I’m HOME!!

Landed 3 hours ago and I’m so very tired. But I can’t wait to tell ya what’s happened in the last 48 hours.

Left Cairns, all good. Bike in the box (thanks to some friends), and got dropped off at the airport. Check-in all good, although very long line, no worries.

Land in Japan. Need to check-out the bike in the box. No worries. Put it in storage and take off to the hotel. Hotel slightly scruffy ba once again, no worries.

Next day, early morning. At airport. Transported bike in box from terminal 2 to terminal 1. No worries.

Proceed to check-in with bike in the box. Suddenly BIG FUICKIN WORRY!!!! Girl in counter says, that’ll be 70 Euro for your SPORT EQUIPMENT. Huh?? Got a bit displeased at the sight of paying an extra 700 SEK for bike in the box when that is the ONLY luggage I’m checking in. But fine, what to do? Leave it in Japan? Na. Iie. Not gonna happen. Proceed to another counter to pay. Girl in counter says that’ll be 80 Euro. WHAT?? Hold on, the other girl said 70… Yes, extra SERVICE FEE 10 Euro. BIG WHACKING FURRY!!
What fuckin service would that be? I ask as politely as possible.
Bla bla bla reason bla bla bla…
I want to speak to your supervisor.
Hold on…
Hi I’m supervisor.
Hi I’m not happy. Fix.
10 min later.
Ok you don’t have to pay extra 10 Euros.

HA!!! Victory!! Small, but still!! Veni, vidi, vici!!

So, these things happen, I should know by now that when travelling unexpected things always will occur. I soon was in a good mood again, I put on Jason Mraz’s I’m Yours and headed of to gate 33 and my favourite sushi restaurant. More than 2 hours later I was apparently well sought after. I was paying for the awesome feed I just had when a dear little banshee comes wailing after me. Rapidly speaks in a radio, FOUND HER!! Now I have a heavy backpack on, carrying two heavy bags and a sleeping bag full of my Swedish winter clothes and she says;
Run!! Can you run??
Looking at her I say;
No, things will fall off me if I do.
Run, you must run!!
Things will F A L L O F F if I do!!
Ruuuuun!!
We are just 10 meters from the gate. I look at her n go;
Naaaaaaaah!!!
Ba I got to walk on the plane like a rock star. Sort off. It would’ve been sweet to walk onboard with everyone else already sitting and not having to wait in line, if it wasn’t for the luggage. Walking up the isle, banging from side to side, feeling like a tortoise playing hit the human heads, I didn’t feel glamorous at all…

Got to sit next to a really funny guy though who thought I was completely insane. In a good way. ;) At one stage I got up to go to the toilet and when I came back he was still standing up, watching something. I thought it’d be funny to wait n watch too so when he turned around I’d go BOOO. But he didn’t turn around and I stood there looking like a fool. Now there was a Japanese couple sitting behind us and if you ever seen a Japanese game show on TV you know that the Japanese sometimes have a weird sense of humour. The man took his lighter and indicated I should set this poor man in front of me on fire. Apparently that would be funny as hell. I indicated I should tickle him instead but I don’t think they expect that I would actually do it. So when I did and waiting man jumped a meter and almost hit the roof, they laughed their asses of. Serious ROTFLMAO going on. Sweet.

Flight landed in Vienna. Got off. Bought expensive suit case for next trip. Got back on. Or tried. Got stopped in the metal detector and had to strip. Layer after layer. Then got to enjoy a strip searched from a butchy looking woman. Maybe would’ve been more interesting if I’d been awake. Or maybe not. Because at this stage the time in Australia would’ve been well past midnight and I’ve been travelling for two days. Tiredness had entered my body wasn’t about to leave. Anyone who has tried to wake me from a sleeping state in the middle of the night knows how easy that is. NOT!

Called a friend from Vienna because I had suddenly also realised I wasn’t arriving on Sunday but a full day earlier! So the accommodation I arranged since a month back was a no go. And with bike in the box I wasn’t prepared to travel far on my own without transport that included four wheels. Luckily mate Peter could pick me up!!!! Xxoo to him!!

So happy ending. Although I almost got stuck not being able to pay my train ticket home from Copenhagen because I didn’t have a PIN code for my credit card. So those Swedish money TimTam gave me saved the day and I got HOME!! More xxoo’s!!!

