Monday, November 30, 2009
Movement.
Coming to you straight from Rishikesh, India.
It's lovely out here, not the soggy heat of the south nor the blistering cold of beijing. Quite pleasant, indeed.
I want to give you all exciting descriptions and breath taking views, but i'm a bit at a loss for proper incentive to sit in here on the computer when i could be out there, in the cool night air under the almost ripe moon sitting on the banks of the ganges and breathing the air sweeping down from the himalayas.
you know, you can't really fault me for that.
to give you a short hand account would be cruel, because there are so many beautiful people, experiences, places, and events for me to gloss over them in a summation post. Suffice to say, it's quite vibrant. It's as though you took everyone in town who hangs around in fisherman pants and likes to juggle, introduced them to your yogi friends, and made them open a vegetarian restaurant. Only, make that idea into an entire city. And then place it on the holiest river in hinduism. Then add some monkeys. No, add lots of monkeys.
And make every night a jam under the stars, on the rooftop of the family that took you in.
Repeat.
It's lovely out here, not the soggy heat of the south nor the blistering cold of beijing. Quite pleasant, indeed.
I want to give you all exciting descriptions and breath taking views, but i'm a bit at a loss for proper incentive to sit in here on the computer when i could be out there, in the cool night air under the almost ripe moon sitting on the banks of the ganges and breathing the air sweeping down from the himalayas.
you know, you can't really fault me for that.
to give you a short hand account would be cruel, because there are so many beautiful people, experiences, places, and events for me to gloss over them in a summation post. Suffice to say, it's quite vibrant. It's as though you took everyone in town who hangs around in fisherman pants and likes to juggle, introduced them to your yogi friends, and made them open a vegetarian restaurant. Only, make that idea into an entire city. And then place it on the holiest river in hinduism. Then add some monkeys. No, add lots of monkeys.
And make every night a jam under the stars, on the rooftop of the family that took you in.
Repeat.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
My, it's hot.
Come one, come all to the magical mystery tour.
So far I've been in Trichy for about 3 days, and a packed three days theyve been. People, sights, smells, sounds, everything. I'm sitting now in one of the city's few internet cafes, a tepid room filled with about 20 old desktops and a rather surly propreitor. Because the keyboard im using makes me irritable (its not condusive to typing very quickly!) I'm going to be brief with this one, and promise more later.
During the time I've been here I've been camped out at The Modern Hindu Hotel (pictures when i can) a modest but clean establishment frequented by those indians working in abu dabi, malaysia, indonesia, etc, who need to come back to india to get visa renewals. it's the cheapest place i could find, and theres a certain threadbare honesty that i like. It might be a bit tough, but i also feel safe- as long as i don't show any weakness. You know, like prison. Ha.
The room is maybe 8 ft by 8 ft, with an attached bathroom- the kind that has a raised squat toilet (yay! just like beijing: ah, homesick already) and a spigot jutting out of the wall at a height of about 4 feet- just tall enough for me to fully squat under to wet my body before soaping. No hot water, not electricity between 11am and 5pm, and no cleaning service (or towels, or blankets, or toilet paper...) but i'm very comfortable anyway. Everything i really need it has; clealiness, running water, a place to sleep off the ground, and a lock on the door. So really, I'm golden :)
What else to say? Tonight I'm on a night bus to chennai, and tomorrow evening im off to Delhi- from there to our real goal of rishikesh, where on Dec 3rd I'll be starting a yoga intensive with Kamal of Tattvaa Yoga. Let the growth begin!
when I'm settled i'll post next, and lengthier, and in more detail, and hopefully with pictures.
much love from your cuz
Jess
So far I've been in Trichy for about 3 days, and a packed three days theyve been. People, sights, smells, sounds, everything. I'm sitting now in one of the city's few internet cafes, a tepid room filled with about 20 old desktops and a rather surly propreitor. Because the keyboard im using makes me irritable (its not condusive to typing very quickly!) I'm going to be brief with this one, and promise more later.
During the time I've been here I've been camped out at The Modern Hindu Hotel (pictures when i can) a modest but clean establishment frequented by those indians working in abu dabi, malaysia, indonesia, etc, who need to come back to india to get visa renewals. it's the cheapest place i could find, and theres a certain threadbare honesty that i like. It might be a bit tough, but i also feel safe- as long as i don't show any weakness. You know, like prison. Ha.
The room is maybe 8 ft by 8 ft, with an attached bathroom- the kind that has a raised squat toilet (yay! just like beijing: ah, homesick already) and a spigot jutting out of the wall at a height of about 4 feet- just tall enough for me to fully squat under to wet my body before soaping. No hot water, not electricity between 11am and 5pm, and no cleaning service (or towels, or blankets, or toilet paper...) but i'm very comfortable anyway. Everything i really need it has; clealiness, running water, a place to sleep off the ground, and a lock on the door. So really, I'm golden :)
What else to say? Tonight I'm on a night bus to chennai, and tomorrow evening im off to Delhi- from there to our real goal of rishikesh, where on Dec 3rd I'll be starting a yoga intensive with Kamal of Tattvaa Yoga. Let the growth begin!
when I'm settled i'll post next, and lengthier, and in more detail, and hopefully with pictures.
much love from your cuz
Jess
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Good Morning Kuala Lumpur
I have had the craziest day.
