South Africa

It's been a while since my last blog. I've been busy planning my trip to South Africa.
I went to see my dear friend who lives in SA to have a well deserved break from everyday life in Copenhagen.
I met so many friendly people during my stay and was positively surprised by the great atmosphere and hospitality of the South African people. To be honest I had heard a lot of bad stuff about the country (mostly from people who has never been there before of course) but I must say, I got my own very good impression of the place.
I will try and share some of my experiences with you.

After a lot of thought I finally found the courage to book my flight to Cape Town. It's been 8 years since my last trip alone and the thought of going to a new country alone really scared me...I think that is why I did it!

03.03.2011
I arrived in Cape Town yesterday after a long flight and went straight through customs and right into the arms of my dear girlfriend M whom I met in Copenhagen one and a half years ago. She was married to a Danish guy, but divorced and moved back to her home country that she loves so dearly. I can see why...

We drove along the coast around 2 hours to Hermanus, where she now lives. The scenery was absolutely amazing, big mountains in the background covered in fog and merchants selling lots of strange stuff at the road side.

We went for a nice sushi dinner that night, we sat on a bench looking over the ocean. The sun is lightly blocked by the thick fog and makes the temperature around 22 degrees. For me it is perfect, still have to get used to the big climate change, leaving snow behind in Copenhagen airport.

04.03.2011
Woke up this morning with the sound of waves clashing into the rocks and crickets singing along with M's 6 month old parrot. She rescued him 1 month ago from a family who abused him.

I make some yogurt with mango for breakfast and sit on the terasse reading my book 'Eat, pray love'. I notice a quote in the book: "It is better to live your own destiny imperfectly, than to live an imitation of somebody else's life with perfection" and it hits me...that is exactly what I'm gonna do. And I'm gonna enjoy the process :o)

05.03.2011
M and I went on a roadtrip. We stocked the car with pink vitamin water and drove for a very long time until we reached this small French looking wine town called Franschoek. We had a lovely lunch, fish of the day with a chilled glass of white wine from the area. M suggested we go see a friend of hers in a local winery, so we did. We arrived to this little oasis of a winery called 'Maison' and were greated by the huge dog who guarded the place. The temperature outside was getting close to 35 degrees and we desperately needed something to chill us down, so in we went to the tasting room, where we tasted a very nice Chenin blanc from 2009.
After a long chat and a little snooze on the grass we drove to a nearby lion sanctuary where we walked around to see the rescued lions close up. They all just had a whole chicken, so most of them was eating their dinner and relaxing in the sun.
On our way back we decided to stop by the winery to buy a six pack of white wine.
Before bed I got my cage diving booked. 4 days from now I will go and see one of the worlds most feared animals...I feel excited and scared at the same time. This is my time to proof that I can do whatever I want, just jump right in...

06.03.2011
I'm sitting here writing in a deck chair at the guesthouse where M works. It's surrounded by beige walls hiding a beautiful sanctuary. In the middle of the courtyard there's a long pool with a little fountain of water running down making a nice relaxing sound. There's a lounge area with big comfy sofas with sea view and a library with pool table, even an open fireplace for the colder nights. Our room is amazing! Everything is kept in whites and beige and just have that beach house feeling over it. Can't wait to sleep in the big bed later.

As for now I'm enjoying the last bit of afternoon sun with my beloved book and the relaxing sound of the water. This is the most relaxed I've felt since I came to South Africa. I finally think my body is getting used to the idea of being on holiday.

M made us the loveliest dinner ever: oestridge steak with mash and vegetables with a glass of chilled sauvignon blanc from 'Gabrïelskloof'. I've never tasted meat so good! It's my new favorite meal. All I need now is a long bath with salt before bed. Bliss :o)

07.03.2011
Drove 3 hours to M's boyfriend's house in Stilbai. I have my own room in the ground floor overlooking the sea. The house itself is in 2 floors and the walls are made of glass. It's like stepping into an episode of MTV Cribs! Outside there's a heated jacuzzi that I'm sure will be used later. The decor is blue, beige and white, sea shells, lighthouses and beach pictures everywhere. Outside there's a big barbecue and a stone oven. How wonderful to be able to spend some time here in this paradise.

