Tack, he said...

as I heeled the Hobie cat hard into the wind. Bouncing over the waves I pull the sail taut and dance towards the barrier reef in the Caribbean Sea. Bob Marley music drifts from a sailboat as pass on the starboard side before we start our jibe. The skipper flashes a lazy peace sign...

Cap'n Doug

Therapeutic Massage

Picture this. Palm leaf cabana, over the ocean, on stilts, at the end of a long wooden dock. A few fluffy clouds in an azure sky. You lie naked on a bed, covered with a gossamer sheet flapping gently in the open windowed room. Eyes closed, you listen to the waves lapping against the thin wooden pilings outside. You hear the click of the oil bottle lid closing...the sound of her hands rubbing together. She starts to massage your feet...

No socks, No underwear

for 7 days now. I don't know if I can go back to the grind. Some never do....

It began with a plaintive cry

as the sun began to filter through the mists over the jungle canopy at dawn. The plaintive bird call was soon followed by different creatures chirping, screaming, whistling, and barking. Then came the roar. Loud, deep and heard throughout the jungle. It was answered in a different area by another just as fearsome growl. And another.

Good morning, Tical.

Download Video


Doug

The pavement ends here

Cross the Guatemalan border on the way to Tikal. Dirt. Jungle. Huts. Friendly people. Everyone we pass waves. People on the bus talk about being pulled over and robbed by rebels. Fun stuff.

Found a neat little hostel with the help of another Vancouverite we meet on the bus. And here I sit. Flores, Guatemala. Should have brushed up on my spanish.

Doug

December 25th

Reef sharks circled out of reach. Always above , always behind. Always out of reach. Dropped down to 132 feet below the surface, swam around giant stalagtites, then began the slow journey back up to the boat. Kinda low on air, good thing we are heading up. Taking a long time, really low on air, another diver is just latching onto the divemasters spare regulator, still 40 feet to go. Going awfly slow, tank is reading empty, 30 feet. Yay, divemaster is dropping the other diver off at a breathing station. Fin, fin, fin. Sucking air out of this dead tank is a labor. Just in time.

Kewl divers reach for zen. No acrobatics, no waving their arms. Profusion of beautiful fish and coral on the second dive. I surface with 700 lbs still in my tank. Aaauuummmmm.

Third dive. I am one wih the fish. I can see the big picture, other divers, my place in the universe. I am the master. I surface with 1000 of my 3000 lbs left.

Doug

Hot Sauce

is the only condiment used in Belize. It grows on you, No calories, No refrigeration. Goodbye mustard, mayo, and ketchup.

Slept in. Two hours late for tour. No prob, thees is Belize, mon. Drifted down the Cave Branch river, through a huge cave system, then did the zipline (wheeeeee).

Tonite it's the Xmas rum party, er ... school fundraiser ... yeah, that's it ... fundraiser.

Tomorrow I dive with the sharks.

Doug

Shark!

Well, quick glimpse of the tail of a nurse shark, as I get kicked in the face by the snorkelling group maneuvering for position. Hordes of sting rays glide just out of arms reach. Numerous colorful fish dart in and out of the coral reef. That's enough for one day, mon.

Tomorrow, zipline and cave tubing at 6:30am. Ah, that breeze is nice, Couple of Belikin beer, a little live reggae, and sleep.

Doug

Touchdown

With the wings hanging over the edge, we bounce down the rudimentary runway ... palm trees ... muggy heat. We enter the banana republic air terminal. Over head fans move the shimmering heat around the room whoomp...whoomp...whoomp. We shuffle slowly forward with the crowd. Very slowly. Welcome to Belize, mon.

Beholden to No Man

Today...December 20th 2006, I am...

0==)====> FREE OF DEBT <====(==0

The fruits of my labors are mine to invest in myself and the ones that I love.

Today, it's good to be...

Doug

Thinking forward

To when I go international. Today I opened a savings account at HSBC (the worlds neighborhood bank) for two reasons. Firstly I wanted to build a relationship with a bank that I could access in different countries, and secondly I need to have another savings account in which to begin placing savings in order to begin work on my third revenue stream at the end of '07, buying self sustaining real estate in Europe (because that's where I want to hang out). The first revenue stream already in place is my defined benefit pension at my union, currently at $1740/mo. And my second is my RRSP, currently at $13000. I will continue growing these over the next 2051 days till I retire, at which time I am considering opening a fourth RS in form of a business, a hostel (for wayward girls...kidding)

Doug

The Journey Begins..

I picked the title for my blog because I'm in the mood to pound my chest. In 2052 days I will quit renting myself out by the hour and begin a life on my 40' catamaran "Exceeds Expectations" (nope, not named after me). I will have a base either in Nice overlooking the Mediterranean or a small private vineyard in Provence.

You are welcome to come along for the ride. I will show you how I did it, and hopefully it will inspire you to pursue your dream.

Lifelong Learning

Watched a program where the conclusion was that if you studied one hour per night you would pass university. I have been averaging one hour and it's a struggle. I expect it will become much easier. I'll update after this course.

One Dollar

Saw an interesting post in my travels today

One Dollar

First Post

Dec 15/06

Sitting in Port McNeill on the north coast of Vancouver island. Sitting in my apartment setting up my website. Storm force winds out on the jobsite..again. Home to Vancouver on the 19th. Then after paying bills, getting a haircut, doing my pension top up, seeing Apocolypto (perfect timing for Tical), and packing, I will be off to Seattle then to Belize.

A well earned break.