Not everyday is filled with great dreams and big plans...

So after reading other blogs and seeing what people are talking about out there, I've realized that my posts do not always have to be about my BIG travel plans and dreams. Sometimes I could just write about the place I'm at and the everyday boredom there is... and feel OK about it.
But sometimes it's hard to face things as they are, especially if their not as you would like them to be. I mean if I was really happy with my life, I wouldn't be sitting here talking about how much I want to leave it all and start all over again (and turn back the clock a few years or so). But that is not going to happen, not right now at least, (nor can I change the time). So all there is, is to face the fact that I've spent too much time here, stop whining about it and start doing something to prevent that the next 20 yrs or so will be spent the same way.
It will take time to turn things around. Rome wasn't built in one day, or that's what they say... So every morning I get up and each day looks pretty much the same. Even the evenings are starting to look too much the same... It feels like I'm living the same day all over again, over and over... and that scares me...
You've probably seen movies about people living the same day over and over until they get it. I mean until they understand what they need to do to make things right. I know what I'm doing wrong and until I can fix it (the big picture), I need to make small changes, one at the time... There is no shortcut.
Everyday life is kinda boring. Really. Doesn't matter if you're working or not, if you have family or live on your own... It all pretty much looks the same. If you let it. I think it's the details that make the big picture... You change one little thing and the rest will change with it... I'm always thinking I need to make big changes to make things better. But I guess that's not the answer.
So to get to where I really want to be, I need to take lots of small small steps (make changes) to make the whole picture (my life) as I want it to be... Are you with me?

To know the difference between boring and fun, we all need to have our share of the rollercoaster ride... And as much as I hate it sometimes, I know it's not gonna last forever. You know the saying that "what goes up, must come down" in this case... it's reversed. It will come up again. Things will turn and they do before you know it!

Take care and thanks for dropping by!

The Bucket List; things to do before you die... and things I've done.

Here's something just for fun...

Things I would like to do:

• Run a bar on a tropical beach
• Live in Malibu
• Drive a Corvette Stingray on Highway 1 (California) with the roof down...
  
• Smoke a Cuban cigar in Cuba
• Cruise in the West Indies
  
• Swim with Dolphins
• Go to Oktoberfest
• Visit the Carnival In Rio
• See the 7 Wonders of the World
• Make a million
• Learn to ride a horse
• Walk the Inca Trail
• Party in Vegas, and bet it all on Black
• Learn to Surf
• Dive the Great Barrier Reef
• Go sailing on the Whitsundays
• Go on a 4x4ing
  
• Trek a jungle and camp over night
• Witness a solar eclipse
  
• Walk the Great Wall of China
• Escape to a paradise Island
• Elephant Trekking
• Meet someone famous
• See the Orangutans in Borneo
  
• See Dolphins in the wild
• Spend new years eve at Sydney Harbour
• Spend Christmas Day on a beach
• See the Monaco Grand Prix
• White Water Rafting
• Learn to ride a motorbike

And things I've done:

• Rollerblade on Venice Beach
• See the Niagara Falls
  
• Go to the top of World Trade Centre and Empire State Building
  
• Travel around the world
• Get a Tattoo
  
• Have kids
  
• Crash a party
• Go on a blind date
• Kiss someone without ever speaking to them
• Embarrass yourself at Karaoke
• Spend stupid amounts of money on a night out
• Work on a Farm
• Party until the sun comes up
• Volunteer in a foreign country
• See the Northern Lights
• Do something illegal
• See a sunrise
• Watch the sun set
• Live in a Foreign Country
• Go rock climbing
• Climb a mountain
• Go on a Jet Boat
• See a Volcano
• Play Pool for Money
• Book a One Way Ticket travelling, and go alone!

More to come....

Californian Dreamin'

Big Sur, California

Happy Easter!

Spring is definitely here and the sun is warming up me and you and everything around us.
When the sun starts shining and the sky gets bluer than blue, I can't help dreaming about the summer to come and endless hours at the beach watching countless sunsets... I have always loved the ocean and the beach... and watching sunsets... Where I grew up, there were no beaches to hang out, neither a chance to swim into the sunset... So I spent the most of my childhood dreaming. And I swore, that one day I would live by the beach or at least, close to one. I ended up living in the southern part of Sweden on the west coast with the sun setting in to the sea. Making a part of my lifelong dream coming true. But ever since I moved here, there has been this wanderlust. A indescribable feeling that I should be somewhere else.

Have you noticed, that sometimes even though you already know the answer, it still is difficult to take that step and make things happen? Something is holding you back but you can't get rid of the feeling that you should be doing something completely different or be somewhere else.

