Entry #4 - 6.20pm August 14th - Peru
I am now back in Lima again for one night before flying to Costa Rica tomorrow morning. I have just completed a quick tour of Cuzco and Machu Picchu courtesy of a facebook friend name Leif who lives near Cuzco in a town called Pisaq. The flight across the Andes was breathtaking and Cuzco is a beautiful city with narrow, mostly cobblestone streets.
The journey to Machu Picchu was made by train the evening of my arrival and the following day we were up at 5am to begin our tour of Machu Picchu.
Words simply cannot describe this place. I, like most people have seen the pictures but nothing can really prepare one for seeing it there before your eyes. The energy of the area was palpable and the sheer scale and size of the stonework simply cannot be adequately described with words.
Entry #5 - 8.37am August 15th - Peru
I am, at the time of writing this, sitting at Lima airport having breakfast while awaiting my flight to Costa Rica. I shall miss Peru. My time here has been very memorable and in many ways, a life changing event for me. In the short time I have been here I have developed a great love for this country and its people, even the crazy traffic.
Lima morning peak hour traffic is intense,
with cars driving literally inches from each other. The rule seems to be that if there is a gap in the direction you are going and your car will fit in into it,
then take it. There is no need to slow down or indicate. The methodology is for maybe a small toot on the horn on occasion, simply to let people know you're going that way - just in case anyone else has their eye on that gap. The result is the sound of a car horn every few seconds. All done for the sake of politeness. Lane markings are just for effect, or so it would seem, and its not uncommon to have 5 lanes of traffic flowing smoothly, within inches of each other, on a three lane road. And that is just the way the traffic in Peru flows, and very effectively I might add. Even though Lima is an extremely busy city there are virtually no real traffic jams and there are no accidents.
Something else that really struck me about Peru is the amount of armed police I have seen. They are visible almost everywhere and if not police, then there will be security guards, not armed, but very visible. I have so far, not seen anyone being harrassed by them, in fact the people seem very free to live how they choose, to travel freely and even to build how and where they like, but the eye of government and the police presence is nonetheless, visible everywhere, at least everywhere that I have been. And not just in Lima, it was the same n Pucallpa, Cuzco and even in Machu Picchu.
I have a headache this morning. Unfortunately the staircase in Hostal Porta, my accomodation in Lima runs up behind the office desk so that as you enter the room, you must turn left and then immeditely right in order to ascend the stairs to your room and there is a hidden step about 2 inches high just as you step onto the bottom landing. Last night I missed it in the dim light and tripped, with the result that I fell forward striking my head heavily on both the stone wall and the edge of the bottom step with my full body weight. I was quite dazed for a few moments and seem to have a bit of concussion this morning. The Left side of my skull in fact feels quite badly bruised. I am pretty sure that I will be fine, but my head is very painful to touch and intend to go for a quick check up when I get to Costa Rica, just to be on the safe side. After all, a heavy blow to the head is a heavy blow to the head.
Upon arrival at the airport this morning, I was informed that apparently one is required to have a yellow fever vaccination at least 10 days prior to entering Costa Rica. No one had informed me of this minor detail and the prospect of spending another ten days in Lima is not something I had really wished to include in my travel plans. Fortunately however, in Peru, with a few sol in the right hand and a few words in the right ear, sometimes a few corners can be cut.
And so, with that said, this morning sees my last couple of hours in Peru and the conclusion of the first leg of my peregrinations. As I said, I will miss this place. A will miss it both for its beautity and for it's unique energy, but also for it's people whom I found to be warm, friendly and very real. I do however feel quite certain that I have not yet completed my adventures here and will be returning sooner than later to begin work on the afore mentioned documentary.
Viva El Peru. Muchas Gracias for all you have given me.
Entry #6 - 7.38pm August 15th - Costa Rica
I am now in Costa Rica. Today has
been the most grueling and by far the worst
day of my journeys so far. My flight landed in San Jose where I was met by a man called Carlos who took me to a bus terminal where I was placed on a bus to a town called San
Isidro. The bus trip was torture.
The road was mountainous, winding and very bumpy. My ticket placed me in the back seat of the bus and the seat in front of me was so close that I was forced to sit with my legs sideways for the entire trip resulting in pulled muscles down the entire right side of my body. With my neck in muscular spasm due to my fall last night and my head pounding, it was quite literally the worst, most cramped, painful and uncomfortable journey I have ever experienced. It is however, now finally over and after all the trials and tribulations of the day, I have at last arrived safely at the house of my friend Geri, the benefactor of the Costa Rica and European leg of the trip.
Entry #7 - 6.05pm August 16th - Costa Rica
Today I went to the markets in San Isidro and then visited a local restaraunt where people had gathered to hear me speak. The people were very receptive and appreciative of the information. They even handed around a glass and everybody made a contibution. The local currency is Colonies and about 50,000 was raised from the day, dont get too excited at the figure though folks because 50,000 Colonies is actually about $100. It makes it interesting when buying things. For example I noticed some brocolli for sale at the markets and the price was 360 per kilo.
Costa Rica is truly a beautiful country and like Peru, the people here are very warm, very friendly and very real. In fact today has made the discomfort of the previous day almost worthwhile. To be honest, I find discomfort to be very interesting and sometimes also quite revealing. It fascinates me how reality throws a curve ball at you sometimes just to see how you react to it, because ultimately it isnt the discomfort thats the issue, it's about what you do with the experience and where you decide to take it emotionally. I see it as some type of test. Of course I'm not saying that discomfort is good, but I also believe that discomfort can very much assist in grounding ones self and pulling us back when we get a little too cocky. Reality always has a way of bringing us back to Earth in order that we may gain an opportunity to truly experience ourselves at a very real level. The occurrence of such opportunities can, if one embraces and respects the experience, provide one with some true insights into the nature of self at a very deep level.
Though quite close to each other and even though the cultures are similar in many ways, Costa Rica is very different to Peru. Sure, everyone still speaks spanish, but Costa Rica has a very different energy to Peru while visually, it reminds me very much of the northern rivers area of New South Wales where I live. It is very green and has a very alive feeling, plus there is a real casualness here that I find to be both refreshing and exhilarating. I love it here. As with Peru, one can certainly see the infiltration into the society by western culture, however the people here have not yet had their humanity removed fom them and are still able to experience themselves and those around them from a perspective of mutual respect. This is something that is very much needed in western countries. South and Central America are true jewels that we must protect and preserve.
The interesting thing about Costa Rica though, is that almost all the houses have bars, not only on the windows, but also around the entire property turning each dwelling into a veritable fortress. Apparently this was done due to protect against roving bands of Nicaraguans during a previous unrest between the two neighboring countries.
Entry #8 - 6.05pm August 20th - Spain
I am currently sitting at Madrid International airport, awaiting a connection flight to Lisbon, Portugal. Due to some confusion at the airport, we arrived at the gate a little too late to board the flight we had booked and so my travelling companion is arranging a different flight in order to hopefully get us to Lisbon today, not too far behind schedule, as neither of us wish to spend an unscheduled night in Spain.
Entry #9 - 0.30am August 21st - Portugal
We have finally arrived in Lisbon and have made contact with a facebook friend named Adam who has sorted us out with accomodation at a Hostel. Tomorrow we will heading off on a train journey to an intentional community called Tamera in the south of the country.
Entry #10 - 11.20am August 21st - Portugal
I am now sitting at the train station in Lisbon settling in to the three hour wait for a train to Tamera. This is not exactly what I would choose to do if another choice was available, however a three hour wait at a train station to me seems preferable to dragging by bags around Lisbon looking for somewhere better to be, even though this station has no internet.
