Monday, October 25, 2010

Ski Mask

I just went for a walk down to Ängelholm city, which is not even a 5 min walk from my dad's house, to get to the ATM machine and check how bad my economy is (I miss those old days in the US when you could actually drive with your car up to the ATM machine to do your business, without even leaving the car! Something I think the rest of the world needs to look into!)

Anyway, the temp outside is about 6 degrees celcius... All I have to say is that I need one of these!


A ski mask! It was so freaking cold out there! It felt like my face and ears was about to fall off! 

The temperature in the house has not improved either. This morning I checked the temp in the kitchen (where 1 of 2 heaters in the whole house actually works) and it said 17 degrees! Brrrrrr! The neighbor was here the other day to check the heaters, and he thought we just needed to air them out, but that was not the problem. So I just have to sit and wait for dad to get back home from his vacation so we can get this problem fixed. In the meantime I sit with my big fleeze blanket and thick sweatshirts on! Hopefully my sister found some real Swedish ragg socks on her shopping spree today, so my ice cubed toes get warmed up!


I hope everyone else doesn't have to be cold out there!

Cheers my friends!

Camilla

Friday, October 22, 2010

Having a cold...

I finally came down with the obligatory cold, as I always get when I get back to Sweden. Not sure if it's allergy to the miserable weather or just a cold! This time it is not nearly as bad as it was last year though.
Last year before I left St. Martin I started to feel it, and by the time I got home I had high fever and everything. On top of that, if I can remind you, it was in the middle of the swine flue craziness! So after a few days at home, where only my dad would get close to me, he took me to the doctor. As he parked he told me to wait in the car, and shortly after he came back and we drove around to the back of the doctor's office where they had open the back door! As I came in they pushed me in to the first available exam room. Then when the doctor came in he started asking me questions like "Have you travelled?" "Have you been close to a lot of other people?" etc. When I told him I work in the hospitality business and that I just flew back from the Caribbean, he had already labeled me as having the swine flue! He took a test and told me to stay away from people and that they would call me when the results came back. Quarantine, if you ask me!

The problem was that they never called back (we even called them several times asking for the result but they said they had not gotten them back) and by the weekend, I was feeling much better and of course I wanted to se my friends. When I called them, they all said "No thank you!" Understandable, since most of them has small children! The only one who would take me was my dear sister!

I never got an answer back from the doctor, so I assume I never had the flue!

Cheers my friends!

Camilla

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Jobs, jobs, jobs....

So, I'm back home, but I'm also back to where I was about a year ago... looking for a new job. I really hate this process, although I can decide where I want to go and what I want to do. For me it's much easier if someone just told me what I should do! I know, I'm a manager and have to make decisions all the time, but when it comes to myself I would not mind if I didn't have to! That's when I need someone to kick my ass!

Right now there are so much to think about and I guess I need to figure out a few things before I can make my decision. Where do I want to go? Island, big city, warm or cold climate? What do I want to do? Big hotel, chain hotel, resort, or city hotel? Do I want to stay in Sweden?

I have to say (and the ones who knows me and follow this blog, probably already know) I do like the warm, tropical climate! And another thing I do know is that I like the luxury hotel sector. I don't think I could work in anything less (no, I'm not snobby... It's all about the service level), but one should never say never!

So the next few days will be allocated to job hunting and see what's out there for me. I have already updated my resume/CV and tonight I have worked on my booklet (with letters etc.). I just have to start sending that CV left to right and see who replies!


Wish me luck!

Cheers my friends!

Camilla

Monday, October 18, 2010

Did I mention...

...it's cold over here? I just checked the temperature inside the house...
It's 20C inside.. Brrrr... No wonder I'm freezing and sitting with layers of clothes on!


Cheers again my friends!

Camilla

Rockabilly?!

So, I have been home in Sweden for almost 2 weeks now, and even though it's great to be home to see all my friends, the travel bug is starting to itch again. And I think it's mostly because of the weather. I think I was born to live in the sun with clear blue water and white sand beaches! Time to look for a new destination and for a new job!