I’m now going to fall asleep in front of lousy Swedish night time TV and I’m going to LOVE every minute of it!! All’s well that end’s well.

And to my dear Ozzie friends, on word to you all;

HOOROO!!!!


XOXOX
Kez – Has returned!!

I’ve spent the morning trying to sort out my group certificates before I leave, this piece of paper I need from my previous employers so I can file my taxes. But one of them still hasn’t come trough and I’ve called them 3 times already. Last minute things really shits me, and now my bank is flipping me off too. I will not have enough money for the travels home, for food and stuff…. And I can’t access my Swedish OR Australian online banking. Thank gd that Todd from Flight Centre came to my rescue when it seemed like I wouldn’t be getting accommodation in Japan. There had been some misunderstanding when I booked with him 4 months ago and the hotel hadn’t been added to my travels. So expecting to FINALLY have someone meeting me at the airport got thoroughly smashed when I picked up my tickets today. But Todd came to my rescue and PAID for it. AWESOME! From now on ALL my travels will be booked via the TODD!!!

Still have some cleaning on the boat I’m staying on before I leave and other stuff…. But I’ll have to sort it out somehow. I’m sure it will work out if I just stop stressing about it. Right? =D

Going to go have a beer or something to cool down, can’t do much more today about anything so one beer then back to the boat for cleaning and packing.

Shit…. How do I transport my bike box from Copenhagen to Malmo….? Fuck it, I’ll think of something!! =) ROFL!!!

BEEEEEEEERRRRR!!!!!

I’m heading home soon!! Friday is almost here and I’m looking forward to it. Although I love it here it’s time to move on.

Duyfken’s left for Brisbane and she took my boyfriend with her. They were suppose to leave last Saturday but because of bad weather here in Cairns and cyclone warnings, she didn’t get away until today. Brad called before they left and he was so exited! I’m glad they’re off but I couldn’t see them leave. After the time Endeavour sailed away from me in London and left me on shore, I suffer a broken hart every time one of my ships sails away from me. When the Gothenburg III left Fremantle in Australia I was in Sydney on the other side of the country. Far, far away!! =)

I went up to Cape Tribulation last Saturday and stayed one night. My mate Tim drove up and coming back down again we took the scenic tour and stoped in the Daintree rainforest. I made a Blair witch project filming how freaked out I was at certain points. I’m going to post them online at given opportunity so not going to give it away here, but scary shit happened. LOL

Got some good photos and I can’t wait to show you guys!! Think I might go play with some of them now…

xxoo

How random is life??

I’ve had such a mind blowing experience, one that is just so random and so rare.
This guy that owns the boat I’m staying on is also a great photographer. He’s been taking pictures for thirty odd years and he’s been nice enough to show me some of his awesome pictures. So we where going through some of them the other day and he was showing me these wonderful pics from a rodeo when a picture of a jumping horse came up. This is a cool pic, full on. The horse is in the air with both hind legs about 1 or 2 meters in the air. The poor rider is lying on the ground scared shit less covering his head. Now this is where it get’s weird. I’d seen that picture before. I’d taken a picture of that picture. So I asked Pete: This is one of yours? And he’s like sure. When I was on a road trip in Western Australia with a Swedish friend of mine we stoped in this tiny, tiny little one street town called Menzies. Middle of nowhere! In the pub this picture was hanging and I was so impressed with it I had to take a photo of it. Now little more than year later I not only meet the photographer, I’m staying on his boat!!! How random is that???!!! =D


In other news, I’m sure you are all very interested in my new years. Lol!!
I had a great time! The date was so much fun and we hung out and just chilled. Saw the fireworks both at nine o’clock and midnight. Went to PJ. O’Brian’s bar, both our favourite pub in Cairns and by the time the clock hit 02 we where on or way home again. I wasn’t up for a huge night, the night before had been the big BIG one.
I’d gone over to my mate Tim’s place where we were chilling with his brother, and two friends, Jeremy and Brandon. Brandon must be one of the funniest Ozies Ive ever met. If you know of Fat Pizza, that’s how he talks. Such a painting language that he’ll have you in stiches all night long. We all ended up watching Jackass 2 – the movie when Tim’s girl comes in with vodka and Galliano shots. Wow… Bad idea to put vodka in front of a Swede… We where shotting and doing 50-50is, vodka mixed 50% with coke. I had my very first black out, I found out the next day. Apparently I wanted to come with the boys fishing the next morning and was asking for my blue bucket. ROFL!! Code word for I need to chuck!! And I don’t remember finish watching Team America or getting back on my boat. Apparently Jeremy was nice enough to walk me home but how he managed to get me onto it is a mystery because its not an easy thing to do in a sober state. Impressed.


