SVEN-HANSEN.DK - Mit liv - Mitt liv - My life

ENGLISH VERSION 3

February 1987, and now there was some momentum.

All in all, it took me almost three-quarters of a year to get a residence permit. And when I finally got it, I had to travel there within 3 months, if

it should be valid. So now it was going to go a little strong, with the many things I would like to have in place if I now decided to live in Australia indefinitely. Discard a lot of things and give the rest away so there were no undone issues, before March 27, 1987 when I left Denmark for Australia.

Whoa, it was a little hard at the airport in Kastrup? It was otherwise meant that I would travel alone and in silence and had actually prepared it that way. But many came so I will not mention any names. But there was now a little moisture in the eyes, because Gitte (formerly my wife) showed up with two small children, Nanna and David, to say goodbye.

Well, but off it went. And as always, when I was a little curious and wanted to experience something, I had not chosen the shortest route to Australia "Down Under". The plane went to Amsterdam, where I was going to switch to "Canadian" towards Calgary in Canada.

I had been so lucky to have received an invitation from Iben and Kim, I knew from Holte. They had moved to Canada a few years ago and now live in Calgary. Here I was 14 unforgettable days filled with so many experiences that it ran around in my head like a mushy mass that can’t really be separated.

But still I can remember a turbulent arrival and an evening of good food and Coors Light beer and a pretty delicious cognac. And well tired after 25 hours of travel before we sat here and enjoyed life in each other's company, since we were last together in Denmark. It was getting late at night before we found the beds and surrendered to sleep. I just managed to see the neon sign at the mall nearby that it was minus 17 degrees outside. Uff!

Water in your head and up for a great Canadian breakfast with pancakes, maple syrup and sugar, hot muffins with butter, plus a mountain of freshly sliced ​​kiwi, oranges, plums, strawberries and lovely company. Can you ask for more?

After eating as if it were the last meal, we drove to Downtown, Calgary. We parked in an underground palace and walked down 9th Avenue and continued through 8th Avenue, which has been transformed into a pedestrian street with loud shouting lay preachers and steak bars. The tour went through the streets, which also house soaring high-rise buildings with oil companies and other industrial giants in Calgary.

Also on the 8th. Avenue, there is a large botanical garden, "Devonian Garden", which is an area of ​​20,000 m2 with plants and flowers that provide an incredibly fresh air, here in the middle of the city. "Devonian Garden" is located above Toronto Dominion Place on top of the Toronto-Dominion Mall at 3177 Avenue SW. Devonian Garden is also home to many turtles that have been donated by families who are no longer able to take good care of them.

Parts of the Devonian Gardens include the Quiet Garden, which is perfect for just relaxing and viewing the various sculptures in the Devonian Gardens, which also houses a permanent art exhibition created by Alberta artists.

All of these experiences where you can escape everyday are 15 feet across the street, away from the city noise and smell. From there we went to the Danish-Canadian Club, where we had lunch with a few beers before we went home for a good chat.

But the last thing I expected was that I would work here. But right now I'm just sitting here in the middle of Canada polishing pieces of wood for use in the furniture to be displayed at an exhibition. I hope for Iben and Kim's friends Steen and Dan that they will succeed in entering the market with their furniture.

I had hoped for a chance to visit Peter, Hans and Grethe Jørgensen here – they are old members of Harley-Davidson Club Denmark. But the town where they live, Bonanza, is 15 hours by car from Calgary, so that was unfortunately out of the question.

Instead, I met Dan, who is a Harley driver here. He travels to Denmark in May 88, so he gets the address of Brigitte and Knut, so he can contact them and get some help during his visit to Denmark. Dan will too would like to buy a Nimbus, so he got PH's address, because I think Peter can almost always shake something out of his sleeve, not least with Nimbus.

Just saved me a huge Canadian cold that after a week with a long nose became too much. But head over to some Canadian supermarket to buy some tablets of some sort. And a few hours later, the snot is just gone. Good enough a little heavy in the head, but the nose is dry!

