When you fly in to Barbados you spot the colourful houses and pristine white beaches along the west coast facing the Carribean sea. At the airport the locals meet you with steeldrum music and when you get into town it is the weed smoke smell that is significant anywhere you go. At that point you get the real feeling of being in the Carribean. Despite being illegal, it is very common to smoke weed. You would think that rum is more common but we were told that weed, brandy and whiskey is what locals do to have fun and relax whereas rum is for the tourists (which I can confirm indeed....).

Barbados is the most eastern island out of all the Carribean islands and the one you first hit if sailing across the Atlantic. The island was colonised by the Europeans in the 16th century and became fully independant from Britain in 1966. However they still remained under Elizabeth II being Queen of Barbados until 2021 when they became a republic. Today they have a female Prime Minister who seems to be popular amongst the local population.

Having a population of about 280,000 most of them live in the south west part of the island around the capital Bridgetown. On the east coast facing the Atlantic, the wind and waves are stronger and bigger attracting a lot of wind surfers whereas on the west coast the sea is a lot calmer and you find the luxury villas and hotels like a string of pearls all the way down to Bridgetown. Barbados has attracted a lot of rich and famous people for many years which is one factor why Barbados is very expensive. For example has Oprah Winfrey, Richard Branson, Mick Jagger and Rihanna (being born and raised in Babados) enormous properties on the west coast. In case you have some spare USD in your bank account, you can stay on the islands most exclusive hotel Sandy Lane. The "cheapest" double room is almost USD 1,700 per night and if you are feeling very loaded you can rent your own villa in Sandy Lanes regime for USD 17,000 per night. We only stayed there for a couple of nights...... 

All beaches around the island are public. Sandals hotel chain are currently in a dispute with local government claiming that they want a private beach for their guests and the dispute has been ongoing for many years but government will not agree to this so it seems they want to keep them public and not allow any exclusivity for specific hotels (nor private individuals with seaside location). Or you do what Richard Branson did, reroute the public road outside his property to avoid being "disturbed" by passers-by.

Rum production you can find on most Carribean islands and so also Barbados with Mount Gay being the oldest distillery dating back to 1703. The main ingredient in rum is sugar and sugar canes are grown everywhere, hence rum is a major product in these regions. Apart from sugar, the two main other ingredients are yeast and water. What makes Barbados rum so special is that the tap water is crystal clear since it is being filtered through limestones. Other elements that affect the rich toffee flavoured rum is the tropical air and a dedicated, skilled and passionate head blender. Rum Punch is the traditional drink including sugar syrup, lemon juice, rum, water and Angostura bitter topped with some nutmeg. Nice and refreshing but should be limited to 3 units (talking from experience).

Barbados has 1,800 rum shops which is a simple bar venue selling bottles of rum. You cannot buy a fancy cocktail, nor a tap- or bottled beer. Together with your rum bottle you get as many glasses as you are in your company and you get a Domino board game. You sit there playing Domino and drinking rum until the bottle is empty. If you want / can handle more, you order a new bottle and stay there until the second bottle is finished. The shops are open from 6:00am until "late".

The locals are extremely happy, chilled, friendly and show an enormous appreciation of tourists. Everyone you meet on the street will greet you with a big smile and us being two blonde girls from Sweden, we were proposed to at least 3 times meaning I could have been married and divorced 3 times in 17 days! Me not being married once in my lifetime, I could have set a record if I wanted to.

