D. Todd Benson

Just a quick update - I’m in Casablanca wandering around.  The Grand Mosque and the Medina are beautiful, foreign, overwhelming and exciting.  Last night I had drinks at Rick’s Cafe with some friends and watched the movie in the sitting room of the bar.  Unforgettable.  Oh, and Bogart is still the f`n man…

I met some people here - Ignacio from Chile, Natalia from Australia by way of Germany and Jade from Gainsville, FL.  We are now Team Morocco.

I have to update this page with the New Zealand, Australia, Thailand and southern Africa posts.  I have actually started writing again, so “Outlook is good.”

So, someone I met on FaceBook sent me a message in response to a comment I’d left on a former co-worker’s wall:

Laurie Hathorn (Westchester, NY) wrote at 11:43am yesterday

Todd, We connected through Dave Jenks. I am so curious to know what made you decide to make a trip around the world? How long have you considered it and what did you do to prepare? Are you planning to return to the US? Do business or just make friends…explore and take photos. It sounds terrific!!

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Well, Laurie, to make a really REALLY long story as short as I can, I had a long series of epiphanies that led to the decision that I was going to become intolerant.  I needed to be LESS tolerant of the way people treated me and the way I treated myself.  I raised the standards to which I held myself, and there-by raised the standards by which I expected to be treated by others.  Then it snapped, and on a Sunday afternoon I decided to sell my house, on Monday morning I decided to quit my job, and on Tuesday morning I decided to sell everything and go to Fiji.

While I always wanted to travel (the way everyone wants to ‘travel’), I had never actually left the US before this trip.  I always wanted to see the Pacific and I have been dreaming of Africa, but when I decided to do this whole thing I really just wanted to go to Fiji and sit on a beach with a cold beer and figure out what to do with the wreckage of my personal and professional life.  The rest of the circumnavigation just sort of grew out of it in kind of a, “Why not?” manner

I didn’t really prepare for the trip; it was more like firefighting - I set the goal, made the initial bold moves to set the ball rolling (i.e. - “Sell my house.” and “I quit.”) and then took care of things when they needed to.  When everything needed to be sold or packed or moved, then it got done.  Of course - when I got off the plane in Fiji I didn’t even have a place to sleep or any clue of what I wanted to do there because I’d done no research or forward thinking.  I can’t tell you a story of how meticulous and well-conceived this all was; I would be a damn liar then.  There was no elegance or grace in my planning what-so-ever.  I can tell you that I did this the wrong way and I have made every mistake.  I could have done this cheaper and with less trauma and more planning, but I WOULDN’T have done it then - too much would have gotten in the way.  Next time, however, I’m going be good at this. 

I will return to the US - if anything, this trip has shown me where my home is.  I have been many places where I could work and one or two that I could even live in, but nothing has felt like home.  Then again, I’m not even 1/2 way around yet.  I’m not doing business in any foreign countries but I haven’t excluded it.  I am doing research for my own businesses and I consider this one long training camp.  Everyday is a breakout session, eh?  I’m really just exploring the world and taking photos and such, but the underlying goal is self growth and perspective.  It’s coming, albeit slowly - If you look closely at my Facebook profile picture, you can see that it’s me, sitting on a beach in Fiji, drinking a cold beer.

Check out my blog at www.dtoddb.com for more info and details of the trip.  There is also a link there to my Flickr account with all of my pictures.  If you want to know more about anything, you can comment on a post or just send me a message and I’d love to reply.  Receiving comments is quite thrilling - It’s weird to think that someone is actually reading this stuff.  Part of this process has been a commitment to transparency and openness to the best of my ability, so ask away.   THANKS!!!!

Check the linkage to the Flickr, y’all.  More tomorrow!

I know, I know - you have all written in and vociferously complained about my lack of posts.  I’m sorry about that - I’ve been on the move pretty much constantly since getting to Australia and haven’t had the time to sit down and compose my thoughts.  More pix are on the way as well, now that I am in a hostel with a stable-ish internet connection.  Also, I’m sincerely flattered that you guys are so interested.  I will make a ernest effort to be better about posting in the future.

Just as a quick update to tide you over:

• We just got back from Christmas Eve dinner and dancing in Sydney Harbor.  I had Kangaroo Steak!  It was yummy and tasted a little like venison, which is logical since they have Kangaroo here like we have deer in the states.
• Christmas Day will be spent barbecuing on Bondi and Coogee Beaches in Sydney.
• A couple of friends I met in New Zealand and I will be exploring the museums and art galleries around town over the next week.
• Sometime in the next couple of weeks I’m going to see Madame Butterfly at the Sydney Opera House.
• New Years Eve will be HUGE here - watch for it on the tube over breakfast before you start your celebration.  We will be in the botanical gardens with tens of thousands of other revelers.  I’ll try to wave at the cameras.

