15 left to go

Time is moving slooowly towards the departure for adventures. It is another 15 days to go and it seems waaaay too far! Preparation is undergoing, done yellow fever vaccination, so to enjoy jungle mosquito bites better, and also to be allowed to enter Bolivia. Lima hostel and Cusco accomodation are now booked. Also booked our internal flight LIM-CUZ and our train from Cusco to Machu Picchu. It is an amazing 3 hrs ride to Aguas Calientes on a train with panoramic views windows, passing through amazing scenery! We will probably visit the sand dunes and the Huacachina oasis. We will not do the Inca trail, it is fully booked as only 500 people allowed every day, including the porters and guides! We didn't want to spend days on trekks anyway, done enough in the Himalayas, we will rather spend more days in the Amazon rainforests. The plan says after Machu Picchu we will move towards Puerto Maldonado, a village in the heart of the Peruvian Amazon. There will be a full moon (southern hemisphere) when in the dessert and almost new moon at Salar De Uyuni.

I am also arranging to visit the Amazon Conservation Association (ACA) in Peru. They have received funding from the ENVIRON Foundation the same period as the L4L project in Nepal. I am now in talks with the Foundation to allow me to visit them and have an informal visit to their research Los Amigos base in Rio Madre De Dios, close to Manu National park, one of the world's ten most important national parks because of its extreme biodiversity. It is said there are more plants and species in a square hectare there than in any european country alone! An amazing ecosystem. The funding went towards to 'Construct wetland technologies for water treatment and recovery in Andean communities'. Wetland technologies are simple water treatment systems designed to maximise the removal of -human generated- waste water contaminants using natural degradation processes that involve local materials such as sand, soil, porous rock, and native wetland plants. I hope I will manage to pay them a visit at their research center however I will definitely meet them at their regional offices in Cusco or Puerto Maldonado.

After that, return back to Cusco and heading down to lake Titicaca. Will stay few days there and off to La Paz, Bolivia. From there we hope to visit one of the most amazing places on earth! Salar De Uyuni. (google it) :) A massive high altitude salt lake in southwestern Bolivia. From there, return to La Paz and fly back..

My good friends Manolis and Nefeli are in Bolivia as we speak, travelling from Brazil; that means I have live info/updates from the Salar, La Paz and Titicaca. They do it in the opposite way but we will meet in Cusco or at the Machu Picchu sanctuary. What a meeting that will be! :)

From what I can gather, it should be an amazing trip. Unless we have unexpected issues, which in a way, they will add up adventure so why not. :) I am really looking forward to it and I hope the next 15 days to go as quickly as possible to go to London Heathrow and leave the buzz behind.


SpiNinG ArouNd the JoY of LiVinG


Nektarios~

Artwork found in an old pc folder of mine

Confirmed!

Yeaaah  \o/


All booked and confirmed! 16/04 - 07/05 we are travelling to Peru and a bit of Bolivia! Yeeeah! Flights booked and all confirmed, it was the most expensive flight I ever paid for, but it worth every penny! Flying from London through Miami and landing in Lima. A three weeks journey that will end up in La Paz, Bolivia. In the process of fixing an itinerary, it is almost decided and we will also leave some to find out there..

After staying few days in Lima we will move towards the south coast to the cities of Pisco and Ica. The plan says to experience sandboarding on some massive sand dunes just off the Pacific ocean. They say it is not as quick as snowboarding but certainly worth a try! From there, we will head to the city of Ayacucho, it will be the Holy Week and pilgrims arrive from all over the country. There are big festivities, lots of colours and lights and of course catholic colonial churches. Using another bus we will reach Cusco high up in the Andes. From there we want to get into the jungle, to the Parque Nacional Manu. Roads are very basic, so we may trek, raft, or even fly on light planes to move around..  On the way back, we think to trek to Machu Picchu, an UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the new seven wonders of the world. It will be majestic..

