tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10409041322723317162024-02-06T22:02:49.181-08:00The answer my friend is blowing in the wind!Camillas Questhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11435141087693032169noreply@blogger.comBlogger74125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040904132272331716.post-91396318942130310512013-09-22T11:58:00.001-07:002013-09-22T11:58:00.368-07:00Seatricity.... This is why I haven't been blogging!<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="344" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/g37GmY27VCY" width="459"></iframe>Camillas Questhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11435141087693032169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040904132272331716.post-88418075150653879162012-07-22T09:18:00.005-07:002012-07-22T09:18:37.297-07:00New beginnings to last a lifetime....<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Cambria;">Finally almost a year after my last real entry I am sitting
down to restart my blog. It is an incredible thing how much one year can change
your entire life. There are several reasons I have not written, the primary
reason I believe is a prerequisite to my writing was predominantly a cigarette in
one hand and either a coffee or glass of wine or something stronger in the
other; And as I am now pregnant I have done little of both. I wander if
creativity goes hand in hand with addiction, as all the writers and creative’s
I know generally have a problem with one or both! So as I sit not quite chewing
nicotine gum and drinking iced tea I have forced myself to start again. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria;">So there’s one dramatic change which was not even conceived
of this time last year the impending arrival of now, 7 months old inside me -My
fiancée and I’s first child. Secondly I am sitting on a huge terrace in a
beautiful house in The Provence region of France overlooking an olive grove
with Cannes in the distance and if I can’t write and express myself here then I
can no longer have a romantic notion of being a writer. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3be7IUyknbNPwJMc3-EShpdeU1jDCpYuVV1PNocIRBBXQMqf6bWqf02QYaprjW4Y4NhRSjd5y0hSHZMaM7kXdcUkw2ucl0VF4VgD4wqhgQJU03gWKTsZWZaO8KPF2mvsY3jDp4qg6Ab0j/s1600/Tub.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3be7IUyknbNPwJMc3-EShpdeU1jDCpYuVV1PNocIRBBXQMqf6bWqf02QYaprjW4Y4NhRSjd5y0hSHZMaM7kXdcUkw2ucl0VF4VgD4wqhgQJU03gWKTsZWZaO8KPF2mvsY3jDp4qg6Ab0j/s320/Tub.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria;">So I will now write as I have 6 weeks mostly alone as Ryan
(fiancée) is working in Rio and I wish to take you again on a journey and
whoever reads this, even if it is just myself I feel putting my thoughts and
words out into the ether will once again encourage me to keep living my dreams
and writing my thoughts.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria;">For a while I was very consumed with how I was going to
carry on. Would I be a good mother? More importantly would I be a good wife? I
realise to be a good parent family values are core and I have never until this
point committed to someone and the sudden realisation I had to was daunting. Also
where would we live? While I enjoyed studying in Orkney it was not somewhere I
could see myself being long term and Ryan is Orcadian through and through and I
now had one inside me! By living on an island far away from everything, I
realised I miss people. And, actually a busy Camilla was a happy Camilla and a
small community could in no way ever be enough to quench my appetite for life
and love of diversity. While I respect other people know no different or seek
the solitude of island life personally I felt suffocated. So for various
reasons we moved to France temporarily until we worked out a plan of how we
would like to live but also where we be best for us together as parents to
be..........</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria;">Instead of “what to expect when expecting” I am going to
start writing “how to expect the unexpected!”</span></div>
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Camillas Questhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11435141087693032169noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040904132272331716.post-75623359456267195562012-01-19T12:41:00.000-08:002012-01-19T12:41:53.947-08:00Me and my boy<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha-P6REhWwjfgjzynHdr5GsJEn0N-gUHiHiWpAXH9ZBDdYeg-2sHeGukEa23J87SMTMQE7J2A1wpJ4TO83aqwHt1bIh13XUD2kXh3cJdUuAdGCQ3MG-isAurf8JeUfaxVlxshA1NPnioq7/s1600/P1050540.JPG"><img border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha-P6REhWwjfgjzynHdr5GsJEn0N-gUHiHiWpAXH9ZBDdYeg-2sHeGukEa23J87SMTMQE7J2A1wpJ4TO83aqwHt1bIh13XUD2kXh3cJdUuAdGCQ3MG-isAurf8JeUfaxVlxshA1NPnioq7/s320/P1050540.JPG" /></a> </div><div style='clear:both; text-align:CENTER'><a href='http://picasa.google.com/blogger/' target='ext'><img src='http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif' alt='Posted by Picasa' style='border: 0px none ; padding: 0px; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial;' align='middle' border='0' /></a></div>Camillas Questhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11435141087693032169noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040904132272331716.post-84793115103085539212012-01-13T08:13:00.000-08:002012-01-13T08:25:02.971-08:00Remembering John Eccles<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDVvKOKZf5HW_Z3pvnimAWn9btOq-Qwld8CeL18F86l-VHPZacPJXgb5u2vzC2DnUbQHIJ37_7JwSXywpCNxRoJvoe4YTA7ZNbrzhjIZpq_s6WZIrF-ZkA88GI2ViG6TGIFX9SAuioKgVF/s1600/IMG_2135.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDVvKOKZf5HW_Z3pvnimAWn9btOq-Qwld8CeL18F86l-VHPZacPJXgb5u2vzC2DnUbQHIJ37_7JwSXywpCNxRoJvoe4YTA7ZNbrzhjIZpq_s6WZIrF-ZkA88GI2ViG6TGIFX9SAuioKgVF/s320/IMG_2135.JPG" /></a> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria;">There is light to be found in the dark,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria;">And strength in being able to start,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria;">There are memories which will always stay,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria;">And heavens gates will open to you I pray.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria;">You will be missed every time I look to Hoy,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria;">And I will always smile with fond memories and joy,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria;">Your son will become a brother of mine,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria;">And I will take care of him and ensure he’s fine.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria;">I will miss you but you will stay in my heart</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria;">And live on and never depart</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria;">I will never forget the stories you told,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria;">And now in my memory you will never grown old.</span></div>
