Aftermath
After last night’s stormy weather, the nearby Jacaranda was feeling the worse for wear…
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China – Shopping and Travel
During the earlier part of our journey, I highlighted the “shopping segments” of our tour as potential dividers between the men and women in our group. These included visits to the jade factory, silk factory, and copper art works. Surprisingly, even if the men weren’t particularly enthralled by the final products, there was an undeniable intrigue in witnessing the manufacturing processes that managed to captivate their interest.
However, today’s visit to the pearl factory proved to be a different story. Once the oyster shell was opened, revealing its contents, the enthusiasm of virtually every man in the room dissipated, their eyes glazing over at the sight.
Several of us swiftly made our way outside after pretending to be interested for an appropriate duration. I strolled with a couple of guys around the corner, where we observed the filming of a television commercial. The only information we possessed was that it was indeed a TV ad; its content remained a mystery to us. All we witnessed were a few individuals donned in white lab coats stationed outside an environmental monitoring agency truck. A young girl on a bicycle rode past, cheerfully saying “hi.” Whether we inadvertently appeared in any of the shots remains uncertain, but you knew know.
After the pearl factory, we visited a nearby wetland (which was lovely) and even got to hang out with a handful of locals practising their ballroom dancing.
An hour or so later and we were in Hangzhou, where we took a cruise around the lake and visited the really lovely nearby park.
The New Stockholm
I hope this is helpful if you’re ever planning to visit Stockholm. I appeared earlier tonight on ABC Local Radio’s “Nightlife” with Tony Delroy, in his “Travel Spot” talking about Stockholm.
Wide Brown Land
I love a sunburnt country,
A land of sweeping plains,
Of ragged mountain ranges,
Of droughts and flooding rains.
I love her far horizons,
I love her jewel-sea,
Her beauty and her terror –
The wide brown land for me!
– Dorothea Mackellar
Here are some photographs I took today of the sculpture “Wide Brown Land” by Marcus Tatton, Chris Viney and Futago at the National Arboretum in Canberra.
What a wonderful piece of public art.
Wide Brown Land sculpture by Marcus Tatton, Chris Viney and Futago
Wide Brown Land sculpture by Marcus Tatton, Chris Viney and Futago
Wide Brown Land sculpture by Marcus Tatton, Chris Viney and Futago
Night and day in Hanoi
Though we were starting to feel fatigued from a long day of flying, our fighter spirit convinced us that we couldn’t simply arrive in Hanoi and head straight to the air-conditioned comfort of our hotel rooms.
Upon reaching the Chalcedony, we checked in, received more details about our itinerary, and agreed to meet back in the foyer in approximately “ten to fifteen minutes” after freshening up. It ended up being closer to twenty-five minutes when we reconvened downstairs.
The weather was warm and humid, but not stifling. Despite it being ten o’clock on a Monday night, the streets were bustling with numerous young people in their late teens or twenties, sitting in street cafes, enjoying coffee, eating meals, and, in one instance we noticed, playing checkers.
We couldn’t quite pinpoint the exact area where we were staying at the time, but it seemed like an older part of town. We later discovered we’re staying in the older part of Hanoi city. The streets were narrow, some of them curved, and many of the buildings appeared older or vacant as we strolled through the late-night streets.
Andrea popped into a café that also sold notepads, cards, and magnets. While she paid, I glanced at the menu boards, trying to gauge the prices of coffee and beer. A can of Bia Saigon across the road from our accommodation was equivalent to $1 in Australian dollars.
We continued our walk and took some photographs until our bodies started to give in. The allure of a hotel room with air conditioning and fresh sheets became irresistible. We decided to call it a night and planned to wake up early for a morning stroll.
Back in our room, I published my blog, set up a shared Google Photos album for us, slipped under the sheets, and casually surfed through channels for a while. Originally, the plan was to watch the final episode of Succession, a series I’ve been following for the past couple of years. However, with a frazzled mind, I ended up watching the ABC Australia news (channel 99) until I drifted off to sleep.
Just before falling asleep, I noticed that sunrise was occurring earlier than I had expected. It was currently 5:15 in Hanoi.