The last few days have been interesting. My travel companion and benefactor of the European leg of the journey is a lovely lady however she seems to be quite highly strung. Each day has been something of a stress and somewhat of a rush to get things done. This is something I am just not used to. By way of example: In the previous couple of weeks of travel I have caught 8 different flights in 16 days and it all ran very smoothly. Even though airports in Peru do not announce departures and frequently change not only the boarding gates, but on occasion, even the aircraft without notice, during my travels I was not late for any departures and did not miss any flights. This has been quite a contrast to the last 3 days, during which time one flight and two trains have so far been missed, with the third train caught with literally seconds to spare, and luggage has been constantly opened and repacked, even while standing in ticket ques. As a very low stress person I find it fascinating to watch just how disorganised people can be. Not that my travel companion is actually doing anything wrong, it just seems to be what life is throwing at her at present and of course, Im not even remotely suggesting that I am an organized person myself, far from it. In fact I rarely organize anything and much prefer an organic process to unfold along the way to whatever it is I wish to achieve but more importantly, I never place any emotional expectations on the outcome of any activity. I find that in living my life in this manner, I am never disappointed and am always open to whatever change of plans may happen along the way. I figure that if one organizes themselves too much, not only do they miss out on the synchronicity that life offers them, but they also, very often, set themselves up for stress and disappointment.
Lisbon is a beautiful city. There are cobblestone streets and an abundance of old architecture. There are many old buildings and extravagent monuments replete throughout the area and the city itself displays that certain ponderous architectural quality that is altogether European.
Tamera, where we will be heading later today, is apparently an intentional community here in Portugal that I am told is based on the preferred lifestyle outline in the book series "The Ringing Cedars". My travel companion is very interested in seeing it and there is even a chance that the community may be deserving of it's own documentary This is one of the reasons we intend to visit it. It will be interesting to see what the community has achieved and also to observe the contrast between Lisbon and Tamera.
Entry #11 - 8.50pm August 21st - Portugal
We have now reached the Tamera community. It is a very large opperation, in fact much larger than I had envisioned. I believe the property is around 100 hectares in size and it is tinder dry at present. The afternoon was spent mainly in orientation and the real tour is set to begin tomorrow. I am staying in a cabin, there are four beds but only myself sleeping in there. I have so far liked all the people I have met. They seem to be very warm and friendly. There does, however, seem to be a strong focus on "free love" and sexuality in all of the people I have spoken to thus far. Dont get me wrong on this either. I see nothing wrong with people being free in all the aspects of themselves and their lives, it just seems a little odd for people to bring up sexuality and free love so often and to focus so much attention on it so early after our arrival, however I will reserve any real appraisal until the completion of my 3 day stay here.
Entry #12 - 11.50am August 22st - Portugal
I am sitting in the main room of the Tamera guest house. Once in bed, it took quite a long time for me to relax last night but once I did get to sleep, I slept extremely soundly, so much so that I appear to have missed the morning tour. I have searched the places I am familiar with in an attempt to find my travel companion but as she is nowhere to be found, I have now settled here at the guest house for a cup of tea and will use the spare time to update my blog until someone comes to find me.
The Tamera community is apparently divided into sections, depending on what work people wish to dedicate themselves to. I am told there are different sections, each devoted to achieving specific goals. These include permaculture, free energy, water management, the arts, politics and others. There is a communal eating area and even a bar area where people gather in the evenings and socialize while musicians perform. It seems to be a quite organized and self contained alternate society, the goal of which is to provide a working model for people in order to demonstrate to the world that there are effective methods of doing things that are far more workable than those we are currently employing.
Entry #13 - 5.15pm August 22st - Portugal
I have just completed a tour of the water management system that is currently under construction at Tamera and I must say, it is quite an impressive undertaking.
What is being constructed was not a dam as such, but a water retention area designed to prevent rain water from simply running off the property (thus taking the top soil with it) and to allow the water to then slowly seep into the ground. Such a water retention system not only provides all year round security and stability to plant growth below the area but also helps replenish the aquifers, encouraging spring water in the area.
The overseer of the project, a german man by the name of Bernd Muller is a very informed individual who bases much of his methodology of the work of Viktor Schauberger, the Austrian water wizard from the previous century. I have spoken of Schauberger and quoted him a number of times on my radio shows. It is very refreshing to see someone respecting his work and adopting his methods and principles in the 21st century. I felt immediately comfortable in Bernd's company and, due to my familiarity with Schaubergers work, I understood the message he was conveying immediately and appreciated it immensely.
I intend to conduct some interviews while I am here in Tamera and will likely include them in my next radio broadcast which I will hopefully have time to compile once I have reached Slovenia next friday. Our stay in Slovenia will be around 5 or 6 days as it includes an appearance and the world hemp conference and Im certain that during that time I will be able to compile a a radio show for the following friday.
I am beginning to view Tamera, not so much as an alternate community, but more as an alternate university, the goal of which is to provide not only working models of various projects, but also education in the means of contruction of such models in order that students may then be able to implement these things within their own communities.
Entry #14 - 2.30pm August 23st - Portugal
Today we were given a tour of Tamera's Solar Village. We saw a solar powered stove/oven that gets it's heat directly from concentrated sunlight via a largr mirror apparatus and a solar powered waterpump that basically harnesses and utilizes the difference between hot and cold. Both were very effective devices. I have also now recorded enough interviews to edit down into a reasonabely informative radio broadcast.
We also visited the over 60's section, consisting mainly of very comfortable straw bail houses that were very cool, even in the heat of southern Portugal. Tonight we will be attending Tamera's political forum to hear and discuss some of the philosophies of the group.
Our stay here has in some ways, been quite educational, most especially for myself as I was not formerly aware of Tamera and we are very much hoping to return here sometime in the not too distant future in order to make a documentary about this place, it's achievements, it's goals, and the dreams and aspirations of the inhabitants.
Entry #15 - 7.40pm August 24th - Belgium
I am currently at Brussels airport in Belgium. We had a brief stopover here and went into town to check out the sights. Brussels is much like any European city. It has that same gothic/templar style of architecture but also displays many modern elements. It's interesting to see the contrast between the old and the new which sometimes can be quite dramatic.
One thing that certainly piqued my interest when touring around Brussels was seeing a statue of Artemus, the Godess of the Hunt in the park in the center of the city. Artemus is of course one of the deities who is paid tribute to during the Beltane rituals conducted each year on May day.
This is the final stop before Ljubjana and the 5 day World Hemp conference. After all the trials, tribulations and detours of the last 9 days, it's going to be good to finally arrive there.
Entry #16 - 7.40pm August 26th - Slovenia
I am currently sitting on the deck at the Hotel Lindava chatting with Rick Simpson and Jindrich. The accomodation is nice and I have had a very relaxing 2 days since arriving here. During the first night there was not much sleep to be had, as I didnt arrive until 2am and then Rick arrived and knocked on my door at around 3.30am and we stayed up talking until about 5.30 or 6. After a few hours sleep we were up again and ended in being up again until around 1pm that night. Today however we are all feeling relaxed and preparing for our upcoming speaking events.
I am speaking tomorrow at 4.30pm. I dont really have anything prepared but I feel I will be fine as I am only speaking for an hour and at least half of that will likely be Q&A. ThoughI believe I am also joining Rick Simpson for a combined Q&A on the final day.
Entry #17 - 10.30pm August 27th - Slovenia
Today I gave my presentation to the Global Hemp Congress and it was very well received. I was actually quite surprised I didnt get a little more flack. (An outline of the speech can be viewed here)
The event was recorded on video and so this will likely rtesult in the end of my anonymity. It was an enjoyable game while it lasted, I admit, but that time is probably now over. It had to happen sometime and this year is really as good as any other. I feel the policies surrounding the illegality of hemp is a deserving issue anyway. Besides, I intended to appear in a documentary with Rick Simpson, Ken O'Keefe and a couple of others, that I will be working later in the year anyway. So its really much of a muchness, though I imagine there will be many people who will be eager to see the video, simply because it will be remembered as the first time my face ever appeared on the internet.
Slovenia is truly a beautiful country and the people here are very proud of their little nation. I feel their love and pride in the country and I see it on the faces and in their eyes. I see and feel it in every single one of them. They are a wonderful people.
After my talk I was also interviewed for an article on a Slovenian website that is apparently quite popular here and was also informed by the interviewer that my weekly radio show is quite popular here, that each show is translated into Croatian for the local audiences and that each one gains a substantial number of views. It is very humbling and also both reassuring and inspirational to know the message has gotten this far and is listened to and appreciated by so many of my international brothers and sisters. There are many bridges being built and a great deal of progress being made on this journey. And there is still so much that is yet in store...
Entry #18 - 12.30pm August 30th - Slovenia
Yesterday saw the conclusion of the first ever World Hemp Congress. As far as these things go, and all credit to the organizers for what they did achieve, when all is said and done, it was perhaps the most badly organized event I have ever attended. But then, first events of this type rarely run smoothly and Im certain all will be taken in stride and things will run a lot smoother next year. In truth, I felt quite sympathetic toward the head of the team Majda Robic due to all the work she had put in to realising the event, despite the miscommunications and overall cost to myself incurred by attending. It was nice to spend a few days with Rick Simpson in such a beautiful country as Slovenia anyway. His speech near the close of events yesterday was very memorable.
We had intended go go to Croatia for a few days after the Hemp Congress but have now decided it to be more practicle to drive north from here into Austria and fly from Graz to London tomorrow to catch up with Ken O'Keefe. The intention is to stay in the UK for at least 2 weeks and then hopefully formulate a workable route back to Peru to commence work on a new documentary with Rick and Ken and possibly some others, both at the Tierra Vida retreat and also deeper into the Amazon Jungle at a Moloka of a friend of mine who lives there. It is also likely the journey to Peru may take me through LA where it will be nice to catch up with some friends. The most likely scenario at this stage is London - LA - Peru ... and then either a brief 2 or 3 week Hiatus with Ken in Brazil before heading home in late October or early November, or possibly directly home from Peru... although there is still talk of Hawaii to consider.... nothing is set in stone at this stage. Suffice to say that London, Ireland, LA, Hawaii, Peru and Brazil, are all on the table, depending on how we can work it.
Sometimes the events of life can put a strain on ones tolerance, and even though tolerance and politeness are commendable, I feel I must expand my previous statement a little, because to say the World Hemp Congress event was badly organized and miscommunicated was very much an understatement. Apparently, according to organizers, the Slovenian government had pledged 500,000 Euro to the event managers but since that time the government has changed and the new government has renegged on the pledge and so no money has been forthcoming. This has resulted in, not only Rick Simpson and myself not being paid to speak, but also on us having to pay for our own travel costs and also our own accomodation. This is quite unfortunate as the organisers had placed us in what is quite literally reputed to be the best 5 star hotel in Slovenia and even at the discounted conference rate we are up for a high cost per room for our stay here.
This has put a huge strain on my travel money and has even brought the possibility of returning to Peru to film the new documentary into question. So if anybody out there reading this blog has ever considered a crowhouse donation, now would be a great time to make one and please be assured that your help will be most appreciated and that, at this present time, it is very sorely needed.
Entry #19 - 12.00pm September 1st - England
I am now at Ken O'Keefes house in London England, enjoying a much needed respite from travelling. Here, in stark contrast to the dry heat of eastern Europe, the weather is cold and rainy, much what one would expect from England. I have caught up with a dear friend, Mark Giles, who came to the airport to greet me, and also with Ken and his lovely family. I am hoping to catch up with a few more people during my stay here which is likely to be anything from 10 days to a month.
The rest of the trip will depend on finances, I am still OK for a ticket home via the benefactor of my trip, but the for the return journey to encompass Peru in order to make the documentary I have planned is a debatable point, though Im certain that things will go exactly as they are supposed to.
Entry #20 - 10.00pm September 1st - England
Im still at Ken O'Keefes place in London. Ken and his wife Fadwa are truly beautiful people and I consider them both to be my dear friends. Its a huge honor for them to have offered me the hospitality of their home and its really been a huge bonus catching up with them and having a place to stay in England. Today we went to Richmond park and saw some Deer on the side of the road.
I have spoken to Ben Stewart this evening and he has confirmed that he will be arriving here on September 5th for some speaking dates throughout England and it will be great to catch up with him during his stay as well.
There is however, a good chance that the new documentary will be put off until around March next year as I do not want to rush into anything if all the pieces are not in place. I feel it is better to do things properly than to make time restraints an issue when they dont really need to be. I know I have all the people I wanted to be involved now confirmed and so that is a huge plus but I have hit a bit of a snag with the cameraman who is currently in India, on his way to Australia and so in considering everything, the most likely scenario is for filming to commence in March 2013, but again, nothing is set in stone so far and time will tell. Im flexable.
Entry #21 - 11.45am September 2nd - England
Surprise, surprise... It's a sunny day here in London.
England, well London at least, has a very strange energy that I have not felt before. It is the belly of the beast after all, and a very oppressive place. The energy here feels tangibly thick and heavy, though I'm sure most of those who live here are used to it and are therefore oblivious to the fact. Perhaps a good deal of it can be attributed to the massive amount of chemtrail activity.
Things have become somewhat difficult, though nothing to become overly stressed over as there is always a silver lining and Im sure things will work out. They usually do, in fact, in my experience I have found that they usually work out precisely as they are supposed to. I have been offered various places to stay throughout England however it has been difficult finding a place for my travel companion to stay that is not going to be expensive. This is an issue that concerns me, as she has been very kind and coming to England was never part of her plan. She has arranged to stay in Canterbury for a few days and we are all going to meet at Brighton on thursday, both to catch up with Ben Stewart while he's here, and also to discuss travel plans from this point.
Looking at things practically, she already has a flight from San Francisco to Sydney booked for the end of September and so is considering going to the US early and picking up on that flight. As far as my movements go, I have been offered free accomodation in Croatia by Rick Simpson for as long as I want it, so thats something to consider as well. I have been assured that both myself and my friend Ken would both fit in the house very comfortabley and have also been informed that they have cameras, etc so it could work out really well for some of the ideas Ken and I have anyway. Plus it's very likely cheaper to Egypt and then on to Gaza from Croatia than it is from London anyway so that is another point to consider as I had very much hoped to include Gaza in my peregrinations and would still very much like to see that happen. I could then go on from Egypt to LA with Ken and then home via Hawaii, which was actually part of the original plan.... that could work out well and then, once back in Australia, I can formulate a plan to get back to Peru and do the new film in March next year which is probably the most practical option at this stage.
The other option is, rather than backtracking through the US, to simply head back home to Australia, via Hong Kong, or maybe Tailand, which is possibly the cheaper and more practical option travel wise. That would get me home probably by late October. All this will likely be decided, once Im in Croatia. I'm kind of easy either way, as if I don't get to Hawaii with Ken on this trip, I'm sure it will happen eventually as he has family there. Perhaps I could even go that way on my next trip to Peru and meet up with him on the way... All options are still open and as I said, nothing is set in stone as yet.
Entry #22 - 10.05am September 7th - England
Yesterday Ken and I went to Hove to visit Ben Stewart who arrived here in England the previous night after a 4 and a half hour detainment and series of interviews by British customs. We were driven down to Hove by a dear friend, a lady I know from Byron Bay where I live who has been staying here in London and her twin sister. It was a great day and good to catch up with Ben and the crew from Hove. It was supposed to be a short visit for lunch but ended up being lunch, a trip to a country pub near Devil's Dyke (the place where Aleister Crowley's ashes were scattered), a visit to a nearby spring, and dinner back in Hove where I just managed to log on for the last 40 minutes of an interview I had booked on American Freedom Radio with Sonia from the Truthergirls. The crew from Hove were very nice people and I enjoyed their company emmensely. I am truly blessed to have such kind people as listeners.
Ben is speaking in Lewes today but I'm not completely sure what the plan is from here, perhaps to go to Manchester and catch Ben's talk at the Esoteric Agenda conference tomorrow, or perhaps wait until he speaks in Bristol or London later in the month. It's very doubtful I will get to Lewes today.
A lot of my time here in England has been a blur. The energy here is very thick and oppressive and each day seems to run into the next without any real definition. The chemtrails are intense. My eyes feel a little sore and my lungs feel quite tight. It has been nice to catch up with people during my time here but I dont wish to stay here too much longer. It will be nice to go to Croatia for a short hiatus before heading home. Egypt and Gaza are still on the table but it's doubtful that finances will allow LA and Hawaii on this trip. I am planning on being back in Peru around March next year and so it's possible that a stopover in Hawaii will be part of the next trip.
