At the center of Mountains Beyond Mountains stands Paul Farmer. Doctor, Harvard professor, renowned infectious-disease specialist, anthropologist, the recipient of a MacArthur “genius” grant, world-class Robin Hood, Farmer was brought up in a bus and on a boat, and in medical school found his life’s calling: to diagnose and cure infectious diseases and to bring the lifesaving tools of modern medicine to those who need them most. This magnificent book shows how radical change can be fostered in situations that seem insurmountable, and it also shows how a meaningful life can be created, as Farmer—brilliant, charismatic, charming, both a leader in international health and a doctor who finds time to make house calls in Boston and the mountains of Haiti—blasts through convention to get results.

On Audible I found an interview with him, for a show called ‘Fresh Air’, that was done in 2003, in case you want to get an inkling of why this man rocks: mp3 on Sendspace, 25mb (via anonym.to)

Crossposted to my personal blog.

1. Elemeno P* – Baby Come On: www.sendspace.com/file/6ppyri
2. Discovery Channel – Boom de Yada: www.sendspace.com/file/57z8zd
3. Howard Shore – The Shire (Lord of the Rings): www.sendspace.com/file/myrb6u
4. Bic Runga* – Precious Things: www.sendspace.com/file/00rkdx
5. Opshop* – One Day: www.sendspace.com/file/vdxyom
6. XTC – Stupidly Happy: www.sendspace.com/file/5wy0np
7. Rhombus* – Scorching Bay: www.sendspace.com/file/vvn05c
8. Koop – Come to Me: www.sendspace.com/file/fw8xdq
9. Bright Eyes – First Day of My Life: www.sendspace.com/file/l8u9ur
10. Empires – Anywhere: www.sendspace.com/file/cru1f1
11. Fire Flies – Welcome to Our Neck of the Woods: www.sendspace.com/file/706at7
12. Anika Moa* – Good In My Head: www.sendspace.com/file/fkr9v4
13. Jason Mraz – Live High: www.sendspace.com/file/xlbwmb
14. The Hush Sound – Medicine Man: www.sendspace.com/file/nif9xh
15. Panic at the Disco – Northern Downpour: www.sendspace.com/file/5gprxf
16. Oh No! Oh My! – Walk in the Park: www.sendspace.com/file/zphjli
17. Fall Out Boy – Saturday: www.sendspace.com/file/0v53ew
18. Bon Jovi – Lost Highway: www.sendspace.com/file/e0q17l
19. Cracker – Been Around the World: www.sendspace.com/file/7uvz4g
20. Patrick Stump – Tom Traubert’s Blues (Tom Waits cover): www.sendspace.com/file/6pppn4
21. Regina Spektor – The Call (Narnia – Prince Caspian): www.sendspace.com/file/0c98ps

Bonus: Anika Moa* – Kotahitanga (“Oneness”): www.sendspace.com/file/60s1sk

Later today I’ll be posting some photos from this week’s series of goodbyes… My last day in Wellington, how strange is that?!

Yesterday I watched a couple of movies with Michelle (and a very sleepy Rathy) – ‘Little Miss Sunshine’ and ‘Some Like It Hot’, both films that never fail to make me smile.

And tonight the view from my window once again managed to make me get out my camera:

But anyway, back home the EuroCup 2008 started, which led me to search YouTube for some video of the opening match, Switzerland-Czech Republic, which was held in Basel (Switzerland lost, 1:0, btw). In doing so I found this pretty little video of a tram ride from the Basel train station:

I also discovered that apparently Baschi, a hometown boy, did the inofficial Euro 08 song for Switzerland – Bring en hei (“bring it home”): www.sendspace.com/file/avyszo

But the big thing was of course Vodafone Homegrown, a festival with over 30 kiwi bands playing on 5 stages over 11 hours. I went with Meredith and her friend Zoey and it couldn’t have been a better festival experience, starting with the awesome weather, the fun atmosphere and of course the great music.

These are the bands I saw at least partly, in chronological order: Salmonella Dub, Ladi6, Sunshine Sound System, Cornerstone Roots, Opshop, Elemeno P, The Phoenix Foundation, The Black Seeds, The Mint Chicks, Tiki. There were also buskers, breakdancers, a Brazilian drum group and awesome fire poi to admire.

Here’s some more photos, music and video from the day:

New Zealand Dub/Roots stage:

- Ladi6 – I Can See: www.sendspace.com/file/qisnxr
- The Black Seeds: www.sendspace.com/file/pr3td9

Rock stage in the TSB Arena (for which we had to queue):


- Opshop – No Ordinary Love: www.sendspace.com/file/49raci

- Elemeno P – www.sendspace.com/file/pzqxgb

Indie stage:

- Phoenix Foundation – Bright Grey: www.sendspace.com/file/pzqxgb

This is an awesome idea. I hope thousands and thousands of people will participate. (Click the image to get more information.)

Anyway, main reason for this post – I found a really cool clip of the All Blacks (NZ rugby team) doing a haka, a Maori war dance. There are many different kinds of haka, but this one (Ka Mate Ka Mate) has become more or less the “default” version. VERY impressive, even more so when they’re doing it right in front of you…

Also, this commercial, in which gingerbread men perform the haka, is hilarious!

