mickan in world

How did I ever think I would be bored here?

I love this place, always has. My lack of faith in enjoying my time here must have been the result of too many months of absence.

There are a couple of things that makes me happy right now; the thought of the summer being eternal for one. There is so much time ahead of me in Båstad; it's like an ocean of space, calm and loving and I can not see the horizon which is named fall.

Being with my family. Having family dinners out on the porch, bbqs, daddy's fish soup and mum's sallads. My sister being seventeen and always going somewhere meeting new friends and being a lovely source of gossip. She's almost outgrown me since I've been away and she is not the little sister anymore, she's become a good friend and simply a sister.

Yesterday I went for a jogg in the landscape which I find being the most beautiful in the world. Summer's Skåne, described so well by Selma Lagerlöf and captured in paintings and songs. The grass is green, the shade of the trees makes patterns on the dusty gravel path and the ocean, always on my left is a solid blue. With the sun sparkling in the small waves and the rocks with their greyish contrasts against the blue it is easy to become absorbed in the beauty of the summer and the nature. It is a miracle I don't stumble over the strong tree roots as I stare in amazement, not at the ground (as any person who'd like to keep their knees intact) but at the wonders of Skåne. A white butterfly leavs the flower where it's been perched and joins me in my jogg. It becomes my companion for many a minute, trying to keep up with me and circling my right ear, floating up and down like the buoys laid out by the fishermen and rocked by the sea.
Exhausted I finish my jogg by throwing myself on the green, green grass of Gulstad parc. Stretching and gazing out over the ocean wich reminds me that summer is still young and there is an eternity until the cold of fall.

Ending the day with a swim from Pauline's Pier. The water is icy, but it clears my head as I move around like a madman to keep a bit of warmth. Wrapped in a bathrobe I steal the warmth from the air and lets the wind dry my hair.

When coming home after a while of being away you mentally prepare yourself that everything should be different. Your brain tells you that lots of things should have changed while away. For example the seasons, your friends' civil status, the fashion of dressing, the TV- shows and the way you see things. Deep in your mind though you are still convinced that everything should be exactly the way you left them.
This mental contradiction causes a bit of confusion when coming home. At least for me. When I came home I was at first utterly surprised it was summer (When I left it was winter!). After getting over the change of seasons I moved on to about my friends getting new boy- and girlfriends after which I moved on to being very much surprised by the fact that some of my friends STILL stayed together with their old partners (after all this time!). I am also very lost in watching TV since everything's changed, but at the same time I can't beilve they are showing the same old shite as when I left ( I never was much of a TV person though).

A most surprising change was displayed to me last Friday when going out with Bengan and Bea for a beer on the town. We were scheduled to go to their new favourite place, KGB. Something with that name did sound familiar but I couldn't place it (it was a bit out of context) but when we got there the pieces fell into place. The place wasn't one I'd expect to see Bengan and Bea in when I left, it was... how can I put it... a bit too...red. And the pictures of Lenin and Russian music I thought wouldn't be their attraction. But that was in the old days, and I have to admit, it beats Stureplan, I had a great time! Go change!

Saturday was cozily spent walking in the sun with Bengan after celabrating Beas birthday with scones and coffe at a café on town. The afternoon I spent with my grandma at the hospital (she's been a bit ill, but she's better now, came home today) and we gossiped and ate candy.
Fia and I thought we'd have a cozy picnic in the parc with a bottle of wine and some girlie talk, but our plans were wrecked by the sillyness of a Thai corkscrew (it wasn't a screw when we were finished). So we ended up having to go to a restaurant and ask them to open the bottle and then being to lazy to go back, drinking the wine on a bench like two drunks. Luckily Mange showed up and shared it with us. It's like I've always said: "Three drunks look better than two". Mange and I went out for a beer in the South part of Stockholm until two real drunks chased us running.

Sunday I was cozy with Vici and Bengan and had dinner with my dad at a restaurant. Pretty nice day!

Today- my last day in wonderful Stockholm (tomorrow I leave for equally wonderful, but small town Båstad, to start my job at the supermarket) I power hung out with Naomi and Fia. Baked scones, listened to good music and cursed leaving again so soon. Then I spent some quality time with my grandma before cleaning like crazy, packing and getting everything in order. I'm a bit reluctant to leave for Båstad, of course I love it there, but it's such a small town and I'll be there for seven weeks. It's a long time for someone who's gotten used to constant stimulation 24-7, for almost a year. I hope I will handle it by becoming an excercise addict, that's how I usually do it, and that would be helpfull in Lappland. Time wil tell; one good thing is Jossan is there, Great to se her again! And my family too, it will probably be good once I'm there- when I think about it; I'm convinced it will be.

In good company and with some nice meat on the bbq, the sun still up and with the knowledge that it wont set for a couple of hours still; that, my friends, is my definition of summer. The way I like it.

