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SEPTEMBER x5

Before our internet connection went MIA, I started on one of them throwback posts. Now October has already rushed into our lives, but here is September 2010-2015.

2010: I had just moved to Bristol and, little did I know, was about to encounter a marvelous city as well as 5 very special girls. We lived out on the countryside with the cattle and horses, but would take the bus to Bristol most every afternoon. Sneak in on pubs, go window-shopping, hang in the park and enjoy the street art scene.

2011: Was back in Sweden, back in school and felt alienated from everyone I used to know. I stopped eating red meat, had a double dip-dye in colours blue and pink and spent most of my time editing photos and making collages in my moleskine.
This would be the beginning of a very self-destructive year and a half of my life.

2012: Clearly this year marks the transition for iphonography. (Is that a word?) This month is a bit of a blur to me. But from what I found, I started an oil-painting class where I surely lowered the average age by 40 years. As you can see, they had an amazing range of shirts ^.

2013: Travelling Malaysia and Indonesia with two of my best buds; which resulted in a massive crush on an English man, then a friend-crush of some Singaporeans at Mt Bromo and dancing around the neon lights of Kota Beach on Bali. Most of all, I was in love with life again. 

2014: Spent a week in silence at Doi Suthep, then a few days hanging about my favourite city Chiang Mai before I surprised my parents by knocking on their front door one late september evening. Honey I'm home!

2015: Waved good bye to Bath and the south to move up to Aberdeen.  And here I am, conjugating French verbs and drinking coffee most of my days. (The photo is from yesterday's coffe sess at Books and Beans, but figured I've recently shown you all the other photos I've taken so what the heck...)

BANGKOK DAYS.

Between our island-hopping-alcohol-poisoning in southern Thailand and our trip to Myanmar, me and Heidi spent a lot of time in Bangkok, trying to spend as little money as possible. 

Bangkok offers loads in terms of fantastic fleamarkets. One of them Chatuchak Weekend Market. In my iphone-notebook I wrote "after three hours wandering about the weekend market, we look at a map and realize we have done maybe one fifth of the entire area. No shit this is the biggest market in Bangkok."

Note that this was also dealt with whilst curing a hangover + our constantly sleep deprived souls, from the man doing loud Oasis-covers opposite our hostel each night.  

Generally about shopping in Thailand, this is how I feel "Dear budget, 

I'm sorry that I went shopping. I shouldn't have done that to you.

Sincerely, Linnea" 

It is in the midst of the Bangkok Riots. A stone's throw away from our tourist mekka of Khaosan, the Thai are fighting over political injustice. Day and night. This goes on for several months.

We become acquainted with the Bangkok regulars. This man pictured above is sat next to us each morning at the place we go for breakfast (Gecko Bar <3!); working on a new drawing. Every morning means a new portrait of someone working there.

As he finished today's piece, this lady in blue approaches our tables and wants to give the crayons a go. It was so entertaining to watch her, the biggest grin on her face while she suddenly starts a sketch of each and every one of us, laughing and speaking Thai. None of us with a common clue what is going on in her mind but all with the widest of smiles.

LATELY.

We've been living an internet free life (I first exchanged life with box here, that's like too far off to even be classified as a typo??) for the first bit of this month, i.e. no internet in the apartment. So I've been sat at the university library for most of my days, between lectures. However, here are some non-library moments that have been captured on my cellular phone the past weeks: 

On my way to the gym/sea, I cross this grassy meadow. It feels so Scotland, somehow. Right now it is featuring a art project called "by order of me". Here with a sign telling us TAKE OFF YOUR SHOES AND FEEL THE MUD ON YOUR SOCKS. 

 Before uni got more serious than introductory lectures, I was sat at the kitchen table weaving dream cathers and drinking coffee. 

 Campus is looking pretty in its autumn gear + morning sun reaching King's College. 

Finally, last sunday overdosing on caffeine before the clock reached noon at Books and Beans. 

For now, the sun frequently portrayed above seems to have left us. But the rain isn't so bad either, you just have to embrace it.

On a more serious note: Our kiwi friend Fergus has been in an accident in Romania, there is an article about it here and a fundrasing to fly him back to NZ here. The current 16-something-k NZD sure is "a testament to the kind of person their brother was - inspirational and liked by everyone", as stated in the article.

Sending healing vibes your way Fergus! ! ! 

PENANG HILL (or 'How I got a Monkeyphobia')

Around Europe there are plenty of mandatory signs telling us not to feed the birds. Little did I know, while walking past the Please Do Not Feed the Monkeys-signs at the beginning of our hike up Penang Hill, that this was also... A thing. But boy was I about to find out.

An attempt of getting the steepness of the roads captured in photography/Heidi's unexpected tan lines at the end of the day (it was cloudy for -heaven's- sake!)

