Manly Beach @ Sydney

Spiderweb in sunlight

View from the hilltop

Surfers just before sunset

Expensive villas

Path

Waterfall

House at the top

No drinking in public

Funniest runner ever

Beautiful beautiful Sydney

For the first time it was a perfect sunny summer day in Sydney!

Cafe with the view

My favorite place in the city: the Royal Botanical Garden

Rainforest in the park

 

Lion Gate Lodge @ Royal Botanical Garden

Rose garden

Herbarium with exotic south-American cactuses 

Manila

Beautiful shopping area Greenhills

I've heard about the huge slums when talking about Manila in the beautiful tropical country of Philippines. But this time I didn't felt like dwelling in those moods but instead enjoyed the other side of the city. Our crew hotel was located in the business and shopping area and I spent those 30 hours we had in this charming shopping and restaurant area enjoying the perfect weather and quiet tranquility of the weekend.

Greenhills malls are actually several different buildings connected through bridges and in the center there is a lush green park area with all the restaurants and cafes. And what kind of restaurants they have! Amazing, trendy and modern architecture with an excellent food with reasonable prices! I had a dinner in a restaurant called Mango Tree and 2 course dinner costed me about 600 peso which is 10 euro. And this is one of the most expensive restaurant areas in the city, next to Burberry, Chanel and Gucci boutiques.

Greenbelt Chapel

What strike me on sunday afternoon when I went back to the area was that there was people gathered in the center of the park and they were listening something. When I got closer I realized there was a catholic mass going on. The church is in the middle of the expensive shopping area in a beautiful garden and they were having 8 masses during the day! And it was full with people inside, outside, families sitting on the grass and children playing.. 

What a wonderful feeling, this is how the church should act in the society I think. To go there where the people are, in the middle of the life and not to hide themselves and force people to enter the doorstep where for most of the people it's too much struggle. But when it's so easy to stop and listen and feel free it's easier to take part and the church will reach more people. This is where the Catholic church is doing so much better than my home church Lutheran at least in Finland.

Streets of Manila

Some facts about our customer profiles on these flights. My colleague told me this story that happened on her flight a while ago. There was this filipino girl flying back home to Manila and she was crying the whole time. This crew went to her and asked what is wrong. She told her she's coming back home after 2 years, she has been on a contract in Saudi Arabia. And she was pregnant. She was so happy to get back to home to meet her family but terrified that they would find out about her pregnancy. If they would she would be kicked out and left alone with nothing. What would she do then, where to go, how to provide herself and the unborn baby? 

Many of the girls are been molested and sexually insulted when they are working as maids abroad. They are very humble and some people take advantage of their situations for their own purposes. Sometimes I feel how cruel and selfish man can be to do something like that for a fellow human being who has nothing and can't defend herself in any way. How different our lives are who are born in a country where you don't need to do these sacrifices to provide your family. How lucky we are and how we should be grateful and always remember to help those who needs us.

Home sweet home

I started flying 1 year and 5 months ago and after that I've been on the road more or less every day. When moving here to UAE was even a bigger change leaving the former home behind. Now with this company I have an apartment in a building full with colleagues. It's convenient and easy because everything works and we have all the services here.

But I have started to miss my own life. I mean my own home, my space, privacy. Normal life. Even normal work. It's great to be able to see the world and I have done that a lot. I even travel on my vacations, not to Finland but anywhere else I haven't been before. I have had this goal to see as much of this world as possible.

But now every time the flight comes back to Abu Dhabi I feel like coming home. I feel so much better than going outbound. I think I've just fed up with traveling, changing the country, people, currencies, language, packing, unpacking...

In few weeks I should take my flight to Buenos Aires to spend my holiday in South-America. But to be honest I'm thinking about should I just cancel it and spend the time here at home. But the problem is that here I don't really have a home yet. I really miss to have my own place, to build my own life and to have a family. And I miss my dog, I really want to get him here with me.

So I have decided that next summer I will make my decisions about this matter. After I have been here one full year. I will decide which step to take and gradually quit this traveling and probably even this job. There's so many other possibilities within the company where I can work on ground. And it's actually even better paid ;) So let's see if there's something I could consider. And let's see which doors are going to open, where I'm going to settle and with who. I feel there's big changes coming to my life in the near future. Actually I know it. And I can't wait it to happen :)

Seoul - South-Korea

I have only few pictures from this trip even though I spent there for 2 days. But I had the worst luck because I lost my wallet during the flight there. Apparently it was stolen but I lost all my money and bank cards so I had no money. So those 2 days I spent trying to solve that problem, going to police station, canceling the cards and arranging money overseas via Western Union.

