a world away...

one of my best friends from high school has been travelling since september 2008, mostly in india and throughout parts of asia. marc is a very talented chef who decided that he needed to see the 'real' world before he could settle down; how people cook in their own homes, how people live off the land, how people survive in their communities, how they interact with one another.

marc's photos can be seen on his picasa site

and although i miss him terribly and wish he would return to the states, i am incredibly proud of him and even a bit envious. he is a vagabond in the truest sense of the word. he wrote this to many of us who have been following his travels over the last year. he's spent the last 3 months working in a new restaurant in sydney, rockpool bar & grill (pictures of the restaurant below), and is now ready to move in to his next big adventure. the best part of this whole thing (as his friend speaking) is not the food he's learned to cook or the incredible photos he's taken, but the profound sense of what life is really about. good luck buddy, come home safe and sound, but only when you are ready...

Good-bye Australia...

Three more months have drifted by here in Sydney Australia while I sweat it out working at one of the newest and certainly more “flash” restaurants in Sydney. Niel Perry’s Rockpool Bar and Grill was a great place to come and learn. Certainly in this world, it is who you know and not always what you know, having a well-respected contact in the international food scene is never a bad thing, also, as imagined it was a fantastic experience.

Opportunities in life present them selves every day, I think something as simple as an idea or as imaginative as a dream can be considered an opportunity if you just act on it. Letting the days pass you by with out really “living” is a crime, I have done it in the past and I know it will be present in my future, but while given the opportunity, I refuse to live a menial life at the present. Being overly appreciative to Chef Perry and Chef Danis for letting me into their kitchen, I’ll be taking some of their clout with me and will be leaving Sydney in less than a month.

The opportunity in Sydney to grow as a chef are great, the excitement of being surrounded by talented chefs and new cuisine is awesome, the learning opportunities are endless, but opportunity is not always in the form of work. The pleasure of life which is something I have denied my self of in the past (as we all have) has taken center stage, and as Sydney has become redundant; not so much in the scene of work, but in terms of living and enjoying life, I’m now feeling the urge to move on. I can’t thank the people enough who have taken me in and helped me make this leg of my journey so worthwhile. It is very seldom in any profession that you would be welcomed in with open arms for a pre-disclosed period of time, especially one as short as 3 months.

With new dreams and ideas becoming potential opportunities, I am happily focused on the months to come. I’m dreaming big, places I would like to go are endless, but as always your resources can be limiting, so where to next. Ironically it is looking like I will be returning to India roughly a-year-to-date, from my arrival in Mumbai, September 4, 2008. I can still remember the crowded streets, the loud noises, the poverty, and the astounding amounts of people, I’m not returning for the chaos of India, but better yet for a great experience cooking with some locals in the city of Chennai. I also return with a better knowledge of the culture and people and I’m more equipped to tackle travel with in the country, with so much to see, do, and eat there, it was only a matter of time until I returned.

Will I make it back to India? Who knows, but that is the plan for now.

Wishing those back home a warm relaxing summer, and those down in the southern hemisphere with me, a hopeful mild winter filled with skiing and boarding.

Peace and Happiness, Marc