Midnight walk
Since we got home from Mexico, I've been looking up options about studying abroad, but it's mainly a money question so I need to do some research first before I'll even think of applying.
Tomorrow my friend from Sweden, Pontus, is coming. I'll pick him up at noon in newark and hopefully it will be easier to find him than Staffan when he came over :P.
Our plans for his visit are hopefully a trip down to Washington D.C, Six flags (a amusement park), BBQ's, New York, Movie premier of "Take him to the Greek" and much much more!
The weather's going to stay warm but we have some thunderstorms coming up.
Been a week with glasses
but tomorrow Pontus is bringing
new contacts, fiiiiiinally!!
Last Friday me, Svenja n Dan went to the beach btw, I forgot to write about that, maybe because I wasn't very impressed at all. The beach it self was totally fine, but far away something to brag about. I couldn’t help saying "- It's so much better in Sweden". I just have a picture in front of me of Lomma beach with its white sand and the reed grass. Well I guess there is something to look forward to then when I get back ;P
Yesterday Svenja went out for a coffee with an old friend she hung out with last year when she got here, so I stayed home and hoped she would have the time to take a walk when she was done but her host dad was of course complaining already about the car not being home till 10pm. Instead I was online talking to my mum on Skype, this was around midnight witch means, 6am back in Sweden. I also asked Dan if he felt like going out for a walk since it was still about 29C outside (midnight). He came over and we went for a walk for about 2 h. I was only wearing shorts and a tank top and it was almost too warm to wear that as well.
Around noon today we went over to the mall since it was the last day for me to return a top I've wanted to find in a smaller size (going to look for it in NYC these coming weekends). Of course we bought other stuff as well, I found a pair of black shorts and Svenja got three or four dresses. Luckily we just bought Vacuum bags online this week so when we go home we can put all our clothes in these bags and suck out all the air ;)
Tonight Svenja's coming over and we're going to cook something for dinner. My family is on a Bon Jovi concert so I'm home all alone.
I think she just got here actually...
Catch you on the flip side!
Late May
This weekend we first hade some plans about going up to Boston since it's a place we wanted to visit before Mexico actually, but we just never had the time. Svenja found out she had to work almost the whole weekend so we had to put up the plans again. Instead we hung out with friends that now are back from college. We had some bbq one night and ice cream at Rita's one day; it was a nice relaxing weekend for once!
BBQ, Dan's place
Ice cream at Rita's with Dan and Eddie
This morning I had plans to go out for a run with Dan, I'm not sure if he knew about the plans thought because when I called him 8 in the morning, after dropping of Brian at school, we didn't sounded too excited!
I was fully ready with gym clothes and shoes but we ended up in front of the TV for an hour or two before we went out for a ridiculous short and bad run!
3 days left until my Pontus arrives, going to me so much fun! Trying to figure out what days we going to do everything, but it will all work out I guess. We're going to talk on Skype tomorrow so I’ll try to convince him to bring some Swedish candy!!
Catch you on the flip side!
MEXICO!!!
Sorry for such a late update, but I’ve been mad tired since I got home and I’ve just realized why, I got a cold so my brain hurts! There’s also so much to tell about the week, and I guess I’ll save some till when I get back to Sweden or you’ll have a full night to read about all our adventures in Mexico.
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So where do you start when you had a whole week of awesomness to tell?
I got 599 pictures on my camera and if I could just put all of them up it would be easy I guess!
It all started at hotel Omni in Cancun where we got our room with ocean view without having to pay extra for it. The hotel was really sweet, and they called our room a couple of times to see everything was fine and if we needed anything.
Right when we got there, around noon, we went straight down to the pool and it was love at first sight!
First 5 minutes outside the hotel
Later that afternoon we took the bus all the way downtown, it probably took about 30-40 min. We went to Walmart to get breakfast for the week since we didn’t have all inclusive. All inclusive at the hotel was $ 70 /day per person and how exotic is it to stay in a hotel for a week?
At night we went took the bus and went to Bubba Gump, a restaurant, If you seen the movie Forest Gump, it’s exactly what the concept is build around. It was good food and good margaritas!
Jumbo Shrimps ( I dipped my fingers in the butter, thinking it was lemon water for some reason?!)
Dinner outside at Bubba gump
Next day I think we spend the day at the pool and the beach. The waves were kind of intense the whole week so we couldn’t spend too much time in the ocean.
Monday we went on a tour into the jungle to do some activities and also to see some of the Mayan ruins, something I’ve always wanted to see!
We got picked up early in the morning and it took about 2 hours to get where we were going.
First we go for a very short kayak tour, me and Svenja in one kayak, and I asked her if she done it before, and she said she had, and she fell over… I brought my camera so I got a bit nervous but we did fine.
When we got off we had a short hike in the sk. Jungle. There were a lot of mosquitoes and Svenja is allergic to them so she got bigger rash then the bottom of a corona bottle (I know because I tried putting one on top).
