Fiji, January 09

Outriggers on the lagoon was our last minute vacation for New Years. I checked my favourite travel guidance site trip advisor and off we went on an seven day adventure. We didn't have high expectations of Fiji. All we needed was a pool to sit by, with the ocean being a bonus.

We started off with New Years eve. We are talking limbo competitions and so on, a real family resort (gulp). We now realise we are a family and as such can benefit by attending a 'family' resort. Kids clubs are blessings, shallow pools are great, and other children are excellent distractions for our own smaller friends.

The food was awful, the service average, the pool excellent, and the holiday wonderful. We rode horses along the beach, visited a conservation and animal sanctuary. We lazed by the pool and ate. What more can you ask?

David and I got some time for massages and general relaxing.

The only sad comment was to see the decimation of the coral reef out front of the hotel. We were near a river outlet and the pesticides used by farms along the river have flowed out to the ocean and made the reef a waste land near by.

Sydney, December 2008

David and I started the Results business 10 years ago and we were thrown a ten year anniversary party by our Australian regional manager Kylie Evans, held in Sydney, which was lovely. In that time we have amassed a fortune in friendships and connections around the globe and for that we are extraordinarily grateful. We have also lived fully, traveled lots and had some amazing experiences.

Trinity 'graduated' from her day care place, London Carriage. The graduation ceremony was something to behold including the singing of the Australian national anthem. Tears came to the eyes for all the wrong reasons.

David also got the first NeuroLeadership Journal published, and we sent it out just before Christmas. Quite an achievement which David is deeply proud of.

Christmas was cold and gray only lit up by our Christmas tree making attempt using big blocks.

We traveled to Hyams Beach to be with my family. Sadly Trinity had a cold and the gray continued. Our surroundings were beautiful as was the normal excess of food that makes an Ellis Christmas.

New York October 2008

We came to New York this time to run the third NeuroLeadership Summit. It was also the run up to the US presidential election, and the air was full of noise. Come to think of it, that is always how New York is. The economic slump was barreling down, so a strange mix of hope and anguish as retirement funds halved, stock portfolios were left in tatters, and people lost their jobs.

Our summit was a great success, held near Time Square. The vibe of the participants and scientists was optimistic, and the room full to the brim. The best bit for David, I believe, was that Werner Erhart, the founder of Est was there (and is speaking at the next conference in LA).

I feel in a sense that it was a coming of age for David and his ideas, to have the top scientists in the field talking about the neuroscience with consultants and change agents from all over, thinking about how to apply the findings to their work and organisations. The feedback was extraordinary.

Our good friend Stuart Ziegler joined us to do the photography for the event. His ongoing support technologically, artistically and emotionally does wonders (thanks Stu).

It was Halloween. We carved pumpkins, wore funny clothes all day and generally tried to live the American dream, at least for the day. David Levine and Griffin, worked on inducting Trinity and India into the halloween thinking. The girls got dressed for school: Trinity was dressed as a fairy, while India was dressed as Dorothy the Dinsoaur. The big parade starts a couple of blocks from Wooster Street where we stay, so we watched start, and saw some wonderful characters, including monsters from 'Where the wild things are'.

During our visit Trinity and India both got to go to the Blue School for two weeks straight. India enjoyed the 2yr old class twice a week, while Trinity was in Kindergarten five days a week.

The light in the class rooms, the wonderful resources, and energetic teachers where a thrill to be in contact with. Trinity made some friends including Sidney her new pen pal (right).

It was also the run up to the US election. New York is a very blue state, all democratic, at least in Manhattan. On the day of the election the students at Blue School held a poll, and found that all but one student were pro Obama. We went to an election night party with my friend Marni, and shouted out from the balcony with the cars beeping on the streets below as the results became clear.

David and Stu went to Time Square to dance with the crazy crowds, strangers hugging, high fiving anybody moving. Then the long flight home.

Hong Kong August 08

A one week short trip for business allowed us to explore Hong Kong a little. It was mostly work, though the girls came along to enjoy the pool. It is hard to be tourist when it is so hot, and there isn't a resort at hand.

India seemed to get a taste for travel on this trip, and wanted to go her own way.

Sydney, Byron Bay Winter 2008

Zoe Ziegler is Trinity's best friend (since birth). Zoe held her birthday at a horse riding place in Sydney which involved ponies and pink iced cakes (what more could a girl want).

To the left is Zoe, Trinity and Amelia, good friends from daycare, London Carriage.

We also took time to go to the entertainment quarter at Moore Park to do some high jumping and tightrope walking. Trinity was incredibly brave and climbed up a high ladder without pausing. She gave it a number of goes and did not seem one bit frightened.

Next was Sid Sandberg's 70th birthday celebrations which was held at the community center in the housing area he and Carole (David's mum) live in. Sid is one of Trinity and India's many wonderful and loving grandparents.

It continues to be a blessing to have such an extended family network.

It was on to also another wonderful extended family event with Michelle and Niki having a wedding ceremony in Byron Bay.

Michelle gave birth to Ezra not long after the wedding, a beautiful baby boy.

David and I stayed at Rae's at Wategos Beach, with the owner being a mate of his from his living in Byron days. It was rainy and windy weather and we enjoyed the beach mostly to ourselves. Tal, a second cousin had a close encounter with a local turtle while we were there.

We also took the time to walk up to the iconic light house and breath in the fresh air at Australia's most easterly point.

