1. 18 Aug



    View the Subcontinent Archive

     

  2. 1 Aug



    So I realized this…

    You can be in one of three places:

    • In the past (remembering)
    • In the future (planning)

      or

    • In the present moment (where happiness is)

    “Life moves pretty fast, if you don’t stop and look around once in a while you could miss it.”
         -Ferris Bueller

     

  3. 31 Jul


    The United State of America = Culture Shock! Please drive on the right side of the road.

    The United State of America = Culture Shock!

    Please drive on the right side of the road.

     

  4. 30 Jul


    A Note on Footwear: The Croc Probably the best pre-trip thing I bought was a pair of Crocs. I know they are ugly and not stylish and will probably still be on Earth long after the last human, but they are a must for India and Southeast Asia travel. Here’s why… They are cheap. $20-$30 for the basic ones. No one will steal them, but even if they did, you wouldn’t be out much. I’m sure new $100+ dollar Keens or Merrells are great until India gets a hold of them, literally. They are ugly. Once again, no one will steal them. You’ll be taking your shoes off and leaving them outside of stores, temples, houses, schools and even some museums. They are also easy to spot in a pile of flip flops! You’ll use them everyday. They are close toed. So you will protect your feet from all the Paan spit, excrement (human and animal), rubble, broken glass, live electrical wires, biting animals, mud, flood water, urine, dust, and beggars who like to touch the feet of westerners when asking for money. Do you want a leper touching your toes (even though it’s not contagious and it is treatable)? Closed toe is the way to go. They are cool (temperature wise I mean). They breath and are light weight. They are made of rubber and therefor can be hosed off at night to get rid of everything you stepped in during the day. Also the electrical wire thing. They float. Which is very useful during the monsoon. They have a heal strap for when you are climbing or riding a bike. They are comfortable. This is the excuse most westerners will give for wearing them and it is true. They can, if the need is strong enough, be worn with socks. They will help you make new friends. I can’t tell you how many times I bonded with my fellow Croc wearers and discussed the great value and usefulness of Croc. So if you are headed to the Subcontinent just go ahead and buy them: Crocs. *My Crocs shown above still etched with the “poo-dust” of India, even after being blasted with a power sprayer car wash attachment. India is hard on shoes.

    A Note on Footwear: The Croc

    Probably the best pre-trip thing I bought was a pair of Crocs. I know they are ugly and not stylish and will probably still be on Earth long after the last human, but they are a must for India and Southeast Asia travel. Here’s why…

    • They are cheap. $20-$30 for the basic ones. No one will steal them, but even if they did, you wouldn’t be out much. I’m sure new $100+ dollar Keens or Merrells are great until India gets a hold of them, literally.
    • They are ugly. Once again, no one will steal them. You’ll be taking your shoes off and leaving them outside of stores, temples, houses, schools and even some museums. They are also easy to spot in a pile of flip flops!
    • You’ll use them everyday.
    • They are close toed. So you will protect your feet from all the Paan spit, excrement (human and animal), rubble, broken glass, live electrical wires, biting animals, mud, flood water, urine, dust, and beggars who like to touch the feet of westerners when asking for money. Do you want a leper touching your toes (even though it’s not contagious and it is treatable)? Closed toe is the way to go.
    • They are cool (temperature wise I mean). They breath and are light weight.
    • They are made of rubber and therefor can be hosed off at night to get rid of everything you stepped in during the day. Also the electrical wire thing.
    • They float. Which is very useful during the monsoon.
    • They have a heal strap for when you are climbing or riding a bike.
    • They are comfortable. This is the excuse most westerners will give for wearing them and it is true.
    • They can, if the need is strong enough, be worn with socks.
    • They will help you make new friends. I can’t tell you how many times I bonded with my fellow Croc wearers and discussed the great value and usefulness of Croc.

    So if you are headed to the Subcontinent just go ahead and buy them: Crocs.

    *My Crocs shown above still etched with the “poo-dust” of India, even after being blasted with a power sprayer car wash attachment. India is hard on shoes.

     

  5. 30 Jul


    Just a few more for the memories and the outfits!

     

  6. 30 Jul


    The entire trip would not have been possible without the Lady that makes things happen. She’s as ambitious and adventurous as ever wearing as many hats as she can.

    Click on the pics for slideshow view…

     

  7. 28 Jul


    Everywhere you go you can get a coke.

    The often flat glass bottle ones in India are great for settling an upset stomach. They use cane sugar as sweetener over seas and they taste like the cokes I grew up on. You don’t have to worry about nasty HFCS. Not looking forward to the land of the corn subsidized corn cokes, but at least I’ll be living in TX where I can get glass bottle Mexican cokes!

     

  8. 27 Jul


    One more run through London. I love London, if I could live anywhere, I’d live in London. 

    Thank you so much to our London friends who shared with us their mind blowing 1st world pleasures… Hot showers, safe to drink water, amazing food, soft fluffy towels and clean white sheets, flower scented soaps and shampoos with aromas you only dream about when traveling. 

    I stood in the spotlessly clean glass doored steaming hot shower and let the water blast right into my mouth. I’d been dreaming of doing that for nearly a year.

    If you live in the west, trust me when I say you have it so good. 

     

  9. 27 Jul


    I came across this note in my bag, it was left in my shoe at the meditation retreat at Suan Mokkh in Thailand. Thanks Chica!

    I came across this note in my bag, it was left in my shoe at the meditation retreat at Suan Mokkh in Thailand.

    Thanks Chica!


     

  10. 22 Jul


    The Himalayas jet above the clouds while flying away. Goodbye Nepal… Goodbye Himalayas… Goodbye Southeast Asia… Goodbye Subcontinent…

    The Himalayas jet above the clouds while flying away.

    Goodbye Nepal… Goodbye Himalayas… Goodbye Southeast Asia…

    Goodbye Subcontinent…

     

  11. 22 Jul


    In the evenings the people of the town walk around the stupa together. 

    Om Mani Peme Hum

     

  12. 22 Jul


    Some people do prostrations around the stupa.

     

  13. 21 Jul


    Boudha The last place we stayed in Nepal. 

    Boudha

    The last place we stayed in Nepal. 

     

  14. 20 Jul


    Even the little stone garden gnomes are enlightened here!

    Even the little stone garden gnomes are enlightened here!

     

  15. 19 Jul


    At the Kopan Monastery.

    We all were lucky enough to have the perfect human re-birth.

    For the local Tibetan Buddhists this is a way of thinking that reminds you how lucky you are and how wonderful it is that you were born human. Not only human but healthy and with an ability to learn and grow and do and become almost anything. They also focus on the fact that you were born in a place with religious freedom and the privilege and the time to pursue it. They believe that we are re-born again and again in different forms and that only from a human form can you reach enlightenment. If you are reading this chances are you are human and lucky enough to be born into the universe this way. You can read and use a computer and if you can do that you definitely fall under the perfect human re-birth category, so you should probably go for it.