transtrion

After months of traveling through Asia, enduring sickness and mending wounds, climbing, crawling, sprinting and swimming, I finally arrived in Seoul, South Korea. How many times I've imagined that day, for years I've been playing with the idea of actually one day visiting this Mecca of E-Sports, and now I had only one thing on my mind; Starcraft.

It just a computer game, but a computer game I've played since I was 12, now 20, and watched the professionals play from streams since before they had English commentary. In the past year has this game grown rapidly in popularity, now with major tournaments going on all over the world. But it's always been about Korea, now and then, and coming here to see the place I've watched trough my computer was truly a dream come true.

Nothing else was really important during my stay. I was here to watch Starcraft and as much Starcraft as I could fit in that time. On the first day I headed out to the GOMtv studio for the GSL Code A matches, heart pounding and eyes distantly dreaming, with absolutely no idea what to expect. Kaldor, one of the commentators, greeted me, spoke to me and joked with me. I didn't know how to react, instead of bursting out with energy as I should, I got silent, timid. This was not even the man I've watched since old. This was not Nick 'Tasteless' Plott, the first English commentary in Korea, who I've since he started four years ago have listened to, learned from, laughed with and looked upon from the other side of the world, still this Kaldor managed to move me so much.

Obviously I went there the next day, but now they were shooting Code S, the highest of the leagues. This meant other casters, in particular the duo I hoped would be back from their casting in the States. I was a bit late and it was raining as I ran through the streets towards the GOMtv studio. Entering the studio a bit absentminded just as they were going live, I saw Artosis in his casting booth. He smiled at me.

I might be a bias fanboy, but Dan 'Artosis' Stemkoski is one of the two I've listened most to in the past year, to me one of the highest, if not the highest, authority in game analysis and a nerd I have the outermost respect for. He makes half of the duo Tasteosis, the other part being Tasteless, which is to me the safest cast to get a experience from a game, and I watch everything they do. So there he was, smiling at me.

Same thing as the day before happen, I froze up and was almost unable to follow the games. Even thou I couldn't hear what he was saying over the Korean casting blasting out in the sound system, was still his smile there, the way he twitches when he says something funny or how he trows his head back whenever someone else delivers a punchline. It was all there, just like being home in front of the computer, but on the same way the exact opposite. This time I was actually here. Because of that was I only able to produce a short "Thank you for everything" when I caught him after the show.

On the third day as I walked to the studio did I arrive at the same time as both Nick and Dan. This being the Tasteosis, the magical duo, both of them, and I couldn't produce a single word. I was just smiling, beaming. They saw me, standing there like some mental patient, and gave me noticeable nod. These were like friends I've never spoken to, so what would I say? I followed them in silence and then crept up in a chair as close to their booth as possible, to maybe catch something they'd say during their cast.

As the last game started I was playing with the idea of actually quell my inner chicken and go for the autograph, maybe even a photo. It was like playing with the idea of asking out your crush, it's been a while now but I remember it the same way, the anxiety, the rush of chemicals messing up every sense in your body giving you the weirdest of headaches. Then suddenly one of them won. The game was over, my crush was advancing.

I sprung up from my seat and dived right for the question. Unfortunately my long suppressed stutter came back now while facing this legendary duo, so it's amazing how they even could make out what I was saying. As I walked away from the studio was my entire body shaking, I could feel the adrenaline dimming my eyes. I could have walked straight in to a tree without feeling any pain. While waiting for some take-out the owner asked me if I was cold and that he could close the door.

The picture below showed me how anything is possible. Not that it's a big achievement, just that it has been a dream for so long that I for some reason thought would never happen. To all you none believers; dreams do come true!

//Nisse

Oh yeah, and I got NaDa's autograph as well. Damn that felt good!

From the left: Dan 'Artosis' Stemkoski, Me, Nick 'Tasteless' Plott

I think most visitors of Singapore would agree upon how successfully it has been planed, with the lack of traffic jams, loots of trees and plenty of parks for a nice stroll. Then again, I think most visitors of Singapore would agree that this perfection makes it a bit dull. Not in a lackluster way, not in a dead way because everything is shining, it's just a bit too good, almost uninspiring. That being said, Singapore have a spiring cultural scene, but without any urban fermantation I felt like the city lacked creativity.

I most say thou that Singapore have a great sense of humour. In a city with so much people from so many different cultures being mashed together, the most attractive tourist attractions are still the hotels. The tought of going to a city just to stay at the hotel feels amusing, but it seems to work. An other thing entertaining me was what they chose to show at the tourist maps. In the shortage of actual magic in Singapore they invested in a big Ministery of Manpower, properly marked on the tourist map so everyone could come and visit. They might not have Hogwarts but they sure are proud about the University of Chicago which takes that place on the map.

Also Sweden got a their fair amount of bashing, first of all with the Halal Swedish Cafe and Bistro which to me seems rather incomprehensive, and then also with the placement of their Embacy. With all the other embacies beautifully placed in fancy skyscrapers or located with other embacies in the outskirts of the metroline, Swedens embacy is by itself, sharing facilites with the Public Utilities Board.

I really love my own country and my home city, so it makes me reluctant to compare it to Singapore. Somehow it seems like they managed to fix problems like traffic jams, lack of vegetation and too narrow sidewalks, even adding flirty customs officers to the list of important, nay vital, requirements for a functional city . The people laying the plans for this people really put a lot of effort in to it, but the result is impeccable.