Most people take the train when they go to the top of Penang Hill. But not your Scandinavian Trio. Those roads were the indeed the steepest I have ever experienced and it felt somewhat like we walked five kilometres straight up to the heavens. Sweat was pouring down every inch of our bodies, but we kept on. This was, after all, our first ever rain forest trekk. Figuring we would need something salty and energetic, 
I had brought snacks in the shape of salted peanuts.

    So there I was, chewing on said peanuts whilst we approached a group of monkeys hanging out on the road. Fascinating, really. They just sat there, picking fleas off each other (as you do) and were completely unbothered by our existence. Emily and Heidi casually took some photos but I tried my best to keep a distance; walking as far away from these creatures as the road would allow. 
We pass the monkeys and cross the next corner. 

 And there , halfway through my thinking "phew" and "we made it",  he is. Out of nowhere he comes jumping from the side of the road. Before I know it this metre-tall chimpanzee is bouncing just centimetres away from my face. He screams. I scream. Despite my 13 years in school they never said anything about how to get a jumping monkey away from you - what the heck do I do???

      I hear Emily's voice in periphery say something about him wanting the peanuts and I realize I have them locked in my hand. With the Please Do Not Feed The Monkeys-sign in the back of my mind I throw the bag of salted peanuts at him and he immediately disappears after it. 

The crisis is over. At this point there's another four kilometres to go until we reach the top of the hill and although I am out of peanuts I am now paranoid at every single sound coming from the djungle. 
While I do feel bad about littering in nature, part of me also hopes that that chimp will get a genuine belly ache from chewing straight into that plastic bag. 

An abandoned hotel at the top of the hill.

It's unfortunately a cloudy day so we cannot really enjoy the view from the top much. On the way up, we met a group of yankees on their way down, throwing some encouraging words of "It is a lot easier on your way down!". What a bunch of Liars! The way down is worse. With a mind thinking the worst bit is over and with legs like jello you now have to use the front side of your legs to break the speed all the way down, or else you'll have to run. (Although, if it saves you from the monkeys, is maybe not such a bad thing.) 

WWOOFing - EUNGELLA (or 'Land of the Clouds')

Last summer (or winter, we were in OZ after all) me and Ida spent travelling from different farms/families to scoop up enough days for our 2nd year aussie-visa. As we had heard so many stories of people getting ripped off working at farms, we decided to go WWOOFing. Basically - we worked a few hours a day in exchange of food and accomondation. We met so many interesting people, got to see how different families can be and take in plenty of beautiful Queensland-scenery. 

View from the breakfast table. 

We get off the Greyhound bus into a sizzling hot Queensland-afternoon. 
We are at a petrol station in MacKay and the three of us look around, a bit skeptical as to someone will actually show up (and whether that someone will be a complete nutcase) or not. 

A while past said time, a man in wellingtons approach us to ask "now does any of you happen to be from Sweden?" Gee, was it our 15-kilo backpacks or confused looks that gave us away? After a round of introductions we get in the car to start the hour-or-so long journey up to Eungella.  

Eungella is actually an aboriginal name and it translates to Land of the Clouds. And that is literally where we end up, as we drive further and further up the mountains. 

      Our days are spent planting and pruning baby hoop pines, which is rather physical work really, hence why we end up eating our host out of the house. We eat so much we're even feeling ashamed of how much we eat and so we start eating in secret... Which of course is still obvious when you stand there looking surprised that all the bananas have mysteriously disappeared from the bowl. If you know what I mean. 

We didn't have many distractions of Tv or the likes, so most of the time was spent reading to rewind (or manically and hysterically cleaning...) I finally started on (and finished) Norweigan Wood. 
In the late afternoons we'd go on long walks around the hoods, knicking mandarins off trees of gardens in need of love. They were such sweet fruits. That's other than the sour apples you can get ahold of in northern Sweden, I tell you. 

WE*RE IN ABERDEEN

We made it safe and sound to Aberdeen! (Although it was a bloody long journey - 16 hours in total travelling from Bath, I still feel a wee jet-lagged although I've just moved within GMT) The flat is currently ours alone, which feels very nice after spending the summer with constant do's and don'ts from our former house mates (who tended to leave piles of dishes covering the kitchen counter, not to mention used sanitary pads on the bathroom floor. Like don't throw stones when you're sat in a glasshouse, dear.) - But here on Hutcheon Street it's so tidy and IKEA-fresh, I feel we're staying in a hotel than a home. Hopefully that feeling will wear off soonish.

This beauty decorates our stairwell

Rain! In Scotland! :o // Just arrived to the room

Charles and Diana are hanging out in the bathroom, helping me to keep track of my make-up brushes.

 I have my courses and timetable set for the upcoming year, it will be a mix of Art History, French and Sociology. After the first encounter with most of the College of Art's lecturers this afternoon, I feel like it is Hogwarts I will attend. They were like a bunch of Professor McGonagall's presenting different topics. Or possibly a bunch of Hagrids, considering the accent. On the bottomline, I am so excited for the lectures to start next week!