through my eyes...

the world according to a globe-trotting, sight-seeing, day-tripping, frequent-flying damsel in de-stress

Saying farewell to Esalen...

USA | Saturday, 17 Oct 2009 | Views [60]

There are lots of reasons people do yoga. Some people practice it purely for spiritual reasons, while others for the mental, emotional, and physical benefits. Not being a particularly spiritual person, I do it for the mental and physical aspects of the ... Read more >

Tags: relaxation


Braving the storm...

USA | Thursday, 15 Oct 2009 | Views [53]

I mentioned an unseasonable October storm. It reminded me of the storms we get in Portland with powerful gale winds blowing rain in sideways—the kind of thing that renders umbrellas completely useless. During yoga classes yesterday, the wind was powerful ... Read more >

Tags: relaxation


On the notion of "optional"...

USA | Wednesday, 14 Oct 2009 | Views [62]

I think one of the jewels of Esalen is their magnificent mineral baths, which appear to be carved right into a cliff overlooking the rocky beach below. As you enter the modern stone baths, there are bathrooms, a large dressing area, showers with sliding ... Read more >

Tags: relaxation


Escaping to Esalen...

USA | Tuesday, 13 Oct 2009 | Views [66]

I normally don't feel the need to journal during 'staycations' (for me, a "staycation" is any vacation within the continental U.S.), but the moment I arrived at the Esalen Institute for a week-long yoga workshop, my mind immediately went into ... Read more >

Tags: relaxation


Bidding India namaste...

INDIA | Monday, 20 Apr 2009 | Views [149]

Today is my last day in India. After three weeks, I feel I've seen and done enough to fill twice that amount of time, yet I find myself no closer to answering the perplexing and inevitable question, "What is India like?". I cannot presume to ... Read more >

Tags: adventures, cultural observations


My last day at the center...

INDIA | Sunday, 19 Apr 2009 | Views [154]

After several days of volunteering in a cramped room in 100+ degree heat, we finally had a morning with a breeze, making the temperatures tolerable enough to take the boys to the park. As we walked through the busy Nizamuddin Railway Station, it pained ... Read more >

Tags: voluntourism, adventures


Hangin' with street kids....

INDIA | Friday, 17 Apr 2009 | Views [193]

Life in Delhi has been going smoothly. I've already fallen into a routine: I go to the center in the morning and work with the boys on their English, then we do physical education in the afternoon. After I leave the center, I take a tuk tuk to some Delhi ... Read more >

Tags: voluntourism, adventures


On Agra and volunteering...

INDIA | Monday, 13 Apr 2009 | Views [197]

After Jaipur, we headed to Agra. Agra, of course, is home to the spectacular Taj Mahal, which took an astounding 22,000 workers 12 years to build. It was built in 1631 by Shah Jahan (a Muslim ruler) as a memorial to his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who ... Read more >

Tags: adventures, voluntourism


On Bundi, Jaipur, and common threads...

INDIA | Friday, 10 Apr 2009 | Views [241]

We've left behind the city of Bundi and are preparing to leave Jaipur. Each city that I've been to has its own vibe. Bundi is a smaller city with a slightly sleepier feel and a picturesque palace (Bundi Palace) that looks as though it just emerged from ... Read more >

Tags: sightseeing, adventures, cultural observations


Food, wonderful food...

INDIA | Thursday, 9 Apr 2009 | Views [183]

Indian cuisine proves that there are hundreds of different uses for lentils, and most of them don't involve soup. I haven't tried all the options yet, but I am slowly making my way through them. I particularly like a well-made dal (a lentil puree), scooped ... Read more >

Tags: food & eating


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The blogger being a floor potato between trips

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