Trouble(d) at Sea

Wednesday, January 8th, 2014. That’s the day the trouble stopped, well, partly it did. And on a foot note: it’s the day I discovered that I have network on the ship, meaning I could write texts (achhhh, Dani, sometimes you still live in the middle age century :)) Which is kind of surreal, I mean, in the MIDDLE of a BIG ocean … But let’s start where it all began …

I seem to always choose the same words once I am on those traveling roads. That a short time does seem much longer. But I can only repeat myself, because it is true. Only a week ago my journey started. After a short night (it was New Years Eve after all and I could not find my sleep with all the "noise" going on outside) my brother in law brought me to the train station in Basel where I boarded the train – obviously – to London. Changing in Paris (so sorry you beautiful city for not having lingered this time!). As it was New Years Day the train was quite empy. But I couldn’t have bothered anyway as I dozed off for most of the 3 hour ride and it did go by quite quickly. The metro underground at noon was surprisingly – or not for a New Years Day – quiet as well. The people helpful with all my luggage (it is a pain in the ass if you have more than one bag to carry in the Parisian metro) and the metro free (how lucky am I) on this morning. The Eurostar to London turned out to be just a tad bit busier. Guessing all the people who’d done a New Years trip to Paris had to get back home for work on the 2^nd.  London greeted me with its typical English weather (what else is to be expected in January). Some rain and wind. While I do say my sorries to Paris I must apologize to London as well for not staying much longer. There was just enough time for a quick stop at A & F :) (already looking forward to those visits in the US) and a dinner at Fish Works. Meeting up with Sophie, whom I had met almost 5 years ago on the Southern Sun trip from New York to Los Angeles. How quick time passes … and never forget to stop believin‘ you fellow SS trekkers…

It was the next day already that I took a transfer bus to Southampton, where the Queen Victoria was starting it’s 4 months world cruise. Nooooooooo, I am not staying on for that Long!! I have figured out by now that 3 weeks is more than enough on those ocean roads. Especially if they start out the way they did on this journey!! Oh dear, I have seldom felt as sick as during those first 3 days! And no, this is not my first cruise. Almost 4 days of going through a massive storm that was raging in the North Atlantic. This big ship suddenly feeling as small as a nutshell in the big Atlantic waves. How powerful nature can be … When I booked the first part of this cruise to Buenos Aires I thought I could manage the 10 days it takes to Ft. Lauderdale. Cause after 3 days there was supposed to be the first port of call in Ponta Delgada in the Azores. But as an effect oft he storm we could unfortunately not make that port of call. Heading straight on to Florida. Oh, how I am longing to hit land again!

Inbetween there is enough time to relax. Now that the sea is as calm as ever (this morning I thought we were standing still!). I truly hope it stays that way. There’s time to read. There’s time to have an Afternoon English Tea Time. There’s time to go to the movies. To Shows. To Line Dance Classes. To the gym. To Yoga Classes. And there is time to observe. Observe all the stories that are going on on a ship like this. I could write a book about it. Actually, I should write a book about it once I return ;)

Halfway through on the way to the US. Somewhere in the middle of the Southern Atlantic now. It seems like there’s a world inbetween. Or maybe just a whole lot of water :)

3 more days until we arrive in the Sunshine State. Time to pet an alligator :)

 

Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore.

 

- Andre Gide -

As Time Goes By ...

Christmas is over. The Christmas markets that have accompanied us through the last few weeks have disappeared. Songs like "Last Christmas" (there's people who hate it and those who can't wait to hear it again next Christmas) have been played for weeks and now stopped playing again on the radio. There have been springlike temperatures during these days. And then there has been snow. Festive family get togethers with loads of food - I imagine - included have taken place. For the last month or so there have been lights hanging everywhere. And I guess they will stay there for a little while longer. That is, until a new year begins ...

Everything comes and goes. Don't you think that this last year has passed so very fast? Like a shooting star. It was there, and then it was already gone. You barely got the time to really grasp it. I remember, as a child, when days felt like years and time couldn't move fast enough. I want to be older already. Now, it moves too fast. There's this saying .. "Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in while, you could miss it." It's true. people are so busy, they barely find the time to just stop. And look.

