A week has come and gone... still a bit hard to believe I am in Australia. Experiencing something new every day... too much to tell in one sitting, but I will write a few of the personal highlights before too much time goes by and my memory begins to fail me.

A day or so after arriving I got the chance to met the other part of the Adair family I was missing at Jo's birthday party, they're a fun bunch. The following day I was introduced to Rugby and Tackle Bullrush at an area fellowship; those Hartingdon boys are sturdy I tell you... had my shirt torn off and had a sore neck for a few days but it was fantastic fun.

That night I met the better part of all the friendlies in Syd at a fam celebration and had the privilege of watching David Komic live! The man is hilarious! He pulled off some on the spot over the top representations of the various stages of growth the TFI
has experienced. Memorable.

Had a fun day trip to Sydney a few days ago with Mark, Amber and little Allan. Took a train to Circular Quay and walked down to the Opera House (it's true... the roof is made up of bathroom tiles), caught a ferry over to Manly and walked down to Shelly beach... beautiful.

Loving the fact that Aussies are refreshingly brash and... informal. That is the best word I can think of. And the women! Wow, the women. Good example of both these things: we're walking to Shelly Beach when the lifeguard over the loud speaker begins to inform the public that there are jellyfish in the water, he gives instructions to rinse with cool water if stung and closes his announcement saying in a very matter of fact way "the sting will last 30 minutes to an hour... there is nothing you can do about it so you'll just have to deal with it". Heh! All over the beach there were families with their children and babies... and bare breasted mujeres, gorgeous women in down to earth tones. Fantastic.

Enjoyed the beach for a few hours before catching the ferry back and since there were still a few hours of daylight took a lovely stroll through the Botanical Gardens. The gardens are a paradise for tree lovers, some of the most amazing trees I have ever seen... and I had a surprise encounter with a flock of cockatoos.

Amber's brother Chris is a Chef and just yesterday he invited us for lunch over at the Hotel where he works. Being of inquisitive nature I couldn't pass up the opportunity to try the kangaroo rump in red wine. It was a pleasant surprise, a little chewy as is most game meat... but quite tasty.

It's been such a good feeling to experience something new, a different culture and make new friends in the process, but that whole aspect of life will have to wait for the next post.

Will try to keep up with all the happenings a bit better for the sake of friends and fam. I miss you special people, you are in my thoughts and prayers. Un abrazo.

There is a ticket with my name on it. Novelty for me as I haven't yet visited anywhere other than Mexico's neighboring countries.

I would have never imagined that my first journey off the continent would take me to the land down under; but so it will.

Amongst other first times will be experiencing jet lag and skipping most of Valentine's Day altogether...was never much of a romantic anyway. But the best news of all is that there is a friendly face waiting for me on the other end.

I will leave from here...


arrive there...


depart from there to here...


then leave again to eventually arrive here...


All my bags are packed I'm ready to go...

The art of war teaches us to rely not on the likelihood of the enemy's not coming, but on our own readiness to receive him; not on the chance of his not attacking, but rather on the fact that we have made our position unassailable.

Thus it is that in war the victorious strategist only seeks battle after the victory has been won, whereas he who is destined to defeat first fights and afterwards looks for victory.

If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.

Sun Tzu's Art of War

...en aquel tiempo eran muchos los que se retiraban a la soledad de los montes a meditar.
...y eran muchos los que en el silencio de los volcanes nevados y de los pequeños valles ocultos, Se buscaban a sí mismos...

"...aquellos que buscan el Silencio en la calma nunca lo encontrarán desnudo.
...para desnudarlo hay que buscarlo entre el bullicio.

Díganme:
¿de qué sirve a un corazón tener calma en medio de la soledad?, ¿a poco no es como la calma que tiene un lago estancado en un valle?

...mas, ¡Que grande es un corazón cuando en medio de las dificultades y los problemas conserva la calma y se viste con el Silencio!

...es como el torrente que resbala sereno por la ladera de la montaña...

...algunos van a lugares donde lo más que les molesta es el canto de un pajarillo o el sonido que arranca el viento a las hojas de los árboles...

Y piensan:
...estoy tranquilo y sereno en este lugar, ya he alcanzado la calma y el Silencio es amigo de mi corazón...
...pero cuando vienen al bullicio, sus pulsos se agitan y sus corazones se alteran, y sus pensamientos chocan con violencia en sus frentes,

y yo les preguntaría:
¿dónde guardaron la calma?, ¿qué morada le prepararon en sus pechos que tan pronto se les fue?

...sepan que aquel que busca el Silencio interior debe encontrarlo en medio de los ruidos y de las voces y de los gritos, y tomándolo debe sentarlo en su corazón, y al escucharlo ya no oirá hacia fuera sino hacia dentro...

...y en verdad les digo, que ni cien tormentas, ...ni la explosión de mil volcanes podrían ya nunca separarlo de él...

...para buscar pues, la calma Interior, no vayan adonde todo es calma sino adonde no hay paz, y sean ustedes la paz. De esta forma la encontrarán al darla, y la tendrán en la medida en que vean que otros necesitan de ustedes para calmarse..."

-Quetzalcóatl