Skate Sm 09

Skateboarding championships in Helsinki were on full throttle when I got there early afternoon and continued well into the night.

Crazy talent was to be found all around but what caught my attention were the under 12yr series and its contestants.

Determination was apparent on the faces of the boys showcasing their tricks and everyone had moments succeeding. Also, living the life of a beauty industry worker, the obvious team spirit and solidarity amongst the contestants is something that reminded me how everyone can grow and gain from cooperation.

Here's some of my favourite moments captured trying out the Canon 70-200 f2.8l.

Bummer i need to be somewhere but there today so all you who have a choice in how to spend your sunday, go and marvel, cos today it's the pros' day!

Open series winner Sami Miettinen

My favourite picture of the day :)

I didn't get the names of the guys in the pictures so feel free to shout my way if u are / know them.

Finnish Catwalk

Had a great couple of days working at the Finnish Catwalk fair.

Great people around, all very professional (even the 5yr-old models :) and despite early starts everyone had time to enjoy the sun in between shows.

Here's some of my favourite moments both on- and backstage.

Wreck ahoy

Bali is, by many, considered one of the most beautiful places on this globe. I agree totally but was really disappointed in the southern tourist region of the island. Ubud, the artsy village located center of the island is definitely great fun but this time i'll pay my respects to the small eastcoast village of Tulamben.

It takes about 4 hours from kuta and 3 from ubud to reach the place by car. the traffic gets a bit crazy sometimes so a local driver with a sturdy jeep is not a bad call.

Unless you have confirmed lodging address where you'll be heading upon reaching Tulamben, one might get a bit overwhelmed by the fact that you're dropped off roadside to what seems exactly like the last 30 kilometers you just journeyed. But there's definitely more to this charming place than meets the eye. On the beachside you'll find a couple of resorts with scuba operators attached and on the other side of the road there's cheaper local accommodation and independent dive shops lined up.

Unfortunately all but one of the local dive operators were run by foreign people. With their shiny exteriors and multilingual staff they're a better choice for someone who's just dipping their head under for the first time.

If you have any experience ( i did my first dives here after completing OWD) and want to support the true locals I'd definitely and with a warm smile recommend the blue water diving. Run by a couple of local guys, the atmosphere is efficient and friendly. If staying for more than a couple of days you'll usually be able to bargain a great deal and the divemaster who stayed with us for the whole 2 weeks was a true natural. Having dove the waters from the age of 10 he'd know all the best spots and seemed to actually hang out with the fish as he'd be one of them.

All the gear was in top condition and carried by porters, who are a great example of local people joining forces for a mutual good.

The divesites are diverse and the Liberty wreck one of the most fun wrecks to dive cos it's located so shallow and gets loads of light.

Also hanging out along the road that binds the village together you can't escape the true ardour for life and the genuine kindness of the people. I've never before or since experienced that kind of ambiance.

there'd be so much to gush about so i'll just say: go and see for yourself!

all pics by Timppa

Safe Eats

Now that another friend arrived from a trip abroad having suffered some sort of digestive dilemma and having encountered quite a few on my travels myself I decided it's time to list the 'safe eats' rules by me.

# tap water is generally not the best idea to consume at the start of the trip. The bacteria being usually so different from where you're from may cause your insides to act on it. However this doesn't mean there's anything wrong with the water. If need arises, desensitizing your tummy by brushing your teeth with it for a week or so first gives you a general idea how you'll react.

#Cooked food is good food. Proper heating gets rid of most of the bacteria and steering on the vegetarian side releases you from worrying about salmonella and the sorts. Then again the same knife might be used to cut raw animal products and vegetables.

#When eating fish, make sure it's fresh and get the whole fish. More that once i've witnessed big day old barracudas missing a couple of fillet steaks rinsed in the sink and placed back to display with the fresh catch.

#No animals (except on the plate) with your food. Scratching a scabby stray dog while using the same hand to eat pineapple cut with a dirty knife (STUPID!!!) most likely landed me with

IBS-like symptoms doctors say i'll be getting along with for the rest of my life.

#Wash your hands, use hand disinfectant if you feel like it but most of the time soap will do just fine. Don't pick your nose, scratch your head or scavenge your feet while eating.

#enjoy your food. Don't get paranoid just cos something doesn't look like at home. Explore and try new flavors, eat where the locals do and if your tummy is as sensitive as mine you'll be best friends with the bowl at some point anyways. Might as well get it over with sooner than later.

photo: Ross C