So the next day drove wide along "The Transcanadian Highway No. 1" as far west as the Rocky Mountains. These snow-capped giants completely dominate the sight, rather amazing sight. It would be worth it all if you did not just once in a lifetime experienced a little bit in Canada. And now I am here and feel so small in the great landscape.

The road goes to "Banff National Park", where the trip goes along the "Mountain Tunnel Way", after which we can look out over a valley where the Indians' sacred "Hoodoos" stand. It is a group of stone pillars which are sacred to the Indians here.

From here we drive to the town of Banff, where we take the cable car to the top of "Sulfur Mountain" and have a good lunch to the magnificent view of a huge area with rugged mountains and with the town of Banff at the bottom of the valley.

There are many hot springs here on the mountainside. They come from the rainwater that seeps down through cracks in the mountainside and from there up through the ground, like 35 degree hot mineral water flowing from many sources here. Keine Hexerei.!

Banff National Park in Canada has an incredibly beautiful landscape. It has snow-capped mountain peaks, impressive glaciers, evergreen forested mountain slopes, serene alpine meadows, therapeutic hot springs, emerald green lakes and scenic hiking trails that meander up the Canadian Rocky Mountains.

Banff National Park also boasts interesting wildlife, including gray bears, black bears, plus wolves, cougars, coyotes, moose and bighornsheep.

Home it went to Calgary for a bottle of Glenlivet Wiskey after the day's experiences. Yes, had it also been a bit cold the snow would have fit, but the warm Chinook winds had done miracles and raised the temperature from minus 17, from I came, to now plus 22. Definitely no complaint.

Incidentally, the trip went to "Bragg Creek". Beautiful area, built in pioneer style, but with many TV satellite dishes and antennas that removed the illusion that mab had about the wilderness here. But the road continued west to "Elbow Falls" on the Elbow River. Unusually beautiful place, with the river rushing through the rugged landscape of cliffs, pine forests, waterfalls and much more wild nature. Huge experiences and impressions that are difficult to describe in words.

But home it went, to Calgary for a late afternoon beer on the stairs. It was getting pretty hot now that the hot Chinook winds had raised the temperature up to 22 plus degrees in the shade.

Iben's brother Jens and his wife Alice, live in "Little Smokey", a very small town north-northwest of Calgary. We are getting ready for the trip out on the next 700 kilometers. We drive north along the "Deerfoot Trial" through "David Thompson County," the town of "Red Deer" and further north to Edmonton.

Through the town of "Leduc", west along Rose Hill Road from "Drayton Valley". In the city of Evansburg, we are hungry and eat a hearty soup and once Fish'Chips. From there it went on to the goal in the middle of the quiet forest, where Jens and Alice, live with the children Rune and Toke. Jens' son Jacob, recently came here from Denmark. He must also, like Jens, be a licensed hunting guide and earn his living as a guide for hunters who come here.

With Jens behind the wheel of his Ford Bronco, we drive around the huge forests. Jens knows the area well. But the tourist Sven here, would have long ago been driven wrong by one of the many almost identical "Cutlines", which are considered to be roads here. These "Cutlines" are made by the oil companies, who use the roads when they chase the black gold underground.

Well, but everything has its end and I have to say goodbye to Little Smokey and the lovely people I got to know there. Really hope I can meet them again later in life.

The home tour passes Edmonton, where we just throng around the "Edmonton Mall," which is a huge business center with 953 stores. In short, nice and big. In addition to the shops, there are also hotels, giant swimming pool with sun loungers and beach as well. And of course waves to surf on. All wild! We quickly got used to a few hours. I have already "committed" myself to returning if I should come past Edmonton again sometime in the future. Then we spent a whole day at the "Expedition Edmonton Mall". The day ended with the trip home to Calgary and a good night's sleep.

