Happy new year from Åre!

We're right now enjoying our 3 course supé :) We had a great day of snowboarding/skiing! We wish you all the best for 2011! C ya in new adventures :)

MERRY XMAS!

We wish you all a fantastic xmas!
Enjoy today where ever in the world you are :)
Here in Sweden we have tons of snow, it's crazy beautiful!
We also send our warmest thoughts for all people in the world that may not
have the opportunities to celebrate with family and friends, or even without
a home to warm up in...
Many people are poor and suffer. Remember that xmas is all about beeing kind
and helpful! :)

Merry Xmas brothers and sisters world around! <3
*** Blue skies! ***

GOPRO CAM WEBSHOP OPEN!

Sweetliving can now proudly present a webshop at our site! We are now selling worlds best extreme sport camera GoPro HD, it's tiny, lightweight, waterproof and do both video and photos!

Video KITESURFING

Video BIKE JUMP SESSION

Click here to vieuw Web shop and read more about GoPro!

ENJOY!

I bet you cant stop watching videos! ;)

At an airport again

I wonder how many hour I spent waiting at an airport. Even though airports are pretty impersonal places, I love them. A lot of people, everybody going somewhere, something beginning, something ending. Its busy or empty. Time to think, time to relax. Or stressful, if something delayed you or others. They all look thesame, and also totally different....

Jessicas airplane has left and Im now alone, sipping a latte and spending my time at the wi-fi café. Not bad at all. I want to to say thanks to Jessica for great company on this trip, it wouldnt been the same without you! As I new before, this would be a different trip from many others. It ever came out more giving than I dared to hope for. Shortly I can say, its great to get time to think and also realize some mindtroubles on distance ;)

Just some of my thoughts felt to share. Now Im looking forward to meet family and friends. Get back to my great jobs (yes, I do look forward to them!) and out to the stables for my horses! And not to forget, my fluffy Robbie (THE dog!).

Got one good advise: Travel!

Best wishes, Hella

photos as promised :)

The train, our home for several days and nights. Here a short stop in Russia, I got of shortly for fresh air and for this beatutiful photo

In Lisvyanka at sunset

Enjoying a good beer along the lake. Note the Mountains... <3

On the train again, me and Jessica with happy Constantin and helpful Gregori!

Drinking cristal clear water

Beautiful, isnt it?

Listvyanka

Brekfast at Olgas' home

Let's swimm in ice coldwater! Yeah!

A coffee-baileys drink  in Moscow

Moscow by night! Me and fantastic Jessica



All for now. Tomorrow we go back home to Sweden :)

Listvyanka, Lake Baikal -> Moscow!

From a hidden village in east Russia along Lake Baikal to a speeded Moscow after 4 days and three nights on the trans-siberian railway. What a change of atmosphere.

Listvyanka is beutiful and relaxed. We hang out with 2 canadians we met there, they also travel with the train towards Moscow. The water of lake Baikal is incredibly clear. On the other side snowy mountains stretched along the ice blue water. Our 2 nights here was at a family, with mother Olga caring for us. For breakfast we got pancakes with cottage cheese, jam, bread with THICK slices of cheese. After Olgas breakfast, you dont need to eat for several hours...

Me and Jessica enjoyed many walks along the beach. Breathing the fresh air. We needed this after all smog in China ;) We tried to find a boat trip, but they were all to long for our short stay. Probably its easier if you travel summertime. It was a bit difficult with the language. Peolpe here doesnt speak english, and dont want to either? Without dictionary you manage to get around, but many many times I wish I'd bough one.

Last day I and Kristina (one of the Canadians) completed ur mission we both (we didnt know each other before) to swim in the lake! Freeeeeezing! OMG... but we were som satisfied with ourself doing it. Hope we get the 25 more years of life now ;)

 

Back on the train again on sunday. 3 nights on the train. Today, wednesday, we arrived in Moscow. During these days we shared our compartment with Gregori (one of the most kindest, helpful old men I ever met, he bought us cookies, ice cream, and of course vodka -he was true russian- and helped us to find the metro in moscow, only for good will), and a women with her kid Barbara stay only for one night, then changed for a young man I dont know the name of for next night wich got of after a short ride. Next man into the compartment was the happiest russian guy ever. Constantin also spoke english, wich helped the hole coversation a lot! When he got of a lady entered. Kind and quit. I never thought these days should run so fast.