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</div>Camillas Questhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11435141087693032169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040904132272331716.post-24167455756353332512011-08-06T03:37:00.000-07:002011-08-06T03:37:30.814-07:00Summit 30th.... The goal is in sight!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Life such a funny and fragile thing, from the moment we are born our destiny is to die but what we do in between is the difference between living, and a life. <br />
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When you lose yourself, you forget who you are or where you came from with no true direction or knowledge of where north is. And then when you find your compass and maps you see a direction and for a long time is feels right. The green lights are flashing and being true to yourself in the dead of night you know you are on the right path.<br />
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<div closure_uid_a6db79="116">I have been blessed in having this contentment for the last year. To finding a small island which accepted me for who I was, but didn’t know or understand the depth; And I was happy for them to see that surface.</div><br />
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Things are changing now and different doors are opening. I know I was destined to do great things with my life and to live it. I am at another cross roads......... Perhaps climbing another mountain metaphorically and physically will answer these questions......... Kilimanjaro for my 30th birthday!<br />
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<div class="separator" closure_uid_a6db79="153" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhh482hsd5Sz9xXtiYhY4CkHYzA7Wlzw8AJXOOb_9ry2e6oN3PJw_wkWlFlUjqTi5VXrI_x_gvCxrGGazAeGgg8-eaFH4KM9IJDh9LS4zHwWMym_U5sroPm6P_AB85B_j3XtF6vSLvOqAP/s1600/kilimanjaro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhh482hsd5Sz9xXtiYhY4CkHYzA7Wlzw8AJXOOb_9ry2e6oN3PJw_wkWlFlUjqTi5VXrI_x_gvCxrGGazAeGgg8-eaFH4KM9IJDh9LS4zHwWMym_U5sroPm6P_AB85B_j3XtF6vSLvOqAP/s320/kilimanjaro.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></div></div>Camillas Questhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11435141087693032169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040904132272331716.post-4353103109932502542011-07-18T06:47:00.001-07:002011-07-18T06:47:59.069-07:00The Westray Story<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/FrvW8J7Kq8I?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><object width="320" height="266" class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://3.gvt0.com/vi/wnbxPmJ_IFs/0.jpg"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/wnbxPmJ_IFs&fs=1&source=uds" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/wnbxPmJ_IFs&fs=1&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object></div>Camillas Questhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11435141087693032169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040904132272331716.post-42031539674631033372011-06-27T14:20:00.001-07:002011-06-27T14:20:28.361-07:00The Question....<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/9v2VDltCmeE?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div></div>Camillas Questhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11435141087693032169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040904132272331716.post-68112835826511687812011-04-13T03:52:00.000-07:002011-04-13T03:52:23.626-07:00Cuba.........<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://blog.easybus.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Cuba.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="456" src="http://blog.easybus.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Cuba.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><br />
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</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">They say at the end of every rainbow there is a pot of gold. Well this week in cuba I found the rainbow and the gold!</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">In many respects, and while we were unable to fully paint the town as it was already painted we made our mark on Cuba. </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">My biggest worry for the holiday not being able to dance cuban style as my zumba classes in Orkney had not really got me into the full swing of things so to speak.......... This was ridiculous as we ended up in Club Marrocon on Saturday night in a dance off!!! As Russell and I stood looking over Havana the only english people who found a local club beside the lighthouse shining at Habanas shores we both had a good smile and knew that being there was good for our souls. </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I didn’t really understand the concept of capitalism nor to I feel I understand it now, however in even just a week I was introduced to the philosophy of it and starting thinking about different way to live ones life. While it was frustrating not being able to read the papers because they do not exist as there is no propaganda, or to read my emails as there is no internet, I actually did wandered how I would feel if that was me. </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Doctors and teachers make the same as each other in a capitalistic society and I suddenly wandered which I would prefer to be and if money was not an issue which I would enjoy. Rationally I would in our society have chosen medicine however if I look in my soul I would have loved to teach. </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Following 3 days in The National 5 star hotel we decided slumbing it was the way forward but had absolutely no idea where to look or where to go! While walking the streets of Habana full of colour and vibrance I stumbled across an incredible restaurant minutes before wandering where to go for lunch. The place was amazing authenticity at its best and while I was slightly bereft to understand that it was actually 3 months old the furniture and pictures were from the 30s and 50s and ozzed regal style. While commenting to the chief on the wonderful food we asked where was good to stay in Trinidad; Knowing this was not too close and not too far and that 3 days adventuring there would satisfy our appetite for travel and exploring! Immediately the matrade and owner where making phone calls to their friends. Within minutes the following 4 days adventure and residence in peoples homes was organised...... We laughed thinking imagine in London asking somewhere to stay in Brighton and the owner of the restaurant calling their friends and technically organising our holiday!