We woke up at 3.15 am to transport ourself with bus to Sälen, leaving from Orsa at 4 am. Normally I would have been tired at this time, after only a few hours of sleep, but the race ahead kept me awake and thinking, not out of nervosity, but out of curiosity.
Will I make it? Have I trained enough? Have I eaten properly/enough? Will my new skies work? Have I brough enough snacks?
A lot of questions raced through the head as a faint light welcomes the crisp morning of 13 blue outside. We are in a long queue of buses all heading the same way. Also in the bus is Maria's brother, taking on Vasaloppet a third time and two of his friends, first time Vasaloppet runners like myself.
Sunday, March 4, 2012
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Jokkmokks Market 2012
Jokkmokks Market 2012 (2nd - 5th February)
We had been wanting to visit Maria's brother, Erik, in Jokkmokk for a long time and what couldn't be a better timing than combine it with Jokkmokk's yearly and famous market?
Jokkmokks market is a winter market held the first week in February in the little town of Jokkmokk in northern Sweden, just on the other side of the artic polar circle (66° 33′ 44″ N).
We had been wanting to visit Maria's brother, Erik, in Jokkmokk for a long time and what couldn't be a better timing than combine it with Jokkmokk's yearly and famous market?Jokkmokks market is a winter market held the first week in February in the little town of Jokkmokk in northern Sweden, just on the other side of the artic polar circle (66° 33′ 44″ N).
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Fresh air is good for you
I immediately began to regret when I decided to join Tommy and go paddling today. The party of yesterday wedding of a friend lasted into the early hours of the day and I've to say I've had better days. A lot better days.
Oh well, I can't bail out now. Fresh air is good for you!
Oh well, I can't bail out now. Fresh air is good for you!
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Drangsvann explored
Had a great 2hr session with my dad paddling Drangsvann today, a small lake system connected to the fjord by a narrow channel with a lot of current as the tide enters it (makes it fun one way at least!). It truely is a little pearl not visited by many with its rocky green islands, lots of reed and shallow waters housing many aggressive swans by this time of year, protecting their territory and probably new born babies. I've spent many fun hours water skiing on this lake before [View map].
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| Paddling through the narrow channels that connects the lake to the fjord |
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
The Falkfångar trip (30km)
I'm spending the Easter in the beautiful mountains surrounding Höglekardalen, Åre county, in Sweden. I'm visiting the family of my girlfriend and the Falkfångar trip is a yearly family excursion with long traditions. The trip is about 30km long in hilly terrain, allowing for some spectacular views. Starting with a steep ascent to the top of the mountain, then following the ridge to later descend down to a popular ice fishing lake named Dörrsjöarna; before a long and tidious ascent up the other side of the mountain to Visjöen, and from there it's about 7km back to their cabin following the scooter tracks. A bit of a circle, see map below.
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| Overview of the trip |
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Samoa, a taste of Polynesia!
Three weeks in Paradise
Beautiful beaches, friendly people, nice surf and tasty food - what more can you ask for?
Beautiful beaches, friendly people, nice surf and tasty food - what more can you ask for?
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Trekking in Mulu National Park
Mulu National Park
Mulu National Park is only accessible by airplane or 10hrs on a river boat. Unfortunately I didnt have time to do the river boat so I flew into the park from Miri. I arrived Miri by flight from Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia after a long night bus ride from Hat Yai in Thailand.
Malaysian Borneo is split in two. Sarawak and Sabah. Mulu National Park is in Sarawak. Its famous for all its caves, and among the caves you find the world biggest cave passage and also the worlds biggest cave chamber. Its estimated that only 40% of the caves in the limestone rocks is discovered and now and then a new cave is discovered. Most people visit the "Showcaves". Caves easily accessed with lightning and path walk. Big groups of tourists aside, many of the caves are very impressive! Id like to do the adventure caving, which involves a bit more action in form of water, headlamp and climbing, but unfortunately I didn't have the time. The whole Borneo visit was more or less a bit impulsive and I stressed a lot to make reservations in different national parks before going (accommodation and treks)
I arrived Mulu on the 19th and the first day I visited the Deer Cave and Langs Cave. The Deer Cave is the worlds biggest cave passage and the home of 2-3 millions bats! You can spot them far up in the roof as a big black mass.
After the cave visit we waited outside to see the bats fly out. It was an impressive sight and lasted for 20-30 minutes! Coming to Borneo is almost like coming to Jurassic Park. Everything is bigger here, but haven't seen any dinosaurs yet!