Machu Picchu_The Temple of the Sun

However, there will be so much more than Machu Pichu. After exploring the Incas sacred valley we will take the Andean train to Juliaca and Puno. We will visit lake Titicaca and maybe take boat rides to the lake islands. Few days around and then we'll enter Bolivia from either Cobacabana or Desaguaderos. It will be amazing! I wanted to trek Colca canyon and the colonial city of Arequipa but that will make the trip going back and forth and the buses take ages to arrive to their destinations. I am confident we have a good plan and will do and see what one must see when travelling that region. A Gmap of the locations we will most likely visit is created at the link below

Draft itinerary

Any of you been there, done that, please come in contact for some tips, some dos and donts! I have done some research but taking info by someone been there, it's definitely a plus!

May the force be with you! 

d-_-b

Nektarios~

Winter-e-sting

Hi pps (from pips, for people(s))


How you doing all? Howz life for you out there?


I'm writing you from the sofa, late saturday night, listening to best radio after hours and enjoy the very moment. Outside it's windy and cold and uninviting to go out and about.. It's one of those nights that I love, that I spend for me, to listen music, to read, to blog, to think! Weeks passing by so quick, meet people, work, commute, receive the impacts for survival and have no time to stop and stand and look around me. Things around us are fluid, we change as our people around us change, learn from each other. Interesting changes is what I am up for, and in this case 'winter-e-sting' sounds more appropriate as the winter still goes on. So much information around us, we need to stop and process it. I believe this is so important and I feel grateful I can have few of those moments from time to time.

It is great, I have a house for myself for a week, my housemates gone for ski and I left to take care the house, the cats (and myself). I have connected my vaio to the soundsystem wirelessly and I can listen to all my collection easily. I got also a new blackberry phone (courtesy of Nik the Cret :) and I am delighted after sometime I now have some new technology to play with.

Work is moving well, it is the end of the school's project soon and I am full on completing energy efficiency reports for the remaining schools. Site visits have finished and I was a bit sad when finished my last (51st) school visit. I'm gonna miss this hyperactivity I used to see every day. Anyhow, we tender for another 15 so you never know! I have now put in line my CEng registration, it's something that simply needs to be done/achieved within this year. I feel ok and kind of appreciated at work and that gives me power in my hands. Of course I keep an eye around for maybe the big change..

I am also happy to announce the short film we did with Deep C is now out live, bit dissappointed, it was supposed to be a little more 'cinematic', more like a story telling however the editor decided differently; I also find the voice of the narrator not so great. It is still nice and includes some nice shots from late night London. The clip is called 'Cutting through complexity' and is for kpmg's eu annual report, futured content on their website. Load it below:

http://annualreport.kpmg.eu/

The big 'thing' is not really this though. Is the trip that is underway and it's going to be an amazing one! I have already my Lonely Planet purchased along with the local language phrasebook. We will most likely spend three weeks, and it coincides with the royal wedding and easter public holidays in uk so I can go for longer with less leave. The plan is to arrive in the capital and move/explore the region, enter to the neighboring country and fly back from there. There are so many to do and discover and I think three weeks will be juuust enough... We are still on a research and planning phase, it needs some coordination as three people from three different places/countries meet to a fourth. I will hopefully post details on the next post where everything will be kind of settled.

I can't waiiiit, this is a purely explorative trip, no work involved as the previous one, the place and nature are just majestic. Hmmm, I can't say it yet (even some of you already know), need to book it first, I can only say the predominant fauna this time instead of yak will be llama. :)



Be well


Nektarios~

New year - no fear

Well

Happy New Year again, with no fear, depression and intimidation but with happiness and joy, personal freedom and prosperity for all! Difficult years ahead in terms of politics, economies, austerity measures, bankrupts, debts etc etc. The world around us is changing so fast sometimes I can't even catch up, everything is liquid; I 'm scared sometimes to think I am just another passive viewer.. I like viewing things from different angles, different perspectives, talk to different people and understand their views.. It is nice when people getting together, all sorts of people. Because when people getting connected, ideas are more profound. Ideas created collectively are the most drastic of all!

