08.35 ”It is time to get up. The time is 08.30” my cell phone just said. It is time to get up. Today we will be heading for new horizons I say! I am in Christer´s apartment in Sundsvall and this is the first of many days of travelling.

10.23 We have walked down to the bus station in Sundsvall. From here we will be going with a new bus company, Diligensen. It is we and 5-6 others who are travelling. Outside the sun is shining and inside I hear the air condition, thanks a lot for that.

11.34 Our coach has stopped and we are in Hudiksvall. Here we will add passengers, sandwiches and some fluorescent lights for the toilet.

12.36 The coach made a new stop in a new town, Söderhamn but we are still without toilet lights. People have to do it in the darkness. I am hungry.

13.43 We’ve just passed Älvkarleby and we´ve seen the Chinese inspired building there, Dragon Gate. Not much has happened since we saw it in April. We just spoke with Shu Ming, the lady who guided us last year and who came to visit us in April. She wasn’t on the bus but phoned us from Malaysia.

15.58 We arrived to a rainy Stockholm and put our backpacks in a locker. We are at Kapris Café at Drottninggatan (Queen street). Here we are having coffee, muffins and cinnamon buns. At Cityterminalen we heard and saw an American lady who was going to Paris, just like us.

17.47 We just checked in at this year’s first place to stay, the hostel STF Fridhemsplan. We stayed here in April as well as Shu Ming made her trip to Sweden. It is still cloudy. Up next is rest, dinner and to buy breakfast for tomorrow.

20.44 We are about to have dinner at Formaggio pizzeria on Kronobergsgatan, once more a rerun from the Easter time.

Midsummer rain in Stockholm, exactly like the start of our 2004 trip.

22.44 On our way home we bought breakfast for tomorrow. We did our best to avoid the pools of water on our way home. The time has come to get some sleep.

Sunday 24th of June

06.10 In six months it is Christmas. That is so far away. In six days we will be in the Caribbean. That is far away. In six hours we are flying to Paris. We are tired but not all lost. It is time for breakfast. After that we will be heading to Cityterminalen to catch an airport bus to Skavsta.

07.14 Everything went well. Green lights all the way and we took the green metro line to T-centralen. Now we are on the airport bus which will take us to Skavsta airport.

08.57 We are back at Skavsta, again (3/1 and 3/3 2007). It is the third time this year. What differs from earlier visits is the fact that there is no snow this time. We are sitting down outside and all is well. There is no check-in panic.

We and a Malaysian family are waiting outside Skavsta airport in Nyköping.

10.39 As we got inside Skavsta airport we were asked to weigh and on our own check in the luggage and also ourselves. We saw neither scale nor any computer to check in at so we went to the classic counters to check in. Now we have without any problems had our second breakfast. The problems occurred as we bought the breakfast. As Christer was about to get his coffee his tray tipped over and his plate fell to its death. His plastic wrapped sandwich survived without any wounds. Another problem was the fact that the girl by the cash register only spoke English. But I guess we need some exercise for the days to come.

11.38 We’ve just sat down on this trip´s first aeroplane. Our destination is Beauvais airport in France and the airline is Ryanair. We didn’t have to show our passports at the airport. In the line to the aeroplane we saw the lady from Cityterminalen yesterday. It is a small world.

11.49 Now as we and the other passengers just took part of the safety ballet it is time to take off.

FRANCE

14.02 We’ve just touched down, Christer, me, the other passengers, the staff and a fly that followed us from Sweden. How will it make it here? Does it know any French? It might be able to buzz. But not speak so that others will understand.

14.28 Soon the airport bus is filled up. We will be leaving the airport in Beauvais and travel towards the French capital. There sure is lack of space for the legs.

15.20 In 40 minutes we are supposed to be in Paris. So far all we can see are fields and trees. Here and there are some buildings. Will we understand what they are saying? Will we find our next home?

16.31 We’ve travelled with the bus to the end of the line, Porte Maillot in western Paris. Right now we are riding the metro. We are on line 2. We will get off at Barbès–Rochechouart. Everything feels great. What could go wrong now? Soon we will be resting at Friends Hostel.

16.46 Sometimes the unexpected happens. We found our hostel, they found us on their list of people who had booked a room but they couldn’t find the room. Well, there was some kind of ”problem”. The guy in the reception has arranged with a room for us at Hotel Magenta further down the street instead. On our way out from the hostel we once again met the girl from yesterday. Now it is getting scary. Magenta here we come!

17.00 Here at Hotel Magenta they don’t know about us, strange! The man in the reception and yours truly have spoken with a man at Friends Hostel and he seems to know very little about the mentioned arrangement.

Window view from Hôtel Angleterre in Paris.

17.29 I spoke in the phone again, was instructed to get back to Friends Hostel. From there we were led by a fast walking man. He crossed the street against the red light, leaving us on the other side. He waited for us and led us to our new home Hôtel Angleterre, http://fr.federal-hotel.com/hotel_hotel-angleterre-paris_2432.htm. Here we´re staying in room 5. If we should forget to return the key tomorrow we just have to mail it to them. The key has a note attached to it, a note saying the key´s home address, Rue Bervic 6. Now we will rest before we do the city. I guess we will never know what caused this chaos.