Im having a study day today. Im writing my physics report which is taking forever cos Im not used to the lingo anymore. And the reports are difficult as they are when you’re not trying to remember them from months ago. But Im almost finish and then I can continue with Optics. Sounds strange but Ive missed physics. And the maths… =) Time to get stuck into it again before going home again.

Another reason for staying in and having a study day is I went out with some Duyfken crew and volunteers yesterday and Brandon came with too! Of course we went to PJ’s and saw the coyote ugly girl dancing on the bar. They have these competitions where first three guys go up and dance with the girls and then three girls. Brad from Duyfken got up there with the boys so when I was pushed into getting up there after it didn’t take more than a small nudge. I’d been wanting to dance with them since last time I was here. It was so much fun. Too bad my favourite coyote wasn’t there that night ba it was great fun non the less. Brad went on to the finals and WON the competition!!! Got a voucher for free drinks so he kept us well clenched after that. He was so inebriated, gosh that was funny!! But he was soo good, I only wish Ive had my video camera with me. I let him stay in the spare bunk on my boat because him walking home would’ve been a worry.

On a happy note, my sunburn is getting much better. It got heaps worse first, blisters and lots of pain, but I got some stuff from the chemist and some pure Aloe Vera, straight from the pant itself, and that helped heaps. So in two days the blisters are close to gone and the pain is minimal. *Happy* =)


I better be getting back to my books now. Meeting some friends for some drinks and pizza later on. Having such a great time here in Cairns. It’s even better, much, much better, the second time around!!

xxoo
Kezzie – the wild coyote!!

Heeelooooo!!

I got severely burnt yesterday after falling asleep in the sun. Stooopid Australian sun!! =) I look so funny tho, like Ive got a weird geisha make-up on. My tummie is redder that red, with a little white mark where my belly piercing was. Haha!! Don't worry. I have photos!! I'm pumping pain killer cos even the feel of fabric against my scorched skin is killing. So it's safe to say it's been an interesting Xmas. LOL

Did some shopping for new years today and scored two great tops. Ive got a date for new years. Hihi. I think this might be my first new years eve date. EVER!! ROFL! The plan so far is I'm going sailing then partying. Ba we'll see, dunno how much more time I should spend in the sun...

Tried to go to the gym and work out again. But my muscles just wasn't with me today and the whole scorched skin thing is really energy draining. But I tried and must have been there for at least 30 min. But I'll go back tomorrow and to it properly. =) There's this PT there who made my work out schedule, and it helps having someone over my shoulder to get me to perform better. I'll be bringing this new work out with me home to continue. Its harsh. It's hard. It's the best!

Gonna go try get a free backpacker meal now.

xoxox to ya all!!!

Ive just spent 2 hours in the gym and feeling very good about myself!

Xmas was great, once again spent by a pool! Lots of sea food and heaps of good company, just by a beach with palm trees and a cooling breeze.

Must admit Ive been slightly lazy the last week or so, but come on!! Its my holiday!!! =D But Im back into it now, got the physics books waiting back home on the boat for me.

As of a few days ago I now live on a house boat in the same marina I did before and that is just so awesome. Since Duyfken is out of the water Ive been living with a friend of mine about 20 min walk from the marina. But living in the marina is what Ive always done the whole time I was in Cairns last time so this makes it feel just like home. I'll take some photos for you guys. =)

It's mid through my holidays now, so two weeks to go. The first week went really, really slow. That was great. This past week's just gone so quickly Im almost panicin to go home so soon. But a good mate of mine is coming back to Cairns on the 31st and I cant wait!!! Got to see her breifly before she flew to Tassie the SAME day as I landed.

Im off to get some food now, compleatly ran out and had to improvise breckie this morning.