Entry #23 - 10.30am September 9th - England
I am sitting at Ken O'Keefe's place. I am back here after a trip to Manchester yesterday to visit with the guys from ICAN Planet and listen to Ben Stewarts talk at the Middleton Arena. It was a very enjoyable day. I had an interesting conversation with Lloyd Pye at the gig as well. He's a lovely man and it was nice to connect with him. I also met some very nice people at the gig who made me feel very welcome. I have been asked to talk at Manchester sometime before the end of the month and also to make an appearance at Zu Studios in Lewes on september 26th before heading to Croatia. There is a good possibility that I will do so.
Ben's talk was good as was Lloyds, unfortunately though, I did not have time to hear very much of the other presenters who spoke at the event. One thing that was very noticeable during the day was the chemtrails clearly visible in the English sky.
Entry #24 - 11.45am September 14th - England
Still at Ken O'Keefe's house. Ken and I will be heading down to the Isle of Wight tomorrow to see David Icke who has a speaking event there. The event is apparently sold out but I have emailed him and he has given me the name of someone to contact when I get there. I had not intended to actually hear David talk while I'm here but due to time constraints attending his Isle of Wight seminar ended up in being the only real opportunity I could arrange to catch up with him to say hello. It will be nice to see him again. We will either return from Isle of Wight that evening or early the next day, though I imagine it will be that evening. I am then heading over to Dublin, Ireland on September 18th for a whirlwind trip and returning to London on the 20th for some interviews and a speaking engagement at Lewes on September 26th. There were also people arranging an event for me in Manchester as well, however, again due to time restraints, I am unable to do the event.
I will be remaining in the UK until October 1st and then heading over to Croatia to spend some time with Rick Simpson and Jindrich Bayer who have apparently organised some radio and television interviews and a speaking seminar in the area. During my stay in Croatia I will also be heading back to Slovenia to assist with the promotion of the World Hemp Congress objectives, collect footage to use in a short promo documentary and possibly assisting with the drafting of any related legal considerations to be presented to the Slovenian Government. I envisage the objectives in Croatia and Slovenia will very likely take until late October to complete at which point the goal is to fly back to the UK and then directly home from London, as flying from London is much cheaper than catching a flight from Croatia, even though Croatia is closer - Go figure... One of the added advantages of British imperialism I guess...
The trip has been good in many ways but I am, at this time, very much looking forward to being home and certainly looking forward to distancing myself from London. London, really is a very strange, very oppressive and very unsettling city. The level of control and surveilance here is like nothing I have seen anywhere else in my travels - not to mention the chemtrails here which are very intense, though most of the locals seem to be oblivious to it all. Since being here it has been almost impossible to think clearly. It's like I'm living inside an electromagnetic bubble and though the people I have met have all been very nice, I'm very much looking forward to being in a clearer energy. Even though I have had virtually no contact with her since my arrival in London, the stressful nature of my benefactor has also proved to be a huge energy drain and I will be considering things very carefully before accepting any gifts of sponsorship from anyone in future until I am clear on what obligations are attached to their gift... It is unfortunate that many gifts often turn out to be unasked for debts in disguise.
The trip back to Peru has now been postponed until around March next year when the plan is to return there with Ken, Ben Stewart and Rick Simpson to begin filming for a new documentary. I had hoped to begin production in October this year but I feel it is much better to organise things properly in a relaxed manner rather than rush into things as the end result will be much better, as is invariably the case when things are allowed to flow in an organic fashion. I am detirmined to make the Peru documentary and very much looking forward to returning to Peru to begin.
Entry #25 - 10.15am September 16th - England
The trip down to Isle of Wight yesterday went well. I travelled down there with Ken O'Keefe, my friend Jacinta from Byron Bay and her twin sister Sam who have been most gracious in helping me get around since my arrival in England. They are all great company and it was a good day, though a very long one, having been picked up at 7am and not arriving home again until around 2.30am the following morning.
David Icke's talk was very good and somewhat different from other presentations I have seen him give. A good deal of it dealt with the matter of the Archons, a group of beings mentioned in an ancient set of recently (1945) discovered Gnostic texts called the Nag Hammadi writings. John Lash has also covered these scriptures in some detail recently.
It is understandable that these texts should have gained the noteriety that they have of late as they are extremely compelling and, if one keeps an open mind, the picture they paint makes a great deal of sense when one holistically considers the current state of our world. I found Davids mention of these ancient scrolls to be an interesting synchronicity as I had just read sections of the texts a few days prior to my departure from home and found them quite fascinating and have also spoken of them to others quite often since beginning my peregrinations in late July. They are also extremely interesting inasmuch as they are very ancient and yet appear to back up a good deal of what David has been saying for a good many years. I imagine he is pleased that he now has something tangible from an ancient source to back up his thesis. David really is a very good presenter. His talk went for around nine hours and we were able to catch up for a chat afterwards.
I am travelling to Ireland the day after tomorrow and will be satying there for 3 days and then be back in England until October 1st, however I am, at this stage, unsure of what my plans will be from that point on, as it appears that my benefactor has decided to leave me stranded in Europe. This doesnt really surprise me a great deal. I had already prepared myself for the possibiity of such a thing occurring as, within a day of meeting her, it had very much begun to appear that her reasons for bringing me to Europe were perhaps not as altruistic as she had claimed and that the real motivation was very likely to use me as a springboard in order to further her own agenda.These things always have a way of revealing themselves. I have met many such personalities in the past and am not phased by them at all anymore. This turn of events has, however, brought my ability to visit Croatia and return to Slovenia to help the organisers of the World Hemp Congress into doubt and so it may be best to fly directly home from London as it is unlikely my finances will allow any other alternative. I am easy either way. I'm quite looking forward to returning home at this stage anyway. Perhaps the universe is simply making the decision for me, though I'm certain such a turn of events will cause a good deal of disappointment and inconvenience to the cause in Slovenia. It is however, beyond my control at this stage. I simply go where the synchronicities lead me. Who knows though, perhaps my speaking event at Lewes on September 26th will raise enough for this to happen or at least serve to help me afford a ticket home. I don't feel stressed about the situation at all as Im sure things will turn out presicely as the universe intends them to. Life just seems to work that way.
Entry #26 - 11.25am September 17th - England
It's a lovely sunny day in London, and here I sit relaxing beneath the chemtrail sky.
I am off to have lunch with a friend at 1.30pm and to also meet another youtube friend at 4.30pm. Then to return to Ken's to prepare for my trip to Ireland tomorrow. It will be a big day as I need to rise at 4am in order to make the 6.20am flight. It will be nice to see some of my Irish friends.
I have also received some correspondence from some friends in Hawaii who are willing to help me to get there for a presentation in late October or early November. As the cost of my flight home from the UK is about the same cost as a flight home from Hawaii, this is actually quite doable which now places Hawaii back on the table and well within the realms of possibillity. When you are open to it, I have found that synchronicity always wins. All it takes is for you to follow the path. Nothing is ever set in stone.
Entry #27 - 2.45pm September 18th - Ireland
I am currently relaxing at a friends house in Ireland while a hearty lunch is being prepared by my most generous host. There are a few people here and apparently around 19 expected for dinner in order to take advantage of my short stay in this country. It's a great honor for me to have been made as welcome as I have been here.
I will be remaining here in Ireland until late on September 20th and will likely be spending the time relaxing rather than working and so it is unlikely I will update this blog again until I return to London.
Entry #28 - 9.50pm September 19th - Ireland
I have enjoyed the time I have spent in Ireland. Last night I met a few people who had come over to welcome me here. One of them was Vincent, a longtime skype friend and host from TNS Radio Ireland. I have appeared on his show on a few occasions. He presented me with a very nice Dell XPS laptop as a gift.
Today we went to visit a local site near Dublin known as Newgrange. It is an extremely ancient site dating back to the Neolithic period, that is located beneath a raised mound. The outside of the site features a rather impressive facade around the front section in the form of a semi circular wall of whitish stones and an impressive concave entrance area. This outer stonework is however, a recent addition to the site and not part of the original neolithic construction.
The site features some extremely interesting artwork carved or etched into various stones both around the outside of the mound, and also within it's inner sanctum, the prominant design being the spiral motif seen depicted in so many ancient sites around the world. Thoughts of flat spiral galaxies, solar systems and eddies come to mind as well as more enigmatic events such as the Spirals recently seen in the skies above China, Norway and Australia. Newgrange is a very, very ancient site and so it comes as no surprise to find such a motif appearing here.