Fun (and not so fun) facts about Barbados:

• It is one of the most expensive islands in the Carribean due to all goods having to be imported mainly from the US and Europe and also because there are a lot of international wealthy individuals that have invested in properties and land driving up the prices. And of course, the global inflation and the weak Swedish Krona hasn´t helped....
• It is illegal to wear camoflage clothes (also for children)
• Certain homosexual acts are illegal and you are recommended to be very restrictive with displaying affection in public. This applies both to same sex and opposite gender.
• 1 litre of milk in the supermarket cost USD 4 (about SEK 45)
• During rainy and low season June - August, there is a Crop Over summer festival where people dress up in colourful costumes and dance on the streets. This is an old tradition in order to celebrate that the harvesting of sugar canes is over.
• It is illegal to sunbathe topless.
• The local currency in Barbados (Barbados dollar) is tied in value to the US dollar. The USD is half of the BBD although you get more for the money if paying with BBD. 
• There are an average of 2 cruise ships stopping in Bridgetown port daily during our winter months.
• You can drink water from the tap - it is crystal clear being filtered through limestone on the island

For a long time i have seen pictures of Zanzibar and it’s white sandy beaches and turqoise water so now was the time to go. It was ”on the way home from South Africa”-ish anyway. After the very hectic tourist agenda in South Africa it was fantastic to lay down in a sun chair reading a book and only movement was 10 meters to restaurant and a roll down the beach to the sea or swimmingpool. For me 4 days was enough to wind down and to feel relaxed and also enough to gain some extra kilos. But now some facts about Zanzibar!

There are 85% muslims, 4% christians and the rest being hindu and other smaller religions living on the island. There is also a small group of Masaii people from the mainland that manage hotel and restaurant security on the island as well as trading goods on the beach. Everyone live in peace and you can get married across religions - no problem. My driver was a muslim and he proudly told me he has 2 wifes and 6 kids! They can have up to 4 wifes if they want.

The main town is Zanzibar Town and Stone Town being part of Zanzibar Town and inscribed on UNESCO World Heritage List.

Behind all the beautiful beaches, hotels, resort and rich marine life, Zanzibar and Stone Town has a dark history with slave trade during a period of 400 years. It started in 1600 and ended 1909. It was the Portuguese and Omanians that captured native people from East-Central Africa and brought them to Zanzibar - less risk for escapes. Children, women and men were traded but before they were sold, they were tested who was the strongest and were locked into small dungeons in darkness under the ground. People died of all sorts of diseases but those who survived and didn’t complain were sold at a high price.

In mid 19th century, England abolished slavery and they sent missionaries to Zanzibar to work for abolishing slavery. They managed and where the slave market used to take place they built a church which is used today and is part of the guided tour that I definitely recommend everyone to do when in Stone Town. It’s an incredibly cruel but interesting history that will make you walk away from the place touched to tears and with stomach pain.

This artwork is created by a Swedish artist called Clara Sörnäs and funded by several Swedish companies. It was placed to the site in the 90s.

The island has a very relaxed feeling and the downside for a person coming from a big city and used to fast pace environments - everything takes double or triple the time! It even feels as if people walk slower! But instead of getting stressed, try to get into the island mode and sit back and relax! People are friendly and helpful and on the beach you will be aproached by the beach boys and people selling goods! You will also feel that they fooled you when you negotiate prices but if it makes you feel better - you have supported a poor person who is most likely supporting a poor family!

Hakuna Matata!

 I travelled to South Africa with extremely high expectations but also with some worries over the high crime rate that everyone talks about and of course omikron. The trip wasn’t confirmed until i sat on the plane. Luckily nothing was cancelled. With the crime I learnt it’s like any other big cities - move around with common sense and omikron was rapidly going down in South Africa so didn’t see any of that.

I left Sweden 27 December with a temperature of minus 8. My skin was white and dry all over. To say the least, i was excited to go! Weather in South Africa is very unpredictable and we experieced some chilly and rainy days and evenings and some days with over 40 degrees. So what i didn’t know; pack clothes for almost 4 seasons.

I joined Nomad Adventure Tours in Durban and we travelled approx 3500km via Drakensberg and garden route to Cape Town during 13 days. A country and people that has (like many other) suffered from loss of tourism incomes over covid. That’s why it felt so incredibly good to do this trip and to support local companies and people in villages selling souvenirs and services. We have been treated with love and appreciation wherever we have been! Lodge owners that haven’t seen groups in 2 years were so happy we were there!.