</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">At 8 the following morning we traversed through the Carribean countryside to Sancti Spiritus to a beautiful house where we would spend the next 3 days exploring Trinidad.</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">We spent the first 12 hours with some locals we met on the beach peninsular de Ancon where they invited us to join them for dinner and to say we laughed is an understatement! To be honest as well actually drinking my body weight while increasing it with Rum....... To make matters worse to sober one up they drink sugar water which is just the cardinal sin of drinking it tops kabab any day! Back in the game though we made it home in our 1950s cadillac and I slept while the Doc partyed! </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The following day we decided to go into the mountains..... A 3km downward trek and we arrived at what they described in the guide as: “Drive to El Cubano natural park in sight of the Escambray chain of mounatins. Following what is known as “On the footprints of history” leading to the Javira waterfall surrounded by endemic flora and fauna take a swim in the mineral spring.” Well we scaled the mountains got to the bottom and skinny dipped in the waterfall once again I felt alive and content with the world and all its beauty! While swimming in the mountain cascade I wandered do I live in the present or in the future. A canadian I met said if you have one foot in the past and one in the future you are pissing on the present...... So I decided to get pissed on and swam under the waterfall into the middle with all my might and smiled and laughed out loud naked feeling amazing!</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">There are always many stories but blog writing, setting up a business and doing my finals are pulling me from writing them all down so to cut a very long, many ridiculous and happy stories later I arrived in London......</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I had the funniest moment when on the tube I lumbered my bag on the train at Victoria squeezed into the carriage wandering why the hell I hadn’t just stayed in Cuba, well actually just wishing I was there still..... I looked up and saw a young guy reading The Alchemist I couldn’t believe my eyes. We started to speak and ended up with 30 minutes before my final leg of the journey home and as irony cosmosis or chance would have it he is in the same field as me working in ports and harbours and looking to get more into the marine energy sector; So I smiled took his card and understood maybe just maybe he was and omen to continue to move forward in this direction.</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Home is where the heart is, and you can travel the world and immerse yourelves in many different cultures and places but to find you true North is very hard. </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I got home tonight my little brothers cooked amazing spaghetti bolognaise we drank some red wine sitting around the dinning room table listening to music and singing; I realised for the first time that this is where I belong and I can bring all the influences from my travels including some rum and music and stories but the place where I wanted to be at that very moment was home.</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">My other true north is my impending finals, and I cant say revision week has stated as I intend to go on drinking rum on white beeches in Trinidad so over and out until the 28th when finals will be over and......... Dissertation will begin...... perhaps with another little adventure in between.</span></div></div>Camillas Questhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11435141087693032169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040904132272331716.post-34543012405928163992011-03-28T13:16:00.001-07:002011-03-28T13:16:24.411-07:00Credo First Project<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/9KhqDT5vXb0?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br />
</div>Camillas Questhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11435141087693032169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040904132272331716.post-76426370578177996242011-03-25T04:41:00.000-07:002011-03-25T04:41:17.016-07:00Let us pray Father<iframe width="425" height="344" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/VP6svkt1jtA?fs=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>Camillas Questhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11435141087693032169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040904132272331716.post-20202912530837626962011-02-23T05:26:00.001-08:002011-02-23T05:27:18.876-08:00WWW.CREDOGREEN.COM<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/wlKfQyRXh8s?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br />
</div>Camillas Questhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11435141087693032169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040904132272331716.post-79792333575048265392011-01-26T04:04:00.000-08:002011-01-26T05:54:59.897-08:00Good Morning Mr President.....Thank you for The Sputnik moment and Oil funding reduction.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><object height="370" width="460"></P><p></P><p>
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</div>Camillas Questhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11435141087693032169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040904132272331716.post-77034826276270057912011-01-23T12:11:00.000-08:002011-01-23T13:11:14.688-08:00Energy for Energy<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">This afternoon I sat for a good couple of hours in The Stromness Cafe in the port watching fishing vessels coming in absorbed by The Sunday Times, which fortunately arrives after lunch so I allowed myself a long lie in. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">In the energy and environment section there are 2 fascinating stories. The first regarding the fuel quotas which will need to be enforced in the very foreseeable future and the second regarding a smart city!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Both have electric car use at the fore of their discussion. Most pressing is the cross party group of MPs who last week published a 60-page report calling for the introduction of personal energy quotas as the best way to “radically and rapidly restructure our society” to deal “with the reality of diminishing access to energy.” </div><div class="MsoNormal">The parliamentary groups’ central argument is simple: It believes the global oil production has already passed its peak.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"> An energy crisis is inevitable at some point in the future, and so we should get a system in place now so that; when it does hit, we are already well down the road of shifting away from fossil fuels towards low-carbon alternatives.