Though the outer wall of the Newgrange site is quite large and impressive, as I said, it has, in fact, little or nothing to do with the actual site. This outer wall was constructed from rocks found collected at the front of the entrance. As these rocks were there, it was theorized that they had once constituted some type of wall that had since collapsed and so they were used to construct a new one. The outer wall that can now be seen constructed from these stones (being essentially one mans vision of what the site may have possibly looked like) is actually a quite controversial and somewhat contentious issue among the local inhabitants, many of whom do not share this vision for the mound and believe the site should have remained how it naturally appeared when it was first discovered and excavated.
Upon entering within the mound one is presented with a narrow passage that continues for a relatively short distance inside to then arrive at a small dark room with three inner alcoves, each of which contains an array of one or two large, smooth, rounded and concave cut granite stones, almost like large dishes. Standing within this area there felt to me to be something (perhaps these stones and the structure of the place itself) that served to generate a noticable energy field within the enclosure. This inner area is covered by a domed ceiling constructed of flattish stones piled atop of one another culminating in a diamond shaped stone at the center of the roof. The area is somewhat reminiscent of a small, primitive and very private cathedral.
As with so many other places, the Newgrange site is astrological in nature and for just 17 minutes each year on the soltice, this inner sanctum becomes illuminated by the light of the rising sun. This is the only time light ever enters the room which is quite an amazing thing in itself for so ancient and primiitve a site. There has only ever been religious and ceremonial possibilities theorized as explanations for these types of things when they have been found at these ancient sites. Is that truly the reason for people to have gone to such a meticulous degree of care in building these places? And if not, then what could be the true purpose behind such a construction?
There are a great many other sites that have similar astrological significance located at various places around the globe, indeed it is the astrological significance of such places that truely serves as the common thread that binds them all together and of these, the Newgrange site is most certainly one of the most ancient. The true purpose of such places is still something that is very much open to interpretation and speculation but due to certain perspectives I have recently gained regarding the true nature of this world, I have began to develop new theories about the true purpose of such places that I will reveal at a later date, once I have gained further confirmation and have the matter a little more clear in my mind.
Tomorrow I will be heading back to London and flying to Egypt the following day. From Egypt, the plan is to enter Gaza by whatever means are most viable in order to investigate the plight of the Palestinian people first hand. I feel it is important to help bring the attention of the world into a clearer focus on the Gaza situation. Though I am but a single voice, it is my sincere hope that perhaps my presence there may help in some way.
Once I enter Gaza it is very likely that I will be offline for around 10 days until I return to London on or around October 3rd.
Entry #29 - 10.00pm September 21st - Egypt
I have arrived in Egypt and am currently relaxing at the Cairo Inn with Ken O'Keefe. If relaxing is the right word. The Cairo Inn is very close to the city square and so perhaps laying back to the sound of the car horns would be somewhat more appropriate. We arrived here this afternoon after a brief stopover in Zurich Switzerland.
Cairo is crazy. Pure unbridled madness. When one examines things from a purely architectural perspective one may well entertain the notion that even the city itself seems to be mad. At first glance, it would appear they simply do not paint the buildings here, but then again, perhaps they do, but over the years the desert and its constantly blowing sands have created it's own hue turning the city into a concrete extension of itself. Everything here is the same sandy yellow or dirty reddish brown color and there are entire suburbs consisting of literally hundreds of half fininished buildings. These buildings can be seen literally everywhere both within the city limits and in the surrounding areas. The city gives the impression that it is in a state of permanent growth but also a state of permanent decay.
These massive, and often half finished buildings, without inhabitants, without even glass in the windows, go on and on for literally miles on end - and all are of the same unpainted desert hues. We may find a splash of color somewhere, but it is something seldom seen. Cairo is not a city I feel comfortable in at all. These is something very strange and very unsettling with the energy flows in this area. It is an uncomfortable and strangely lawless feeling city. I will be glad to leave here.
Ken and I will hopefully be heading into Gaza in the morning and so my blog entry's may be a little more sporadic over the next 10 to 12 days. That's the plan anyway though, as Gaza is a extremely volatile area, such things are always open to constant change.
Entry #30 - 10.45am September 23st - Gaza
I have now entered into Gaza safely. It's certainly been a bit of a mission to get here. The world I arrived into looked like a war zone, mainly because it is. The first area I arrived in was a suburb named Rafah and here the buildings are riddled with bullet holes and there were bomb craters and broken rubble everywhere... in amongst it were countless children playing. There were loads of check points on the way across the Sinai from Egypt and groups of israeli troops in tanks with beach umbrellas over the gunners parked all along the way. The Sinai was truly the wildcard in this journey as it is a wild and lawless area. There are many ambushes in the wilderness of the Sinai and indeed, it is the perfect area for such things to happen. Someone lost, strayed or buried in the wilderness of the Sinai desert is very likely to remain that way forever. As my return journey will mean crossing the Sinai again, it is still very much the wildcard in this adventure.
As for Gaza and it's inhabitants. The palestinian people are wonderful, they were really happy to see us. The Samouni children are just great. They are one of the main reasons I came. Most of them are orphans and I wanted to see the situation here first hand... all these children, they are so beautiful, the light in their eyes, living in this bombed out war zone. They truly touched my heart. There was this one young boy, we took to each other right away, he's 10 and lost both his parents in an israeli rocket attack in 2009. At that time, in one of the most shocking war crimes of the Israeli occupation, Israeli soldiers herded almost the entire extended Samouni family of over 100 into one house - in order to keep them safe. Then the house was hit by 2 Israeli rockets and countless bombs were dropped in the surrounding yard. Israel then refused to allow any ambulances into the area for four days, leaving children laying in the rubble next to horribly wounded and murdered family members for the entire time - and it gets quite cold in the desert at night. The result was the death of 29 Samouni family members. Men, women and children alike. One child of 8 lost his mother and father and all four brothers and sisters in that one raid and lay hurt in the rubble next to their broken bodies the entire 4 days it took for help to get through.
I so want to help these people and Im going to be in here in Gaza for 10 more days, so I intend to get busy building a school room for the Samouni kids while Im here, they are so excited at the thought of learning to spell and to read and write.
The Palestinians are a very strong willed people and gaza is a thriving community in the face of massive adversity. They are poor, broke, they have no resources, not even the parts they need to fix the local sewage treatment plant and, due to the Israeli blockade, they are unable to trade and yet they are strong and defiant in the face of it all. They are a beautiful smiling, and generous people who have made me feel so welcome and are so happy to see someone who will support them. Though Gaza is a most dangerous place, I feel in no danger at all here. If I come to any harm during my stay it will be at the hands of either the Israel or Egyptian authorities, not from the people of Palestine.
Entry #31 - 2.35pm September 23st - Gaza
We have now left the hotel we were staying at and have rented a unit for the next 10 days. We have had a translator/guide called Alex provided to us by Hani, a long standing friend of Ken. Alex is a very pleasant young Palestinian man of 22 whom I liked instantly. He has been in Gaza for 2 years now. Prior to 2010 he was living in Dubai for over 20 years, but suddenly had his residence visa cancelled simply due to being Palestinian. When I asked him about it he smiled and shrugged saying, "If you are Palestinian you are automatically a criminal". Nothing could be further from the truth, and the fact that this is simply the way the Palestinian people are viewed by default, by a large majority of the world, serves as a glaring testament to the power of the Zionist controlled mainstream media and the lack of discernment and critical thinking by a huge portion of mankind.
Gaza only receives electricity for 8 hours per day from around 3pm each afternoon and so it is very difficult to get things done. Yet another way for Israel to ensure the Palestinian people are kept in a constant state of difficulty. Apart from the pure inconvenience of having no power for up to sixteen hours a day, this rationing of the power supply of course makes the storage of any fresh foods an extremely difficult prospect. The streets of the shopping area in the heart of town are lined with diesel generators that are used to power the shops making the center of town a very noisy place.
There was also once a thriving local fishing industry here, however catches have been very poor of late as Israel will allow no boats further than 3 miles offshore and certainly not into the fishing grounds which are about 10 miles out. To make it work there are always Israeli gunboats clearly visible at regular intervals on the horizon ensuring the no fishing policy is enforced.