Hope you all had an awesome xmas back home.

xxoo

Kezzie

My bike is reassembled again!!

Yesterday I went to the Duyfken office to say hi and to retrieve my bike in storage. They’ve been nice enough to keep it for me! =)

It’s now my means of transport. It wasn’t until this morning when I got on it to ride to the slip way where the ship is, that I fully realized how out of shape I am. But later that afternoon I was feeling the groove again!!

So, for the training updates:

Yesterday:
Walked for 2 hours!!

Today:
Rode my bike this morning and all around town, so that might ad up to around 1 hour bike riding!
Going to the gym after this, 1hour min.
The either a fitness class or go swimming for, 1 hour for fitness class and 30 for swimming.

I’ll let ya know tomorrow how I went.

So, just a short update today!!

Take care!!

xxoo

Kez

Had a slow start today! =)

Started with doing some washing and watching a movie. Don’t want to rush into the morning walks, my cold got a bit worse from the flights. Tomorrow it’ll be an early start tho!

Around lunch I started walking down the esplanade and after 10min the rain POURED!! I’m soaking wet as I write this but far from cold. It’s nice and warm rain and the best way to dry is to stay outside. The air con inside is a sure ticket to get sick.

Before the rain started I was just thinking how strong the smell of the orchids here are. There’s a sweet smell in the air, very pleasant. Since the rain stoped for now I’m going to go into the supermarket next door, Woolworths, and get some vegies and meat, head to the park and fire up a free barbeque. That’s the thing about Australia, part of the culture is the bbq, and in most public parks there are spots where you can cook, usually free, all ya need to do is push a button and there’s gas for cocking! Awesome!

If you just tuned in to this blog you might have missed the favour I’ve asked of you all!! It’s all laid out in the previous post. Have a gander! (Have a look.)

Thanks for stoping by this time, be sure to come back now, you hear! =)

xxoo
Kez

Back in Oz...

the Esplanade














...For a month at least!

Im in Cairns now, its hot, its humid, its geat!!

Spent ten hours yeasterday at Narita Airport in Japan, eating great food and sleeping! Got some cool pics of the weird toilets they have. (Hole in the floor...) And some other things.

The flight's been great, smoothly and semi-quick. Landed 05:15 this morning so now Im a bit on the sleepy side. But thing's still the same here in Carins and my little dove is still here too! The ship is called the "Duyfken" meaning little dove in old Duch. I used to work as a guide there and was hoping to do so this time around too. But as of today she's going into reefit and being pulled out of the water! I'm gonna help put on that, but now today, sleeeeep is requierd first! =)

Im staying with a helicopter friend of mine. He lives not far from the centre of town, near the esplanade, which is the walkpath by the water. It's really pretty.

As most of u guys know Im here to study and to get fit. I'd like to include u guys in tha latter. Its more fun and more motivating if someone is following ur progress. So each day (or as often I get Internet) I'll be blogging my regime for that or the previous day.
So join me in this, cheer on and encurage me, Im gonna NEED it!!! =)

I'll be looking forward to ur encouraging post here! The more often u post the better!!

So for now, I'm going to bed. But I'll be seeing u here from now on!!!

xxooxxxooxxooxxoo!!

Kez

Coming home!!

I will see u all (my swedish friends) back home in GBG on 17th of June this summer!! Coming home to stay for a while!!

To all my Ozzie friends I will miss ya dearly and hope to see ya again soon!


Take care!!

Karin 'Kez' Hansson

The bats are out again!

It’s like a scene out of Batman Begins as I stand on the wooden deck of the Duyfken looking at the setting sun across the inlet. A few of them gets confused and flies into to mast and rigging of the many boats here in Marlin Wharf, but gets free again without much effort and quickly joins the other in search for food for the night which consists of mangos and other fruits. They’re magnificent to watch and knowing they’re blind and navigating via radar makes me feel a strange connection with them as I’m reminded of my sail over the Southern Indian Ocean to Australia. Not seeing anything else but ocean and trusting the radar to get us there safely. It’s nice to know I’m finishing off my time here in Oz as I first came here, on a wooden tall ship. This is the first ship that reportedly came to Nova Guinea, aka Terra Australia. That puts the Dutch’s 1606 landing in Australia 164 years before James Cook and the Endeavour in 1770.

