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GLOBETROTTING
FIFTEENTH
ISSUE - WINTER 2000 SPONSORED BY TYCO INTERNATIONAL, LTD. “THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE DEVOTION TO MOTION WORLD TOUR” DESTINATION
- AUSTRALIA
Welcome friends as we circle the globe in search of more effective ways to improve the quality of life. During our journey we will explore various forms of complementary medicines and share our findings with you. We will also address accessibility issues and investigate more convenient options to ease the never ending pressures of traveling. In each issue, Globetrotting will have a special section created for today’s youth with an emphasis on educating children and teens on the historical facts of each country. Finally, each issue will contain two trivia questions and some popular words and/or phrases from each country. For more updated news, diary entries, in-depth research results, and pictures from our journey, please visit our website, www.d2motion.com. We hope you will enjoy the path we have chosen!! TRIVIA
QUESTION #1 COMPLEMENTARY
MEDICINE Aborigines
believe illness and death are caused by sorcerers, spirits, or the
ancestral creative beings. If
a patient fails to respond to commonly known “bush” remedies, a
traditional doctor or healer is consulted.
It should be noted that “bush” remedies are plants and
minerals used to cure minor ailments or injuries such as aches and
pains, toothache, bites and stings, wounds, boils, constipation, and
diarrhea. The majority of
Aboriginal men and women have a knowledge, handed down to them through
the generations, of the plants and minerals that can be used
medicinally. Any other more serious illness or disease requires the
consultation of a traditional healer who is known to have great
spiritual powers. These
“powers” are either acquired through an apprenticeship or may have
been inherited. Psychic
abilities, clairvoyance powers, and other mystical gifts are utilized
frequently by these healers. This
allows the healer to diagnose the cause of illness, cure it, unveil the
future, and protect the patient against future sorcery.
Consulating with the family is also of utmost importance so that
a more conducive environment can be created to prevent disease and
maintain a healthy lifestyle. In regards to the treatment given to the patient by the
healer, a prescription of a ritual nature coupled with a massage may
evolve. Singing or chanting
and the removal of “foreign” objects from the patient’s body is
also a commonly used technique. This
is the removal of “evil” powers present in the patient’s body.
Bottom line, if you are interested in exploring aboriginal
medicine, you better be prepared to test your patience, travel long
distances, and if you are the patient, expect the unexpected!! During
our brief stay in Melbourne, we connected with Australia’s aroma
therapy guru, Karen Downes. Karen
has a magnetic personality with so many gifts to facilitate healing. She is currently working on many projects including the
launch of her new venture, In a Lifetime, which will integrate the
essentials oils utilized in aroma therapy into many other facets of
healing. Aroma therapy is much more than just lighting a scented
candle, putting oils in a bath, and getting a great massage with exotic
oils. Karen has taken her
message to many parts of the world and has opened up unlimited
opportunities for people through the magical, yet still mysterious sense
of smell. How many times
have you been somewhere where you have just encountered a scent and said
to yourself, “This smell reminds me of...” Countless times I would
bet. The scents and aromas
that we engage this sense have
profound impacts on our lives which in many cases are reminders of
pleasant or unpleasant experiences in our lives.
If you study aroma therapy and examine the properties of the
essentials oils, you can begin to identify those scents which affect
you, both positively and negatively, and begin to reinterpret them all
so that all of them can contribute to your emotional, spiritual, and
physical healing. To find
out more about Karen Downes and aroma therapy, please e-mail her at downes@netspace.net.au.
Did you know that your dreams represent aspects of your life and
contain vital messages from the past and for the future?
While in Sydney, we had the pleasure of spending time with our
dear friend, Leon Nacson. He
is Australia’s resident dream coach and has helped many people
transform their lives by simply helping them to interpret their dreams.
He suggests that one, “shows an interest in all of your dream
experiences, not just the occasional vivid dream.”
To that end, he strongly encourages people to utilize a dream
journal in which you can detail the ingredients of your dreams and begin
to notice patterns which are having an effect on your life.
Leon makes this process enjoyable by providing magical books
which allow you to interpret your dreams and also keep a diary of your
dreams that you can keep returning to help you recognize where you have
been, where you are now, and where you may be going in the future.
The D2M duo encourages you to make the investment in yourself by
purchasing Leon’s books entitled, “Dream Journal, “
“Interpreting Dreams A-Z,” “Dreamer’s Guide to the Galaxy,”
and “I Must Be Dreaming.” They
will certainly enhance your dream state and bring a whole new, fresh
perspective into your life. Leon
Nacson can be reached via e-mail at nacson@the
planet.com.au. Our final bit of research in the Land Down Unda is a bit extreme, would not be classified as an alternative or complementary form of medicine, yet has the potential to assist you in transforming your life and bring about healing on all levels, including the physical. Enter Kurek Ashley. He inspires, empowers, and motivates anyone with whom he comes into contact. This American born firecracker, now resides in Brisbane, Australia, and has dedicated his life to helping people maximize their potential and reach any goal that you believe was once unattainable, and maybe still do! He is a peak performance and success coach, keynote and seminar presenter, fitness and physiology consultant, world record “fire walker,” and author of “Nutritional Support.” Kurek has studied under some of the great ones and has taken this knowledge and combined it with his own amazing personal experiences and has created a platform that will soon be taking the world by storm. He has already touched thousands of lives already in America, Australia, and just recently Singapore. I have implemented many of Kurek’s practices into my daily routine and have seen immediate results in my overall focus and happiness. Pat has also benefitted from his work and shocked everyone, including herself, by putting her mind over matter and walking over a pathway of broken glass created by Kurek. Once you come into contact with this incredible source of strength on all levels, you will stop denying yourself of all that you deserve to have and begin to create your own magical world. To find out more about Kurek Ashley and his services, seminars, etc. please e-mail him at kurek@ozemail.com.au. It may be the best investment you have ever made in yourself!! We
extend our heartfelt gratitude to our Aussie mates, Kurek Ashley and
Leon Nacson, and our dear friend Karen Downes.
