Sweden-Australia

Home sweet home!

2005-05-26T03:37:00.000+10:00

Back in Sweden again after nearly 5 weeks "down under". Seams lika a dream - did we really spend all that time travelling around from town to town, meeting all these terrific aussies, seeing all these beautiful places? It all went so quickly and now we´re back having to deal with reality of working life again. We have to take care of ourselves again after having been looked after by others for so long - you do get used to it!

David, Helena and myself went straight back to Sweden and had to endure a 35 hours long journey home. Håkan and Jennie stayed behind in Sydney - Håkan for a few days and Jennie for two weeks.

I miss my Viking Dream Team and I miss the beautiful scenery, the warm weather and all the friends we made. It´s been great - an experience we´ll never forget. Thanks to each an everyone that have made our 5 weeks such an adventure, thanks to all our hostfamilies for having taken us into your homes, thanks to Bruce and all the local GSE coordinators. Thanks Queensland and Northern Territory, district 9550 as well as district 2350 for making it all possible!!!!!!

We´ll meet again!

Time to say goodbye

2005-05-22T14:16:00.000+10:00

Well, this is it. Time to go to the Airport and say goodbye to everyone here in Cairns.

The last couple of days have been great. On Friday we went to the RFDS (Royal Flying Doctor Service) museum. I was a bit disappointed that no one from the TV-series was there ... No, seriously, what I enjoyed most was going into one of their planes. So small! I can't believe they actually managed to get sick people in there on a stretcher!

But even more interesting was the visit to Queensland School of Distant Education. Obviously a good way to teach kids in the Outback to read and write. But an expensive way, too.

And I think we all enjoyed Saturday. I spent most of the day in the city of Cairns, drinking coffee, reading my book, shopping. David, Kari and Jennie took one more trip to the Reef. When they came back they said it was even better than last time. Helena's day had two ingredients: A beach and a book. That's all you need, really.

Later that night, after a nice BBQ, my host Peter and I went to see the latest (last?) Star Wars-movie. A good one, but I still think the story in the three new ones is a it thin.

Today, the last day, we all went to the beach for brunch. Then it was time to pack. I hope all the bubblewrap and clothes I've put around my newly bought didjeridoo will protect it all the way back home. And that my neighbors won't my me practising when I get back home.

To all the people we have met on this trip I just have one thing to say. One thing, two words:

Thank you!

Yummy green ants!

2005-05-19T17:45:00.000+10:00

Yarrabah a beautiful piece of land along the coast. Our guide Alfred showed us around and told us about the aboriginal community and how to survive in the forest. That is without any camping gear, food or water. Very interesting! Just do like Baloo. Pick fruit, zap to catch birds with and do not forget the green ants. Sour, sour sour! Just like the Swedish lolly coca cola bottles, my favorite candy.

Tonight we are having croc, kangaroo, emu and some Australian wine! (And maybe a pav for dessert!) I think we are starting to get used to the Aussie lifestyle and it is not bad.

Cairns

2005-05-19T08:24:00.000+10:00

Wonderful Cairns here we are! Yesterday we did our last presentation. Sad but true. This fantastic trip is soon coming to an end but we will never forget it that is for sure! I think the snaps (Absolut citron/lemon) was very appreciated last night.

We were treated as royalties when we visited the Carins City Council. A very interesting day when we had the opportunity meet politicians, HR, IT, HR and we took part of the ceremony when new Aussies are welcomed. The afternoon we spent at the Carins Advance.

Today we are going the visit the Yarrabah Community for arts, rainforests and a wonderful view!

Port Douglas and Mossman

2005-05-17T11:50:00.000+10:00

Now we are in Cairns waiting for our new host families to pick us up. We have had a great time in Port Douglas and Mossman. Yesterday we were introduced to Mossamn falls and the old aboriginal way of living in the rainforsts. They certainly know a lot about nature. I washed my hands with leafs that turned in to soap, we tasted wild pepper and listened to the digerdo. As a matter of fact we have all bougt some CDs with the digerdo. We also went for a swim in the river, refreshing but absolutely fantastic!!