As promised, some details on my birthday bbq (only three months late) last Sunday. A good show up, had about 15 really good friends over (we only really missed Bea, but she was labouring in the restaurant as usual, we'll make that up tomorrow with her birthday brunch, only three days late). Beautiful weather too (as ordered) and we were all seated out in our (very small) garden, eating well, drinking well and contemplating frivolous (is that a word?) subjects such as... I don't really rember but we did have an encyclopedia (a gift from Mange and Hugo) and we sure did use it. We finished the evening off with Margaritas on the porch, trying to fit everybody in made it very cozy. Some incence and candles, all imported, and the evening was complete as the sun finaly set and the day closed on our small company.

Monday was relaxing, had Naomi and Fia over for a Mexican dinner and I went to see my old soccer team practise. I got a warm welcome and itching feet. I can't wait to get started again! I've got chronical "I got to kick the ball"-desease and I had a hard time keeping myself from disturbing the practise by screaming "But, I can be goaly since I'm not changed!" or "Here! Here! I'm free!". No, I definitely decided: Today- observer, but in the fall I'll be playing again. Had a good time seing everybody again though.

Tuesday gave more soccer and a very longed for game. Djurgården- Göteborg at Stockholm Stadion (Sthls Stadion våran borg, vårat hem- Djurgården!). I met up with Mange, Jacob and Ingrid early to get in the proper mood before the game, we had dinner at Kungshallarna and met up with Hugo and Mange's friend Bosse. A beer later and we were at the stadium where Bengan and Gustav met up in the stand-up section (N as always) and we enjoyed a good game. Depressed when Göteborg scored the first goal and then adrenaline when we equalized, followed total happiness when Andrej Komac scored the winning goal with a long distance shot, the ball hitting the bar and the ref having to call the goal (in the last minute of the first half). We sang with winning voices the rest of the game and when the ref called it off we fell into each others arms and thanked the players for a brilliant game.

Wednesday and Thursday I spent on the countryside, aka Norrtälje, at Fia's family farm. Surrounded by beautiful nature, sheep, cows, fields and bird song we took long walks, talked about life, boys, the universe, sex and other girly things you can only talk about with you best friends either while out walking or while drinking. We came to the usual conclusions; you know, that boys are complicated but too damn simple and that we still love them and that we wanna go to every single country in the whole wide world, that both of us wanna study history and herbal medicine but never will and that we both wanna find a boyfriend but still wanna be happy, drunk and single etc.. etc.. Absolutely terrific of course. And for a little nostalgia I went to watch Fia's little sister Marie finishing fourth grade; they were so cute! And they had a consert and a play, I really enjoyed it, but I am actually quite pleased with not attending fourth grade.

Today I had a very important meeting with Fia and Naomi; we are planning our annual (third year now) Lappland trip. Very productive, studying the map and calculating days, food and costs. We are going to try to climb Kebnekaise, the tallest peak in Sweden (it's not very tall) in August. Also we bought a tent. Isn't that a sign of strong friendship? Sharing custody of a tent. It will eather bring us closer together or tear our frindship appart. We have been warned; a rip in  the tent might be a rip in our friendship, but I belive our friendship can take it.

Then I went for a run. Kind of have to after deciding to climb Kebnekaise. It was not encouraging, but my new sportsbrah was nice.

Seven days; a week back home and it has been wonderful.

I brought the weather with me from the sunny SE Asia, Sweden has seen a new June heat record, starting the same day as I came home and since Sunday I have not seen a cloud.

I love hanging out with my family. Having taken care of myself for so long it is amazingly relaxing having mommy around to hug me and feed me and say good night and tuck me into bed. I must have regressed about 15 years since I came home, but that's okay cause that puts me at the same age as my daddy and we're having a really good time going to football and such (I think he missed his soccer-bud). Hanging out with my sister and catching up on some news and gossip isn't bad either.

Also meeting up with my friends has been extrodinarily easy. I mean, just picking up where we left it is as easy as that. A hug and a  "Welcome home!" and you're back were you were nine months ago (counting Ireland). I guess that's what really good friends are for. I love you so much! Sure, some of them have new boyfriends and has moved out but that is just stuff for the gossip bank and it is stuffed I tell you and I love it!

Only cloud in my blue, blue sky is that I got farily sick coming home. But a visit to the doctor ( I took all the tests in the whole wide world) and an order for ten days of antibiotics to get whatever tropical infections out of my system and now I feel as healthy as the seed of a nut (old Swedish expression).