08.03.2011
We enjoyed a full day of sun yesterday and the jacuzzi was used a lot...I have a vague recollection about the biggest bubble bath ever and a bottle of Jägermeister...one of the funniest nights I've had ever...! Woke up to find a big bruise on my leg, have no idea how it got there, but at least it wasn't as big as M's. Apparently she had fallen sideways into the jacuzzi! Just lucky she didn't drown. All I know is all I felt like all day was real Coca Cola. Don't remember last time I had one of those.

09.03.2011
Woke up early. Today was the day for testing my courage...it was time to go cage diving! And I was really excited to go. We drove to a nearby town called Gainsbaii where the diving center was. We got a quick briefing and signed the usual 'if you get killed it's on YOU!' The waves were huge, it was like a ride in Tivoli. Luckily me and M had taken some sea sick tablets before going out on the boat, so we didn't get sick. The other couple on the boat weren't so lucky!

When we were outside Dyer Island we set anchor and pushed the cage in the big waves. The bait was thrown in and I got ready in my wetsuit. Before I knew it, there was a shark spottet and I jumped right in as the first person in the cage. M stayed on the boat taking pictures. The water was very unclear and the visibility poor which meant, that out of no where a great white suddenly appeared right in front of me! I felt my heart beat a little faster than usual and took a deep breath. I stayed under as long as I could to watch this amazing animal. I tried not to get my hands and feet outside the cage, but it was very difficult cause of the waves. But after a while my natural fear changed into a deep respect and wonder of this animal who has been around since the dinosaurs. It just patrolled past the cage and looked at me like it was the most natural thing on earth. Next thing it jumped for the bate when I least expected it. I felt a strange calmness and presence that is hard to describe. Absolutely AMAZING !!! After 20 minutes I was shaking so much because of the cold water that they had to help me up from the cage. 20 minutes had felt like 2 minutes! I saw 4 great whites where 2 of them where over 3,5 m. They seemed much bigger than on Discovery Channel! I'm sure this first encounter with the great white will stay in my mind forever.

The rest of my trip I got to meet M's wonderful family and friends that I will never forget. Thank you for spending time with me and showing me your country. I feel really blessed to have met you all. A special thanks to my soulmate M who made this trip possible <3

Egypt

Woke up to the news today saying that the demonstrators in Cairo has ruined some of the ancient pieces in the Cairo museum. They've smashed old artifacts and stolen statues. I'm sure they are very upset about 30 years with the same president, but come on...Those priceless pieces have survived for more than 4000 years, why would anyone do something like that!? It is just so pointless and makes me really upset. I really hope for Egypt and the rest of the world, that they find a solution very soon before everything gets destroyed. 

Full moon

Because I have a lot of English friends, I will from now on write my blog in English.

It's been a while since I last wrote...Been having some trouble with my Internet...Time to get an Iphone I think! Don't think there's any excuses left now :o)

The other day when I came home from the hospital visiting my dying grandfather, I was feeling sad inside. I saw how in Denmark you shouldn't get sick, when you are past a certain age. It's like the old people just get a stamp that says "Do not try to keep this creature alive, it's past the sell by date...!" What a shame to see how bureaucratic everything is in the national healthcare system. After falling down a ladder head first, my grandfather couldn't sleep. After hours of waiting in the emergency room they found 2 fractures in his shoulder and told him he had a concussion. He was sent home again to his house where he lives alone age 89. Next day he was found in the hallway passed out. He was rushed to the hospital where he still is today. No heart monitor, no one noticing the brain haemorrage that followed. A reserve doctor checking reflects outside the clothes and so on...Just the worse case of incompetence I've witnessed in a long time (including my time working in the hospital during my bachelor in medicine). But he has given up now, they've succeeded in taking the last bit of hope away, so that's that, and killing him slowly with crappy food. Makes me want to move to another country where at least they have a minimum of criterias that have to be followed when someone comes in and has fallen down a ladder and has a concussion. You don't just send the person home alone again... Note to self: "Don't get sick when you're old, have an emergency suicide pill, so you don't have to suffer like that with bad information and really bad food!"