I have recently listened to a new Jens Buchert release, cool chill music, (Melange Electrique the best track) and the message I found along the album info was very catchy. It is a nice short message which I believe can be the message of the new year.. Read it below and share it!

"..it is time for a change, time to reflect deeply, time to rethink, time to remember. we now have the chance to form a higher state of consciousness. less anger, less fear, more happy, more connected, more in tune and more faithful; to feel soulfulness in every day, in every hour, in every minute, in every moment.we can get a mental ability to sympathize with the people, animals and the nature around us.we are all children of god - a wonderful creative and peaceful power. we must respect and protect the manifestations of this power on our planet and in our minds. you can discover and realize them in every being like a child, an animal, a flower, a leaf, a tree and in the essence of music. try to make a small step into this new direction. the intention of “aeon in motion” is to reflect and carry a part of this in the form of music."

Jens Buchert - Aeon in Motion, Jebu Records, 2010

A form of togetherness is also when partying! :) This NYe was exactly this! Partying to celebrate the new year with hope and positive attitude as well as the birthday of our good friend Tseke. We converted the basement of their new home into a proper dancefloor! Good music, nice people and mood.. 10am to sleep at the first day of the year.. Just the way it should be!

                                 Megara NYE_Home clubbing

             Megara NYE_The Hosts - Tseke (Kostas) and Tattiana

                            Megara NYE_Posing with bro (Chris)

The next few days, didn't do much, stayed mostly at home with parents and seen few close friends.. The weather reminded bit of the english so spending time in front of the fireplace was just perfect.. We did find time to go for a short trip to Nafplio old town. It is a lovely place to visit for a day trip and I remember it since we were going there on high school journeys.. Lot's of memories! On our way we did our cultural/archeological visit to Mycenae, a site dated 1500BC from the late Bronze age. All of us were in good mood, only to arrive and find out we couldn't enter the citadel because it was closing for the day... grrr We lost no further time and continued to Nafplio, had a nice walk around, had dinner and did some souv shopping in a relaxed mode.

                                    Greek Mad Max

                                  Mycenae_Ancient citadel

                 Nafplio_Palamidi castle view from main square

         Nafplio_The first high school (gymnasium) of modern Greece

                                  Nafplio_Free Tibet message

Time flew so fast, didn't realise I was back on the plane to London. Got 8 kg of food and supplies in my suitcase and here I am now writing from my room in Enfield. Arrived 10 in the evening last Monday and next day work. Feeling good considering I had a good break and got some rest and now fully back on track. Working in the office, on site at schools and also finalising my air con portfolio and ceng.

Last week we drove to Manchester with friend and housemate Byron to watch ManU - Liverpool, an FA Cup fixture. It was a good experience however the match wasn't that great, not too many chances, nothing too spectacular other than Old Trafford stadium itself. For the history, ManU won 1-0 with a penalty on the 1st minute(!).

                            On the way to Manchester

                   Old Trafford_Gerrard receives red card

           Old Trafford_Byron's quite unhappy of the match quality

A new trip is getting prepared for the long easter brake, hopefully things will go as planned and go.. it is a must see place on this world and I can't wait for the days to pass to leave the continent and the island behind.. Won't reveal it yet, I'd like to have it confirmed first. 

All the best of the best 2 all

Nektarios~

Happy 2011!

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE!

Καλή Χρονιά!

Christmas almost here

As the post title denotes, Christmas is almost here and that means sometime off the usual, sometime off the stressful everyday life. Since my last entry into this blog, I have had some of the most difficult time for this year. A year which has been amazing, ends in a not such an amazing fashion. I guess that makes it a complete year, with ups and downs and I would never appreciate the ups without the downs..  I aint gonna go to details on the 'downs' I will think they are sometimes necessary to make us stronger and look forward for a brighter future.