Peter taking a walk in Montmartre.

Sacre Coeur church

18.49 We’ve just walked through Montmartre and are seated below Sacre Coeur. The church is beautiful and the view is spectacular.

19.56 After we have walked through the park below Sacre Coeur the time has come for dinner at pizzeria Gigi, one of the few places with affordable prices. We just got our sodas and soon we will get our pizzas. One pizza cost around $ 12.

Dinner at the pizzeria Gigi.

21.00 We are back home again. The pizzas were tasty and we have bought some breakfast and a little to drink this evening. Now we need to calm down and start to plan for tomorrow

23.17 Hopefully everything is planned for. How smoothly it runs will be seen tomorrow.

View from Montmartre, Paris.

Monday 25th of June

07.01 Morning has broken in Paris. After a few hours of sleep the time has come to take the leap across to the other side of the Atlantic. This will be a long day!

09.33 We went by metro passing almost all the stations at line 4. At Denfert Rochereau we switched matter of transport to airport bus, Orlybus. Now we are at the terminal Orly Sud thinking about our future.

Peter before entering the Orlybus.

11.26 We checked in, had our passport checked and went through security. Now we are sitting down by gate F18 and wait to board Air Caraïbes flight TX 510 destined for Fort de France on Martinique. We seem to get great flying weather. It is a blue sky with just a few clouds. The time has come to say Au revoir to the European part of France.

11.51 We´ve just been seated. In front of us we´ve got a TV screen each. We are on the plane to the west.

CHANGE OF TIME ZONE

07.10 We got away, a bit delayed. We set our watches for Caribbean time, GMT -5. They have given us a small plastic bag containing sleeping mask, ear plugs and socks?! I just heard a cat.

09.20 We’ve just been eating. Was it breakfast, lunch or what? Whatever it was it was chicken with orange sauce, basmati rice, legume salad and bread. To drink I chose wine from France and rum from Martinique. After that we got coffee, a pastry and a Bounty. We are still not halfway. Christer is trying to sleep. It seems like a good suggestion. I will try to do the same.

10.57 We’ve just reached the point then we have less left then already flown. Now we just have to keep counting down. There are a lot of time left and many hours before we are in our next home.

12.12 We are travelling at a speed of 900 km/h and it remains about 1/3 of the trip. My fellow passengers are sleeping, talking or wandering around. I think I will read a little in my book.

14.24 We’ve started to descend towards Fort de France. Soon we will be back on solid ground.

14.56 We just touched down at Le Lamentin airport on Martinique. We are still in France but still have to have our passports checked, odd. Outside it is +30˚- Not a bad start at all.

15.44 After a short chat with the staff at the tourist office we are in a taxi. We will be taken straight to our hotel. Cheap? No. Neccesary? Yes. Our first plans were to get to Fort de France by taxi and from there to the hotel by bus. But since they use minibuses here it would be impossible to go on one of them with our big backpacks. Now we are hoping that a room awaits us as we reach our hotel. We are going along the west coast of Martinique towards the village Le Carbet.

16.32 The taxi was beyond expensive. Our room makes a spartanic room look like a suite. Home is Hôtel Christophe Colomb in Le Carbet. Our room number is 0. Well it is supposed to be 10 but the 1 has fallen down. The hotel got its name from the fact that Columbus put his foot on the shore nearby in 1502.

We have checked in to room zero at Hôtel Christophe Colomb.

18.08 We got out of the room and shopped at "Huit e huit". It is situated under us in the same building. Back inside with what we bought and out again, without it. This time we had a plan to find a restaurant. We managed to find a restaurant. In fact we found several. But they were all closed or more or less tarred down. We have though seen some strangelooking birds and also had a bench break. I am getting hungry and tired. It is still daylight out side but in our bodies is it midnight.

19.39 Our host has informed us, or to be honest me, in French that breakfast is served tomorrow at 08.00. Speaking of food, today’s dinner consisted of juice and bread. There is a restaurant right next to us and the ocean. But it is closed on Mondays. Now we have to stay awake and try to avoid to be affected by the jet lag.

Hôtel Christophe Colomb in Le Carbet.

20.31 It is getting tough to keep my eyes open. I am tired, really tired. I have to get out for some fresh air. I can’t fall asleep already! I have to adapt to the local time.

21.29 Screw jetlag and fight against it. I am going to sleep..

Tuesday 26th of June

07.45 I can hardly call our pillows pillows. They are more a bunch of cotton balls tossed into a pillowcase. Soon we will know what breakfast is here. I hope it is more solid then the pillows.

08.25 We got bread, marmalade, juice, coffee and vanilla yoghurt. Not much to cheer for but still something. I am talking about our breakfast.