[I should maybe preface this by saying that we are now entering CRAZY ADVENTURE SEASON 2.0!!!]
Today has been the first stretch of the newest leg of my adventures, which will be mostly comprised of India, India, and more India. I've gotten a cheap flight on AirAsia (which, if youre doing anything in our around SE asia, is the cheapest way to go) and i'll be in the country of boundless faith until early febuary. I've got a short stop in Kuala Lumpur (ie, where I'm writing to you from right now) and then the journey really begins.
Thats right. Me, a country I don't know, languages I don't speak, no guidebook, no internet, lots of mistakes, confusion, laughter, and revelation. It'll be good.
Let's start with today. Today was insane.
i ended up on a plane next to this guy -- http://www.100goals100weeks.com/ -- who was really, really cool (not to mention drop dead handsome and charming) we chatted for about 4 hours straight. he was awesome, renewed my faith in the ability of others to be totally awesome and helpful, and showed me that super cool people that do cool things with their life really do exist- and they dont have corporate backers or wads of cash. they do it on their own, on their own terms, and make it work. and have sick amounts of fun doing it. i like that.
got to KL, got lost, went to use the internet, ran into a family of 7th day adventist vegan health nuts who chatted with me for about...an hour and a half straight, then offered to drive me to the place i needed to go. They were really cool too. Did you know that 7th day adventists are all about health and helping people, and arent insane crazy religions freaks? i personally didnt know anything about them or their faith, but this family was open, intelligent, and very generous. very good ambassadors.
got to my couchsurfing place, met up with Vern [the guy im staying with] and went for what in malaysia passes as a snack- massive banana leaf--BANANA LEAF-- plate onto which a heaping helping of rice is dropped, and promptly surrounded by two curries and a cucumber cooling dish, all washed down with a 'digestive' drink made of onions, peppers, cardamom leaves, and something that burrrrrns all the way down.
why didnt i come here before?
really, a day of spectacular conversation. Ian told me about running with bulls, partying with elephants, and how to make 500o$ for two weeks work driving mining trucks off the coast of australia. The Johns' taught me about 7th day adventism, the kindness inherent in human nature, and the monkeys that terrorize their dogs/ the pythons/cobras invading their life (weekly). And vern told me that malaysian is just like mandarin, but without the tones- as in, no tenses, no conjugation, and very very easy to pick up.
love you all. talk with you soon.
jess
[I should maybe preface this by saying that we are now entering CRAZY ADVENTURE SEASON 2.0!!!]
Today has been the first stretch of the newest leg of my adventures, which will be mostly comprised of India, India, and more India. I've gotten a cheap flight on AirAsia (which, if youre doing anything in our around SE asia, is the cheapest way to go) and i'll be in the country of boundless faith until early febuary. I've got a short stop in Kuala Lumpur (ie, where I'm writing to you from right now) and then the journey really begins.
Thats right. Me, a country I don't know, languages I don't speak, no guidebook, no internet, lots of mistakes, confusion, laughter, and revelation. It'll be good.
Let's start with today. Today was insane.
i ended up on a plane next to this guy -- http://www.100goals100weeks.com/ -- who was really, really cool (not to mention drop dead handsome and charming) we chatted for about 4 hours straight. he was awesome, renewed my faith in the ability of others to be totally awesome and helpful, and showed me that super cool people that do cool things with their life really do exist- and they dont have corporate backers or wads of cash. they do it on their own, on their own terms, and make it work. and have sick amounts of fun doing it. i like that.
got to KL, got lost, went to use the internet, ran into a family of 7th day adventist vegan health nuts who chatted with me for about...an hour and a half straight, then offered to drive me to the place i needed to go. They were really cool too. Did you know that 7th day adventists are all about health and helping people, and arent insane crazy religions freaks? i personally didnt know anything about them or their faith, but this family was open, intelligent, and very generous. very good ambassadors.
got to my couchsurfing place, met up with Vern [the guy im staying with] and went for what in malaysia passes as a snack- massive banana leaf--BANANA LEAF-- plate onto which a heaping helping of rice is dropped, and promptly surrounded by two curries and a cucumber cooling dish, all washed down with a 'digestive' drink made of onions, peppers, cardamom leaves, and something that burrrrrns all the way down.
why didnt i come here before?
really, a day of spectacular conversation. Ian told me about running with bulls, partying with elephants, and how to make 500o$ for two weeks work driving mining trucks off the coast of australia. The Johns' taught me about 7th day adventism, the kindness inherent in human nature, and the monkeys that terrorize their dogs/ the pythons/cobras invading their life (weekly). And vern told me that malaysian is just like mandarin, but without the tones- as in, no tenses, no conjugation, and very very easy to pick up.
love you all. talk with you soon.
jess
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