hakunamatata.creatom.se

..could easily have been the name of this blog if things would have happened differently.
Say if all of Europe’s gaming industry had been positioned in Africa instead, of any peculiar reason.

The meaning of the two phrases “mella” and “hakuna matata” does resemble eachother significantly, that stands clear after two weeks in a country (and another continent for that matter) where sun and nature reigns (reigning together with a dysfunctional government that is up for a rerun as we speak, but that’s a different story further down..)
However hectic my last couple of weeks has been, and however messed up my flight down there became, that place was just what I needed in change of environment and relaxation, with just enough activities along the road, literally, and with a really good travel companion. It makes me realize once again, that I’ve got quite a low threshold to relax in the moment, there and then, and feel quite comfortable with setting down in new environments, if just only or a night or two before rolling on down the highway towards new beaches and guesthouses. In other words, my nomadic nerve is still there, feels good to confirm that once in a while.
Especially in a country where I feel the people’s attitude in so many ways resemble the one bared by a former Mediterranean home country of mine. Just with a bit more structure.

Anyway, my major impressions after some time in this country of wide, white smiles are the following:
+ The scenery. Location, location, location!
+ The climate. A tad windy, but temperature wise just my kind of place.
+ Prices. Living life is cheap. And I’m not talking only the shot trays.
+ The scenery. Again.

– Crime. Fortunately, we never saw any of it, but the atmosphere and general feeling for it somewhat uncomfortable
– Isolation. They’re clearly an island on a continent, at least the white population (80% of the country’s 23M voting people).

It is with a greater, and more enlightened interest than three weeks ago I’ll follow the voting down there today.
I’ve seen some parts of the place, I’ve heard some of the people’s voices and I can say that the place is truly fascinating, in many ways. Politically though, it’s facing some great challenges to come, challenges that makes you hope the upcoming governing party is a bit more proactive and less mella’istic than dear Timon and Pumba.

For the thank you’s:
Johanna and Peter: Your hospitality shall never be forgotten. Hope to repay with a trip up Stadshustornet and a summer’s day on Fredhäll. We all have to work with what we have..
Josef: Thanks for the company, inspiration and good talks, you’re a bloody good guy! Now let’s take a glass of juice.. 😉