Beautiful beach at Harbour Village Resort

Do you want to:

Do some great diving with a fun group of people?
Hone your dive skills under the supervision of top instructors?
Finish up a diving certification?
Get a great deal on a vacation?
Have a once in a lifetime adventure?

If you answered “Yes” to any of those questions, then you belong with us.

What’s the adventure?

A group of fun friends is getting together for a week of diving, snorkeling, exploring, partying and chilling out in one of the best dive destinations in the Caribbean.

Who Dives With Us?

We travel with a fun and diverse group of people who love adventure and having fun.  We travel in style and like a margarita or glass of wine at the end of the day.  It doesn’t matter whether you are a beginner or highly experienced, its about sharing some great dives during a fun week in the sun.  We have people that are just beginning and others with hundreds of dives.  Some divers have non diving spouses/partners.

Private beach dinner at Harbour Village

Lifelong friends are made with Global Diving Adventures

What’s the DEAL?

Harbour Village Beach Club (member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World) is the top boutique resort on Bonaire and they put together a great deal for us.  Plus when you go with us,  all the diving instruction including open water certification, advanced certification, nitrox certification and u/w photography instruction is free.  Yes, free.

What to Bring:

We can help with any gear rental you need and recommendations if you need to buy any gear.  Other than that, its bathing suits, t-shirts and flip flops.

What not to bring:

Attitude … unless its your happy diving attitude!

Whatever we do, it's ALWAYS a blast!

Details you want to know:

DATES Nov 5-12 2011
Package Price: (P/P based on double occupancy):
$1375.00 diver Courtyard or Marina View Room;
$1120.00 non-diver Courtyard or Marina View Room;
$800.00 per person upgrade to Beachfront Suite

Included: 7 nights Accommodations with continental breakfast at Harbour Village Beach Club , 6 days of diving (2 boat dives per day and unlimited shore diving -weather permitting), group transfers, services of expedition leaders including all certification courses taught, slide shows, shore snorkeling, sailboats/kayaks/tennis courts/jacuzzi and fitness center at Harbour Village and other fun stuff on the island.
Not Included: Air transportation, meals except breakfast, travel insurance, dive insurance, beverages, items of a personal nature, departure tax where applicable, excess baggage fees, SCUBA or snorkel equipment, marine park fees where applicable, dive staff gratuities.

ARRIVAL AIRPORT: Bonaire (BON)

WHO IS ORGANIZING AND LEADING THIS TRIP?

Ridlon and Carin Kiphart are highly accomplished expedition leaders, have guided on all seven continents and are members of the prestigious Explorers Club.  Together they have over 12,500 dives.  Ridlon is an accomplished underwater photographer and Carin was recently inducted into the SSI Platinum Pro 5000.

HOW DO I JOIN?

All you have to do is say, Yes.  Send us an email here.  We will need a 25% deposit, some paperwork and then you’re space is reserved.

We hope you will be inspired to join us!

To Your Adventures!

Mantagirl

Young Island, the dive and party place of the jet set will be OURS this August 6th-13th as we launch a James Bond style takeover of the floating sensation, the Coconut Bar.

Happy Times at the Coconut swim up bar on Young Island

Before the fall rolls around, soccer practice starts and your evening computer programing class sucks you in…..get away for one last summer fling.  

We are gathering our excellent friends, dive buddies and beach babes for a week of diving, beaching and just plain chilling out!!

We have teamed up with the incomparable Young Island Resort and Dive St. Vincent (who can resist owner Bill Tewes charm (?)) to search out the rare and the way cool critters that live in the waters off beautiful St. Vincent.

Great critters in the clear, blue Caribbean

We’ll dive in the mornings leaving ample time to explore the lush island of St. Vincent, enjoy the beach, the pool, or swim out to the coconut bar and enjoy the company of friends.

It’s a one week easy getaway to the blue waters of the Caribbean with Global Diving Adventures!

Stuff you’ll want to know:

DATES    Aug 6-13
Package

Price: (P/P based on double occupancy):

$2650.00 diver Superior Cottage

$
2950.00 diver Deluxe Cottage

$3550.00 diver Luxury Cottage with Private Plunge Pool
Included: 7 nights Accommodations at Young Island Resort, 5 days of diving (2 dives per day -weather permitting), BLD for seven days, group transfers, use of underwater digital camera and video, services of expedition leaders including any specialty courses taught, nitrox certification, slide shows and other fun stuff on the island.
Not Included: Air transportation, travel insurance, dive insurance, alcoholic beverages, items of a personal nature, departure tax where applicable, excess baggage fees, SCUBA or snorkel equipment, marine park fees where applicable, dive staff gratuities.
ARRIVAL AIRPORT: St. Vincent (SVD)

Email us for more information or to join us!
Sharkman@globaldivingadventures.com

To Your Adventures!

Mantagirl

The largest fish in the ocean, the whale shark, is also one of the most docile.  I can’t imagine any other multiple ton animal that I would swim two feet in front of.  What I mean is that I ‘ve been so close that I could reach out and stick my fingers in his 5 foot wide mouth!  These monolithic dinosaurs have roamed the seas for millions of years as filter feeders scooping up huge mouthfuls of water and filtering plankton and small fish through their gills.  If you get close to one while it’s feeding you can see the cascade of water being sucked in.

Getting up close and personal, you can also see a simply magnificent pattern on its back.  This gigantic animal is camouflaged!  Can you even begin what an animal this size would need to be camouflaged from?  It has a beautiful dark back patterned with white spots.  These spots are like fingerprints as each animal has a unique and personal pattern.  Scientists are doing cutting edge research to identify and track these animals so we can better understand and protect them from illegal fishing.  They are now using “trianglization” techniques of the spots like they do with stars.  As the animal grows, the distance between the spots will change but the angles of the “constellation” of the spots remains the same.  They are also counter shaded like other large pelagics meaning that they are light on the underside to camouflage them from the bottom and dark on the top so they blend in with the dark water as you look down.

Check out the spots on this giant!

The whale shark, Rhincodon Typus, can reach lengths up to over 50 feet!  It is one of THE most exhilarating life experiences to be in the water with a whale shark.  There are numerous places you can find whale sharks since they are circumtropical.  However, they also are migratory so you find them in different places throughout the year.

One of the places in the world with the largest gathering of whale sharks is the small, laid back island of Isla Mujeres, Mexico, just a 15 minute ferry ride from Cancun.  Last summer alone the gathering numbered over 500 animals!  The government has put into place protection measures so the animals are not disturbed or hassled.  You can go by small boat out to the gathering area in the summer months and in groups of just two with a guide, you can snorkel with these giants of the sea. It is illegal to scuba dive with them.

Here is a link to a great video done by Blue Sphere Media.

Whale Shark Video
The sea holds some of the most amazing wildlife watching opportunities on the planet.  Our company, Global Diving Adventures, aims to see it all!  If you have an interest in going to see the whale sharks of Isla Mujeres, we are planning a unique adventure August 14th-20, 2011.  This is a trip where you don’t need to be a diver to join us! We would love to have you come along!  Email us for details and pricing at sharkman@globaldivingadventures.com

laid back island, beautiful beaches!

We hope you will be inspired to join us!

To Your Adventures!

Mantagirl

Me and my favorite whale shark!

For Mantagirl, it’s….well…manta rays of course!!! Why? I’ll explain, but first there seems to be a lot of confusion over different species of rays. Let me try to clear that up.

The three rays you are most likely to see snorkeling or diving in tropical oceans are the sting ray, spotted eagle ray and manta ray. They are very easily distinguishable from each other. Scientifically, they are all the same down the line of scientific classification through Order. They are all Elasmobranchs (cartilaginous fishes) and are all of the order Myliobatiformes. At the family level they split. Ah…yes, so many families split up these days…….

