Explorer Mikael Strandberg

In the news in Oman.....the media has been very helpful to promote my vision. This time Muscat Daily. Click on photo to read.

“It is written in the stars, your journey is meant to be!”

A decision has been made!

I have decided to go back to Sweden right now. I feel empty. I won´t get any further at this moment and it seems like I have put all eggs in one basket. Maybe a serious mistake. I just can´t afford to stay in the Gulf anymore and I am forced to relocate to Sweden and kind of start life from scratch again. Build up an economic strong base again. And continue my wait there. And hope that the saga is written in a positive way in the stars. I have heard that phrase so much since I first arrived in Oman.

“It is written in the stars, your journey is meant to be!”

This time I have been a week in Oman, met most of my great friends, and I have had one lecture for the ESO at Crowne Plaza, too early to say how it all went, met a potential backer and finally been able to get a message sent through to the power, which I have worked for since I first came here.

When I arrived to Oman first time in January 2009, I felt like a president. I stayed in luxury hotels, was shipped around in limos, met with the wealthy and powerful and most important, it seemed like everyone I met loved my vision of building a bridge from the Arab World into the West (and the other way around) through an Expedition by camel. The positive atmosphere was electrifying! And I just loved everything which had to do with the country. The people, the Bedu culture underlying everything, the heat, the desert, the food and the dignity that people behaved with. I often get emails from people that think I am naive and say:

“You always love a new country you come to and say it is the best on earth!”

After the lecture at ESO at Crowne Plaza. From left, Marcus Rydbo, Gejrangers GK, Lamees Daar, president of ESO and married to His Higness Sayyid Tarik bin Shabib Al-Said who is next to me. A great couple who makes a major difference on many levels for Oman!

I still feel very strongly for Oman, but I have been here, I think, at least 7 times during a year and the issue have been setting up an expedition, get the needed funds and start working on finding camels and two Bedus too join me. And, to tell you the truth, even though I feel I have done everything in my power, I have invested everything I have, I have had many people like great friends like Talib Omar and Wael Lawati to back the Expedition and promote it, when I think about it, when it comes to the Expedition and getting it on its feet, I am basically at the same stage as a year ago.

What mistakes have I done?

Most likely that I bought all the enthusiasm I received initially as a sign that things would happen fast and easy and fully didn´t realize that things take time in this part of the world. They, the Omanis, really want to know you before they believe in you. I can understand and appreciate that. But it takes time, money and stamina of world class strength. Maybe I didn´t sell my vision good enough. Well, we still don´t know this. But right now, I just feel empty. Like I have walked into a wall. I am totally free of any energy right now. It has been a hard expedition in itself. Coming to Oman with hopes to do my little bit to make life more understandable and peaceful through education and information.

Do I regret anything?

Nothing, absolutely nothing. This time of trying to get an Expedition on its feet has been with the best in my life and I have really already found what I was looking for on a personal level. And most of all, I have learned a lot about this part of the world and fallen in love with it. And I have met some extremely good new friends and I am sure Oman will be a part of my future in one way or the other. But right now, there´s nothing more I can do than wait and see and that is best to do in Sweden. But I do love Oman, see this little slideshow of this spectacular country!

So this is the death of the expedition?

Not at all. Just run out of steam, funds and ideas. I am just at loss of words right now. And I am off to Turkey for a few lectures and a conference on tourism. As my very good friend, whom I will visit, Dogan Tilic says:

“In the East you don´t have to work for anything, it will come to you if you just have the patience to wait.”

Initially it was all like a dream with possibilities in every corner, now it is just a mental void.....the question is, what will happen next?...

Bedu democracy has to do with understanding the power of relationships, meaning that every subject is discussed in detail and meeting on top of meetings essential....

