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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:
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!
I cannot imagine a life without any modern facilities. The masai people that are the natives in Kenya live a life the same as they have always lived. They are nomads and have cattle and goats. Some have adapted slightly to modern society and let their children go to public schools and i have also heard about masai with mobile phones. This is not something i experienced when i got the opportunity to visit a village right outside Amboseli national park.
They charge a fee to get into the village which will go to the community in that village. This village consisted of 80 members with one small house per family. The houses are built by the women in the village and takes 3 months to complete. The material is clay with wooden sticks. The house has two rooms; one where the father sleeps and one where the mother and their children sleeps. The floor is just the ground and I asked where the matresses were. No matresses - they sleep on cow skin. In the mother’s and children’s room they also has a fireplace where they cook beans and goat- and cow meat which is their diet (drink goat- and cow milk). The house is incredibly small and I could not stand straight. I got slightly claustrophobic when entering the very narrow hallway. When entering the first room (approx 4 sq meter) the disgusting smell hits you and i found it hard to breath - something between sweat, soil and strong smoke from fire place. This smell followed me the rest of the day....
In Kenya there are approx 2 million masai people and due to lack of family planning there is an increasing number. They live in polygamy and men can have several wifes and even more children with each wife. I also brought with me some questions that came to my head; what do they do with dental problems, toothpaste, lactose intollerance, home insurance, time since they don’t have watches or clocks, clothes washing, cure for tonsillitis and lots of other things that we take for granted???
What has hit me when I got here is the poverty and especially the children that are suffering the most from this. High unemployment together with low payments and lots of drug- and alcoholic problems are making the situation worse. Unwanted children are left on the street with a hope that someone will find them and take care of them. Because of all these problems there are a lot of orphanages that once started by an organisation or devoted private persons. The local authorities don’t do anything so they are all dependant on donations.
One of the orphanages that i got the opportunity to visit was founded 10 years ago by a Swiss lady; New White House Academy which now has 400 children living and attending education. The children are from 3 years old up to 15-16. The small children have ”mothers” employed by the orphanage, living with them, helping them with all that they need but most of all, they give them love. Fantastic work and I really admire people who give-up their comfortable life at home with the purpose to help children in need. If you want to read go to www.kenyanchildrenhelp.ch.
In the resort I am staying there is a German lady who has been visiting Mombasa for many years and in 2005 she started a school for kids from 2-3 years old to 15-16. These are not orphants, at least not all of them, but they come from very poor homes. We all went to visit the school today and we got such a lovable welcome that i could not hold my tears back. It was an incredibly emotional time with them but most important, everyone seemed happy and were smiling. All women In the group got handmade necklaces. When we were about to leave, they all came to hug us and to do high 5. These kids are not the poorest here but with very little to hope for so by having this safe place to go to everyday, learning on a daily basis, it will hopefully give them some hope for the future. This school is funded by some tuition fees and donations. Local authority doesn't contribute at all.
I believe in helping the people locally as these people are the ones that are worst off.
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:
Some info about the parks I have visited:
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!
At Tasikoki there are some incredibly passionate, young people working with important agendas and for a really good cause and I think their message to the world is very up-to-date and important so here is a presentation of two talents I have the honor to work with:
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.
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