Switzerland

On the day Shannon departed I headed on a bus to Como (the town) en route to Interlaken, Switzerland. All I can think about is my flight from Zurich to Kuala Lumpur in 2 weeks. I'm so excited to go back. I decide to head north towards my flight in search for some short term employment. I'm thinking a hostel where I can work for accommodation or something of the sort. Some nice American travelers tell me about the Jungfrau region of the Alps and I head there to the jumping off point - the town of Interlaken. I meet all kinds of backpackers on the train, find some friends and head to a hostel. The hostel, well and the whole town, was full of frat boys looking for the next rush from skydiving, canyoning, paragliding, etc. - this place is sort of the Queenstown of Switzerland. And, well I've been to Queenstown and I jumped out of a plane -- and there's a Hooters in this town and I've gotta get out. But I had a good night where I chatted up the locals to find out where a good hostel for me to stay and work (in the more remote areas in the mountains) would be. A nice Kiwi guy, Dean, tells me the perfect place, the Mountain House in, what sounds like to me at the time, Grindlewald. Great, I know where to go in the morning. So I go back to the hostel and tell skydiving stories to some kid who was waking up at 6 AM to do it. It was fun and time to leave.

So, as you might imagine if you say it in your head right now, Grindlewald sounds a lot like Grimmelwald. Right?!? And who knew, but there's a hostel called the Mountain House in BOTH towns. Riiiight. Sooooo, cut to me with my big huge backpack (which at this point I think of chucking over bridges often) are in the WRONG place. But that's ok, the nice woman at Mountain House "2" agrees to let me store my pack while I figure out a plan. I spend alomst the day scouring the village for work. What I quickly realize is that it's off season and no one needs any help. About mid day I made friends with the local bike shop guy and we sat outside his shop while he actually introduced me to a few business owners who rode by. Even with a reference it was no luck. I did have one offer, but I would have to commit to 3 months. So no deal there.

Finally I get my pack and go to another hostel (Mountain House "2" is out of price range) where I settle in for some amazing local cheese, bread and for dinner. I know this doesn't sound like the dinner of champions, but this cheese is really really good. Plus I think everyone knows about cheese for dinner. After this I meet Micheal and George, my new roommates. At this point, little do I know they are going to shape the experience of my next 10 days on the planet. Or planet Switzerland that is. We go out that night to Esspresso Bar which is more of a pub than a coffee shop. At some point in the night locals marvel at the fact that I literally know the majority of the people there and I'm chatting with everyone. But if you go to a town with 4,000 people and spend the day talking to everyone, it's pretty easy to know most of the town in a day.

Micheal, George and I head out for a long hike in the AM. We take the gondola up and go on a 5 hour hike with a fantastic picnic lunch--complete with wine and the obligatory cheese. It's a spectacular hike. I'm invited to come to Geneva (where they both live while completing summer law internships) for the week before my flight. I abandoned the idea of working and decide Geneva is the way to go. At about 6:30 PM, we get to our end point and realize that we've missed the last train down the mountain. Although feeling like this was some sort of conspiracy against us, we found refuge at a mountain resort complete with a 5 course dinner. Not bad. The photo you see with the Swiss flag is the view from our room. But we had planned to go to the real Grimmelwald that night and stay. . also I still had a small glimmer of hope for work. When George cancelled our reservation with Petra she said she already had help--Geneva here I come.

It was so crazy as our train passed by Lake Geneva and the amazing wine country leading up. I was excited and just couldn't believe I was here! That night we went to a bar in the artist courter where Michael dj'd (see fist flyer above). The rest of the week was fabulous as it was filled with good times with good friends. Again the opportunity to see a city through the eyes of those who are actually living there is priceless. Also there was tons of activity (and fun rides) along the waterfront for the a huge annual festival giving the city a great vibe.

I also felt like being in Geneva, where it is so international with people speaking different languages on every corner, was the perfect culmination to my planned travels thus far. And I just loved having so much time there to explore the city at my new, turtle-slow pace. I spent my days visiting amazing museums, strolling through lovely parks, having picnics, drinking coffee, people watching and writing in my journal. I really enjoyed the United Nations tour and learning about the international relations process. Also just being on the grounds and chatting with a few of the employees, all so friendly there at the UN. Across the street at the International Red Cross Museum I walked through a heart wrenching gallery of photos on war time aid throughout history. Seeing photos from places that I've visited was moving to say the least.

On a lighter note, I discovered that I can understand a very small amount of French. But as I already knew, I'm not really willing/able to speak it. Only one time was a really compelled, when I found a little 5 year old girl who had wandered away from her mother along the waterfront. She was just about to realize that she was all alone and start to cry when I said hello to her, she mumbled back something in French, so cute. Maybe it was, "I'm lost." Anyways, she reached for my hand and I led us towards the merry-go-round where the other children played--it only took about five minutes to spot frantic mom. Oh the look of relief on her face as she held her daughter in her arms!

It was very sad to say good bye to Geneva and the friends that I made there, it was a really special time for me and one I won't forget it. But I headed off to Zurich to spend the last three days leading up to my flight. There I stayed with my new friend Matthias from http://www.couchsurfing.com/people/brausepeter - of yeah I did it. So many travelers were telling me to try this and I just hadn't had the opportunity with all the friends I'd been with along the way. Anyways, it was a GREAT experience. I read the profiles of several people and e-mailed a few, very last minute--and told each person I was looking for a place in Zurich. Matthias graciously accepted me. He's a chemist finishing his PhD and lives with 5 roommates from all around the world. If you click on the link you can see how he and I have given each other references. I would definitely do this again and I look forward to having the opportunity to host in the future. Anyways it was so fun because the first night we went to see The Simpson's Movie with his friends. Yes! English with French and German subtitles. Double yes! We laughed and laughed and then we all went to this great park along the water where tons of young people were hanging out. It was so European.

In Zurich I thoroughly enjoyed the Kunsthaus (Museum of Fine Arts) collection and the excellent audio guide they provided. I could have spent 8 hours there I swear. So many of my favorite artists were represented, from Rothko and Pollock to Dali to Van Gough and Cezanne--all there! Heaven. But I have to admit while I spent time touring the city, the weather was gloomy and I used the opportunity to update photos and blog entries--big thanks to Matthius for his laptop! P.S. This is the view from his kitchen window.