 Although, there are still 7 days to get to 2011 and they suppose to be good ones. I will be going back to my family, back to Greece for few days and I am on countdown since many days ago. I miss them all so much, first my family and then aaaall those good friends. I am sure the days will go so fast again untill one day I will wake up and I'll have to get the plane back to London. I feel I had enough of this place, I had enough of the manic city life, of Oxford Street and all the rest. I am looking forward for the great escape but in order to do this I will have to be patient and find the best opportunity out of this. I keep my eyes open... Although, there are people in the UK who I feel them very close and also new people coming into my life and I love all this but are they enough to keep me here for good? I've been already many years in this big island and I simply need a change to the unknown (or to little known), to discover new things and acquire new experiences, all sort of experiences, good or bad, ups or downs...  Or simply go back where I feel I belong..

I'm sure most of you have heard or experienced (if in UK) the weather has been veeeery cold. The snow arrived for second time early this winter. I love the snow and the fun part of it(snowboarding) but when it comes to commuting and moving around, oh my god, nothing is really operating as it should. Sometimes I think of my time in Stockholm where for 5 months all were white frozen but life was moving as usual. Here, with the first snow flake and the most popular word is 'disruption'. Flights cancelled and I keep a close eye on the Heathrow situation.. It seems services have been restored now and hopefully I will get my flight with no problem.. Because if I dont.......... 

London_Dec'10 from my window

I don't want to leave this post on a negative note. Maybe it's the winter blues or Christmas who bring me this attitude these days. There are things to cheer for, ENVIRONs Christmas card was finally distributed and L4L was on it which I feel very pleased and proud at the same time! We have managed to acquire more funds and further support the community in Dhawa and the lovely people (see previous posts) who really need it! Also, I have finished working in another modelling(!) job for a large company called KPMG. A nice short video to go with their annual report. My role was mainly to drive a large 4x4 around London. Really nice shots and background music and the whole concept I think. I will post a link as soon as this is published. So some extra cash from there not bad at all as well as a small Xmas bonus from ENVIRON for all staff always welcomed and give you something to cheer up, especially when few nice presents are always required for those few who will appreciate. New Years is the birthday of my good childhood friend Tseke and a biiig party is prepared at their new home! He is also coming (as he said) in the UK in February for some (indoor) sky diving! Yeaaah! 

That's all for now, I wish to all of you a nice, warm (in feelings too) Christmas and festive days. I promise my next post will be more cheerful! :) 

Love u all

Nektarios~

p.s 'Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take but by the moments that take our breath away'   

Powering up in Portugal

Things looking better, being to Portugal for few days and that was a good break, a nice long weekend. I found the cheapest airfare and in only about 2 hours I was landing at Porto airport. I went to see a good friend who, for the last 18 months, works on a power plant construction project nearby Pego village, central Portugal. I wanted to see my engineer friend and also have a close look at the brand new power plant in almost commissioning stage. I had already sent details, diplomas etc to be able to gain access in this Siemens project.

So I arrived.. the weather in Porto kind of cloudy but still warm and ok to be outdoors with a light jacket on you. I had all time schedules calculated and noted and even though I had a delay on my way to the airport (jumping security check queues etc) I was on time. Got the tube on time and the train to Lisbon also on time. In just 1 hour from landing I was on the train glazing the Atlantic on a scenic route through fields and the coast.

Porto_On a train glazing the Atlantic

Couple of hours after I was picked up by my friend and headed to the plant for a first tour and walk around. Went to all systems, cooling towers, hybrid condensers, gas and steam turbines, generators etc etc and showed me the work they do in these two identical units, 415MW of power output each. Quite substantial, it can cover the 15% of power needs in the country.     

Pego CCGT_Cooling towers

Pego CCGT_Gas turbine

Pego CCGT_Pretending at the hydrogen skid..

I spent a relaxed few days around Abrantes, the village I was staying, with lots of sleep, 'sightseeing' and Portuguese food. Portuguese people seem to be quite slow, something like taking life very easy and the tempo in general terms is slooow.. Took 15 minutes to order and pay for two pints of beer.. The food was good, lot's of chicken in their cookings however the best dish I tried and indeed popular in Portugal was duck with rice cooked together and finished in the oven, as a bake. mmmm Natural beauty left me indifferent and generally nothing to go too excited for. Maybe because there wasn't mountains or my tempo from London cannot ease even when it should. I decided on my way back to stop for a tourist walk in Porto, but again apart of the beautiful buildings that you'll see next below nothing to spark my curiosity and/or thinking. (Hmm maybe the fact that Greece won the Euro 2004 here did! :)) Of course I should have stayed longer however I think someone can feel the vibe even with a short walk around the centre.   