….is understanding the many times confusing ways to get things done in Oman. And, I am sure, in quite a few other Gulf countries as well, where the principle of Bedu democracy is alive. It is easy to forget that Oman, just in a mere 40 years, have kind of exploded out of profound tribalism in the desert to becoming a well to do modern society and one has to understand that changes take time. Every day, travelling through the bustling Muscat traffic, I am stunned at the fact that before Sultan Qaboos kicked his father out, 1970, in a peaceful coup, the country only had a few kilometers of paved road, a couple of hospitals run by American Missions, one primary school and no electricity! And there was a civil war going on at the time! What the Sultan has done for his country since than, no matter what in regards to the lack of Western democracy, (if, as we in the West sees it, our democracy is the only way to enlightenment) it is truly fantastic and couldn´t be better. Truly impressive and the Sultan should be seen as a role model in any civilization.

However, the traditional way of the Bedus is still strongly in place and that is what makes it very frustrating for somebody like myself who wants things to get done. In the way I am brought up, the Western way. Fast. Things are just not happening as fast as I would like and that is not only due to my mistakes and impatience, but also to the fact that I still don´t fully understand the power of relationships and the time (in the Western eye) it takes before one can go ahead. I am still to frustrated to understand, but I am learning slowly. Let me just give you an example what I mean, which in the Western eye, is not only frustrating, but also quite entertaining.

The other day I went to the University in Nizwa to hold a lecture….

First of all, it was set to be today the 12th, so for this reason I was kind of surprised when Talib called me 08.30 in the morning four days ago, whilst I was swimming in the ocean, saying that the lecture was due at 13.00 that day. We, P and me, ran like mad to get back to the flat, have a shower, check the lecture to its full plus the technique, so all was perfect and than zoomed off to Talib, who had initiated the contact and was seen as part of the show. We traveled with Talib in his Porsche to Nizwa, 130 km:s west of Muscat, and we didn´t even stop for lunch to get there in time.

Halwa from Oman...

The Nizwa University compound is large and have more than 6000 talibs (pupils in Arabic). We were met by an assistant at 12.45. He was the assistant to the assistant to the chancellor. He brought us through the compound into the assistant to the chancellor, an old pal of Talib. Mohammed Abdullah Said Al-Adawi greeted us heartily and we sat down on his couch nervously. I wanted to set up my lap top, check the sound and prepare. On top of that I was starving. Talib had said we would get a bite to eat before the lecture.

The University is just a stones throw away from the oasis of Berkat Al Mauz

“Don´t worry” , the assistant to the Chancellor said, “We have moved the lecture till two o´clock. And students have exams today, so I don´t think many will come.”

Then he winked for an assistant to them all, a coffee server, who with great dignity poured Arabic coffe in the traditional small cups and served us sweet halwa. At that moment a female student came in. She was there to show us around the compound before the start of the lecture. Or maybe as an assistance to P, so she wouldn´t roam around the camp in an inappropriate fashion. After about half an hour, it was 30 minutes remaining before the start of the lecture and by now I knew the students had waited for an hour. In my book that was close to a disaster. They would be very edgy. Those few who were apparently there. My hunger pains got worse. I just have to eat to get energy before a lecture.

“We are waiting for you to meet the chancellor!” Mohammed Abdullah suddenly said, then we kind of moved through the campus in procession, whilst more assistants joined us….I have always wondered, whilst meeting a lot of powerful people in Oman, what do these assistants do except sit on a coach and look like the world is passing by?…..They don´t say a lot.

Bedu boy in the Sharquiya, continuing many thousands of years of Bedu traditions and democracy.

Due to the high amount of assistant’s in His Excellency´s room, the Chancellor, we had no idea initially who was who since Omanis all dress in the national costume, a dishdasha and turban, but eventually it turned out to be the oldest fellow. Like all His Excellency´s in Oman he was very dignified, interested and opinionated. I brought up the story about Wilfred Thesiger and his visit to the area, when he wasn´t allowed to come into Nizwa in the end of 1940, because it was such a conservative place and they didn´t like nasranis. (Christians in Arabic) Maybe I was the first explorer they had seen than? I asked.  Not the best choice of conversation… However a lot of photos was taken on all of us together in a handshaking manner. We had some more coffee and sweet halwa.