The 9th quickly arrived and after a mess at the airport (I found out that airlines don't like you flying into foreign countries without an onward flight somewhere) I made it on the plane. But if it wasn't for the hour delay I wouldn't have. Some things just work out. Off to Malaysia!!!!

Italy

As soon as we arrived at the train station in Milan I was reminded of how grand the architecture of Italy is - and even though Milan pales compared to Venice, Florence and Rome in these terms, it was still a sight to see. The Italians have such a way about them in every aspect of their culture and I really enjoyed watching it. Although on the other hand I didn't so much enjoy the being watched part. It's interesting, but I was more comfortable with the eyes

of dozens of Indian men than one creepy Italian guy on the street. Go figure. But the pizza can make up for any of that - really. I still dream about the pizza. Oh and also, Milan was "on sale" which I think only happens once a year. And although there isn't room for any Versace in my backpack, I did make a few small purchases off of Via Montenapoleone to spice up my "wardrobe." But the window shopping was great to see and the interior design was much more cutting edge than what I expected or have see in the states. So Shannon and I spent a few days enjoying the sites and doing some great people watching. It's interesting see a woman with both an H&M bag and a Prada bag, but I guess that's Europe for you.

Next we were off to Lake Como to stay in the little town of Menaggio where we stayed in a nice youth hostel run by the charming Alberto. The views from our dorm room and the patio below were so picturesque. We spent one day exploring the nearby villages of Bellagio, Varenna and Cadenabbia. We climbed up hills to castles, poked our heads into villa gardens, enjoyed ferry

rides, had a lakeside picnic followed by a nap. Another day we did the hard work of swimming in

the lake and working on our tans. Rough life. But the whole time I'm ever aware of my desire to continue my travels and not run down my budget, so I have to say thank you to Shannon for her patience and generosity to the now, thrifty gal I've become.

At our farewell we gave each other a long hug good bye and I waved as her ferry left the shore. I know that I will see Shannon again before long. Mainly because she said that she would visit me no matter where I choose to live and secondly because she is a loyal, loving, life-long friend. The next day I took a long hike into the hills above Menaggio. It was warm, sunny and delightful and I fully enjoyed it just as I have all the great nature I've taken in on my travels. My thoughts drifted to what is really important in life and I realize that while I earn some independence and learn about the world. The most special part of the journey (travel and life) is time spent with people you care for.

Ireland

I had four days in Dublin prior to Shannon arriving. Alone again after saying farewell to Rob and Katy, I was a little down so decided to entertain myself with local theater in Dublin. Rob and I had gone to see a play in London and this had kinda gotten me into the idea. First I went to see a play at Trinity College and then another at a small independent playhouse. The second, called "The Maids" was different to say the least. Outside the theater I met Anthony, who asked me, "do you know much else about the play?", which was HILARIOUS. I guess you had to see this strange play to understand why this question/comment was so funny, it kinda left you wondering what you just witnessed. Anyways, I busted into laughter which led us into a few drinks, which turned into me making friends with him, Hanna and Andrew. Later that night I met Ciaran who the next day was touring me around the RTE studios, which led to me being an extra in Fair City the biggest Irish soap. http://www.rte.ie/tv/faircity/bs.html Everyone's grandma watched this I guess. Ciaran promises to send me a clip of my daytime TV debut. I'll be sure to send this out! Ha!

That night Andrew and Anthony took me to see a local Dublin band. We went to this really cool venue, Crawdaddy, to see Dark Room Notes. Here are some pictures from the show: http://siobhanquigley.blogspot.com/2007/07/dark-room-notes-at-crawdaddy-110707.html and if you want to listen: http://drn.vox.com/library/audio/6a00d4142d35d83c7f00e3989da50a0002.html
It was a great show and a great night.

By the time Shannon arrived in Dublin I was feeling good about the circle of friends I'd made. It was nice spending time in Dublin with locals rather than travellers. Even despite the continues down pouring of rain that seemed to follow me from London. But now, Shannon, my close friend of 15 years, was here for 2 weeks of vacation, making me SO SO happy. Shannon and I haven't lived in the same town since high school back in West Virginia but have always both made a successful effort to travel to see each other. We reminisced about times we spent together in West Virginia, New York City, Las Vegas, Los Angelos and San Francisco. It was exciting to add some of Europe to the list. We spent one more fun night in Dublin before heading out on a tour of the south of Ireland.

Oh the Paddywagon. Here's the link to the backpacker tour company with the itinerary of what we did: http://www.paddywagontours.com/viewtour.php?id=2&&day=16&&month=08&&year=2007 It was a great six days, seeing the spectacular scenery, learning about the history and current political/social climate of Ireland and acquiring a true appreciation for Guinness as well as Irish whiskey. One small town we visited had a population of 900 residents and 9 pubs. We laughed that at any given time everyone in town could be in a pub. Shannon learned where all her favorite New York City pubs were named after.

I also had a few really spectacular runs in Ireland. Getting totally lost in Dublin, passing the deer and Ross Castle in the Killarney National Park and jogging along cows and sheep on the Dingle Peninsula - all great highlights of Ireland for me.

I also have to mention that we had the best tour guides, who were so well informed, it made the entire experience. It was also great to discover some great Irish bands, thanks Evonne. :-) And thanks to Tara for the Australian tips as well. All long roads trips deserve good tunes.

One last day in Dublin and then we were off on the evil Ryan Air to Italy. But I won't forget my last day in Dublin because of the long heart to heart Shannon and I shared that day. This and all the memories that she and I created in Ireland will never be forgotten.

England

The title of this post should actually be London. That would be more accurate as I spent 10 days in London without seeing any other parts of England. But I could spend a lifetime there so 10 days was just a taste for me. Arriving at the airport I was met by the most horrible, uptight, ridiculous customs agent on the history of the planet. I won't relive the experience, but lets just say at the end of a 25 minute interrogation, I had answered questions about how I was funding my travels and what nationality Lorraine's sister Katy was. Totally nonsensical to me at the time, until I learned about the security crisis going. Nonetheless.

