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

ENGLISH VERSION 7

Willi and I have another really nice afternoon, with steaks and sausages with salad and Coke. Unfortunately, it was the last time we saw each other, at least for this time. Willi is going on a longer holiday to Cairns tomorrow and when he's home again, I'm probably out of the country. Thanks for this time Willi, hope to see you later!

Well! Now I have seen a lot of places and things since I started my trip around the country. 175 hours by bus, it took to drive 13,129 km around Australia in the east country. It has put some things in place and moved around the ideas of what has been the trip worth visiting. The long-outdated books I have read prior to the trip have absolutely not told about the modern country I have visited.

Back in Brisbane, I have been invited by Vibeke and Peter in Holland Park, to spend the night until the final journey home to Denmark. Unless something unexpected happens, August 1st is the day of departure from Brisbane. The last few weeks should be used for total relaxation and thinking about my travels around the country, just as I would like to see as much as possible before my final departure.

And here Dorthe and Henrik were just really helpful. They park and we drive around and see a lot of places. Among other things, we found a day to Coolangatta, where we found a quiet corner on the south end of the beach, to get some sunbeams on the lazy bodies. In fact, we were also supposed to have been splashing in the sea a bit, but the shark flags were up and 2 helicopters were flying around, not far away to spot the sharks. So we think it probably makes sense to stay on the beach today.

Dorthe, Henrik and I have also eaten with their table as a gathering place. Little sweet Dorthe is really good at making wonderful food and baking. She is probably not from Jutland for nothing. Just super!

Two other "immigrants" also lived in Holland Park. These were some of Vibeke and Peter's acquaintances. They earn a living by building houses near Alice Springs. And now they are going home to Denmark on holiday. Their names are Gunnar and Per. T o super nice guys with a super mood and a big dry spot in the throat.

I am not very sensitive, but in any case for one of them, soap and water have been an unknown phenomenon during their stay in the hinterland. There is a pervasive odor of sweat and bush land. This particular odor that many natives of the bush have around them and perhaps also because their clothes have not been particularly worn in the washing machine this past year time. Likewise, one Corn Flakes dug out of the bag with the greasy fingers, though him Newton, who invented gravity, had also made a law that actually says that Cornflakes themselves can fall out of the bag if you turn the bottom up. So therefore I should not have more breakfast there.

But that does not change the fact that both guys were super nice to be with. I just want to change my diet or go on a diet. Just not tonight when Dorthe and Henrik conjured up a steak with side dishes. There is no way around it and of course I get a stomach ache again from too much good food. Dorthe! It's your fault, with all the delicious food!

And dieting, it probably will not be right here and now either. Jette and Henrik (there are 2 Henrikker) should probably be guarantors for that. Due to the somewhat cramped space that has remained with Vibeke and Peter after entering the wilderness, Henrik and Jette have invited me to sleep with them on Haig Street for the last time. It was just a super offer and is just the last thing needed to make the last days super good. Hugs to Jette and Henrik!

My last night in Australia, which was held in Haig Street, where Jette and Dorthe had conjured and made a delicious steak with equipment that Henrik and Henrik had bought beer and wine in abundant quantities for. It was a really nice evening where the world's problems got smaller and friendships bigger. It got pretty late before we pulled the curtains down that night.

The departure time on the morning of August 1, with rolls and cake, before Dorthe, Henrik and Henrik drive me to the airport, where I have dropped off my luggage and get the paperwork sorted and pay $ 20 in departure tax.

Unfortunately, Jette is not with us when she went to work at IKEA, where she is a saleswoman. So we take a warm farewell at home in Coorpaaroo before she went to work.

And not whether Dorthe and Henrik have bought me an early birthday present. A real "Aussie" hat, like immediately being bent into shape and mounted on my bulging head and we take a "farewell beer" in the Take-off bar before we hand and hug and I disappear in and arrange the formalities at the departure checkout.

There is only a short time before the penultimate passenger goes out to the Jumbo from Thai International. I'm the last man like the raisin in the sausage end of the stairs, waving to friends on the "lookout."

Off it goes from Brisbane! Out on the first small jump to Sydney, where more passengers get on the plane and the journey continues to the northwest. An hour where I think back to my stay in Australia and the time at the Emigrant Center in Wacol, which was without much success but instead became a decision to be a tourist instead of an immigrant in the country.

