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Ninjo - Nina and Joachim

We are a Norwegian/Canadian 30-something couple that have decided to do some longer term travelling before settling down. With no kids or mortgage, we recognised it wouldn't get much more convenient as we got on in years. Whatever happens, we are looking forward to a great learning experience.

After making a farewell tour to Norway in November 2006, we took off for Mauritius in December 2006 and became PADI Divemasters. We then moved on to Phuket, Thailand in March 2007 and completed our PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor course in April 2007. We worked for 2 months on Koh Phi Phi and dived Sipadan on Borneo, Malaysia! Although we were offered jobs there, we decided to continue.

We were offered work on Saba in the Caribbean, so it was off to London to sort paperwork, Canada to say hi and bye to Joachim's family. We've been working there since August doing everything a dive centre does; including piloting the boats!

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Joined on: October 19th 2006
Last Login: May 21st 2008

Blog Entries: 58
Photos: 228

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Blogs & Travel Journals

by Ninjo, order by Date newest first.

By Ninjo
March 28th 2008

Ninjo is now Nina and Joachim once more...

Central America Caribbean » Netherlands Antilles » Saba

Following New Year's Eve, a series of events led to our final breakup and Joachim's departure from Saba in late January, without Nina. Although many of you know of the details, I, Joachim, thought it would be good to make a entry in the blog to update everyone on this. I will look back fondly on the adventure of 2007 and the days I spent pretty much every hour with Nina at work or at play. 2008 will be a new chapter for us with new adventures however. I have started another blog at http://www.mytb.org/JoachimOnTheRoad/ to which you can subscribe if [View Full Entry]

By Ninjo
December 25th 2007

Visitors, Caribbean Islands, Saba Day and Holidays

Central America Caribbean » Netherlands Antilles » Saba

Happy Holidays!
Celebrating the season with a real Christmas tree with Norwegian flags and all! We even used a flag in the top instead of a star. We love it! From Left: Joachim, Nina and Veronika

Happy holidays everybody! Hope you all are having some nice relaxing days with some good fun as well. Celebrating the holiday season here on Saba is a nice warm experience. Veronika, a friend visiting from Norway came down just a few days before Christmas we had the privilege of having Pinnekjott and Aquavit for dinner on Christmas eve. Living away from Norway this is a real treat, so loads of thanks to Veronika for bringing it all down here. (And all the Christmas presents from Nina’s family) It has been a long time since we posted s [View Full Entry]

Leaving Due for Karin and Ken in the Voretex

Tonny and the boys playing for Saba Days.

By Ninjo
October 24th 2007

So what else are we up to on Saba?

Central America Caribbean » Netherlands Antilles » Saba

Curry dinner in our flat

Diving! We guide and point out stuff underwater and sometimes we can take our camera with us too. We are very happy with the diving here, but need to get some warmer wet suits as we tend to get cold in the end of our dives... and it is 29 celcius! We meet for dinners often. Not too long ago we had a curry night! As Dai's leaving doo we had about 12 people over for curry. We were planning to have it outside, but the rain moved us all inside. I think we all would agree it was a fine [View Full Entry]

By Ninjo
October 18th 2007

Lobster Dinner

Central America Caribbean » Netherlands Antilles » Saba

Fresh lobster!
They look good eh?

Last week we had our first lobster dinner her on the rock and it was FANTASTIC! First and foremost we have to thank Lobster fisherman Michel for bringing the lobsters! Second we have to talk about how to and what you need and how to go about this lobster dinner making thing. 1. Get a hold of some fresh lobsters! For us this was easy since Michel asked us if we liked to make some lobsters at our place. The fishermen here on Saba go fishing on the Saba banks that is about 2hrs out from the island (we didn't pick [View Full Entry]

By Ninjo
September 13th 2007

Living, Diving, Hiking and Eating on Saba

Central America Caribbean » Netherlands Antilles » Saba

Chef Vic and the rosted piglet
Bruno and Jyliska roasted a piglet underground for 9 hours for their leaving due! Vic did most of the marinading and spices and I believe Gersh helped with digging of the 6 feet deep whole! Tasted fan... [more]