I met Katy at the Covent Gardens tube stop where she and her other fashion designer friends promptly took me to the newest Ted Baker store. They tried on clothes to purchase with their allowances while I was just a dorky traveller in my hiking shoes. But that didn't last for long, I was quickly knee deep in Katy's closet and make up bag. I love Katy!!! We had a blast together. She totally took me in and made me part of her life. After spending so much time with Lorraine I knew we would get along well,

but no idea how well. The first night we went to a dinner party at her friend Jules house and it was so fabulous. Everyone was so nice, funny and well, so British. Lovely. The entire weekend was full of great times. . . a great weekend market, the gay pride festival, nightclubs and just hanging out with Katy and her friends. A highlight was certainly The Hawley Arms http://www.thehawleyarms.com/index.php?table=gallery, where we rubbed shoulders with stars like Amy Winehouse and Katy's favorite Noal Fielding. We also managed to have our VERY OWN polaroid on the wall. Katy and Kase rocking the Hawley Arms. :-)

Then the much anticipated arrival of none other than ROB-O. Yiiiippppeee. When we saw each other in the Marriott lobby it seemed like it had been forever. It was a sweet reunion. We stayed in Kennsigton and by the end of the week I think we both felt like it was our little neighborhood.

We really enjoyed the parks for running, picnics, bottles of wine and even a glimpse of the Tour de France opening. But by far the most park fun we had was the few hours we spent watching rollerblading practice in Hyde Park. Oh Raj. Poor Raj, the incredibly uncoordinated Indian man who couldn't take one step without falling down. Anyways, rollerblading practice was entertaining to say the least. Is that mean?

Another big part of the trip was EATING. Rob came to England to find a shell of the girl he once knew--I had been on somewhat of a poverty diet (thank you to Jen Strand for coining this phrase). So Rob took us out to all kinds of marvelous restaurants, which quickly put the meat back on my bones. :-) Of course we visited a few of the usual tourist destinations but probably the least amount ever accomplished by those staying in London for an entire week. We went to a HILARIOUS comedy Boeing-Boeing, where a Paris bachelor dates three flight attendants with alternate schedules. He has a German, an Italian and an American girlfriend who he unsuccessfully juggles. After traveling I really appreciated the stereotypes, absolutely entertaining.

We spent a lot of time strolling around the neighborhoods and just appreciating London at a slow pace. It was so good to reunite with Rob, who is certainly my best friend and my anchor. Without him, my travels wouldn't be possible. After a week of catching up, we said another tearful good bye. And again we don't when we'll see each other again, which is the hardest part of being away.

Germany

So, before you start reading this, I'll just let you know that I don't reveal until the bottom of the post why I'm in the outfit. :-)

So, I was a little unsure of what my next move was going to be now that Dad's plans to travel with me were foiled by airline madness. I was meeting Rob and Lorraine's sister, Katie, in London in 2 weeks, so I really took it day by day deciding where to go next before heading for England.

If the ontological shock I experienced by traveling from Dubai to Delhi wasn't enough, I was now having a type of shock that I think could be equally as astounding--economical shock. Being in a wealthy country with the evil, evil, EURO/US $ exchange was not good for the old budget. While excited to be in Europe, I was acutely aware of my newest mission not to spend every last penny that I had. You could call this mission impossible.

Frankfurt
I spent one night in Frankfurt which was, like all of Germany, incredibly clean, organized and well marked. There is no such thing as a bad neighborhood here. The Germans may have an area some of them think is dodgy, but in reality its as shady as Main Street in the magic kingdom. I laughed out loud on the street when I saw the area near the train station that I was warned by a local not to stay in. It was so nice. So, I stayed there. This was the view from my window at the hostel. Looks pretty good, eh? Not sketchy in the least bit. I loved this hostel because it led me to meet Alexander, by far one of the most interesting people I've met in my life. He worked in the hostel and also gives a free group tours of the city (which he loves so much) to the backpackers who stay. We were chatting away and I found out that he was going to Hamburg the next morning to visit his five year old son as he does every two weeks. Maybe you see where this is heading. . .I asked him if I could hitch a ride up north with him. It turns out that he was hoping to have some people to share the ride anyways, so, the next day we left for the six hour journey! This was one of the most interesting car trips ever! Cruising along the autobahn with Alexander, whom at this point I'm convinced is my own personal tour guide. He tells me about German history, political climate, economy and details on every little town we pass by. And if this wasn't enough he gives me directions to two hostels he knows are good in Hamburg. Cheers Alexander!

Hamburg

It rained a lot of the time I was in Hamburg. This really slowed me down, plus I was feeling lethargic, maybe I was still adjusting to my new surroundings or maybe the last bits of the malaria drugs were leaving my system, whatever it was I was particularly tired. I decided that it was time to start jogging again. I couldn't run in India because people would think that you'd lost your head or that you were in a big hurry maybe. So, it was time--and Germany was the perfect place with so many beautiful parks. I enjoyed my renewed routine, visiting the extraordinary modern art museum, strolls around the city and over the top nightlife in the Reeperbahn. Now it was time to develop an exit plan from Hamburg and investigate the ride share web site Alexander told me about. Basically people who are driving from one city to another register on the site saying when and where they are heading out. You contact them--and for lets say 10 Euro (share of petrol) you can ride with them. Every ride share I did was the driver and four passengers, which was really cool because it was the ideal situation to get to talk to the locals. I mean they were trapped in the car with you for a given period of time. :) So I find the website, but, like everything in Germany, it's all in German. Go figure. The lovely girl from the hostel helps me navigate the website. Then actually says she will make a few phone calls for me. Long story short she actually organizes the ride for me! I love her because this has saved me about 100 Euro not getting on the train. Yes!!!!!!

Berlin

Berlin rocked. What a fabulous city. I stayed just outside the center in a great hostel near a delightful part that I took full advantage of. Everyday after touring I would come back "home" to my neighborhood. I'd spend an hour or two in the Internet cafe on the corner where the Turkish owner (who spoke no English) seemed to really like me and come over to give me little bottles of shots and we'd cheers in Turkish, but I can't remember how that goes now, but I remember feeling welcomed nonetheless. Also he played great music.