Porto_Igreja da Trindade

Porto_at Praca Liberdade

Next holidays in Christmas.. There is something more than a month left to this so heads down and do some work. Along with the schools in UK and my diplomas coursework, I work with Learning Planet to setup the water supply project in Dhawa as well as the new infant school (see previous post). Finally after weeks I managed to open and use a GPS file received from a guy from the water authority of Gorkha with the suggested route of the water pipeline and reservoirs. I managed to transfer this file in Google Earth and having the ability to view in 360' fine resoltuion, tilted etc it is just amazing!! See the print screen below, the image and location relief of Dhawa, at the foothils of the Himalayas. Actually, I managed to find the mud house we were staying in summer! Point 012 is the Shree Prabhat school we installed the solar panels. The network runs all across Dhawa community and is somewhat complex and challenging.

Dhawa_Clean water supply project

Dhawa_Clean water supply project2

Dhawa_Clean water supply project3

More info about the project @ http://www.learningplanet.org.uk/projects/





May the force be with you all


Nektarios~

Moving on

It has been quite sometime since I have last updated this blog, October was very very busy with lots of house hunting, busy at work and generally still adapting to the hectic way of London life. There is another -long- winter to go through and I dream countries in the southern hemisphere where 'summer' just begins! In couple of weeks I travel to Portugal to visit a good friend so there is something to look forward to. Not in the south hemisphere but still in southern Europe!

Working with schools for the last month and the next, this is what I mostly do at work. I really enjoy it, I visited many primary schools and there is another 20-30 to do. We are undertaking energy audits and advise the local County Council and Headteachers how can they improve the energy performance of their school buildings, make them more efficient and why not more environmental friendly. Lots of infant and primary school kids around, they are all so cute, so British! 

I do bring in my mind the school in Dhawa and I realise how different the world is from places to places. One thing only is standard though, kids are happy with the minimum little something. As long as this something sparks their imagination and creativity. And this can happen without the need of unnecessary toys or plastic dummies. It's us, the grown ups who should make them feel important (and they are indeed) and facilitate them to learning. I, personally, find it very interesting to interact with them and believe me, some of the most difficult questions to answer are made by children. 

Learning Planet has another project in planning, this is the infant addition for Shree Prabhat, the school we installed the solar panels on. It is located 2 hours walk from the main school and the kids aged 4-7 are too young to do the walk therefore they study there till the grow up a little so they can walk to the main school. This is not a school as we know it. This is just a shed! LP is planning to built a proper 3 classrooms building instead, with respect to its surroundings and the environment. A fully passive building, design with the help from Architecture for Humanity. Our corporate Xmas card will feature the school so all donations will also go towards improving further the learning conditions of the school. More information soon.

            

                              Dhawa_Infants classroom!

I have also received some photographs from the completed library room in the main school. It looks amazing! It has been painted, with nice carpets on the floor, all the furniture is colourful and many cushions to sit their bums! Creating such a space in a such remote part of the world is just a huge success! Have a look at the photos.

Dhawa_Finished school library/study room

Dhawa_Finished school library/study room (including Deepak, little Babbu, Dita, Amrit and Kashindra relaxing:)

A really interesting website I've recently browsed

www.ted.com   Watch  - Tim Jackson - Economic reality check

                                     - Ken Robinson - School kills creativity  

Best wishes and hope to see you all soon

Nektarios~

  