Another year is coming up. Just a few days until the old year has to make place for a new one. I am going to start this year with yet another trip of mine. The longest I have done so far. 5 months. Somehow this time it feels a little different. Maybe it is because it is the longest I have done so far. Maybe it is because it has been quite a hassle to get everything together (I know, luxury problems right there ..). Maybe it is because I have the feeling that this might be the last of this kind of trips for me. Maybe it is because I have never before felt as stressed as now in organizing it. Maybe it is because I am quite anxious for the part in Argentina. Especially meeting a friend again that I have last seen 12 years ago. And here it is again: Time. Time has played tricks on us. We've lost contact over those years. And I am sad we did. But life sometimes gets in the way. I know everything won't be as it was 12 years ago. I mean, how can it. A lot of time has passed. People change over the years. And that's just normal. The only constant IS change. But I am still hoping that somehow we will be able to find the "old" connection we've had again. Cause I am really looking forward to meet! Maybe ...

3 days to go now. 3 days until the train will take me to London, from where I will board a cruise ship. Destination: Buenos Aires. A good 3 weeks of relaxing and just be. Taking it slowly. Maybe reminisce about the past year. But not too much. Cause one has to look forward (Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards.). And I am looking forward. Forward to some amazing adventures. Meeting people. Making new memories. And taking thousands of pictures of beautiful places :)

Please take the time to join me in my traveling roads. A Winter away. And don't forgot to stop once in while and just look! ;)

Be safe and happy trails to you!!

PS: You can also follow me picturewise (one picture a day) if you follow this link.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/danielle_76/sets/72157638324161773

 

Come fly with me, let's fly, let's fly away.

Low Season

The first time I felt like fall was close, was at Sun Dance Ranch. It was not even the change of colours in the leaves or that it was already getting colder (well, I’ve never hat very summery temperatures up North at no point of time). Maybe it was more the smells while riding through the woods. Like the one of wet wood after a rainy night. Maybe it was also just that you can rather see the change of season in nature than in a city. Well, our travelling roads through the South of Sweden definitely proved that another season was about to start. It was not during the last two days in Stockholm, where summer is still going on and we were walking roofs to have fantastic views over the city. Or taking a steam boat out into the archipelago, having dinner accompanied with wonderful music, sounding through the night. I guess it was more when we started to hit the countryside. First stop out of Stockholm was Gotland. The time there was unfortunately way too short and if ever I get the chance I must go back! A 3 hour ferry ride and you arrive in Visby and with that in a different world. We spent the nights no more in hotel rooms but in cosy wood cabin on Campgrounds (recalling Alaskan Times, just without the cabin). The streets were almost empty. The beaches as well. Stores opened late. Cafes were closed. Low season has started in Sweden. That's what the lady at the first Campground told us (As we should have called before arriving. Well, you should have told us that we should have called, and we surely would have done that :)). That wasn't the first and last time we realized that low season was really here. But hey, see the positive side of it. You don't have too many people standing in the way for great pictures :) After a few days in the country, seeing beautiful nature, fascinating rock formations, no mooses and rare signs of them and cheesy but oh so wonderful sunsets, we hit the city again: Göteborg. Second largest city in Sweden. But as nature was calling us we left after just half a day and drove further South, along the West Coast. Along the Swedish Riviera, as it is called. Good thing we did that, cause those beaches were really lovely (and guess, yes, a "low-season-amount-of-people" there :)). We even managed to see a lighthouse in the end - as you know I l-o-v-e lighthouses - along a rough and very windy coast. What a beautiful end to a great journey.

 

I'm back to where I started. One more day in Bremen, Germany. Tomorrow I'm heading back home after 5 weeks of travelling. I hope you enjoyed travelling up North with me. Until next time. As there surely will be :)

 

Roof Top Walking in Stockholm

 

Raukar in Gotland

 

Along the Coast of Gotland

 

Sunset in Vadstena

 

Lovely Times along the West Coast

 

 

"And just maybe instead of focusing on the destination, we ought to look at the journey."

- Jodi Picoult -

Easy

Easy. That’s the word you use on your horse to make him obvious to certain dangers on the trail. Or to just slow him down on an unsteady path. Easy. It’s also a certain way of living outside the city. Leaving the hectic and the stress behind. Easy. That’s how I would sum up my week at Sun Dance Ranch. And it’s been such a treat after 5 days in a busy city. The first day brought loads of sunshine, a trail ride in the forest and an evening canoe trip. And how lucky we’ve been on that first day. Canoeing on the peaceful river, leaving the sunset behind and spotting two beavers and one mommy moose with her two kids. Just crossing the river before our eyes. No picture taken (it was already too dark), but forever in my head and mind :) What followed after that was less amusing as the Queen would say. Making our way back to the Ranch through muddy waters (up to our knees) surrounded my hundreds of mosquitos. No kidding. But thank you Michelle for the save return back home ;) That first ride out in the Swedish forests was followed by many more. Either with sunshine or some light rain. But sometimes also heavy rain and thunder, spooking not just our horses. Once we even interrupted the ride to swim with the horses in the lake. A first for me. Very special. And I enjoyed loads.