Time flies and we are not getting around to writing blogs as often, so let’s try to catch up! Living at Saba Living here in the Caribbean we have all doors and windows open and the other day a goat wandered into our living room.After taking a picture we tried to “shhuuee” it out it did what goat’s does, jumping and kicking its back legs! Luckily it did not hit either laptops or tv! Refurbishing one of the boats in St. Maarten We spent four days in Simpson bay in St. Maarten refurbishing one of the dive boats. It was hard [View Full Entry]

By Ninjo
August 17th 2007

Hurricane Dean has now passed Saba

Central America Caribbean » Netherlands Antilles » Saba

The dive boat Big Blue on the way over to St. Maarten

Blog Entry: 17th of August Hurricane Dean has now passed south of us and all we got was a bit of rain and wind as well as a few hours without electricity. Looking at the path and strength of Dean we pray for the people and hope damage will be a minimum. Blog Entry: 16th of August Dean should get up to Hurricane level 2 but the forecast is such that Dean should pass south of us, so we should "only" get the winds and the rain. Saying that all the boats are now either moved to safe harbor or lifted [View Full Entry]

Leaving Saba before sunrise to get the boats over to St.Maarten

. what can we say...it was a pretty long day....

By Ninjo
August 4th 2007

Saba!

Central America Caribbean » Netherlands Antilles » Saba

View from our terasse

It has already been over a week since we came down to this 13 square km island - and things are going well! The first week has been filled with getting to know the locals and the island, carnival, moving house... Work-wise we have been diving and trying to learn everything about the dive boat as we are going to be skippers one day - but we talk more about work stuff in another blog. To start from the beginning - the trip from Ancaster to Saba We got up at 0130 in the morning to ensure we have time for [View Full Entry]

By Ninjo
July 24th 2007

Oh Canada with Roadkill Deer Curry

North America » Canada » Ontario » Hamilton

Can't belive it is not butter...
oh yes it is!! Emma 2 years old

Roadkill Deer Curry with the Brandt’s Great to be back in Canada to relax with Joachim’s family. One night we all got together for a good curry. This time with road kill deer, Klaus (Joachim's dad) gets a phone call from the local cops when there is an accident and he just have to go and pick it up if the drivers don't want it. What a great deal! And deer in a curry actually tastes really good. Just need to let it slowly simmer like all good curries! Skydiving with SWOOP and going for Wings We have found a superb [View Full Entry]

Cheese shop at Kensington Market in Toronto

The proof - Nina was actually up on the wakeboard

By Ninjo
July 10th 2007

Great to be back in London (but it is freezing here!)

Europe » United Kingdom » England » Greater London

X-Milfield team!
Nina, Sim and Blessing.... and lots of bowling balls - got to find the right one- not to heavy not too light..

After travelling for 48 hours we landed at Heathrow. It was at security level “critical”, but we made it though quite quickly and with Jeremy waiting outside we were in Twickenham in no time! It feels really good to be back at Cathy and Jeremy’s proper house with all the goodies a house should have. Nice clean bathrooms with flushing toilets, a comfortable clean bed, kitchen, back garden with a BBQ and a Sky TV box. We are really living it up here! Thanks a bunch guys for putting us up, we look forward to pick you up at the world’s [View Full Entry]

Delicious Strawberry margarita at La Perla

By Ninjo
July 2nd 2007

Mount Kinabalu the highest mountain in South East Asia at 4095m - is confirmed as steep climb!

Asia » Malaysia » Sabah » Mount Kinabalu

Fog in the rain forest..

We started from sea level in Kota Kinabalu at 7am on Sunday morning. You can get up to the starting point may ways; big bus, shuttle bus or taxi. We were three people so we joined in on a taxi to take us all the way up to the beginning of the trail. We picked up Dominique our guide at the entrance of the National Park and after stocking up with chocolate we were ready to start our climb at around 930. Tips: Get the chocolate in town as it is very expensive in the park, 3 MYR on the [View Full Entry]

Yes, we are going all the way up there...

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