Somewhere Out There

I had a wonderful time in Bangkok meeting up with my friend Sophia. We saw some Wats, the Golden Mount, and some other Bangkok highlights as well. There was the weekend market, a day trip to Ayuthaya, and alot of delicious food. All in all, just seeing a good friend and sharing experiences with her was a highlight. Traveling alone has its perks, but it's not the only way to travel, and it was nice to change things up again. Also, I feel like I rang in the New Year just right - listening to live music, having a drink, but most importantly, enjoying where I was in the moment. I can get too caught up in the future or plans or what is and isn't, and it's so important to shut all of that down sometimes, and just soak up the seconds that are ticking away - quite literally on NYE. 2011 has started off well, and now that I'm in Jordan, everything seems to be moving forward at a quick speed. I'm currently in Wadi Musa, the town next to Petra. I'm volunteering with a couple who sets up tourist trips and is just resettling their base here. So far I've done so organizing, cleaning and been a bit of a dogsbody. Brenda and Rami, as well as Rami's family, have made me feel very much at home. We've been drinking endless cups of sweet tea, and I'm getting used to all the wonderful differences and Jordanian customs. Between eating, greetings, and, well, right now it all feels unique. They took me out to the desert for a sunset when I first arrived, and it was stunning. The desert here is magestic, full of hills and rocks, crevices and colors. I'll visit Petra in the next week, and I'm sure it will blow me away. The town of Wadi Musa is built into the hills of the area, and the blue winter sky has been shining down on us every day. I didn't expect the winter nights to be quite this cold, but thankfully, Brenda and Rami have plenty of blankets. I'm also enjoying their library, currently "The Valkyries" by Paulo Coelho. I loved "The Alchemist" and Valkyries is turning out to be of the same caliber - a search for Angels. My New Years resolution was to lighten up, and the subject matter isn't too helpful, but the laid back and welcoming Jordanian atmosphere are perfectly in tune with taking each day as it comes.