A normal day for me here onboard begins around 0700, or it would if I was more of a morning person. Usually I roll out of bed ca 5min before I start at 0800. We wash and scrub the deck every morning, not only to keep it clean but also to preserve the deck with help of the salty sea water. Usually a cup of tea follows and morning chat with the ships bosun, the guy who knows how these ship works and what maintenance needs to be done. Our guru is Mr Phillip Rose Taylor, the same man who was the sail maker onboard Gotheborg III during the entire voyage from Goteborg to China. Old, English, very traditional and full of stories from younger days.

During the day we do maintenance and cleaning. When the cleaning has been done below deck (the galley, the heads and the museum), we oil the rigging or work on our gun carriages. You know, everyday sort of job. Soon we will be doing some tarring too, something I look forward to for the wonderful smell and the good excuse to climb the rigging.

From 1000 to 1800 we’re also open to the public, $5 for an adult, $3 for a child and $10 for a family. A personal guided tour is included in that prize and this is my main responsibility. I give tours, train new guides and boss our existing guides around! So when I’m not doing maintenance or cleaning, I read up on the history of the ship. It’s very interesting, and sometimes hard to believe that I get paid to learn about history. Besides the guides, I’m also in charge of the volunteers we have and the backpackers that stay onboard. These backpackers get to stay onboard for free accommodation in exchange for working 2 hours every morning. Right now we have one German, Finn, and one Dutch guy, Feike, onboard. I’ve been pretty lazy myself when it comes to the morning cleaning but as we starting to get busier with the tourist season starting soon, I will start to get more strict. That means 0800 start every morning, so I kick them out of bed at 0730 and feed them brekkie (corn flakes with milk is included) then the deck wash begins. They work until we open at 1000 but they are more than welcome to do some volunteer work after that too. Once a week they have to do shipkeep, which is another one of my responsibilities. I sleep onboard to keep an eye on the ship just in case something happens during the night; a rag self combusts, (has happened before), we start leaking heavily, the moorings come off (has happened before) or the gas bottle explodes. I hope it won’t because I sleep in the Captain’s cabin just next to it. With another shipkeeper onboard I can take the night off and go have a beer with my new yachty friends at Cairns Yacht Club (CYC).

So my responsibilities so far are:
Cleaning,
Maintenance,
Guiding,
Guides, volunteers and backpackers,
Keeping the ships log book every day,
The merchandise and money onboard,
and yeah, did I mention I’m the curator of the museum too?

No wonder I love my job! The job has a big variation to it, and the people I work with are exceptional.

But in having said that, my visa runs out in less than a month. I love to stay with this job for a while, but if it turns out I can’t, then the rest of the world a waits. I will come back to Oz in a year or two as a helicopter student, which is something I can’t wait to do.

Marlin Wharf where the ship has its berth is the centre of the main marina. From here all boats departing to the Great Barrier Reef, Green Island of Fitzroy Island berths. Every morning I wake up to the Ocean Spirit’s crew talking over the PA system ‘Could the crew please report to the main cabin for morning meeting’. Then Enya’s ‘Sail away’ goes on when the boat departs and also when she comes back at 1700. I know it by hart now. Lol! Hoping to go out with them one day and see the reef. Apparently the Duyfken crew gets a good discount, $15 instead of $150, but you have to get to know one of the captains or mates, and they’ll put you on as family.

My day from now on, as it gets busier, will start earlier, 0700 or 0630 and that’ll start with the raising of the ships flags which comes down every night. The one on the foremast is no worries, just a matter of jumping up on the fore castle and lower/raise it. The bowsprit’s flag is another matter though. Unlike the Gotheborg or the Endeavour rigging, this doesn’t have any foot ropes but since you can lower the yards, it actually a lot safer, except for the bowsprit. That one you have to climb out on top off with only a man rope to hold on too. It’ll take a bit more practice before I feel completely comfortable doing that. A few more mornings of practice and I’ll recon I’ll be there! (Was I to fall, the water is only 5m below me!)

