Five Fingers of God, Kauai 2006 I was walking down to this ancient healing stream when I stepped on a centipede - which is considered the worst creature you can encounter in all the Hawaiian Islands. I instantly felt a sharp pain shoot up my foot and collapsed to the ground. Approaching wobbler status and in a lot of discomfort, all I could think of was that this healing stream would alleviate my pain. As I (finally) crawled into the stream, I was pleasantly surprised and welcomed by a beautiful aroma. I began to rub my foot and moments later I was completely fine. I could not even find the bite mark. Mind power or magic? Perhaps some of both are at play.
Langusta, Costa Rica 2007 Big juicy Lobsters washed up on my doorstep daily. The waves put me to sleep at night and the women kept me dancing…
Got a Jumper Here, Costa Rica 2007 I have taken off in planes more than I’ve landed in. The last time I had been in a single engine plane I jumped out at 12,000 feet. This time I settle for amazing Coastline views.
Celestive, Australia 2007 Gazing into the sky, I find that the shapes and details of the clouds are often symbolic of my innermost thoughts and feelings. Subconsciously, my mind seeks out certain imagery within the cloud formations that may reveal veiled thoughts or answers to questions long pondered.
Beelzebub, Brisbane 2007  “Lord of the flies” is the literal translation of the Hebrew word “Belzebub.” The name is widely synonymous with the Devil and popularized most recently in William Golding’s 1954 novel “Lord of the Flies.”
Baby Mama, Brisbane 2007 She appeared on the edge of a breakdown. The passengers stared as a poor young mother of 3 (one an infant that screamed for the whole ride) collected her grocery bags, children and stroller to exit the train.
Scamble, Brisbane 2007 Most people say it’s what’s on the inside that counts, but not this case, I was disgruntled to hear that this beautiful historical building was full of gambling machines.
Take a Hike, Byron Bay 2007 I watched as a shark swam just 80 feet from the surfers. Some guy said he used to catch sharks and that this was a big one. Some woman said not to worry about it, her rational being that the surfers are okay dying for what they love. Of the more than 238 shark attacks at Byron Bay, 72 were fatal. I said “fuck it” and took a hike.
Poor Pussy, Kauai 2007 Cook left no shipboard cats in Hawaii, perhaps because most of them were stolen during a stopover in Tonga, where they were instantly coveted and successfully spirited ashore. Cats were firmly established in the Islands by 1809 when Englishman Archibald Campbell visited and compiled a 400-word vocabulary that included the Hawaiian word for cat, which he spelled “popokee.” The origin of the name in an imitative word from “poor pussy,” po-po-ki.
Upon Arrival, Texas 2007 I observed the multitude of dogs sniffing luggage as I walked through customs. It was like the GB shrine. You could smell the oil money that went into the place… Ironically, the service standards of the airport in general were poor. We managed to find a good restaurant. The alligator which tasted sort of like chicken and calamari and was served by Jeremiah, a most courteous waiter. I don’t usually eat things that may have eaten human.
Prey vs Predator, Tofino 2007 Never underestimate what a mother will do to defend her young no matter what she is up against. In 1982 a woman in her late 50s lifted the side of a car to release her pinned son. Jack Kirby said he created the Incredible Hulk after seeing a mom lift a car off a kid. This eagle was not able to land any ware near the vicinity of the seagulls nest.
Auld Lang Syne, Vancouver 2006  “10, 9, 8, 7…” I was DJing at a party at the top of Harbour Centre in the revolving restaurant. Seconds before the new millennium I reached into my pocket, pulled out a diamond ring, got down on one knee and proposed to the girl I loved. She said “You don’t have to do that.”
Trapple, Australia 2007 Apparently less than 1% of the Australian population is Indigenous. For the few left, there is an opportunity to make good coin by sharing their history with tourists. In the name of conquest, man has caused native populations to shrink dramatically through the exchange of trapple like alcohol, tobacco, diseased blankets. Now with all the use of cell phones, native populations shrink even more. Between 20% and 60% of the radiation emitted by a cell phone is transferred directly into the users head. The radiation penetrates and is absorbed, some penetrating an inch to an inch and a half, into your brain.
Peeping Sills, South Pacific 2007 Ah yes, sleeping pills come in amazingly handy when flying around the world… I might have just been dozy but I’m sure I saw the curve of the earth at 39,000 feet.
The Devils Rope, Hawaii 2006 Being from Canada, I don’t ever worry about encountering war remnants but it is an important consideration when traveling in other countries. I was caught off guard by this leftover WWII tripwire.
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