So when I came home from the hospital, I decided to turn my state of mind around, since nothing good will come out of me being sad and it certainly wont help my grandfather. So instead I decided to meet with one of my best friends who always makes me laugh and go see a funny movie. When everything is sad, that always works for me, just watching a funny movie and thinking about something else. Thank you 'Klovn-the movie' !

As I cycled through the streets of Copenhagen the moon caught my eye...It was absolutely beautiful. I was late for the movie because I had to get a picture of it to share with you. Here it is...Always amazes me how everything just looks nicer in real life...

Astanga

Vågnede i morges med en dejlig følelse indeni efter en skøn aften i
Astanga yogaens tegn. Fik lov til at stå på hovedet og blive rettet
igennem som aldrig før, virkelig en vidunderlig følelse.  
   Derudover blev jeg bekræftet i at det jeg gør til dagligt som kiropraktor,
virkelig har en god effekt på folk. Jeg fik det skønneste, varmeste
kram af en taknemmelig patient og gik hjem med et smil på læben. 

   Tak for taknemmelighed. Jeg vil prøve at sige mere tak denne uge og se
hvordan det påvirker mit humør. Jeg vil prøve at finde alle de små
ting i hverdagen og huske på at sige tak. I en travl dagligdag er det
nemt, at glemme de små ting som vi bare tager for givet.
Vil starte med at sige tak fordi sneen er ved at smelte væk, så jeg
kan cykle sikkert på arbejde :o) 
Hvad vil du være taknemmelig for denne uge?


Woke up this morning with a lovely feeling inside after a wonderful night in the sign of Astanga yoga. I got to do a head stand and I was corrected in my posture more than ever before, truly a wonderful feeling. 
   Further more I got confirmation on what I do on a daily basis, as a chiropractor, really has a good effect on people. I received the nicest, warmest hug from a grateful patient and went home with a smile on my face. 
   Thank you for gratitude. I will try this week to say thank you more and see how it affects my mood. I will try and focus on all the little things and be grateful. In a busy everyday life it is easy to forget the little things we take for granted. I will start by saying thanks because the snow is now melted, so I can cycle safely to work again :o) 
What will you be grateful for this week? 

Yoga

Jeg blev inspireret af en rigtig god veninde idag. For ikke mere end et døgn siden overtalte jeg hende til at tage til yoga fordi jeg var sikker på hun ville få det bedre bagefter.
   Nu er jeg sådan en type som du sikkert selv kender lidt til, der har det bedst med at give gode råd til andre. Så da jeg kom træt hjem fra arbejde idag i 10 cm sne og allermest havde lyst til at krølle mig sammen under mit nye bløde tæppe fra Karmameju (kan varmt anbefales!), måtte jeg lige huske tilbage på de vise ord. Jeg tænkte det var på tide at lytte til fornuftens og ikke lystens stemme og dermed forvildede jeg mig ud i kulden med min meget orange yoga måtte under armen (som folk på gaden stadig tror er et liggeunderlag til overnatning hos en ven - NEJ det er det ikke - fat det nu!). Nu havde jeg lige tilfældigvis en af de der dage, hvor jeg havde lidt ondt af mig selv - højst sandsynligt pga. mit lave østrogen niveau her på den her tid af måneden...Og som sædvanligt er jeg ikke så god til at kommunikere det ud til min dejlige engelske kæreste, som egentlig bare synes jeg er lidt småirriterende i disse dage. Som han sagde, da jeg brokkede mig lidt over, at det en gang om måneden til tider var lidt træls at være kvinde..."You should think, that you would have gotten used to it now honey...you are after all 26 years old!" Sådan, så kan jeg lære det. Men det hjalp altså ikke ligefrem på mit i forvejen glimrende humør.
   Men da jeg så træder ind i yogacentret og skal have udleveret min nøgle af ejeren, kigger han på mig og siger: "Hej med dig, du ligner én der bare har brug for at blive holdt om!" Og jeg kunne jo ikke andet end at give ham ret. Godt observeret siger jeg bare, sådan. Note til selv: Du er altså ikke så god til at skjule hvordan du har det, som du troede...
   Yoga timen i 37 graders varme gjorde godt for mig, jeg nød hvert eneste af de 90 minutter, tænkte at det kunne jeg jo ligeså godt, nu jeg var der. Og alle de negative tanker forsvandt hurtigt, i takt med at mit fokus gik til åndedrættet. Tak til fornuftens stemme og min veninde der satte et godt eksempel for mig.