2.30 p.m, one and a half hour late we arrived in the auditorium,which was packed with students, maybe 350 of them. Talib, who was suffering from the flu and severe hunger, said we would get food after the lecture. I had absolutely no energy left. And of course, nothing worked technically so that took an additional 20 minutes, so just before 15.00 hours it all started….. with a student reading from the Quran illustrated with pictures and quatations. All hell and fire. This is one thing with promoting religion I do just not understand. Why scare, like most religions can do, of fire and hell, instead of bringing up the positive aspects of the religion? I do know that much about the Quran and its suras and hadiths to know, that there are so many other, much better choices of readings and quotations which will inspire not scare.  Being brought up myself in a society where baptists where part of life, I just dislike the selling issue of, if you don´t do as the book says, you will end up in hell.

This young, smiling man was follwed by a young lady reading my full CV, which isn´t that short, see it here. When she was over, a film done by a student followed and that point was followed by another young lady reading a poem. At 3.30 it was my turn and it started off with the professor of cultural studies, a Sudanese, who once again read my full CV…

Once it was my turn, at 3.45, I was hungry, totally free of energy and the students, they had waited for two hours and 45 minutes, they had no energy left either. Or patience. It was the worst lecture in my life. The students talked, screamed, sent text messages, slept, walked in and out and when it was time for questions somebody shouted, a group of female students at the back, that they wanted to leave….it seems like these quotations of hell and fire doesn´t work too much…..well, it was the worst lecture of my life!

The lecture was finished with the assistant to the Chancellor presenting me first, than Talib, with a painting with a quotation from the Quran. Very nice gift! Many official photos was taken. When all that was over, the assistant left us in the hands of other assistant´s and 8 hours after eating breakfast we had lunch.

The punchline? Well, I went to lecture to the students because it is my mission to try to build bridges of understanding, trying to educate these young people, not to meet a lot of dignitaries, shake hands, chat a bit, drink coffee and eat halwa. It seems like at times Omanis care more for this, than the actual mission, to inspire students. As a whole it was a good lecture for me in traditional beduism!

Sultan Qaboos Bin Said Al Said

“Gee” , I said when Adel asked me what I thought about Dubai, “I feel slightly shocked. I don´t know what I did expect, but not this. I am impressed! But, if I had to choose either to live in Yemen or Dubai, I would choose Yemen.”

Dubai skyline seen from the Palm....

Adel looked a bit amazed, followed by a short laugh and he than patted my shoulder like I was joking. I wasn´t. I had only been in this emirate for a couple of days, been amazed beyond belief of all the richness, but there was just something missing.

“It is like Disneyland and Las Vegas in one!” I finished off in awe.

Not that I have been to any of these fantasy places, but I have been to Atlantis! Which is good news for my friend Olly Steeds who is doing a documentary series on Atlantis right now, looking for it somewhere in Greece. If I am to believe his comments on Facebook he hasn´t even found a good Greek salad yet. Olly, if you read this, Atlantis is in Dubai! In the shape of a hotel placed on one of these magnificent man made islands. Dubai is really the ultimate proof of the capacity we humans have to turn a piece of nothing, in this case a strip of sand, into a paradise for the eye. It is almost impossible not to get impressed by the wealth, richness, gigantic buildings and the enormous variety of commercial enterprises here. I have really never seen anything like this! And I am happy to have had a chance! It gives perspective to life!

The 808 meter high Burj Dubai, biggest man made structure in the world....

However, I came to Dubai to hold a prestigious lecture and it was all set up by another person who for some unknown interest have decided to help me fulfil the vision of Expedition Arabia. I will call him Norrlänningen, since he just don´t want any overly positive comments regarding his own brilliant self. A truly great person, a good human and his life is a success story in every way, but his philosophy of life is more like an explorer than the  brilliant business man he is. Well, I guess there is plenty of similarities, like following your vision no matter what, but he is very relaxed in every sense. He is after all from the north of Sweden, where lakes, rivers and a deep forest is dead important for feeling well. It is the heritage, the soul for us northerners. And I just realised what I felt Dubai lacked. Some kind of soul. I especially lacked the Arabian soul.

“I very seldom speak Arabic here” , a very friendly Syrian lady told me after the lecture, when I was sitting at her table, “Many locals don´t speak Arabic and many times I can´t see the difference if they are Arab locals or locals with a Persian background. If I speak Arabic to them, they get furious!”

