My interview with Captain Dan

I don’t think I could’ve asked for a more interesting guest - or location - for an interview.

In the final days of 2022, I had the privilege of travelling to Bali, Indonesia to reunite with my dad and my floating home once again.

Vagabond at anchor in Sarangan, Bali, Indonesia

Prior to arriving in Bali, I’d shared with him my idea to start a podcast, and he graciously agreed to let me interview him. In particular, I wanted to ask him about the process of unlearning societal expectations and definitions of success, which are often inextricably linked with capitalism. I also wanted to ask him about social changes he’s observed throughout his lifetime, and his perspective on the rate of change. It was particularly interesting to discuss equity in the context of his circumnavigation and explore how he is perceived in different parts of the world. His peers in Toronto perceive his lifestyle to be quite rough and rugged, and for context, by Canadian standards he is living at the poverty line. However, in other parts of the world, like the Caribbean, Polynesia, and here in Indonesia, he represents an impossible level of wealth.

We agreed that travelling is the greatest way to open your mind to privilege and the disturbing disparity in financial wealth. Ironically, travelling requires both those things.

The location of our interview - Uluwatu, Bali, Indonesia

My dad worked as a sound engineer for 30 years in the film industry in Toronto, so this meant he brought an interesting perspective to discussions of work/life balance and redefining success. It also meant he had professional sound recording equipment on the boat that I was able to use to record this episode! So, after a bumpy ride in the punctured, half-inflated dinghy to and from the boat in Serangan to collect the equipment, we successfully set up in our unique little villa in Uluwatu for a wonderful conversation.

I truly believe there will be an aspect of his story resonates with any listener, as we explored his childhood, growing up with a single mum in a small town in Ontario, deciding to leave home and ride his bicycle around the world, meeting my mum and pursuing a more mainstream life path for many years before divorcing and eventually setting sail on this world voyage.

While we came to this conversation from different places - and even sometimes disagreed - I am extremely grateful for his vulnerability, candour, and willingness to dive into any topic. It was a wonderful way for me to practice my interview skills, and I gained the confidence necessary to launch my podcast: Getting Reflective.