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Yearly Archives: 2014

A Lesson from Bali

The altars at our hotel – every home and business has one.

Traveling is a wonderful teacher if only the student is ready to show up for the lesson. My latest classroom has been the amazing magical island of Bali. Even if I were deaf, dumb and blind it would be difficult not to notice the reverence for life that the Balinese show us daily. We are staying at a charming guest house called Ala’s Green Lagoon, a hideaway in the rice fields, just off the busy streets of Ubud. It has been a gateway into another world. There are two altars on this tiny property, one for the family and the other for the hotel. Every room is carefully decorated and built with care and detailed attention. Houses here are not so much built as they are created as masterpieces of constructive ingenuity.

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Around the World with Tommy T

I’m off on a big adventure: spending the winter months on the far side of the globe. I have several intentions: 1) to get away from the rain and cold of Vancouver, 2) to travel to places I’ve always dreamed of going to and 3) to spend some downtime writing a new book. Michele and I flew from Canada on New Year’s Eve and it took 2 full days before we arrived at our destination: the tropical beaches of Goa, India. We felt it would be an easier intro to a land of hugely different cultures and languages.

The following video is a compilation of impressions within the first few days where the friendly Goan people mix with the millions of foreigners who arrive every winter to bask in the sun and enjoy a bit of hedonism before heading back to their own cold countries and the daily grind.  Traveler’s often keep a dairy or take notes and nowadays we blog. I am particularly blessed by the intricate talents of my partner with her tenacity, patience and ingenuity with web creation, writing and video production. Thank you so much Michele for bringing this alive for everyone back home. Great job. Here’s Michele’s take on what we thought we’d find, and what, in fact showed up for us.

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