Bankok, Thailand

All the roads leads back to Bankok. Together with Jack, Frances, Tony and Tess I arrived to Bankok for my 5th, and last time. We took the nighttrain from Chang Mai which turned out to be amazing. Can't belive I've never done that before. As the boys needed some more sleep I showed Tess around khaosan road, since it's my 5th and her first time here. It turned out to be to hot though so we all ended up in the lobby of our hostel. Tess left us that evening to catch a bus down south while the rest if us went out for beers. As Tony had a flight to Hanoi the next night and Jack and Frances went for a visarun to Cambodga, I went shopping. I still hate shopping. Gets all stressed and ends up buying things I don't need or don't want or thats to expensive ..

Anyway .. This is going to be my last post on this blog as I'm flying home tomorrow. I've had an incredible time and probably the best four months of my life. I've learned so much during this time. About cultures, history, people, myself. How to baurganing, eat spicy food, dive, climbing, talk better english. The list can be long. It's going to be sad to leave and hard to go back to reality. To a contry that is cold, boring and where I'm not even allowed to buy alcohol. But I do look foward to it as well. To move to my own place and hang out with my friends again. And I know as well that this is not my last time in southeast asia.

Pai, Thailand

After some incredible weeks with Caroline, we had an emotional goodbye as I was leaving them to move on to Pai. A good 3 hours minivan drive north from Chang Mai. Found a shitty but cheap hostel where I, for the first time during my travels, got a room of my own. It's acually quite nice. Met Jack and Francis from England and Australian Tess and Tony from the room next door, who I joined for the night and ended up spending the next few days together with.

Going back for traveling alone started just great this time, as I lost my creditkard as soon as I got to Pai. Accidently took a ADM for a ATM, who were more than happy to take it from me. It all got sorted out thought as the bank was very helpful, even if It was a good 24 hours of horror. As I don't have a spare one, and no extra money, I would be fucked without it ..

During my 2 days in Pai, I was planning to rent a motorbike and drive up in the montains. But as I'm way to scared to do it on my own, and my new friends where intrested in nothing but drinking beer, I had to skip it this time. Insteed I spend the days hanging out at the hostel or walking around this tiny, but beautiful town. Down to the river where you got the best montainview. And I did have a really good time

Chang mai, Thailand

The last few days been amazing.Thailand really know the right way to celebrate. The acual songkran-day was the day after we arrived even if they do calabrate a few days after as well. Specally in Chang Mai. The street were packed, livemusic was playing, water was everywhere. As I went to agressive with my fighting I accedently broke my watergun. Thor joined me to buy a new one but at that point we lost the others in the crowded street. Trying to find them we jumped on a pickup- full of local people and cans of icecold wather to threw at the people who passed. After a while, god knows for how long, we realized that we gone way to far and wasn't entire sure if we were still in Chang Mai at all. Took a tuk-tuk back to our place where we were glad to find our friends.

Our next day's hangover maked us stay in the room until late afternoon. Together with Thor and Carro we went back out fighting while Chris and Jesper let the hangover win. Decided not to go out that night since we didn't want to spend the next day in bed when the daytime is so much more fun than the nighttime. Insteed we went to check out the nightmarket and relax at the room.

The last day of this festival we were on the street early, exept from Chris who seemed to get a fever and had to stay at home. Last day of this incredible waterwar. Taking the wetness to the next level, Jesper decided to punch us all into the river where he did end up as well. Unfornable, this was the end for my camera since this magical, waterproof bags appearently wasn't made for swimming ..
Somewhere around I lost my friends again and went back to the room where I found Chris and the others. Bought some beers and hanged out in the room before going back out.

So this morning we went out to the sound of silence, emty street, dry locals. Songkran is over!

Chang Mai, Thailand

After two weeks of vacation at the southern islands I decided to continue as a backpacker and head to the north. Together with Caroline, Thor, Jesper and their english friend Chris we took the two night long busride to chang mai, where we were about to celebrate songkran, Thailands new year.

We had a kind of unlucky jorney, incuding stormy boatrides, icecold air-con, lost bustickets which we did get back but by some reason the wouldn't let us on the bus anyway. During out six hour break in Bankok we decided to go to the cinema. I don't remember the name of the movie, I didn't really understood what it was about either and fall asleep to miss the end. But I've heard it should be good.

