A free summer?

Im sitting once again in Åre, central Sweden. This time out of my own free will. After facing a very quiet and free summer month of July, I have landed up doing 5 different part times jobs...and still getting time to travel; this time for work.

So I got this chance to run St Olovs loppet, its a run from Östersund in Sweden to Trondheim in Norway; about 330 kms. Not at one go, but as a relay, in a team.
Oh I got this chance for free; with a team, sponsored, accommodation, food and transport. What a gift.

Plus I get to write about it, take pictures and run. Its a dream, I don't want to wake up from. But anyway, check out the blog I get to write about: RunningJamtlandHarjeledalen.

And furthermore, I got this other job related to tourism. So my brother kids and says I got a masters degree in holidays. The more I work with this the more I think he is right. This other website is called Spot I Love. Its basically about listing and photographing the best places in the world and sharing with the rest of the world. Obviously my job is a little more complicated, but basically check out the website, load a spot of your own, and watch the country you choose to tell the world about get viewed from computers around the world.

Anyway, from the view from my office, I sign off...

Thesis, is Greek word for Thasos...which is...

Ok so three years ago the planning started; apply for masters in Sweden. Two years ago the plan started and so did this blog. And today, I sit, unemployed and free, from an bachelors student to a masters student, half the Swedish language learned, 2 years of experience, a host of memories, a student loan to pay off, some amazing people met and befriended and a Swedish girlfriend to call my own. I think that its been pretty darn amazing and worth it all in all. 


So the thesis was written and perhaps one of the hardest things mentally I have ever had to achieve. While an ultra marathon is mental anguish for a day, this thesis thing lasted for a few months of mental strain, anguish, pushing, training and all that goes with a masters thesis, including a few all nighters (a first in life, something I swore I would never do), more coffee than my body weight and even a tear or two. But thank the greatest God Almighty, for without Him I would never have managed to complete it in time. 

Snow and a pose anyone?

Dressing up

Then came the "graduation ceremony" of sorts. More like a closing ceremony that you attended a university, very different. But, it involved dressing up, looking good, meeting with fellow class comrades and enjoying the day. Sandra acted as partner, family, photographer and really looked the part too. Compliments from my dad, my friends and I also enjoyed a pre ceremony bottle of genuine South African Pongracz and took more photo's. The way to church was also noteworthy...snow. On the first of June, supposedly summer, and it snowed. Nooit ek se...

Pongracz and sparkles

The ceremony was typical swedish: in the old church, a song or two was sung, some speeches were said and everyone who took part was called up to the front to receive a badge and certificate and have a photo taken. A little taste of Africa was also enjoyed, a Tanzanian girl graduated that day too and her family joined her in Sweden, Her name was followed by ulutation and cheering, very homelike. 

Happy Graduates

Anyway, afterwards a good dinner was enjoyed and a power breakfast followed, the same day that my brother ran the Comrades marathon, a 89km race in SA, followed from Whatsapp, Facebook and Internet. God bless global technology.  

Celebrate breakfast with smorgastorta...God bless Sandra

And following the Comrades; Go ROB!

Literally 2 days later, after hating the rain and lack of any semblance of summer, with literally no money, a group of us booked Greece. A green, quiet, chilled island in the Aegean sea called Thasos. Typical students, we slept a night in the airport to save 100 bucks, flew to a hot, sunny Kavalla, mad taxi ride to the ferry terminal, travelled 30 minutes over the ocean and arrived at a hotel, tired, hungary and pale. Nothing like a swim in the ocean to revive you  up. 

Sleeping in the airport to save 100 bucks?

Almost Cape Town like

What a picture for what a holiday

Mass tourism beaches...

Marble beach to enjoy it

Sunshine pose

Even Rugby...

Paradise Beach

And great views

Honestly, Thasos is a winner. Its similar to Cape Town in many ways, mountains, seaside next to road, scrub type bush. But way more olive tree's, poorer and less people. The sea is also warm and almost no waves to speak of, like a very clear, very blue lake; crazy. But beautiful. The food was cheap and the adventure was plentiful. A real chilled out good time to have by all. Mass tourism being Europeans speciality. Old, fat, sunburned Europeans spreading carrot and walnut tanning oil hoping for colour also is typical. But if you search for the real adventures, the local specialities and the local people; it can be a wonderful amazing experience. Hire a scooter, chill out around an island, eat greek salad, drink a frappe; do it locally and it will be a real experience. Highly recommend it to anyone. 

Great views

So back to real life and back to summer in Sweden. The same time that Greece happened my mum went into hospital for surgery on her back. Its quite crap being so far away and not knowing how or what to do to help. Just praying for quick recovery again. 

Till the next adventure blog: