Sarah MacDonald – författare

After backpacking her way around India, 21-year-old Sarah Macdonald decided that she hated this land of chaos and contradiction with a passion, and when an airport beggar read her palm and insisted she would come back one day - and for love - she vowed never to return. But twelve years later the prophecy comes true when her partner, ABC's South Asia correspondent, is posted to New Delhi, the most polluted city on earth. Having given up a blossoming radio career in Sydney to follow her new boyfriend to India, it seems like the ultimate sacrifice and it almost kills Sarah - literally. After being cursed by a sadhu smeared in human ashes, she nearly dies from double pneumonia. It's enough to send a rapidly balding atheist on a wild rollercoaster ride through India's many religions in search of the meaning of life and death. From the 'brain enema' of a meditation retreat in Dharamsala to the biggest Hindu festival on earth on the steps of the Ganges in Varanasi, and with the help of the Dalai Lama, a goddess of healing hugs and a couple of Bollywood stars - among many, many others - Sarah discovers a hell of a lot more.

After backpacking her way around India, 21-year-old Sarah Macdonald decided that she hated this land of chaos and contradiction with a passion, and when an airport beggar read her palm and insisted she would come back one day - and for love - she vowed never to return. But twelve years later the prophecy comes true when her partner, ABC's South Asia correspondent, is posted to New Delhi, the most polluted city on earth. Having given up a blossoming radio career in Sydney to follow her new boyfriend to India, it seems like the ultimate sacrifice and it almost kills Sarah - literally. After being cursed by a sadhu smeared in human ashes, she nearly dies from double pneumonia. It's enough to send a rapidly balding atheist on a wild rollercoaster ride through India's many religions in search of the meaning of life and death. From the 'brain enema' of a meditation retreat in Dharamsala to the biggest Hindu festival on earth on the steps of the Ganges in Varanasi, and with the help of the Dalai Lama, a goddess of healing hugs and a couple of Bollywood stars - among many, many others - Sarah discovers a hell of a lot more.

Can you imagine living in a place that is effected by weather, ocean currents, and decisions of land use board members. Bayocean was at risk of loosing it all and it was lost at a time when it was most vulnerable. Tillamook County lost a valuable asset, lost a beautiful quaint little community nestled on a peninsula of land that was effected by such outside forces that it could not survive and is trying to rise from the sand today but will not because of the decisions of board members and councils that dont want to be bothered with her any longer. To be left untouched and buried is a sad story told by one who lived there when the town was starting to fall and continued to fall until its total demise when burned and buried under the sand, in his quest to make this place not to be forgotten Perry Reeder and his daughter Sarah MacDonald, conjure up the stories of the past and tell the truth about what happened to this small coastal community, this beautiful place that had running water, electricity and cobblestone streets, hotels, stores of business, post office and much more. A community of loving families that struggled together but were left with nothing. The most important issue that seems to be ignored mostly by those who want to keep Bayocean under the sand is the issue of the South Jetty, if ignored will once again reek havoc on this beautiful peninsula, Cape Meares is more at risk than Bayocean. Its a sad thing to have to fight over who goes there or the issues of recreational activities over issues that will actually destroy the entire area, we need to stop the feuding and work together to keep Bayocean a place for all to enjoy. Ending the Bayocean wars for the last time, before it once again gets destroyed would be a feat in itself. In this book we hope you will come to know Bayocean a little better and understand the issues that surround her today and enjoy a little glimpse into the past as well.