But while I have been home I have enjoyed other things!
The other night I had a great turkey dinner at my friend Lina's house, and Jessica and her family came as well, and it was fun to see how much their kids are growing, (which I think all my friends has kids by now and they are all growing up). But it's nice to meet up with your old friends and I don't feel a day older when we catch up and talk about old memories and other people!

 I also went out cruising with my friend Sara in her (30th birthday crisis?!) Rockabilly car! Am I getting old??
It was a lot of fun! We went all over the place on a Saturday when the sun was shining! Who knows, maybe I will end up on a rockabilly party soon!  


Went out to eat as well and what's funny was that I didn't realize how bad the service was until Sara started to complain when we were leaving! I defenitely stayed too long in Bora Bora! I mean, the staff was vaccuming the floors when we had our dessert!

That night we also went for a drink (or two..!). At the first bar we raised the average age a lot and the bartender, a young blondie, made me laugh so much. I ordered a Absolute Raspberry with Sprite, and I got this blank stare for about 10 seconds, before she went over to another bartender and wispered in her ear and then came over to ask what it was I wanted to order... Okej, so raspberry in Swedish is Hallon, but the thing is, on the bottle (which was right behind her) it said RASPBERRY! It's not rocket science!

The second bar was not much better, although we raised the average age until midnight, when all the old people went home and all the brats came. One brat kid who sat down next to me was bragging about his soccer and how he also had traveled, to Helsingborg and Helsingor... (just to clarify, Helsingbor is about 20 min from here and Helsingor is 20 min by boat from Helsingborg!). 
Good for you kid, you got outside the 50 signs!

At least I'm getting some good laughs!

Cheers my friends!

Camilla

Saturday, October 16, 2010

Sweden

I am now back in Sweden and the trip back was a long one. 8h layover in Papeete, 12h in LA, (10h flight with another 9h and 3h) and luggage not checked in all the way to Denmark, so of course in Paris they wanted to charge me for my 30kg luggage overweight (I was allowed to bring on 1 bag at 20 kg! and I had 2 bags 27kg and 23 kg..) and the rate they quoted me was 11 Euros per kilo! Can you imagine? I got it down to 30 Euros, which I thought was manageble!

Sweden is cold, and the first few days I didn't even see the sun as the sky was constant grey, but the last week it has actually been sunny! Still cold, but the sun makes a big difference. It's still nice, for a change, to see farmlands and trees who are not palm trees!

My dad managed to schedule his vacation to leave the day before I arrived home (was that planned?!) and I have the house to my self for a month! Doesn't really matter as I'm driving all over to see friends and family and it has been quite a lot of couch surfing!

I miss Bora a little, the weather, the water and of course my pup, Coco.. I don't think I was was supposed to live in a cold climate! My body and skin don't like it!

Y'all take care for now, and I will update more now as I'm home and "settled"!

Cheers my friends!

Camilla

Monday, October 4, 2010

Last of Bora Bora

Today is our last day as residents of Bora Bora. In a few minutes I will hit the shower (the last for the next 3 days!) and then we are heading to the hotel to say good bye before catching the boat to the airport.

Bye bye Bora Bora...

Cheers my friends!

Camilla

4x4 Safari

The other day decided to take a 4x4 Safari around the island to see some different things. There are 2 companies where one is more about history and so on, while the other one is more like "wohoo". We went for the last one and we had plenty of fun!

We started off the tour with driving up to a beautiful view point overlooking Matira beach on one side and Vaitape on the other side. Absolutely amazing! But to get up there... I had no idea a Land Rover could drive like that. There are no road, just rocks and steep. But our guide, Terry, did very well for his first day at work. LOL! No, he had done it before!
View of Matira Beach
 After the view point we headed to the Pearl Farm and got to see how they pull out the black pearls from the oysters. I got to catch the pearl, but they didn't let me keep it  :o(
Tahitian Black Pearl
Then we did some driving around while he told us stories, showed us other view points, visiting a lady who painted pareos, and we finally ended up by the WW2 canons which are strategically placed around the island. Bora Bora was never attacked during the ware by the way.



