Let water flow from head to toe while my fingers caress my hair and my body in the shower ...what a bliss! Thought, imagination and nostalgic moments come to mind with free flow as free as the flowing water. So pleasant to see drops of water dripping everywhere...

This morning my mind was brought back to a decade ago in Salt Spring Island of British Columbia. I was there for commissioning a piece of device we designed together with a consultant, Phillip. Phillip own a small company for fabrication of specialize device. The idea mooted after unavailability off the shelf device to suit our application.

Salt Spring is a small beautiful island in between Vancouver and Victoria. Salt Spring, the largest of the Gulf Islands, described as home to indisputably eccentric, laid back, offbeat, and most importantly, friendly people. The island is well known throughout Canada as being an artist sanctuary. http://salt-spring-island.travel.bc.ca/. Goggled for latest info, I realized so much change on this used to be “undisturbed/virgin” island.

To get there, either by ferry from Vancouver/Victoria or by seaplane. Seaplane is the fastest means getting there. Yes, imagine Oldies Fantasy Island …the plane! ...the plane!..the plane! Together with my technician, we took the seaplane from Vancouver. Ahh…what an experience. My wild imagination was on the Fantasy Island Story during plane ride..Some collections of old photos in Salt Spring and Victoria.

We stayed in a small motel run by a local. He is a retired geologist. Upon retirement the owner managed a double storey motel as a business for living. A good retirement plan indeed!. The motel is fully equipped with kitchen facilities in each room. It is more like a studio apartment. At that time there was not much choice of places to eat out within the island. It is really a conservative place, slow development with a very small town just sufficient to provide the locals basic needs.

Several times Phillip brought us to his home to be with his family. A very lovely wife and 2 kids, a boy and a girl. These two kids must have grown up by now. Unfortunately I have lost touch with this family for many years. Several years ago I was told that this family had moved back to mainland, most likely Calgary.

It was interesting enough to know and to meet several retired professional from our industry residing in this beautiful and quiet island. They build their house facing a beautiful bay. So.. so.. serene. One of the retiree, very old and wonderful man and a neighbor to Phillip, brought us to his beautiful and huge home for dinner and also for a boat ride along the island. The unforgettable moment was when he offered me to maneuver his boat and he took my pictures. So nice of him. I have lost touch with him and his lovely wife. I don’t know if they are still alive.

Phillip brought us to a huge inorganic farm owned by professional farmer. That was the first time I was introduced to inorganic vegetables. Those days inorganic plant was not known to many people and hardly found in the supermarket. This riggered my interest to try hydrophonic gardening at home for several types of vegetables and also a planting my own vegetables within my wee compound. It was so enjoyable to see the plant growing! However the hydrophonic vege is a bit of tasteless..

I was brought back to Salt Spring Island again together with my two other colleague the following year. Another idea was mooted when Phillip and I had a coffee break during my first visit there. While sipping hot chocholate, we visualised and did some preliminary scatch. We brought the idea to reality.

Point to ponder is that the idea only comes when we are not forcing to think hard about it…but while doing something else..like showering, sipping hot chocholate…or even dreaming… or…. or….. or….(maybe more can be added here…)


Opppsss..I better get dress ...the towel is already dried by now....:-))


Sept 6, 2006