As much as I managed to see the city it was very surprising how creative it was. I found even more inspiring than London which is usually considered the most creative and artistic city in the world. But Seoul is maybe even more than London, also because it's not that underground, it has more varieties in it's style.

 Coffee shop

Cute apartments in the city 

Late night snack 

Korean models 

Coffee shops everywhere! 

Street lights in downtown

Many ways I felt Seoul was like Japan. Not as strange than Tokyo but the feeling is the same with all the electronics, bright lights and sushi. I think it's one of the most interesting cities to visit in Asia, definitely. But prepare that english is not that well spoken there, same as in Japan. 

Dubai fountain

This video has been spreading all over the social network for the past few days for the memory of the amazing singer Whitney Houston. I've seen this performance many times at the location and I have to say it is so amazing none can hold their tears away.

For me this song has also deeper meaning. I was forced to left something behind that even after 2 years I can't forget. I think it will always follow me wherever I go, no distance will ever erase that from my heart. It is a very painful burden to carry but I think love so strong can never die, even if it would be so much easier to live without it. So the memory stays with me forever. This song is my pray for this person far away.


If I should stay,
I would only be in your way.
So I'll go, but I know
I'll think of you ev'ry step of the way.

And I will always love you.
I will always love you.
You, my darling you. Hmm.

Bittersweet memories
that is all I'm taking with me.
So, goodbye. Please, don't cry.
We both know I'm not what you, you need.

And I will always love you.
I will always love you.


I hope life treats you kind
And I hope you have all you've dreamed of.
And I wish to you, joy and happiness.
But above all this, I wish you love.

And I will always love you.
I will always love you.
I will always love you.
I will always love you.
I will always love you.
I, I will always love you.

You, darling, I love you.
Ooh, I'll always, I'll always love you. 

Hello to all my friends freezing in the snow!

Temperature today as by Weather Channel

Why should I ever move back to Finland? Or even to Europe? Give me a one good reason :) I simply love this sun and warm weather we have here 12 months a year.
People and life definitely is so different when you can stay outside and your brain get's enough sunlight. Finland has still those dark and very cold months ahead even the worst is now behind. But it comes back every year. Hrrrrrrr... Not for me anymore!

Life circle in hindu temple Pashupatinat

Pashupatinath hindu temple is located near the airport few miles outside the city of Kathmandu. It is one of the most important Shiva temples in the world and the area is quite amazing. Entrance fee is also higher than to other temples i have visited, here i had to pay 500 rupees just to get in. And of course even this place is in the Unesco World Heritage Site list.

The main temple located in the middle of the area is strictly prohibited  from non-hindus. But you are able to see a glimpse of it through the gate. People going there have to be even born to a hindu family in order to gain the access to the temple. As you can see from the pictures the pilgrims were dressed in beautiful festive dresses looking their best.

Temple area represents the whole circle of life. These lingas or temples have fallos symbols inside and couples who are suffering from childlessness comes here to pray.

Priest or just somebody holy? I don't know about that but the holy men Sadhu's sit there all day long and offer tourists to take pictures with them. After that they will ask you to pay huge amounts of money, here at least 1000 rupees / 11 USD just for one picture! 

Meditation

Caves where sadhu's meditate. They used to meditate even as long as one month without drinking or eating anything. Nowadays they only meditate few hours at a time but they still smoke a lot of marihuana to see the "light" ;)

 Kali temple

Kali - the goddess of death is better known from the Indiana Jones movie where indians offered human sacrifices to this terrible goddess. She is still alive and well but instead offering small children they nowadays offer live animals. There was no sacrifices that day but the guide told me they offer these gifts of blood every week and you can see the blood stains on the rocks. After slaughtering the animal they prepare and eat the meat.

Hospice for people waiting to die.

After their death the family comes to wash them and wrap the body to a linen and prepare to be cremated in the near by river.

 

Cremation taking place

Because of the caste system they still have in Nepal and in hindu religion even after you die you get your spot according to your caste. There are four main castes, first ones are politicians and priests, second army and police, third are local businessmen and fourth are people with no caste.. kind of an outlaws who nobody cares. They will get the last spot along the river which means the dirtiest water to wash away their ashes.