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Why when there is already a cost efficient and effective alternative aren’t the MPs turning around and advocating electric cars? <span lang="EN-AU">Electric cars not only provide us with a cost effective solution to the majority of our transport needs but also have the potential to play a valuable part in our electricity infrastructure. Electric cars can crop peaks and fill troughs in renewable energy delivery by absorbing the oversupply on windy days for example and potentially act as storage contributing 10% of their capacity to the grid in peak demand scenarios. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU">Just as the world moved on from steam, we will move on from oil by necessity and design. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU">The second article was regarding a green pioneering project called “Living Planit” this is the love child of Microsoft’s Steve Lewis and Malcolm Hutchinson a 10 billion euro construction project for 225,00people. Ambitious I thought at first until I read that they have already secured funding from some major powerhouses including Matrix property fund management and companies like Siemens, Accenture and Cisco are partnering the project. <o:p></o:p></span><a href="http://living-planit.com/default.htm">http://living-planit.com/default.htm</a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU">They are to develop a “smart home city” which aims at cutting property developers costs and producing energy efficient buildings. Old hat you may think? They have gone one step further..... The city will be run by an urban operating system – A software platform (hence the Microsoft part) that will manage different services from energy use to security. Sensors will be mixed into concrete used in the buildings. They will send information to the central operating system about the amount of heat, water and oxygen being absorbed. Like smartphone (hence smart city) buildings will be installed with applications that residence can access through the network and use to control their overall carbon footprint. Through a subsidiary company, Planit Utilities, the city will treat its own water, manage its waste and process biomass to extract fuels such as butanol, which can be used as car fuel!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU">The reality is that while still in their infancy and trail stages huge advances are being made in cost effective alternatives to petrol, gasoline, diesel whatever fossil fuel your car uses hopefully by the time time catches up with us we will all be driving in a different direction so to speak.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU"><br />
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</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU">Following my espressos and shared cherry cake with Kevin I cycled home and prepared for my run. I am starting to track my runs there is a great app called mapmyrun.com which tracks your run and even has a platform to meet other runners. Sadly there is only one other running in the surrounding 20 miles and I have a sneaky feeling it is my lecturer Sandy Kerr!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU">I have started running to Billia Croo which is in Outerwaith and the round trip along the coast from my house is 10.5km. This is EMEC (European Marine Energy Centres) test site for marine devices. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU">When Paulo and I were in Geneva every time we walked past a bookstore he would stop say a short prayer and give “good vibrations” to the book store.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU"> I feel that by running to the wave test site that I can give my own energy to the energy so to speak and enjoy seeing the development change. As I was running down the track to the coast almost at the substation a huge 4x4 (ironically!)came towards me. The chap explained that it was a dead end..... Dead end I said this is the new world!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU"> I explained to him that I was studying Renewable Energy and I enjoyed watching the developments down there. He then explained to me he was the site manager and started telling me about the new substation and different pipes and grid structures which are coming in. We have agreed to have dinner later in the week........... So not only am I getting fit I am getting inside information aswell!<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span lang="EN-AU"><a class="BLOGGER-object-element tr_noresize tr_placeholder" data-original-id="BLOGGER_object_2" href="http://www.blogger.com/%3Cimg%20src=" http:="" id="BLOGGER_object_2" img2.blogblog.com="" img="" style="background-color: #b2b2b2; height: "326"px; width: "446"px;" video_object.png"="">"><object height="326" width="446"><param name="movie" value="http://video.ted.com/assets/player/swf/EmbedPlayer.swf"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"/><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><param name="bgColor" value="#ffffff"></param><param name="flashvars" value="vu=http://video.ted.com/talks/dynamic/ShaiAgassi_2009-medium.flv&su=http://images.ted.com/images/ted/tedindex/embed-posters/ShaiAgassi-2009.embed_thumbnail.jpg&vw=432&vh=240&ap=0&ti=512&introDuration=15330&adDuration=4000&postAdDuration=830&adKeys=talk=shai_agassi_on_electric_cars;year=2009;theme=speaking_at_ted2009;theme=a_greener_future;theme=tales_of_invention;theme=bold_predictions_stern_warnings;theme=what_s_next_in_tech;event=TED2009;&preAdTag=tconf.ted/embed;tile=1;sz=512x288;" /><embed src="http://video.ted.com/assets/player/swf/EmbedPlayer.swf" pluginspace="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" bgColor="#ffffff" width="446" height="326" allowFullScreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" flashvars="vu=http://video.ted.com/talks/dynamic/ShaiAgassi_2009-medium.flv&su=http://images.ted.com/images/ted/tedindex/embed-posters/ShaiAgassi-2009.embed_thumbnail.jpg&vw=432&vh=240&ap=0&ti=512&introDuration=15330&adDuration=4000&postAdDuration=830&adKeys=talk=shai_agassi_on_electric_cars;year=2009;theme=speaking_at_ted2009;theme=a_greener_future;theme=tales_of_invention;theme=bold_predictions_stern_warnings;theme=what_s_next_in_tech;event=TED2009;"></embed></object></a></span></div></div>Camillas Questhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11435141087693032169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040904132272331716.post-26588798196118974402011-01-19T17:36:00.000-08:002011-01-19T17:36:26.771-08:00Tesla to Edinburgh in 1 day<iframe width="480" height="295" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/n6laP1oYmc0?fs=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>Camillas Questhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11435141087693032169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040904132272331716.post-61832579299312036012011-01-15T08:18:00.000-08:002011-01-15T08:18:09.368-08:00The