Nomad. Basically means either a pastoral nomad, moving his herd every day in search of food, or a hunter gatherer nomad moving with the wildlife. Bruce Chatwin was forever fascinated by nomadic life and once spent years and years writing a book about his own thesis on ‘the nomadic alternative’. This brick of a book was according to his publisher almost unreadable and Chatwin ended up instead traveling Patagonia and writing ‘In Patagonia’. The rest is history.

I have spent the past 4 months attempting to realise my own Nomadic Alternative. On Monday the 23rd of November dreams become reality as I board my plane to freely travel the world, photograph, experience, write and live! New life. The road is the home. Nomadic Alternative.

I now own basically what I can carry. Well, carry with some help as there is an awful lot of camera gear, laptop, books and clothes. Still, my life and possessions is reduced to a mobile state and I have no home but the world, the road. Nomadic alternative. These are truly exciting times! Complete freedom and total liberation! I do know how lucky people consider me to be and I will live up to it.  But I have basically created this situation myself and I believe everyone can do this or parts of this. Most of what tie us down are in our minds!

While I do call it my Nomadic Alternative, like Bruce Chatwin would say, that is a truth and a half. Chatwin liked to say he was travelling with just a notebook and a backpack. In reality he carried a whole home with him, including a ton of books. In reality I will be jumping from base to base as a place to sleep is always quite nice! My first base will be with friends in Chiang Mai in Northern Thailand. A dear friend from Copenhagen will also join me in Chiang Mai and together we will explore Asia for the next 4 months. Thailand, Malaysia, Borneo, perhaps Burma, Laos and a little gday to Australia as well could be on the menu. No plans, except to live! photograph, experience, travel and be free, free!

“Not all those who wander are lost.” – Tolkien

"So many people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned to a life of security, conformity, and conservatism, all of which may appear to give one peace of mind, but in reality nothing is more dangerous to the adventurous spirit within a man than a secure future. The very basic core of a man’s living spirit is his passion for adventure. The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun." -Chris McCandless

The road is home

Let us conclude with the road, in this case a lovely red dirt road from Karijini, Australia. Red and blue dawn at it’s finest. Into the Wild.

Karijini Red and Blue Dawn
© Flemming Bo Jensen Photography

If you know some great photography locations in Thailand – and Asia – I would love to hear about them! See you on the road.

Christopher Johnson McCandless (February 12, 1968 – mid-August, 1992) was an American wanderer who adopted the name Alexander Supertramp. He hiked into the Alaskan wilderness with little food and equipment, hoping to live a period of solitude.

 Almost four months later, he died of starvation near Denali National Park and Preserve. Inspired by the details of McCandless’s story, author Jon Krakauer wrote a book about his adventures, published in 1996, entitled Into the Wild. In 2007, Sean Penn directed a film of the same title.

This seems to have sparked a lot of internet debate….Inspiration or Idiot?

Je n’ai pas trouvé ce livre, mais c’est le livre qui m’a trouvé !  Durant la semaine j’avais regardé par le pur des hasards (conseille d’une amie) le film Into the Wild (A propos, si vous n’avez pas vu ce film => courrez louer le DVD !).  Trois jours après, en visite chez une amie, j’ai regardé dans les étagères de sa bibliothèque et j’ai tiré le premier livre sous la main sans regarder le titre. Bingo ! Into the wild dans les mains ! Je suis resté con un moment et je suis finalement rentré chez moi avec le livre.

C’est une histoire magnifique, bouleversante, qui ne vous laisse pas insensible. L’histoire vraie de ce jeune homme qui du jour au lendemain quitte tout ce qu’il a, donne tout son argent, quitte sa famille pour se retrouver au milieu de nul par avec “un chemin tout tracé” .

Le film retrace plus l’aspect “histoire vraie” c’est à dire qu’il témoigne plus du quotidien du jeune homme, avec ses rencontres etc… Mais le livre est une narration faite par le journaliste qui a enquêté durant des années sur Christopher McCandless.

• Biographie de l’auteur
• Fiche du livre

Christopher McCandless devant son camion (photo vraie)

]]> http://ipastoridiarcadia.wordpress.com/2009/11/02/nelle-terre-estreme/ Mon, 02 Nov 2009 16:44:23 +0000 ipastoridiarcadia http://ipastoridiarcadia.wordpress.com/2009/11/02/nelle-terre-estreme/

Cosa spinge un ragazzo di 22 anni ad abbandonare tutto quello che possiede per intraprendere un viaggio solitario verso l’estremo? Si perchè Christopher McCandless aveva solo 22 anni quando fresco di laurea decide di partire per il viaggio della sua vita con obiettivo finale l’Alaska. Mollare tutto, rifiutare il monotono e schematico modello americano saturo di ipocrisia per lanciarsi in un’avventura… alla ricerca della felicità.  Poche cose con se, fra cui alcuni libri e un fucile calibro 22, nel suo viaggio attraverso gli Stati Uniti. Durante i 2 anni trascorsi on the road incontra tanta gente, sfiora l’amore, vive e ascolta le storie di chi come lui ha vive la strada in un viaggio continuo. “La felicità è vera solo se condivisa”, purtroppo lo scopre troppo tardi… quando libertà diventa solitudine e la tanto agognata natura selvaggia una trappola. Il Magic Bus che lo accoglie per 112 giorni diventerà la sua tomba, Sean Penn lo immagina sorridente nel momento del trapasso, il momento in cui capisce di aver perdonato i suoi genitori per l’ipocrisia e l’incomprensione che lo hanno portato a quella fuga, vorrebbe riabbracciarli e si chiede se loro in quel momento avrebbero visto quello che vedeva lui adesso. Grazie Alexander Supertramp… anzi grazie Christopher McCandless… perchè ogni cosa va chiamata con il suo vero nome. Ci hai insegnato che oltre la materialità delle cose c’è molto da imparare. Ti immagino sull’uscio del bus 142 che sorridi… riposa in pace Chris!

You are wrong if you think Joy emanates only or principally from human relationships. God has placed it all around us. It is in everything and anything we might experience. We just have to have the courage to turn against our habitual lifestyle and engage in unconventional living.

- Christopher Johnson McCandless, Letter written in April, 1992

—

Christopher Johnson McCandless (February 12, 1968 – mid-August, 1992) was an American wanderer who adopted the name Alexander Supertramp and hiked into the Alaskan wilderness with little food and equipment, hoping to live a period of solitude. Almost four months later, he died of starvation near Denali National Park and Preserve. Inspired by the details of McCandless’s story, author Jon Krakauer wrote a book about his adventures, published in 1996, entitled Into the Wild. In 2007, Sean Penn directed a film of the same title, with Emile Hirsch portraying McCandless. (from Wikipedia)

Read Krakauer’s riveting 1993 Outside Magazine article “Death of an Innocent”, the piece that inspired Into the Wild.

The music that Vedder composed for the film is sublime and stunning.  If you enjoy this clip, please buy the soundtrack and see the film.  They are both magnificent.

Such is the way of the world
You can never know
Just where to put all your faith
And how will it grow

Gonna rise up
Burning back holes in dark memories
Gonna rise up
Turning mistakes into gold

Such is the passage of time
Too fast to fold
And suddenly swallowed by signs
Low and behold

Gonna rise up
Find my direction magnetically
Gonna rise up
Throw down my ace in the hole

Eddie Vedder, “Rise”, Music for the Motion Picture Into the Wild (2007)

Oh, I meant to talk about this movie ages ago…  But well, so so many people have recommended both this book and this movie and I finally got around to watching the film.  I thought people were just recommending it because the story is amazing, not because the film is phenomenally well done! I was really blown away.  Everything about this movie is impressive and it serves very well as a tribute to McCandless.  I was struck by the seriousness with which Hirsch and director Sean Penn treated their subject; not condescendingly at all.  Very compassionate and thoughtful film.  I look forward to reading the book (by, ahem, a Hampshire alum, no less).

Below is something from Christopher Mccandless:

“So many people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned to a life of security, conformity, and conservatism, all of which may appear to give one peace of mind, but in reality nothing is more dangerous to the adventurous spirit within a man than a secure future. The very basic core of a man’s living spirit is his passion for adventure. The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun.”

*I found this after I watched the film Into the Wild. I decided to place it here because I want to read it often. I also posted this in my friendster blog some time ago and decided to place it here….

If only people
would not come to visit me
in lonely mountains
where I have built my retreat
from the world’s many trials.
- Musō Soseki

This is a common refrain in the Zen poetry and attitude.  Certainly, we all can use solitude at times, but my gut instinct is that being in total isolation goes against the grain of being human.  So was Buddha not human?  I think it’s helpful to remember that Buddhism is called, “The Middle Way.”  These words of the Teacher in Ecclesiastes come to mind:

To everything there is a season,
A time for every purpose under heaven:

…A time to cast away stones,
And a time to gather stones;

A time to embrace,
And a time to refrain from embracing…

- Ecclesiastes 3 NKJV

A more modern, and extreme, example of “retreat” can found in the experience of Christopher McCandless in the book/movie Into the Wild. Christopher wants to go to Alaska to get away from society and its sickness.  Eventually, he dies of starvation, but also of loneliness I think.  In his writing he finally sees that life means nothing unless shared with another person.

It seems his error was in extreme view.  Certainly, modern (and even ancient) overgrown society is a breeding ground of misery.  Retreating from all people, however, is the error.  Making life simple, living in smaller communities, selling unneeded possessions and so on can be a sufficient remedy for the excesses of our imposing civilizations.  However, to shun human contact is a mental, and heart, disease.  Balance is the answer, and it is different for each person, but I doubt that any human was so made (or evolved) to exists happily and successfully completely alone.  So I offer an updated poem to reflect this moderation in retreat…

People, birds, animals and insects
Coming and going
To share this mountain retreat
And the world’s many trials
That are common to us all.

Into the Wild © Paramount Vantage

Ein behütetes Elternhaus, finanzielle Sicherheit, eine außergewöhnliche Begabung und umwerfender Charme – eigentlich ist der Anfang 20-jährige Student Christopher so etwas wie ein Vorzeige-Amerikaner mit glänzenden Zukunftsperspektiven. Doch dann plötzlich, von heute auf morgen, bricht er aus seiner privilegierten Existenz aus und lässt alles hinter sich. Ohne einen Cent in der Tasche trampt er quer durch die Staaten, Richtung Alaska, in die Wildnis. Unterwegs trifft er auf andere Aussteiger, die wie er am Rande der Gesellschaft leben, und spürt die menschliche Nähe, die er bei seinen Eltern (William Hurt, Marcia Gay Harden) immer vermisste. Doch vier Monate später findet das Abenteuer ein jähes Ende.

Der Film verfügt über atemberaubende Bilder, die Thematik ist wirklich interessant und regt zum Nachdenken an. Zudem ist Emile Hirsch eine maßgeschneiderte Besetzung für die Hauptfigur in diesem Film! Der häufigste Kommentar den ich zu diesem Film gelesen habe ist übrigens, dass er Fernweh verursacht.

“I’m going to paraphrase Thoreau here… rather than love, than money, than faith, than fame, than fairness… give me truth.” (Into the Wild)

Emile Hirsch and Sean Penn

I don’t know how many times I’ve caught Into the Wild on HBO, but I can’t get tired of it. It is an excellently-made movie telling the story of a man who dared to live without money, society, and rules but the rules of his own. I am so amazed at how this man decided to live. I’m wondering how it would have turned out if he was able to write his book about his travels. Would it voucher him a win?

It seems that he had won over the influences of capitalism and the money-mongering mindset that is so prevalent–but only for a short while. But, can an individual really live for that long without having their society? Even our sick society. Because we are social creatures.

The question is… Can a person really survive with no ties to anything or anyone?

“Happiness is only real when shared” – Christopher McCandless

The Real C. McCandless:

Download:

Por Alessandra Marcondes

Quando ouvi falar de Na Natureza Selvagem, tive a impressão de que seria exposta a tomadas fantásticas de uma natureza distante que me diriam: ‘isso não é para você’. Talvez um filme que servisse de marketing para o ecoturismo, e recortasse a realidade árdua da selva de forma amena e feliz, típico de Globo Repórter e afins. O que encontrei, entretanto, atropelou minhas expectativas e, de tão excepcional, deu as costas para elas e saiu andando, sem nem ligar.

Um rapaz chamado Chris foge da família, da carreira, do dinheiro e de outras convenções para varrer o mundo aos seus pés. Fugindo da mediocridade burguesa de sua família, mirou o Alasca e todo seu significado selvagem como forma perfeita de libertar sua alma, em viagem interior que prometia horizontes inabitados pela grande maioria dos homens. Em capítulos que dividem a grande empreitada como em atos teatrais, conhece tipos bem característicos em harmonia com a fase vivida: repare na presença dos hippies cumprindo o papel de pais em “o nascimento”, os dinamarqueses estranhíssimos e a bebedeira com o amigo trambiqueiro situados em “adolescência”, e o velho homem símbolo de um amadurecimento inevitável, em “sabedoria”.

Reconheço que sou uma menina urbana, e ficar acampada longe de um bom chuveiro quente num lugar cheio de mosquitos não é muito a minha praia. Mas mesmo que nem todos nós desejemos efetivamente a empreitada de Cris, é inevitável invejar sua coragem. Abandonar tudo o que se conhece como seguro e arriscar o novo é atidude de homem crescido, e deixar celulares, cartões de crédito e cigarros para trás deve dar uma sensação magnífica de liberdade que a maioria dos homens infelizmente não terão a oportunidade de vivenciar. Talvez tenha certa ingenuidade nas atitudes do menino rebelde que despreza tanto a vida burguesa que sua família lutou para ter, mas ganhar um carro como presente de formatura dos seus próprios pais mostrou que os dois não entendiam nada a seu respeito, nem respeitavam seus instintos e seus sonhos.

Há um alerta visível para a falta de importância de conceitos supervalorizados pela nossa geração. As prioridades para o homem são discutidas a todo momento: é necessário ficar sozinho para compreender a si mesmo e entrar em harmonia com o mundo, ou de nada vale a felicidade se não for compartilhada? Essa foi uma das melhores frases que já ouvi na minha vida, e transformou o filme em muito mais do que a história sobre a introspecção de um personagem – me fez pensar na minha própria realidade, meus valores, meus sentimentos. E isso, meu caro leitor, é o que o cinema tem de melhor pra mostrar; é nessa hora que sabemos a qualidade da película que está na nossa frente, e damos graças aos céus pelo cinema simplesmente existir. Isso, caro leitor, é um bom filme.

Paisagens incríveis, diálogos poéticos e a trilha (aaaah, a trilha) desenhada exemplarmente por Eddie Vedder completam Na natureza Selvagem, tornando-o perfeito. Este sim mereceria uma nota 11 do cricrítico Bruno Pongas. Típico de filmes sobre viajantes, há a constante narração em off de reflexões do personagem principal e a presença abençoada de secundários que dão cor à vida do andarilho. Faz lembrar as personagens de Um Beijo Roubado, que, sendo tão magníficas, fazem o espectador torcer para que sejam reais. Algumas das cenas grudam na memória visual e não nos deixam para sempre: como quando Cris chora feito criança por ter matado um animal à toa, pois não conseguiu aproveitar sua carne; ou como aquele garoto com tanta certeza de si se transformou no final em criança novamente, com sentimentos tão humanos que são a saudade, o medo e a dor.

‘Chamar cada coisa pelo seu nome certo’ – foi o que faltou na hora de comer o fruto errado, e que fez o corajoso Alexander SuperTramp voltar a ser, finalmente, Christopher McCandless. Um final para chorar e continuar chorando pela meia hora seguinte. O final de um filme definitivamente excepcional.

Hapiness only real when shared.

Direção: Sean Penn
Duração: 148 minutos
Gênero: Ação/Drama
Elenco: Emile Hirsch, Marcia Gay Harden, Willian Hurt, Vince Vaughn, Jena Malone, Catherine Keener, Kristen Stewart, Brian Dierker e Hal Holbrook.

Después de ver una película así, empiezas a hacerte muchas preguntas. Y acabas encontrando pequeñas respuestas en muchas citas de la película. Aquí va una que me tocó especialmente:

Christopher McCandless: [written into book] Happiness only real when shared.