In the afternoon we visited a orchid and a pineapple farm. Very interessting! Ron who owns the pineapple farm still loves his job after 50! That i s a wonderful rawmodel.

The presentation was good! We even sang two snaps songs.

Beach, more beach and even more beach

2005-05-15T20:20:00.000+10:00

Yesterday was vocational day. We had a business lunch up in the Tablelands west of Innisfail. Silvio had brought a nice italian picnic buffe to Echon lake and Rob was telling us all about his investments ... in vineyards. Of course we needed to test the quality of his investment. I can assure you they met the highest of standards!

At the evening we went back to Mission Beach (yes, we really missed you guys!) to attend their 20th anniversary party (the Rotary Club of Mission Beach, that is). Good food, more good wine. That made it the fourth Rotary meeting this week. Yes, it truly is an exhausting life, but someone's gotta do the job, ay!

Today we once again said goodbye to our 'families' and set of to Port Douglas and Mossman. Two small towns situated right next to the beautiful long beaches. I spent half an hour watching the water turn from blue to pink as the sun set in the evening, listening to the slow rythm of the waves. Priceless!

Fruits of Innisfail

2005-05-13T13:48:00.000+10:00

Did you know that they grow bananas, papayas, cactus and dragon fruit in Innisfail? Well I did not but I ll tell you this they taste delicous.

Yesterday was busy. Visits to sugar museum, banana and croc farm. We met the real crocodile dundee, Frank. He walked it to the crocs and fed them. Luckily enough none of them bit me!

Today we spend some time at a barramundi fish farm. Very impressive! They harvest all year around just as they do with the bananas. I got to hold one. Beautiful fish but I prefer them with lots of lemon for tea. (-:

Tonight is presentation time. A combined meeting with 50 people.

Now it is time for latte. 56% of the people in Innisfail are italians = great coffee.

Mission beach - a piece of paradise

2005-05-11T16:38:00.000+10:00

Wow! What at place. Golden beaches, rain forests, wonderful islands (without any people) and beautiful houses. Yesterday we had a crisp Caesar salad with garlic prawns at a resort and went for a walk on the beach. Not a bad welcome reception.

The presentation for Tully and Mission beach Rotary clubs was fun. About 50 people and we did not have to use a microphone, lovely! I got fined by the sergeant.....

Today we have been out on the see all day! Terrific! Did some snorkeling and spotted purple and red corals and of course colorful fish. I was the skipper on the way back (for about 5 min).

Tonight bbq with my "parents"! Not bad, ey!

Koalas do bite!

2005-05-10T00:12:00.000+10:00

In Townsville I got bitten by a Koala at the Billabong!! I got a nice dark blue bruce on my left arm. Me and animals do not get along that's a fact (-: I did hurt but I think it is a wonderful story, went down under and got bitten by a Koala. Not many people can say that!

Ingham

2005-05-09T23:46:00.000+10:00

Arrived yesterday after having a great week in Townsville and lovely smoothies and ice cream at the Frosty Mango. In Ingham we went on a "tu tu"-train and briefly visited the famous Italian festival. The lattes were wonderful. It is good to be back in sugar cane land again!

Today we went to the sugar terminal with a docking pire 5 K s out in the ocean. Very impressive! We saw a huge turtle on the way out swimming around. In one of the storages we saw and climed a mountain of raw sugar. And it was very tasty!

In the afternoon Norm, Pauli and Tom took us to wonderful Wallaman falls. In the deep deep rainforest we saw a emu family the kind who has had their faces stuck in a beauty box, you know which one (-: . The picnic we ate was delicious! Thank you mates!

The presentation tonight went well. We are now down to 17 min. Almost getting used to speek in a microphone in front of heaps of Aussies!! We recieved exotic fruit wine, 20%. Since we are Swedes and used to Snaps I think we can handle it!

Tomorrow we are back on the road again! New mummies and daddies are waiting for us! Thank you Ingham for a lovely time!

Again came the cane

2005-05-09T23:30:00.000+10:00

We left Townsville yesterday and went up to Ingham. Here the wet tropics begin and the sugar cane, which we saw so much of in the Burdekin, returns. And this time I get to stay on a farm - a great experience for a city kid like myself.