One more night on a overcrowded bus finally took us to Chang Mai, where we got welcomed by the biggest waterwar you can imagine. Couldn't even go out to buy some water without getting wet all over. After a few hours of sleep we were on the street as well, ready to fight. Everyone goes crazy here, from the smallest kids to the old ladies. The best way to celebrate, so much fun.

Koh phi phi, Thailand

We managed to catch our early boat even if we had to stay up all night to avoid oversleeping. So I'm now back at lovely Phi Phi. As Caroline decided to do her diving here, I went the first day rockclimbing. It was a bit harder than I remembered it but still as fun. Since I been traveling the last 3 months I've lost all my muscles, which feels when you'r at the wall. Made me make the decision to hit the gym the next day, even if it was the worst gym I've ever seen .. Later on we ran into Thor and Jesper on the street, Carros swedish friends that I met in Koh Tao. Spend the evening and a lot of time the next few days together.

During Carolines last day diving I decided to join her on the boat while I was doing a fundive. I was still nervous after my last experience but did superwell without any troubles. The sight was no good thought, but great diving otherwise.

Carro decided to do a nightdive as well and somehow I got convinced to do it with her. I really wanted to but was still a bit scared of it. But as I know what it's all about this time,  I managed to complete it. I was still worried in the beginning but got more and more relaxed. And it acually was really cool when you could be that närvarande. Allthought, Caroline managed to run out of air 15 metres down and had to use our divemasters 'in case of emergency' one ... Feeling more than happy about the dive we got back to meet up with Thor and Jesper again to make the best out of our last night on Phi phi. Had a great night but went to bed way to late to be able to check out at 11 ..

Koh Tao, Thailand

Exept from my horrible neardeath divingexperience, Im having the greatest time here. Koh Tao is a place where you could stay forever. If it wasn't for the fact that it is sweden's backyard playground, I would probably stay even longer. I escaped those people back home by a reason  ..

Since I finished my diving, it haven't been much of a happening over here. Tried to spend some time at the beach but as it's like 35 degrees, you can't stand beeing there for to long. Caroline went to Burma for a visarun while I spent some time with Cornelia before she and Robin went over to Malasia the same evening.

Carro got back from her one-night-burmatrip and we booked a boat to koh phi phi together in the morning. Hopefully I won't miss it this time, even if it does leave at 5.30 am.
  As the other girls can't afford this superbig, ac, beachbungalow between only the two of them, we're now all together on the floor of our way to messy room trying to pack our bags. Spent almost a week in this room, with this amazing group of people who maked me realized that swedish is not all boring.

Koh Tao, Thailand

Finally arrived to Koh Tao, without getting my money stolen this time. Met up with swedish Caroline again and checked in in the room where she stay'd with three other swedish girl. Beautiful location, right on the beach with the best sunsetview. Spend the day together with three other swedish guys and drove on motos around the island. (sat on the back this time. Thailand's traffic are crazy, driving on the wrong side)

One of the girls I did my open water diving with, Cornelia, is back on the island as well and staying with our diveinstructor Robin. Met up with her later for a few beers, before we joined Carro and the other guys for the rest of the night.

I spent one day chillin on the beach fore I started my advanced open waterdiving together with Robin. Did two dives down to 30 metres. Managed to se a turtle, even if Robin missed it beeing to busy whatching me going crazy over the compass trying to find my way back to the boat. Did two more dives the next afternoon together with 2 another swedish, father and daughter. Was way more relaxed beeing in lead this time and did a really good dive. Saw another turtle as well.

We was about to do a nightdive in the dark when Cornelia joined us as well. In some reason I couldn't do it. Started to freak out and panicked really bad. Couldn't think straight and took my reglator out in the deep of about 10 metres. Robin helped me to get calmed, reglator back and up from the water where I got back to the boat. As I never panicked like this before I couldn't tell that it was coming either, but it felt terrible, worst thing ever.

As I still wanted my advanced certificate I had to do my last dive today insteed. I was still really worried, terryfied that I would end up like last night. Thats probably why I started to feel like that again. This time I knew ahead, could signalate to Robin before and he could helped me calm down and keep my breath controled. So I did do the dive, saw a third turtle, a wreck, but it was not too easy ..