Otra road movie, se dice uno cuando empieza a leer la película, otro viaje del heroe hacia su redención. Pero poco a poco vas notando, que está el toque de Sean Penn por detrás, que lo hace mas profundo, mas emotivo, mas real. Es la última película que dirigió y tardó 10 años en ponerse a rodarla, basicamente para tener la completa aprobación de la familia McCandless y eso debió ser dificil, ya que según la película no parecía ser una cuna dorada de lo que huyó el joven que se llamó a sí mismo Alexander Supertramp. Este film es un ejercício tal de libertad que te engulle y te hace ponerte los pelos de punta, especialmente en la conversación de Supertramp con Superapple, parece que la locura del ermitaño, sabio y experto en la búsqueda de la felicidad culmina con una mirada al fondo del objetivo, como si quisiera compartir su paz con el espectador.

Jon Krakauer, periodista al que le fué encargado cubrir el artículo de la aparición de un cadaver en Alaska, encontrado por unos cazadores de alces se quedó tan prendado de la historia que después de que recibiera cientos de cartas por su artículo original, decidió escribir un libro. Sean Penn con mucho cariño acogió esta historia, para los que había seleccionado a Marlon Brando y a Leonardo DiCaprio previamente, tuvo el tiempo suficiente para pensar en profundidad sobre el guión. ¡Como se nota cuando el guión está bien trabajado! Por algo mereció un Oscar al mejor guión adaptado.

En cuanto a la banda sonora, no hubiera sido mas ajustada, no sobra una canción, cuando el director pidió a Christopher Barnett, éste enseguida, sin saber de que se trataría aceptó. Todas las canciones tienen el tono justo y la letra precisa para cada momento. No faltan referencia a la música de los 90 y el momento en el que el protagonista canta en el tren y hay un fundido a la canción… wow.

http://www.intothewild.com/

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0758758/

http://www.esquire.com/features/seanpenn0907

hacia rutas salvajes, un “must”

Pela segunda vez, ontem, rodei os EUA (descendo o rio Colorado até o México ou subindo de carona até o Alasca) ao lado de Christopher McCandless. Ou Alexander Supertramp. Ou Emile Hirsch.

Na Natureza Selvagem é daqueles filmes que se você não assiste pela história ou assiste pela fotografia, ou pelo diretor, ou pelo ator, ou pela natureza, selvagem, quer seja em flora, fauna ou humana. A história é linda, assim como o personagem interpretado por Hirsch e filmado por Penn ou o cenário, natural, criado por um outro alguém.

Tá, dramática, canceriana e inquieta que sou, nada menos original do que a reverência ao filme. Mas, para além do grito silencioso e definitivo de Chris, a história narrada em película traz, para mim, jeans, coturnos, camisetas e um Eddie Vedder mais rasgados – e barbas e cabelos mais desgrenhados – que qualquer editorial de moda que se proponha a reler os anos 90 e o grunge que lhe sustenta (por isso o figurino me pareceu tãão atual). Isso tudo paramentando um personagem cujo aos mais desavisados, parece o hippie ser o movimento mais acertado.

…

…

…

Partindo do desaviso à atenção cuidadosa, percebemos, enfim, que se Vedder e Cobain cantaram uma geração, Christopher McCandless bebeu cada letra e arrastou cada acorde, fugindo de uma sociedade carcereira para se aprisionar em uma natureza derradeira, buscando um algo além que foi sempre seu e de mais niguém. Daí a adequação estética. Daí a harmonia fonética. E daí a conjunção poética. Com os dias de hoje, inclusive.

Eu me colori com os 80’s e me percebi nos 90’s, americanizada no conceito de road life – afinal o que se encontra no fim da estrada sempre me pareceu mais interessante do que aquilo que impulsiona seu começo.

Mas no fundo, bem lá no fundo mesmo, é o que nos acompanha, a todo tempo o tempo todo, o caminho natural que nos conduz a toda e qualquer (r)evolução, seja ela a plástica ou a espiritual.

…

Am primit azi un link catre acest clip:

Pe scurt: peste 4.500 Km parcursi, pe jos, de-a lungul unui an, intre Beijing si Ürümqi. Un om singur, doar el si drumul lui. Si oamenii pe care i-a intalnit si locurile pe care le-a vazut si povestile pe care le-a descoperit. Imaginile sunt luate mai mult sau putin zilnic, “documentand” trasformarea faciala pe parcursul acelui an. Sa va uitati cu atentie la finalul clipului, la secventa in care sunt afisate, succesiv, ultima si prima poza din serie. Interesant, nu-i asa?

