experiences of a lifetime

Today marks five years since my adventures around the world took flight. Still, it feels like yesterday. Sitting aboard a plane, tipsy from sake and high from anticipation, having just bid farewell to dear friends and family after several days of revelry at Miami’s Art Basel. I was about to embark on a journey of 13 months and countless experiences. First stop Buenos Aires. I often reflect upon those days, particularly when I’m not feeling inspired (even amidst the beauty of Paris), and find myself reliving these scenes… eternally grateful to call them my experiences.

Exploring Machu Picchu beneath a misty sky.

Bathing on the remote island of Fernando de Naronha in Brazil.

Sky-diving over the majestic landscape of Queenstown, New Zealand.

Driving along Great Ocean Road in Australia.

Admiring Jodhpur, the magnificent 'Blue City' of Rajasthan, India.

Catching a glimpse of the Taj Mahal.

A spiritual moment at the temple of Ta Prohm in Angkor Wat, Cambodia.

Becoming fashionable in the city of tailors, Hoi An, Vietnam.

Two days floating on a junk boat in Halong Bay.

Meditating upon the Mekong in Luang Prabang, Laos.

Exlporing the rice fields of Ubud, Indonesia by motor bike.

Inhaling the grand view of Hong Kong.

Driving through the landscape near Lhasa, Tibet.

Climbing the Great Wall of China.

Finding tranquility amidst The Golden Pavilion of the Rokuon-Ji Temple in Kyoto.

A sunrise hot-air ballon ride over Cappadocia, Turkey.

 What are your most cherished experiences? (Have you lived them yet?)

 

Sydney

 ‘I could live here’. These are the words that most often exit my lips, as I journey to so many vibrant and culturally rich cities of the world. Sydney is quite the ideal place to live, there is something inspiring about being so close to the sea. An enticing city bordered by tranquil beaches, my favorites being Manly and Bondi. There I experienced a perfect day: the morning began with a yoga class. Upon finding inner balance I retreated to the sea for a surf lesson. With a little practice and resolve I stood on the board, what a high! I am still a bit weary of those commanding waves but I have found a new sensation. the day of fortuitous pleasures continues…the afternoon was spent indulging in Shiraz at Darling Harbor (any place with the name darling must have a certain charm to it!). In the evening I enjoyed my first Eastern European opera in the most stunning opera house, ‘Rusalka’ by Dvorak. And this was only one day of many.

an aboriginal soul



‘To understand your highest self you must live in that rhythm’, as did William Ricketts, an eccentric artist who lived and worked at Mt Dandenong until 1993, at the age of ninety-four. He felt a deep connection to the desert people of the Pitjantjara and Arrernte, as though he were one himself, perhaps in a past life. Walking through his sanctuary amidst this visual poetry of over 90 ceramic sculptures in which the human and natural spirit become one, I could feel his love and devotion to these people and the environment. An inner peace filled me in this space created by a single man who believed in something with a rare, soulful passion.

Melbourne


My introduction to Melbourne began with a 20k bike tour of a city which has become one of my favorites (the list is growing!). Amidst all the culture and refinement there is a relaxed attitute in this city which is considered one of the most livable in the world. South Yarra became our home, a great neighborhood for dining and shopping. Near this vicinity lives my friend Jeremy with whom we wined and dined as often as possible. I was grew very fond of Fitzroy, filled with a modern bohemian vibe. Melbourne possesses much international art, as well as an immigration museum that proved most insightful as to the history of this country so detached from the rest of the world. Most of all I fell in love with the koalas, simply adorable!!