Carbet river

Resting on a stone

10.00 We´ve been and bought postcards at a place called Syndicat d´Initiative. Now we are sitting by the Caribbean Sea on a stone each. To my right I can see Saint Pierre and beyond the town is the volcano Pelée which 105 years ago whipped out the town in 10 minutes. All together 30 000 died. The only one who survived was a man that was imprisoned.

10.49 We’ve returned to our number ten. The time has come to write this year’s first postcard. We will also fill up with fluids. The short time outside can be felt in the skin. Clouds and wind make you misjudge the effect of the sun. On the side of the road we saw some guys selling parts of some gigantic fish.

13.53 Enough of sitting inside. It is time to get out. We have to find a dinner place, send the postcards and go for a swim. I am looking forward to it.

The beach in Le Carbet.

15.40 I have been swimming in the Caribbean Sea. It was great, cooling and outstanding. I dried and the sand is warm. This is life as it was meant to be.

16.48 We went back into the waves and also looked for some stones. We found some that were green and let through light. What can it be? Time had come to wash away the salt.

17.40 There was a knocking on our door and I went to open. Could it be our host or someone that he had sent? No it wasn't, it was a dark skinned gentleman who asked for the "rasta man". Could I have any clue of his home and whereabouts?

18.44 We are resting and awaiting the arrival of the darkness. As it gets here we will go on a hunt for a restaurant. It is easier in the dark to see which places are open and which are not. We’ve to be on the safe side bought juice and bread. Before we went and bought juice and bread Christer´s right middle finger collided with the ceiling fan.

19.25 We’ve finally been able to order dinner at Martinique. We just got our sodas and soon we will get our chicken wings with fries. To clear things, it isn’t our wings but the one we ordered. We are at Beach Grill here in Le Carbet. The floor is a part of the beach and the walls seems to be out of bamboo. What is the French word for bill? It is according to Christer´s dictionary l’addition.

20.46 A delicious dinner with coffee to top it off. After that we strolled through our temporary home village before we returned back home. It is damp in here. We have hopes to clear it all out. L’addition worked, perfect.

Peter hiding behind some Martinique information.

21.29 It isn’t any cooler in the room. I am tired again. I haven’t done much today but still so tired.

Wednesday 27th of June

05.34 I just woke up due to the fact that my cell phone rang. I was informed that they had mended my car. I am not going to get it right now I think.

07.49 A new morning with new challenges. Today we will try to walk to the neighbouring town, Saint Pierre. It is according to the map not that far. We can after all see the town from the beach.

08.44 We just had breakfast here in the room. We had forgotten to inform them that we wanted breakfast today as well. But I have ordered some for tomorrow, at least I think so. My knowledge in the French language could have been better.

10.01 We just begun our walk to Saint Pierre. Right now we are having a short stone break. We are back on the beach not far from there we sat yesterday at the same time. There are others on their way to Saint Pierre. They are trying to hitch hike with out any luck.

10.21 What seemed to be a walk in the park has turned out to a true challenge. Not much space for walking on the side of the road.

Saint Pierre

Watching the hummingbirds in central Saint Pierre.

10.48 Along trails, beaches, among cliffs with crabs and on a footpath were our trip. After we had passed a tunnel that lasted a few metres we have been greeted welcome to Saint Pierre. Hurrah! I am really sweating, it drops into the journal!

11.34 We are sitting in the central areas of Saint Pierre. We had a little to drink, had some rain on us from an almost clear blue sky and seen a hummingbird. Around us are the ruins from the old city but also some new houses.

12.24 We have on our way back home been forced to seek shelter from the rain. I am writing this sitting on an boat turned upside down. As soon as the rain stops we will be heading on. We just got out of town.

12.37 The sun came back and with the sun followed the hunger. We decided to get back for lunch. We are at Antonio Beach Restaurang Creole. We’ve ordered their Chicken Special. It is a three course meal that cost us 14 Euro, expensive but the only meal for us today.

12.59 First we got accra, something deep fried with vegetables. Now we have been served chicken with rice and something else. I will get back later with what.

Waiting for our expensive Creole lunch.

13.33 Delicious chicken and something that reminded me of banana and something else. Right now we had enjoyed lychee ice cream. This was exactly what we needed. Next payment before we once again start to walk home.

15.03 The walk home was hot! We are finally back home and we need a shower and a rest. It is around +33˚C out there. Living like this tares on the brave backpackers. We have once more with success used the term L’addition. This is great news and useful.

Christer is happy returning to our "home village".

Saint Pierre and the volcano Pelée.

17.50 The time has come for us to get outside to buy some snacks for this evening. After that we will head for the beach. We want to do this after the sun has set. We had enough of sun for this day.

19.52 After that we had captured the sunset with our cameras we had a quick dip in the ocean. A sunset dip isn’t bad at all. Now it is time for snacks for me and a shower for Christer before we start to pack, perhaps.

21.45 Most of our things are packed and we are watching the football (soccer) game between Mexico and Brazil in Copa America. Mexico leads by 2-0 after the first half. We are feeling a bit washed out. I have to admit that.

The old man and the sea.

Sunset on Martinique.