Acest clip mi-a adus aminte de un film vazut acum nu foarte mult timp: Into the Wild Este absolut genial, il recomand cu mare caldura. O prezentare succinta si foarte seaca ar fi asta:

Crescut intr-o suburbie bogata din Washington DC, Christopher McCandless decide la 24 de ani sa intrerupa legaturile cu familia, sa renunte la conturile bancare si sa plece in salbaticie. Ajuns in Alaska, Christopher renunta la masina, isi arde si ultimii bani si decide sa se decurce singur in tinturile pustii, vanand si mancand radacini. Corpul lui a fost gasit luni de zile mai tarziu, cauza decesului fiind probabil inanitia

Sursa

Into the Wild este o prezentare, evident romantata, a povestii cat se poate de reale a lui Christopher McCandless. Un om care, devenit independent, a decis sa spuna nu unei lumi tulburi si frustrante si a plecat sa-si infrunte, singur, proprii demoni. Unde altundeva decat in salbaticie, testandu-si astfel limitele. Si indiferent de finalul povestii, cu siguranta el a castigat aceasta proprie provocare imediat ce a luat decizia de a-si urma idealul, de a-si urma drumul sau. Este o calatorie de auto-descoperire, este cu adevarat o calatorie de crestere personala, pe bune nu asa cum se face prin diversele evenimente organizate in lumea corporate.

Cati dintre noi nu am amanat/evitat un astfel de drum? Poate nu la fel de dramatic in exterior dar cu siguranta la fel de apasator, la fel de arzator. Sau cel putin asa ar fi ajuns sa fie daca ar fi fost lasat sa se manifeste, nu ar fi fost dat la o parte si ignorat, inlaturat de alte visuri mai concrete sau mai sociale. Cati oare mai avem puterea si determinarea de a alege calea mai putin sau chiar deloc batuta, de a ne face propriul drum, acolo unde nu exista nimic decat gol? Se pare ca tare putini mai sunt aceia care chiar o fac dar totusi exista. Poate putem invata ceva din transformarea atat de evidenta aparuta pe chipul calatorului din primul clip. Poate reusim sa vedem acolo taria unui om care STIE care ii este valoarea si care ii sunt limitele. Care si-a demonstrat siesi ca poate alege si ca-si poate duce decizia la bun sfarsit, fara a mai avea nevoie de aprobarile sau permisiunea altcuiva.

Si inchei cu un citat din Jon Krakauer autorul cartii cu acelasi nume: Into the Wild

he made the world a blank spot for himself, by throwing away the map

Oare n-ar fi o idee sa mai pierdem si noi harta aia, din cand in cand macar, sa ne mai cautam si singuri drumul, fara indicatoare, semafoare, GPS si altele asemenea? Sa dam jos ochelarii verzi, sa vedem ca lumea nu-i chiar de smarald?

Si o piesa memorabila din coloana sonora a filmului: Eddie Vedder – Society

“Happiness is only real when shared”

Lago di Como, Italia

Indeed a funny thing. You’d think, that once you were addicted, nothing could get you out of it. A few days ago I said; I’m addicted to this stuff. What was bound to happen: haven’t really been addicted at all since. Perhaps that’s what smokers need to tell themselves; I’m addicted. I can’t stop smoking. I HAVE to do it. – suddenly it’s just not that interesting anymore. You think about going back to your addiction, yes, but all of a sudden, all other things seem much more relevant.

Never leave me
Walk close beside me
Your hand, my hand
Fits so easy

(from Fever Ray’s “Dry and Dusty”) Don’t really know why it has to be there. The great Karin just sang it through my speakers and I always feel strongly addicted to that first verse. Heck, I’m addicted to the entire song. It’s an amazing song.

Another funny thing about addiction: you can get addicted to everything. But then again, I don’t really believe in addiction. It’s just a thing I say – like every second person is saying “oh, I’m so stressed out!” – no you’re not. You might have a lot on your mind, but that’s not stress – that’s ’being a human’. I have strong faith in the mind. As said by Christopher McCandless in the movie “Into The Wild”

“I read somewhere… how important it is in life not necessarily to be strong… but to feel strong.”