The city was alive with events, including an annual music festival. I watched a fun reggae band (in the rain) and made friends with a big group of locals who took me to a house party where everyone danced to salsa late into the evening. I poked my head into hip art galleries and received a much needed hair cut from German hairdresser, Tobias, who used to live in SF. Anyone know him? I should remind everyone that while I'm certainly enjoying the comforts of the west, at this point I'm still a bit frightened by returning to a material girl in a material world (these lines are plagiarized not only from Madonna but a book I just read). BUT I do feel pretty strongly that a fabulous haircut is just one of those things you always NEED. Hmmmm. Maybe I am jumping right back in.

But its also in Berlin that I purchase my ticket to fly back to Southeast Asia on August 9th, to Kuala Lampur. For those of you who don't know, my return ticket to the states was cancelled by the airline and I received a full refund. I thought this was a stroke of good luck as I'm not ready to return! So, I will reunite with Lorraine on the 10th and we'll spend a week in Kuala Lampur where searching for an island where I can practice yoga and she can teach dive lessons with her new dive master certification. But plans always change, so I'll keep everyone updated. ;-)

Dresden

Quaint, peaceful with more splendid parks, I enjoyed my time in Dresden. I even splurged on a yoga class here, reminding me of the east.

Allmendingen
What, you've never heard of this place? Well, in all of Germany this was by far my favorite place and best experience and it's all because of Stephanie! She and I met in New Zealand a few months prior and she, with the help of her family and friends, showed me a fantastic time. Staying in Stephanie's apartment was, of course, relaxing after two weeks of hostel life. While she worked I was SO happy to catch up on email, photos and laundry. Also, her father (who has a hotel next door) and her brothers (one who has a restaurant next door and the other an insurance office down the street) were gracious as could be, having me over for coffee and baked goods then later dinner while Steph worked! I'll never forget how lovely it felt to be taken in by the entire family. Also communicating with the language barrier, without Steph around to translate, everyone was so sweet and probably spoke more English than they had in awhile. I should have learned some German, but it's hard! We also spent a great day with Steph's best friend and boyfriend, this is where they dressed me up in the traditional outfit you see in the picture. We were all LAUGHING, so I hope it brought smiles to the rest of you as well! Later that evening we made Kase Spätzle (cheese with dumplings) and I was in heaven. The next day I left for England feeling full of cheese and love, which are my two favorite things. Thank you Stephanie, because of you I'll never forget Germany.

United Arab Emirates

I don't think I knew the real meaning of the term "culture shock" until I went from Delhi to Dubai. Coming from the third world to a place with an indoor ski slope in the desert is enough to make you cry. My time in

Southeast Asia and India has certainly changed my perspective and I have to say it was hard readjusting, especially in a place as over the top as Dubai. Construction is non-stop and they will have the worlds tallest building quite soon. For those of you that aren't familiar, check it out on the web http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dubai . It's insane. So I flew from India over Pakistan and there I was in DUBAI. It's an interesting place to say the least with a population of expats, westerners, Indians, Philippinoes and residents from neighboring Pakistan. This leaves only 10% of the population being truly "local." Nevertheless you know your in the Middle East with the traditional Muslim clothes, men in their dish dashes and some woman fully covered.

Big, huge, massive hugs to Karen and Micheal (and Toni for hooking me up with them!) for taking me in and opening up their lovely home to me for four days. It was great to see Dubai with all of their insight--and being at their house was exactly what I needed! After spending two hours scrubbing the dirt off myself and my belongings, I resurfaced to find a wonderful salad, wine and cheese. Karen handled it quite well when I cried in her living room because this was all so amazing to me. It's funny how quickly you forget about the comforts you used to take for granted. In some ways Dubai was like a mini San Francisco to me me just plopped down in the center of the middle east.

But of course there were the elements that reminded me of my position on the globe. The desert sun and extreme heat being two of the most memorable. But I did have great fun on a "desert safari" with camels, the shisha (hookah) and SUV's bouncing around the sand dunes.

A huge highlight was seeing Katie during her reunion holiday with Brian. For those of you that don't know, Katie is a good friend I made at the AHA and Brian is her husband whose in the Navy and currently in the gulf. They were staying at the amazing Grovsner House Hotel. And so by default I was able to enjoy some of the amenities. :)

Sad news the day before I left was that my father, due to a string of unfortunate events, was not going to be able to meet me in Germany the next day. So, I left the comforts of Karen and Micheal's house for Frankfurt, Germany. . .

India

I might have mentioned that prior to coming to India I was a pretty scared that I was going to be one of those people who just hated it. I met dozens of travelers who just could not stand it. And anyone who has traveled to India (lovely Karen and Jill) can certainly see why the reaction could be so strong. The cows and their excrement alone is enough to push some over the edge. Flies everywhere. Intense smells. The touts (beggars) who don't ever seem to tire. I've never seen so many physical deformities in my life. When I walked over the juhle (bridge) in Rishikesh there was this happy Indian painting the bridge silver. He had one small leg that dangled and this silver pain all over him, he smiled at me showing the few teeth he had. But he had a little glow inside him that was pretty descriptive of many off the people I met in India. People who have hard lives. They are living an existent that we couldn´t begin to comprehend. But the twist is that they are happier than a lot of the westerners who appear to have it all. I guess I just moved into the part about why India is amazing. The people. I think of the nice Indian family from Delhi who I met on the train and wanted me to come and stay in their home rather than the sleazy Parharganj. The 10 year old girl who giggled and circled me around the Taj Mahal, finally mustering up the courage to tell me I was very pretty then laughing and running away. Beautiful woman with the greatest colors and jewelry I've ever seen. Cows in the street sitting like dogs looking content. A vibe like I've never experienced. I suppose the most special things are the hardest to describe. But what I can say is that this has by far been the highlight of my trip thus far and that I think, in no uncertain terms, that I had not lived prior to this experience. So many times on this trip I've wondered if leaving was really worth it - and India, for sure, proved my choice of leaving to be the right one. Those who have travelled there and love it (Karen and Jill) know exactly how I feel and are smiling now.