I woke up earlier than anticipated at 4 am, and the familiar sight of ABC News Breakfast greeted me on the television. However, I waited until 5 am before texting my friends to see if they were up for our planned early morning walk. After a minute or so, I received a reply saying, “See you in the foyer.”
As anticipated, the sights and sounds of the neighborhood in the early morning were significantly different from the previous night. People in a nearby park were engaged in their exercise routines, and businesspeople were busy preparing for the day ahead, transporting goods on impressively balanced bicycles and even performing some street butchery.
Afterward, we returned to the hotel for breakfast and began preparing for the next 36 hours, which would be dedicated to traveling to and from Halong Bay.
Stockholm Bucketlist Friday
It’s hard to believe it, but today was my last full day in Stockholm. With my departure looming, I woke up with a clear mission: it was time to tick off those final bucket-list items that have been lingering on my mind.
I decided to head back out to the archipelago—specifically to Vaxholm. I’ve been here once before during the summer when it’s a bustling, sun-drenched holiday resort. Winter tells a different story. The crowds are thinner, but the ferry was still surprisingly lively. I found myself surrounded by a mix of French and Italian travellers, along with plenty of Swedes heading out for a Friday escape.
The journey takes about 80 to 90 minutes. I’ll admit, I was crossing my fingers for a sea of thick, dramatic ice, but nature had other plans. While there wasn’t as much as I’d hoped for, there was still enough to satisfy the soul, especially as we pulled into Vaxholm. I even managed to snag a short video of an icebreaker working alongside our ferry.
The ferry was completely covered by my weekly transit pass—no extra cost at all, which is always a win for the travel budget. I settled in for a light lunch at the Vaxholm Hotel, right opposite the quay. There’s something incredibly peaceful about a Friday lunch overlooking the frozen water (or at least, the “slushy” water) with a few locals enjoying the view.
As I sat on the bus and train today, I found myself drifting off and wondering about the automated voices you hear on public transport. I ended up discovering a really clever piece of Swedish engineering. It turns out that northbound trains are announced by a female voice, while southbound trains are announced by a male voice. It’s a unique system designed to help commuters with visual impairments know exactly which side of the platform to stand on just by listening to the gender of the voice. It’s such a simple, thoughtful touch that makes the city that much more accessible.
Back in the city this afternoon, I finally tackled something I’ve wanted to do for ages: a traditional Swedish sauna (or bastu). I’ve done the baths in Iceland and Japan, but never the local experience here. I headed to the swimming hall at Medborgarplatsen.
As an amputee, navigating these spaces can sometimes be a bit of a logistical puzzle. At the entrance, there’s a strict “shoes off” rule before you even reach the changing rooms. I had to explain to the staff that my prosthetic limb and shoe are a package deal! They were great about it, though—they gave me these blue plastic covers (very IKEA-esque) to keep the grit off the floors.
After a relaxing 25-metre lap swim, I hit the sauna. It’s a very different vibe from Australia. It’s incredibly family-oriented; fathers and sons all relaxing together, which felt very natural and wholesome. I did have a sweet moment with a little girl who was absolutely transfixed by my prosthetic. Her father was a bit apologetic, but I told him it was no worry at all.
I finished the evening with a quiet glass of wine at a local bar before retreating to the hostel.
To be honest, these past couple of weeks have been a whirlwind. I’ve had to remind myself that things are a bit different now than they were during my last visit nine years ago. Between the amputation and the slippery winter streets, I move a little slower than I used to. I haven’t ticked off every single thing I imagined, but I’ve learned to be okay with that. Travel isn’t just about the volume of sights; it’s about the quality of the moments.
Tomorrow, I’m jumping on a four-hour train north to Sundsvall. It’s Melodifestivalen Heat 5 weekend (the massive Swedish lead-up to Eurovision), so the energy in the country is going to be electric.
Yearly Review – 2014
Half way through the year, Sue and I went on a trip to China. When she first spotted the “Nexus Holidays China Sampler” late last year, we both thought it sounded “too good to be true”. For about the cost of a return flight from Sydney to Beijing (about $1200-$1300), the sampler price also included an internal flight from Beijing to Shanghai, accommodation in “five star hotels”, about three quarters of the meals, tour guide support, and entry to lots of major tourist attractions.