Anyways…..

Sting rays are named for the barb at the base of the tail and are the animals of stupid Steve Irwin fame. They feed mostly on mollusks and crustaceans and use smell and electro receptors to detect their prey in the sand. You can find them on the bottom often concealed in the sand. They are not aggressive and use their barbs only in self defense. These are the rays that people “swim” with at Stingray City in the Cayman Islands.

Sting rays like this Southern at Sting Ray City live on the bottom

Spotted Eagle rays are named for their white spots on the top of their bodies and reach a length of 8 feet measured wingtip to wingtip. They also have a defensive barb at the base of their tail. These magnificent rays have large heads and powerful mouths for crushing the shells of their main prey, mollusks and crustaceans. They are not bottom rays but powerful ocean swimming rays. While they skim the bottom for food, you will not see this ray laying on the bottom of the sea.

Spotted Eagle Rays are cean swimming rays that feed in the sand

Manta rays, in my opinion are the most stunning member of the ray family. And also the largest. The largest ocean going Pacific manta has been measured at 22 feet across!! They do not have barbs on their tails and do not feed in the sand. These rays are plankton feeders and use two fins on either side of their mouths to scoop and filter planktonic material out of the water. These cephalic fins are rolled up when not in use and open when the rays are either feeding or being cleaned at cleaning stations. Most mantas are countershaded for protection with white bellies and black tops, however mostly or all black mantas are not uncommon. Each manta has a distinct pattern of spots and splotches top and bottom.

Mantagirl filming three circling mantas at a cleaning station

So now that you can identify the different rays, let me tell you why I LOVE mantas. To me, they are the ballerinas of the sea. They are incredibly graceful and I get the feeling that they simply love life, making great loops and turns in the water. This is how they feed, by making huge back rolls scooping up plankton. It just looks like so much FUN! When they come into a cleaning station, they make long lazy turns like a 747 in the sky, allowing the cleaner fish to do their job.

They have these incredible piercing eyes behind their cephalic fins which seem to stare into my eyes whenever I am watching them. But it’s a kind stare, more of a gaze than a glare. I can, and do watch them for hours!

The best way to observe mantas is to go to a cleaning station. Give them some space around the station and stay outside of their “circle”. Then just settle in on the bottom and wait. The mantas become easily relaxed with you watching and will often become curious. Often, they will circle over your head and at times, I’ve even had to duck!! Each time they circle past those eyes captivate me! THIS is why manta rays ROCK!

Sit quietly and the mantas will often come right to you

Like all humans, when we have these kind of encounters, we like to think that we’ve made a special connection to an animal, that perhaps we’ve “bonded”. Maybe we do and maybe we don’t but the lasting memory of the experience leaves an impression for a lifetime.

What’s your favorite critter? Share your story!!

To Your Adventures!

Mantagirl

Global Diving Adventures is a premium provider of guided SCUBA diving vacations and advice on travel, adventure & the adventure lifestyle.  We provide our guests and friends the experiences and knowledge to live an extraordinary life through adventure.

Yesterday on Facebook, a friend named Jennifer commented on one of my photos.  She mentioned that she had tried scuba diving but had a bad experience.  This made me very sad.  But it was also not the first time I had heard this comment.  In fact, I hear it quite often.  So today I thought I would post to encourage all of you out there who have had a difficult, bad, scary, or downright frightening first experience in the water to try it again.

There is NOTHING in the world that compares to the feeling of scuba diving, the freedom of swimming free in the water and hanging out with the fishes.  Would YOU Like to be the one in manta photos I posted yesterday?  You can!!!!

This could be you!

So….here are five beginning tips that might help you turn a bad experience into one of a lifetime.

1. If you are nervous or afraid of trying scuba diving, YOU ARE NOT ALONE!

You are not alone. Most people are nervous their first time on scuba

Understand that most everyone has this feeling.  You are relying both on unfamiliar equipment and often an unfamiliar instructor for your life support.  From the time I decided I wanted to learn to dive to the time I signed up for my course an entire year was wasted. I was that nervous.  Now, 25 years and 7500 dives later, it has altered the path of my life and become my greatest passion.

2. ASK QUESTIONS!

Many people do not ask questions when they go into new situations and so their fears remain.  If you don’t understand something, no matter how small and insignificant it may seem, ask your instructor.  My fear has always been flying and I used to be afraid that someone would open the door at 35,000 feet and we would all be sucked out of the plane.  Seem like a dumb thing?  Yep!  But I finally asked someone the question and learned that it was impossible to open the door while traveling 500 mph at 35,000 feet.  So, with education, I alleviated my fear.

3. TELL your instructor your fear.

Let your instructor know that you’ve tried this before and what happened.  If your fear is claustrophobia, or deep water or whatever, your instructor can explain the reasons not to have the fear you have.  I had a student once who was terrified of fish!!!  I never would have figured THAT one out!  Many people are claustrophobic and I am the world’s biggest claustrophobe!  BUT under the water, I feel like the world is totally open in front of me and I have none of that fear. An instructor can help you get over your fears, but you have to TELL them what they are.

4. Have the RIGHT equipment and conditions.

Be sure to have the right fitting equipment!

Again, since you are new to the sport, you probably don’t know what is the right equipment.  But you do know that if your mask is leaking something isn’t right.  If you experience a leaky mask, stop and ask for one that does fit your face.  If something doesn’t feel right you will obsess on whatever it is and you will have a miserable experience whether it is fins that don’t fit or your BCD that is digging into your back.  Just an aside, I think the mask is THE most important piece of equipment to be comfortable with.  If it is foggy or leaky you will have more of a tendency for panic.  So here is an important idea that I instill in my students.  Even if you cannot see (meaning your mask is flooding or leaking or foggy)  you CAN still breathe and while it may be uncomfortable and inconvenient, it can be easily solved, even underwater.  However, first and foremost be sure to have properly working equipment. Also, be sure to go out on a day with good weather conditions.  Rough seas and poor visibility can add stress to your experience.  Be patient and wait for the right time.

5. Find the RIGHT instructor!

Don’t be afraid to ask for credentials!  You are entrusting your life to your instructor.  Find out about them and if you have a nagging feeling that this is not the right person to teach you, find someone else.  Trust me, 23 years ago, you DID NOT want me as your instructor, just ask my little sister (sorry Cathy!).  Of course, since you are new to this whole sport, you probably feel you don’t know the right questions to ask.  You might ask how many first timers they’ve taken under or how long they have been teaching.  But if I were nervous about it or especially if I had a bad experience in the past, I would be sure to ask for the most patient instructor.  Also, many women prefer to have women teach them.  Don’t be afraid to make your request.  I love teaching women and instilling confidence in them.  I think that this is THE most important tip.  Find someone you know, like and trust or someone who will take the time to understand you and your fears, to give you this experience of a lifetime.

Find the right instructor for you. Here are three right here!

Find a patient instructor to show you the ropes!

Honestly, did you really like beer the first time you tried it?

How many things in your life were perfect the first time?  How many things did you not enjoy on your first try? Don’t let the fact that you had a poor first experience with scuba keep you out of the water the rest of your life.  Give it another go.  I KNOW you can have an amazing experience under the water and find a whole new world down there.  This post is for all the “Jennifers” out there who I encourage to try again!

Trust me!  I’m a scuba instructor!

To your Adventures!

Mantagirl

Global Diving Adventures is a premium provider of SCUBA diving vacations and advice on travel, adventure & the adventure lifestyle.  We provide our guests and friends the experiences and knowledge to live an extraordinary life through adventure.

Check us out at www.live-adventurously.com!