Great Wall of China 21st May 2011<div class="MsoNormal">So here I am back in my freezing but beautiful house with my 1 pound electricity meter and my view over the sea, the golf club to my left and yacht club to my right. And the only responsibility I have in the world which is to finish this degree. That said, I have set myself another challenge which after deliberating for the last 6km run I have endured in the rain I will share with you. Perhaps because I feel if I write it down it may actually happen and, to be honest I am ruled by external motivation and constantly seek approval from others therefore by blogging my madness I will perhaps I would like to say achieve a dream..... It is more of a nightmare...... But I have enrolled myself to run The Great Wall of China Marathon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All 5162 steps..... I have roughly 100 days to train and therefore bought myself a very exciting new toy which tracks just about everything..... However today much to my disappointment while I ran 6km is a blizzard along to my horror I burnt 241 calories which doesn’t cover one of the double jack and cokes I consumed yesterday....... Fortunately I cannot remember how many I had!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div>Camillas Questhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11435141087693032169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040904132272331716.post-8979642586714579072011-01-13T16:30:00.000-08:002011-01-13T16:30:51.755-08:00Now that's what I'm talking about!<iframe width="480" height="295" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/eLs73KJI36w?fs=1" frameborder="0"></iframe>Camillas Questhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11435141087693032169noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040904132272331716.post-59820115921755725002011-01-10T06:13:00.000-08:002011-01-10T06:13:06.577-08:00Dubstep Snowman<iframe width="480" height="295" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/TkZ47BhpH_U?fs=1" frameborder="0"></iframe>Camillas Questhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11435141087693032169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040904132272331716.post-37420559242398498802011-01-06T01:29:00.000-08:002011-01-06T01:34:06.698-08:00Green LightsOn reflection of the past year and the direction of the next, I posed myself the a question .....Am I really happy? The answer is I have absolutely no idea. But the not knowing of knowing is good enough.<br />
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This year I have certainly changed. Bridget Jones is no longer my idol and in a few months time I will have letters behind my name. I have traveled 37 countries and turned my life not just in a completely different direction I have also completely changed ship, its crew, the weather and the horizon!<br />
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This last 3 weeks I have either been drunk or driving but never the combination. I therefore designated myself the family driver, in a vacant attempt to stay sober this actually meant magnificent unexpected evenings waking up in strange beds most interestingly a bunk bed! As I inevitably got into the festive spirit so to speak.<br />
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My father gave me a book for Christmas "Speeches that changed the world" this includes Elizabeth I, Winston Churchill (of course) Nelson Mandela the list goes on.<br />
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Always more interesting to me is not the book but whatever my father has inscribed on the second page. This year was written<i> Dearest Mill, Thoughts, Words, Actions! </i>This immediately resonated with me.<br />
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In other words don't just talk about it, do it. Every knows if they truly focus on something they can achieve the impossible. Ordinary people doing extra-ordinary things.<br />
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So if I am to make a resolution it is to be part of a revolution to understand and deliver the matrix of wave energy, using my own energy to drive for change. Understanding the endless possibilities of renewable energy and to deliver the potential.<br />
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You can do anything you want in life, but you can't do everything.<br />
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Therefore for this year I will continue to put on hold growing up and the never ending questions which challenge me and focus on "actioning" the dream to harness not just the ship I am sailing, or the horizon in the distance but the waves I am traveling on.Camillas Questhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11435141087693032169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040904132272331716.post-82741584829581558982010-12-19T08:23:00.000-08:002010-12-19T08:23:10.706-08:00Christmas in Orkney<iframe width="480" height="295" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/6LDp1Z01lkA?fs=1" frameborder="0"></iframe>Camillas Questhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11435141087693032169noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040904132272331716.post-56550308625574204492010-12-18T11:22:00.000-08:002010-12-18T11:22:35.432-08:00Wave Energy Video<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><object width="320" height="266" class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://0.gvt0.com/vi/Moa4p_Jiv-w/0.jpg"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Moa4p_Jiv-w&fs=1&source=uds" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Moa4p_Jiv-w&fs=1&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><object width="320" height="266" class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://3.gvt0.com/vi/WSd_HsGfDP8/0.jpg"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/WSd_HsGfDP8&fs=1&source=uds" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/WSd_HsGfDP8&fs=1&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object></div>Camillas Questhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11435141087693032169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040904132272331716.post-37801111040356482832010-12-18T11:19:00.001-08:002010-12-18T11:19:41.979-08:00Orkney LoveThe world around me continues to spin and I am learning to stand still. <br />
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The course is so fascinating and I am not just learning about the universe but I am loving appreciating the universe. The island has become my world and as the newspapers don’t arrive until 2pm it’s like reading yesterdays news so I have stopped completely. And I have become unaffected by anything else just me my 12 classmates, 3 lecturers, Eileen who I now call mum and a few locals who I wave to while cycling along the sea front on the way to uni. This cycle was enjoyable until I crashed outside the bakery and now I occasionally cycle with the fear of falling it isn’t as fun! Perish the thought I would wear a helmet. On reflection I would need knee pads, teeth guards and a back brace to cushion me in future. Which to be honest is not a way to make more friends so I walk. <br />