In Townsville we saw kangaroos and koalas, here we ran in to the big and beautiful - well, at least colorful - cassawarys. And some wallabys (the younger 'brother' of the kangaroo) was to be seen outside town as well.

And I thought I'd seen some astonishing waterfalls when we were at Litchfield Park two weeks ago. I stand corrected. Wallaman falls was really something special.

Suger cane farm, suger mill, sugar bulk terminal - soon I believe that what I haven't learnt about the sugar industry isn't worth learning. Anyway, it's been really interesting.

We attended a Rotary meeting this evening as well, and did the usual presentation of Sweden. Now we've done it so many times we're getting tired of our own jokes. We'll have to think of new ones for tomorrow, when we will have moved on to the next town.

Magnificent Maggie

2005-05-07T16:40:00.000+10:00

Two days of relaxation. We needed that. Yesterday Jennie and I got up early to attend the morning radio show. 4TO Mornong Star Steve Price (a man you'd think were on speed because of all his energy) almost choked when Jennie replied "your wonderful smoothies". The question? "What do you like most about Australia".

Kari, on the other hand, later made a slam dunk when she, David and Helena were on the ABC radio a bit later that morning. "Thank you Queensland for giving us such a wonderful time", she ended the show. Now, that's how you make friends with people!

Then shopping was on the agenda, and big spenders David and Kari was having a blast!

Today we visited magnificent Maggie - that is Magnetic Island, for those of you who don't speek the lingo of Townsville (a town which you in the dry season just as well might call Brownsville - the grass won't stay green for long). "Maggie" was absolutely beatuiful, and I think we at last got something of a tan from walking in the sun up and down the mountains. The picnic on the beach wasn't bad either.

Later this evening is BBQ-time. It's a tough life, but someone's gotta lead it!

Farewell Townsville

2005-05-07T16:35:00.000+10:00

Last day in Townsville. Been here for almost a week. Today we went out to Magnetic Island. Climbed up to the highest point of the island and had fish and chips on a gorgeous secluded beach. Walking down from the top of the island a snake crossed the road and I jumped and screamed. I was not a big snake but most certainly very dangerous!!!! The others just laughed.
Yesterday morning I went with my host to his Rotary club Townsville Sunrise and that was an appropriate name they meet at 6.30 in the morning. Heidi was there but had changed her name to Inga - which of course is more Swedish. The club has about 80 members and they are all male!!!!!! Yesterday we all became celebrities as we were interviewed on 2 local radiostations. After that we had a free day - me and my teammembers had a nice lunch together and basically talked about what a great time we have had so far. I have meet a couple of other teamleders who had told me about all the problems they were facing which made me wonder if I am doing something wrong because we do not have any problems at all. I have a great team - very good representatives for Sweden. So farewell Townsvill and thanks for everything - it's been great. We have seen so much and met so many generous people,

A croc, a snake and a koala

2005-05-05T19:05:00.000+10:00

Once there was a swagman who sat by a Billabong.

The first line in the famous Australian song 'Walzing Matilda'. This morning we went to the Billabong santuary. Pictures of me and the rest of the team giving a hug to a koala (who actually bit Jenny!), grabbing a snake out of a bag (I admit I was a bit nervous at first) and holding a crocodile can be seen here.

More pictures from our two weeks in this country can be found here. Just click on the links above the team picture.

Viking interruption

2005-05-04T22:40:00.000+10:00

Well...

Her name was Heidi. She was about 6"2, wearing a white dress and two golden viking horns. And she couldn't sing.

But I'll get to that later.

This morning I had a great encounter with the editor of the Townsville Bulletin, Michael Carroll. We exhanged ideas and experiences for about two hours. What really caught my interest was his recent "invention": TXT the editor. The readers can text a short message to the editor on their mobile phone and see it in print the next day. Very popular amongst the readers, and a great way to attract new people to express their views.

