2014 in Review

The passage was extracted from an email to a friend around Christmas 2014.

I started 2014 in Rarotonga, Cook Islands. I waited several months for a cargo boat to go to one of the outer islands in the Northern Group. The flying option was limited to a few more touristy islands in the South. Originally I was very disappointed with this failed attempt to see the legendary “live off the land and sea" way of life. In Rarotonga, I finally settled into a very simple way of life. Even though I did not do much physical work and ate regularly, I lost a substantial amount of body weight. It could be because I was eating mainly fresh and non-processed food. My spiritual life also grew. I used to have at least an hour of reflection every night on a rooftop overlooking the sea, and under a blanket of stars.

I returned to Vancouver in mid-April and spent most of my time cleaning up my parents’ old house. Looking at things that were stored away so many years ago, surely brought back a lot of memories. It was also a time to further reduce the bulk of my worldly possessions. My stuff now only occupied half a room. It was a very freeing experience, and I hope to eventually get down to no more than two suitcases and a few boxes. My intermediate goal is to be able to lock everything up in a locker next time I go away for my six-month expedition next fall.  

During the six months that I was living in Vancouver, I also went to see different medical specialists to follow up on some of my health issues. A plastic surgeon operated on the scar on the left side of my face at the end of August. The scar is now about half the pre-operation size and most of the tightness around the eye has disappeared. An ophthalmologist informed me that the cataract in my left eye could hold out for a few more years without surgery. An occupational therapist helped me with flexibility issues on my left knee. I could now kneel and squat with ease. My hypertension is perfectly under control and no medication is needed.

When people asked me what my occupation was these days, I would simply reply that I have retired from full-time work. This was a conscious decision of which I could now take ownership publicly. In many cultures, people derive their identity from the job that they do. Surely life is more than that. My philosophy is that work is something that you do to make ends meet. If you are one of the lucky people who happen to love their work, then you would never want to retire and work until you drop. I consider myself to be one of the lucky ones who can purse my passion for travelling until I drop after spending many years of working to make a living. 

My Central American journey so far has deepened my knowledge of the Meso-American civilization and culture. I met a lot more American and Canadian travellers here than anywhere else in the world. Most of these “snowbirds” have been visiting this region for many a winter and some are trying to carve out a little paradise of their own. As always, home is where your heart is. Moreover, it is hard to be oblivious to the warm climate and the friendly people, the abounding beauty and the much lower cost of living in Central America.

I am thankful for all the wonderful gifts that God has bestowed upon me this year.