The smell in much of Gaza City is also very difficult to deal with as the equipment at the local sewage treatment plant is in need of repair but Israel will allow no outside trade with the palestinian people while Hamas holds the reigns of power. Though the City is quite a relaxed place, there is an underlying tension here that must be felt to be understood. Many of the people can very understanably be somewhat distrustful of strangers and police in black wearing the black beret of Hamas, and bearing Russian made Kalashnikov machine guns are to be seen everywhere.
Most of the residential buildings in Gaza city have no glass in the windows. This has been done purposely by the residents themselves as a safety measure. As is the case in all urban war zones, very often a bomb or rocket exploding nearby will cause a pressure wave that will blow the windows of nearby houses inward and there are many innocent people who have been killed or horribly maimed in their homes due to flying glass from a nearby bombing raid, even though they were not targeted personally and the building they were in was not hit.
Despite all of the above (which barely scratches the surface of life in Gaza under the Israeli blockade) Gaza is a thriving community and the Palestinian's are a very strong and defiant people. I look at this place and see the hundreds of children playing in the bombed out rubble and it causes me to pause, to reflect deeply upon myself and to wonder at the strength of mankind. It also brings me to question what it would take; what belief system must be installed into ones mind for a soldier to carry out such acts of brutality against an innocent people who's only wish is for a peaceful life, simply because some elected public trustee ordered him to do so. I look at Gaza and feel the energy of this place and the strength and despair of it's people it becomes clear just how far mankind has strayed from our path.
Entry #32 - 10.40am September 25th - Gaza
I spent yesterday measuring up the school room for the Samouni children and today we are confirming that we have access to tools so we can purchase the materials needed to get started. Nothing is easy in Gaza but once we have secured the tools and materials it should only take 3 or 4 days to fit out the room for the kids. The children are very excited about it. Yesterday afternoon one small girl called Noor ran up and hugged me and said "I love you Max" I had to turn my head to hold back the tears.
Alex our translator has been great. He is a wonderful young man who dreams of travelling and one of his great wishes is to move to Australia, but he can not do so as he cannot get a passport simply because he is a Palestinian and therefore seen by the world as a terrorist, when nothing could be further from the truth. He is not a terrorist, he is a prisoner in the worlds largest open air prison, a prison that holds not only adults but is also home to over 800,000 innocent children.
Entry #33 - 11.07pm September 25th - Gaza
Today we purchased most of the materials we need to fit out the school room for the Samouni kids and tomorrow the work will begin in ernest. When we finished we were invited to tea by Zeinat Samouni, now a widow with four wonderful children to care for on her own, and during our stay she told me her story. While I listened to the ordeal she had suffered I found tears pouring down my cheeks and when it was over I went outside and wept as I walked towards the street. No one should ever have to endure what she has been through and to think the attrocities she suffered were inflicted upon her by people who call themselves human is incomprehensible. The crimes that Israel has carried out upon the people of Gaza are truly among the most brutal in all of human history, bar none, and the purposeful manner and unbridled relish with which the soldiers carry out these attrocities is quite literally unforgivable. Every single house in Gaza has a similar story to tell. There is not one family in Gaza that does not have a martyr; not one person that does not hold within their soul, the scars of war and brutality.
Such brutality and wanton abuse leave permanent scars on the psyche of the children who witness them and yet still in the face of all they have been through; all the horror they have seen, still the children of Gaza smile.
Upon my return home I intend to devote an entire radio broadcast to my time in Gaza and also, if I can gather enough footage, to make a short film about what is happening here. The truth must be told to the world.
Entry #34 - 6.45pm September 26th - Gaza
Today Ken and I spoke at Gaza university. The response was fantastic, I have quite honestly never received a warmer welcome than that which I received today.
After a 15 minute meeting with the Dean and the higher echelons of his faculty we were led into a conference hall where each of us spoke for around 15 minutes to a very enthusiastic and receptive crowd. After each of us had spoken were took questions before taking some of the students outside to interview regarding their hopes and dreams of post university life. We have decided now extend our stay another week and so will be remaining here until around October 9th.
Entry #35 - 4.35pm September 28th - Gaza
Today is Friday which is the Muslim day of prayer, much like Sunday is for Christians, hence most of the shops in Gaza are closed today and so I am unable to do any work on the classroom. Tomorrow will be a very big day for me as school is scheduled to begin on Sunday, the following day. Thats OK though, I like a challenge.
My time here has been an experience I shall truly treasure and I am going to miss the friends I have made here very much when the time comes to depart. It saddens my to even think of leaving these wonderful people, and most especially the children I have met, behind in this devastated and war torn land. If I could wish for one thing, I would wish to see the people of this land free so that the light I now see in the eyes of these children may never diminish.
As things stand under present circumstances, Palestine and especially Gaza is a land without future and the remedy for this situation lies not in the hands of the Palestinian people, but rather in the hands of those outside it's borders. This fact is, I believe, something that brings the most dispair to the people who are forced to endure the conditions here for indeed the only way this land will ever have a future at all, is if the people of the world stand up to do that which must be done to free this country from the horror and daily dispair that has been foisted upon it by the state of Israel for no other reason than to further a zionist agenda. And the most disturbing part about it all, is that the injustice forced upon these people has been done with the full financial backing of most of the western world. And that includes my own government.
It is time for the people in each and every nation on Earth to act; to clearly see the suffering their brothers and sisters in Palestine are forced to endure each and every day due to the crimes of the Israeli state and the inaction of our elected trustees throughout the world. Just the lack of electricity for up to 16 hours per day is enough to drain a person of their spirit. To see the young women forced to construct clay ovens and prepare their meager food for the entire family on open fires constructed in the dirt of their surroundings is heart wrenching for me. They of course, take it all in their stride and do so with a smile for what other choice do they have? They are a strong and defiant people and are used to hardship but I do not believe they should be forced to endure such things when all they desire in their hearts is a peaceful life and the same recognition in the world community that is afforded to others.
The world simply must stand up and pay attention. The Palestinians are people, just like anybody else. It is time for the world to remember Palestine and to take action to end the suffering of her people, for mankind be warned, if this corrupt corporate system is allowed to continue along it's present course to eventually come to a time when it prevails completely, then the way of Palestine will be the way of the world.
Entry #36 - 7.20am October 2nd - Gaza
My time here in Palestine has truly been some of the most memorable of my life. I have made some great friends here and will miss them all very much when I leave this place. The love these people hold for life is palpable, as also is the pain and dispair they hold within their hearts as a result of their isolation from the global community. Today we run the gauntlet.
Entry #37 - 8.10pm - 10.35pm October 2nd - Sinai
I am currently sitting in the back seat of a car crossing the Sinai desert heading for Cairo. It has been a day on the edge. The crossing from Gaza into Egypt was tense. Border security. Many questions. Long delays. Angry men with machine guns. Office interogation. Driving through Rafah in back of a military vehicle. Islamic Jihadists in black balaclavas whipping up a crowded street. Kalshnikov AK47's. Lost luggage.
Half way through Sinai now, Checkpoints. Egyptian soldiers in tanks and AV's within roadside barricades. Driver is demanding money. Wants full payment for half the journey. Luggage following in another car. Miscommunications. Checkpoints. Now crossing the Suez Canal entering Egypt proper from Sinai. Checkpoints. Phone calls. Drama over video camera. Phone calls. Driver paranoia. Miscommunications. Now 110 klm from Cairo. Checkpoints. Tension. 35klm out now, Checkpoints. Guards, Machine guns. Finally entering Cairo city limits. Very weary.
Entry #38 - 12.37am October 3rd - Egypt
I am now in a hotel in Cairo. As before the feeling is of a big, polluted, crowded, machine like city. If ever there was a convincing argument to support the existence of the Archons it is Cairo. We are here for one night only and fly out to London tomorrow.