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The people who I have met have such different perspectives to life and really do have a passion for life but total different values. They are humble and happy and I would dare to say content.<br />
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I have just finished the first semester exams which I have to say I enjoyed being a geek and working 10 hours a day. Kevin flat mate and I are like chalk and cheese but I have to say in him I have found a best friend, confidant and a lot of laughter. We put together a documentary on wave energy which meant that we had direct contact with all the developers here and our findings really encouraged me to think about the future potential of wave energy. Subsequently I have decided to do my dissertation on desalination through wave energy and over Christmas will gear up on how to make this possible. There is an ethical and financial benefit to this course which if tentative findings prove possible could mean fresh economically viable water for the world! Soooo I have as ever been pushing boundaries and embracing possibilities with excitement.Camillas Questhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11435141087693032169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040904132272331716.post-79678348106691525062010-12-06T04:09:00.000-08:002010-12-06T04:09:12.231-08:00A New Wave in Energy<a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/RedOrkney">http://www.youtube.com/user/RedOrkney</a>Camillas Questhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11435141087693032169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040904132272331716.post-25792792674527067762010-10-01T01:48:00.000-07:002010-10-01T01:48:49.914-07:00Sunset Bike ride Orkney<object width="480" height="295"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/9-rc7Tw1aqU?fs=1&hl=en_GB"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/9-rc7Tw1aqU?fs=1&hl=en_GB" width="480" height="295" allowscriptaccess="never" allowfullscreen="true" wmode="transparent" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object>Camillas Questhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11435141087693032169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040904132272331716.post-41671882270433348372010-08-21T07:05:00.000-07:002010-08-21T14:28:32.212-07:00Past Present and Future<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF6BJ7AQ5-xNd0T5t8fcVa1SQj5i7vkhknCVIafK1znYOrYBTKo307I_dkWIN2oIqkx9FfqE68oxM7r1IjW-vNspdJs3pJL2Zft9aLftW0Zq8wD_uZmPX3Bv26C7MPAMXHYcTiWYnevnkw/s1600/DADDY+AND+PAULO.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="332" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF6BJ7AQ5-xNd0T5t8fcVa1SQj5i7vkhknCVIafK1znYOrYBTKo307I_dkWIN2oIqkx9FfqE68oxM7r1IjW-vNspdJs3pJL2Zft9aLftW0Zq8wD_uZmPX3Bv26C7MPAMXHYcTiWYnevnkw/s640/DADDY+AND+PAULO.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift that is why it is called THE PRESENT<br />
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I am fortunate enough to be sitting on a Friday afternoon in the South of France having a glass of wine relaxing with the sun spraying light through magnificent glass windows feeling yet again blessed. <br />
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No my life is not a holiday, but the holiday or rather quarter life crisis I have been living you will be glad to know is coming to an end. <br />
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I am moving to another world which will be quite different to the one I have been living for the last year. One of military confinement in a small Island at the top of Scotland only reachable by helicopter, ferry or small flight planes flying from Scotland only! And as a friend said on viewing the website “so you are moving to Alcatraz?”<br />
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As I read through my unconditional for a Msc in Renewable Energy I smiled until the final line “Orkney campus” and re-read and googled.......... Upon reflection and various conversations, meeting and introspections I realise it is completely perfect but my initial reaction was fundamentally different. <br />
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So as I sit here enjoying the last of the summer wine.........This is not because the bottle is empty........... Nor because the glass has over flowed as I filled it to the brim............ But because I accepted my challenge and know that in order to achieve my objective absolute determination, faith and solitude is the only way of success for the coming year.<br />
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And as my sister said on the phone when I explained my offer “so Milly where are you going on holiday until you start” My answer........ “Edinburgh, South of France and Turkey to sail around the Greek Islands..............”<br />
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Edinburgh. Or as I call it Toy Town which is slightly un PC, but, that is after all the problem with the UK and upon reflection in France at least they say it how it is! <br />
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My grandfather once said to me “if you die with a hand full of friends you are blessed” I am lucky I have 6 siblings so I will always be blessed; But as your friends are your chosen family I do have some great friends who all belong to Scotland, even though they live in other places. Home is where the heart is, and all of our hearts beated at the same time in the same place after a long time away and a long time to come again over the weekend. <br />
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It’s funny I finished a lunch meeting, got into my car sat in a beautiful square in the new town and got out of it re-filled the meter and just walked for 2 hours. No phone no ipod no answers just like on Everest I just walked and felt free. Until I returned to the car looked through my missed call, listened to my messages and accepted my offer to university in that moment my world changed. <br />
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The cross roads had been crossed, and the door I had left open shut behind me as I ran through it..................... Knowing this was exactly what I wanted to be doing. Remembering all the moments walking down Everest with anxiety envisaging an office, a computer and a clock ticking making someone else money while they counted the time I worked. <br />
