If you had told me a year ago that I would spend my next birthday sitting in a 40 kilometer wide lagoon in Rangiroa, French Polynesia on a sailing yacht I might have agreed it was possible, but I certainly wouldn’t have put any money on the odds. This year has been one heck of a ride: I started out 12 months ago starting to see the results of years of hard work and sacrifice pay off…just to be reminded what it feels like to be betrayed by someone you trust implicitly a few months later. However, this time, I also had the rare privilege of experiencing what it feels like to have a friend stick by you when all hell breaks loose and things fall apart. I have opened offices, employed people, and had someone tell me I am the reason their children are fed and their marriage still exists. A pastor told me that killing someone might be seen as justifiable in God’s eyes but that local law enforcement might not be so open to the idea. I needed to hear it more than I realized at the time. I have learned some Spanish, can hold a simple conversation in French and have been told by a Polynesian that I make “good music” with one of his instruments. I still don’t know how to read music. I have read more of the Bible than ever before and have earned my SCUBA certification in one of the most idyllic diving paradises in the known world. I have been reminded how well Tiffany and I can work together in our element and we won a sailing race! We now know what 1 million monarch butterflies look like when viewed from a hill top at once and that not all Mexican busses have livestock aboard, in fact few do. Tiffany and I have sailed across the equator and crossed an ocean in a 44 ft sailboat. We’ve made some great new friends along the way while missing those we left behind a lot more than we realized. Right now Tiffany is cooking me a key lime pie with the last of the lime juice we brought from Mexico.
Like I said, it’s been a heck of a ride. I certainly would not say I wouldn’t change a thing, because I would. I can say I played the hand that was dealt me as well as I could and I’ll keep doing just that.…which brings me around to this blog. I have put a lot of thought and effort into revising this journal and I have come to the conclusion that the progress desperately needs to keep up while at the same time allowing you to see the sights I see and hear what I hear. I don’t want you to just read about what I’m doing, I want you to experience as much of this trip as possible and I want to give you more than just the words I find on a lot of other blogs. I have some massive updates for this little video journal that are ripe for the happening. One little challenge: I am in the butt-arse end middle of nowhere right now and it takes about 3 hours to send a simple email! However, wheels are turning, assistants are being contacted and alternate forms of delivery are being arranged. Expect to see changes in the middle of June. We’ll see how well it goes and this is the basic plan:
1) Entries will be parsed down to the best 10 or so videos for each place I’m at.
2) All entries will be accompanied by text and posted together so you get a more complete story all at once instead of piecemeal.
You’ll be able to browse entries at your leisure and keep up with our travels better than you have been while putting in less effort. I need your help with this though: I need your comments so I know what it is you are looking for. What do you want to see of French Polynesia, the South Pacific, Australia, Asia, Russia, etc? People, cultural events, scenic vistas or more of me getting myself into amusing situations? Hey if nothing else, drop me a note for a happy birthday. My ability to respond is limited (being as I am on an island several thousand miles away from the nearest continent or even 1st world country) and I do read what you all say.
Thanks for sharing the adventure.
-Greg
PS – what do you think of me working at a remote outpost in the middle of the Australian outback for a few months? Just curious.
I wanted to call to wish you Happy 31st (!!!) and figured you were probably outside of cell range. Glad to know you at least have a spot of dry land within sight!
I love to see what you see: festivals, windows at the bottom of your bedroom, landscapes, indiginous peoples, etc and to have to explain to me what I see and why it’s notable. Educate me, I know nothing of this world you are exploring–You might as well be Columbus or Vespucci with a flip cam. (I wonder what he would have recorded to show the folks back home…)
As for Austrailia…If you can teach a kangaroo to box, I’m in!
I wish you a very happy 31st birthday! May you continue your thirties with the love of your life by your side, seeing all that is out there for you to explore 🙂
I’d love to show my three (soon to be four, come December ) children different cultures around the world, where they live, what they do for a living, the day to day life of people in general. I wonder what the landscape looks like, what food is the norm, I wonder how women are viewed (as equals vs a step(s) below men), and what education looks like in other parts of the world. In whole, the world is at your feet, and I’d love to take in as much as I can so I can broaden my horizons, even ifs from videos shot around the world 🙂 Love the comparison to Columbus w/ a flip cam from your previous post, it definitely suits you.
Oh, and my husband Robert says Australia is beautiful, and he mentioned Exmouth Western Australia is great (southwest of Darwin) and Pot Shot Pub (I think in Exmouth) is a great pub to check out-he was there many many years ago.
Safe travels!
Greg, you are living the life I’ve always dreamed but never had the internal fortitude to do so. I’d love to hear it all! It’s like hob-nobbing with Magellan or Capt. Cook (no mutiny, please). What, the world isn’t flat? No monsters at the edge? So glad you grabbed such an incredible opportunity. As for living in the middle of the Australian outback – GO FOR IT!! This coming from one who likes to spend weeks at a time living in the middle of the African bush…go figure. Oh yeah, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!
Greg, i’d like to hear what moves you, what you see in your spot of the world, what it feels like to be there; your growth in life and your relationship with Tiffany.
And Happy Birthday!
And Australia, sure! Why not?!
Thank you for the long e-mail. I enjoyed reading it. I’m glad you are having a great time but would have loved to spend today with you afterall, it took you and I working together 31 years ago to get you in that island paradise today. Oh by the way, the people in my office said to thank you for the birthday cake. Since I couldn’t share a BD cake with you and Tiff I brought one into the office and everyone said to tell you how much they enjoyed your cake. About Australia what do you mean “remote” are you planning on shearing sheep? I miss you, Greg, especially today. I love you very much. Happy Birthday dearest son.
Hey Greg,
Happy, happy birthday. I know, it’s late – forgot I had the ability to connect on this account to wish you the very best. I did think about you on your birthday and I’m so glad I’ll get to see you in about a week. So, we come bearing “stuff” – lots of it it seems! We still we come bearing it! 🙂 You are both constantly in my thoughts and prayers and I love seeing your posts and knowing what’s going on – what you see and do. Love your office, I’d like to get one of those. Miss Priss (the Bucca) misses you although she is getting along with Zoe much better now. At least they don’t scream at each other. I know, Greg, you want to hear it but they really don’t do that anymore – will try to get it for you though. She’s a real sweetie whose little “love tank” empties quickly and is often in need of refueling. But, that’s OK ’cause we know she misses you all and we try to fill her up. Anyway. Have a great and awesome birthday week!! We’ll see you both soon. I love you, Mom.