Waking up this morning after a not so great night. Felt very violated after the brake into my car and some one else handling my clubs and my phone, a very unease feeling. Something needed to change. The first that came to my mind was I have to look into what kind of a lesson this is? Sitting with that I got the message, I need to ask for help and support and do what I can do about it!

I started to write my friends and asked for advice and if someone had any extra clubs and an extra carry bag, and of course I asked for a supporting big Hug. My next proactive step was to get to the 2 pawn shops we have in Ventura. I gave them my info and how my clubs looked like, it is a very VERY small chance that they show up, that’s what they said, however I did what I was guide to do.

Got back home and I opened my e-email and there was one, from my friend Patty telling me that her brother in Hawaii can host me  during my stay. I stared to cry because of all the tension I have collected through my last 24 hours and the thousands of dollars it is going to cost me to fix the roof on my car and new clubs and all the other things I need to complete a golf round.

Thank-You Patty Channer You are an angel on earth!

With tears down my cheek I am reading several other e-mails and I got phone calls from friends who all are willing to help in any way.

Early afternoon the phone is ringing and it is the pawnshop!. “We have 3 people here trying to sell your clubs, will you please call the police and we will try to hold them here”

The police arrived to the store, booked the guys and called me to come and get my clubs, although they really should have kept them for evidence, however I told my story and I got them released!

My clubs and I drove home, me very happy ,and grateful. As soon as I got home the police called again and said they found my phone too.This is unheard of. I am telling you all this because I am so convinced that the collective energy and my proactive way made this a happy ending,

From feeling as a  victim, pushing through and understanding that I had to change my attitude and get into action this whole situation ended up as a cool story . 3 less criminal people on the streets and my clubs where they belong, with me!

For now

Love,Golf and Laugh

Anna-Lena

After getting all my itineraries, to both Hawaii and Scotland, feeling really good about soon having accomplished this journey and all by my myself, I am faced with another challenge. I now have no clubs!!!! My car got broken into last night when I was down town Ventura.

They took my dear dear clubs with my good luck Head Covers and of course my bag which was my bag from Moorpark College ,lots of memories! Of course all the things that we have in our bags , like rain gears(yes it does rain here too) balls ,pocket money, good luck tees and so on.

I am pretty upset… now I have 2 weeks to wish for a miracle that I can get clubs that I like and that fits my budget… I need to physical practice, not only visualization.  My car needs to be fixed a big hole in the convertible roof, not pretty.

One thing is good, it adds to the story and to my growth! Thank-You challenges.(@#!$#$@)

! am practicing what I am learning through my teachers. David Deida and Satyen Raja. I am feeling angry and I open to that, not denying my feelings, my disappointment or my my fears . I am relaxing into those feelings and I am feeling into the thieves lives and into their hearts and I know their actions and their way of living is so much more controlled by their fears.Fears of lack, hate, depression,hunger, not being able to get a fix and so on!

I feel true to myself and I am practicing open into any situation and the journey that my feelings are traveling is amazing, they do end up in feeling of compassion and love for life! I think I got a taste of how my teachers are living!

I never thought that my Golf Challenge was going to be so “personal”. Is that an amazing discovery, or what?

Love, Golf and Laugh   even when it hurts!  Open Open Open……

Anna-Lena

Not yet played, however the ticket is bought and I am leaving the 3rd of March. I am preparing my travel to the beautiful Hawaii by doing yoga on the beach and practicing my headstand in the water, playing golf at the local club Olivas Golf Course and I am happy and somewhat amazed that it is almost over. This whole adventure has been about being ready for anything and not attached to anything.

The 2 last ones will definitely test my persistence and determination. After my son “forced”me to take one extra day to enjoy the beach and the water in Hawaii I have extended my stay there to 4 days. Got a great deal on Price line on flight and a car! All within the budget. Hotel is another Q, hmmmmmm maybe I can sleep in the car! ( Budget, budget)

The outline for the book is taking form and there is a movie in my friends head…..

Talk soon

Love Golf and Laugh

Anna-Lena

Death Valley here we come. Tom and Morgan,my good friends accompanied me for this number 6 golf challenge adventure. This was the shortest distance I needed to travel ,only according to the map a little over 5 hours,  from where I live in Ventura. We can do that over a day! We traveled not in coach, we traveled in a Jaguar and it took us 4 hours!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My knuckles where white and my neck got adjusted many time when we landed after an, as I felt it take off. Rock and roll was blasted out from the cds and lots of laughter inbetween deep breathing. I was rest usure with the knowledge that those two gentelman know how to drive and that they are coming with me to Scotland so they want to live!