For Christmas I want everyone to be kind to each other and yourselves and to be at peace with your world.  And a helicopter.  And a dinosaur.  But mostly the being kind and nice and stuff.  It would totally suck if you were a mean bastard and gave me a helicopter, but it would be the awesomest if you were super cool to everyone you know.

More soon.  Love to all and pass around a hug from me, long distance.

- t

Sorry bout the delay, y’all.  I’ve been from the top of New Zealand to the bottom and back and haven’t been writing anything down so now I have to reconstruct the last 20 days from memory.  Considering that I have been doing nothing but drinking, climbing something, jumping off something or riding a bus since I got here, this may be difficult.

In the meantime, if you check out the new pics on the link to the right you can get a feel for all that has been going on.  If you like a pic or you want to know what the heck is going on in one of them, add a comment to this entry and I’ll be sure to cover that in detail.  Comments from y’all are like little presents - they make me happy.

Miss you guys and I get homesick regularly - wish you were all here to share it with.  Luvs,

- t

Up at 5:45 AM - fought with the internet for several hours and then decided to go for a walk before the urge to throw the hostel’s wireless router out the window overcame me.  I walked down to the docks and around the Queen Street area and then back up again.  Went to the hostel and tried to book the Kiwi trip for tomorrow but there are no seats left.  They were able to book me for Wednesday.  On the way back to the room I ran in to a girl Sarah from Vorovoro in the lobby - she’s actually staying in my room tonight and I think she got the last seat on my bus for tomorrow.  I walked uptown tonight and took pictures of Auckland and then had a kebab.  Eventually fond my way down to a place called the Corner Bar and had a drink with a college student named Mason.  We discussed the failings of Socialism and then I played him some Texas music.  I finished blogging the last 15 days finally tonight - I will upload tomorrow.  Good night!

Thursday the 13th was filled with excitement and wonder.  Hung out at the hotel and finished the laundry.  Napped.  Tried to get on the internet but failed miserbly.  Ruben called yesterday and said that it was his birthday so we made plans to go out tonight.  Had a good dinner and went to Ed’s for drinks.  Played pool and had some drinks - we had a good time.

On Friday the 14th I went to the FeeGee Experience offices and booked the Kiwi Experience tour so I would see fun stuff in New Zealand.  Switched my flight to Sunday the 16th at the airport and then switched hotels to the Travelers Rest hotel.  It’s cheaper and the internet might be better, I hope.  Did a little more planning and got ready for the move to another country.

Saturday the 15th started with a wholesome breakfast and was followed up with sleeping, reading and relaxing for the rest of the day.  I scrubbed my shoes - New Zealand is a little strict with regard to tracking dirt on their new rugs, especially after vacuuming.  Actually, there is a real danger of introducing alien plants into their country that would take over the ecosystem, so they scrutinize camping gear and the like for debris to stop the risk.    I met Adam and Kate at the hotel that night - he is from Australia and she is from England.  They just spent a while living in Australia and now they are traveling to England to live there for a little while, I think.  They were having a conversation with a Canadian couple about Texas and guns and America and insurance.  After the Canadians went to bed, Adam said, “Hello!  Where are you from?”  We talked for a few hours and traded rounds before kicking off for the night.

Woke up and got breakfast, then packed up, showered and headed for the airport.  I thought my flight was for 11:40 AM, but I checked my e-Ticket and it said my flight was at 10:40AM.  I got there at 9:30 to find out the flight was actually at 10:00AM.  Inexplicable, but I was able to make the flight.  Watched WALL-E on the plane. 

Checked in to the Auckland Central Backpackers hostel and then walked around Auckland.  This city is beautiful.  I can’t wait to explore more tomorrow.  I found Kathmandu, which is the outdoor store that was recommended to me, but they were closing, I will have to come back in the AM.  Spent some time writing and uploading - still with mixed success.  Went to bed at 8:30PM.

Sunday night I got sick.  Not throwing up sick, but can’t eat high fever sore throat sick.  I slept all day Monday - I know for a fact I didn’t get up to eat at all because I would hear the dinner bell and just roll over.  Several people came to check on me, but I was missing from assembly and meals and such.  It’s nice to have people watching out for you.

On Tuesday, I was even sicker but I had to go to the sevu sevu with the Chief of whole region including Vorovoro, Tui Mali.  Since I’d never met him, it was expected that I be there for his weekly ceremony.  He came and shook my hand and said he’d never been to Texas, so I invited him.  He’s real busy, tho - we’ll see.  I ditched after the first 30 minutes of the ceremony to go back to bed.  I would love to stay but this cold has made up my mind - I want Air Conditioning and a good long shower, followed by sleep.  That should make me feel better (I hope).

On Wednesday morning I felt better, but still needed to leave.  I struggled with the decision, but I can’t stay here more now; I needs to be moving on.  I flew back to Nadi and went to the Nadi Bay Hotel again.  Bought some new shorts and a tshirt on the way into town so that I could wash everything else I own.  Dropped the laundry off at the hotel laundrymat and took a shower.  Went down to the bar and had a Cheeseburger and the Best Bourbon and Coke EVER.  Went to bed early cause I wanted to.