The group that i travelled with, from mainly European countries, but also USA consisted of very well-travelled people. People that do not worry, complain or get stressed if situation is not exactly according to plan or not as comfortable as to what you are used to at home. People with social skills that are contributing to a nice and warm atmosphere. We spent the whole days together and i am surprised how well we all got on. I have made some friends for life!

South Africa has an unemployment rate of 40%. The townships (kåkstäder) are crowded with people without jobs. They do however get some help from the state. I find the country being hugely segregated with many of the countrys’ black people in the townships and white in the well organised towns and areas. It’s just an observation I have made but there is probably a lot more to it that i don’t know about.

The infrastucture in the country is well developed apart from maybe trainline and public transport such as busses, tubes and trams in the cities. It’s a well developed country in general and it’s not until you drive past enormous townships you realise that there are a lot of poor people in the country.

The prices in South Africa for Europeans are extremely low. The flight here is long and expensive but once you get here it’s sooooo cheap and for the quality you get it is really good value for money!

The country reminds me of America with all the chicken fast food restaurants and very large portions wherever you go, Australia because it offers a lot of adventurous outdoor activities and some places where surfers get together, New Zeeland because of big areas with green hills and of course Africa with all its culture, wild animals, wine and history. So much to explore and so much to do.

Two (or maybe three…) main problems they are struggeling with are poverty/inequalities and illegal hunting of wild animals - trofé hunting. The third quite irritating problem is that the toilet paper is too thin….. everywhere you go…. if you know what i mean, but with extremely clean public toilets everywhere and with soap and water to wash your hands it was not a big issue.

So thank you wonderful South Africa for showing me the best of what you can offer! It worked and I will definitely be back!

Kenya is coffee, fast runners, safari and a country full of colours, from the red soil to masai culture. In my 4 days and 3 nights safari trip, Milton has been my private guide throughout and i now call him "Milton the Kenyan Wikipedia". I am always very interested in learning about the places I go to. There is a difference between guides that are just doing it by routine and those that walk that extra mile to accommodate to do a bit more than just your job. He is also one of very few men that has not once during 4 days asked me why I am travelling alone and not with my husband and children nor interested to know my work. He is interested to know about Sweden. That's Milton!

He also knows everything about Kenya, its culture, traditions, the people, customs and of course the animals. Things he tought me that I didn't know before:

• Tsavo East game reserve is the biggest national park in Afrika and has 18,000 elephants
• Cheetahs only eat freshly caught food. if its older than one hour it wont eat it.

• Female elephants are clever enough to know which month it´s time to get pregnant as they can calculate if it´s going to be enough food in the nature for the baby by the time the baby elephant is born. If the wrong month and the male will "get on her" she will eat bugs living in the acacia tree that work as contraceptive.

• The smallest animal in the antelope family is the dik dik. This animal lives with his/her partner for all its life. If one dies, the other one will go and try to find another single dik dik to live with - male or female it doesn´t matter  (modern family even in the animal life). If he/she cannot find one, it will die of loneliness.

• Many animals are polygamic, for example the impala male can have up to 20 females. If a male impala doesb't have any females, they live with a group of bachelor boys. The strongest bachelor will challenge the male with all the females and the winner gets the females. The longer the male has many females the weaker he gets as it is high maintenance accommodating all the females (well at least something in common with human beings) so unlikely that he will win the fights.

• Female ostriches are beige/brown.

• Hippos are the most dangerous animal on the savan as it is very territorial, can run fast and have very sharp teeth. It spends the days in the water doing nothing as skin would crack otherwise and it can die.

• Leopards live on their own and don't share what they catch unless it is a mother with her baby.
• Rhinos followed by elephants are endangered.

Some info about the parks I have visited:

• Tsavo East: savann with some vegetation which attracts all animals except from those living, or spending a lot of time in the water such as hippo. A lot of impalas.
• Amboseli: hardly any bushes and trees but a lot of wetland. Easy to spot the animals. Also, this makes it very rich in bird species, hippos and elephants but doesn't attract a lot of giraffes as they eat from top of the trees.
• Tsavo West: very densed vegetation and slightly harder to spot the animals since they can hide in the grass or bushes.

