…the appearance of things
Synopsis
This is a true story, a call to come on a great adventure. More than a travel tale or memoir, it is an invitation to the very real possibility of freedom, always available, always here and now.
In 1974, intrigued by accounts that spoke of the magic and mystery of Asia, a young man commenced an overland journey from Indonesia to Europe.
His story is, in some ways, a “coming-of-age” narrative about a singular journey of discovery through Southeast Asia and India, across the Middle East to Greece. However, the movement from innocent abroad to cynical world traveler is interrupted in the Himalayas by a chance meeting with a Buddhist monk and the Dharma.
The title of the book comes from Kalu Rinpoche, a Tibetan master.
“We live in illusion, the appearance of things. There is a reality. You are that reality. When you see this, you realize you are nothing and being nothing, everything. That is all.”
This is also a cautionary tale where “awakening” does not necessarily mean “wisdom in the world”. As the Buddha is meant to have said, “Sometimes the closest you can get to the truth is in the knowing of what is not true.”
Photo Gallery of the Journey
The pirate ship, aground in the harbor at Bali. (1975) 
Vern and Eva at Borobodur, Java (1975)
The Festival of Thaipusam (1975) 
The monument in Vientiane, Laos. This was built from cement donated by the United States to build an airport runway. The king had another idea! (1975)
The open tobacco market in Vientiane, Laos (1975)
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Samosir Island, Lake Toba, Sumatra (1974)
Brenard's Batak House, Lake Toba, Sumatra (1974)
Crowded ferry at Prapat, Lake Toba, Sumatra (1974)
Thaipusam, Penang, Malaysia (1975)
Bangkok, Royal Palace (1975)
Tobacco (ganja) in Vientiane. (1975)
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Back in Luang Prabang, after the psychedelic waterfall trip. Vern is the guy in the black shirt. (1975)
Vang Vien, the waterfall we walked out to visit. (1975)
Luang Prabang, looking west from Phosie Hill. (1975)
Varanasi, body floating in the Ganges. (1975)
The swimming pools near Biritanti, trekking in Nepal. (1975)
Ghandrung, our farthest point out on the trek. (1975)
Trekking shelter between Ghandrung and Biritanti. (1975)
Nepal ponies seen along the trekking route. (1975)
Band-i-Amir, Afghanistan. (1975)
Goreme, Central Turkey (1975)
Ios, Greece- the walk over to the beach from town. (1975)
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Vang Vien walk to a local waterfall. On the return, we thought we were caught in a battle because of the "machine gun" fire. (1975)
Luang Prabang, looking south from the gun emplacement on Phosie Hill. (1975)
Kathmandu, the festival of colors called Holi. (1975)
Biritanti, trekking in Nepal. (1975)
Some of the trekking crew- Vern is the third from the left. (1975)
The Buddha and ancient monastery at Bamyan Afghanistan. (1975) 
The tea house in Bamian. (1975)
Band-i-Amir, Afghanistan- trekking the lake district. (1975)
The island of Ios, Greece where we camped on the beach. (1975)
Our "cave camp" on the beach, Ios, Greece. (1975)
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