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Realising during my walk this meant in my mischievous mind I now had a month off and reason to celebrate or rather get so sick of psychologically cant or physically couldn’t in Orkney partying that I would have to calm down and become the now “mature student” that I am! The weekened went far too quickly and suddenly I found myself at 110mph down the M6 reflecting. <br />
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Why? Of course drank too much at Beckys engagement and if I hadn’t already taken enough attention bouncing on the childrens trampoline certainly ensured I was not missed! <br />
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The Edinburgh festival was in full swing and being a product of ones environment as was I!!!<br />
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Until that is my fall from grace into disgrace..............<br />
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But it was wonderful to be back in the city which is alive for 24hours a day during festival attracting all sorts of artist, thespians, journalists, foodies street acts, magicians and the locals while many supporting a t-shirt saying “fuck off I am a local” certainly seemed to be enjoying their home town.<br />
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Edinburgh is most defiantly the most beautiful city in the world. The architecture screams opulence and even though the country has a tough 5 years ahead it will always retain it’s charm and distinction. <br />
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Beckys engagement made me realise how old we are all getting and even worse re-counting stories from 15 years before was quite frightening. The great thing about belonging somewhere and having roots is knowing without a doubt that in 15 years time we will be laughing over the same jokes in similar houses to our parents saying do you remember 30 years ago!<br />
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Enough said onto The South of France! My father is as frustrated as I am about the UK the politics, the tax, the rules, the people, the culture; Or rather lack of it and the costs. Therefore we have been looking at relocated “Le Chateaux de ma famille” to France. A dear friend mine offer us their house in St Martin which some of you may remember as The Twelfth Quest “blog” So as in order as Sanitiago realised to realise what you have in your life you need to do a 360 degree turn on it. But also to appreciate something, somewhere or someone we need to want to be there. Like love can not truly love another until you love yourself. Now I know where I am going, and what I am doing, I feel I can appreciate life and chance a lot more than when I was an iceberg not knowing where I was going.<br />
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Dad and I have had a hilarious time infact mostly I just laugh at him. Yesterday we had a roadtrip and I have to say I don’t know if I get in more trouble driving or navigating....... We have a sat nav and 3 maps and still I get it wrong! Then when I manage to prize the steering wheel from Dad driving at speed down the motorway while he navigates......... I am still either driving in the wrong direction, to quickly or dangerously......... I have made the assumption that the only way for us to get along in a car is when I am the designated driver and he is drunk and we are going home...... <br />
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We went to Lourdes which I have to say was also different this time. I reflected on my precious views of “holy blackpool” and thought actually how brilliant that people are given hope and strength through religion. And, thank God 6 million people each year from all different races, classes and nationalities can come here in peace and pray together and make homage. That is a miracle in itself.<br />
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Following this we drove to Biarritz and Biarritz it iz amazing! It is like 1920s sheik with 21st century class the sun, the sea, the beach, the people actually everything about the place oozed sophistication, style and intelligence. Even fat people (I like fat and happy) looked in their element. Needless to say we realised this is where The Staunton Family future home would be and headed back to St Martin for food, wine, and Elton John.Camillas Questhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11435141087693032169noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1040904132272331716.post-42875629502441569612010-07-30T12:35:00.001-07:002010-08-01T04:09:32.341-07:00Middle East to Middle England</meta><meta content="Word.Document" name="ProgId"></meta><meta content="Microsoft Word 12" name="Generator"></meta><meta content="Microsoft Word 12" name="Originator"></meta><link href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CUser%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml" rel="File-List"></link><link href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CUser%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_themedata.thmx" rel="themeData"></link><link href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CUser%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_colorschememapping.xml" rel="colorSchemeMapping"></link><style>
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<div class="MsoNormal">Middle-Eastern tour. Gave me a chance to reflect further into the future throwing evermore questions in the air about where I want to be, and what I want to be doing with the next chapter of my life. And, I guess having got this far wandering why I should stop dreaming and start conforming. I met a delightful Frenchman in the airport in Dubai who said to me “many people could be good in business if you choose to go into renewable energy but few people could tell the stories you can.” And it made me think am I crazy to want to go back to society instead of continuing to travel the world and challenging my existence? </div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgseXYx0TBwotHBh6HYVW2664f8UFpA7YHUSG1tE0a58k8VSvqVXTBYMfe8K0a8X5MXZ68c5p3Z4yvWW3tFScIhHxERXXH_NT6GCLXeMZ5lZsprCa1MTtIvnZESfOMc3CqLl1skdRb8bG3k/s1600/DSC02027.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" bx="true" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgseXYx0TBwotHBh6HYVW2664f8UFpA7YHUSG1tE0a58k8VSvqVXTBYMfe8K0a8X5MXZ68c5p3Z4yvWW3tFScIhHxERXXH_NT6GCLXeMZ5lZsprCa1MTtIvnZESfOMc3CqLl1skdRb8bG3k/s640/DSC02027.jpg" width="640" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivmolyRkiIv0yEFbDuaNl_NInnMkUWf0vIwegddXKWLUSd9HvfYgbtrLdSUKUAXkT-Y4vTlE-9W_fbKN9GIhuBF0Fi53MLv76evn04v2yTY0QhpmV_MlZESij7tPmkJmeIrb6WOtdCax5_/s1600/DSC02011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" bx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivmolyRkiIv0yEFbDuaNl_NInnMkUWf0vIwegddXKWLUSd9HvfYgbtrLdSUKUAXkT-Y4vTlE-9W_fbKN9GIhuBF0Fi53MLv76evn04v2yTY0QhpmV_MlZESij7tPmkJmeIrb6WOtdCax5_/s320/DSC02011.