We had a ceremony with a Mayan priest that would give us good luck or something in the jungle, I didn’t really get it, but I hope the old man got paid some for this tourist stuff!
Kayaking
From there we went down in a freshwater cave where we took a swim, it was awesome! And the water was so clear!
Other activities were to lower down from a cliff, cable car ride and kayaking. I guess we felt like doing something else than just hang out at the beach for week when we signed up.
Freshwater cave, me and Svenja to the left
For lunch we had food prepared by Mayans I their village, it was interesting and I think I tried most of it. After lunch we jumped back into the van and droved for about an hour before we stopped at the Mayan ruins. First we had a guide telling us about some ruins around were we stopped then we rented two bikes and went about 10 min further into the ‘jungle’ where the biggest was, called Coba.
You could climb up the stairs, and of course we had to try. It was very steep and the stoned were so hot we burned our hands a little bit.
When we got to the top we were exhausted and warm. Of course we forgot to bring water so Svenja was about to die, -well almost.
On the way down we had to go backwards, one step at a time and I burned my hands so bad I thought I’d fall down from the whole stone pyramid.
The priest and our guide
Lunch at a Mayan village
In front of Coba
The next day we had to recover us out by the pool the whole day. At night we went out to Senior Frogs and met up with some other guys from the hotel.
Wednesday we took the bus all the way downtown to go to Market 28, a marketplace where they sell Mexican stuff, though I thought it was other things than just tourist souvenirs. I think the only thing I bought was a small charm with the Mayan calendar in made in silver, though I don’t really know where I put it!
When we got back to the hotel we played water volleyball with all the other guys from the hotel, fun, but I sucked at it!
At night we went out to a nightclub called “Bulldog” it was really cool place, not as sloppy as I had expected. We went out with about 10 other people from the hotel so we got like the V.I.P table when we got there and had free drinks the whole night (well, everyone had, u paid like $40 for all of it). This meant you could order in a whole bottle of anything just for yourself. Mad crazy!
Downtown
Me and Svenja at the hotel before going out one night
At market 28
At the hotel pool
Jumping picture at the beach, late eveing
Sombrero!
Thursday looked much like Friday;
Last day, Friday, we hung out at the beach and the pool the whole day, sprayed oil on us trying to get the last sunshine on us before we had to pack our bags and go home the next day
At night we had a very spontaneous dinner with two guys we kind of “saved” two days earlier from a backstreet after we were going home from the nightclub, they looked all lost and Svenja remembered them from the hotel, since they arrived the very same day.
Anyway, we went up to them when they were sitting outside at the restaurant/pool at night and started talking to them, it ended with us having dinner with them as well and then we all went out a last night to another nightclub, called “ The City”. We had a great time and the guys were hilarious to hang out with.
When we got back to the hotel we went to the pool down at the beach and jumped in, it was probably around 4am by then. When the “guards” or whatever they where called realized we were in the pool they had us to get up and we all ended up back at the guys room where I ordered room service for all of us (though I do think I was the only one who was hungry). I ordered everything you could order, since they guys had all inclusive we didn’t have to pay anything anyway. Around 6am they knocked at the door and I remembered only having a few things of what we ordered. Then me and Svenja fell asleep at one bed and the guys at the other.
8am I wake up by Svenja telling me it’s 15 minutes before we have to be in the taxi downstairs to get to the airport. We run to our room, pack everything we think we own and get downstairs. Just before we leave Svenja realized we had forgot the small bag with all the money and camera and we had to run up to our room again and look for it. The taxi driver was not very happy with us, but we have him a lot of tips at least!
At the airport we checked in our bags and then went through the safety line. When we got out trough the tax free store, guess who we see? –The two guys from the night before, looking all fresh and happy. I’ll tell you this, we both looked and felt like sh*t!
The guys were talking a flight to Philadelphia so they were leaving a bit before us but we had the time to sit down and talk about the crazy night before they had to leave.
Back at Jersey Dan picked us up and also his sister and a friend who had been to Florida for the weekend. On the way back he took the wrong way so we went on a road trip somewhere for almost 2 h! Way to go! At least we were grateful he picked us up!
So this was the adventure of Anna and Svenja in Mexico! There's a million more pictures and I hope I can show them all when I get back.
I just got one word to describe our week ; AWESOME!
U and me
Catch you on the flip side!
Back in the days
I got off the Wednesday so I could come in to the city and hang out with them one last time before they had to go home.
Outside TGIF
In my van, Johan, Ellen n Tony
At "outback" with the blomming onion.
Janis (my hostmum) n Johan
At home with the swedes
Central Park Wednesday
Ellen n Johan in C.P
Beer time - happy time
Basketball store, don't rember the name of it..
At rockafella
Me n Ellen at rockafella
Famous Pizzaplace close to times square
Catch you on the flip side!
