It is a long flight from Manado to Los Angeles. For the first two days I had to overcome my jetleg, bouncing out of bed at five in the morning and with a feeling of “run over by truck” snuggling into bed with Q my partner who met up with me in California. He too was in desperate need for some relaxing days in the sun. Bronzed and happy he took off this morning on his way back into a hectic schedule of business life but with lingering thoughts and realistic hope of successful change in a near future; Maybe we both will finally find a nest together, not that this would prevent either of us from jetting around the world…

Although I’m missing the waterbuffalos crossing the river in the backyards of Indonesia…

I am on a mission to promote Minahasa Lagoon. It’s not a difficult task amongst my friends and anyone I show the beauty of this dive-destination, but try explaining to a travel agent that amongst the twenty of his “favorably selling objects” ours would be a “better” choice. I find it takes quick interpersonal adjustment and flexible adaptation to speak with tour operators and travel agents. Most are conveniently promoting places they either personally know, or have the most “gain” from and rarely are they interested to expand their general offer, especially when learning that we are quite isolated and the average diver is not the average destination vacationer chasing after exotic night life and pseudo safari adventures. Minahasa is foremost fascinating for the photography diver and kritter hunters finding a hairy frog-fish or a blue octopus (James Bond), the honey moon couple in search of an isolated black sand beach on the edge of civilization, a family going to South East Asia to experience different cultural existence or even the adventure tour traveler with a need for luxurious coziness when returning from a wild water rafting or active volcano climb. We are not competitive in terms of snorkeling the house reefs, PADI scuba center, five star hotel kitchen, spa, infinity pool and many of the “expected” amenities of today’s vacationer; what makes us a unique entity are the minutiae like our ceramic hut, run and build by locals, inviting you to experience in our backyard hands-on cultural life. Local folks are building the forno (kiln) in an ancient traditional way, a near forgotten tradition for Guests to try their artistic hands on a clay table. You form and burn a terracotta vase that we will mail back to you as an everlasting memory of your holiday experience in Indonesia. Details like these are well thought-out offers that set us above most destination resorts.

The days in Los Angeles are long! I re-visited with my Manager Jeffrey Dash and introduced him to Q. Gosh I hope they stay in contact and at least become friends. I am still flirting seriously with the idea of starting a Raphael Gamon TV show, something to do with cooking, traveling and eating healthy. Now, with the knowledge of Traditional Chinese Herbs - I know this would be a fascinating and capturing show. I am sending my tapes from the TV cooking shows in Asia back to Jeffrey and possibly start with outlining this project soon. His lovely wife would be a perfect partner; She is a smart and soulful beauty and together we laugh a lot. Whatever I do, I guess it ought to be with happy people! Hollywood and America, heck the whole world; Here I come! Any sponsors??