We all travel differently.  Mainly because we value different things.  Where do you put your emphasis?  How do you spend the dollars that you’ve allotted for your vacation?  It’s something to think about and plan for.  Perhaps if you put less dollars into getting there you could stay longer.  Or if you stayed in a nicer hotel it would impact your overall experience.  Maybe taking the cheap way out by traveling off season means your holiday is rained out and therefore ruined…. I recommend spending some time to determine what is important to you before you purchase.

Getting There

The Flight- First class or Economy??

For some, getting there in style and comfort is above all.  It’s first class flat bed seat or nothing.  Perhaps it’s because they are physically larger or taller and traveling around the world in an economy airplane seat would wreck them for a week.  The overall experience traveling first class is definitely less stressful and more fun.  You are treated with actual respect, offered a beverage in a real glass and served almost real food.

For me, economy does fine (though I love the upgrades when I get them).  I would rather spend my money elsewhere.  Often, I will take a flight with more stops or one that is less convenient to save money and put those resources to better use.  Fortunately, I am not a big person so I can survive economy.  I just slap on the noise canceling headphones, curl up in the seat and go to my happy place.

For some, it's the only way to travel.

Transit Overnights

Transit overnights can add a lot of cost to getting there.  But, again, it depends on what is important to you.  At Changi airport in Singapore for instance, there is a beautiful Crowne Plaza hotel you can stay at very conveniently and in luxury for about $200/night.  However, I can also grab a sleeping room inside the airport and pay by the hour.  I can get a good night’s sleep for about $50.  Again, when I travel, I prefer to put my money to use elsewhere rather than getting there.

Being There

Hotel/Resort

I am a firm believer in that you get what you pay for.  But here as well, think about what is important to you.  I have seen many people choose a budget hotel and then complain about the service and amenities.  However, you don’t have to stay in five star luxury to have a good time, unless that is what is important to you on a vacation.  And for our guests at Global Diving Adventures, good friends, good food and luxury accommodations are just as important as great diving.  So we focus on providing both.  This August we are hosting a group in Isla Mujeres.  Total cost for the trip will be about $3000/person for the week inclusive.  Yes, we could run the trip for $1500 BUT we would not be using the luxurious Villa Rolandi on a gorgeous beach with all the amenities.  Having a beautiful view, perhaps something romantic, a spacious junior suite the best food and highly experienced guides is worth a little extra.

Luxury travel with Global Diving Adventures, join us HERE in August 2011

I firmly believe you get what you pay for

Time of Year

Here is where many people get into trouble when they plan a trip.  You can find all the deals you want on the internet.  You can find incredible deals anywhere if it’s in the off season.  And here again, I say, you get what you pay for.  A few years ago, I was in Australia at a dive shop on Heron Island.  A diver was bitterly complaining about the dive conditions and the weather and how he could have had better diving if he had stayed in the Caribbean.  Then he blamed his travel agent.  I turned to him and explained that he had booked his trip during the middle of the rainy, low visibility season and that was not his travel agent’s fault.  He needed to be diligent about his research.  BUT….he got a deal…Some deal that turned out to be!  I knew it was the poor season to be there but it was the only time I could get there.  So I prepared myself for the rain and low vis and looked on it with a professional  eye for it’s potential for a future trip during the best dive season.

What Will You Remember?

You won't remember what you paid but you WILL remember this!

Price vs. Experience

And how many people care more about the price than the experience?  Well, I believe that it depends on when you ask them!!!  Ask people when they are planning the trip and they are all about saving money and the deal they are getting.  Ask them when they are ON the trip and they have a crummy hotel room, it’s raining and there are no whale sharks in sight because it’s not the right season.  People want the cheapest price first and then complain that their expectation did not meet their reality.

I’m not saying you can’t have an experience of a lifetime on a budget.  What I AM saying is to pay attention to where you are spending your money and make sure that you get the experience that you are expecting.  Down the road you won’t remember what you spent on that trip of a lifetime but you WILL remember the experience.