 

Moscow seems like most big cities. Stress. Rush. People. So much peolpe! We dragged our heavy bhe backpacks and bags trough metros and into our hotel. Steaming hot. The shower was more fantastic than nice and for the first time since I left sweden, the beds are SOFT. Awesome. I gonna jump into that bed right now.... sleep tight!

 

 

Happiness and sadness

Last day in Ulaan Baator was long and strange. It will change my life in a way I cant explain, but its good. Very good.
We came back to the hostel just in time to grab our bags and get a taxi to the trainstation. This trip lasted from wednesday night til friday morning. We entered Russia and got of in Irkutskt. Taxi and then bus to Latsvyanka, a beautiful village next to Lake Baikal, worlds deepest freshwater lake. Weather can't be better. Sunshine and warm. The village is cousy with small houses and hills. Far mountains is covered with snow. I found this internet cafe close to our family living. But photos will be delayed :)

Im happy here, enjoying the nature and my trip. But many of my thoughts goes to family and friends for two of my friends that past away. These two friends both left us way to early. Im happy that I learned to know you both and for giving me great memories. Rest in piece.

Short update

I'm back from days om nomad-living, horse riding, camel riding, seeing buddhism temples, Chingins Khan statue and more.

Tell you more later, cause now I have to run. We are going to met Shaman...

relaxed evening in UB

Staying one night at Ulan Bator (capital of mongolia) wich is really good. We got great help to plan our trip coming days and the bed here is the softest I felt in a month! Shower was fresh and we also got a recommondation to a vegetarian restaurant that with really good food. Nice to know you what ever you order, it wont be meat or something in it cause of missunderstandings...

 

Tomorrow we will go on a trip for 5 days and 4 nights. We will ride from one nomad family to another, where we stay for the night each to sleep and eat. This is the trip I've been longing for a long time......

Train to Ulan Bator

 

Mongolia!

First trip of the train is done. The train was cousy and we had our 4 beds room for our selfs. We passed mountains and the great wall was seen from the window when we ate our lunch. Closer to Mongolia the nature got more flat, there was heards of sheeps, cows and horses. And in between, nothing but dried grass. We even saw skeletons of dead horses.

 

We arrived and where taken to our hostel with supernice people, and 3 swedish guests. Swedish people are everywhere! ;) We've booked a 5day trip, going to ride all days, visit nomad familys for the night.

 

Now we will go and look for something to eat!

5am, packing

About 4 hours of sleep on a hard bed, my neck is stiff and my eyes still tired. But thinking moving on today brings energy to get up in the black morning, out in the cold and get to the train station. All beds are hard, even at the good hotels... chinese thing I guess. The widows has been open all night, I dont know why. But everyvody sleeping in the dorm doesnt care, so I asume it's supposed to be that way. I had my thick fleece jacket on all night....

 

Time to get dressed and go. Mongolia, here we come! Our first train will be a bit more than a 24 hour ride. Will will arrive 2.30 pm tomorrow ad me met by a family where we will sleep our first night!

In Beijing

The driver to the airport got the wrong way 3 times, bad weather delayed my flight more than two hours, a person panicked during the flight. But finnally I arrived in Beijing, grabbed a starbucks coffe and jumped on the subway to meet my friend Jessica. Subways system here is easy go with, like in any big city and staff is better in english here, so its easy to ask for help.

I checked in at Qianmen Hostel, a simple and cousy place, close to Forbidden City. Hostels are pretty much the same whereever you go over the world and all nationalitys, so you don't get stared out here either. We walked along the streets, looked at some shopping and ate a simple dinner. At night we saw a Chinese Acrobatic show wich was impressing. So talented and gymnastic people! The grand finale was 5 men on motocykles driving around inside a round cage. Crazy! After that, a second coffee from starbucks! (yes, Im tired of drinking coffee of powder).