Entry #39 - 9pm October 3rd - Over Switzerland
I now sit onboard a Swiss Air flight bound for London, having left Cairo and flown to Zurich at 3pm this afternoon. It has certainly been an interesting 13 days since leaving London and perhaps the most memorable time of my peregrinations so far. I will miss the friends I made during my time in Gaza. I will miss the bright eyes and smiling faces of the children. I feel a great saddness in having to leave them behind and find myself already having great concern for their safety. They really are a beautiful people and having now spent time with them, I find that I share their pain and sympathize with their struggle for recognition greatly. The situation in Palestine very much demonstrates mans inhumanity to man. No one should be forgotten the way these people have been forgotten by the global community.
There can be no doubt that there are bad people who exist within their borders but is that not true of all nations? The majority of those who live there are good people and my heart tells me those that are bad have simply been brought to that mindset out of the pure desperation of seeing no other escape from their present dilema other than force. People can only be pushed so far before they react and having witnessed first hand the limits to which the people of Palestine have been pushed thus far, I would say they have shown remarkable restraint and have responded with very little violence as a result, which can only be seen as testimony to their inherently peaceful nature. Sadly, having experienced the difficulty even I had in exiting the area, the military stationed all along the road through the Sinai into Egypt, and the attitude of those at the many checkpoints we passed towards the Palestinian people, it comes as no wonder that some have been driven to relatiate in a like manner.
It was nice to stay is a reasonable hotel in Cairo last night. The most noticeable thing for me was the freshness of the shower. The showers in Gaza are very salty as fresh water is extremely scarce. After each shower i took in Gaza I invariably felt sticky. The situation in Palestine and the hardships the people there are forced to endure is something the people of the world must stand up and pay attention to, and in many ways I feel guilt and remorse inside for spending such a short time there and for leaving while the issue of Palestinian is still left so unresolved. It has caused me to question things I have planned for the next few months. My heart is calling me to return and I am considering putting off my trip to Hawaii and even my return home and of possibly returning to Gaza near the end of November. Helping build the school room for the Samouni children was one small part and there is so much more I feel I could achieve there for though the tragedy of the Samouni family is very real and very much demonstrates the injustice that ocurrs there, virtually on a daily basis, it is after all, the story of only one family. There are literally thousands more. Each and every person within Palestine has a similar story to tell. Each person who lives there has their own martyr, has lost a relative or is seperated from a member of their family. Each person longs for recognition; to be free to travel; to live as is the right of all humankind and though they smile and put a brave face on it all, each person shares a burning anguish within their hearts.
We all know the name Gaza, but having now seen it with my own eyes; having seen the children and felt in my own heart the love for life of the people who are imprisoned there, in what is essentially the worlds largest concentration camp, I honestly do not think I will ever be able to view the world through the same eyes again.
We must free Palestine and her people and I have no other choice other than to return, if not in two months, then most certainly next year as my heart calls me to do so. Time will tell. Nothing is set in stone.
Entry #40 - 10.25am October 5th - England
Back in London, preparing to leave for a speaking event at Zu studios in Lewes. This is a rare thing for me as I do not normally do live events. In fact, barring two short talks I did at restaurants in Costa Rica and reading a speech I had prepared for the World Hemp Congress in Slovenia, this will be the first such event I have ever done. I do not feel comfortable at public events and do not have anything prepared. I am also unable to include a slide presentation as most speakers do as all the material I would require to construct such a thing resides at home on my desktop PC, so I will just talk to the people and see what comes out. I figure that as long as I have some quiet time before I start I should be able to wing it and just ad lib. We will see. I intend to devote a good section of it to Q&A anyway. I am quite comfortable with Q&A.
Strange energies abound here in London. I am quite looking forward to leaving the UK for a while and spending quiet some time in Croatia. Hopefully once there, I will have some time to relax and clear my mind in order to assess the last few weeks effectively as I feel that not all is as it seems, though I still reserve any judgement. Any time for reflection will of course depend on what sort of schedule Rick Simpson and Jindrich Bayer have planned for my visit to Croatia so I will have to play it all by ear and see how things unfold while I'm there. I will be flying out from London to Trieste Italy on October 9th where I will then be picked up by Rick and Jindrich and driven to Opatija on the Croatian coastline. There is also a good chance Ben Stewart will be meeting me at Trieste airport and coming to Croatia for a few weeks with me as he is currently in Florence Italy which is reasonabley close by. We will both then be heading to Amsterdam Holland for a speaking event on October 20th where we will part company once again as I will be flying back to Northern Croatia on the 21st to speak at an event in Zagreb that evening.
As it currently stands, I am scheduled to fly back to London on October 29th to then embark upon the final leg of my journey, which has me heading across to Hawaii on October 30, the following day (which turns out to be my birthday). So there is a good possibility I will be spending the day doing a very long flight. If so then my intention is to remain in Hawaii for a week, or possibly two, before continuing on back to Australia. That is the plan at this stage anyway, though it is still very optional as there is a good chance I may yet postpone the final leg and return to Gaza. If that is the case then I will stay in Croatia until late November and do the Gaza journey before then completing the final leg and returning home. If I do end up returning to Gaza at that time I intend to remain there for at least 3 weeks which places me home via Hawaii sometime in late December.
At this stage it is still very open but if I do not return to Gaza this year then I intend to do so around April or May 2013 after I have returned to Peru and collected the video footage I require to begin the new documentary. Returning to Gaza this November very much depends on whether my application to enter via Egypt is accepted. I will be visiting the Egyptian Embassy here in London on Monday in order to apply.
I must now prepare to leave for Lewes in Southern England.
Entry #41 - 10.30pm October 8th - England
The talk in Lewes last Friday seemed to be reasonably well received even though I had not prepared for it however my time in England has now come to an end. I have just finished packing my bags in preparation to fly out tomorrow morning for Trieste Italy where I will be meeting up with Ben Stewart and Rick Simpson. The three of us will then be driving to Krk Croatia and staying there for a couple of weeks. I thought I would be staying in Opatija but apparently Rick and Jindrich have moved to Krk since I last spoke with them. I have a presentation in Opatija Croatia on Oct, 13th, another in Zagreb Croatia on Oct, 21st and apparently one other with Ben Stewart in Holland on Oct, 20th, though I have not yet received confirmation on the talk in Holland.
Time will tell what my plans are from this stage but there is a strong possibility that I will return home at the end of October. I am feeling the call to return. There is still a possibility that I may return via Hawaii if finances permit, though there is a chance that my visit to Hawaii may be have to be postponed until the beginning of my journey next year. Again, time will tell.
Entry #42 - 9.33am October 9th - England
I am now sitting onboard the Stansted Express train travelling from Liverpool street station London to Stansted airport. I have a flight booked from Standsted to Trieste Italy, leaving at 11.35am thus bringing my time in England to an end. Though it has been nice catching up with My friends here and spending time getting to know Ken O'Keefe and his family, I cannot say I will miss the climate here, nor the energy of London which I have found to be very thick and oppressive. I also find the closeness of London to be somewhat uncomfortable. It will also be good to remove myself from the Chemtrails in England which, in my experience, are the worst I have witnessed anywhere in the world.
It will be nice to spend some time in Croatia catching up with Ben, Rick and Jindrich along with some of the friends I made during my recent stay in Slovenia. I am looking forward to both the climate and the company. Croatia, I feel will be a fitting conclusion to these last 3 months of travelling and at this stage I am somewhat weary of travelling and feel the talk in Hawaii would be best postponed until after I have returned home and taken the time to process the information I have gained on this trip. I believe much greater insights will be obtained that way and so I expect to be heading directly home to Australia when I depart from Croatia. Time will tell.
Entry #43 - 10.35am October 10th - Croatia
I am sitting in the top floor apartment of a housing complex overlooking the Adriatic Sea, in the town of Krk, on the Island of Krk, just across the bay from the town of Rijeka in Southern Croatia. I am here with Ben Stewart. Rick Simpson and Jindrich Bayer are close nearby. It is truly beauitul here and a stark contrast to Gaza, several hundred miles south east of here on the Mediteranian coast.
The apartment Ben and I are currently staying in is very tiny and quaint. It has sloping ceilings and one is only able to stand upright in certain sections. I reminds me a little of a hobbit house. I like it, though I imagine it could become quite tiresome were one forced to live here for a lengthy period. For now though, and for the next couple of weeks, I think I will enjoy its rather uique energy.