Our guide
Good tour and a lot of fun! After the tour we had lunch at Matira Beach before heading back home!

Cheers my friends!

Camilla

Sunday, October 3, 2010

Shark Feeding

Today we went on a shark feeding excursion for a half day! What an amazing experience!

The weather was windy, as it has been the last 2 weeks, but at least the sun was up! The boat picked us up at the hotel and we went up to the barrier reef that surrounds the island. It's a tricky drive with the boat as there is corals everywhere, but our captain, obviously, has done it before and there were no accidents!

The first stop was the shark feeding. The captain got in and put a rope under the water along the boat, and then he pulled out the bucket with fish. Shortly after there were several sharks swimming around. After a short while we were aloud to jump in with our snorkels and we were all (we were 8 people) on a line holding on to the rope. The captain kept throwing the fish for the sharks while we watched under the water! Amazing! They were right there!



After the shark feeding we drove all the way up to the barrier reef that surrounds the island, and in Bora Bora there is only one pass where boats actually can enter in to the lagoon. Then we stopped for snorkeling. We got the gear on and then the captain guided us on a tour under the water. Another amazing experience. I have snorkeled before, but the corals were so beautiful in different colors and and they are everywhere! As I don't have an underwater camera, I was not able to take any pictures, but it's for sure something I will remember. When we got back to the boat we all got some food to feed the small, colorful fish, which were very friendly! 

After snorkeling we got back in the boat and went to another spot for Stingray feeding. The rays were more or less expecting us, and it didn't take long until there were several rays next to the boat. Again, the captain got in with his bucket and asked us to get in. Even before I got in, there was one coming up saying hello. They are quite big fish and very friendly. I was laughing the whole time I was in the water as they kept climbing on you. They are very soft and we could pet them on the top. One ray even gave me a kiss on the arm!



Lost my flip flop while the ray is kissing my leg


After feeding all the fish in the lagoon, we went around the island with the boat and ended up at motu Tapoo, a sandy little island in the lagoon. Absolutely beautiful.



  After spending some time at motu Tapoo, we headed back to the hotel. That's when the captain pulled out his ukulele and sang for us. Great day, and now I'm probably going to fall asleep in front of the TV. Tomorrow laundry and packing those bags are on the schedule!




Cheers my friends!

Camilla
 

Friday, October 1, 2010

La Villa Mahana

We finally did it... We went to La Villa Mahana for dinner!

After almost a year, and several pushes from a dear friend who used to live here, we finally made reservations at this restaurant. La Villa Mahana is a small restaurant, and no doubt the best restaurant on the main island (off main island is of course Daniel's menu the best!)! The restaurant is located between Vaitape and Matira Beach and they only have about 6 tables (better make those dinner reservations in advance!).

It was a great experience... We took the boat from the hotel and was met by a driver in a nice black SUV who took us to the restaurant. There we were greeted by the chef himself, Chef Damien,  and his wife.
The restaurant is a Mediterranean inspired house, and you arrive on the terrace and walk in to a courtyard where the kitchen is located. To the right of the kitchen you enter the dining room, which is small and "private" with a small bar. On the left there are stairs up to a terrace with a small plunge pool on the side. That's where our table was! The best in the restaurant!  A big bench with cushions and table, private and romantic.

Private dining
  I had a goat cheese salad to start, beef tenderloin with gnocchi as main course while Daniel had tuna tartar and lamb rack. To finish the dinner we went with the home made vanilla iceream with local vanilla! Yum yum!  The portions were on the larger side, so by the time we were finished we could barely walk!

So, when in Bora, stop by La Villa Mahana and Chef Damien. It really is a different experience compared to other restaurants on the island.

Daniel, Chef Damien and me!


Cheers my friends!

Camilla