More than 80% of the countries population are non-Arab, which than makes it impossible to somehow have an Arabian soul dominating Dubai. But P and me decided to try to see if we could find one, even if we only had a short time in this extraordinary city, to short to really make an assessment, but I still will. Therefore, we for example traveled to the Ibn Battuta Mall, which was said to hail the great Arab explorer, but had kind of turned his life into a theme park, awesome yes, but did little to put the spotlight on his achievement. It kind of got lost amongst all the upmarket stores. I doubt he would have felt honored being turned into an hero on a theme park mall….I saw one person during my visit who actually stopped and read about him. They need to do better than that to find their own Arab soul, the leaders of Dubai, which is so important for ones happiness and identity. Why not look at how Oman do it…..

The Ibn Battuta exhibition in the Ibn Battuta Mall....nobody really seemed interested....

Yemen. I cannot think about two bigger contrasts than Yemen and Dubai. The major difference, as I see it, Yemen is the Arab soul. Yes, they´re poor, chaotic, shouting, at times completely mad, but they also laugh a lot. That was another thing I realized. You just don´t see people laughing in Dubai. Everyone is so dead serious, getting on with their life trying to make more money. If money makes people happy, why don´t they laugh? Am not saying you have to be poor to laugh, but it is a fact. You just don´t see people laughing out loud. Except of course Hotel Al Manzil, a truly excellent hotel with superb service in every way, a great human and manager in the shape of Mr Shazad-Khan, where Blackwell is working.

Blackwell is from Malawi. A round, jolly, all smiling African who has the true laughter. The African one. This laughter begins in the stomach, works its way up the body, it takes a while to move up, body shakes all the time and than the laughter hits the mouth and it is virtually impossible not to laugh yourself. I told him a lot of funny stories from my bicycle ride from Norway to South-Africa 1990-1992, for example that I got robbed in Malawi, but still had some of my best times in my life. I continuously had ten good African laughs a day. He had been in Dubai for years, trying to make a living, continuously sending most of his wages back to Africa. He enjoyed his work a lot, but life was not easy. He said, like his luo friend from Kenya, people just don´t laugh a lot. Another thing which separates Dubai and Yemen.

Blackwell from Malawi, one of hundreds of thousands of immigrants to Dubai....

Dubai is also a place where the famous and good looking come and go and shop in the extraordinary amount of malls catering the well to do and when travelling along the beautiful beach areas, we passed umpteenth buildings which catered to beauty. There was an amazing amount of dentists, plastic surgeons, health clubs and so on. I enjoyed looking at it all. But felt more happy talking to Blackwell. And laughing. But, I know I would enjoy living in Dubai, because there´s also a sense of pioneering and there´s a lot of good, very helpful and exiting people about!

As a whole, well worth a visit. It is a place to love or hate. Am somewhere in between, but nowadays don´t really judge as a whole, but I have reflexions and opinions. But I´d prefer to live in Yemen. Or, definitely, in Oman!

I did get this very interesting article sent to me regarding Dubai. It is very negative, but gives a perspective. Right or wrong, make your choice. But it involves the life of people. And I love people more than money.

Dubai Mall at night

My new friend Sam wrote this by the way and don´t forget to follow Christians Sahara trip!!

Tired after the lecture at The Travellers Club in London. Together with three of my very best friends, Barry, Pamela, who will join me on the Expedition and Peter, who came all the way from Sweden to honor me. The fourth person is a British adventurer namned Neil Laughton.

“Olly!” I screamed in the phone, “I need your help! I have deleted all my photos from Siberia and I hope I have left a memory stick with the slide show in a small rucksack in your flat! Can you get it? Where are you?”

“Don´t worry”, Ollie said calmly, “Am not far from home. What time is the lecture??”

“6.30 I think” I answered in panic, “No photos, no lecture!”

