Anisi's travel pages

Do Travel!!

I simply LOVE to travel. There's nothing else that I rather would spend my time and money on. I'm curious to see how other people live, think, talk and dance. I wanna see what they eat, wear, what motivitates them, whom they marry, and last but not least, what I can learn from them!! Travelling gives me inpspiration and new perspective on my own life. While travelling, you are encountered with zillions of new situations that you would never experience in your own secure and well-known home environment. That makes you develop and grow as a human.

The most important lesson I've learnt by travelling, is to always try to keep an open mind. To be tolerant and curious about the unknown. To realize, that the way we think and act in a certain situation, doesn't neccessary have to be the correct one. Another thing that travelling has showed me is that people really ARE the same wherever you go!!!! I defenitely belive that there are greater differences in the way people are WHITIN a country, than between any pair of them. I think my grannys quote: "In all countries, you have both toilets and castles." says it all.

Below, you can read about some of my trips in greater detail. Enjoy.

Japan July 2006

In connection with a conference (MTNS2006), I got the possibilty to spend some time in a country east of Nepal!!! It was one of the most intense experiences I have had so far, why I'm seriously thinking about another biking trip, this time somewhere in the far-east (most probably Vietnam or Laos). Please drop me a line if you've done something in that direction or would be interested in doing so....

Pictures: (to appear).

Germany & Italy June 2006.

Route map

Two highlights of this trip were to see the world cup game between Iran and Mexico in Nuremberg, but also snorkle at the incredible nice beaches of Sardinia.

Countries visited:

Germany: Frankfurt, Nuremberg.
Italy: Treviso, Rome, Sardinia (Cala Gonone, Castelsardo, Sassari, Stintino, Alghero).

Pictures: (to appear).

East/Central Europe (on bicycle), June- August 2002.

Route Map

While backpacking in Central America, me and my sister rented bikes and traversed this small Nicaraguan Island (Isla De Ometepe). It took us 6 h, and that day I realised that bicycle is the optimal way to travel. You move slow enough to be able to gather and integrate all the new impressons you are under, yet fast enough to cover a descent distance each day.

Most of the countries in this area are standing in the front line for joining the EU and I guess I wanted to see with my own eyes what the situation is like, before the grand entrance... I'm already looking forward to come back to this region in a few years time in order to make a comparision.

I did some 3600 km during this trip, however I would like to emphasise that biking is merely a means of transportation for me. Most bikers out there, seem to plan their route with the help of a map and a ruler!! They pass the countires the way crows fly. I think that's unfair to the country that you're visiting. Therefore, I started in the other end by first deciding what places and sites that interested me the most, and then simply rode my bike there. I basically put time at the very end of my priority list.

Countries visited:

Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and Croatia.

Pictures:

Album 1 Album 2

Central America, May- July 2001.

Route Map (to appear)

I did this back-packing trip with my beloved sister. I'm generally a big hipanic/latino culture fan, so you can just guess how I enjoyed spending time here about... For instance, Guatemala and Nicaragura are both on my top 5 list, when it comes to most fascinating countries.

Countries visited:

Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica.

Pictures:

To appear.

U.S., Spring break 2001

Route Map

My third academic year was spent as an exchange student in Houston. During our spring break that year, I did this car trip together with two other exchange students from Sweden, namely Kriss and Janne.

Places visited:

Los Angeles, San Fransicso, Las Vegas and Grand Canyon.

Pictures:

Album

Iran, June- July 2000

Ruote Map (appearing soon)

This was my first visit to Iran since my family left it back in 1988, dutring the Iran-Iraq war. As most other "homecomers" we were treated superb, almost like royalties, and consequently it's hard not to like it. But one should always keep in mind that actually living down there is a whole different story....

Places visited:

Tehran, Shiraz, Persepolis, Esfehan, Shomal (Chaloos).

Pictures:

(soon...)

Atlantic and the Mediterranean Sea (onboard on HMS Carlskrona), January- April 1999

Route Map

In Sweden, millitary service is compulsary for all male citizens. So, when i turned eighteen and it was time for me to "serve my country", I knew almost immediately where I wanted to end up; onboard on Swedish Navy's largest minlayer, HMS Carlskrona. Not because I was particulary interested in the art of minlaying, but because each year, HMS Carlskrona sails out on a 3-4 month long training expedition around the world. The main purpose with these expeditions are to give the naval cadets the opportunity to spend a longer period of time at sea. To learn things that are hard to practise here in the Baltic Sea, such as astro-navigation. Furthermore, these cruises are a excellent way to show the swedish flag and industry abroad.

This is probably my most unique trip ever. Mainly because of the sailor-suite we all were wearing:)) Travelling "as sailors do" is something everyone should experience at least once in life...

For those of you who can read swedish: läs gärna resebrevet som jag skrev under långresan.

Countries visited:

Azores (Portugal), S:t Barthelemy (France), Mexico, USA, Spain, Egypt, Libanon, Turkey, Greece, Italy, France, Belgium.

Pictures:

Album 1 Album 2

Other trips I remember:

Hamburg, Germany, Sep. 2006.

Czeck Republic, July 2005.

Croatia, July 2004

Turkey, July 2003

France, December 1999.

England, July 1997.