Nov 2006

The Dhama Rasmi Center, under Mount Cooroora, is home to many kangaroos.

Inner peace... such a beautiful goal for life: not an idealistic moment-to-moment pleasure, but an approach to life, "a set of problem-solving abilities" (P.R. Flieshmann).

I asked myself today: How would I approach life had I one thousand years left to live?

Answer: Patiently and carefully, making sure to set every stone carefully as a solid and lasting foundation.

And then I asked myself: How would I live had I only one day left?

My answer suprised me: I would not rush to experience as many intense thrills as possible. Nor would I compile a list and systematically check things off in order of importance. I always thought that this would be my approach.
Instead, I realized, I would spend that one day in unity with nature: where I came from, the nature I am a part of, and the nature I will fully and peacefully relinquish myself to when my time is complete. I would not try to contact as many people as possible, but contact those I reach as deeply as possible. I would pull from within myself all of my love, I would capture from the environment all of it's beauty, and I would share these with someone.
I don't think there is any other way I would rather live my last day on earth.

Thoreau sums this up beautifully: "One moment of serene and confident life is more glorious than a whole campaign of daring."

Time is so precious, and yet time is so infinite. Is it possible to work towards living this way every day of my life?

And so my adventure begins.

Some initial issues with my newly acquired 1992 Yamaha XV535 (and some worries that my plan to see Australia on a motorbike would be a complete disaster) were solved with the help of Peter Gardiner, who’s been great in both the sale and upkeep of the bike, and of course a few new spark plugs. After a few test drives around town, Gael Garcia (the bike… and yeah, I realize that the cheese factor is through the roof) and I finally got on the road, and it sure felt good.

I woke up at Anne-Marie and Lynette’s place, loaded up Gael Garcia with all of my belongings save a few (computer, push-bike, etc) and headed North out of Brisbane to Lake Coothabara.

The first half of the trip was quite dull, just a 6-lane highway and too many cars. But after the Coolum Beach turn-off the scenery became beautiful, the road a little less crowded, and the speed limit increased to 110. Getting off the Bruce Highway onto the road from Pomona to Boreen Point was a highlight, not to mention Gael Garcia’s first test on the many curvy back roads we’ll be taking over the next few months. As I came over the crest of a hill and saw Lake Coothabara it nearly took my breath away.
All in all, there were no real events on the ride, although a stop at the ginger factory in Yandina was well needed.

For the next few nights I’ll be camping, sailing and enjoying the serenity with Richie and his Aussie mates. These boys are great! Entertaining, unique and able to appreciate some of the great things in life: music, sailing, nature (hmm… excluding a few tragic episodes with cane toads), good food/drink, active fun and of course good friends.

I must also add here that my Aussie vocabulary increased tenfold as soon as I stepped onto this camp site:
Bludger, shoot through, fair dinkum, lob, sussed, hard yakka, chunder, piece of piss, spag bol, figjam, yobbo, she’ll be apples... the list would go on but it’s tough to learn a new language so my memory’s had a hard day.

I also need to give the local Boreen Point pub an honorable mention. Cheers to the Apollonian Hotel!