAABGdBTUEAALGPC/xhBQAAAAFzUkdCAK7OHOkAAAAMUExURczMzPf399fX1+bm5mzY9AMAAADiSURBVDjLvZXbEsMgCES5/P8/t9FuRVCRmU73JWlzosgSIIZURCjo/ad+EQJJB4Hv8BFt+IDpQoCx1wjOSBFhh2XssxEIYn3ulI/6MNReE07UIWJEv8UEOWDS88LY97kqyTliJKKtuYBbruAyVh5wOHiXmpi5we58Ek028czwyuQdLKPG1Bkb4NnM+VeAnfHqn1k4+GPT6uGQcvu2h2OVuIf/gWUFyy8OWEpdyZSa3aVCqpVoVvzZZ2VTnn2wU8qzVjDDetO90GSy9mVLqtgYSy231MxrY6I2gGqjrTY0L8fxCxfCBbhWrsYYAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"></div></div> <p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/ujMCvwGS3W/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">OB pier. 💓 #OB #OceanBeach #SanDiego #California</a></p> <p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">Ett foto publicerat av Longboard Lady (@_longboardlady_) <time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime="2014-10-24T21:09:48+00:00">Okt 24, 2014 kl. 2:09 PDT</time></p></div></blockquote>
<script async defer src="//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js"></script>
Going back to San Diego was something extra. Before I left home I was excited about the adventure in the desert but, most of all, my heart was already in Ocean Beach, SD.<br />
<br />
I spent almost three weeks there. Went to Californian beaches with long and winding piers, watched the surfers waiting for the morning waves, was blessed with sunsets, spread out my blanket in lovely Balboa Park, admired the skyline of San Diego from Coronado, heard the beat of Gaslamp Quarter, walked in my favorite neighbourhood in Banker's Hill, took my bike, which was still there, along Sunset Cliffs and tried well-known areas with my longboard.<br />
<br />
I also met a lot of old and dear friends, had new ones and experienced the American way to celebrate Halloween. Did some hiking, drank some wine and slept until the sun woke me up again. Had some road trips, gave my skin a new colour, danced salsa with a lot of spins, and Bachata and Merengue. Watched the sky and the airplanes every day and made visits to the Farmer's Markets.<br />
<br />
I left with tears in my eyes but will probably come back with new smiles. <br />
<br />Longboard Ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01353476446044377362noreply@blogger.com0