June 1st - 15th, 2009

Two weeks in Laos - the last new country for us on our trip, one of the most beautiful and relaxing: it became one of our favourites, and there we will surely return. (Well, we do want to return to most of the countries we have visited…). Our first destination was the laid-back capital Vientiane, the next one the party mecca Vang Vieng. In the fascinating Luang Prabang we stayed a week, making also a three-day trek to the mountains and hill-tribe villages from there. We finished our stay in Laos with a two-day cruise up Mekong.

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May 16th - 25th

In Cambodia we spent only 9 days. However, being a real mental roller-coaster, the time felt much longer: we saw poverty and western-like luxury, horrible memories of recent past, magnificent cultural heritage, cripples, youth with optimistic smiles and youth without too much hope of a good future. This is a country where it is just now impossible to say what the future will bring - we do hope peace and progress, and we do hope in future there will be also for us an opportunity to contribute.

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Vietnam April 16th - May 16th

Vietnam in one month: lots of time, but also lots to see. As the country is so long but thin, there are basically only two main routes for the travellers: the northbound and the southbound. The latter was ours and contained little surprises: first Hanoi and from there trips to Halong Bay and Sapa in the northern mountains, then the towns of Hue, Hoi An and Nha Trang along the coast, after that four days in Paradise - a resort at the Doc Let beach, and finally a few days of Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon).

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March 23rd - April 16th

11 days of China, 12 days of Japan - far too little for these countries with so much to see and experience. Two cities in each country were enough for us this time, though: Hong Kong & Shanghai, Tokyo & Kyoto. Japan was a premiere for us, China almost, too - we had had a two-day stay in Beijing five years ago. Lue lisää »

February 13th – March 23rd, 2009 Lodtunduh, Padang Bai, Kuta

The final five weeks in Bali started with the visit of Jarkko´s mother and aunt: lots of trips around the island, along with some rest in Lodtunduh, too. After that we had a busy period of music lessons, and said a long goodbye to our house. The last days in Bali were spent at the seaside: first the feast of Galungan and two more dives in Padang Bai, and then relaxing in Kuta.

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January 13th – February 12th, 2009

Tulamben & Amed Jan 15th-23rd

During the last month we have mostly been away from our little house in Lodtunduh. First we took a PADI course in Tulamben on the east coast of Bali – now we are certified Open Water Divers! After that we spent more time at the seashore: first in Amed (snorkelling&more diving), then in Kuta. A obligatory trip to Singapore followed: we got new 60-day visas. After that we got a 10-day visit from a Finnish friend and neighbour, Kim – apart from Kuta and Lodtunduh, we explored half of the island with him by car. One week of rest at home, and we are now prepared for the next visitors, who will come on Saturday. Lue lisää »

December 9th, 2008 – January 13th, 2009

Six weeks in Bali have passed. We have not been extremely busy – but a lot has happened, too. A quiet Christmas, a  jolly New Year, gamelan lessons, Indonesian language lessons, seeing quite a few dance performances. A little bit of sightseeing, too: in Ubud and surroundings, plus three one-night trips, to Kuta and  to Padang Bai on the seashore, and to Mount Batur. For the most of the time, however, we have enjoyed the peace of our little house in Lodtunduh. On the 15th of January we will take a break from this: first one week in Tulamben and Amed on the east coast (including a diving course) , a few days in Kuta, and a 5-day trip to Singapore in order to renew our visas. February will be the month of visitors from Finland, first Kim for one week, and then our mothers for two weeks.

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Dec1-8, Lodtunduh, Bali

At last we are there! A journey of three months, around two thirds of the world, brought us to the village of Lodtunduh in the outskirts of Ubud town. Those of you who have already imagined us just lying under a palm tree – while we are actually struggling along in thin air, thick snow or heavy rain – are now starting to be right; only it is not an ocean but a rice field that can be seen from our house. Now all activity is forgotten; it is quite all right if we can achieve one thing per day, if not, it can surely be done the next day, too.

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Nov12-Dec1, 2008

Coming to Australia after two weeks of Kiwi trekking, city life suddenly felt like great fun. There could not have been better places to enjoy this than Sydney and Melbourne - two old rivals, of which I am not to say which one I liked more. Of course, we had planned to see some of Australia´s great nature, too, especially Uluru, the holy red rock in the middle of the desert.  Lue lisää »

Luna Parkin huvipuistoon keppihyppelyni sopii hyvin

Päästiinpä sitten testaamaan Australian julkista terveydenhoitoakin:

Olimme sunnuntaina muutama tunti ennen Katoomban-junan lähtöä kuluttamassa aikaa kaupungin rannikolla pikkuruisessa South Headin kansallispuistossa, jossa meri tyrskyy vasten korkeita pystysuoria kallioita. Pieni kävelyreitti oli päällystetty ja hyvin hoidettu. Näkymiä ihaillakseni loikkasin pienen kalliohalkeaman yli, mutta tähtäys ei oikein onnistunut ja nilkka vääntyi niin, että pohjelihas vaan paukkui. Kävelystä ei oikein tahtonut tulla mitään, joten päätimme käydä lääkärissä koipea näyttämässä, saisihan kalliille matkavakuutuksellekin lopulta jotain käyttöä. Taksikuski ei tiennyt kuin julkisen St Vincentin sairaalaan, joten sinne sitten mentiin. Lue lisää »