Fredagsbloggen: Goa, Irland och IT-larm

Text and photo: Helena Bergström

Our week has been filled with events and travel inspiration. At the same time, IT alarms have been ringing, and of course we have been (and are!) nervous. This new era of AI and new technology on the Internet is partly inspiring, but also partly scary…

Table of contents

Goa

Sometimes we get invited to events focusing on different travel destinations, and earlier this week it was time for Goa. Goa is India's smallest state and is located on the country's west coast, on the Arabian Sea.

The area is primarily known for its long sandy beaches, swaying palm trees and relaxed atmosphere, but there are also colorful markets, lush nature, spice plantations and historical sights. We have never visited India – the closest we have been is Sri Lanka – and that's why this was inspiring for us.

India's Ambassador to Sweden, Anurag Bhushan, presents during the event,

Goa was a Portuguese colony for over 450 years, until 1961, and the Portuguese legacy is still evident in the architecture, churches and cuisine. Here, Indian and European influences meet in an exciting mix.

North Goa is generally livelier, with beach bars, markets and nightlife, while South Goa is known for its quieter beaches and more relaxing environments.

We got to experience dance from Goa. Lovely atmosphere!

We were told about what you can do as a tourist in Goa, while also getting a chance to mingle with friends and partners. Were we inspired by Goa? Yes, definitely, and also by India in general.

Have you ever been to India? Please tell us!

Ireland

A little later in the same week it was time for an event with the Irish Tourist Board. This time it was an Irish pub (The Liffey) and the focus was on both Guinness and Halloween. I don't know if you know, but Ireland is #HomeofHalloween.

We had a super nice evening with good beer, good food (fish'n'chips and burgers), quiz and Irish music. What more could you want? Well, it was a Halloween theme too, so some came dressed as Dracula or other dubious acquaintances.

Tourism Ireland organised a quiz and our team (The Campers) actually won! I'm going not We can't say it was thanks to us, but we were simply happy that our table neighbors, Marlene and Martin, were better at acting and stuff.

IT alarm

What else has happened this week is the IT alarm about the risk of hacker attacks on various sites. We have been nervous of course and our IT developer has had to take several steps to reduce the risks. Right now everything seems ok, but what will happen in the future is difficult to predict. You wonder...

This week: Grateful for ...

We are grateful for the great meetings with friends and partners during the week. We have had some troubles too, including a water leak in the camper, and I am grateful that we have the strength to fight together. It means a lot!

Your turn.... What are you grateful for this week?

Buffet with mingle food during the Goa event this week.

The week ahead

During the coming week we will be hanging out at home in the houseboat marina in Stockholm, where we live. We have lots of work to do. It's everything from technical and security updates to collaborations, sponsored articles and emails. There may also be an event, and then there's winter storage for FREEDOM.

What does your upcoming week look like?