Be grateful to just BE.
"For continued good health in all ways important & continued good fortune, trusting & listening to your instincts
To guide you. May all good things prosper & grow even stronger for you in 2012..." -Mom
transcendental travelation...
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Resolutions and revelations
...and so we cross over into 2012. The prophetic changing of the cosmos. The end of the Mayan calendar and the culmination of the grand shift. The world is transforming with every breath of life, just as it always has. So then why do we wait until this significant day to make promises to ourselves? Let's instead embrace every day as an opportunity for greatness. With every morning, realize the potential of the day and the beauty of simply waking and breathing. Smile- your alive! Be the eternal optimist. Look at others with loving eyes and acceptance and find the strength to reflect that back to yourself.
Be grateful to just BE.
"For continued good health in all ways important & continued good fortune, trusting & listening to your instincts
To guide you. May all good things prosper & grow even stronger for you in 2012..." -Mom
Be grateful to just BE.
"For continued good health in all ways important & continued good fortune, trusting & listening to your instincts
To guide you. May all good things prosper & grow even stronger for you in 2012..." -Mom
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
“…I am a part of all that I have met;
Yet all experience is an arch wherethro’
Gleams that untravell’d world whose margin fades
For ever and forever when I move.
How dull it is to pause, to make an end,
To rust unburnish’d, not to shine in use!
As tho’ to breathe were life!…”
Ulysses by Lord Alfred Tennyson
Yet all experience is an arch wherethro’
Gleams that untravell’d world whose margin fades
For ever and forever when I move.
How dull it is to pause, to make an end,
To rust unburnish’d, not to shine in use!
As tho’ to breathe were life!…”
Ulysses by Lord Alfred Tennyson
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Travel lesson #2
Do not mess with Vietnam! After a beautiful holiday on Phu Quoc (which is part of Vietnam) we decided to fly to Ho Chi Minh - or Saigon as they still call it - in order to begin our climb north to Halong Bay. This city is CRAZY and much akin to Bangkok. I think it's the bees knees but Nate, well, he's a country boy at heart. He can't get outta here fast enough. The air quality though, is something we could both live without. It's just awful and we have taken to wearing face masks when strolling around.
So, the travel lesson here:
Do not think you can finagle your way into Vietnam! If you have an e-visa, follow the rules and fly in- don't cross at the "wrong" border crossing. Whoops!
Because we failed to do this and entered through another area, we have to basically backtrack quite far and go back to Cambodia only to reapply for a visa so we can come back. At this point we are not sure where our path will lead. We feel that maybe this is a blessing in disguise. Perhaps for whatever reason, this is not our time for Vietnam. To miss Halong Bay is slightly heartbreaking but it's a big world out there and we have many more travels within us...
“Don’t seek, don’t search, don’t ask, don’t knock, don’t demand – relax. If you relax, it comes. If you relax, it is there. If you relax, you start vibrating with it.” Osho
So, the travel lesson here:
Do not think you can finagle your way into Vietnam! If you have an e-visa, follow the rules and fly in- don't cross at the "wrong" border crossing. Whoops!
Because we failed to do this and entered through another area, we have to basically backtrack quite far and go back to Cambodia only to reapply for a visa so we can come back. At this point we are not sure where our path will lead. We feel that maybe this is a blessing in disguise. Perhaps for whatever reason, this is not our time for Vietnam. To miss Halong Bay is slightly heartbreaking but it's a big world out there and we have many more travels within us...
“Don’t seek, don’t search, don’t ask, don’t knock, don’t demand – relax. If you relax, it comes. If you relax, it is there. If you relax, you start vibrating with it.” Osho
Saturday, December 24, 2011
A very merry Vietnamese Christmas
As the guiding north star fell under the oceans horizon once again, the sun followed close behind and brings with it a little extra magic today. Merry Christmas beautiful people!
Being away from "home" on the holidays brings an overwhelming feeling of abundance and gratitude. We are deeply blessed to have so much love and support surrounding us, and more than words can do justice for, much to be thankful of with this passing year. I am astounded at all the love I feel generated from the other side of the world. I know that in our absence the holidays will go on. There will be very full bellies and very long naps. Music and merriment and LOTS of kind words. Let everyone around you know how grateful you are for them! Let that be your gift to us...
Nate and I will be spending the day on a very quiet beach in peaceful reflection and tonight we will, in vain, attempt to have a merry holiday feast!!
Have yourselves a merry little Christmas. WE LOVE YOU!
Being away from "home" on the holidays brings an overwhelming feeling of abundance and gratitude. We are deeply blessed to have so much love and support surrounding us, and more than words can do justice for, much to be thankful of with this passing year. I am astounded at all the love I feel generated from the other side of the world. I know that in our absence the holidays will go on. There will be very full bellies and very long naps. Music and merriment and LOTS of kind words. Let everyone around you know how grateful you are for them! Let that be your gift to us...
Nate and I will be spending the day on a very quiet beach in peaceful reflection and tonight we will, in vain, attempt to have a merry holiday feast!!
Have yourselves a merry little Christmas. WE LOVE YOU!
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Solstice
Silence. Finally. I wish this were the order of every morning. The only sounds that woke us today were the roosters crowing. Kep, Cambodia. So quiet... The first time since being in Cambodia that I hear birds singing. I can reach out over the veranda and pluck a mango right off it's home. I can smell the ocean. I can SEE the ocean. Vietnam is an outline on the horizon.
We are far away from home. Far away from the cycles of the seasons and the light that solstice brings. Everything is lush and abundant here. Crackling fires, snow falling and the warmth of family gatherings lives only in our hearts for the time being.
The rhythm of the holidays is off by a few beats for us. It takes a combined effort to even know what day it is...we are lost in the moments. We count nights in hotels and bus rides instead of nights until Christmas dawn breaks.
As the daylight now grows longer back home, stretching a little further each day, we too reach our limbs further. Today we begin the slow ascent north. Step by step into colder weather. Day by day a little closer to home, missing our families and the warmth they provide.
A most loving, humble and Happiest of Holidays to you all. Cherish the closeness of each other. Tell your most dear how grateful you are for them. Keep your arms open wide to receive the love and sunshine that we send to you from the other side of the world....
We love you!
We are far away from home. Far away from the cycles of the seasons and the light that solstice brings. Everything is lush and abundant here. Crackling fires, snow falling and the warmth of family gatherings lives only in our hearts for the time being.
The rhythm of the holidays is off by a few beats for us. It takes a combined effort to even know what day it is...we are lost in the moments. We count nights in hotels and bus rides instead of nights until Christmas dawn breaks.
As the daylight now grows longer back home, stretching a little further each day, we too reach our limbs further. Today we begin the slow ascent north. Step by step into colder weather. Day by day a little closer to home, missing our families and the warmth they provide.
A most loving, humble and Happiest of Holidays to you all. Cherish the closeness of each other. Tell your most dear how grateful you are for them. Keep your arms open wide to receive the love and sunshine that we send to you from the other side of the world....
We love you!
Sunday, December 18, 2011
General observations of Cambodia (as mostly seen from a bus window)
Lotus flowers grow like dandelions here
Wearing a matching pajama set is a perfectly acceptable if not, sought after form of "outerwear"
There are NO rules of the road
Water buffalo and cows are free to roam on the road, in the city or into the neighbors yard whenever they see fit
Rice is dried on tarps in the driveway or road so that cars and bikes can drive over it, providing an 'extra earthy flavor'
Rice farming is DAMN hard work and it's something the whole family does
Most houses are on stilts with the "family hammock room" underneath or in the exposed basement if you will
Children love to say goodbye as loud as they can to any passing traveller and simply go mad with giggles if you wave back
Tiger balm (the white kind) cures all ailments
Large bugs and whole fried birds are a popular bus rest area "treat"
Despite all of the loss and grief that the Khmer people have endured their united love, gracious hearts and warm smiles are astounding
Wearing a matching pajama set is a perfectly acceptable if not, sought after form of "outerwear"
There are NO rules of the road
Water buffalo and cows are free to roam on the road, in the city or into the neighbors yard whenever they see fit
Rice is dried on tarps in the driveway or road so that cars and bikes can drive over it, providing an 'extra earthy flavor'
Rice farming is DAMN hard work and it's something the whole family does
Most houses are on stilts with the "family hammock room" underneath or in the exposed basement if you will
Children love to say goodbye as loud as they can to any passing traveller and simply go mad with giggles if you wave back
Tiger balm (the white kind) cures all ailments
Large bugs and whole fried birds are a popular bus rest area "treat"
Despite all of the loss and grief that the Khmer people have endured their united love, gracious hearts and warm smiles are astounding
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Siem Reap, Cambodia
Clickity clack. About 6 hours after leaving Bangkok, we slowly rolled into Aranyaprathet train station in Thailand. I love train travel. It feels so nostalgic watching the country go by out of a dirty train window. If it were up to me, locomotion would be my sole way of travel. Im certain Nate does not agree but
choo choo me!