September, just like a Monday

I had an amazing break in Greece, it was exactly what I needed. In just over three weeks time I managed to gain 6 kg back and really felt better. Lots of good Mediterranean food, didn’t cook any of it on my own of course as I had mum doing it for me as well as all the lovely tavernas I visited… :) Been to the sea quite a lot and also travelled around. I did almost 1000 kms with my Rebel and I really enjoyed driving it with its new set of tyres. Been to Naflpio and Thassos island. Nafplio used to be the capital of newly independent Greece in the early 18th century. Now is a beautiful modern city with the old part still remaining intact. You can walk through the alleyways, wonder around the castles or have a nice cold beer at the cafes by the sea. Really nice atmosphere…

Nafplio_Bourtzi castle

Nafplio_Keep the faith

Nafplio_Rocky passage

My Honda(olo prosonta) Rebel

Thassos island was also reeeeally nice. Spent few days guest in a beautiful villa just by the sea. The island meets all requirements. Beautiful sandy beaches, nice fish tavernas by the sea as well as mountain villages with stone paved little streets, stunning views of the Aegean and big sycamore trees. Fish by the sea and/or meat in the mountain… Not much of nightlife and going out but really it was the last thing I was after… The weather was brilliant every day, guaranteed sunshine always over 30oC. Just perfect! The nights were little bit chilly just right to sleep nicely. There was also the night of the August full moon to watch and contemplate it in the starry night. Sooo nice!

Thassos_Sailing to the island

Thassos_Sunset

Thassos_Culinary high!

Thassos_...and a postcard to Jamie

I didn’t go to Athens at all except one evening to meet a good friend and then out of there. It was boiling hot and mostly empty with most of my friends out of the city on holidays around the islands or elsewhere. I stayed around my hometown Megara, with friends and family around me all the time, I feel so lucky to have them all! Sleeping outdoors on my parents' house veranta, waking up relatively early (because of the sun), taking it easy, afternoon at the beach and in the evening for a good dinner with friends or at home.


Last day I went to get the flight, last customer in, almost missed it. Paid excess baggage (like an amateur(!) and now I am back in London… grrrrr Still adapting back to the city hectic life. Started working and looking for a new place to stay, hopefully for my last winter in UK. This is one of my worst tasks; finding a new place, new flatmates, new neighbourhood, adapting into the house and so on… oh gosh, I’m just sick of this all… I’m looking for a change, looking for something new as soon as possible. Maybe another exciting project somewhere… Do you guys have anything in mind? If so, let me know and I will try to make it a success!! :) Sustainable energy is needed everywhere on this planet, energy efficiency is a key thing to achieve results, the technology is already here, the knowledge too. And after an amazing summer, one of the best of the last few, I have lots of sustainable energy to drain it into something that will spark my motivation and imagination too! Remember, IMAGINATION is the greatest nation on earth and IMAGINEERING is required to bring change and a better future.


Best wishes


Nektarios~

With Love from Greece (and Sweden)

The weather in Greece the last 10 days I am here never dropped below 32oC. It has been really hot for my UK standards but I love it and have absolutely no problem with it! The first week I had to work from home therefore most of the days I stayed indoors in air conditioned areas and then, went to meet some good friends at Poros island and had some really nice summery time. Since I’m back, I go to the sea every day to cool down and sometimes we stay until midnight on the beach.

Poros_No national flag on the ferry boat but there is a Panathinaikos one!

Poros_Noble beauty

Got my bike on and riding it gives a sense of freedom, something you certainly can’t get on the London underground… :)  I still have many days until I return back so I don’t think of it at all! I do fully enjoy my lazy holidayzz and now looking forward for my next destination. The food is gooood and I feel tottaly recovered from the hardship of the last few months. It has been difficult but rewarding at the same time.

Alepohori_Sunset 20mins from home

Veniza_Checking a new PV farm

As I wrote on my last post, I feel really honored to be appointed the Alumnus of the Month for my university in Stockholm, Sweden. It means a lot to me, the largest technical university in Sweden, to choose me for August 2010 as the Alumnus of the Month. I have completed an interview and sent few photos from the project. Please find it below, the university link as well as the facebook one (the same text/interview).




KTH Alumnus of The Month


KTH FB Alumni network




I hope you all enjoying summer time



All the best


Nektarios~