What will remain of that time at Sun Dance Ranch is my a-w-e-s-o-m-e horse Apache. Jun, a  Japanese guest (living in Dubai), mostly seen with his camera on his head, filming while riding. Trail Rides through the enchanting nature. At times I fellt like gnomes were watching us from behind the trees. Wondering what they are thinking. Dutch discussions I could not follow all the way through. Harmonica tunes sounding through the forest. Spectacular sunsets just outside the door. The great food and especially the wonderful hosts. Thank you Anita, Dimitry, Marcia, Manon, Michelle and Sheranie. And mostly I will remember the quiet. It’s amazing what you can hear if you just listen. You can even hear rain drops falling from leaves. I’m serious! :) Close your eyes, trust your horse, let it find the way and listen to the wonderful sounds of nature !

Now back in the hustle and bustle of Stockholm I somehow feel a little overwhelmed by it all. The sudden mass of people. The noise. It’s like you have to get used to it again. But then, I guess I just have to bring back the last week to my mind. Easy.

"Life is good. A horse makes it better."

Entering another world

 

the Sun Dance Ranch Family

 

Peace

 

the Dutch McLeods Daughters

 

Riding through enchanting forests

 

Pearly

 

Nature's Wonders

 

Girl Power

 

 Sunset

 



Venice of the North

I wouldn’t have thought that those 5 days in Stockholm would pass so quickly. But here I am, it’s Friday already. And it seems to me as if the Spanish girls have just left yesterday.

So here’s what I’ll remember of that time in Stockholm :

Yesterday morning I would have said sunny and warm weather all the way through. But some heavy rain keeps coming in the middle of the afternoon (like right now, it’s pouring down.  Thank goodness I’m having a drink in a Cafe). Then disappears again as if nothing has happened and lets the sun in again.  A visit to the royal family on Drottningholm and some very royal meatballs (Kottbullar). If it’s not water from above then it’s surely water all around. The smell of the sea. Walking. Walking. Walking. Be it all around town or for the hundreds time up and down Drottninggatan (the shopping street where I live). An impressive Changing of the Guard that comes with a one hour waiting time if you want to have a good view to what’s happening. No public Laundries (I’ll stick to the Campgrounds). No Nail Studios you can just walk by and get a Pedicure done straight away. Junibacken Pippi Longstocking land. Which I found out is more for kids than adults. Seeing Reindeers, Black Bears and the King of the woods (moose) in Skansen (an open-air museum). Though they not really caring about all those annoying tourists taking constant pictures. Magic moments with Street Artists. Salmon with dill potatoes and a beautiful view in Vaxholm. And last but not least: Schweizer Konditori. A Cafe I have been to every day of this week. So you can say I’m a regular there. I really like the atmosphere, with all it’s writing on the walls. And especially I like their Chai Latte. Still haven’t found out why the name "Schweizer" though. But I have to make sure I do on my last days here.

My time is not over here in Stockholm. I’ll be back for 3 more days (by that time I should really be the "queen-of-what-to-do-and-see" in Stockholm). With more adventures on the list. Just saying, Roof Top Tour. And this time with company from Germany :) But for right now I’m ready to give up the city for the country for a few days: 1 week at Sun Dance Ranch.

The rain has stopped now. Time to move and see some more things until it’s time to head further.

"The things that are close to you, are the things you can photograph the best."