(great movie, by the way) That’s my way of life. I believe in my abilities. Unlike Christopher McCandless I don’t believe in the existence of “Gods”. In my opinion that moves away focus from yourself and your own accomplishments in life. When you’ve done something good – thank yourself. When you’ve screwed up – tell yourself “that wasn’t good enough”, and then strike back. I believe that, if we set our mind to it, we can accomplish anything. But we have to provide ourselves with the power to do it.

Now, I’ve never been a smoker - nor ever smoked a single cigarette “just to try it” – but I’m sure, if people really wanted to stop smoking, they could do just that. I constantly hear people whining about how unhealthy it is for them to smoke, and how hard they’ve tried. I just don’t think they were ever really that into the idea of quitting the smokes. For sure, it’s a huge change in life. But one could easily argue that it truly is for the better.

And why do I make myself so much better than everyone else? Because I am. In this area, at least. Then of course, I could do much better in other areas of life. i.e. I can’t stop living in the past. I constantly think “what if?” I know it ruins my forward-thinking, but I can’t stop. “Why don’t you just set your mind to it, and stop?” Alright, I’ve chopped off my own legs with this. Yeah, why don’t I?

When it all comes down to it, our addictions are what make us feel safe in this big, ugly world of war and hatred. A cigarette now and then is a sign of peace for some. Thinking “why didn’t I say that?” is a sign of peace for me – hey, at least I have time to think about it, instead of using all my energy on running away from some incoming bomb trying to split me in two.

Are our addictions a necessity if we want to live life in peace and harmony? I come to think so.. (though I’m still not fond of people blowing smoke in my face(!))

“Lembre-se: se quer algo na vida, vá pegá-lo.”

“Tratar cada coisa pelo seu verdadeiro nome.”

“A felicidade só é verdadeira se for compartilhada.”

“O âmago do espírito do homem advém de novas esperiências.”

“Admitir que a vida é guiada pela razão, é destruir a possibilidade de viver.”

“The principal joy of human life comes from encounters with new experiences. Hence there is no greater joy than having a new horizon every day”.

The words are Christopher McCandless but are also very Chatwin-esque. I wholeheartedly agree. It is why I love travelling and photographing so much. The promise of a new horizon, new photos, new experiences.

Sands of time has once again run through the hourglass as I bid goodbye to Australia and head for new horizons in Malaysia and Borneo. The downside to these constant new experiences is they also constantly end. It is a rollercoaster of highs and lows. After leaving what quickly felt as a home in Namibia in early May, I now leave what feels like home in Broome, Western Australia. As always feel a little sad having encountered yet another end. But new horizons, new photographs, new experiences await. Would not want it any other way. Rather the highest of highs and lowest of lows than never-ending mediocrity!

In Malaysia and Borneo I am shooting landscapes for United Plantations in and around their palm oil plantations. A visit to see the orangutans are also planned, promises to be rather magical. I do not know if I will have internet access but hope to post a report or two.

I illustrate the Sands of Time with this image from Namibia. A very strong wind is fiercely whipping the sand dunes in the setting sun, creating a magic moment in time on a Wednesday afternoon:

Randomness

• Camel Man! You must read Rod’s super funny CAKE09 blog post about Camel Man & yours truly. I was planning to write the story as well but Rod’s tells it better than anyone. “Albert” is my CAKE09 nickname, something to do with Albert Namatjira (famous aboriginal artist).
  Casey has also posted some great CAKE09 shots on his blog.
• Still on CAKE09 expedition, in Karijini we had to one day do a re-fuel and shopping trip to the mining town of Tom Price. Now, in Tom Price they were setting up a large fair with carousels, rides, etc. As Rod and I pay for our food at the Coles Supermarket the Coles Woman says excited “oooooh are you guys from the fair?”. “Ehhhh…what?” I say and laugh. “We look like we’re from a fair?”.
• I spent a day working for Beaches of Broome backpackers (my home in Broome) shooting new photos for their website. With little preparation, no budget, no models, no props, no flash or light of any kind and me, the landscape photographer, the conditions were challenging. Necessity being the mother of all inventions, Michael (staff from Beaches) and I simply hi-jacked 3 backpackers who agreed to model and posed them in rooms, having breakfast, riding scooters, at the bar etc. and I fired away hoping for something useable. Was lots of fun and a few of the photos are even halfway ok. Joe McNally need not worry though! Will let you know when some of our work is online at the Beaches website.