I love seeing mountains again after being in the desert for so long and here in Cairns we’re surrounded by them and they’re all covered in tropical rain forest. I look forward to go hiking in them, seeing the flora and fauna there and maybe a waterfall or two. Things on my to-do list include; white water rafting, diving, parasailing, the Sky Rail (that goes over the rain forest) and a crock farm to mention a few. This will probably have to wait til later, when my visa expires. For now I want to spend as much time on my ship as possible and learn the job! I’m looking forward to the sail we’ll be doing up to Cooktown in June. It’ll be mindboggling to think I’ll be travelling the same coast line James Cook did in a wooden ship just like him and seeing it from the same perspective!

I’ll see you all in July though; I’ll be home for Cecilia Karlsson’s wedding on the 4^th July.

Until then I wish you all a great time and a hope you get an early and wonderful spring. Cya this summer!! Don’t forget to e-mail me!!!

Xoxoxo
Kez

Tropical Cairns

It's raining like crazy here in Cairns. Must be careful not to get washed away. Lol

Will be sleeping onboard my ship tonight. Quite looking forward to it. The thought is as a shipkeeper I should stay onboard every night, but it's been that wet that the manager said, stay in the house for now. But even though it's raining heaps still, and the ship isn't the dryest in the world, I feel like it's time to move into my new home. I love staying onboard that ship, she is just so beautiful and authentic. Real speacial feel to her, she's a breathing, sweatting, living wooden ship with a soul. Hard to explain, but think Gotheborg III (if you've been onboard) but minus ALL modern things!!! Trey cool!

Better be off. This might be the last blog for a while, no internet access onboard. But keep leaving comments. Do love reding them!!

xoxo

Two years away from home, two years travelling, two years spent, TODAY!!! :D
It’s been two eventful years, to say the least. But I’m getting closer to my goal, to my choppers and to summer when I get to see ya all again!! BIG party when I get home!!!

Hit the town yesterday to celebrate that and my last big night out in Kal, and oh my, last night was a hit. And so is my head today. Lol Ah bit on the heavy side. Started with a house warming party at a friend’s place and then we hit Judd’s, my fav pub. It was packed and so much fun!

Also, I think I might have sold my car, not sure yet, I’ll get back to ya on that. Lol I hope I did tho. :D

My sisters BIRTHDAY on the 19^th of Feb, a little shout-out to her and to Helena and Peter’s baby Alvar who turned two on the 23^rd of Feb. Happy B-Day guys!!! LOTS OF LOVE!!

xoxoxo

I’m finally getting excited about leaving Kalgoorlie and going to Cairns. Haven’t really taken it in yet, but today I started training my replacement at work and I think it sort of finally sunk in. Hoping to sell the car before going because I could use the money, but no disaster if that doesn’t happen.

I can’t wait to get to Cairns actually. I hear it’s supposed to be really beautiful there with lots of green and beaches for miles. It’ll be nice to see the ship in that sort of exotic environment where it sort of belongs. I’ll have to take heaps of videos and pictures to post here!

This weekend will be packing, packing and packing. I’ll have to once again try and fit my life into a suitcase and this time I’m killing my darlings. Nothing unnecessary can come. But the bike will. Yay!

I’ll be stoping in Brisbane first for one night and then fly off again!

xoxoxoxo

I’ve up-dated the VIDEOS page, have a look!

Today Wes and I went to the Arts Centre to see a Stand-Up comedian, Danny Bhoy. So funny. After we went out and hit the town and had a few. Didn’t stay out long, the night scene isn’t what it used to be. Gone quite tired of it.

Spoke to Cian today, my future boss on the Duyfken. Seems that Cairns not being flooded like the rest of Queensland. Good stuff! If you haven’t heard, a big storms hit QLD and 12 inches of rain fell within 12 hours, which is a LOT. Flood water everywhere. If it’s not a farkin drought here, or a big bush fire, it’s a flood. Nothing in-between. Lol

Going to put my car up for sale tomorrow. Feel a bit sad about that. I just got it... Ba hopefully I’ll get a lot of money for it. (Not likely) lol I’ll take a few pics and put up here.

So how do ya’ll like the new website? Leave a comment and let me know!!!

Have a great day mates!! Hope to cya soon!

Xoxoxoxoxo

Karin ‘Kez’

New Blog!

Welcome friends to a new dawn and a new era! This is the frist entry in my ExploreDreamDiscover.se blog and I'm hoping this will replace Resedagboken.se.

Thank you for checking in. You are most welcome back again!!!

xoxo
Karin