Back in Sydney we held the second NeuroLeadership Summit in September - the first was is Asolo, Italy in 2007. It was held at the MCA on Circular Quay with spectacular weather and fascinating speakers. We had a good time, as did the participants (I hope!)

To the right is Lee Hull, Operations Director of the Institute, who did a stellar job of coordinating the event, and Kylie Evans, Regional Manager of our Australian business.

To the left is the irrepressible Dr Jeffery Schwartz from New York, who has partnered with David on writing an article for Strategy and Business Magazine in the States.

Maui, Las Vegas April 2009

For the first time for a while we had a family holiday. It was David and my tenth wedding anniversary, and we took a week to enjoy our relationship and family.

We chose the Sheraton on Maui as we wanted to not move for a week. No car, no bus, just walking, swimming, lounging and relaxing. Most of the day was spent by the pool, in the pool, on the beach and of course in the ocean.

Just in front of the hotel was a rocky cliff head that had a coral reef around it. There was a family of large turtles that would appear amongst the waves at various times of the day. The first day both Trinity and David had shocks as the turtles would swim underneath them, and an accidental kick would connect with a large turtle.

Trinity was extraordinarily brave, swimming with mask and flipper out past the waves to the reef and colourful fish, 20 meters out from the beach. David and I were amazed at her courage, and one of us was constantly by her side to help should she need it.

We took walks along the beach at sunset, ate ice cream and pizza, and generally had a great time. We left feeling relaxed, connected and ready for anything.

We flew to Las Vegas for a one day conference David was running. We checked into the hotel and found ourselves booked into a high rollers suite. It was enormous, with white and gilt fittings. Quite something, with a view over the dolphin filled pools below (of course!).

The hotel also had Roy & Siegfields Lion and Tiger sanctuary as part of the property, as well as a 'live' volcano out the front (sadly closed for maintaince). Got to love Las Vegas.

On the first night in Vegas David admitted he was now official ready to get married to me, so I called up Elvis and organised a renewing of the vows.

Elvis walked me down the aisle, and David promised to be my hunk-a-hunk a love, and I in return, vowed other things from various Elvis songs. The girls were our witnesses and we all crooned at the end. Very satisfying. ( I only have proofs).

So after all that we went to see the dolphins, and the tigers and lions. The cages were so small and I felt a sense of dark satisfaction thinking of Roy's attack by a lion a number of years ago. Terrible, and true.

We went to the Bellagio, saw the fountains dancing to music, and the amazing flower displays in the lobby, including little houses with butterflies fluttering around inside. There was also a chocolate fountain which transfixed Trinity.

If you haven't been there, Las Vegas is such a torn town. Beauty, creativity, amazing resources, partnered with gambling, and any way to hide from ourselves.

David and I lashed out and got a very expensive babysitter (it is after all, Vegas, and you want to have a good one). We went to the tables and played some Texas hold'em. We won lots and left the tables on a high. I got to go shopping the next day to buy myself something pretty ; ).

And then it was time to leave. I took India and Trinity late in the evening onto a plane from Vegas to LA and had the delight of managing two sleeping children, luggage and a stroller onto a bus to change terminals. We got on the plane (just) and made it safely home while David went on Dallas to run another conference.

Singapore, Asolo May 2007

This was the first trip of with our new baby India. We traveled from Sydney to Singapore, for a week to break the travel, while David had some business development meetings. Trinity was sick and couldn't take advantage of the hotel pool which is her normal thing to do. India was a koala bear at four months of age - stuck to mum. At least we got to explore Sentosa, and take a ride on the cable car across the Singapore harbour.

We then flew to Venice and then drove an hour to Asolo where the first NeuroLeadership summit was to happen in a weeks time. This was perhaps the most intense plane leg I have been on, and India was not happy by the end, screaming the entire drive to our apartment. We were all sick on arrival and there were trips to doctors, finding a pharmacy etc. Thankfully we were fully supported by the team at Cimba. Al's 2IC Christina was particularly an angel.

David disappeared to make things happen with the summit, while I handled the sick kids. We were in the most fantastic small town - where nobility spent summers when Venice became too hot. Spring had flowers blooming, warm temperatures and a magical atmosphere. We could see all the way the Dolomites from our apartment window.

The only downside was the venue for the summit (where David went to work each day) was about a kilometer up a hill, with cobbled streets. Sounds lovely,until you strap on a child and push a stroller all the way up. I think I lost about five kilograms while in Asolo. A hard thing to do considering the quality and quantity of the food and wine (and hospitality of Al Rhingleb, head of the business school head quartered there).

The summit went on, and was successful with fifty participant from different corners of the globe. David was thrilled, and many interesting conversations were had between the scientists and practitioners.

Shortly after the summit we held a leadership retreat for the heads of Results business units from around the world, including South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom. This was one of our first steps transforming into a more professional business.

David's sister, Deborah, who lives in Paris also came to visit. We roamed the countryside by bus with her help while David worked. We got to see sculptures, and other fabulous things that I could not have managed on my own. We visited Passagno where the sculptor Antonio Canova was born and worked. We also saw Bassano with a beautiful river with Trinity starting on her journey as a photographer.

After we had completed all our work in Italy we took some time off to hang out in Venice for a few day. We saw lots of beautiful things - the bridge of sighs and of course took a gondola ride. San Marco Piazza, the Doge's Palace, the Academia Galleria, the Peggy Guggenhiem Collection and the various squares and bridges and churches were in our itinerary.
Then on to New York, but that is for another post....