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Travel is Freedom! "Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts." - Mark Twain

4,000 Islands-- Dragged by another Canoe

LAOS | Sunday, 29 Jul 2007 | Views [598]

After a dissapointing 2-day trip into the Bolaven Plateau, I headed to the 4,000 islands (in the Mekong River) in the south of Laos with Becky (Brit) and Jenna (American).  The place was stunning and I really enjoyed my time there.  I've been waking ... Read more >

Tags: The Great Outdoors


Meditation After-Effects

LAOS | Wednesday, 25 Jul 2007 | Views [635]

So I've been trying to meditate every day, but it's really only happening every OTHER day for about 40 minutes....not bad.  I've definitely noticed changes in myself since the retreat finished.  I'm definitely not as forgetful and scatter-brained as usual ... Read more >

Tags: Relaxation


Vientiene to Pakse

LAOS | Tuesday, 24 Jul 2007 | Views [566]

I had a very good day in Vientiene yesterday, way better than expected, actually! Bought some stuff at the morning market, then I went to a temple with a "spa" of sorts on the grounds...I know, weird.  But it was an herbal sauna (very naturally ... Read more >

Tags: On the Road


Vang Vieng, Laos

LAOS | Sunday, 22 Jul 2007 | Views [438]

Vang Vieng was amazing, I'm so glad I went there.  There are these huge limestone mountains with the river running through and layers and layers of green rice paddies.....I rented a tuk-tuk and had the driver take me out to where people were transplanting ... Read more >

Tags: On the Road


Wash the Elephant

LAOS | Thursday, 19 Jul 2007 | Views [519]

Out of the town of Luang Prabang, I spent two days on a nice trip....first mountain biking for 2 hours out to an elephant camp where we rode an elephant for an hour...I'd done it before so it wasn't that great, but the lodge was nice and I stayed out ... Read more >

Tags: Adventures


2 Days in Luang Prabang

LAOS | Tuesday, 17 Jul 2007 | Views [456]

I've had a great time here in Luang Prabang, norhern Laos on the banks of the Mekong River.  It's an old French-colonial city that is a Unesco World Heritage Site, so it gets a lot of money for upkeep and restoration, and it's simply beautiful.  It's ... Read more >

Tags: Culture


10 Days of Buddhist Meditation

THAILAND | Wednesday, 11 Jul 2007 | Views [1271]

OVERVIEW, WRITTEN AFTER THE LAST DAY: I'm exhausted, and tomorrow morning I'm going right back to Wat Po here in Bangkok for another massage.  I woke up every day for 11 days straight at 4 AM, (Dad would be proud) and we were in silence for 10 days ... Read more >

Tags: Culture


(A Forgotten Entry) - A Week in Leh

INDIA | Tuesday, 1 Aug 2006 | Views [544]

July 25, 2006 After 4 days of essentially doing nothing except hanging out with Ori, Shir, Guy (Israelis) and Heike (German woman) in the Germany Bakery's rooftop cafe lounge area, playing "Shithead," (a new and decent card game I learned ... Read more >

Tags: On the Road


(A forgotten entry) - Searching for Caves in Manali

INDIA | Tuesday, 1 Aug 2006 | Views [501]

July 17, 2006 This morning I woke up, went outside to the patio of the New Dharma Hotel, and sat down, staring at the snow-tipped mountains in the distance and the deep valley and river below.  The mountains here look different each morning and evening.... Read more >

Tags: Friends


Varanasi - Deeper Understanding

INDIA | Monday, 31 Jul 2006 | Views [483]

July 31, 2006 I realized since writing my journal about Varanasi....the people here are so poor and have had so much suffering over the centuries...if they didn't believe in something-- be it the holy Ganges river, karma, reincarnation or whatever--... Read more >

Tags: Culture


Cross-cultural Comprehension Capacity Reaches Limit in Varanasi

INDIA | Saturday, 29 Jul 2006 | Views [887]

July 26, 2006 My environment changed dramatically today.  I came from Leh, the laid-back northern town where very few people hassled or hustled me, where the pace was slow, the weather was hot but dry in the daytime and very chilly at night.  Now I'm ... Read more >

Tags: Culture


Days in McLeod Ganj

INDIA | Saturday, 22 Jul 2006 | Views [972]

July 16, 2006 I spent 4 days here, and met several people.  One day, I was sitting in a small Tibetan cafe, and many older Ladakhi women came in and sat down at my table and the table next to mine.  None of them spoke any English, but as they stared ... Read more >

Tags: I should have known better!


(Not) Sleeping at 13,900 Feet

INDIA | Wednesday, 19 Jul 2006 | Views [700]

I was groggy as I sat waiting at 6 a.m., together with a couple of Israeli guys who were also taking an 8-person Jeep from Vashisht to Leh, a trip that takes two full days.   It is a trip that traverses the 2 nd highest motorable road in the world, ... Read more >

Tags: On the Road


The Plight of Tibet, and My Time in Dharamsala

INDIA | Friday, 14 Jul 2006 | Views [650]

July 14, 2006 Upon arriving in Dharamsala, I was struck by the number of Tibetan monks, cloaked in their maroon-colored robes.  Given that Dharamsala is the home of the Tibetan Dalai Lama in exile, as well as its government, it is understandable.  The ... Read more >

Tags: culture


Road trip to Dharamsala

INDIA | Tuesday, 11 Jul 2006 | Views [480]

July 11, 2006 Raul, Victor and I found a driver to take us to Dharamsala for 200 rupees apiece, which is US $5.  Considering the trip took about 9 hours, we thought this was a damn good deal.  The three of us sat in the backseat of the Jeep, holding ... Read more >

Tags: planes trains & automobiles


Monkeys in Shimla

INDIA | Monday, 10 Jul 2006 | Views [561]

July 10, 2006 Today Jemma and I walked to the Jammu Temple (otherwise known as Monkey Temple) on the hill, a steep climb from the small town of Shimla.  Along the way we saw puppies and monkeys....2 monkeys were sitting in a tree, one behind the other.... Read more >

Tags: Sightseeing


True Poverty (on the trip to Shimla)

INDIA | Monday, 10 Jul 2006 | Views [707]

July 10, 2006 Yesterday I took a two trains from Delhi to Shimla, which is due north of Delhi about 150 miles.  The trip took 12 hours...after about 3, my butt-bone was in so much pain that I realized I had a pillow in my bag.  After putting that under ... Read more >

Tags: People


My Days in Delhi

INDIA | Saturday, 8 Jul 2006 | Views [411]

July 8, 2006 Today I saw a lot of things....I saw boys making Indian nan bread in large round ovens, sweating over them in the street, forking out round breads as quickly as I type a sentence. Cows munch hay next to people selling small items in the ... Read more >

Tags: Sightseeing


Gallery: Spain

SPAIN | Saturday, 8 Jul 2006 | Photo Gallery

During the last days....
See all 5 photos >>
 


The HEAT in Delhi

INDIA | Friday, 7 Jul 2006 | Views [442]

July 7, 2006 I just checked the temperature online, and it's 97 degrees at 11:15 p.m.!! I don't know how to explain it, but the heat is simply OPPRESSIVE. Unless I'm in the shower, I'm constantly sweating. As soon as the shower finishes, my face ... Read more >

Tags: On the Road


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