That it was previously advertised at close to $3000, and was now being offered (through Living Social) at a much lower price, made it sound even more extraordinary. After consideration of the uncertainties we decided we would go ahead and book anyway, deciding to pay an extra $400 for single accommodation instead of the twin-share. Right up until the last couple of weeks before travelling, we still couldn’t quite believe the generousness of the deal.
The last time I was in China (I mean, the first time I was in China, which was in 2010), I visited my friend Kate who was living there pretty much permanently. She was working at an art gallery there, and had an apartment in a building a very non-western part of Beijing. She invited me to come to visit and so of course I said yes.
Being with someone who had spent a bit of time there, and who had developed a network of contacts and friends (mostly among expats) meant that I was able to go a little deeper more quickly into life in Beijing than the average tourist on a package deal, which is what I did on the China Sampler. I got to do some amazing things and really treasure the memories of that trip in 2010. It’s one of those holidays where I can pretty much recall everything that happened on every day, and the way I felt about my experiences.
But this time around, being on a tour group and the experience was different. Not better, not worse. Just different. On the positive, I probably received a little more of the “educational backgrounder” than I’d enjoyed previously. On the negative, there were moments when I wished for something a little less “touristy”.
This was Sue’s and my second international trip together, having last year visited Germany, Denmark and Sweden. And it was our third holiday together in quick succession, having also travelled together to Tasmania last November. Having Sue move to Sydney in 2014, to become a more regular part of my life has been one of the highlights of the year. There was one weekend, in particular, I recall when she and I made plans, and were catching up within minutes, something that hasn’t been possible for nearly thirty years, since we both lived in Brisbane.
But as one friend has re-entered my life in a physical sense, another has left. In July, my dear friend Colin died after a lengthy illness. Colin and I first met at the end of 1991 in Wagga, where I’d recently moved from Renmark. It was a Friday night and I was invited by a couple of new friends to attend a party at Colin’s place.
Although Colin was the Head of Drama at Charles Sturt University for many years, I didn’t know him from a bar of soap. I hardly knew the people who’d invited me. So when Colin walked up to me and asked (with a wry smile), “Who are you and what are you doing here”, I replied, “I was told if I wanted to meet anyone interesting in Wagga, I should meet you”. “You can stay”, he said with a laugh.
Over the next few years our friendship in Wagga blossomed. It was cemented when we both, at similar periods in time, moved to Sydney. With a bite to eat here, and a glass of wine there, we became good friends, sharing a common love of theatre. In the last few years his health declined dramatically, and so he eventually moved back to Newcastle (to be closer to his family). In the last couple of years he had been in a lot of pain and discomfort.
Other highlights of the year have incuded: attending a lovely wedding in April; regular catchups with friends; catching up with Sandra when she and Robert visited from Sweden; ACTUALLY meeting long-time imaginary internet friend, Carol who it turns out is actually not Carol in real life at all; and , believe it or not: standing on stage in front of the Prime Minister, Tony Abbott.
After the career-based intensity of this year, my thoughts have already turned to next year and to the possibility of travel. I think I’d like to buy an around the world ticket, which would potentially include visits to Japan, Sweden (of course, for Stockholm Pride) and New York. Japan? Japan fascinates me – there’s no other way to put it. I’d like to explore it. Sweden?
In many respects it’s been “a year without Sweden” as I neither visited Sweden this year, nor did I attend Swedish classes (too busy and too tired by eight o’clock on a Wednesday night). But I maintained an interest, have continued to read, listen and watch, and even had a moment in Sydney when I Swedish language skills remained okay, so in 2015 it’s probably time to re-visit those skills.
And as for New York? “You would love New York. You would gobble it up”, my friend Colin used to say. Throughout our years of friendship, we often spoke about the theatre scene there, and so I’ve always had a deep down desire to visit New York. So yes, after years of him urging me to go, I think 2015 will be the year for that next adventure.
PS: There was one other major event of the year which I haven’t written about yet, but was life-changing in many ways. One day, I hope I’ll be able to share the story. In the meantime, it’s just one day at a time.