Final thought - have you ever taken one of those showers where it looks like you are draining oil from the oil pan of a car?  I swear the water coming off me was filthy and I still have a tan under it.  Unbelievable.

Went on a reef trip with several others out to the third largest living reef in the world.  It was apparently a bad day for diving and it was still the most beautiful snorkeling I’ve ever seen.  The water was 8 to 15 meters (24 to 45 feet) deep but would get shallow up to two meters (6 feet)  I almost was emasculated by Moray eel because I was looking back for my dive buddy and drifted over him.  When I looked down he was about two feet out of his hole and headed for my nethers.  For those keeping score at home, thats two separate animals in two separate countries in less than 30 days that have tried to bite my personal parts.

It was brought up in the morning meeting on the island that several people would be moving out of my sleeping vale because apparently I snore horrendously when sleeping in huts on wood benches with foam pads for a mattress.  I protested that I did not snore and that it must have been their imagination.  I’m sticking with that.

My feet hurt in a particularly interesting way.  I think they have been kept damp and protected inside my super special hiking sandals for too long, so I need to keep them dry and walk around barefoot to build callous up - exactly what hurts too much to do.  Hmmmm.

Friday and Saturday blended together so I have nothing to actually report.  I did laundry, took a bath in the ocean, relaxed, tested hammocks extensively, napped religiously, and generally was good for nothing.  On Sunday, we were on our own as the native part of the tribe went off-island to go to church and see their extended families wether on other islands or on the mainland.  Went snorkeling and spearfishing off shore with a friend named Andy and tried to catch dinner but had no luck.  Instead, I played Godzilla underwater and chased fish around the shallows.  I also spent a while just watching and thinking about nothing but fish and other fish and those fish and some shrimp I met.  I also gathered shells and pieces of sea glass.  I don’t think I’ve been so singularly engaged in one single mindful mindless activity or another so completely and without structure or interruption in years if not decades.

It rained REALLY well that afternoon, so we spent an hour or so hand pumping water from the collection tanks near the huts (roof run-off) up to the storage tank on top of the hill.  There is an electric pump that runs off of stored solar and wind power, but the pump’s capacity was well below that of the rain coming down so we had to supplement the pump with a little back work.  I was put to shame by the efforts of the youngun’s tho - I gave up far before they  lost stamina.

I am supposed to leave Wednesday to go back to reality, but I really want to stay.  I can extend the TribeWanted part of my trip and it’s remarkably inexpensive to live here - I don’t think of something I need and run down to the store and food is made for me five times a day.  I have just started to get my feet under me here and I am beginning to feel comfortable.  Even the spiders don’t bug me anymore.  Sure, I stink and I’m covered in dirt, but so is everyone else here.  I have to think more about whether to extend the trip.

• S 16′ 20.508″
• E179′ 18.598″

Woke up early and went to breakfast downstairs.  I called Dad from the patio while watching CNN.  The polls were just opening in many places and we were hours away from any results, but the first two complete precincts in the north east had gone to Obama.  I left for the airport by 10 for my 11:25 flight to Vanua Levu (Labasa (Lambasa)) but the flight was delayed.  I spent the extra time calling Kacey and Carrie and I tried to call mom several times.  I got surprisingly homesick after talking to Carrie and Kacey and Dad today.  I think that being away from the country during an election that I have so much interest in heightened it as well.

The flight to Labasa was fast and neat; we were on a little turbo prop plane that just zipped around the sky.  After we landed and got to the staging point for Vorovoro, we went shopping for kava root to give to the chief and then boarded the boat for the island.  The ride there reminded me a lot of the Florida mangrove swamps - very beautiful and it didn’t help my homesickness one bit.  Once we arrived at the island there was this huge welcome.  I was getting my pack out of the boat when a bunch of helping hands carried it to the place where we would be sleeping.  Got settled in a little and wandered around.  Chief Sophie gave us a tour - it really is remarkable.

There are composting toilets to deal with our sewage and waste, solar and wind collectors for generating the tiny amount of power that is needed, and rain water collection systems to collect run off for fresh water.  The buildings are all traditionally built and naturally regulate their temperature.  There are fruit trees and gardens to grow food, as well as chickens and pigs to eat scraps and grow up to be more food.  There are even more ideas in planning to create a more stable and self-sustainable environment.  They are planning a community that can sustain itself into the next decade - it’s amazing to me as an laboratory and a classroom for both a social network and an examination of how we can minimize our impact on the planet.

While watching a volleyball game, heard the election results over the radio and I cried.  I was surprised at the strength of my emotion - I was quite completely disarmed.  I hope that this is the beginning of our rebirth and that we can start to work with the rest of the planet again constructively.  I’m so proud to be an American on a day when we reaffirm our power as a government by, of, and for the people.