Regardeless, after disembarking we hopped a tuk-tuk to Poipet, the border crossing town, and were promptly dropped off at a fake visa office. Again, thank you lonely planet! We had read that often times, fake visa offices are set up near the border. They will charge you for a visa and all the paperwork and only when you get to the actual crossing do you realize you've been hosed. Your instincts are sometimes your only resource when traveling and thankfully ours were working that day. Men in plain clothes, claiming to be police and housed in a shady lil office do not = border patrol! All of that aside, we really love Cambodia. We have been in Siem Reap for a few days and next we will travel by bus to Battambang. Yesterday, along with our adorable tuk-tuk driver Mister B., we visited the temples at Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom. WOW! Mystical, magical monstrousity of wonder! They were incredibly beautiful and much more expansive than I had thought. Many Cambodians actually live amongst the temple grounds. There only means of income seem to be selling food or souvenirs, which they hawk RELENTLESSLY. Strategiclly placed, their most adorable or forlorn children are at the gates. It nearly impossible to just walk by or say no. Im not sure how much they actually sell by these means but its quite the ''window dressing"!
Each night that we've been here, eating dinner at various little places, we have been fortunate enough to run into Jingh (pronounced Gin) or perhaps I should say, he has been finding us. The first night, as we were eating at a tiny little family restaurant behind the night market, the most adorable little smile peeked out from behind some flyers. Jingh, along with 23 other children, lives at 'The New Life Center Organization'. Each night, he and his fellow orphans bike into town (2.5 miles)and hand out flyers canvasing support for their orphanage. After passing by us a handful of times the first night, waving and smiling, never taking his eyes off of us, we felt compelled to pay him a visit. Yesterday we hired a tuk-tuk to take us to the Orphanage. Down a dusty and very badly kept road, was the true source of sunshine! Our timing couldn't have been more perfect. The children were outside practing "the coconut dance", a traditional Khmer dance. While we were quite the interruption at first, they were very eager to show off their skills. Jingh, with the biggest smile of all, seem really surprised that we fulfilled our promise and came to see him. Im sure he gets the run around from tourists fairly often. The orphanage itself is not much to speak of. A simple thatched hut encompasses the administrative area and school room, then at night, the boys bedroom. A smaller hut houses the kitchen and a newer slightly larger building is where the girls and the director and his wife (who are Cambodian) sleep. This is a very humble operation. In a land where its nearly impossible to take care of yourself sometimes, let alone 24 hungry little mouths, these people are the true image of love and selflessness. When the directors wife, who is the main cookis away, the handicapped neighbor helps to feed the children. There is a sense of love and community here that is unparalleled with anything is the US. While they have a small garden on the property, it seems to take care of only a very small portion of their needs. If anyone is interested in learning more about the center or would like to make a monetary donation, the website is www.slec-Cambodia.webs.com. At the present moment they do not have a proper means of receiving donations but this is something that we agreed to help them with. This will most likely be by paypal. In the holiday spirit, if nothing else, just send love and blessings to these children who so deserve it.
Each night that we've been here, eating dinner at various little places, we have been fortunate enough to run into Jingh (pronounced Gin) or perhaps I should say, he has been finding us. The first night, as we were eating at a tiny little family restaurant behind the night market, the most adorable little smile peeked out from behind some flyers. Jingh, along with 23 other children, lives at 'The New Life Center Organization'. Each night, he and his fellow orphans bike into town (2.5 miles)and hand out flyers canvasing support for their orphanage. After passing by us a handful of times the first night, waving and smiling, never taking his eyes off of us, we felt compelled to pay him a visit. Yesterday we hired a tuk-tuk to take us to the Orphanage. Down a dusty and very badly kept road, was the true source of sunshine! Our timing couldn't have been more perfect. The children were outside practing "the coconut dance", a traditional Khmer dance. While we were quite the interruption at first, they were very eager to show off their skills. Jingh, with the biggest smile of all, seem really surprised that we fulfilled our promise and came to see him. Im sure he gets the run around from tourists fairly often. The orphanage itself is not much to speak of. A simple thatched hut encompasses the administrative area and school room, then at night, the boys bedroom. A smaller hut houses the kitchen and a newer slightly larger building is where the girls and the director and his wife (who are Cambodian) sleep. This is a very humble operation. In a land where its nearly impossible to take care of yourself sometimes, let alone 24 hungry little mouths, these people are the true image of love and selflessness. When the directors wife, who is the main cookis away, the handicapped neighbor helps to feed the children. There is a sense of love and community here that is unparalleled with anything is the US. While they have a small garden on the property, it seems to take care of only a very small portion of their needs. If anyone is interested in learning more about the center or would like to make a monetary donation, the website is www.slec-Cambodia.webs.com. At the present moment they do not have a proper means of receiving donations but this is something that we agreed to help them with. This will most likely be by paypal. In the holiday spirit, if nothing else, just send love and blessings to these children who so deserve it.
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