//Nisse

Now visiting Singapore, a trip booked more than anything out of rage after yet another wound, meant that my first priority was to find a hospital. I had to make the trip worthwhile. I’d cut myself under the foot while snorkeling in Thailand and which mustered so much momentum out of the country that I soon left it, for Singapore. It's a fancy city, a lot of skyscrapers and money, so after just a brief look at the city map I knew exactly where to go for a suiting high class foot-treatment; Raffles Hospital.

Raffles, as in Stamford Raffles, the founder of the city Singapore, is not just a man, a Hotel or a Hospital. To this city is he like an element of the world, like energy and math, like Gaia. He is everywhere. First off, he was the Hospital I visited in the morning, and of course Raffles Dental clinic right next to it. After green light from the doctor and a new hope, a fresh foot to stand on so to speak, I headed for lunch in a apparently famous food court down town, appropriately places on Raffles Quay.

A quick lunch at the Lau Pa Sat food court and I was set on a drink in the famous bar in Raffles Hotel. I'd started doubting my compass during the day due to a surprising increase in wrong turns, so I headed towards Raffles Place, the metro station. My logic behind this was basically: Obviously the station is named after the famous hotel that'll be conveniently places in the middle of the... Raffles Place. Alas how wrong I was.

Raffles Place, the metro station, is suitably located in the center of the Raffles Place Plaza, right next to One Raffle Place, the shopping center. For a persistent twenty year old tourist it takes about half an hour to understand that the Raffles Hotel is not anywhere close this area but rather uptown, much closer to City Hall. A big area on the map named Raffles City seamed like a better idea now.

Raffles City, another massive shopping center was an equal disappointment in my search for the famous bar. It did provide some expensive shopping, but as far as Raffles Hotel goes was this another hour lost. Apparently it was across the street.

Finally, after a day spent scaling skyscrapers in the dozens, I arrived at the Raffles Hotel right before sunset. In my surprise was it a pretty little three stories white colonial house instead of the vulgar tower I was expecting, but it suited me perfectly. I was tired of stairs and elevators. Up on the second floor lays the famous Long Bar, original home of the well now cocktail Singapore Sling.

Filled with some alcohol and half a kilo free peanuts I took the next direction on the map. It was to the east. Bringing out my compass, marking my destination with a big cross and putting on my imaginary Indiana Jones/"Captain" Jack Sparrow -hat and marched on along Raffles Boulevard. Drunk on luxury from this day of abundance i had but one more goal for the day; The Fountain of Wealth.

The cave was hidden down a roundabout, surrounded by even more skyscrapers. The were still impressive, but started to get a bit tiresome for my neck. I went closer, surprised by the choice of music bouncing up from the roundabout in form of Goo Goo Dolls hit song Iris. While singing along I entered the queue to make a wish in the fountain.

"And I don't want the world to see me, 'cause I don't think that they'd understand."

I drank heartily, thirstily from the sweet water of wealth. I consumed as much as I could in the three small sips I managed to sneak in when the patrolling guard wasn’t watching. It was a rich taste, and kind of oily. Three younger girls standing behind me looked perplexed at my endeavors to absorb the magic of this cave. It was worth it, I could feel how my fate slowly changed. While absorbing this feeling, taking it to me and sensing it's deeper meanings I also sensed how my feet hurt after a day of walking. Better go home and tend to them again.

//Nisse

We’ve decided and acted upon the decision to go to Koh Samui. We’ve now found a decent place (the cheapest here but still 300 baht a night) and have done enough sunbathing for us to have gained another layer of brown! We met two Swedish girls on the previous beach and it just so happened that they were also going here so we’ve joined forces and are now planning on making the town unsafe by partying till we drop!

Life remains the same as it has for a while now; relaxing and making the most out of the paradise that is Thailand. Homesickness becomes a more present feeling but we have to remember that all that is waiting for us back home is work and, from what I hear, a rather snow filled spring. Everything is awesome here still.

//Victor

The night was reaching climax. Men wielded fire like it was harmless and the moon showed its face completely and smiled down upon the humans who so frantically worshipped its coming. So many stories of passion and ecstasy were being told at that very moment but one stood out among the rest. The story of three Swedish boys who’s story the moon had followed for almost two months. The moon benignly envied their presence and the impermanence of their existence, wanting to be a part of their emotions and to touch the glorious abs of the man and the legend; Victor Jeansson!

The trio was making their way through the crowd when suddenly a face stood out from the many others. The bearded gnome, the Nisse if you will, stopped and made first contact. Her face radiant and her smile inviting. As the hours went by the connection was obvious. He made the decision, the one that was clearly the right one. The trio was split, though not out of anger.

The moon saw the story of Victor and became jealous but not surprised; he was destined to be a home wrecker!

‘What a party this was’, thought the moon, ‘how lucky I am to receive such praise at this place and at such a regular basis!’ The crowd was frantic, and the party went on until even the moon had no power to stay up and had to give in the persistence of the sun.

The boys fucked up during the booking of hotels and ended up at the wrong side of the island, going home was less then pleasant when it took almost an hour. Thomas and Victor stayed on this beach and are now eating lunch at what can only be described as paradise, even better than Sihanoukville!

//Victor