They are not like family to us, they are family!!
Our sincerest thanks also go out to our new friends in the
outback of Alice Springs who assisted us in our research. If you or anyone in your circle of friends are connected with any healer or complementary/alternative medical practitioner around the world who you would like us to research or visit, please E-mail us at: chesney12@comcast.net D2M
TRIVIA QUESTION #2 ACCESSIBILITY While
traveling throughout Australia, we have been flying with Ansett
Airlines. Ansett has an
excellent protocol for the disabled traveler, read on.
First of all, the entire flight staff and the ground crew are
knowledgeable of the proper protocol.
They even tag the wheelchair to be brought directly to the gate
upon arrival; usually we face reluctant personnel encouraging us to
claim the wheelchair from baggage.
Second, frequent flyers on Ansett have the option to fill out
information about the special needs they may have while flying, this
information is entered into Ansett’s main database, so that when the
person makes subsequent bookings on Ansett, all the said information
will automatically appear on the computer, eliminating any surprises.
We think the Ansett credit card for those with special needs is
an efficient idea. Third,
to fully prepare for the Paralympics, Ansett actually has recruited
disabled volunteers to occasionally spot check the entire flying
experience by posing as regular passengers on random flights.
The D2M team would like to commend Ansett for their pioneering
efforts. Ground
transportation to and from airports is similar to New Zealand, there are
shuttle services available for a minimal fee going to most hotels,
apartments and guest houses in the city.
The shuttles are the size of a regular van (not bus), so if you
are able to transfer into the front seat, then you’ll save yourself
some money, as taxi service can add up financially.
The only catch is that about 10-12 other travelers will be on the
shuttle with you, with all of their baggage also stored in the back, so
if you don’t mind getting a bit cozy with your fellow mates, you’ll
enjoy the ride. The
more we learned about this beautiful land, the more places there are to
visit. Yes, this means for
our wheelchair travelers too. You
see, Sydney offers an array of accommodations for the disabled traveler;
for example, while in Sydney we stayed at the Southern Cross Towers
Apartments. In addition to all of the services offered to a regular hotel
guest, this hotel also offers washing machines, free of charge.
After all this traveling, you’ll appreciate not having to lug
all your dirty clothes to a local Laundromat; trying to figure out how
in the world to work it properly (not that’s ever happened to us of
course). But seriously
folks, if you are thinking of coming to the Sydney, there are plenty of
curb cuts on the streets, walk signals with chirping bird sounds, to
help the blind and you cross the street, as well as accessible public
toilets scattered throughout the city. While the audible walk signal
indicator was designed for the visually impaired person, it benefits the
entire population, especially the tourists. So
far in our travels, our challenge has been to locate an accessible
toilet while in town, and this is the first time that we have not had to
look far. The city maps
provided by the hotel indicate accessible toilets and alternate ramp
entrances to local attractions. There
are friendly taxi drivers who actually drive accessible vans, commonly
called the “Maxi Taxi.”
The vans are used on an ongoing basis, meaning that it can fit up
to seven passengers (including one or two wheelchairs), so if you are
traveling with friends, they don’t have to take a different car.
The price is the same as a regular taxi, and the drivers won’t
even try to charge you extra for loading the wheelchair; as in many
other countries. While we are on the mass transportation topic, a local
resident of Australia traveling in a wheelchair is provided a card from
the government which, when presented to the taxi driver, entitles the
passenger to pay either half or no portion of the cab fare.
The ride is courtesy of the government, which compensates the
taxi drivers. I believe
this is a worthy service to the disabled, not because they are disabled,
but because for a disabled person to travel more than a few streets,
they are few alternative modes of transportation.
For example, there are a number of accessible busses in the town,
but as one local disabled man informed us, there is no guarantee that
another accessible bus will come to the same stop, meaning that the
person may have no choice other than to take a taxi back.
To be fair, it is worth noting that many tourists can take a
monorail train to and from tourist areas, but this service is not
beneficial to the local folk. While
in Sydney, we inspected the actual site for the Olympics, Home Bush Bay,
a short accessible ferry ride from the city. Unless you have the funds
to stay on the grounds, the majority of Olympic visitors will have to go
on this truly wheelchair accessible ferry ride. Once you disembark the
boat, there are brand new, accessible busses waiting to take you on a
tour of the entire facility, with stops located at key locations to
allow you to enjoy the many events.