 

Because of slow internet it seems impossible to upload photos at the moment :(

Getting up in less than 5 hours, (5am). Back to you then!

Towards Beijing!

Good morning! Time is about 7am here and I'm nearly ready to leave. I can't beleive I've got so muck stuff! Thought it would be much less after getting out heavy shoes and thick clothes, leaving some, but nooooo. My backpack and my bag are FULL. Computer and cameras and many many kinds of chargers makes it heavy to carry. Hope it will be cold so I can wear more clothes ;)

 

Closing my bags I found some magasine we been presentated in, I'll show you some as photos! Now I will go and have a breakfast coffee with the team, then I'm off! C ya!

Towards Beijing!

Good morning! Time is about 7am here and I'm nearly ready to leave. I can't beleive I've got so muck stuff! Thought it would be much less after getting out heavy shoes and thick clothes, leaving some, but nooooo. My backpack and my bag are FULL. Computer and cameras and many many kinds of chargers makes it heavy to carry. Hope it will be cold so I can wear more clothes ;)

 

Closing my bags I found some magasine we been presentated in, I'll show you some as photos! Now I will go and have a breakfast coffee with the team, then I'm off! C ya!

Thanks to everybody!

I just want to say thank you to everybody in the team, to all organizers and staff, all people who visit the airshows, to followers of this blog, to family and friends for support and help. This warm and thankful feeling I got, I'ts all for you!

 

The memories I will bring from this last four weeks is unforgetable. All smiles I've met, all laughs we had, all new frieds I've learned to know... Can't really explain it, I'm bad how to explain, but I think you get it ;)

Right now all team member just left my room for sleep. How I will will miss them! We've been growing even closer together. Great minds tink a'like! Well, now the mission is done and it became even better than we hoped! A special thank you to Cerina who recruited me and Jacob Holländer (owner of Scandinavian Airshow) for this very special opportunities in life!

 

I've started my packing for next adventure. Some stuff I left in the container, some I throw away and now I switch fancy clothing, work clothing and catsuit for travel outfit. Backpack and a bag, with only a plan where to go, but no idea of what I will experience.

 

Love to you all! Dont forget what life's about: To ENJOY!

Good night, Hella

 

(Picture is from todays packing)

Shows are over

Last day was as good as the other showdays! A bit more cloudly, even more people, and hilarous flying! It's a relief in one way it's over -we made it!! But very sad in another -we will miss everything!

We can proud and happy go back home or continue the trip as I'm doing...

When all this tension goes away when it's over, the tiredness comes. After the showdays, with though fysical flying, photos, autograph writing, smiling, giving and jumpin' around.... We just felt SO exhausted. It takes a lot of energy to be SUPERhappy all the time, see all people, shake hands with everybody, be polite with everybody pulling your arm while taking photo with someone else...

 

As soon as the show was over and the crowd was forced out by flashing police cars and we moved our airplanes into the hangar (still volounteers followed us for photos and autographs...) and started the work with disassemble the Wasp. Everybody was so tired. We mostly laughed and shared funny jokes... but some work was acctually done... ;)

 

Dinner at the hotell and then a bottle of red wine watching photos and more jokes in one of our rooms here. So now it's BEDTIME!! Tomorrow I will spend my last day with the team, then I head to Beijing to meet Jessica for next adventure! It just adds energy to think about it! Longing!

 

Sleep good all!

* and thanks to everybody helping me with my horses and my fab doggie!

* Thanks Emma for photos (getcloser.se)

Second showday & Banquet

Another fantastic and unforgetable day has passed. Weather was perfect again and more peolpe came today to see the show! 