21 songs that personify this exciting year for me for a variety of reasons. Hope you enjoy!

Right-click image for full-size cover.

1. My Little Corner of the World – Yo La Tengo: www.sendspace.com/file/kcrwv9
2. Twentysomething – Jamie Cullum: www.sendspace.com/file/ydckab
3. Counting Down – Anggun: www.sendspace.com/file/amiu2e
4. Learning to Breathe – Switchfoot: www.sendspace.com/file/b14jz0
5. Feeling Good – Michael Bublé: www.sendspace.com/file/y1ge1a
6. Time of Your Life – Green Day: www.sendspace.com/file/z3p3kl
7. Hie und jetzt – Mia Aegerter: www.sendspace.com/file/qa3kgv
8. Don’t Fence Me In – John Barrowman: www.sendspace.com/file/gpyybh
9. Radio Nowhere – Bruce Springsteen: www.sendspace.com/file/jrpk5y
10. Crazy – Gnarls Barkley: www.sendspace.com/file/hpwbhn
11. Changes – David Bowie: www.sendspace.com/file/i5kv05
12. Globetrotter – Büne Huber: www.sendspace.com/file/svtgdg
13. Colorful – Rocco DeLuca & The Burden: www.sendspace.com/file/reguvq
14. Leaving Town – Dexter Freebish: www.sendspace.com/file/gh5nwc
15. Bring On the Wonder – Susan Enan: www.sendspace.com/file/35w86o
16. Lost At Sea – Eisley: www.sendspace.com/file/znf7li
17. Ruggewind – Michael von der Heide: www.sendspace.com/file/szc65x
18. Island in the Sun – Weezer: www.sendspace.com/file/9xcb09
19. Under the Milky Way Tonight – The Church: www.sendspace.com/file/qnxqa5
20. Ka Mate Ka Mate – Ko Te Whanua O Morvin Raua Ko Kura Simon: www.sendspace.com/file/r51zkr
21. Into the West – Annie Lennox (bonus track): www.sendspace.com/file/yvc1f5

> Zip file (88.3mb, 21 songs + playlist.xml)

I actually didn't listen to as much music on this trip as I normally do, mainly because in Japan as a rule there's always a certain level of background noise, but a number of the songs did come to mean quite a lot to me, and I'll probably always connect them to this journey from now on. I thought I'd share this 'ultimate' playlist with you, including some words why I chose these songs. Hope you like it!

Japan 2005 – a travel soundtrack
1. Kaze Wo Atsumete – Happy End (From 'Lost in Translation', a movie that describes my experiences quite well.)
2. 99 Luftballons – Nena (German 80s hit song – first song I ever sang in a karaoke box!)
3. You're Beautiful – James Blunt (My current goosebump song.)
4. The Blood of Cu Chulainn – Jeff & Michael Danna (From the 'Boondock Saints' soundtrack, a song that never fails to make my mind travel.)
5. One Line – P.J. Harvey (Very intense – it has come to be my ultimate 'Professionals' song and I would kill for a fanvid using it…)
6. Und wenn ein Lied – Söhne Mannheims (Not normally my music, this song reminds me of and traveling with her.)
7. Under the Milky Way Tonight – The Church (This was my New Zealand song, even before I knew that The Church are a kiwi band.)
8. Die Katze – Annett Louisan (One of the songs I sang to myself when I was walking in the mountains, although the voice of the singer takes a bit of getting used to.)
9. Jerk It Out – Caesar's Palace (The iPod song – I might have danced to it out in a field, when no one was watching. *g*)
10. I schänke dir mis Härz – ZüriWest (I felt the need for music in my own language sometimes, and this is an all-time favorite.)
11. The Blower's Daughter – Damien Rice (Another goosebump song, for some reason I keep forgetting how beautiful it is.)
12. When Doves Cry – Ginuwine (After Baz Luhrman's 'Romeo & Juliet' I just adored this song – for this trip, I dug it out again.)
13. Sitting Waiting Wishing – Jack Johnson (Jack Johnson makes excellent travel music – and this song reminds me of the hours I spent waiting for connecting trains… *g*)
14. Your Song – Keane (I think shared this cover just before I left and I kept listening to it on repeat.)
15. Good Life – Leslie Mills (Discovered this song a couple of years ago through a website that used the phrase 'raspberry sun' – I just love the lyrics, they're so me.)
16. W. Nuss vo Bümpliz – Patent Ochsner (Another Swiss German song that's been a favorite of mine for years.)
17. Ice Cream – Sarah McLachlan (Heard this song on 'Felicity' one time, loved that it mentioned chocolate – and it led me to discover Sarah McLachlan.)
18. Universe – Savage Garden (Will always remind me of a certain special morning in Southampton when I was 17 – one of the few songs that I find truly sexy.)
19. A Sorta Fairytale – Tori Amos (Probably my favorite Tori song.)
20. Almost Human – Voltaire (A chance discovery, this just speaks to me.)
21. Heimweh – Plüsch (This song is called 'homesick', and I listened to it whenever I missed home or felt lost in this strange country – it always cheered me up, strangely enough.)