"Uuhm.... something that starts with a K. The end destination of this bus..."
"Kalbarri?"
"YES! That's it. I think..."
On that day, 9th of May, we didn't even know what the town was called. All we knew was that it was in the middle of nowhere, the home of 2000 people, really beautiful and that we were gonna work at a chicken farm for three months.
I could never have imagined...
The town, the way of life and the people mesmerized us. Three months farm work turned in to almost half a year. 5,5 months --> 23,5 weeks --> 164 days.
All the laughs. All the tears. All the experiences. All the wake-up-calls. All the love. All the things I discovered about myself I didn't know. All the wonderful people. -and the ones... not so wonderful. All the amazing days. The house. The farm. One of the best birthdays ever. Going hunting. Pot Alley. Coloring. Movie nights. Quadbiking. Midsommar celebration. Nature's window. and, of course, our sweet and lovely pet Charlie.
I will forever remember Karlbarri, that for sure.
It's been a true experince that've taught me so much.
I've been lower than ever before, but I've also been up high. I fell in love. Yes, I did. And I see it as a good thing.. to be able to have that kind of feelings for someone. Someone that gave me more than I think he'll ever know.
But everything comes to an end, sometimes earlier and more abrupt than anticipated. Hand in hand with all the small town charm, comes some downsides. The talking. The story fabricating. The drama. The evil doing...
And everyone's got a limit.
When the last, unsainly pathetic, stunt was pulled... I made my decision. My boss tried to make me stay (bless him!), but I'd had enough. I was just over it. I wanna use my energy for fun, positive stuff.. things that brings myself and people around me up. Not down.
So I quit, got another job somewhere else, packed my bags, hugged my loved ones and got on the bus...
But every stage in your life contains both good and bad.. and even though some stuff wasn't as I would've wished them to be, I'm not gonna forget all you amazing people that brought me up, that put a smile on my face, that came for me even when I didn't ask for it, that made a new day worth remembering, that spread unconditional love.
I'm never gonna be the same person as when I stepped out of the bus that first day, 9/5.
Thank you! <3
SMILE!! It's a beautiful day! Life is beautiful and so are you! <3
• Ge människor mer än vad de förväntar sej och gör det för att du tycker om det...
• Tro inte på allt du hör, spendera inte allt du får och sov inte så mycket som du skulle vilja...
• När du säger: 'Jag älskar dig', säg det på riktigt...
• När du säger: 'Jag är ledsen', se personen I ögonen...
• Tro på kärlek vid första ögonkastet...
• Älska djupt och passionerat. Du kan bli sårad, men det är det enda sättet att leva livet komplett...
• Förolämpa inte!
• Tala långsamt men tänk snabbt...
• Om någon ställer en fråga som du inte vill svara på, le och fråga istället: 'Varför vill du veta det?'
• När du upptäcker att du gjort fel, rätta till det genast.
• Le när du svarar I telefon, den som ringer hör att du ler
• Öppna din famn för ombyten/förändringar, men släpp inte på dina värderingar...
• Kom ihåg att tystnad ibland är bästa svaret...
• När du blir gammal minns det som varit, då kan du njuta av det en andra gång
• Tro på människor, men lås alltid din bil...
• Dela med dig av allt du vet
• Avbryt aldrig någon som håller på att visa dej sin tillgivenhet...
• Om du tjänar mycket pengar, placera dem för att hjälpa andramedan de fortfarande lever...
• Förhöj inte dig själv genom att trampa på an
• Give people more than they expect and do it because you like it.. • Don't believe everything you hear, don't spend everything you get and don't sleep as much as you would like to...
• When you say: "I love you", mean it.
• When you say: "I'm sorry", look the person in the eyes.
• Believe in love at first sight.
• Love deeply and passionated. You might get wounded, but it's the only way to live life fully.
• Don't insult!
• Speak slowly, think fast.
• When you've done something wrong, correct it immediately. • Smile when you answer the phone. The one calling can hear it.
• Open up to changes, but don't let go of you values.
• Somethimes silence is the best answer... • Believe in people, but lock your door. • Share everything you know. • Never interrupt someone that's about to show you affection or trust.
To mention one thing, I've got a new hobby... It’s like therapy! Sitting on the outside of a car, on the windowseal, with a loaded rifle, driving around in the pitch-black night with only the lights on the car and a torch, looking for targets. Hour after hour.