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIxmC4f4hym8MFP43ekvP7o24VfW681rhSTe9VkklUerD06HvJjZmBILsMSZfeZu1FYSro4Y562GDtRMMPVVUvqjvEL5wX9yIMYUvGVWmKXvIigJEF-J721DqKmfQ7eJ2mXMnnsGsQEdcw/s1600/oman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" bx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIxmC4f4hym8MFP43ekvP7o24VfW681rhSTe9VkklUerD06HvJjZmBILsMSZfeZu1FYSro4Y562GDtRMMPVVUvqjvEL5wX9yIMYUvGVWmKXvIigJEF-J721DqKmfQ7eJ2mXMnnsGsQEdcw/s320/oman.jpg" /></a></div>They say: Don’t make dreams your masters, master your dreams. </div><div class="MsoNormal">But when you start mastering so many dreams, that you forget to dream or wander how you could even imagine topping the experiences you have had, until you find yourself 2 days ago in a speed boat crossing the border to Iran. Seeing dolphins and swimming in now shark infested waters! </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">You wander how life actually became a dream. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Until you wake up in Heathrow on Qatar airways in first class as a self confessed VIPSY and it hits you like a nightmare. </div>The dreams if you stay asleep too long become nightmares. Like gravity what goes up must come down and as you touch down numb silence and I watch through the window and I feel nothing! A holographic transparent empty nothing. Every other flight for the last 8 months has been excitement and anticipation. Flying into Geneva or Vienna or Linz from sleezyjet to private jets from cattle class to first class, Doha or Dubai or driving across the border into Oman a roar dessert of unexplainable depth to here LONDON.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"> I almost feel afraid. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">And then frustration somehow between touch down and now a mere 6 hours later, still trying to make my way home I have spent 100 pounds. I am still not home having taken 2 buses missed one and the only thing that stops me from racing back to Heathrow is my little brother Maya and Father who I know I will laugh the evening away with. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">An extract which I wrote in my diary regarding Oman says:<br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal">Where the sands mountains have no shadows, and the sea does not meet the sky, they intertwine as one horizon as the waters edge meets the dusty worlds mirror that forms the seas awesome reflection.</div><div class="MsoNormal">If the world you see is the mirror image of your mind, then the reflection I see before me as I look into my soul is one of enchanted excitement and awesome wander a baron emptiness of peaceful barbaric beauty and never-ending questions without answers.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"> An image which if viewed for too long would change as the sun would set and show the horizon and prepare to wake up the land that I belong to, and will return to finding it hard to explain such awesome sites.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">In contrast:<br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal">The view can see out of the window at my half way house in Bristol as I journey home. Is one of polar opposites not even challenged by the opposite of Everest to Oman. </div><div class="MsoNormal">London to Bristol:<br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal">The concrete jungle where city dwellers roam. The locals become refugees as they marvel how the city has grown. A city of culture it says on the wall, next to the for sale and to let signs desperate to take this white elephant from one hand to another. Buses trafficking innocent bystanders who have no arena and therefore become the audience in the by stands of a small game in a small life where they do not dare to dream of any other existence than what they have been shown on their television soap operas and their Hollywood sub-standard values.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Coming from the middle east where I found it almost amusing to watch women in their burkhas shopping in Carrefour until I realised how amusing they must find our outfits. I have to say the view I see now makes me sad. Dyed hair, obese bodies, mixed races, yes greenery but cultivated and planned by well paid architect and council bodies. Earrings and tattoos, unattractive flesh shown bodies, disability and our own cast system not dissimilar to that of Hindu religion but one cast and class. A lower class.</div><div class="MsoNormal">Difference becoming their only similarity! and yet all being the same. A culture so confused where it came from with mixed generations and cultures all amounting as one disgraceful mess. I have to say I wander what I have come “home” to?<br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">There is an Alice through the looking glass moment when you have to think............ There is better world spending the same money, living in the same timeframes, having the same relationships, surrounded by the some comforts, BUT living a better life. So as I put I put on my ipod to muffle the sound with the rest of the refugees, living in their own country, but becoming a minority. I question why I would want to be here, not just why I should conform.<br />
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</div><div><b>Go Beyond</b></div><div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet, "Trebuchet MS", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">There is a place … called <span style="font-style: italic;">Beyond</span><br />
Where "but what if?" and "is that wise?" are never heard.<br />
Where the ordinary, becomes extra-ordinary,<br />
And today is never a repeat of yesterday,<br />
Where people wake up to a cloudy sky,<br />
And say, you know what, I don’t think I’ll take my umbrella.<br />
Where caution is thrown to the wind,<br />
And people dance like no one's watching.<br />
In <span style="font-style: italic;">Beyond</span>, the rule book has never been written,<br />
Wealth is measured in time, not money,<br />
Dirty is better than clean,<br />
Now is better than never,<br />
And dare is better than don’t,<br />
And, well … you get the drift.<br />
We can all get to this place,<br />
Just pack some courage,<br />
Some spirit, and some nerve,<br />
Then go,<br />
Go AWOL,<br />
Go amiss,<br />
Go off the page,<br />
Go <span style="font-style: italic;">Beyond</span>.</span></div></div><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbnpooumqzZ_kRSgDGZSwjyo1srYtgWmhY8LY5EfJ-SJ_2EwxDSN_pyR-m1Il88RysTJEF6R9J0M1AgILjG-ndGgK2GzpG42t0uSHzKWSegdDUPdDl0WARnF61lpKJZDFDvX3JY-8Kcx6B/s1600/DSC02008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" bx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbnpooumqzZ_kRSgDGZSwjyo1srYtgWmhY8LY5EfJ-SJ_2EwxDSN_pyR-m1Il88RysTJEF6R9J0M1AgILjG-ndGgK2GzpG42t0uSHzKWSegdDUPdDl0WARnF61lpKJZDFDvX3JY-8Kcx6B/s320/DSC02008.jpg" /></a></div>Camillas Questhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11435141087693032169noreply@blogger.com0