A day starts with breakfast 6.30 and departure 6.50. Hotel staff looks really tired, and only half of the breakfast is ready. But some nescafe (only coffee there is) and some beans, eggplants, rice (yes, its food for breakfast too) and a muffin we are set. Arriving at the airport, all planes are checked, refuled and GoPro cameras are mounted. Its a mission to change to the cat outfit. We have to run a little to escape people caching us for photos to not be delayed. In the same building as the tower we get a room to change wear. Suit, ears, tail and makeup! Then we have to run even faster back until we cross the fence to the airplanes. We wave and sheer to get attention for our show. At the safe side of the fence we can play! The crowd sheers and take photos. Police and military on the inside stops us for photos. Crazy but fun!

After the show first pose on the wings for a while, then run along the fence, again waving and sheering! A line of militarys outside the fence stops the crowd to get to close but at the end of the day we can go outside the fence and meet our fans. Its all ages, wich is very funny :)

 

Some lunch is quick eaten, hidden behind the fence, in true chinese style, with chopsticks sitting on a tiny stool. The days feels really long. At the end when it feels like its about 4-5 pm, its only about 2pm! Also airshows starts much earlier here than in Sweden.

 

Tonight was a banqet held. We dressed up fancy and where taken to a luxury restaurant with all importent people and airshow particients. Speach where held and song where sung. They do party like crazy! Like there is no show tomorrow! They where a bit disapointed when they saw we drank alcohole free beer and coke. Our team gave 3 swedish Dalahästar (famous old traditional horses in painted tree) to importent people in the organization. Later we sang a swedish 'snapsvisa' (song to 'cheers!'), they just love it! The governour came up to thank us and sang a song to us right there about 'friends forever'! We gave them another gift, a box of swedish 'snaps' since they like to rice liquid shots. Wonder how they like it or not?! Again hundres of photos where taken, and videotapes of all cheering. Here you sit around round tables and then peolpe and groups go around for cheering with others. A chinese banqet is over pretty fast, its full speed, and then everything is finnished in less than 2 hours. The food is very creative and for us sometimes strange. I'll give you some fun pictures. Most of the food is really deliciuos and I will miss it when I'm back home. Its not at all to compare with china-food at home!

 

Back tomorrow!! good night <3 Hella

Fantastic airshow, day 1!

The weather was super! The flying awesome! The GoPro videos kicked ass! Videos will be sent on CCTV tonight and will be seen by aprox 250 million people! Not bad ey! :D

 

Opening cermony was with coloured smoking fireworks, para gliders and speach. Scandinavian airshow was displayed three times, Jacob flew Wasp and Python, and Sus flew Catwalk with me and Emma on the wings. Gently, I can say that Scandinavian Airshow is a success here. A proffessional team, all three airplanes in same hot design and showes everything from high level aerobatic to advanced wingwalking with funny cat caracters! Gently, WE ROCK! ;) We also spend a lot of time with people for photos and handshaking. Big golden star to owner Jacob Holländer, and to all crew members! Good work!

 

One of my biggest interests now is the video recording. Our GoPros are mounted in different angels every day, and as soon as the show is over I collect all cameras and start to check it with my computer. Hopefully I can show you some in a near time! I Will now continue my work with organizing movies and also do some planning for THE new year happening (Åre, here we come!)

 

Day before show! Gopro cams are up n running!

Another nice day. Its warm again, and a hole of blue sky is seen wheen looking up. Along the horizon the smog covers the vieuw.

All five GoPro cameras was mounted to on the cameras, to try angles and mountings. Some of them was super, and some need some adjustments. It looks really proffsionall with the matching yellow covers. I'll give you some photos of today for you to enjoy ;) Myself, I have to get into bed and sleeeeeeep! Tomorrow will be a long showday :)

Sleep tight! x H

Day before show! Gopro cams are up n running!

Another nice day. Its warm again, and a hole of blue sky is seen wheen looking up. Along the horizon the smog covers the vieuw.

All five GoPro cameras was mounted to on the cameras, to try angles and mountings. Some of them was super, and some need some adjustments. It looks really proffsionall with the matching yellow covers. I'll give you some photos of today for you to enjoy ;) Myself, I have to get into bed and sleeeeeeep! Tomorrow will be a long showday :)

Sleep tight! x H