Furlong, then seven years ago, explained that this is what Vancouver was doing with its Olympic bid. Stop at nothing, turn over every rock looking for how to be better and working for the best. He then went onto carefully outline his vision of what would happen should Vancouver win the right to host the games. He explained it would be Canada’s Olympics – not just Vancouver’s – but he really wanted every person in Canada to know this was Canada’s bid and if successful it would be part of every Canadian… the games would be Canada’s games. He then asked every one, not just the Canadians in the audience, but everyone to go home and tell a few people that the Vancouver bid is a good thing. It will be good for Canada and good for the world.

He received a standing ovation … in 2003 … before Vancouver even had the games.  His vision was astounding.. and even more so given how it has come to happen very much as he explained.  Again last night, his closing ceremony speech was perfect. Again he spoke to Canadians – even with an international audience and the world watching – he thanked “Alex”, he thanked the volunteers, the athletes,etc. etc.. but in the end – he thanked Canadians for standing up  and being proud.    Furlong is a little shy and humble yet thinks big and delivers big.  A great example for what it means to be a Canadian today.

So many companies today are facing tough times. A strong vision and plan on how to best compete is curcial to success - not just for the important development of a plan of action - but for inspiration of all those involved - employees, suppliers and customers. Inspiration fosters unity and pride - an emotional outcome that proves priceless in its ability to both motivate and rally action.  We saw it in Vancouver and we would be wise to apply it to our corporate journeys. 

Langford Corporate Adventure constructs team building programs to showcase synergies, stretch potentials and inspire. Our adventures and retreats are fun, unique and current. Our corporate adventures and retreats are positioned to reflect the range of "outdoor bests" in Ontario - Toronto Islands, Algonquin Park, Prince Edward County, and so on. Blend a high energy day time corporate outdoor team building adventure on Toronto’s waterfront with an exclusive private club dinner venue. Immerse your team in the“doing” together of both an eco and culinary challenge at an intimate Algonquin Log Cabin venue.

Our first mate Matt dismissed the idyllic Bahamian scene in a way only a 15-year-old could. "Let’s go to another island, this one’s got seaweed on the beach - it’s totally ghetto here."

In fact, with so much to choose from, we had all become fastidious about our picnic spots, so, a half-minute later, we were once more screaming across the swimming pool blue waters of the Abacos. With a 225-horsepower outboard on our transom, Matt’s left hand gripped the boat’s steering wheel tightly while his right faintly nudged the throttle down again, hoping his dad or I wouldn’t notice.

In between anchoring off white-sand islands, snorkelling over reefs and exploring little settlements, our two families spent a week in a boat exploring the Abacos. Here, we joined pods of dolphins, swam over sting rays and sorted keepsake sand dollars. As the sun began to sink late each afternoon, we would head back to the cottage porch to retell the day’s adventures while the day’s catch barbecued on the back deck. For Canadians familiar to cottage life back home, the similarities were striking. It’s pretty easy to feel comfortable quickly in the Abacos.

With no holiday plans for the kids’ March Break last winter, we started looking for a unique but affordable family getaway in February. After some searching, I found that four flights to Nassau from Buffalo were cheaper than one from Toronto. I knew we wanted to get beyond the hustle-bustle of the capital, Nassau, and after researching online for beach houses on a long list of out-islands, I liked the sounds of the Abacos, where we could have a beach holiday, but on a different beach each day.

So, along with our friends John and Debbie and my wife Ray - and our kids, five in all, ranging in age from 7 to 16 - we rented two cottages on the tiny island of Lubbers Quarters. With no regular ferry service between the Abacos hub of Marsh Harbour, we agreed to share a mid-cockpit 21-foot Dusky with its ample outboard, its corpulent gas bill - and its wonderful opportunities.

We landed in Marsh Harbour, Great Abaco Island, after an hour-long flight from Nassau. Arriving on an earlier flight, John had already picked up the boat, soaked and torn out the most important two pages from the cruising guide and began the week-long battle with his teenage boys over who was going to drive and at what speed.

Because Lubbers has never had ferry service from Marsh Harbour, unlike the more well-known out-islands of the Abacos (Elbow Cay, Man-O-War Cay and Great Guana Cay), it has seen little development. Hydro arrived so recently that our gingerbread cottage, Green Bananas, still had propane lights. In fact, the parallels all week to Canadian cottage life were almost eerie. Replace pink granite with white sand, pines with palms, keep the neighbour’s visiting black lab - and welcome home.

The generally protected shallow waters of Abaco Sound stretch north-northwest more than 100 nautical miles between Great Abaco Island in the west and the chain of barrier out-islands to the east. The Bahamas are a boater’s paradise and there’s probably no easier or safer area playground than the Abacos. If you’re comfortable handling a boat in a bigger Canadian lake, you shouldn’t have a problem tooling around in a rental boat in the Abacos. Of course, if you prefer someone else to deliver you to your doorstep, there are plenty of ferry- and water-taxi-accessed islands with small resorts and hotels, restaurants and shopping.