I highly recommend safari if you like wildlife, nature and loooong trips on bumpy (now we talk bumpy) roads. Make sure you get a jeep 4 wheel drive and not a mini bus as not only will your bones in your body change place, you will most likely get stuck in muddy water.

There are different types of resorts so pick what your budget allows you to get but there are some amazing places with the animals right outside.

I am reluctant when it comes to seeing these animals in zoo parks as I think they should be left in their natural habitat, but on the other hand I believe in raising awareness for wild animals which you do by keeping them in zoo and giving more people chance to see them.

Just get in touch with me if you want more info on the safari i went on.

The background of our animals are often heartbreaking and most of them have either been confiscated by the custom in the harbour or by the police and brought to Tasikoki Wildlfe Rescue Centre.

In Tasikoki we rehabilitate the animals with the aim to release them into their native habitat whether it is Sulawesi, Borneo or Java or any other place. Many of the animals cannot be released ever as it is either not safe for them or they wouldn´t survive as they have been at Tasikoki for too long and some behaviour cannot be tought by humans. For example our sun bears Binbin and Bonbon who have been here since they were little have never been taught the ablity to smell other bears territories and would probably get killed by other bears if they were released into the wild. The sense to smell cannot be taught by humans, only by their mother who they were separated from before they came to Tasikoki.

It is easier for humans to train primates to be released back into the wild as they are more alike humans and therefore many of our macaques are put into groups here and are studied by our animal behaviour specialist before we release them intothe wild.

The two male orangutans Is and Bento are native in Borneo and will probably be released to a semi orangutan sanctuary in Borneo eventually as they have been in Tasikoki very long and would probably not survive in the wild. Bento was confiscated a few years ago from a local family after a group of local school children visited Tasikoki. When the guide took them to show Is, one of the children said "Oh we have one of them at home and he use to watch television with us"! This led to confiscation and he is now with us! Bento and Is cannot live together as they rape each other and fight which leads to severe injuries. Also female volontaries they flirt with and if the women are old the flirting is not so intense and hence me they are not flirting with when I handle out browsing to them! The orangutans are very smart and extremely strong and powerful and we have to be careful what we give them. As a rule, nothing wider than two fingers can be put into their cage as they will try to use it to break out of the enclosure. They are very hard to please and as opposed to the macaques that get overly excited when you bring them treats, Bento and Is are cool and wont show any excitement as long as we are standing watching them. Fantastic animals!

Some primates such as the albino long tail macaque that we have here, will never be released into the wild as he would get killed due to looking very different from all other monkeys of his sort. He will probably be released on an island that Tasikoki now has taken over where  there are no predators or enemies that can kill him. Also some of our birds that have been wing clipped and  cannot fly long distances will be released onto this island.

The longest resident at Tasikoki is probably Betty who is a gibbon monkey native in Borneo. Betty gets easily stressed when there are a lot of people around and she doesn´t like male humans. She has (or all gibbons) a very loud sound and you hear her from you wake up at sunrise until the sun sets.

Langurs are primates native in Borneo and they have a very human looking face! I just love their expression! We have two ladies living with us.

The most dangerous animal we have is not the crocodile, it is the cassowary (swe: kasuar) and it is provvalet the closest we get to a dinosaur with its enormous claw like feet. It is extremely territorial and can run very fast. If you get close it will attack you and kick you with its sharp claws. They look fantastic with their colours though!

The fantastic thing is that I now, after a month here and meeting them daily, notice that they have very strong personalities that differs from animal to animal! Some we call mental freaks and some we call sweethearts! Just like the human world!

The same foundation that runs Tasikoki Wildlife Rescue Centre is also running a turtle conservation area 1 hour from Tasikoki. Tasikoki staff is patrolling and monotoring the area 24/7.