When I arrived to Rishikesh it was dark and scary, even though I had a driver (provided by the loving and worried Father, thanks Dad!) it was still a bit intimidating. It was late and we finally found a guesthouse which was perched aside a hill. Although my room lacked running water and a real floor, it did have doors on both sides creating a nice cross breeze. As I laid down to sleep I AGAIN thought fondly of Toni for suggesting and letting me borrow her sleeping sheet for those not so clean spots.


The next day I ventured with my backpack to find a new guesthouse. I'll always remember my first few days spent alone wandering the streets. So much to see and take in, the days passed so quickly. I was mezmorized by the people, the street food, the ashrams, the Ganga River and the nightly spiritual rituals with singing and clapping that took place there. Everything. I started doing yoga and meditation twice daily. Some at one of the Ashrams where many other travellers were staying. I chose not to stay there, not because of the "strict" ashram rules, but more because the room was worse than any prison room I'd seen depicted in a movie. I took yoga from about 5 different instructors during my week in Rishikesh but my VERY favorite was this talented Indian yogi with a long thin beard that took the time to correct me on each pose. While I was feeling strong I was also learning a great deal about the spiritual side of yoga, especially when I wasn't sleeping during the meditation. Ok, so I still have a million miles to go in the world of meditation, but it was a start for sure.



Besides the yoga I should mention the massive illness during my first week in India. Not good. Not good at all. But again Nurse Close (friend Lorraine from Scotland) was there to make sure I didn't die. Lorraine lived in India for 7 months prior to coming to South East Asia where we met. As I mentioned, India is quite amazing and it didn't take much to convince her to travel back and head up North. Good thing because there were a few times in the hotel room where I wished my end would come near. Luckily we had a TV, unluckily nothing was in English except for the National Geographic channel that was SIMULTANEOUSLY broadcasting Hindi and English. In my delirium I remember Lorraine coming in the room and asking me what the heck was going on and me replying to her not to worry I could understand.


Suddenly Rishikesh became hot. We quickly fled north to McLeod Ganj. Lorraine writes in her blog about this being the worst journey of her life. Hmmmm. It wasn't that bad for me, but I know what she means. I insisted that we not take the 22 hour government bus through the Himalayan foothills but rather split a car. This was good, but kept us a bit more intimate with the travel experience. Maybe it was the fact that the driver was flying around corners on a one way road while beeping the horn to warn any oncoming traffic? I think she felt a bit car sick. I had a classic broken English conversation with the driver in which I found out that he'd been doing this for 14 years with no crashes. To find this out I mimed a car crash, I'm becoming really good at charades I must say. At this point I think Lorraine mumbled something unfriendly to me with her thick accent and put in her ipod headphones. I just stared out the window at the dozens of monkeys who lined the road.


The next AM we awoke to the most amazing view of the Himalayan mountains. Right from our balcony!!! McCloud Ganj was great for hiking, swimming in cold pools near spectacular waterfalls, experiencing the Tibetan culture and most important seeing the Dali Lama. This was pretty once in a lifetime for me - ok so make that twice. We were really lucky, so many people come to McCloud and he's not actually there. After seeing him once from his car (amazing in itself) we were visiting the temple complex and just watching the Tibetans praying when we ran into a woman (retired teacher from San Francisco) who had dedicated her retirement to campaigning and volunteering for the Tibetans. It was great to see her because she showed us around and with great enthusiasm explained that DL was there to bless the new refugees from Tibet (China) and we saw them all in line and then waiting. Crazy to think that they had spend one to two months hiking in harsh conditions to escape Chinese rule, maintain their culture and have the opportunity to see the Dali Lama. I felt privileged to see him with them. And just like we know, enthusiasm is contagious, so it was a great time when he surprisingly walked about the temple and was 5 feet away from Lorraine, Shannon and I.


Oh Shannon! A wonderful addition to this part of my travels was having my long lost college friend Shannon Simon, fly to India for one week and make the treck up north. While she experienced the same hardships (I think I can speak for her when I say that she did NOT like it when our guesthouse turned off the water and we were given a bucket to bath from) I think the special moments out weighed the difficult ones. She loved the monkeys too. :)


This seems like a good part of this post for me to tell, what is perhaps, my favorite India story. One day we were just hanging out at the room and I decided it would be fun if I took a cracker and threw to to a big monkey on the adjacent building. It was fine, he wandered over picked up the cracker ate it and then climbed down the other side of the building. Fine enough. So I did it again to another smaller monkey to the building to the right. Same reaction. Then I go to the room, maybe the internet cafe (keeping up with friends and family is a lot of

work) and then back to the room. Two HOURS later, Lorraine and I are chatting it up on the bed. All of a sudden, out of no where, this big monkey lands in the window sill, opens the cracked window a bot more, reaches his hand in and takes the pack of crackers and LEAVES. We were stunned and then just started laughing hysterically. We went outside to watch this monkey clumsily eat an entire pack of crackers. Cheeky monkey. Cut to a few days later. We're back in the room for an afternoon nap (did I mention my hectic travel schedule) and we didn't lock the door. I start to hear all this noise crackling and rustling around. I'm thinking Lorraine must be awake eating some chips (crisps as she would call them) and think nothing. Apparently she thinks the same until she opens her eyes to see me lying next to her. Odd she thinks before seeing the big monkey sitting at the end of the bed eating our chips. She yells at the monkey proceeds to take the chips put them under his arm, give a smug look and leave the room. I catch the tail end of this. Damn monkeys. Oh, he took our bread and second pack of crackers too.

Next, we take a local bus from McCloud to Panthenok to catch a 12 hour train to Delhi. You gotta love this bus. A hundred Indian men staring at us, being stopped on a bridge for an hour for no known reason, my bag (or what I thought was my bag) flying out the window, the list goes on and on. The highlight was by far Lorraine yelling at the bus conductor because he kept stepping all over her as he moved about. I guess you had to be there, but lets just say I was happy with my window seat.

Then Delhi. We were so smart to save $$$ and not to get air con since it was 113 degrees outside. Not. When I returned from my day trip to Agra we had a new guesthouse with air con. Better not to die of heatstroke in Delhi. Loved the Taj, Fatephur Sikiri and the Agra Fort. Too bad that no one will ever see any of my photos from there since my purse was stolen at a coffee shop in Delhi. We decided to treat ourselves after living like dirty backpackers for so long. Anyways, without going into the painful details, lets just say that I put my persuasion skills to work that afternoon. At 2:00 PM I went to the Police Station, then the US Embassy, then the Foreign Services office (which closed at 3) for a new exit visa. At 6:00 there was a smile on my face, as I had made it happen. I cried to every government worker in Delhi and as you might imagine theres only a bit of corruption and bureaucracy there.