Yesterday I made roasted bunny for dinner and I’ve got roo (kangaroo) in the freezer...
I woke up around 5am when Prupps turned on the light, and a while later when she slammed the door. So two hours later I decided it was time to get up :) Then I ate breakfast, made lunch for tomorrow, washed my backpack that was the victim of a lunchbox accident yesterday, watched a movie and two episodes of a tv show, and dragged my sorry ass out the door to come here to get some internet-stuff done.
Kate and I went on a short drive up river the other day. We stopped somewhere in the national park and watched the sunset before we headed back. So peaceful!
On the way there, I suddenly wanted to stand at the back of the ute –it brings me almost the same feeling as when I sat in the front of the boat on Gili. Kate said ok and slowed down, (stop reading, mum!) but I said “no no, you don’t need to stop!”, she kept on driving, I pulled down the window and climbed out. Weehuu! I mean.. how cool am I? :P
Kate had a laugh at me when she hit a reeeeeally deep puddle that drenched the car in brown water. Chocolate milk, chocolate milk, chocolate milk. It's just chocolate milk... But it was so worth it!
A tiny town with 2000 people, two supermarkets, no buses, one pub, a couple of restaurants, a lot of hotels and a huge national park. This is a place where news travels faster than the wind, where everyone gossip (and talk behind other peoples backs) about everyone at all times (the males are even worse than the females!), and where guys –especially surfer boys- walks around without underwear!! What other place would gossip last for a week about two girls that kissed at the local pub, about a break-up, about that two people that hang out must have something going on and 14 year old girls that buys a double bed??
But I really like it!!!!
There’s a reason to why so many people take their time and effort to come here. It’s a beautiful town just by the sea, surrounded by an enormous national park and the local people are fun and friendly and helpful in a way you would never ever see in a city. Right now it’s “winter” which means that you preferably waits until 10 am before you walk around outside in shorts (in other words.. it’s like Swedish summer weather).
And don’t forget the food….
Picking your own eggs straight from the chook patch, cutting down your own fruit and vegetables –oranges, mandarins, lemons, grapes, avocado etc- from the trees, preparing fresh fish that’s been caught a couple of hours earlier, joining in the killing and butchering of a sheep or pig….. that’s so far from what I’m used to! And I absolutely love it!!
No E-numbers, no preservatives, no flavour enhancers. YUM!
So, what do we do at a chicken farm??
Farmday:
We get up at 6 am, get picked up at 6.30 am and taken out to the farm that’s located 30 km away. Picking eggs, washing eggs, sorting out bad or cracked eggs, making sure that the chooks are healthy, checking the food and water, cleaning the sheds are the usual chores. But also things like help building fences, shovelling cook food from the ground in the pouring rain, hunting cats and pigs, and weighing chooks are part of the job. It’s physically demanding and dirty, but a job I actually enjoy getting up in the morning to do.
Townshed+farm:
We get up at 5.15 am and get picked up at 5.45 am. That shed is in town, not out at the farm, and totally free from animals. Candling (standing at a conveyor belt and doing the final sorting of bad/cracked/dirty eggs (you see about 50’000 eggs a day), sorting eggs by weight and packing eggs for delivery. When all the eggs are done, two people goes out to the farm to candle all the eggs in a huge new shed ~25000 eggs. Then some maintenance and cleaning in that shed before we goes back to town with that days load of eggs that’s gonna get packed the next day.
Jukebox night Saturday with Andri, Kate and Sam. A fun and a tad crazy night (that seems to be the case a lot lately?!?).
And like a lot of crazy days... Some of us didn’t feel tooooo good the day after. Ey, Ralphie? Haha! But those two who felt quite alright had a Bones-marathon and sugar rush 2.0! Kladdkaka (kind of like chocolate lava cake), ice cream, popcorn, M&M, nachos, dip and soda drinks. The-entire-day!!!!
Yuuum!
BUT...
...the day after –yesterday- I woke up with a headache that I swear tried to kill me!!!!! Sugar hangover like Ive never felt before!!!!!! I lived of painkillers the whole day, and it was first this morning that I could breathe without a head that threatened to explode…
Ive got some complaints for not updating my blogg properly. Big sorry for that!!
So, what's happened since last???
