Every day can be the trip of a lifetime.
After being in crowded cities for a few weeks we were ready for some fresh mountain air and some peace and quiet. We made a plan to travel into Northeast India, an area we haven't explored yet. Getting to Darjeeling seemed easy enough. A short 50 minute flight from Calcutta, and a "quick" 42 mile … Continue reading Everything you ever wanted to know about tea, but were afraid to ask.
Laurie and I arrived in New Delhi last week around 1:30 AM on Thursday morning, May 25th. We pre-booked a room at Villa 33, a guesthouse in the Hauz Khas area of the city. The area has a somewhat laid back, upscale vibe with good restaurants nearby and lots of green space. Our guesthouse arranged … Continue reading Even The Best Laid Plans
The best laid plans. Sometime after our year away (2018) we began to lay the groundwork to be away for 3 months each year during the winter. We had a backup generator installed so our sump pump and boiler would still work even if the power went out. And it does go out. We arranged … Continue reading The Best Laid Plans, Never Say Never, and Skirting the Monsoon
When I stumbled upon the Research Meditation Center inside Was Arun, a Buddhist temple in Bangkok, Thailand, in 2018, I had no idea how much it would impact my life. As a student and instructor of meditation for the past 2 decades I was intrigued by the story of Hartanto Gunawan, the meditation teacher at … Continue reading Proof of Making a Difference
Laurie & I continue to head West along the North coast of Bali on the motorbike. Traveling light, most everything we need for the road trip is packed underneath the seat on the motorbike, a Honda PCX 160cc. We also have a tiny daypack which Laurie wears, and a small nylon bag hanging from a … Continue reading Bali Road Trip & 3 Right Turns
After a 2 1/2 year hiatus from traveling internationally we are finally back on the road, and our first stop is Bali, Indonesia. When Laurie and I sat down to decide where we would travel to a few months back, we made a short list of places we love - Indonesia, India, Malaysia, Thailand. We … Continue reading Back to Bali & Road Trip #1
6 year old Gedhun stared down at his dinner plate. A mix of spicy lentils and rice filled a small metal bowl. Next to the bowl was hasta roti, a Nepalese version of fried bread made into circles resembling the shape of onion rings. Before taking his meal he reflected on how hard his family … Continue reading The Story, So Far.
The monks were waiting patiently at the market when Gedhun, his father, and grandfather arrived. Amid the smoke and strong smells of spicy food being cooked, Gedhun's attention was drawn to the music coming from the fried mozzarella ball stand. Carol King's 'I Feel the Earth Move Under My Feet' was blaring. The monks greeted … Continue reading Don’t look back
I've had my hair cut in many different countries. India is by far my favorite. I've had buzz-cuts that took only a few minutes and cost 60 cents, to hour long ordeals costing much more. I even opted for a "massage" in a barbershop recently on the recommendation of a friend in Bombay. Indian barbers … Continue reading Haircuts
So here I am in Bali, more specifically, Ubud, a new-age Yoga and spirituality hub which has really gained in popularity in the last 15 years or so. We're in the middle of a 3 month experiment "snow-birding", being away from the cold, snowy New England Winters. It's going pretty well so far. We booked … Continue reading Bali
Which Country From? 