Now it’s Saturday, July 27th, and I get word that Edmonton and Calgary will host me, so I start driving in that direction. It stopped raining, but it is cloudy. A few white-tailed deer crossed my path. There is a roadblock at Hwy. 40 and Hwy. 16; there are some RCMP checking westbound traffic before …
It’s now July 9th, 2024, and I find myself at the North Pole, near Fairbanks, Alaska. It really does exist! The Clausy street names and candy cane light poles were corny (even the McDonald’s sign pole bore the kitschy red and white stripes). Imagine going a call to St. Nicholas Dr. and Santa Claus Lane …
So, after my exhausting flight back to Vancouver on May 21, 2024, I realized I had travelled 35,500 km (mostly by air – 23,100 km – in 34 hours of flying time). I drove 7,700 km in Australia (1,900 km of which was in a motorhome with my gal Laurence HOFFMANN) and 4,800 km traversing …
A blur of towns, crossroads, and touristy sites, many with long unpronounceable Maoritized names, are passed as I make my way up the picturesque east coast of the North Island. There are massive rolling hills populated, even on the steep bits, by daring sheep, cows, and even domesticated deer! Twisted gnarly trees look like Mother …
On May 9, I arrive at the RNZPC bright and early to be greeted by Insp. Derek SARNEY, who was proven to be a gracious and knowledgeable host. He gave me a tour of the college complete with defensive tactics, gun range, scenario village, etc. I was impressed with the sim village as it was …
Having departed Australia on April 29, 2024 (by plane from Sydney), I landed in Auckland, on the North Island of New Zealand, where I rented a small car. My contact with the RNZPC, Insp. Derek SARNEY, was very accommodating and he suggested that there would be more to see if I came by the police …
After my wonderful visit with the Melbourne training crew, I make the 1,800 km drive (18 hours) up the east coast of Australia to Brisbane in the state of Queensland. I overnighted in Holbrook (a quiet farming town sporting a submarine!) and then to the surfing paradise of Newcastle. On April 15, I make my …
After 7-hour drive from Canberra, I arrive in Melbourne and stay at the Gateway on Monash Motel. On Monday, April, 8, 2024 at 0700 hours, I arrive at the front gate of the Victoria Police Academy. This fine institution is in the Melbourne suburb of Glen Waverley. Inspector Mel NIXON and A/Sen. Sgt. Mirsad HODZIC …
It was Easter weekend, so I had time to visit my new martial arts friends, as just described, while waiting for the Australian Federal Police Academy to open on Tuesday April 2. I was kindly greeted at the front gate by both Insp. Steve EVANS and Steve BOOTH. The latter Steve showed me around this …
My on-line martial arts buddy, Matt D’AQUINO of “Beyond Grappling” fame (from Canberra) put me in touch with the owner of the Goulburn Martial Arts Academy, Craig HARMER, and on Tuesday, March 26, we had a pleasant chat over coffee about the state of affairs in Corrections and martial arts in general. The next night …