The spontanous trip to Bali -that was supposed to be for just one week- lasted for five weeks. One week in Kuta and A Month on lovely Gili Islands. Four madly crazy weeks!! -both good and bad.
We're gonna go back as soon as we possibly can, that's for sure!!
After our Open Water Certificate, we did Advanced Adventurer Divers aswell (Andriette too! So proud!); deep dive, night dive, navigation etc. So after 15 years of longing and waiting, I've finally got my certificates! I've always enjoyed being below the surface more than swimming -something Ive been reminded of throughout the years by my mother, who've always liked telling people that I looked like a periscope when I swam with my head over the surface, but like a fish when I was under the surface.
But eveything eventually comes to an end...
We went back and spent a few days in Perth, just to say hi to some friends -and being Winky for a few days <3 Then Andriette needed to start her farmwork for her 2nd year visa. I wanna be with her, soooo... we took a job in a small town called Kalbarri. And that's where we are now :)
So far everything is great. We live in a nice two bedroom house, just her and I, and working on a chicken farm and at a restaurant/cafe. After the month on Gili we're acctually enjoying the peace and quite here, but I guess that's not gonna last forever (read: for five more days). We've got a birthday party coming up on saturday -- a dress up (maskerad) party! Any suggestions?
That night probably beat every partynight ever, so far. Out of control!! Nakenbad, dancing while sitting on a guys shoulders, laughing my head of, whatching the sunrise and drinking Vodka Jozz-shots...
I was still laughing when I woke up! -even though my camera broke yesterday. It leaked water!! It's a waterproof camera!! :@ Booooo! I really loved that camera!!
But even so, the evening was unbelieveable!!!
OH MY GOD!!!!
That night's probably beat every partynight ever, so far (Even St Paddy's Day!!!!). Out of control!! Nakenbad, dancing while sitting on Mitchs' shoulders, laughing my head of, dancing a mix of balett and salsa on the street, watching the sunrise, drinking Vodka Jozz-shots... no, I can't describe it in words!
Both Andriette and I were still laughing when we woke up this "morning" after only three hours of sleep! -even though my camera broke yesterday. It started to leak water!! (It's a waterproof camera!!) Booooo! I really loved that camera!!
But even so, the evening was FREAKING UNBELIEVEABLE!!!
There's something about this place... Just the thought of going to the speedboat and leave gives me a feeling of panic. I don't want to leave! Not yet.
One week and two days has passed since we jumped off the speedboat along with our ridiculus luggage and dragged Everything to our first hotel/inn/hostel. There we stayed two nights (or was it three?) before we found a better place.
This island is paradise!
No motortraffic (just horses and bikes), no police, no street adresses. We've got no track of time, date, week day, internet or what's happening in the rest of the world. We've got a local place where we goes to lunch with homecooked indonesian food made by a not too charming elderly woman. You stand there and simply points to whatever you wanna eat, and then pay 10-20k (7-14kr). And for dinner we always goes to the night market and order either a delicious basket of indonesian food or choosing something more "expensive" (~35-40 kr ^^) from the sea, that's been cought just hours earlier and cooked on order.
WE'VE FINISHED OUR OPEN WATER CERTIFICATE!!!! WOHOOOOO!!!!
Even Andri did it! I'm so proud of here. I've decided to do it when I was only 10-11 years old, but Andri -who used to be afraid of open water, deep water and fish- had never even thought about it. But she signed up for it -and did it!!! :D
Next on the agenda is the Advanced-course with 30 m-dives, night dives and all sorts of fun ^^ But we need a couple of days rest first, cause both of us have catched a nasty cold.
Gili Gili Gili...
There's something about this place... Just the thought of going to the speedboat and leave gives me a feeling of panic. I don't want to leave!
One week and two days has passed since we jumped off the speedboat along with our ridiculus luggage and dragged Everything to our first hotel/inn/hostel. There we stayed two nights (or was it three?) before we found a better place.
This island is paradise!
No motortraffic (just horses and bikes), no police, no street adresses. We've got no track of time, date, week day, internet or what's happening in the rest of the world. We've got a local place where we goes to lunch with homecooked indonesian food made by a not too charming elderly woman. You stand there and simply points to whatever you wanna eat, and then pay 10-20k (7-14kr). And for dinner we always goes to the night market and order either a delicious basket of indonesian food or choosing something more "expensive" (~35-40 kr ^^) from the sea, that's been cought just hours earlier and cooked on order.