Did I mention that I love India? I LOVED LOVED LOVED it and I dream of returning. Good and bad, India is enchanting nevertheless.

South East Asia

I know it's been a long time. In fact it's felt almost like a lifetime. As I reflect upon the last four weeks of my life I hardly know where to begin. So, I guess I'll begin at the end, which is the opposite of what seems normal and therefore fitting for how I've perceived much of South East Asia.

The morning of the May 19th I was on the back of a motorbike, speeding along the coastal road in Ko Samui (an island off the east coast in Thailand) heading towards the airport. The driver was managing to navigate the bike while clutching my 16.5 kilo backpack between his legs. This in combination with the screeching, clearly worn out breaks, didn't bother me nearly as much as the fact that I'd overslept and was going to miss my 6:00 AM flight to Bangkok. At the same time I was watching the most spectacular sunrise, the sun was 100% full, like a full moon and had just risen above the line of the ocean. I won't forget this moment or the sound of the jet engine of my plane as it took off from the airport several kilometers down the road. I was sad to leave. My last ditch effort to change my flight to Delhi had been unsuccessful. Maybe I'd subconsciously decided to miss this flight. But, a 1500 Baht later (not a small sum for me at this stage) the situation was rectified and I was on the next flight to Bangkok to leave Thailand and head for the strange, intimidating and foreign - India.

My last few days in Thailand were spent on Ko Samui. Not so much by choice but more the circumstance of late travel plans. I arrived there from Hat Thien on Ko Pangan where I'd been staying at The Sanctuary http://www.thesantuary-kpg.com/ - it was a super-hard adjustment coming from one beach to another. McDonald's, Starbucks, huge upmarket resorts, motorbikes, car horns, everyone trying to sell you something - it was just so different than what I had just left. SO DIFFERENT. And it's so hard to keep adjusting. I suppose that this recent adjustment or transition is a good example of the way that I've felt my entire time in Southeast Asia.

It's been a consistent transition, my stomach just churning the entire time, not literally, but I've felt this upheaval of my spirit. It's been emotionally challenging in many ways: Meeting people and developing relationships which were deeper than I could have ever thought possible and then saying good bye to them - way to soon. Realizing that this is more than a vacation and actually my life (for now) and that I just cannot GO GO GO, take a photo then jet along to another spot. I think I've become a bit of the "lazy traveller" that I once mocked. . . but the biggest emotional challenge of it all has been seeing different cultures, those with the most horrible poverty, and my feelings towards it all. Having sadness over begging children quickly turn to pure irritation really starts to make you think about yourself. THEN there's been the physical side - I've been lucky not to have any serious illnesses, but I would be lying if I didn't admit that being bitten, burned and bruised along the way hasn't taken it's tole. Motorbikes have certainly been my biggest enemy. My fight with these evil forms of transport culminated the night before I left, when I was hit by one. Yes, actually knocked down onto the ground. I stood up to discover that I was not bleeding and generally fine, other than a bit shocked. I went to ask the driver if he was ok, just to see him get up, pick up he turned over bike and drive off. No sorry. No eye contact. He just left. Hmmm.

I'm feeling for the first time that I'm starting to change, to feel differently about travelling, why I'm travelling and how I want to travel. I'm feeling differently about me. For all of the ups and downs, I was still VERY sad to leave Thailand behind. Just like the friends I've met along the way, it was way to soon.

By now you might be reading this thinking, enough of the deep inner thought. So, I'll try and summarize my time in each spot.

Bangkok, Thailand
Love and kisses to Suzanne for living there and introducing me to Darren and his lovely boyfriend Toey when they came for a visit San Francisco awhile back! While I did arrive to Bangkok on my own--quickly transporting myself to the backpackers enclave of Kho Shan Road - although that reality did not last for long. My time in Bangkok was special because I was able to see it from so many different angles - thanks to Darren. My first day was spent solo, exploring the usual "one day in Bangkok" destinations like the weekend market, the Grand Palace and Reclining Buddha. Then I was taken in by Darren and treated to amazing meals at his restaurant Eat Me: http://travel.nytimes.com/travel/guides/asia/thailand/bangkok/restaurant-detail.html?vid=1154654632862 but spectacular spots all over the city. While dining riverside and enjoying cocktails at the top of hotels was fab - I'd have to say our time together culminated when Toey took us to listen to traditional Issan music and we were the only Farangs in a room of a few hundred Thais.

Chaing Mai, Thailand
Next I took an overnight train to Chaing Mai, where it was hot, hot, hot. I quickly headed off for a trek into the jungle where I rode an elephant, rafted on a freshly made bamboo raft, and stayed with a hill tribe. The best evening I spent in Chaing Mai was with a novice monk, Ton, I helped him with his English and he helped me to understand mediation and how unfortunate it was for him to be restricted from dinner. As I left the monastery at dusk I met two American university students (they were asking me to fill out a survey about my experience) and after chatting they told me how much they loved Pai and that I had to go. So I went. Although this was not mapped out on my very tight itinerary, for some reason I just went there and it impacted the rest of my trip. Because in Pai I went to a yoga class where I met Lorraine, who I'm still travelling with as I write this.

Pai, Thailand
This place is kind of travellers mecca, or so the Lonely Planet (aka the bible) says. It seems like so many people go to visit and never leave. One girl I met dubbed it the Bolder, Colorado of Thailand. Pretty accurate. After visiting for a few days, I met Lorraine during a yoga class. We both agreed that we wanted to continue to go to yoga class, eat well and generally be healthy together. That went well for one afternoon while we zoomed around on her motorbike checking out the beautiful wats, waterfalls and rolling hills. But that evening we saw this guy on the street selling these buckets. . .