The sea turtles come up on the beach normally in the beginning of the year to lay their eggs in the sand. They dig a hole and then covering them carefully with sand. After this she swims out in the sea again and never come back. The eggs are hatched after about 50-60 days when the small baby turtles by instinct move out to the sea to hopefully live a long life avoiding predators eating small turtles for breakfast!

Tasikoki staff overseas the activity and once a female has laid her eggs, our staff are digging them out of the sand to move them to a safe enclosure where no predators such as crabs, birds, lizards can dig them up and eat them.

We were so lucky to see some of the little ones take their first steps out of their eggs and into the sea as soon as the sun was set.

We also had a lesson from Tasikoki Education Officer Windi about sea turtles and I am amazed how tremendously big some of the species are with leatherback being the biggest of them all (natural size in pic below!). In Tasikoki we have fresh water turtles weighing about 35 kg.If you ever get the chance to witness turtles eggs being hatched, please take the opportunity as it is an fantastic experience.

After months of planning, organising and thinking it is now time for departure to a slightly more exotic environment than the daily routines at the lawfirm in Stockholm!

Not knowing exactly what waits ahead of me is a mixed feeling of excitement and a tumbling stomach. I know for sure though that I am doing the right thing. So many positive comments from people I am surrounded by which makes me even more confident in my decision.

What´s even more exciting is that I have no idea what these two months will do to me?! It´s like a personal experiment. I might come back o Sweden in May as a fanatic vegan animal rights activist dressed in batik sarongs that has lost all my excess BMI kilos and with a mindset that make-up is superficial..... or not.

For the first time in many years I will leave my work phone at home. First week will feel like I have lost a limb and second week I might get used to living without the limb and realise that one can actually live a normal life without that limb. This will be two months of self contemplation, reading, learning about something that I have very little knowledge about, meeting different cultures, hopefully get friends for life and meet and learn about wild animals with a very traumatic background.

Please come with me on this fantastic journey! If you like to read about the centre where I will be working, you can go to http://www.tasikoki.org/ 

En vida känd skidort man länge hört talas om som svenskarnas offpistparadis i Alperna. Förvånansvärt liten by och liftsystem. Hade en bild av att det skulle vara större och fler nerfarter. Runtom pisterna påminns man om att detta ställe nog inte är för den sportlovsfirande barnfamiljen då de opistade böljande bergen sträcker ut sig överallt. Här hittar du skärmflygare och äventyrare som traskar uppåt berget med sina tunga utrustningar för att hitta den perfekta backen med lössnö eller klippavsatsen att slänga sig utför.

För oss som inte är så äventyrliga och likt en tant föredrar att finglida nerför en blå backe på ett lutande balsalsgolv så är inte utbuden jättemånga. Här är mest röda och svarta pister. Jag har aldrig under en skidresa utmanat så många svarta pister som denna men när snön är perfekt torr och pudrig, pisten i stort sett tom på folk [läs snowboardåkare och skidskolor för barn🤬] och solen lyser så kändes det lite som en enkel och njutfull utmaning. Det hade kunnat vara så mycket värre och tant kom ner med puls och alla ben i behåll.

Som bekant är inte Schweiz det billigaste alplandet att åka skidor i - här är snordyrt och kanske därför man inte ser så många barnfamiljer semestra här. Vi i vårt sällskap drog nog vinstlotten vad gäller boende känns det som - en rejäl 4-våningsvilla med 3 stora sovrum, matsal, lounge med eldstad, vardagsrum och 2,5 badrum där allt är helt nyrenoverat och belägen mitt i byn nära allt. Utsikten vätter mot bergen på andra sidan dalen. Detta fann vi på Airbnb för mycket bra pris. Vi har lagat fantastiska middagar hemma och hasat runt i myskläder. För de som vill fortsätta festen är det bara att glida ner på byn.

Nästa år får det bli ett ställe med lite fler nerfarter och lite fler alternativ för oss som tantåker men på bekostnad av att antalet barn och snowboardåkare kommer att vara fler.... Lunchen i backen får gärna understiga 350kr med💸