Dear friends,
After 16 months on the road, living out of suitcases and backpacks we have finally arrived home. And how wonderful it is to wake up with the birds and fall asleep with the rumble of the Pacific Ocean in our own bed.

Parissa and I have steered through the rapids of many a mountain river, at times holding tight in the eye of a cyclone. So busy, fast, challenging, emotional and creative, rafting amongst a constantly changing current of great people of all ages and eccentricities, negotiating beds, kitchens, bathrooms and diets, nurturing viruses and backaches, loading and offloading cars daily and driving kilometres, yards and miles (we've gone through 3 GPS's – 1. Robbed in Melbourne and car window smashed 2. Broken down in Germany 3. Only speaks to us in German, yards and miles!?!).

The wheel of samsara spun us round in 5th gear. We performed in a castle, cultural centres, festivals, in Anglican and Lutheran churches, wine cellars, folk clubs, night clubs, restaurants, bars, halls, tents, and in people's homes. We searched in hotel bedrooms, toilets, deep in the forest or at the back of a garage for a solitary opportunity for a quick vocal and guitar practice or to work on a new song. There were interviews and TV crews; constant internet and mobile phone hassles while moving between countries and continents; regular emotional goodbyes, sweet welcomes and farewell dinners, joyous celebrations - those special heart chakra moments with family in Belgium and special friends everywhere. Deepening heart connections. Somehow we managed to record another CD for Stockfisch Records in Germany, to master my solo CD in Amsterdam and for Parissa to record some songs in Wageningen (Holland). Now and then I felt that perhaps, we had taken too much hay on our fork, but somehow my darling companion and I did it all. Amazing how one dreams up splendid castles and then moves into them.

There are countless people to thank. Generous friends who gave us shelter: Denise, Christina, Katja, Werner and Gudrun, Leon, Hans-Otto and Karen, Mauricio and Nataniel, Claudinha and Carlos, Anita, Margaret and Celso, Bruce and Mabelle, Joan and John, Joris, Nicolette, Frances, David and Ann, Michiel, Diana and Fabian, Laurel, Len and Oliver, Gaby, Vitoria and Gilles, Sally and Stewart, Margaret and Allan, Yvonne and Kath, Andy and Polly.

Then there were countless friends who supported us in so many ways making our touring a success: Leigh and Steve who cared for our belongings during our long absence, Etienne and Tony who made a success of our only concert in Belgium, Mauricio da Silva who was responsible for all our Brazilian shows and TV performances, beside lending us his own bed and studio, our German agent Christina, our lovely Stockfisch recording team, my brother Luc for his constant support, Lars and Stan for the sweet song they composed for us and the many others who came to our shows and made the challenges of constant touring so rewarding. My apologies if I forgot someone. One of the greatest joys of this tour has been the opportunity to spend time with all you lovely folk.

I wish you all a very happy 2012.
Carl

Carl’s new solo CD, titled THE HOUSE IS EMPTY will be released during the first half of 2012. It was recorded in Australia and Holland and mastered in Amsterdam and will be a departure from Carl’s latest CDs ‘Out of Australia’ and ‘All alone’.

Carl's book 'Tarab - Travels with my guitar' has been well received. It is available in all good bookshops in Australia and New Zealand or on line through Transit Lounge Publishing or Boomerang Books

'Tarab - Travels with my guitar' will go digital in May 2012

Read Carl's road stories

Read an interview with ABC Radio National, Late Night Live host, Phillip Adams here

Watch videos and listen to further sounds
www.myspace.com/carlcleves

www.myspace.com/thehottentots
www.sonicbids.com/carlclevesandparissabouas
www.parissabouas.com