To your Adventures!

Mantagirl

check out our upcoming adventures at, www.live-adventurously.com.

Great friends, luxury travel!

Global Diving Adventures is a premium provider of SCUBA diving vacations and advice on travel, adventure & the adventure lifestyle.  We provide our guests and friends the experiences and knowledge to live an extraordinary life through adventure.

When we travel and dive all over the world without incident, we tend towards complacency.  After awhile we don’t think emergencies are going to happen.  I learned yesterday how important it is to stay sharp and educated.  Because “sharp” is what I found.

After 7500 scuba dives and 24 years as a dive instructor I didn’t think that my first serious venomous fish encounter would happen 50 feet off the beach while I was simply throwing the frizbee around.

The Sting of the Scorpion Fish

the scorpion fish defense is his venomous spines. I found out firsthand the unbearable pain!

Yes, I thought about the fact that I was barefoot and noticed there were small rocks off the beach and I even thought I needed to be careful where I step, the water was stirred up and there was no visibility.  I jumped up to catch the frisbee and when I landed on my toes, I felt this incredible pain.  It felt like someone took a piece of glass and ripped it across my foot.  I hobbled ashore as the pain throbbed through my foot like nothing I had ever experienced.  When I picked up my foot and saw just a trace of blood I knew.  It was the puncture of the dreaded scorpion fish.

The poison was all I could think about.  Would it spread?  Was I allergic?  I had to act fast but I realized that with all my training, I truly didn’t know the best course of action.  I was traveling on a ship with a medical doctor so I immediately called the ship and ordered the doctor to meet me.  The doctor, while qualified, also was unsure exactly what to do.  Here I was on a Caribbean island which I consider very civilized with a doctor on board and if the poison spread quickly or I had a severe reaction I could die here.  Then I started thinking about the places that we, as divers, travel and just how remote we really are at times.  I realized I needed to be more aware and more educated.  Something fairly minor can quickly become life threatening for simple lack of knowledge.

The doctor on board instructed the nurse to look up the treatment on line.  I was getting worried.  I suggested we call a specialist so a poison control organization in the US was called.  I said, “Let’s call DAN, they specialize in marine emergencies.”

Thank you Divers Alert Network

In case you have never experienced a puncture wound and invenomation from a scorpion fish, let me tell you it is EXCRUCIATING pain for the better part of a few hours.
It is a constant throbbing pain with swelling at the affected site and a change of skin color to bright red.

I was very relieved to talk with someone at Duke University at Diver’s Alert Network.  They are extremely knowledgeable and put me at ease right away.  I first explained the habitat of the area where I was stung and asked if they could think of any other fish it could have been and they confirmed my suspicion.  Then it was explained to me that unlike a snake bite where the poison spreads quickly throughout your body, the venom of this fish stays in place at the puncture site.  The best treatment is 90 minutes with the affected area in water as hot as is tolerable.  Within 2 hours the color of my foot had turned back to normal and within about 24 hours the swelling had subsided.  I also immediately took a steroid in case of an allergic reaction and started a course of antibiotics in case of infection.  Tetanus was also updated.

In this case, I was lucky.  No infection, no allergic reaction and I was close to medical attention. Next week I head to some of the remotest parts of Indonesia for a month of diving.  Medical attention will not be so close. Vigilance and continued education on diving and marine emergencies is the key to safety while traveling and diving the world.

Stay safe out there!

Mantagirl

I thought about tradition yesterday as I sailed through Boka Bay.  Boka Bay is a picturesque fjord that winds its way from the bottom of the Adriatic Sea to the heart of Kotor, Montenegro.  The town is steeped in maritime tradition and was a strategic port in the Mediterranean throughout the ages.  Even today, as this gem of a town at the base of Lovcen Mountain greets the 21st century more as a tourist destination than maritime stronghold, some rituals remain fast.

the 28 km Boka Bay where tradition still lives

As we glide up the fjord on a magnificent 600 ft sailing ship some 28 kilometers towards Kotor, we pass Tivat bay and the channel begins to narrow.  The narrowest part, called the Verige, was the historical point where the fjord was chained.  A large chain was placed under the water to “trip” any enemy vessels trying to reach Kotor.  Today, the chain does not exist and the gap now feels even narrower as ferries bring cars back and forth from headland to headland, bringing people together instead of holding them apart.