Someone important is burning

retirement home for poor

This place is a kind of a retirement home for elderly who have none to take care of them or who don't have any money to take care of them selves. So the government supports them and gives them a place next to the temple to live there in a community and have a small shared room and food. Mother Teresa organization comes here twice a day to give them free medication.

As a christian it's hard for me to understand how some people live in a faith that seems to give nothing to them but a misery. In christianity the base of all things is in God's love for every single human being regardless of their faith, wealth, status, sex or age. We are all equal and loved by our Creator. But what I see in Nepal is something very different. The caste system is highly discriminating and it gives an excuse not to care about them who have nothing and who would need our help the most. Why is it that every time there is someone helping those who suffer they always comes from a christian country? Is there something different in christian message comparing to all the other religions? 

We do not need to offer sacrifices to our God to please him. We do not need to pray for 13 million gods to get our voice heard. I have only one God who hears me even when I'm only barely trying. He looks after me and accepts me without any demands. I have got everything by believing that Jesus ones took all my sins on he's burden and by that He filled the law that I could never been able to do. My God doesn't need any sacrifices because He already got the only pure sacrifice who filled the task that no other sacrifice can fill. And by He's blood I am free from the law and punishment. I have found nirvana long time ago and live in it every day with my God. 

The more I see this world the more I feel blessed to have all the things I have. I don't take anything for granted anymore but want to share what I have with others. 

This small nepalese girl was walking along a dirty road holding her teddy bear. The picture doesn't show the dirt and smell that is everywhere in the streets. Few hours walking and your skin is covered by sand and god knows what else.. she was so beautiful but so dirty and after taking the picture and seeing her eyes I couldn't help my self crying. We have so much, they have almost nothing.

Mahe island tour in Seychelles

The main island Mahe is really just a small island as well, it takes only about 2 hours to drive around it. So the crew decided to rent a car and find the best beaches. 

We rented the car through our hotel, a small jeep was only 40 euros per day. And the insurance another 20. Transportation in Seychelles is quite expensive, for example if you need a taxi from the airport to your hotel can cost 80 USD. So we were really surprised how cheap it was. 

Roads in Mahe are in quite good condition but narrow and full of tight curves so the average speed is about 40 km/h. And of course you feel the need to stop in every few kilometers because of the stunning views :)

 Anse Royale 

On the East Coast is a he natural beach with safe waters to swim and snorkel. This small village called Anse Royale has few restaurants by the sea, few shops to buy beach wear or souvenirs and an ATM. But the beach is beautiful and it was full of people, both locals and tourists to swim, grill or sunbath.

Kaz Kreol

We had a lunch at a restaurant called Kaz Kreol, the only restaurant that was open on sunday afternoon. It was literally at the beach and they had fresh seafood.. crabs, octopus, fish, squid.. Little bit pricy but I was ready to pay to get some local seafood. So i ordered the crab in coconut milk and even it's a struggle to eat a whole crab especially when you'r hungry it was delicious! Price was about 330 rupees so $25. European prices for sure so not for backpackers budget.

Anse Soleil 

On the West Coast the tides are strong and during few months of the year it's too dangerous to go to swim because of the currents. Last year I had a bad experience about it in Thailand and I'm now scared if I feel the current to be too strong. But for sunbathing this beach was a heaven! Only few souls there, miles long sandy beach and so hot it was a struggle to lye under the sun more than 20 minutes at time. But it was worth it, I got a beautiful tan ;) Also the color of the ocean was so crystal clear blue that it was breath taking!

Anse Soleil

The beach is next to Hotel Banyan Tree, probably the most luxury hotel in the island, a real secret hiding place away from the eyes.

Anse Boileau

We found a local Sunday park festival at the Anse Boileau village. They had local kreol food for very cheap price (25 rupees / dish), reggae music, local manufactured rum on sale and of course the beach where people were hanging out and enjoying the lazy Sunday with their families.

There's a lot of small car rental companies found in the island. I heard that someone rented the car from the airport in advance and they paid more than us via the luxury hotel. So it's wise to make some comparison with the prices. Here's a link to a page with a list of car hire operators. I highly recommend to have a look at the island and of course it would be great to see the other islands as well, there's 115 islands all together in Seychelles which means many empty beaches to spend the perfect honeymoon :)