Later at night it was time for a combined Rotary meeting, and of course the team was to make the usual presentation of Sweden. We always begin by telling our names and professions, and whatever else might be interesting. The routine had been seen by some rotarians at last weekends conference in Ayr. David mentioned (as he always does) that he is getting married just after he gets back to Stockholm.

Enters Heidi. I cracked myself up. This gigantic "woman" runs up to David a gives him a nice hug and kiss. I tell you, he was at loss for words. So were the rest of us. We were laughing our heads of.

From that on it was easy making a nice, relaxed and fairly humourus presentation. Despite horrible pictures of snowy Sweden I think almost everyone in the room would consider a visit in the future.

Jennie - on the other hand - said she wouldn't mind staying in Australia, after having a great time at her vocational visit. But that's a completely different story - one she'll have to tell herself.

Beautiful Townsville

2005-05-04T09:09:00.000+10:00

The days pass so quickly and everyone gives us a new experience We are now in Townsville and have already spent two days here. It is a beautiful city with beautiful beaches and a very blue sea as far as you can see. Yesterday we went out to the John Brewe Reef which is on of the many places on the Great Barrier Reef that you can visit. It was abolutely magnificent it was like swimming around in an aquarium with thousands of fishes in all sizes and colours swimming around you, clear blue seastarts and black seacucumbers and different kinds of coralls. The snorkelling was quiet an experience. I did not use a weatsuit because the water was 26 degrees - but after a couple of hours of snorkelling I wish I had - I was freezing cold! The boat trip out to the reef was pretty ruff and you could really feel the wind of up to 20 knots. Some of us felt it more than others! So far no suntan - we have been using 30+ sunlotion which almost blocks out all sun. Everybody does - skin cancer is a big problem here and therefore everybody is almost as white as we are

Te regional conference in Ayr was very interesting and gave an understanding for what Rotary does here in Queensland Our presentation went OK I think peolple enjoyed it At the end of the first day all the exchange students that had been on the big safari around Australia performed and that was a lot of fun. There was one Swedish boy in the group who I spoke to. He had really enjoyed his stay and had a hard time switching over to Swedish so we had our conversation in English instead.

As in all places we have visited people are so friendly and take such a good care of us

Today is a vocational day which will be very interesting and tonight we will again have a presentation for a joint club meeting here in Townsville so about 130 people will attend. We will again show pictures of a cold and snowy Stockholm and everybody will again wonder how you can live in a place like that.

Again what strucks me the most is that most topics that come up for discussions are almost the same as they are at home - food, wine, problem with attracting skilled work force, how long you have to wait until you can the help of a plumber or a carpenter and of course a the fact that a lot of things were better before. Again the biggest diffence is the climate!!!!!!

The sweet air of Ayr

2005-05-02T16:33:00.000+10:00

After a couple of wonderful days in Ayr we've now arrived in Townsville. That means there are no sugar canes outside the window anymore. Actually, there weren't any before either, but what I'll remember from the Burdekin landscape are the vast fields of sugar cane.

We held the presentation at the Rotary District conference on Satarday. I think we did all right, and gave the audience a pretty good picture of what Sweden is like, with the changing of the seasons - as compared with this part of the world where people talk of "dry season" and "wet season".

The people of Ayr (and nthe nearby town of Home Hill) has been very friendly. Proud of their shire as they are, they have shown and explained everything there is to know about their way of life. For a city kid like myself, I've certainly learnt a lot about modern farming.

Tomorrow: Great Barrier Reef. I can hardly wait!

Ayr

2005-04-29T16:31:00.000+10:00

After a wonderful seafood lunch and a walk along the beach in Townsville we arrived in Ayr. We were welcomed with cold champagne and delicious fingerfood!

In the evening our host families took good care of us and we slept like babies during the night. In the morning John picked us up for a very fun and informative tour in the Wetlands. Now we know a whole lot more about the sugar industry, wild life, farming and cooking in Burdekin!

Tonight were are looking forward to a bbq! And tomorrow the female members of the team are doing a presentation about Swedish food!