Once we slip past the Verige, we arrive in front of the coastal town of Perast, an ancient village of seafaring people and captain’s palaces.  We prepare for a 90 degree turn to starboard to continue up the fjord a few more kilometers toward Kotor.  It is here that I feel the strong pull of centuries old ritual.  Even though I am sailing past in a modern cruising ship, we follow the old rules.  As the ship passes, we sound our horn numerous times in greeting.  The sound reverberates off the surrounding mountains echoing for long moments.  It feels powerful and it has the ability to bring out the town.  From every occupied ancient stone home the shutters fly open and the Montenegrians throw their hands in the air.  Both arms wave back and forth in reciprocal welcome.  It is custom to wave a towel in greeting as well.  And all on board do the same, we wave and wave and wave, both wanting to be the last with their arms in the air.

Suddenly, we hear the church bells of Perast ringing signaling our arrival, a friendly ship returning.  They ring long and loud with cheerful intentions. Now everyone in the entire bay knows of the arrival of our ship.  We sail past two small islands, one with the church and the other with the monastery and cemetery.  There is great tradition and history on these tiny islets as well.  Once again, the ship bellows its horn in greeting and it seems just when the chimes from church bells of Perast fade from our ears, the island church bells takes up the charge.  We continue to be serenaded until our arms ache from waving and we feel a great connection to the people of this small village we have never met.

This age old tradition has been a bridge for us to the people of Montenegro.  We are still sailing up the fjord and are preparing to cast our lines ashore but we already feel a connection and a sense of belonging to the country.  We feel welcome and happy without yet setting foot on the shore.

I believe that traditions have an important place in our lives for this very reason.  They give us a sense of continuity and of place and of connection. Are there traditions in your life that are important to you and that give you this?  Are there lost traditions that you want to re-instate?

To Your Adventures!

This morning I read a fantastic article by acclaimed explorer Mikael Strandberg, http://tycoonsventure.com/Tycoons_Venture/GW1.html .  In the article entitled, “I Just Love Life”  Mikael explains his philosophy of getting the most out of our short time on earth.  He says, “You have to dare, even in every day life, to be able to live life to its fullest”.  Then I watched his video at the bottom of the page where he describes his numerous expeditions to find the meaning in life.  And at the end, he says, that to really enjoy life, you must communicate with other people.

And when I went out for my walk today that’s exactly what hit me.  People here aren’t communicating. Let me explain.  How many times on cruise ships do you hear, “All these ports are just the same.” or “ABC” another bloody church, or “oh, another walled city with shops”.  And if that’s all you do, that’s exactly what it will become.  You don’t learn anything about the country and you have no contact with the people except for shopies and restaurant waiters and of course that’s just service, not meaningful communication.  And if that’s the case, the towns will blend together until it’s just a blur of ramparts and patisseries.

But it’s safe.  No one has to open up to anyone else.  No one has to explore the language and try to communicate.  No one has to do anything uncomfortable.  No one dares, as Mikael would probably say.  If I polled this week’s passenger compliment and said, “So, did you meet any interesting Spaniards today?”  they would look at me with an incomprehensible expression.  But I realized as I walked, that I hadn’t either.