Good morning and up to one last great breakfast, full again! I was sitting on my way to the airport in Calgary talking to glorious Iben and Kim. After a warm farewell to them, I got busy getting the plane to Seattle and from there another plane that could take me to Honolullu, Hawaii. There was only a 2-hour stopover in Seattle before departing across the Pacific Ocean.

The flight went to Hawaii where we landed at Honolullu airport to receive Hawaiian girls with flower wreaths for all the passengers. Very sweet and hospitable. Outside and find a taxi that would drive me to the hotel which was only a 2 minute walk from Waikiki Beach. Super friendly people everywhere and in front of me lay the days of sun, summer and music.

The money was small and I wanted to bring a bit to Australia. There is so much going on here on the island that it is hard to choose. But first and foremost, I choose to use my feet, to bring me around the city and the exciting things around here. For example, I went up to "Daimond Head", which is the large volcanic crater that among many other things also Honolullus landmark. I went over the crater bottom to a hole in the wall, where in total darkness, you can get up through the lava passages, to the top of the crater canopy, where there is a fantastic view of Honolullu and the rest of the island.

Was around to see a lot of things while I was there. Exciting impression, I just sucked at myself from the hectic everyday life that exists in the city day and night. Got to talk to a lot of local people and dazed otherwise on Waikiki Beach and enjoyed the Pacific Ocean with the big waves. Fell into conversation with a young girl / woman in a store. She was the daughter (probably) of the Danish consul on the island and she also showed me a bit of nightlife in Honolulu. Very cozy.

But further it went. And it was with "Canadian" further southwest towards Nandi, which is the capital of Fiji. Arrived as planned here on the tropical islands. Wow! I just got off the plane and immediately the sweat started to trickle. It was like having a fan heater in your head.

But my taxi driver quickly got me thinking differently. He was dressed in full uniform with tie and military boots. When asked if he did not sweat, he said: Sweat? So it's autumn here, so you should be sensibly dressed. I was just going to wait until summer so it was hot! Ok so it was just fine and the trip went to the hotel I had booked from home.

Got a nice room, right next to the swimming pool, where the cool water almost sucked one down below the surface to cool off. Was a bit stupid and should have rubbed me with various protective creams. But I knew the Gran Canaria sun, which did not do much to the skin, apart from coloring it. I had not thought so much that I was closer to the equator and the sun was much harsher here. So I got some heavy peeling and open sores on my shoulders. Too silly and I should probably remember to think about before I go out in the sun again, especially here near the Equator.

Got a little lady acquaintance at the hotel. It was another visitor from New Zealand, her name was Lorraine. We looked at each other a bit and talked about our very different origins. Very nice, so we often shared dinner and a little experience later in the evening.

Otherwise, I went on endless walks in the local environment, where I often had a chat with the locals. For some reason, one day talking to a guy standing in front of a toy store. When he heard I was from Denmark, I should definitely follow him into the store, where he proudly showed a shelf with Lego sets. There were 5 boxes of Lego and he proudly told me that he was the general agent of Fiji and he had his biggest store here in the capital, Nadi.

When I got hungry, I often visited Mama Rosa Pizzeria, where I got an extraordinarily delicious pizza, if I did not get lazy and sunbathe in the hotel garden. Here came a slightly silly bird of some kind. It resembled a sunflower, just a little bit brighter and a little bigger. But it guffawed many peanuts from my hand completely without fear, very cozy.

In Nadi, I also walked around a bit at night, but there were some areas where you absolutely should not walk in, I was told at the hotel. But of course I wanted to look at things a bit, but it was now true enough that there were areas where darkness dominated, so I chose to stay away from it. Maybe it was wise because many gave the same advice.

It also turned into long walks along the endless sandy beaches before departure was on the ticket, with Sydney in Australia as the next destination. The plane took off from Nadi Airport to the west during the morning on a Sunday. Quietly, the big Canadian plane flew with a nice breakfast and light lunch to the passengers, before the plane flew in an arc over the big city of Sydney in the country "Down Under".

Continued in ENGLISH 4