Brisbane airport early in the morning

2005-04-28T07:45:00.003+10:00

Well At our first meeting half the team was absent and at the big presentation last night in Darwin there was a fire alarm - so I wonder what will happen during our third presentation which is tonight. However when the firealert was over my team - the Viking Dreamteam made a great presentation. They had put together a presentation of Sweden consisting of very typical pictures from the 4 seasons and I think the audience enjoyed what they heard and saw. And not only did they hear the presentation they also heard us sing a typical snaps song "Helan gar" as well as our Swedish National Anthem. We had a very nice dinner with all the Rotary clubs of Darwin before we left for the airport at midnight to take the early morning flight to Brisbane and then on the Townsville. Tonight we will go to the litte town of Ayr where the District Conference will be held during this coming weekend. I do hope that we will have time for a litte nap this afternoon otherwise I do not know whether we will make it through the evening presentation without falling asleep.

Back in Darwin

2005-04-27T16:53:00.000+10:00

After our very interesting trip to Dili we returned back to Darin yesterday morning. We were picked up by our host families and for the first time the team was split up. We had lunch with our hostfamilies and then met again for a sightseeing tour of the city with Julie and her husband Martyn. It was hot!!!!! Very hot! Considering the heat and the beautiful beaches and the rolling sea one would presume that it would be the best opportunity for a swim - but not this time of the year in Darwin. The sea is full of seawasps and you do not want to get stung by them and if you avoid the seawasps you might get caught by one of the many crocodiles that swim around in the sea. So we stay on the beach and try to cope with the heat. Today we have had our first vocational meetings I had a meeting together with Hakan at the Department of Chief Minister, Communication and Marketing Division. They informed us about how the try to attract professionals to come and work in the Northern Territory. Very interesting. My reflection is that although Sweden and Australia are located on the opposite sides of the globe - the most fundatmental problems in our societies are basically the same. Tonight we are going to have a presentation for approximately 80 people belonging to the 7 Rotary clubs of Darwin. Quite a challange and this time I hope everbody will be present - no Dili tomy! At midnight we leave for the East Coast. We extend a great thank to all the wonderful peaople we have meet so far and that have taken such a good care of us.

Two days in Dili

2005-04-26T22:09:00.000+10:00

Just back after two interesting and intense days in Dili, Timor Leste (East Timor). The team was very well received by the local Rotary club. Pretty amazing that there is a Rotary club in a country not even three years old!

The roads in the mountain were as bad as the view was marvellous. Food fantastic, but obviously dangerous, since everybody but Jennie got sick. Personally I missed most of the programme, but at least I got to hear an interesting lecture at CAVR, the Commission for Reception, Truth and Reconciliation.

And later in the evening, Jennie and I kind of improvised a presentation at the Rotary meeting, since our fellow Team Members lay sick in bed. But I think we did all right, under the circumstances.

Darwin

2005-04-22T12:26:00.000+10:00

This morgning the team has reached Darwin and already visited Darwin Sunrise club for a breakfast meeting!! Jennie won a bottle of wine by doing the Australian "bird dance" (-: and we exchanged flags.

Afterwards we strolled along the Esplanade. It is very hot but we enjoy the sun and the beautiful ocean! This afternoon we plan to have a glas of wine on our balcony!

Break in Singapore

2005-04-21T23:28:00.000+10:00

Changi Airport, Singapore. We've been on the road - well, in the air - fexacly 24hrs now. With just about five hours "sleep@ (if you can call it that) on the otherwise very nice flight with Quantas from Frankfurt.

My mother's first remark about this blog was that I misspelled the word 'noise' in my previous post. I guess that's the downside of not writing in your first language.

Anyway, We had a great two hour sightseeing in Singapore. The driver Azis showed us the premium sights, including Raffel's hotel - but we didn't really have the time to order a Singapore-a-sling (how do you spell that drink?).

Time to board in about half an hour. Darwin, here we come!

Prepare for take off

2005-04-12T19:12:00.000+10:00

One week to go. The flight will take off from Arlanda next Wednesday and reach Darwin in the Northern Territories of Australia on Friday. A two day flight! Man, are my long legs going to hurt!

Note to myself. Bring ear plugs. I hate the loud noices from the engines.

Well, the blog is set up. Let's share with the world our experiences from this trip.