Taking pictures inside a dark cave is really hard, so gotta excuse the bad quality. Also I just have a pocket camera which isnt the best in such conditions! Also photographing in the rain forest is really bad!
The next day I visited the Clearwater Cave, Wind Cave and Moon Milk Cave with some Malaysian youths. No photos as I forgot my camera! I spent the rest of the day sleeping as I was really tired.
Copy paste from other blog post:
I dont know where to start. Borneo has always been a exotic destination for me and finally Im here! Dont know how many programs I have watched about Borneo on National Geographic, but its not few. I have to say, I thought Borneo was a bit more non-touristy, but there is actually a lot of package tourists here, and not so many backpackers. Borneo is actually split in three. You have Malaysian Borneo, Indonesia Borneo and Brunei, a little oil nation inside Malaysian Borneo! Im visiting Malaysian Borneo.
Well as I wrote. I dont know where to start. I have seen plants only growing a little spot in the world. I have seen millions of bats fly out of a cave. Ive seen the worlds biggest cave passage and some other amazing caves. I have slept in an Iban longhouse. I have trekked an old tribal war path of the headhunters. I have climbed The Pinnacles, a natural wonder of the world. I have climbed the biggest mountain between Burma and Papua New Guinea. I have seen orangutans, traveled on a river and trekked about 30km through the rain forest picking up several leeches on the way!
As you understand its hard to write about all these things in one travel letter so stay tuned for many letters from Borneo!!
Mulu National Park is only accessible by airplane or 10hrs on a river boat. Unfortunately I didnt have time to do the river boat so I flew into the park from Miri. I arrived Miri by flight from Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia after a long night bus ride from Hat Yai in Thailand.
Malaysian Borneo is split in two. Sarawak and Sabah. Mulu National Park is in Sarawak. Its famous for all its caves, and among the caves you find the world biggest cave passage and also the worlds biggest cave chamber. Its estimated that only 40% of the caves in the limestone rocks is discovered and now and then a new cave is discovered. Most people visit the "Showcaves". Caves easily accessed with lightning and path walk. Big groups of tourists aside, many of the caves are very impressive! Id like to do the adventure caving, which involves a bit more action in form of water, headlamp and climbing, but unfortunately I didn't have the time. The whole Borneo visit was more or less a bit impulsive and I stressed a lot to make reservations in different national parks before going (accommodation and treks)
I arrived Mulu on the 19th and the first day I visited the Deer Cave and Langs Cave. The Deer Cave is the worlds biggest cave passage and the home of 2-3 millions bats! You can spot them far up in the roof as a big black mass.
After the cave visit we waited outside to see the bats fly out. It was an impressive sight and lasted for 20-30 minutes! Coming to Borneo is almost like coming to Jurassic Park. Everything is bigger here, but haven't seen any dinosaurs yet!
 |
| Mulu airport.. strip in the jungle, only way to get here |
 |
| Biggest insect I ever seen! (Stick insect) |
Taking pictures inside a dark cave is really hard, so gotta excuse the bad quality. Also I just have a pocket camera which isnt the best in such conditions! Also photographing in the rain forest is really bad!
 |
| Sign outside Deer cave - the largest cave passage in the world |
 |
| Opening to Deer cave |
 |
| Inside the Deer cave, that is waterfalls from the roof |
The next day I visited the Clearwater Cave, Wind Cave and Moon Milk Cave with some Malaysian youths. No photos as I forgot my camera! I spent the rest of the day sleeping as I was really tired.
 |
| Million of bats flying out at twilight - quite a sight and lasted for good 30 minutes |
Copy paste from other blog post:
I dont know where to start. Borneo has always been a exotic destination for me and finally Im here! Dont know how many programs I have watched about Borneo on National Geographic, but its not few. I have to say, I thought Borneo was a bit more non-touristy, but there is actually a lot of package tourists here, and not so many backpackers. Borneo is actually split in three. You have Malaysian Borneo, Indonesia Borneo and Brunei, a little oil nation inside Malaysian Borneo! Im visiting Malaysian Borneo.
Well as I wrote. I dont know where to start. I have seen plants only growing a little spot in the world. I have seen millions of bats fly out of a cave. Ive seen the worlds biggest cave passage and some other amazing caves. I have slept in an Iban longhouse. I have trekked an old tribal war path of the headhunters. I have climbed The Pinnacles, a natural wonder of the world. I have climbed the biggest mountain between Burma and Papua New Guinea. I have seen orangutans, traveled on a river and trekked about 30km through the rain forest picking up several leeches on the way!
As you understand its hard to write about all these things in one travel letter so stay tuned for many letters from Borneo!!
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