Things I've done since coming home:

- Saw Sweden beat Island with 5-0 in the Euro qualifyers at Råsunda Stadium

- Played kubb (extremely exiting Swedish game involving big pieces of wood and a king) with Bengan and Bea
- Drunk many cups of tea with many people
- Had a salmon sandwich
- Went to four graduation parties and on the back of one graduation truck getting totally soaked in beer and drinking strong, cheap, far too sweet cider (just like the good old days)
- Went to the doctor
- Went to the library
- Got drunk with my best friends and danced the night away
- Had three bbque's
- Hugged a lot of people and got hugged a lot
- Swum in the Baltic sea
- Missed Asia (a little)
- Had meatballs
- Bought two dresses
- Had sushi
- Went to Systembolaget (Swedish bottle shop, age limit 20, first time!)
- Went to dinner at grandma's
- Sunbathed
- Took a bike trip around Stockholm
- Heard the Swedish Euraovision Song Contest melody (It wasn't very good, might put my life at risk saying that)
- Lay in the grass

Today we are celebrating my 20th, a little delayed but still wonderfull. I have 12 friends coming over for a big bbque and my parents sung for me this morning and we had a birthday breakfast with cinnamon buns and card games (I lost). Also I got a few usefull gifts; an alarmclock (welcome back to reality), a new sports brah (for those of you who remember I had a little incident with a sports brah in Laos) and from my sister two CDs with the songs of the spring (One with the radio tunes, just for common knowledge I guess and the other CD with the songs that are actually any good. Quite thoughtfull don't you think?).

Now I'm going sun bathing with my mum. All the papers are screaming out: "The heat will last til Wednesday, take your chance you might not see the sun again until next year!" I will take my chance.

My tan is great. Isn't that enough to make your day? Also I have bought a new bikini, might be my one chance to use it.

Sverige är vackert och livet är bra. Använd solkräm och simma lugnt!

PS. Stay tune. The blogg will go on. Next time: Details on bbq.

Why not leave with a Bang?

Arriving on Ko Phan Ngan midday Tuesday me and Laura celebrated with a Frozen Banana Daiquiri. It is important to arrive in stile. The boys did it their way when they found out the price of a Chang Beer; they set off on a twelve hour drinking maraton. After a walk, a nap and a shower; approximately 7 hours later we joined in and spent our first evening cherfully chatting on the guesthouse veranda. Comfortable on Thai cushions (I love them!), with drinks in our hands and the sea breeze in our hair we were pretty content with life in general.

Wednesday we went into town and discovered the differences and similarities of boys and girls. After a nice Thai lunch we split up, me and Laura in one group and the boys in the other. When we met back up again we discovered that both boys and girls like to be painted on. Me and Laura went straight for a manicure and pedicure (it was needed!) and the boys went for Henna tattoos (of questionable necessity). Us girls got talked into both a foot scrub and waxing (I am not a wax-virgin anymore, I am now the owner of nice hairless armpits. Painfull though; apperantly my hairs are somewhat wax resistant. Solution: Tweezer. Aoh!). The boys got into the tattooist with cute geckoes in mind and came out with enormous tribal patterns. Conclution; we are an easily manipulated gang. Where girls and boys are different? We asked the price before- the boys did not (painfull lesson I reckon).

My last evening on Ko Phan Ngang is not one I will easily forget (or, what I remember now I will not forget, it is a tiny bit blurry). It all begun with a sign advertising a cross-dressing pool party. The boys; always eager to put on dresses and make-up, insisted that we should go. A pre-drink at the guesthouse later and we were all up for a bit of fancy dress. They were all so pretty, the boys, (except for Marc who was actually a bit of a skank, and Paul who looked like a cancer patient, but in a charming way of course)! I was sexy and butch in surfer shorts and Paul's AFL (Aussi Rules) jersey (Go Bulldoggs!). We sett off happy as only drunk transvestites can be and when we discovered the cross-dressing party was off, we didn't see why we shouldn't go down to the beach with our splendid outfits. Parading down to la playa; being stared at like cirkus animals (no one had even heard of a cross-dress party) was hillarious. Also my jersey worked very well for picking up good-looking Aussies, I was more popular than the barbie dolls in beach dresses(at least that was what I thought at the time, after a bucket or two). The rest of the evening is a bit of a blurr, I just remember being insainly happy and almost being shoked by foam at some random foam party we found. Sand on my toes, the sound of music, the breeze and a bucket in good company. "That must have been the best send-off ever!" - Nick.

Thursday I left the island and my friends for Bangkok. 20 hours of travelling left me with one funny story. Having to kill 2 hours between the boat and the bus in Surat Thani, me and a hungarian bloke stumbled across an Aloe Vera plantation. Growing the plants in potts on the pavement in the middle of the city it was a bit of an oasis. The woman working there cut us a chunk of fresh Aloe Vera each and we smeared it on our bodies. It might have been a tiny bit sticky on the bus but now my skin is smooth as a babies butt.

I arrived at 5.00 o'clock this morning and had to eat breakfast for two hours before the guesthouses opened but now I am staying at the same guesthouse as last time (but the nice 24 hour-lady is gone, Jossan!).

I am a bit restless; tomorrow I am going home. Today i will hit Khao San Road.

I can't wait to see you!