I spent a month trekking in Tibet last year.  The people were so exotic and fascinating that I just wanted to know everything I could about them.  I didn’t speak a word of their Tibetan language but I tried every which way I could to communicate.  And it was wonderful and meaningful.  One day I was attempting to wash my long hair in a bucket outside our “hotel” room.  It was so funny that I decided to video myself doing it.  A curious Tibetan woman came out of her shop completely baffled as to what I was doing and went about helping me wash my hair, making suggestions with gestures and we laughed and laughed and had a marvelous time.   And every time she saw me for the next two days, she came over with treats from her meager kitchen, fresh watermellon or cookies.  I met her children and husband and she proudly showed me her shop.  I think of her often and remember fondly our time together trying to make a connection as two curious human beings.

But here in Europe I haven’t made the effort and I have paid dearly for it.  I could write volumes about the people I encountered in Nepal and Tibet but not one story from western Europe in the past two months.  Mikael’s right, you need contact and communication.  I have been too wrapped up in my day to day work, not focused on the daily exploration of the world.  And it has left me very unsatisfied today.

Few people are explorers in the definition that describes Mikael Strandberg’s life.  But you can still explore the world each and every day by reaching out, by connecting with the world and by daring to live.

Thank you Mikael for your insight and may we never forget that life is short and the world is large.  There is no time to waste.

Life is too short and the world is large. Dare to live. (photo from Antarctica)

“There is more to see than can ever be seen, more to do than can ever been done”
from the song, “The Circle of Life”

To Your Adventures!

Today we went out for lunch.  As is quite common of us here in Europe, we headed for a local pizza place.  There is nothing quite like the thin crust and REAL tomato taste of a pizza in Italy and the French actually can do a nice one too.  Today, it is Corsica so we knew we would not be disappointed.

Up in the corner of the menu was a “special”, a Corsican pizza.  My French is not too bad but I couldn’t understand some of the items listed on the pie.  So, rather than ask the server, I searched the menu to see if I could find the same words on other areas of the menu and then figure it out.  Sure enough, I found the words listed under the charcuterie plate which is an assortment of meats. I didn’t know exactly what meats but since Corsica is known for their sausages I figured we were great on that one. Ok, so it’s a meat lovers pizza, good to go.

Below the Corsican special pizza a second item was listed, moule du la biere Pietra. I know the word for beer in French and that Pietra is a lovely Corsican beer brewed to traditional and artisanal methods with malts, hops and chestnuts and no chemical additives.   So here is where my American culture threw me off course.  Since both items were listed in the box and one was a pizza and the other one some kind of beer, my brain just assumed that a moule must be a big pitcher of beer!  So we ordered one of each, we’ll split the pizza and the beer (typical of Americans again to split).

So I did the talking and told her we’d like the pizza and the beer.  Then she looked over to Ridlon and asked if he wanted anything to drink.  Odd, I thought, she thinks I’m going to drink the entire pitcher of beer?

After a bit out came the pizza complete with the entire charcuterie and she placed it before me.  Then out came…..the beer???? No, a huge tureen and a plate of potatoes… what???  Then she lifted the lid to proudly show us the huge bucket of MUSSELS.

Oops!

Then it hit us both.  Of course!  Moules is the French word for mussels that were obviously cooked in the lovely Pietra beer.  Then we just laughed.  Our cultural bias had come through loud and clear.  If it’s a pizza it must be a pitcher of beer…  I looked at Ridlon and said, “What were we thinking?”  When have you EVER seen Europeans drink beer from a pitcher?? Duh??? And just because the items are listed together in the corner of the menu does not mean they are meant to go together!  No wonder she asked Ridlon if he wanted something to drink with his mussels.

We sheepishly sent the mussels back to the kitchen and asked the server to bring us two pressions, which are draft beers.  We happily split our pizza and sipped our artisanal beer with chestnuts.

Just goes to show you that no matter how much you travel, you still catch yourself dragging your background with you and looking at life through the lenses of your upbringing.  There is wisdom in walking a mile in someone else’s shoes or at least understanding that pizza does not always go with beer.  Sometimes it goes with mussels.

Great pizza...hmmmm mussels?

To Your Adventures!