Rutgers n NYC
Friday we took the train from Westfield through Newark and then down to new Brunswick. If we would had a ride to Rahway our trip could have gone from 70 min to 20 min instead, but rather go all that way than sit home!
Dinner in new ark
It was Rutgers festival and it reminded a bit of the festival in Malmö but with only students, maybe more like a mix between the Malmö festival and “Valborg”. It was also about 20-25 C when we arrived around 8pm - like a nice summer night!
Dan met us up and we took the bus over to his campus. New Brunswick is very much like Lund btw.
Back at his dorm we hung out and later played “Never have I ever”, a game when you claim something and if anyone have done it they have to drink. For example: “Never have I ever fall asleep on a public toilet.”. Everyone was so tired since they had been out at the festival all day so we mostly were just chilling.
Never have I ever
Svenja and Dan the man with the tan and the plan
Some "new" guys
Past my bedtime someone stole my camera..
Saturday morning we got a ride back home by Dan. It was about 30 C Saturday! I went home and packed some stuff and tried to get a hold on Ellen, didn’t work very well. Later we realized the area code was wrong. Dan took us back to Svenjas house where I took a quick shower and got changed before I got on the train to NYC.
Svenja the next morning before we went home
Sven and Daninino
Svenja n I at Busch Campus
I was supposed to met up with Daniel downtown to get a dress I forgot at his place last time we went out. So I took the path from Newark to World trade center and then walked over to his place in Tribecka. Do you think he met me up? No! I was kind of pissed because if I knew he wouldn’t I would have gone uptown right away instead. He promised he would send me the dress instead.
I walked uptown through Broadway and went in to Victoria’s Secrets where I found a black bikini top and then to Forever21 where I found a bottom. I had to stand 20 min in line to pay!! I was so pissed and when I got up to pay I asked them why they didn’t opened another (or 3 more!) cashiers. They told me that if they would they wouldn’t have enough people working on the floor. So stupid! Do they expect all costumers to stand in line for 20 min?! Another thing that annoyed me to death was that while standing in line I saw the two cashiers working really slow. They took their time and folded and packed as slow as possible. Back home that would never happened. I know since I worked for Lindex, that you have to “plan” to make it as fast and effective as possible. I have seen other stores being as slow too over here!
I met up with Ellen, Johan (her boyfriend), Tony and Erika (friends of Ellen) around 7pm. We were uptown so we took a cab downtown to meatpacking district. We got up an walked on the highline and then tried to find a nice restaurant/bar where we could sit outside. We found one and then ordered some drinks to start with. Me, Ellen and Erika shared one pitcher of Caprihina. We stayed until maybe 9ish before we started to walk uptown again. It was still so warm outside so I was only wearing a dress then whole night.
Highline in NYC with the Sweds
Sunset from the highline
Ellen and Erika
Ellen helps me with the pitcher
Johan, Ellen, Erika and Tony
At the Irish bar just before I had to leave
When we got up to Penn station/MSG we went in to a Irish bar where we had another drink, well I only had a glass of ice water since I was already so tired. At 11pm I walked over to the station and took the 11.14 train back home. It was first planned that I would stay the night at their hotel but they said the hotel room was really small and it was kind of nice to get back home and get changed and so since we had plans to go to the mall the next day.
Sunday I picked up Svenja and then we were supposed to go right over to new ark to pick the Swedes up but they called and said they wouldn’t get there until half an hour later so we stopped by at Panera in Westfield and got some breakfast.
When we picked them up we went over to Jersey garden mall where we stayed the whole day. We all slit up and me and Svenja walked around trying to find the remaining stuff for our Mexico trip. I got a dress, underwear, a bag, bikini, sunglasses and more. The good thing is that the mall is an outlet mall so you can really find good stuff for great prices!
Ellen, Johan and Svenja at the Mall
We all went back around 6pm and back home Janis and Curt had made dinner for all of us, Svenja stayed as well. We sat outside until 8ish, it was just so nice and warm.
Since Annie was away on a gymnastic met and Curt had a hockey game that night we didn’t really have a car to take the Swedes to the train station later so we come up with the idea to go get Svenjas car before Curt had to leave.
I went with her and at her house she told Jason she was just going to give my friends a ride to the station and then he totally flipped out! He said I was not his priority to help neither my friends. And the insurance just raised 20%. Nothing of this did affect him or the car at all. Like what difference is it if she goes downtown to take a coffee or if she gives them a ride?!
Also that she shouldn’t drive me around anymore either. Since Annie takes the car to gymnastic nowadays Svenja usually drives during night and me during the day. In the beginning I was driving her around the whole time since we usually stayed out later than 10pm (when her car has to be home). He just doesn’t get it, I “help” her out and she “helps” me out, that’s just how it works. He’s an asshole btw! – If I forgot to say it!
Today Ellen and c/o are coming out here to jersey, I don’t really know what the plan is but tonight we’re all going to a steakhouse at least. Sweet!
Catch you on the flip side!