And many thoughts about the cities and places I had seen in this vast land. Thoughts just do not just stop and already create ideas of re-experiences! Thoughts about the people here, there is a nation of immigrants where many in my impression do not really know where they belong. But of course it is an idea entirely at your own expense.

Incredibly friendly and helpful, the Australians. No doubt about it. If you are in need or need help no matter what, there is always someone who will lend a hand.

Many thoughts about the Danish friends I got along the way. Willi, Dorthe, Henrik, Jette, Henrik and Elly from Valby. The far too short acquaintance with Kirsten, Hanne and Claudia inland. The lessons with Morten, Mark and Christian in Sydney. And not to forget Louisa (my hairdresser in Stones Corner) and Jasmine, who I have promised a guiding hand if their way goes to Denmark.

Goodbye Australia! After an hour's stay at Kingsford Smith Airport in Sydney, the plane takes off for Singapore. Thai International has given all passengers a route map so that one can follow the trip. Australia looks completely deserted and empty here from above. I see a small town down there and I'm sure it can be nothing but Alice Springs. It must be, with the mountain range around town, but of course I'm not sure. You can also see small farms on the large plains down there.

The plane goes far beyond the Timor Sea and the Indian Ocean. From there over Indonesia with the thousands of small islands sprinkled out over the sea with a generous hand. It can easily look like a paradise for a flying tourist named Sven.

There will be an hour stop in Singapore, where the bones enjoy walking around the waiting room and the bladder welcomes the emptying before the trip goes to Bangkok, which is reached around 10pm. What oppressive heat here is now that the rainy season has just begun.

And now we have to work to get the various papers through the customs here in Bangkok. These are not the slowest customs officers I have seen, but they are suspiciously reminiscent of them.

Well, I'm curious if the shuttle to the hotel is ready, which I booked with the ticket. Bingo, that was it! A piece of limousine from Thai is waiting with an air conditioner running at full power. Simply the best thing that could happen after the unbearable heat at the airport.

So off it went with good speed into the city. It was half an hour with the horn at the bottom. I thought I had seen enough stressful cities and traffic, but Bangkok beat them all. It is driven on by others' fear of dents and traffic rules are an unknown phenomenon around here. But I then reached the hotel safely and found my room with a beautiful orchid on the pillow.

All fine and I get a quick shower before I go out for a bit and look at the city in the hot night. Hello to some people while enjoying a beer at a bar, but the fatigue invites me to find the bed and the cool air in the room.

Early up, breakfast and then on Temple tour. I go down to the reception where I am picked up by a Thai girl who is to be my guide on the trip, which takes place in a nice limousine with driver. The guide is called Puangpetc Petchundkrit. Easy name, right? Well, she would rather be called Pom and she became so. Even easier.

Temples! Fantastic buildings with spiers, columns and Buddhas in all shapes and sizes. A Buddha lies down and is 64 meters long. He has been built first from the leg end and then the temple around him has been built from the leg end as well, really smart. But it was not measured as smartly, because you started building at the foot, because when it came to the head, there was not enough ceiling height for ears and hat, so there is a nice hole in the roof instead. Easy way to solve the problem.

And what a sound there is here. There are 108 buckets around the Buddha and they represent each of the 108 best things in Buddhism. And then people can buy the same number of copper coins and sprinkle them in the buckets along with a prayer.

I have also seen some state-controlled pearl factories. Very beautiful things are made here and if I had enough money, I now think I could make a really good purchase here. The salary is low here, so there is almost only the value of the stones you pay for.

This afternoon I will go out to "Rose Garden". Lovely place as the name suggests and I also want to attend a show, with different dances and see how a Thai wedding takes place. There is some Thai boxing and other things before a group of elephants have to show what they are capable of.

They are not particularly stupid, the big animals. A little pressure behind the ear and they immediately perform what the Mahuten on the back gives it notice of. There was also a baby elephant weighing only 250 kg, which painlessly pulled away with 20 spectators being asked to pull rope with little Dumbo.

Late in the day, I visited a small factory that made hand-carved furniture, painted elephants, and more Thai handicrafts. Here I then had to buy a small painted elephant and a box of something. No idea what I'll use it for, but ……. yeah, I had to have it.

