Saturday, November 29, 2008

29/11 Pearls on the beach, Australia

On our last evening in Australia Amanda and Peter Clark, our Australian distributor, took us to their favorite restaurant, Pearls on the Beach on Pearl Beach NSW. This is a gem. The food was innovative and to die for, the house spot on the beach and full of charm and the surroundings incredibly beautiful. And to top it of, impeccable service and in Swedish to!!!
Thank you Peter and Amanda for this!
Very charming building


Peter Amanda, Camilla and me.

Kind of discreet sign...

This soup had a very interesting taste and the shrimp so good.
Scallops just so
Not just a steak. And that Aussy meat is incredible

And Camillas risotto so fresh and light. And the wine....




Sunday, November 23, 2008

15/11 Down under

I spent a great week in Australia. Checking out the paddling industry as well as visiting Renai and Woggy! They are my nieces.
Peter and Amanda outside the Kayaking World retail store. Peter also distributes Point 65 througout Australia.

Camilla, Peter and Amanda inside the store
Probably the most unique and unusual photo ever taken in Sydney. With Sanna, Renay, camilla and Sahara. (that strange looking building in the background is an entertainment center of sorts in Sydney)
Sydney dealer, Blue Earth Paddlesports.
Every Australian eats oysters (some spit it out)
Pelican kayaks? No he is just watching...
Are you eyeballing me?
At Sydney Harbor Kayaks having a chat with Shannon
Sometimes the kayaking business can get really tuff....
Heading north, filling up.
we trecked in the Wychwood Forest near Armidale NSW through Fox Valley
After the hot treck we jumped into the creek. Sahara looking for eals. We acctually saw a 2 meter eal only after getting out of the water...
Happy faces before we knew what was in there. Wog, Sahara, Sanna and Rod.
We met this guy sunbathing to.
This must be the smallest kayak factory in the world (what you see is it!), Joy and Richard at KoastalKayaks run a very efficient shop making very nice Sit On Tops. Richard drives them up and down the Queensland and NSW coast delivering them to dealers himself. Great set up -spot on in the middle of the Gold Coast. Now worries aye mate!
In Brisbane at River City Kayaks. Great service, nice boats (Point 65!) and lots of stuff.
A customer getting Steves full attention.
I bought the latest issue of the Outdoor Australia Gear Guide...
wich was full of pictures of a Point 65 SeaCruiser in action! Pleasant surprice.
Now here a real Australian family. Rod, Allsion and Peter Collins and a XXXX!


Sunday, November 2, 2008

21/10 Nigel Foster (and me) arrested in China! Paddling the Bund

On our last day of our China trip we did something crazy. Paddling "the Bund" in central Shanghai has, to our knowledge, never been tried before.
The hit squad consisted of Nigel Foster, Lina Westerlund, Paul Rosenqvist, Staffan Ahltin and me. Good opportunity to try the new Chinese top secret skintight pfd project.
A few strokes...
and we were out on the river
illuminated by the unbelievable light spectacle that is the Bund.
The high rises on the Pudong side. These buildings work as 100x30 meter screens showing commercials to the people strolling on the Bund.
On top of that barges with 50x20 meter floating screens scurry up and down the river also displaying commercials.
Paul with all of Pudongs glory in the background.
BUSTED! After a couple of hours on the water a search light started zeroing in on us. A smatter of megaphone amplified Chinese got closer and closer. Until we were broadsided by two Chinese police vessels.
After some discussions we were finally brought on board. We got our legal eagle Young on the phone who swiftly negotiated our release. Hurray, we will make our flights!!!!


The brave explorers. Are we the first to have paddled through down town Shanghai? Staffan Ahltin, Nigel Foster, Paul Rosenqvist, me and Lina Westerlund.

19-27 Ocober Point 65 roaming China (part 3)

The Point 65 trip to China was full of experienses. Here an excerpt!
Near our factory is this ethnic Uigurien hole in the wall were we usually have lunch. Lina, staffan, Christian, me, Micheal, Camilla, Tomas, Paul & Chici

Their noodles are not only delicious but watching them being made is great entertainment
Hey guys, going home with identical snapshots eh...

And there were noodles.

Dessert arrives at the right moment


The team having a look at some boats in the productionline
Assembly in the works
Our assembly hall
Driving around wester China. Me, Young, Lina, Camilla, Staffan & Paul.
Pit stop
Chinese gas stations have somewhat differnt food on offer compared to back home...
My sister Marika and me admiring this baby with the great hat.
Checking out the kitchen in this mountain restaurant
Outside the "farmers restaurant" near Ningbo.
And digging in. Nigel, Vivi and Staffan.
staffan letting of some steam after lunch.
At the rotomolding factory.
Hey Justin, thats you on the sign on the roof of that factory!
The neighbours.
A game of...
of poker!
Staffan orders the food
At the old ladies restaurant. Paul, Old lady and Staffan
Dinner with the station heads. Wou, Yi and Yu
Mold builder Master Yu, Nigel and Lina.
Chici, Lee, Me, Wang and Staffan


Nigels latest design. It's very stable but heavy:-)
Paul & Aling
Pauls Shanghai office
Paul on the terrace of he dorm building.

I have been instrumenal in getting the flowerbeds in order outside the factory. One of my pet projects.
Staffan likes borrowing local hats...
Newly wedes get their picture taken