Imagine yourself. As an explorer, there are 4 venues which are more important than others. It is the Royal Geographic Society in London, The Explorers Club in New York, The Travellers Club in London and the National Geographic Society in Washington. I have been honored to lecture at the first two and suddenly I had a chance to lecture at the legendary Travellers Club in London. It is a privilege for few. Imagine than when you turn up, set up your laptop and realize that before leaving Sweden for a very long time, I took away the Siberian slide show…I panicked. Ran up to my room and I phoned Ollie. He said he had just left home. In fact, he was standing outside 106 Pall Mall and the Club. He took a taxi back and an hour later returned. Just before the lecture.

I have no idea if the lecture went well or not. But it was a highlight in my life. Some of my best friends were there. Peter, he came all the way from Sweden to honor me. Barry arranged it. Sam came with his wife and Stephen just made after visiting Jeddah with his great art. One of the biggest surprises was the well-known investment banker David Chaldecott who came with special greetings from the Sultan and Sultana of Hadramawt!

The saviour -Ollie Harry- resting after his mad dash at the Travellers Club

The lecture? Well, Barry wrote this fantastic piece of warmth:

The Travellers Club in London’s Pall Mall is perhaps the epitome of a past
tradition of London gentleman’s clubs.  No lady members, a smoking room that
you can no longer smoke in and a good bottle of Club claret.  It was the
first commission of Sir Charles Barry, the architect best known for having
designed  the Houses of Parliament.  He did such a good job for the
Travellers that he was also commissioned to design the Reform Club next
door.

The Travellers has an eclectic mix of members comprised of diplomats,
explorers, military men and who knows who.  The common factor is that
between them they have all been around a bit and have experienced a few
things in their time.  However, following various comments made by guests
following the Library lecture last Monday evening, only a few said that they
had ever witnessed a lecture to compare with Mikael Strandberg’s journey
along the Kolyma River in North-East Siberia.

Mikael’s library lecture, given to a joint meeting of the British Chapter of
The Explorers Club and The Travellers Club was full to capacity and there
was an expectation that something unique was about to be witnessed.  The
audience of seasoned travellers seated in what had been the Queen Mother’s
favourite room in London were to be far from disappointed.

Nobody could have imagined the extreme hardship, cold and danger that
Strandberg and his companion had experienced on his last major expedition.
The beauty of the river, the friendliness of the people seemed oddly
misplaced with the horrors and evil that took place in that part of Siberia
during the Soviet era.  Many of the locals still longed for past days where
security and a social system provided for most of their basic needs and
Mikael’s lecture made it clear that many still yearned for the return of the
security and certainty that the State had provided prior to the transition
to a semi-capitalist society.

Mikael’s lecture is crafted like a nordic epic and in some ways that is
exactly what it is.  A mixture of a quest for the meaning of life, trials,
tribulations, fearce animals, spells and  signs.  It is about the search for
oneness with nature, survival, harmony and the fellowship of man.

Strandberg is an explorer of extremes.  His humour is infectious and crosses
any language barrier.  But most important, he is an astute observer of
cultures, many of which are likely to be lost in the next generation or
two.  His expeditions are not only adventurous, they are also a record of
things past that may never be eye-witnessed again.  Communication is
Mikael’s craft and long may that continue.

My great friend Barry with wife Fionnola resting after lecture...both happy I hope with the talk...

Barry Moss FRGS
Chairman, British Chapter of The Explorers Club and Member of The Travellers
Club

A full house of Travellers and Explorers Club members and guests enjoyed Mikael Strandberg’s talk on the Kolyma River on 19 October. Mikael was an especially entertaining speaker, fluent and witty; the Chairman tells me that he emerged from the talk being totally convinced that it is very, very cold in Siberia.