No city tour tonight. The gracious sky decides that it is now Bangkok that must be washed with a colossal tropical downpour. Wow, where the water falls into ropes. Never seen anything like it. Nah, so I might as well sit in the hotel bar and watch some ice cold Singha beers, which easily ran down my throat. The probability that they contain plenty of alcohol I am almost convinced because I only drink 7-8 pieces, but feel like I have gotten over 20 – Yes, that was so that night.

Bangkok's floating market is obviously in the water. And the water here is the river and after half an hour of sailing I am in the market where small traders offer a bit of everything for everyone.

In the intense heat here, my thirst grows enormously. I have to go to a bar and get me (You immediately think there's a beer, right?) Næææ, An ice cold fresh coconut which is scalped and served with straws by a sweet wrinkled Thai lady. Tastes great and when the milk is finished, the fresh meat can be scraped out with a spoon. It tastes just fine, so I'll have to have one more for fun and then just see her smiling wrinkles one more time.

The river water here is almost black with pollution and it helps a lot when all the motorboats are constantly muddying up water. The pollution is almost total here where you get the impression that all waste is thrown into the river. It's probably not like that, of course, but it looks like that (diplomatically speaking).

Embark on another boat and head to "Thonburi Snake Farm", which is a small zoo with Bengal tigers, monkeys, crocodiles and snakes including Cobra, Viper Racing and Copperhead. In addition, there are also choke hoses, among others. one of almost 7 meters. Honestly, it looks a little dangerous with the animal keepers treating the animals the way they want. At the end of the show, venom is tapped from the snakes in front of the audience. The thought arises, of course, "only" for safety reasons that I might have preferred it to have happened before the show.

As spectators, you sat with only one animal keeper as the only "railing" for the snakes. The manege is approx. 6-7 meters in diameter. If a snake "ran" away from the passer, it was just about to retreat quickly. Especially a "Racer Viper" was lightning fast as it almost jumped across the floor, which it did almost all the time. Must admit that there was stiff hair on the legs, so you hardly touched the floor. After the show, I found myself in the center of Bangkok again.

And here, as elsewhere in the world, I had to go out on my walks, one kilometer after another, leading me around the city, where I especially enjoy walking into the back streets, where they had never seen a tourist before with 46 in shoe size.

I probably think the kids smiled at me or even laughed at my otherwise perfect look while quenching my thirst with an ice cold beer. When the hunger became great, I always find a place to eat where the menu card is only written in Thai. Then it's just about looking local, not to fall through. Just look through the map and find some funny characters and point to the text. Have no idea what I ordered, but it tasted super good and only one of the sauces had a bit too much tourist spice.

Have found that if the food is ordered in eateries located on the "lighted" streets with tourist stuff, then there is far too much tourist spice put in, sure to fulfill the tourist's idea that Thai food is strong. In the back streets where Thais eat, the food is only "normally" spicy. And I'm sure the bacteria are away from the food, with all the flames boiling up the food. Anyway, I very rarely have stomach problems.

The traffic is eerily close here in Bangkok. A trip of only 15 km took almost 2 hours, so if I could otherwise read the signs on the road signs, I might as well have gone the trip here. But still managed to get out on "Samutprakarn Crocodilefarm", which is the largest of its kind in the world, with up to 30,000 crocodiles, if we are to believe the brochure. I do not have a complete overview, but the dill are everywhere, along with lions (probably only belong in Africa, right?), Tigers, snakes, monkeys and birds.

Here is my own opinion, which I think is quite reasonable. It can not be the intention that a 6-meter saltwater crocodile must bend its tail to live in a small enclosure and that in a farm of about 50 square meters, about 200 1-year-old crocodiles must live. And when an adult Bengal tiger has to share a cage of 5-6 square meters with a small dog. Yes, there is far too little space if the animals are meant to live with dignity.

There was also a show where a Faroese man breaks up a bit with a crocodile and sticks his head in his mouth and pulls a few others by the tail to drive them crazy. And then he hits them in the head with a stick, weird idea. I would have liked to have seen him do the same, with one of the adults at 7-8 meters. Then he probably would not have been so cocky.

There was also a section with "freaks". Crocodiles with curved backs, missing tails and other abnormalities, probably due to inbreeding. These animals were clearly given far less space than the others. And yes, I even bought a ticket to get to see it all, but I was not prepared for this. Wasn't that a task for Greenpeace ??

Bangkok! A busy city. So busy that one rarely saw the famous Thai smile that is so much advertised. In fact, only those who are paid for it smile. The rest now look just as tired as all other peoples.