WE'VE FINISHED OUR OPEN WATER CERTIFICATE!!!! WOHOOOOO!!!!
Even Andri did it! I'm so proud of her. I've decided to do it when I was only 10-11 years old, but Andri -who now used to be afraid of open water, deep water and fish- had never even thought about it. But she signed up for it -and made it!!! :D
Next on the agenda is the Advanced-course with 30 m-dives, night dives and all sorts of fun ^^ But we need a couple of days rest first, cause both of us have catched a nasty cold.
This is a standing subject when we meet new people. (There's only been ONE person that've guessed me being from Scandinavia (an Irish guy named Johnny -probably the only reson to why I remember him at all)).
The first time I met Mr Alpha, in the kitchen (day 1 in Perth), I said: "Hi. Who are you? Are you from a german, like everyone else?".
"No, I'm from England" he answered.
"Okay" I said and walked to the fridge.
He came after me and asked me if I was from England aswell. WHAT? ME?
"No. Why'd you think that? I'm from Sweden" I said.
"You've got like this FAT brittish accent!". That was the best compliment that day!
I thought my brittish was going to be replaced quite quickly by an Aussie-mix, but the taxidriver that took us to the airport the day before yesterday asked us: "where are you from".
"Sweden". And 10 min later: "Where did you say you were from?". "Sweden". "But you are not born in Sweden" he said and pointed at me.
"Yes I am. Why?"
"You sound like your were born on my street. London, that is.". I looked at Andri and laughed. "Everyone says that" she said.
Of course I like it and think its a huge compliment everytime someone says it! :D
BUT... its not always in my favor!
People sometimes thinks Im better than I acctually am, and looks at me like Im stupid when I say "what?/sorry?/what did you say?" for the third time in ten seconds.
And I almost got into trouble at the bank when I went to pick up my VISA-card. When the bank-lady was about to hand me my passport and my VISA, she hesitated...
”thats a swedish passport”
“yes”
“but you’re not Swedish”
“huh? Well, yes I am”
“but you’re from England?”
“no sorry, Sweden”
“but you do not have a Swedish accent. You have a brittish accent”
“oh yes, i get that a lot”
“its how we pronounce the vowels”
WE? Haha!
“That's a swedish passport” she said and seemed to study me.
“Yes, I know” I said.
“But you’re not Swedish” she said.
“Huh? Well, yes I am” I said.
“But you’re from England?”
“No sorry Sweden”
“But you live in England?”
“Nope”
“But you do not have a Swedish accent. You have a brittish accent”
“Oooooh... Yes, I get that a lot”
“How is that?”
“Well, I spent three months in England five years ago”.
“What?”
“Yes. It sort of got stuck. I guess I'm like an accent-sponge”
She gave me a couple of more questions before she finally seemed convinced and handed me my passport and VISA-card. Peuh!
Then she said: “Its how we pronounce the vowels”. WE? The woman was from England herself!
The last days in Perth went by in a snap, and now we're here at an island we're a burger costs 17'000 and the humidity is like in a greenhouse. I'm sick as a dog (catched a cold two days ago, damn!), we both miss Perth a lot and feel a bit lost here. This is a medium day. Accepted.
But my plan is to feel down, be sick and rest today and wake up healthy and bubbly tomorrow morning. Ready to explore this pretty island.
Us leaving for Bali on thursday still stands, but we're not gonna go to Adelaide Hills anymore.
Where we'll end up is a mystery, but we're working on it :)
The Margaret River-weekend ended early... Our group got kicked out from the camping sight 'cause of reasons including: speeding drunk and stoned on the camping area, making to much noice etc. Idiots! (Andri and I stayed sober and went to bed early on frid, to get up and see the competition).
But we got to see the comp and we went clubbing in Perth in the evening instead.
Plans for today is to hang out with mr Alpha at his place. God, I'm gonna miss him, Pat and Charlie so frekking much it's not even funny!! Like Pat said "you've gotta get used to that.. saying good bye to people". YOU can get used to that. I don't want to!!!
Gili Gili Gili...
WE'VE FINISHED OUR OPEN WATER CERTIFICATE!!!! WOHOOOOO!!!!
