In touch with the world

VIDA: Passports affirming visits to over 40 countries have helped Tiff and Scott Haugen record some memorable moments. Both spent years as teachers in Alaska and Indonesia - before settling down where they grew up - in Walterville. Both have shared their experiences in books and videos since then, developing full-time careers in the outdoor industry.

Last Saturday, Scott detailed some of the action behind the scenes of those stories during a slide show at the Vida McKenzie Community Center. Although he retired from public speaking six years ago, he agreed to the one-time deal to help raise money for rebuilding costs of the center following its total loss in the devastating wildfires four years ago.

Those who were there can affirm it was well worth attending as they heard firsthand about holdups at gunpoint to facing man-eating predators, or getting lost in a storm in -104º temperatures, to surviving downed planes and sunken boats.

Although Scott’s reminiscence about encountering cartel-linked car thieves was the most gripping, stories hunting man-eating lions and polar bears weren’t far behind. Particularly when learning the best bait for attracting a lion back to the scene is to use part of its last kill - even when a villager was the victim.