There are two talks planned for me here in Croatia, though again, I have nothing prepared to talk about. As I have previously noted, for me, this adventure has been not about speaking, but rather about listening. The nearby town of Rijeka is a beautiful place built mostly in classic Italian style of architecture. I have to head in there today for a radio interview at 3pm today.
Entry #44 - 12.35pm October 11th - Croatia
I have confirmed and booked my flight home for late in October, I have decided that giving myself a week or so in Australia at the end of October provides me with enough time to take care of things at home and to still be able to make it back to Cairo to then return to Gaza in late November. Problem solved and eveyone is happy, though unfortunately the talk in Hawaii must, by necessity, be postponed until early next year.
Entry #45 - 6pm October 12th - Croatia
Today I was invited for a radio interview on local station based here in Krk. Yesterday Rick Simpson and myself were also interviewed by a larger radio station in Rijeka and I was also interviewed by a newspaper the previous day, so it would seem that there had been a reasonable amount of promotion for the seminar we are scheduled to speak at tomorrow in Opatjia. It will be interesting to see how it all goes. I am unused to public speaking so hopefully the right words will come out, and in the correct order.
We are planning to then stay in the area of Krk until early next week when the intention is to relocate to Zagreb where the second seminar is to be held on October 21st. I will then be flying out of Zagreb to Amsterdam on the morning of October 25th, continuing on to Kuala Lumpur in Mayasia and then on further, to arrive in Brisbane Australia on the evening of October 26th, which will see the conclusion of my three month peregrinations having made a complete circumnavigation of the globe.
That is the current travel plan as it stands today, though of course, such things are open to further revision as synchronicities present themselves. One thing this trip has taught me, amongst the myriads of information I have gathered along the journey, is to always leave oneself open to all possibilities and to not place emotional attachment upon any outcomes. That way life always unfolds as it should.
Entry #46 - 9.30pm October 16th - Croatia
I have remarkabley little to say about the time I have spent here on the island of Krk as it is a remarkabley uneventful place. Life is very slow and quiet here. Ben had been staying here with me since my arrival in Croatia but he has now left to return to London. The seminar in Opatija seemed to go well last Saturday, and we have another one scheduled for next Sunday in Zagreb. That will be my final speaking event in Europe.
I am then scheduled to fly out to Brisbane via Kuala Lumpur, the following thursday morning. It will be a series of gruelling flights, but at the end of 28 hours in the vortex, I will be home.
Entry #47 - 10.35am October 19th - Croatia
My time here in Krk has now come to an end and today I am leaving for Zagreb. It has been a nice reprieve here in Krk and I imagine things will be a little different in Zagreb. I have been told that the internet connection is not the best where I will be staying so there is also a chance that this may be the final blog entry until I begin the journey home in 6 days time.
Entry #48 - 11am October 21st - Croatia
I am preparing to leave for a speaking event at a Seminar being conducted at the University here in Zagreb today. I have just spent the night sleeping on someones couch. This is not the way I usually prepare for a major speaking event but there are times when we are required to simply work with what we have to work with...
Tomorrow I will be recording 2 appearances for a national Croatian television show called "The Edge of Science". On one program I will be appearing with Rick Simpson while on the other I will be appearing on my own. I must say it is refreshing to be in a country where the type of information I present is deemed worthy of devoting an entire one hour TV program to. Apparently alternative research is highly respected in Croatia and I am told that my radio weekly show "Surviving The Matrix" is very popular here. Perhaps the world at large is not quite as asleep as most people generally perceive it to be... I will post the shows once they have gone to air and a web link to the broadcasts has been provided to me.
Entry #49 - 11.50am October 22nd - Croatia
The seminar seemed to go pretty well yesterday. I dont know, I am somewhat uncomfortable with public speaking. I much prefer talking to people via radio. I think public appearances will remain something of a rarity for me. I dont feel that I function well in that environment. After the event I was interviewed for a Television special and again for text that will be published on a Croatian website.
Today I will be heading into the TV station in Zagreb to record two shows for The Edge of Science. Apparently it is a very popular show that has been running here for over 10 years despite repeated attempts by the Croatian government to have the show stopped. That is something I find to be very refreshing. I believe that the TV slots today will be the last of my engagements here in Europe. I have had speaking gigs offered to me in Hawaii and Bogota but still feel that my best move at this point is to head home to assess the information I have gathered during my travels.
I think that when all options are considered, summer in Byron Bay feels very good to me.
Entry #50 - 11.25pm October 24th - Croatia
My bags are now packed, I have finished spending the afternoon with Rick Simpson, Jindrich and a group of the many friends I have made here in Zagreb and am done saying my goodbyes. I am now preparing for a brief sleep prior to embarking on my journey home to Byron Bay in just over 6 hours.
The last two days since recording the slots at the television studios have been peaceful and relaxing. I have mixed feelings about leaving Europe and feel both excited to be going home but also sad to see the end of my journey. But now is the time and home and the beaches and lush hinterland of Byron Bay is calling me.
There is a tension here in Europe, and though the people are warm and wish for times of peace and joy, at the same time there is and underlying feeling of foreboding that can be seen on the faces of the Croatian people. A sense of hopelessness and a pain hidden deep behind their eyes as a resultt of the quite literally centuries of war that has ravaged this region.
It has been getting steadily colder by the day here. In Zagreb, snow is predicted to fall sometime within the next two or three days...
Entry #51 - 7am October 25th - Croatia
Currently sitting in Zagreb airport, unable to access the internet as it is only available in the business lounge. Pity... I guess I wont be adding this blog update until I land in Kuala Lumpur tomorrow morning for a 3 hour stopover, though "tomorrow" is somewhat speculative, given the international date line and the distance I am covering over the next 30 or so hours. But there is always a chance I may get 5 minutes to do so during my 90 minute stopover in Amsterdam around 3 and a half hours from now.
Europe and indeed, all the places I have visited during my travels, has been a treasured experience and has provided valuable insights into the current state of the overall collective consciousness of humankind and I have learned a great many things during these last 3 months of random peregrinations. It has been a wonderful and most synchronistic journey and one that I am sure will take me much time to fully process. I have visited some wonderful places and met a great many wonderful people along the way. I feel this journey marks the beginning of something very special and will forever remain a landmark event in my life.
My flight leaves Zagreb in 65 minutes from now. Boarding should begin in another 35. The thought of arriving home is one of both anticipation and also of something more surreal. I am told that the exterior of my cabin has been painted, trees and bushes have been planted around the perimeter, a small bathroom has been placed nearby and a fence has been erected for my privacy from a newly erceted wwoofer hut nearby where the backpacker organic gardeners now live.
It will be nice to get back to my cabin and turn on Ningishzidda, the powerful PC I built last year in order to finish my last film. It will be nice to tinker with my stuff. It will be nice to see the gardens... It will be nice to arrive home...
Entry #52 - 11.15am October 25th - Holland
Update on the run... Gotta love big airports with free wif-fi access...
Entry #53 - 7.25am October 26th - Malaysia
I am currently sitting at a starbucks coffee house in Kuala Lumpur airport enjoying a much needed cup of tea. This is truly the final leg of my international roamings. I have a 3 hour wait for my next flight which will take me to Brisbane Australia and two hours drive from my home. My sister Wendy will be there to pick me up in my own car.
I have a lot to get done over the next few weeks. There is a lot of information to process and so many things I wish to acheive. There are at least 3 new films to make, my book to edit and publish, my second book to write and all the radio shows to transcribe and publish. The next 12 months will be very big for me. I may need to reduce the radio shows down to once per month until I get my head above the work load.
Time will tell.
Entry #54 - (Closing Entry) - 12.55am October 27th - Australia
I arrived home this evening and am now sitting in my little cabin. I sincerely hope those who read the blog enjoyed participating in the adventure with me and I hope it gave them the feeling that they were accompanying me on my many travels.
As I sit here at my desk it is almost as though I never left. All is as it was except for one subtle difference likely to go unnoticed by an outsider. That is the imprint that my travels and those I encountered along it's many paths have left upon my heart. It has been a fascinating and enlightening journey, but am now very much ready to visit my home for a while and to spend some quiet time to reflect on the experience and assess what I have been shown.
I do not, however, feel the period I will spend at home will be a lengthy one...
Until next time my friends.
In Lak'ech