It was so much fun having company, sharing this experience and having support. When we arrived to the course, I met with the Director of sales and Marketing Phil Dickenson. We were so welcomed and we all got comped. More money for the Pattaya Children is what I see. Thank-You so much Phil.

We started play and our round was enjoyable for 2 of us! The fairways where still dormed and the green almost shaved  (very very fast). The fairways need 200.000 gallon of water every day, this is desert, Mojave desert. We were curious to see if our balls were going to be affected by the low altitude.

The drives for sure were, forget about ego drives!. The course had some challenging holes where ball placement of tee was essential. I ended up with a 84 not to shabby after a drive that had my blood stop flowing several times….The day was wonderful with warm sunshine (around 75F )and the mountain views were magestic , the silence that can only be expirienced in the desert and playing golf with friends who support my challenge  and who gave me a new head cover ,a gorilla to keep me going now that I have only 2 courses left in this Awesome Eight Golf Challenge.

I recommend you to come to Death Valley  and Furnace Creek Golf course and experience the friendly atmosphere, a great course and yummy hamburgers from the open air outdoor snack bar. (www.furnacecreekresort.com)

Love, Golf and Laugh

Anna-Lena

I can taste it, the finish line ….Oh my it is hard to believe that this adventure is on the home stretch. So much has happened and so many openings and exiting change is happening in my life. Through this adventure I have come to know myself so much better. I have to come to know what is important to me and what is not.One of the biggest learning’s has been to ask for help and advice!

“The Window Opened and I Flew” is the work title on my book that will describe my adventures and life lessons.

This Friday the 16th I am playing Furnace Creak Golf Course, there are no threats of snow or any bad weather….2 of my friends are coming with me and they are cheering me along and are looking forward seeing my head stand on the 18th green(  I promised to to make Swedish pancakes for the road that could have been it too…. )So number 6 in the challenge is very close to be done. I will tell you all about it after the round! I am off to the range, have to shape up my game for the Old Lady!

Love,Golf and Laugh

Anna-Lena

I wish you all a Magic Holiday and an even more Magic 2009. What an exiting time we live in, plenty of opportunities and time to reflect what is real important in life.

My year has been filled with adventures playing the extreme golf courses in 4 continents It sure has been an amazing journey that might turn into a book one day. Little did I know a year ago when I found the book Extreme Golf how deep this journey has been and still is.
Yes it is a GOLF challenge, however that is the icing on the cake.

To face all kinds of challenges. For me the most challenging has been not having any real contact with people. It did not matter how “open” and friendly I was, most people answered my questions and that was it, no further invitation or any sharing.

I am a social butterfly so my ego was very disturbed and I felt very alone many times. That is when the opportunity to grow comes in and I grow ,not lengths och widths wise, but my understanding and my tolerance and my patience and my humor and my oh well and my compassion and my curiosity and my appreciations for what I have and what I am doing.

The determination in me is strong To me determination comes when there is deep passion for something. I wish for you all to find something that you are passionate about and the determination to explore it will follow, if it does not ,your passion is not strong enough, that’s my take on it anyway!

My goal is still to raise $100.000 to The Pattaya Children s fund, any contribution is welcome, just click on donate and it will all go to the Children in the orphanage.

Love, Golf and Laugh

Anna-Lena talk with you 2009

The weather did not allow me to get to Death Valley. The roads were closed due to snow! It is winter in California,well some places more than others.In Ventura where I live it is today the 18th of December clear weather, blue sky, however the temperature is in the low 60th.I like it ,still warm enough to not have to have a very warm coat on,but cold enough so the feeling of winter is there!

It is December 17th and I am planning the number 6 in the Awesome Eight Golf Challenge, Furnace Creek Golf Course, the lowest golf course in the world. I have two friends coming with me Tom and Morgan, this will be extreme, the weather is not all that good and I am following the weather radar and map.It is snowing down to 2000 feet and it is cold. The temperature on the course is around 5o F so burrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr the warm clothing are packed. It will as all my trips be a real adventure, now though I will share it with friends in the moment!

It has been a while since I talked to you and to let you know I have been busy with my yoga clients and also my new challenge, flying the trapeze. Everything to get me going and experience new sides of me and to push through fear.

I will soon let you know how our trip went!
Love, Golf and Laugh
Anna-Lena