Where in the world!

For those of you who wonder where exactly I am staying in Australia, I have put out a Google Map link below showing the location. It is called Bongaree on Bribie Island. Feel free to turn on the photo and wikipedia section in Google Maps to learn more about this wonderful island.


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Greetings from Bongaree, Bribie Island, july 3

Dinner is served!

When staying at a place for one month you would naturally need one thing - food. So we went out for our first shopping at Woolworth's on Bribie Islands. While we were shopping I had several flashbacks to the very first time my brother and I were out shopping, back in the days when we shared apartment. We literally had nothing at all, so we had to buy everything from a toilet brush to food in our fridge. The cart just got bigger and bigger, so did it this time as well. I guess we got carried away. Now I believe we have food for at least a half year.
The other day, it was my turn making food. I have choosed to make pizza. As described above I already got the ingredients I needed (plus little extra snack). I decided to make six delicious medium size pizza (we were 5 persons, one whole pizza for each, plus one extra for those who were really hungry). What I didn't counted on were something called "jetleg". I never really experienced this before - even when I was in USA I didn't feel any noticeable effect on me. I always thought jetleg were just effecting sleep, but apperantly it also effect the appetite. So it turns out I just ate a quarter piece. As you can see on the picture we have pizza for several days... Just give me a note if you like some!


Today, we went out for a sightseeing in the wealthy neighborhood. I must say the houses looked very nice, with big garages, nice colors (not too dazzling). Each house wasn't that different from each other, but still enough to have it's personal style. Some houses even had a canal running close up to the house were you were able to have a boat. As we were gazing at these houses we accidentally bumped into a little friend called Emu.
We were told that this bird were very uncommon walking at this area of Bribie Island. Even the locals were impressed to see it here. So I thought it was a nice little gesture for us tourists. I wonder if someone put it up, just for us?

By the way. I haven't showed you my little toy I just recently got. Before I got to Australia I ordered a Nikkor 30-700mm zoom lens for my camera in Hong Kong and shipped it to Australia. For all of you who don't know what this lens does is, it simply means I can take pictures of that sweet "little" Emu above, and sit in a car 20-30 meters away, which I actually also did.
(Picture comes later)

Greetings from Bongaree, Bribie Island, july 3

Arriving, Down Under!

For a few weeks ago I started to think about and organize what to bring with me to Australia. People who been here before told me it was winter season Down under. In Norway when we talk about winter, its cold (like -15), snow and wind blowing from every corner and of course ice, which makes it impossible to walk normally on the road. People also told me that it would be about 20-25 celsius in Australia, so luckily I didn't bring with me winter clothes and skiis.

When arriving at Brisbane it still hit me by surprice how warm "their" winter is. It's at least 25 degrees and this is what they call winter. People down here stopped going to beaches because its off-season. In Norway the beaches would be crowded with a temperature like this.

Speaking about crazy things. When walking out the airplane everything was just as normal as home (except the heat). But my mind kept buggling me about the fact that I'am actually walking with my feats in the air compared to my friends back in Norway - or is it opposite? Even that I know the earth is like a globe and not flat, its stil crazy thinging about this. Getting used to crazy thoughts can be a challenge - hopefully that is not something I'am will spend my time on during my stay, Down under.

Greetings from Brisbane!

Arriving at Singapore!

On my journey to Australia we had to make a short one houre stop at Singapore airport. One houre in Singapore is not much. The time at the airport feels like a drop of water on a hot day - wasted. Wasted because I dont have the chance to see anything but the airport. Well, maybe next time I have time.

The airtrip from London - Singapore is about 12 hours, and went surprisingly well. The time litteraly flew away. It hit me how big the Earth really is... 12 hours may not seem much, depending on what you measure against, but when you travel with about 1000 km/hr its a lot. You get far, far away. Yet, the world gets smaller and smaller... The technology brings people together and the physical distances probably seemed a lot further 100 years ago.

Now I have a plane to catch!

Greetings from Singapore!

Home, sweet home!!

On the steps on a new journey (this time to Australia) the concept of traveling strikes me again. Traveling has always been something that excites me. Even today, I'am still choosing a window seat to have a look out when the plane takes off. It's like christmas again :) It's just as excitening as the first time. For a few years ago I realized something new. The place I grew up seemed boring and dull. I've been here all my life and there was nothing new here. After I came home from a vacation in south Russia, I realized that my place where I used to live has changed. There were no new buildings, no new neighbors. Even the same garbage outside my house were still here. But the place has changed!!!

I looked at my area with new eyes. I've been out for almost a month and has almost got used to the surroundings in Russia, and still, even with the same surroundings home I realized that I started to like my neighborhood. Today I enjoy living here, it might not be among the top 10 most beautifull places in the world, but that doesn't matter. Thats why we travel, right? To go out see these places. But I'am sure it's one of the best places to live :)

It's not many minutes left before I'am heading to Australia. I look forward to it, but I also look forward to come home and look at my neighborhood with new eyes again. Thats the best part of traveling :)

Connection the old fashion way...

I just made a t-shirt design for the Google t-shirt competition at Threadless T-shirts. I have to admit the t-shirt look very nice. Please take a look at it on the link at the top-right corner. If you like it why not vote for it or write to me?

A 'little' friend visited us...

I never actually been particularly interested in bees, wasps or bumblebees. Actually I hate all tiny insects with wings buzzing around me. I probably have some forgotten traumatic experience as a child about insects. The other day I was sitting in my office, I suddenly heard my wife scream out loud like it was a meteor coming down outside our own window. Like I always do I rushed out and there it was, this giant bumblebee.

Between me and my wife, I am not the one who are most scared... which suits me well! Somehow it calms me down when I see other more freaked out than myself. To me an insect is an insect and a bumblebee is a bumblebee, but I now I wanted to found out more about this little creature who visited us. On Wikipedia I counted over 30 different bumblebees. I also heard that a bumblebee actually weight too much compared to the size of its wings, so its kinda odd that it actually are able to fly at all.
Anyway, as my wife gently caught it and let it out again, I though: I still may not like insects, but at least I learned something about bumblebees today! They are far more interesting that I thought, and not so scary at all ;)

Have a nice day!