Who is Julie Salisbury? Why does one feel so alive in her presence? By Mara Moon I savored Julie's book reading, A Seven Year Journey Around The World: Discovering My Passion and Purpose, at the James Bay Coffee and Books last month, and a follow-up interview in her James Bay apartment. Vibrant and beautiful, with photographs of birds and cacti, a patio overlooking the ocean and beaming with flowers, bird feeders, and a steady stream of visiting birds, her living space connotes a harmonious union of grounded professional and intrepid female nomad. I was intrigued by her unusually compelling energy. I noted a fresh atmosphere of abundant adventures lived, (with many still in the works,) as her easy laughter, amazing insights, and contagious passion for life graced my day. You see, Julie Salisbury experienced an amazing epiphany in 1998, when she realized that something important was missing. Born and raised in Leicester, England, by age thirty-two, Julie and her first husband owned their half million dollar Victorian home overlooking a golf course. She enjoyed a high-powered job, complete with business class international travel. She could afford to drive a Mercedes, take exotic holidays, and buy whatever she fancied. Repeatedly, people told her how lucky she was. And yet, Julie was not happy. From five-star hotel windows on visits to less developed countries, she caught glimpses of an interconnectedness, and something deeply soulful in the faces and culture of materially poor people. She became increasingly aware of something she couldn't put her finger on. She "had it all," but was this all there was? She came to realize and regret that her life was all working or work-related. Then, suddenly and unexpectedly, Julie experienced a spark of passion. Her best friend had returned from two years of backpacking. Once stressed and guarded, he now emanated an unprecedented serenity. "What happened to you?!" she exclaimed in wonder. Following a sleepless night of tossing and turning, Julie boldly decided to trade in all she had, including her successful career and conventional marriage (home and all marital resources as well), in exchange for a backpack and a boat named "KHULULA" meaning 'to be set free' in Zulu. From the moment Julie embarked on doing exactly what she wanted to do, her life felt completely different. Amazed by how quickly she adapted to a nomadic lifestyle, she spent the next seven years living in South Africa, Madagascar, Tanzania, Kenya, an Indian Ocean desert island, Thailand, Malaysia, Mexico and Canada, and experiencing and learning from the world community. As she integrated survival skills and living without "stuff" (no running water, electricity, refrigerator, television, or trips to the grocery store), and as she found herself repeatedly embraced by fellow travelers and enjoying direct contact with unspoiled nature and the people of remote cultures, Julie learned what was missing from her preceding Western life: "community." A seamless mixture of journal entries, detailed letters, photographs, quotes, and retrospective storytelling, Julie' s recounting of her adventures and experiences is a fabulous tour guide for anyone curious about world travel and human life. Well-written, each page brims with adventure, from "white sand beaches and turquoise clear waters and stunning coral gardens," to all aspects of life at sea, weather considerations, giant tortoises, whales, dolphins, endless interactions with fascinating locals with unique festivals and customs, adventurous travelers, all modes of transportation, food and drink preservation, magnificent sunsets, sunrises, and even moonrises, flying fish, the hunting of coconut crabs and other survival skills, living on desert islands, remote fishing villages, jungles, rainforests, communal life with other "yachties," sea gypsies, and much, much more. Unexpectedly, the story takes a dramatic turn half way through the book when her travel partner announces that he is no longer in love with her and asks her to leave the boat. Backpacking on US $10 a day, Julie finds her way through loneliness and despair, not to mention sharks, leeches, crocodiles, jelly fish, and a debilitating injury. A profound paradigm shift unfolds as Julie grows to love herself, and realizes her true life' s purpose: to help spread the word and inspire others to live their passion and purpose! She demonstrates the law of attraction throughout the story, drawing people into her life that share her philosophy. Eventually Julie' s intuition guides her to British Columbia where she meets a deeply kindred soul, Greg Salisbury. Together they complete her circumnavigation of the world, eventually marrying and settling down in Victoria. Today, Julie is the Vice-President of the B.C. Chapter of the Circumnavigators Club, a club based in New York with a membership of over 1000 people who have circumnavigated the globe. Also, she offers winter retreats in San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico. Her philosophy is that, "What people need a lot of the time is to get away from their environment to be able to understand and give themselves the opportunity to open to their passion and purpose. As soon as you find your passion, the world is your oyster." Julie co-founded a non-profit organization that is focused on women' s and children' s human rights in Cambodia, www.licadho.org. Ten percent of her book sale profits go toward the continuing education of disadvantaged girls in Cambodia. To find out more about the "find your passion" retreats, please contact Julie at juliesalisbury@shaw.ca or 250-384-4220. Her book is available at Munro' s in the travel section and at the James Bay Coffee and Books. For more info on Julie' s company "Distinctive Event Management co.," and for more fascinating stories and photographs related to Julie's seven year odyssey, please visit: www.nomadaroundtheworld.com.