When I say accessible, what I mean is that all the
busses are brand new, have automatic remote control ramps, the
height of the bus is even lowered when a wheelchair bound passenger is
entering or leaving. Depending on the size of the wheelchair, each bus can
accommodate two to four wheelchairs.
Even if you miss the bus or it’s full, another one will be
along within 15 minutes. Scott
and I had the opportunity to see the wheelchair tennis competition at
Home Bush Bay. For your
information, the official mascot of the Paralympics is Lizzy the Lizard.
Question: Do you know why people call it the Paralympics?
Answer: Because they
are held parallel to the Olympics. When
you visit Australia, you will have many options when considering in
which hotel to stay. We
have stayed in accessible apartments at The Southern Cross Towers in
Sydney and The Ibis in Melbourne, hotels
in The Rydges Plaza in Alice Springs, and The Sheraton in Brisbane. All of these hotels are accessible, but we recommend that you
speak with the actual hotel before booking to be sure that they
meet your specific criteria.
In fact there are specific websites and services catered to the
disabled traveler. Here’s
a list of the ones we contacted: NICAN, a computerized service where you
look at travel arrangements for yourself based on information updated by
various organizations and companies.
To obtain information in Melbourne, contact Ms. Vilma Saab: ILS@hotkey.net.au.
In Brisbane, there’s a Christian organization called CrossRoads
that encourages interaction between people with and without
disabilities. CrosssRoads
organizes camping trips, fishing trips as well as trips to New Zealand;
to contact CrossRoads, call the director Mr. Colin Ray in Brisbane at
61-7-3229-9011, for more information.
In addition, there are two books worth checking out:
“Wheelie’s Handbook to Australia” by Andy Heusing: neverland@home.com,
“Easy Access Australia” bruceeaa@vicnet.net.au. Below
is information provided to us by TraveLand, the official travel agency
for the 2000 Paralympic & Olympic Games.
Here’s what they have to say to our friends: Let
the Paralympic Games experience begin! Traveland is extremely proud to
be the Official Travel Agent of the Sydney 2000 Paralympic Games. The
Paralympic Games start 2 weeks after the Olympic Games and promises to
be a spectacular event. Most competition takes place at Sydney Olympic
Park with many exciting sports including athletics, swimming, wheelchair
basketball and rugby, tennis and many more.
Tickets are very affordable at only $25.00 per adult for reserved
seat finals, $15.00 per adult for an all-day pass and Opening Ceremony
tickets ranging from $60.00 to $170.00 per adult. A wide range of
affordable accommodation and transportation is also available. For
further information, a brochure or a quote, call Traveland on 1800 88 88
74 during normal business hours, fax us on (+61) 7 5574 1533 or e-mail
us on traveland@australianholidays.com.au.
Going to the Games but haven’t got tickets? As Official Travel Agent
of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, Traveland is pleased to be able to
offer a limited number of all-inclusive packages to the Olympic Games.
Packages include accommodation and transportation and your choice
of ticket package. Tickets available are to all Stadium events including
Opening and Closing Ceremonies, Athletics Track and Field and the
Men’s Football (soccer) Final. Accommodation ranges from backpacker
style right through to premium 5 star hotel.
Below is information about a brand new website created by our
friend Matt Laffen, who was born and raised in Australia, and himself
has been in a wheelchair for the majority of his life. GLOBAL ACCESS TRAVEL: www.globalaccess.com.auOur
aim is to establish the one-stop-on-line service for people with
disabilities seeking access to the goods and services particular to
their needs whilst living in or visiting Australia.
We provide easy to access information, which covers two areas of
need: Information as to those providers of goods and services exclusive
for the disability market and those providers of goods and services who
accommodate people with disabilities as well as everyone else:
Restaurants, Theaters, Cafes and Bars, Transport and Accommodation. Our
Discussion Billboard is open for you to tell us your traveling tales and
to explore issues that matter to you.
Visit us and tell us how we can better meet your needs! Global
Access Travel is about providing you with Global Access to Village
Values. We are about enhancing the positives and ensuring your journey
is as independent as possible so come and visit us today and then visit
Australia. Yours faithfully, Matt
Laffan Global Access Travel matt@globalaccess.com.au
Matt Laffan, Managing Director We would like to thank the friendly
employees at Ansett Airlines for making our flying worry free, or as
they say here “no worries mate.”
Ms. Gette Hansen from Traveland for answering all our questions
and providing us with information.
Matt Laffen for finding time to meet with us and we wish him best
of luck with the new website. EDUCATION
PROPER
NAME OF COUNTRY: Commonwealth of Australia Facts
Historic dates
ON
A LIGHTER NOTE YOUR
HELP IS NEEDED!! WHAT
DO YOU HAVE TO SAY?? NEXT
ISSUE!! D2M
TRIVIA ANSWERS Trivia Answer # 2 - Names of the three Olympic 2000 mascots are: Ollie, Syd & Millie Thank
you for listening and we’ll visit you again in two weeks! |
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