- Sally Mann -

Tales of Cities, Woods & Lakes

Ok, it’s official. There are no Starbucks‘ either in Copenhagen nor in Sweden. How am I everrrrrrr going to survice this????!!!!! I guess being open for other new things is the way to think now. And that it’ll be only 3 more weeks until I hit "Starbucks Land" again :)

Copenhagen was wonderful. The sun was on our side most oft he time. The sights beautiful. The food good. The royals unfortunately not present (everyone must have been at the Olympics in London I’m guessing).  A downside to this city though is, that it is pretty expensive. As is Scandinavia in general. But did you know that Copenhagen is one of the world’s most expensive cities ? Well, we found out about that rather sooner than later. Still, some wonderful days in Demarks’ capital. And on I went to another capital : Stockholm it was. Just a 5 h train ride away. There I was looking forward to spending a few days with Vero and Altea from Spain. As soon as those two hit Swedish ground, it was over with the mostly sunny weather. I can say until now, that I haven‘ experienced one day yet, where it did not either rain or drizzle  But Kudos to the girls for survivng 20 degrees C and below while coming from over 30 degrees C! We spent 2 days in the city. Experiencing  it from the water (Stockholm consists of 14 islands). From above (walking up the tower of City Hall and to other points of view). Inside museums (Vasa), cute Cafes. Or just strolling along and through the streets. After spending almost a week in the city, I for my part was ready to hit some country roads. And with the countryside and the lakes alongside we unfortunately didn’t cross path with the "king of the woods" (moose) as we hoped, but with loads of mosquitos. Darn little buggers. I’m still itchy all over. The rest of the ride along nature‘s path was very peaceful though :) Cute little towns. Red wooden houses. Acres of woods. Uncountable lakes. And as promised, I did go swim in one. Actually not just in any kind of lake. But in Siljan, the "heart of Sweden".  It wasnt even that cold in my op and I might do it again. Though the Spanish girls could not believe their eyes :)

The countryside is past now. I am back in Stockholm. Vero and Altea are on the plane back South where they will probably be expected with much warmer temperatures. But I still have things to see in Stockholm. 5 more days here lie ahead. Then it is time again for some country air. 1 week at Sun Dance Ranch. But first, let’s enjoy some more Stockholm has to offer. I can’t wait.

på återseende (Good Bye)

Earth and sky, woods and fields, lakes and rivers, the mountain and the sea, are excellent schoolmasters, and teach some of us more than we can ever learn from books.

- John Lubbock -

Nyhavn - Copenhagen

enjoying a view over the city of Copenhagen

Girl Power in Stockholm :)

Stortorget - Stockholm

Siljan Lake - the heart of Sweden

Photo Shoot at Siljan Lake

Threesome along the East Coast

Another Journey

My last longer trip is already more than a year in the past. But still I am thinking back, with very good memories. Good thing that I did "Photo 365" last year. That way I can always remember what I did every day of that trip.

Another journey has started today. Right now, while I am writing this Blog, I am sitting in a restaurant in Bremen, Germany. It’s been a sunny and warm afternoon. I can hear church bells. The chit-chat of people, laughing,  enjoying this lovely summer evening. People driving by on their bikes. Carefree summerdays.  It’s as if summer could last forever.  I am enjoying a cool drink, reading a travel guide about my next destination : Copenhagen. Looking forward to spending a few days with a friend there. But let’s start from the beginning.

It was an early start into the day. Getting up at 5 AM. Catching the train in Rheinfelden at 6:30. Arriving in Bremen in the early afternoon. In Switzerland the train was almost empty. Unusual for a work day you might say. But today is August 1st. The Swiss National holiday. Probably right now everybody back home is celebrating. Barbecue-ing and watching the fireworks once it gets dark. Quite the opposite it was in the train on the way to Germany. Fully packed. And this train ride up North kind of reminded me of those many train rides I have done in the US last summer. The train will get me everywhere on this trip as well (as you might remember, I am not too fond of flying). From Germany to Copenhagen, Denmark. Further up to Stockholm, Sweden. And more inland for a week on a Ranch. I am curious to find out if it will be as good as the one on McGinnis in Montana. We will see :) During the next 5 weeks I will also be meeting up with friends I have made in the last few years. Friends from abroad. I can’t wait to be seeing Vero again. It’s been almost 3 years since we’ve met up in Alicante, Spain for the first time. Then there’s also Nina from Frankfurt Germany. We have met last summer on the trip up to Alaska. Now we are going to discover the wilderness of Sweden :) Maybe swim in one of those lakes (I’m doing it, even if it’s cold). And Pippi Longstocking of course :)

So you see, lots to be looking forward to. Hoping that this time you’ll be along fort the ride as well. And don’t forget to check into Flickr. Just for those 5 weeks I will be doing "Photo 365" again :)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/danielle_76/sets/72157630858372430/with/7693214962

Talk to you soon. Be safe on your travels!

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.

- Mark Twain -