Oh, meditation. It’s a fickle beast, gently lifting you up into the air one moment and then quietly slipping out of grasp the next, like grains of sand falling through your fingers. I never really tried meditation before arriving at the Sadhana Yoga and Meditation Center in the hills overlooking Pokhara, Nepal, for a 10…
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Learning About the Hindu Religion
In the novel “Shantaram” the main character Lin explains that at times in India you have to learn to surrender. Surrender to the country itself, surrender to people and the place, just give in and go along with the flow. “Sometimes you have to surrender…before you win. Surrender is at the heart of the Indian…
Just Havin Some Fun at Angkor Wat
The glorious, sweeping complex of temples at Angkor Wat in Cambodia was definitely a big highlight of the trip for me so far. You can easily spend hours wandering through the crumbling doorways, misty corridors, and sun-mottled courtyards of the many gorgeous temples — or you could spend them hiding in random dark corners and…
The Art of Getting Lost | Wandering Around Angkor Wat
Getting lost can be one of the most time-consuming and frustrating parts of travel. It can also be one of the most exciting, and occasionally it can lead you to discover something you never expected to find. It’s a fine art, to be able to get lost and make it into something meaningful. Some of…
A Permanent Blessing: Getting Sacred Tattoos at Wat Bang Phra
We sat cross-legged on the floor in a dim room with around 25 others patiently waiting for a turn before the monk. The monk looked fairly young and he didn’t speak a word to anyone. He barely looked up from his work, only occasionally glancing around at his quitely humming audience or up towards the…
Falling in Love With Gili Air
I never believed in love at first sight until it happened to me. Last month, I fell in love hard. With a place called Gili Air. The island of Gili Air off the coast of Lombok in Indonesia is one of the most beautiful places we’ve visited so far, and easily one of my favorites. I…
Adventures in Kerala
Before we move too much further in our travels, I’d like to reflect a bit more back on India. Specifically, on the very interesting time we had in Kerala. Expedia somehow mixed up the booking for our hotel at the Munnar hill station, which is a busy little mountain town a 5-hour drive from the…
The (Unapologetic) Island Life
So we will be the first ones to admit: we have done a terrible job keeping up with the blog. Though, it’s for what I see as a very good reason: For the past few weeks we were living the island life. There are two main factors that make island life and productivity improper bedfellows:…
Lessons Learned in the Mountains
As my stay in India nears to an end, I figured this would be a good time to write my first blog entry to reflect on my experience in the Himalayas. 40 days spent with 17 other folks (two other females) in, to say the least, challenging conditions. Besides the instructors, I was the oldest…
When in Bombay
Hey for real! I’ve now been in India for 2 1/2 weeks and we’ve done a lot in that time. We’ve made our way from Mumbai to Goa to Kerala and now Bangalore. Jamie and I have not been doing a good job keeping up with the blog so far and we know this! We…
Thanks Wyclef
Thank you Wyclef Jean, for creating this aptly-titled song. Here’s a remix of ‘Gone till November’ with R. Kelly and some dude named Canibus, which I just discovered. You’re welcome. 1997 y’all. – Michelle
New York Wishes
As I’m mentally preparing myself to leave New York for a much more exotic and less familiar locale, I’ve been trying my best to soak in everything I love about the city. While no place I’ve visited feels like home quite like this big, smelly city does, I don’t think I’ll miss it too terribly….
Nine days and counting
My departure date is now in the Ten-Day Forecast. May 25. A one-way ticket to the other side of the planet. Jamie has returned to civilization after 40 days trekking in the Himalayas. We have heard from her and she is doing well. She is currently preparing to be in an Indian wedding in Mumbai….
THE WORLD AND BACK: Adventures in Southeast Asia and Beyond 