My problem is that I always find some kind of an excuse for not doing things, stopping my self from living MY life as I should be living it. Often the reason or the excuse has been simply that I was afraid of the unknown. But also I think I've listened too much to some people. The wrong people. The ones that don't dare or can live their own dreams, for some reason.

But enough is enough. I can't live my life being afraid or hesitating all the time. If you spend your life always standing on one leg, you won't get very far...

So to stop making the same old mistakes and starting living my life, I need to start walkin, using my both legs so to speak. I am not going to hesitate any more nor am I going to keep on being afraid of living.

Back in 1996 I made my first "around the world" trip. Making one of my old dreams coming true. I travelled to Canada and saw the mighty Niagara Falls and the beautiful city of Toronto, I went to the Big Apple and saw the fantastic World Trade Centre and Empire State Building and I went rollerblading in Central park. And I went to California! I saw Venice beach and Hollywood. But there were so many things I didn't see and ever since I left LA, I've dreamt of returning one day.

I don't think there are many people that love the States, that haven't dreamt of seekin the good life that awaits in LA... And yes I know, LA is not all about dreams coming true and that everything gets an happy ending... But that is not this blog is all about. It's about my personal dreams and hopes... But also my experiences and trips. So yes, I'm gonna keep on dreaming about my LA and what I hope finding there.

So back on track... A while ago I decided to bring back this old dream to life and start planing for my next visit. Even though my plans for my next trip have been many and often unrealistic, this one keeps coming back. And I think it might be for a reason. If I'm not going to follow this through now, then when? I am actually turning 40 very soon, and to be honest, I ain't getting any younger ;O) So as long as I can I will keep on travelling and this time it will be LA and the rest of California... at least the part between LA and SF. Including Highway 1... I might spend couple of months there, depending... I would love to do some WWOOFing (volunteering on organic farms) while I'm there. Mixing "business" with pleasure. Also couchsurfing is another great way to meet people and learn about the culture and what it really is like to be living in America.

The sad thing is, that it's only April and I won't be leaving until later this summer. But hey! It's always sunny in California! And I will be able to save up enough money to survive for a while.
So when the rain starts pouring down in Sweden, I'll be soaking up the sun, hopefully on the beach in Malibu.

Have a great Easter y'all and see you soon... with more dreams and plans!

Feel free to comment!

Spring is here and dreams come alive!

For a while I've been thinking I should be more effective when it comes to this Blog. But sometimes life has other plans, and lately I've been "busy" doing more "important" stuff... Or so I thought. Almost 2 months have passed and nothing has really changed. I'm back where I started earlier in february and finally starting to understand, that the plans I thought were important, were instead just a disillusion. So back to square 1 and feeling good that I am...

Finally spring has arrived to my city and all the worries of the winter are bygones... Summer is just around the corner, or so it feels and I'm already dreaming of the warm summer breeze and bright nights. When summer arrives in Sweden, it usually rains most of the time... But even though we have a wonderful wheather when it's good, many of us choose to travel abroad anyway, to the sun and the good and carefree life that awaits...

It is indeed wonderful to be able to travel and see the world. Some of us are fortunated and can travel to a new place every year or even to several places in one year... Some of us travel every second year or less... and some never or seldom get the chance to get away at all...
And if they do, it is because you been saving all you can for a longer period of time...

Meanwhile your saving, it can be a good idea to try to enjoy and use what you already got at home... And yes it can be a real pain when all you want is to make that special trip but instead you're stuck at home... In that town and in those streets you already seen so many times and gotten sick and tired of so so many times... But those who wait... always get rewarded in the end.

Why I'm saying this, is because this is exactly where I am at the moment... Stuck and sick and tired of it. All I want is to jump on the plane (any plane really) and fly somewhere where it's warm and life has a much slover pace... But that's not how it's gonna be for a while, so now all there is, is to enjoy what I've got instead of wanting what I can't get.

So again, spring is here and it doesn't have to be so bad after all... There are so many great things in life to take part in, if you only open your eyes and mind. And even for someone like me... with zero patience there is hope... I've decided to make the most of it until I've saved enough and carefully made a good plan that will last, and not leave me broke somewhere far far away from home. When you get older, you also get wiser. And you learn from old mistakes... Hopefully!
Once a Vagabond, always a Vagabond... I will most certainly never stop traveling or dreaming of it, and until my next adventure there's not much to do than accept things as they are.

So who ever sees this and feels the way I do, don't give up your dream! We will get there one day... It might feel like it's never gonna happen, but it will! So enjoy springtime and keep on dreaming!