Luang Prabang, Laos
I think the buckets may have effected Lorraine's ability to say no because it was seemingly easy to convince her to take a two day boat journey on the Mekong River through Laos to Luang Prabang. The trip was amazing, other than the fact that we were crammed aboard the boat like refugees. Some of my fellow travellers were just piled on top of backpacks in the rear of the boat near the engine room. But, the spectacular mountain tops peeking out from low lying clouds made it all bearable. Luang Prabang was a gorgeous laid back town with a British feel to it. I would go as far to say that it was my favorite town in all of Southeast Asia. The mountains, the markets, the food, all of it. One of my happiest moments was when we climbed down by the river and watched some young boys fishing, other young monks swimming, all while part of the hillside burned away during a controlled fire. It was so peaceful.

Vang Viene, Laos
Next we went to Vang Viene and and tubing down the Mekong river, which involves, in case you didn't guess, floating down the Mekong river in a big tube. It was so much fun. Jumped off lots of high things and had a few of the infamous beer Laos (because one must sample the local beverage in order to gain a better cultural understanding of the country one is visiting, I'm sure you'll all agree.) All of this in the rain. And some of it in the dark in the rain as we failed to make it all the way to the pull out point during the daylight. Suffice to say that it was an adventure. Other than that more amazing mountain scenery, Vang Viene had a sort of scary traveller vibe going on. Almost every restaurant had a big T.V. showing the Simpson's of Friend's or some other awful American T.V. show. Just imagine these backpackers sitting on the floor watching T.V. for hours. I found it a little sad. Lucky for us we were there during the annual Rocket Festival and so the town was full of locals celebrating by shooting home made rockets in the air in hopes to bring the rain. I told the monks who explained this to me that it was working (it rained the entire time we were there.) The highlight of Vang Viene was certainly the late night part that fellow traveller Colby and I attended. It was all locals celebrating the festival and they totally took us in. They had live music and invited us to dance, gave us sticky rice and of course Beer Lao. A great evening. P.S. This is a photo of where we stayed, one of the brown huts on the left.

Vientene, Laos
What a horrible place. The land of NO ATM's and one Pharmacy. I spent my time there searching for an antibiotic so that the motorbike burn on my leg wouldn't become infected from exposure. My two days here did not include ANY "happy traveller" moments. Enough said. From here I flew to Pnom Phen, Cambodia.

Pnom Phen, Cambodia
It was a soul changing experience to learn about the terror inflicted upon the Cambodian people during Pol Pots regime just 30 years ago. I visited S21 which was the school turned prison where they tortured the Khmer people before taking them to the killing fields. Over 1.7 million Cambodians were murdered. Lots of silence and reflection during this day in Cambodia. I also went to visit the Royal Palace and the National Museum there, both were lovely, but I was mostly just happy to be in a "real" city where they did have ATM's, many pharmacy's and I could shop for a new camera. Oh, I didn't mention that mine took a little swim in the Mekong River during the tubing experience. . .

Siem Reap, Cambodia

Angkor Wat at sunrise was too amazing to describe. The temples were just unreal and I was glad that I had made the journey to visit. I spent a lot of time just relaxing and reflecting at each temple.

Other than Angkor Wat, Siem Reap was a lot to handle for me. I was ready to go back to Thailand.

Ko Pangan, Thailand

Ahhhh. Arriving back to Thailand in the Bangkok airport was wonderful! I was so happy to return. It was so funny because just three weeks earlier, arriving in Bangkok had caused me such rear anxiety and now I was thrilled. When I arrived on Ko Pangan Lorraine picked me up on her motorbike and drove me around lost on the island for a bit while I complained. :-) Finally we arrived at the cute little house she had rented a few days earlier. We stayed on the east coast close to Hat Yao. Then we made our was to Hat Rin to experience just a taste of what the full moon party might have offered. All we needed was a taste. Our friend Colby met us at Hat Rin but the next day we were off to The Sanctuary - that I mentioned at the start of this e-mail. I'm still plotting my return.

Alright. There's so much more that I could say, but I hope that paints an accurate picture of these 4 weeks of my life. I think of all of you often and can't wait to hear from each of you. :-)

New Zealand

Ahhhhh. New Zealand. What can I say? The scenery just doesn't stop here. It's just like being in the movies. Minus the Hobbits.

Before I go on - I just want to say thanks for all the nice comments. It's great to read them and the e-mails from everyone. So, please keep it up! I need the inspiration to continue posting pictures and writing this blog! Also, if there's anyone who isn't receiving my entire photo album for each leg of the trip, and you want to look at eight gazillion photos, let me know and I'll add you to that list too. :-)

My first night in Auckland was just a blast. I ended up off the beaten path where I escaped the backpacker crowd and really experienced the local nightlife. First a cozy wine bar with a hipster jazz band then some heart pounding Brazilian drummers. Besides the bartenders, there was a very limited about of English being spoken in this particular club. Was I in still in New Zealand? This night definitely made me want to extend my travels to South America. I've been eating peanut butter and jelly to make this financially possible. :-) No, really I have been.


Rob arrived at the wee hour of 5:15 AM the next morning. Then we got watch Ohio State Basketball! Ok, well it wasn't that exciting for me but they did win. Go Bucks! We checked out Auckland, took a ferry to a quaint island the next day and then we were off with our rent car to see as much of New Zealand as possible during Rob's 10 days. Rob was such a trooper, braving the left side of the road, he only almost killed us twice or maybe it was three times. But that was fine because #1 - I wasn't driving and #2 -after a few of these experiences I thought to myself, "how dangerous can skydiving be compared this?" Thus inevitably giving me the courage to make the big jump. Oh, and I would be remiss if I didn't mention that when we were going to turn, we'd give a signal to the other drivers by turning on the windshield wipers. Classic. Nevertheless making us laugh and laugh every time.

Our first stop was Roturua, which is basically a hot be of geothermal activity. Geysers, hot springs, boiling mud pools and the smell of sulfur waiving through the air. It was really interesting, plus we were able to learn a bit about the Maori culture. Rob was even able to find a local bar who found the final basketball game for him. At this point I found the local spa for a soak in the hot springs and a mud wrap. Side bar: As I write this I'm totally laughing at the juxtapose between then and now. If anyone could see the hostel where I'm staying tonight in Auckland they would be laughing too. Toni, I'm really glad you loaned me that great sleeping sheet. It's come in handy a few times! Oh and we also went Zorbing in Rotorua. This is where you get in this big rubber ball filled with water and they roll you down a hill.