David Broadhead

Secretary

The Travellers Club 29 October 2009

I´ve been very lucky to be able to travel all over the world lecturing about the Kolyma Expedition. I´ve been to New York, London, Kuala Lumpur, Dubrovnik, Berlin and many more. The last one was in Poland this past weekend. It was a very short version, to fit into Marcin´s press conference. But I did get time to show the film from the Siberian Expedition. And the response, which is so important for me, especially since the audience in many way have been affected by Stalins gulags, was so full of passion, feelings and awe in many ways. And most of all, they like my way to take away my own self and the macho part, and showing the lifes of people who live in the area. After every of these lectures outside of Scandinavia, I feel so happy that I´ve been able to build a bridge between cultures. the mission will continue. Some reviews:

“It was the best time in my life, Mikael, you have helped me to focus on the important things of my Expedition to the Kolyma. You are an amazing person. ”

Marcin Gienieczko

“You have an amazing ability to

present all the dramas and traumas

of your expeditions in a lighthearted

– but not flippant – way

which enhances the toughness of the

situations in which you found (got)

yourself. You have a great sense of

timing, humour and ‘cool’ which is unusual

in a language not one’s own. You

took about 20 years and 50,000

kilometres to have learned ‘almost

nothing’ but your demeanour and

presentation show that you ‘know’

more than anyone I have met. Your

lecture at our company is one of the best

ever. We look forward to

having you back soon, Michael.”

Marc Freedman, Chanderley Enterprises

“You are the funniest, most inspirational speaker I´ve ever heard.”

Alicia V. Stephens, American Museum of Natural History, New York

“Dear Mikael, for me the best part of the weekend was meeting you. I believe that you embody the point of exploration, which does not often happen these days. I also like the idea of having you back here and Moscow as well so I will follow up.”

Lorie Karnath, chairman and boardmember Explorers Club, Berlin

“Dear Mikael, I have seen every Monday lecture for the last twenty years and I have once been the president of the Royal Geographic Society

myself. This is the best lecture I´ve seen in twenty years.

I have seen all the great once, but they couldn´t tell a story like you. Now, you´re one of the great ones!

It was remarkable!

The Earl Jellicoe



“Your lecture is one of the most inspirational I have heard in my 29 years at the Royal Geographical Society. ”

Shane Winser, chairman Expedition Advisory Board

“Last year we had Michael Jordan in Singapore, this year with had Mikael Strandberg in Kuala Lumpur. Two truly amazing lectures, sportsmen and human beings.”

David King, vice president UT Star.com



“It was a remarkable lecture! Mikael´s a great storyteller and it is very important everything he has to tell us about

that part of the world. We don´t know anything a people´s every day life in such an extremely cold temperatures. He

captivates his audience immediately, has great humour and a lot of charm.”

Dr Rita Gardner, director of the RGS



“Great news your lecture turned out to be such a success… just so sorry I was there to lead the applause! I had a lot of

friends there who all said it was the best lecture they’ve heard! Beating Buzz Aldrin! ”

Oliver Steeds, ABC correspondent Peking



“Mikael, I was lucky enough to find a seat in the packed Ondaatje Theatre last night at the RGS to hear your fantastic lecture.

Good to see you looking well after such a trip, and the fact that you haven´t changed a bit, after such a life changing experience.

Many of the explorers who return after a trip are not as quite as they were before leaving, they always seem a little to confident.

have you ever thought about stand up comedy? I have never laughed as much as on Monday! your Essex accent is spectacular!”

Justin Hobson,picture Library manager at the RGS



“Mikael, it was the funniest, most informative and exciting lecture I´ve heard in years. Yoú do really know how to

captivate your listners. And thank you for your great work for all native tribes. It was interesting to hear your story about

the white male explorer wanting tobe a hero, when actually people live in these temperatures daily! You have a charisma

very few people have and I think it is because your down-to-earth, lack of badges from millions of sponsors and one

immediately feels that you are a genuine bushman and human being. Congratulations and hope to see you again at the RGS!”

John Murray, publisher at Cambridge Books



“Mikael, during the last ten years I haven´t come across the interest you´ve stirred. A ten minute applaude,

I can´t remember when that last happened! I think it was Borge Ousland a few years back. But this doesn´t happen very

much. Congratulations!”

Steve Brooks , Boultbee&Brothers

“I have heared lectures all over the world for the last twenty years. Only two people have stirred my emotions the way

you did. Both austronauts.”

Alexandra Foley, FoleyPR

“Incidently, I got multiple complimentary comments following your talk. One email simply said ‘best ever’.”

Jonathan Wilson, Exxon Oil, London