Sadly, but just like at home, many simple cottages are being torn down and replaced with buildings more fitting to their new contents: granite counters, satellite TV, air conditioning, private swimming pools. But we were looking for an old-style retreat, and thankfully Green Bananas and John and Deb’s Pink Palms next door delivered. As with a lot of Canadian cottage country, neither family locked doors or windows, day or night. While the kids played board games or sorted shells in the loft, nostalgic thoughts would go through my mind each evening as I held a cold Kalik beer in one hand, and with the other, pulled the rope for our outside hot shower located on the deck among the palm fronds.

The Bahamas aren’t the West Indies, but given the setting and our perfect weather, we had to remind ourselves that we were actually farther north than West Palm Beach, Fla. Yes, the Bahamas are warmer than Florida thanks to the Gulf Stream, but Christmas and early winter can be akin to being at the cottage in late May or early June if the winds come from the north. And because much of the barrier reef, which protects the Abacos from big Atlantic swells, run north-south, trying to drive at full speed can get a little sporty. But with islands seemingly swimming distance apart, short adventures can be easily planned.

Our daily routine began with two or three well-kept dogs from the neighbourhood entertaining the kids with games like fetch the coconut. Around 10 or 11 a.m., lunch had been packed, drinks stored on ice, sunscreen applied and cameras placed in Ziploc bags. The boat, which spent its off-hours swinging freely on a sort of washing-line mooring off the jetty, was brought in for loading and after a few last-minute returns to the cottage, off we’d go.

Every day presented a different beach. Sometimes it was near one of several settlements that have been populated since United Empire Loyalists first came ashore. Other days, we’d just drop the anchor off one of many deserted islands. Local biota ranged from enormous star fish regularly found through the crystalline water to hermit crab reluctantly gathered and entered into races near the grassy dunes.

We also explored protected waters, tying up at the free permanent moorings provided at national parks that protect the coral reefs from dragging anchors. My daughter Heather wasn’t sure about snorkelling at one such spot one day. The deeper water over the reef had lost its almost artificial aqua colour in the late afternoon sun and the breeze had picked up, making an uncomfortable chop. But with encouragement she went over the side.

"Ooooo! It’s like a whole city down there!" came the squeals of delight after most of the mouthpiece was out of her mouth. "Cars and buses and taxis going everywhere!"

Enjoying the moment, while her siblings and friends duck-dove with similar shrieking and splashing, the scene seemed an apt comparison and wonderful introduction to the undersea world. Building corals resembled buildings, swaying branching corals and sea fans were like trees and shrubbery, countless fish of all shapes, sizes and bright colours were oblivious to us for the longest time as they scurried about the day’s business. Perhaps the most incredible sight was simply the condition of the reef. I haven’t seen a reef so alive and so pristine since I was Heather’s age in the 1970s.

And, with no other humans in sight, it was a typical setting on our trip: We had it all to ourselves.

National Post

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AwDBPXEQ1ik

" With children and with employees, never say "maybe" when you mean "no"."

"If you have to force a decission, the decission probably should not yet be made."

"Good judgement is the most vital determinant of success. Judgement can be improved by determinedly learning more about an issue."

"Integrity is the source of both belief and freedom."

"Those who violate your trust are the losers. An appropriate response is not to cease trust, but to place your trust elsewhere."

"No one person is so brilliant that his or her ideas can not be improved by trading thoughts with another smart person."

"It is important to remeber that people’s behaviour toward you is not necessarily about you."

"Decisiveness is not the same as being certain. I am often decisive; I am seldom certain.

"Reading fiction and biography in quantity can help you think about how to live your own life."

"Bittereness is a destructive emotion, jealousy is demeaning, cynicism is a form of laziness and equity is a complex goal."

We’ll help you get to the Bahamas this winter one way and then the other!

Have a look at http://www.newfoundlandlabrador.com/Icebergs/IcebergFinder/IcebergFinder.aspx

Discover the beauty and excitement found in the tropical jungle and the caves of Belize. Encounter indigenous animals and plant life and the many relics of Belize’s ancient Mayan past. These Belize adventure vacation and travel packages are not for the faint of heart. Bring your adventurous spirit and get ready for some of the most exiting, spectacular and awe inspiring adventures you will ever have the opportunity to experience.  River cave tubing, jungle treks  and night safaris, overnight caving expeditions, river kayaking,  and jungle mountain biking. See our Langford and Company Belize itinerary for more information. Or e-mail Tracy, our Langford Belize expert, is also available to answer any of your jungle or reef questions.