Ok, so next we went to Tongariro National Park where we need the Tongariro Crossing hike. I've never seen anything like it. The volcano, the crater, the emerald colored pools, it was a bit surreal. But the 6 hours of hiking snapped me back into reality with pretty sore feet.

Then we moved onto the South Island. First we had a relaxing afternoon in the nice town of Napier then drove to Abel Tasman National Park where we went sea kayaking with fur seals. We paddled into this secluded cove where there were about 50 young seals who were ready to entertain us! One seal even jumped onto our kayak! Apparently that rarely happens. The entire day was a blast. A tour guide, Tom, had us in stitches he was so hilarious.

Next we headed down the west coast, which was very Highway One-esque with beautiful stops along the coast. Although I guess there's no glacier on the Highway One. So add that and some much bigger mountain ranges. We spent the night in Wanaka, which is about an hour North of Queenstown and actually much nicer. The locals were quick to tell us all about how Queesnstown used to be like Wanaka before it became commercialized and how they'd like to slow down the growth they're seeing. We could understand why. But we had bigger issues. We were in a quandary. Go to Milford Sound or not go to Milford Sound? It was a five hour drive, one way! As you can imagine Rob was a little tired of driving and plus there wasn't enough time! What to do? So, we flew! This (minus the skydiving) was the highlight of my trip so far. If anyone remembers the beginning of Jurassic Park where they're flying the helicopter to the island, well that's Milford Sound and that's essentially what we did. Then we landed and took a cruise through the sound and returned to Wanaka over the ice capped glacier filled mountain range. What more can I really say about that.

Then off to Queenstown, which is for sure the adventure capital of the world. We tried to kid ourselves by going to nice dinners, wine country and gondala rides but then we found ourselves jumping out of a plane at 12,000 feet. Pretty indescribable. So I'm not going to try. I highly recommend it for anyone who's ever given it a thought. Suffice to say this was a thrilling end to Rob's trip.

Then the incredibly sad goodbye in an airport motel in Christchurch.

I'm not going to write about that either.

After the tearful departure I was off to Kaikora where the weather didn't do much to lift my spirits. Apparently the southerly winds just rip through NZ sometimes and it was cold. But, Kaikora is a cute coastal town with an amazing snow capped mountain range, not so bad. And, I went horseback riding for the first time in my life. I really liked it! My horse, Doc, wanted to run past the other horses to take the lead of our group. Basically Doc and I related to each other well. Besides that I did some hiking and a lot of quiet time in Kaikora. That was until the last night where I met Stephanie, who I've decided is a German version of Suzanne. We had a blast!

Then back to Christchurch to spend a few days. I adored my backpackers lodge there. It was so cute and right next to this great park which was perfect for jogging. http://www.dorsethouse.co.nz/ Just like Kaikora I was pretty relaxed there, just enjoying the park, Cathedral Square and the Art Museum.

After a few days I flew back to Auckland, spent the night and then took a bus to the Bay of Islands. This is the northern most part of New Zealand and I thoroughly enjoyed the three days I spent. It was warm and sunny. Just perfect for the cruise of the island where I saw tons of dolphins and several Orca! While there I also went sand surfing down these crazy sand dunes! Also took a bus trip down 90 mile beach where this bus actually drives down the beach, just speeding along. Oh and there were the Kaori trees, so impressive. I guess they are second largest to the Sequioa?

In summary, the past three weeks has been filled with excitement, awe of the landscape, laughter, fun nights out but a little sadness too. I fly to Bangkok tomorrow and I finally feel ready. Three weeks was the perfect time for me to spend in New Zealand.

Again, please, please, please send me your thoughts, questions or comments here or at kasemarie@hotmail.com - that's what it's all about!!!









:-)

Fiji

Bula!

I just returned from the Yasawa Island group where I stayed on three islands--it was spectacular!

The first island was Nacula at Oarsman's Bay Resort. http://www.oarsmansbay.com/ While I was there I hiked to an amazing vista with a 360 degree view of the island, visited a local tribe, snorkeled and made friends with some funny British girls. I also braved my first hostel. It was cake, really. Of the four I've stayed in, three were great and one not so much. But I now know that I can survive without a real shower or lights. :-) I also found that the mosquitoes here really love everyone but me, so I didn't even need to use my mosquito net after the first night!

Travellers island hop via the Yasawa Flyer, aka the big yellow boat. It's really quite fun because every time you board you reunite with other travelers that you've met on board previously or on another island. After a tearful departure from Oarsman's (the locals play the guitar and sing to you as the boat leaves) I was on my way to Naviti. Here is where I ran into Hanne (pronounced) Hanna who was the first girl I met while leaving the airport. She's great! A beautiful Norwegian with a thick southern accent. She studied in America (in Ketucky) for a year where she learned English. She and I became fast friends with each other as well as Danny (from Spain and hilarious) and Ben (from the UK). All of us travelling alone, we became a new group. After visiting beautiful beaches and hiking a mountain in Navtiti, the four of us were off to Waya Lailai.

We all fell IN LOVE with Waya Lailai. The Fijians, the resort, the food, the half dome looking rock that marks this beautiful island, all of it was brilliant. Hanne and I were even bumped to private rooms because the dorm was full. We felt lucky until we got spooked by our gecko friends who were sharing our new digs. HA! Another new friend that I made there was Glen Craig, an Aussie photographer. He has spent was I think has been the last 20 years capturing this amazing island group and the friendly Fijians. As I read through my Lonely Planet guide I noticed he was feature and he even gave me a signed copy of one of his books. He's one of the most interesting people I've met in awhile.



Tonight I'm in Nadi on the main island. I ran into a threesome of French guys who I've been seeing on and off during the island hoping. They all live in Auckland and have invited me to stay in there "flat" and show me around on my way out of NZ towards the end of April.

For now, I'm really getting excited to see New Zealand and of course to see Rob! I fly in the AM and he arrives on Sunday.

Other than that I'm having an amazing time. I've been staying healthy and running everyday. I think of all of you often. Please send e-mails letting me know how each and every one of you are doing!!!