   Men pointen med historien er, at selvom det er vinter og man måske er lidt træt og ikke rigtigt orker kulden og den der træning, så få det gjort! Det giver så meget glæde bagefter og du vil takke din krop for det :o) Så på med løbeskoene, balletskørtet, boksehandskerne eller frem med yoga måtten og kom afsted!

I was inspired by a really good friend today. No more that 24 hours ago I convinced her to go to yoga, because I was sure she would feel better afterwards. Now I'm the type of girl, that you probably know, who feels better giving good advice to others. So when I came home tired from work today in 10 cm snow and just wanted to curl up under my new soft 'Karmameju' blanket (can recommend it!), I had to remember my own wise words. I thought now is the time to listen to the voice of reason and not the voice of want, so I got into the cold with my very orange yoga mat under my arm (people still think it's some sort of sleeping mat for sleep overs - IT'S NOT - just get it!). I was having one of those days where I was feeling a little bit sorry for myself - probably because of my low estrogen levels this time a month…and as usual I'm not the best communicator to my lovely English boyfriend, who just thinks I'm a bit irritating these particular days. Like he said, when I moaned about being a woman this time a month…"You should think, that you would have gotten used to it by now honey…you are after all 26 years old!" Just like that, then I can learn! But it didn't exactly do wonders on my mood. 

But then when I step into the yoga center and is receiving my key for the locker, the owner looks at me and says: "Hey you, you like like someone who just needs a hug!" And of course I could only agree. Nice observation dude! Note to self: You are not as good at hiding your emotions as you thought you were…

The yoga class in 37 degrees warm did me really good, I enjoyed every single of the 90 minutes. And all the negative thoughts disappeared as I focused on my breathing. Thank you voice of reason and my friend who was a good example for me.

The point is that even though it is winter and you might be a little bit tired and don't want to go out in the cold to do your workout, just do it! It gives you so much pleasure afterwards and you will thank your body for doing it :o) So put on those running shoes, ballet tutu, boxing gloves or get your yoga mat out and get going! 

2011

Velkommen 2011:-)

Et år der byder på yoga, meditation, healing, selvudvikling og kiropraktik 'en masse'. Dette er tilgivelsens år, tilgivelse af dig selv og andre.
Jeg har lige tændt lyset i min nyindkøbte keramiske buddha og vil nyde aftenen med velfortjent afslappelse og reflektion over den sidste uges indtryk med folk omkring mig der mister job, helbred, kærester og balance. Men samtidig har det været en lærerig uge med udvikling af mine evner indenfor den spirituelle verden. Ser frem til hvad dette år bringer.

Welcome 2011 :o)

A year of yoga, meditation, healing, self development and chiropractics 'en masse'. This is the year of forgiveness, forgiveness of yourself and others. 

I just lighted my newly bought candle in my new cheramic buddha and I'm going to enjoy the evening with well deserved relaxation and reflection about the last weeks impressions with people around me losing their jobs, health, boyfriends and balance. But in the mean time it has been an interesting week with development of my skills in the spiritual world. I'm looking forward to what this year might bring.

Welcome to my blog:-)