But the smile is found in abundance in the streets, where there are Live shows and Striptease everywhere. Before you have time to react, you are quickly dragged into the room by a doorman and planted in a chair. Just as quickly, a big-smiling young lady comes and sits on the lap of me. Here there are girls, transvestites and gays. Fun and lively with music, dance and smiling people – at least externally.

But enthusiasm is now declining rapidly. It gets too much and too intrusive for my liking, so after an hour, I sneak out into the fresh night air again. It was too much with too close sitting, painted smiles and expensive drinks. It's almost scary and I felt a little sorry for the girls fighting for attention, but what can I do? I can and will not do anything at all, so I say nicely no thanks, find the door and my hotel with the air conditioning running at full pressure on room.

The next day dawn and I wander the streets of Bangkok where I met a West Australian named Geoffrey, from the city of Perth in Western Australia. We met a local bar but light girls and not least where the beer was cheap. We did not have the big money, but a good tour with many bars and Thai beer in huge quantities. It tastes good, the beer. But you may have saved yourself a nasty headache the next day when the sun rises in the window and the mirror reveals lipstick all over your head and on your shirt. Can't really remember when and how it came on, but I have a faint suspicion.

But enough about that. I found a tailor who would make 2 pairs of pants for me for approx. 130 kroner. And so they fit exactly. One may wonder a little how a Danish tailor can spend 4-5 weeks on the same job and at those prices. Tourists hang out at tailors here from morning to night, so I suspect them of not sleeping at night and sewing clothes instead.

Last day! It was used to get some color on the body. I would then look like someone who has been on vacation for 5-6 months. But I who love the sun must give up because it is simply too strong. After half an hour I have to give up because the heat makes the sweat run off me.

Indoors with me and find the air cooler and get some sleep. But fast awake again, I have to go out of town once again to wander around in the shadows until it's time to find the airport.

The plane does not leave until midnight, but I am also in good time so I can probably find myself a cold shower at the airport. Yes, so much for the good idea. There are no bathing facilities at Bangkok Airport. Seems a bit bad, but maybe it will come at some point in the future. I have sweated well today and tonight in the oppressive heat here. There is not really anything to do about it, except to find a cold air duct and stand there until called out to the plane.

Final departure, with a view to an 11-hour flight that largely takes place over the Soviet Union. Can't see anything, but know we're getting near Moscow, so I'm wondering if the red man is probably looking deep into the radar, if we should now be spies on the move? It turns into some good meals along the way and I watch something of a furiously boring movie when I do not sleep, which I have managed 6-7 hours, I think.

In the waking hours, I think a little about the experiences in Bangkok and surroundings. I've seen a lot and talked to a lot of funny people. Should the city be seen again? So definitely! And I wonder if it does not happen one day, maybe on the way out to another place in the world, so that my impressions of this city become further filled with experiences around the clock.

The captain says that it is only 15 minutes to Kastrup now, so the harness just needs to be tightened and I see five at the last minute where the wheels take the track. An old dream has come true for me.

August 7, 1987 – I have traveled around the Earth! (my 37 year birthday)

Sitting for a while waiting for all the busy ones to squeeze out of the plane, then take my handbag and then down to find my suitcases on the belt. Incredibly much I have gotten stuffed into them and just as incredible that I have not come to pay extra fees for being overweight anywhere. I was a little nervous about it having to happen because I had no money left as I have spent pretty much everything on the trip, so I now only have 200 kroner, I for some reason have had lying deep in my wallet since I left Denmark for good 5 months ago. Well, then I have money for a taxi home to Hjortekær and a nice Danish (I turn 37 today) birthday breakfast with my mother. HaHa, she was somewhat surprised when I suddenly stood in the doorway and said hello!

I had sent a postcard from Australia to Poul Villy, head of the Blue Buses in Holte. I had written to him that I was coming home today and was probably a little hungry for a job. So I called him and heard if he had received my greeting. JaJa and there was a job for me he bet I could start Monday morning. Super nice! It could not be better for my wallet and I am looking forward to making some money again now that my money supply was sucked completely flat from traveling out and around the world. But it is not the worst way to spend money, because experiences and memories live forever.

And fine with a Danish autumn, when the heat from Australia and especially Thailand, which can stop any activity of bare sweat, if you move a little too much. Nice outside, but as a Dane by heart, home is always best.

Continued in ENGLISH 8.