I am officially back in the U.S., but my three month Southeast Asia Adventure is not over. One of the lessons I learned during my trip is that no moment can be relived or repeated and so I began to record everything as best as I could, into my memory. For the first time in my life, I learned how to embrace and appreciate every single moment. I continue to be overwhelmed by the beautiful sights, sounds and smells that I experienced throughout my trip. I am grateful for the amount of love and support I received from my friends and family while I lived my dream of traveling. This is my official last entry on this blog. I want to thank everyone who traveled with me in spirit. I have included two final memories from Bangkok and India. Enjoy...
Bangkok
Sundays in Bangkok where the best ever. Somehow it worked out that every Sunday Carla and company - whether it was me, Liza or Shirley (pronounced Chirrrleee), who often slept over after a fun Saturday night out - went out for a market run and came back with delicious fresh fruit for shakes, eggs, fried chicken, mango sticky rice and whatever else we picked up along the way. Carla was often the chef, while Shirley served as sous chef and I cleaned the apartment. Sunday brunch was almost always followed by sun bathing and a late night movie. Sounds like fun, doesn't it? The best part is that this was my life for nearly three months. It was during one of these precious Sundays, while Carla and Shirley chatted in the kitchen and I set the table, that I realized neither of us could ever relive that precise moment. What we shared on Sundays in Carla's little apartment was absolutely magical. I carry these memories in my heart. Thank you Carli!
India
I have learned that in my life, I live extremes. I have been consciously working to find my middle, my balance and I feel really good about the work I have done to get there. The fourteen kilometer walk in India is an example of living extremes. For the past five years I have been considering running a half marathon. Instead, I walk a half marathon in India, barefoot. I guess my rock climbing experience in Rai Lay is similar to the 14K walk (see "Climbing Rocks, Conquering Fears"). The 14K walk was around Arunachala, a mountain in Tiruvannamalai, South India. The walk around Arunachala is a pilgrimage performed to practice discipline, to gain enlightenment and to purify the mind. I accepted the inviation without really understanding the purpose of the walk. I was completely open to all of the activities we engaged in, but during the first hour, the walk suddenly became an intense burden.
I began to ask for guidance and as I did so, a renunciant rode his bike towards me, looked me in the eye, held his hand to his heart and said to me, "Om Arunachula, many blessings to you." He said this in his language and thankfully my friend Peter was able to translate. The beggar encouraged me to keep going. He was the answer to my prayer and I knew that I was not alone. Suddenly, it was so clear and so obvious to me. Each pebble that pierced my feet and each sting of pain represented the small sufferings, small angers and small fears that I chose to carry with me for 30 years. I decided that was not how I wanted to live my life and during my walk around Arunachala, I slowly began to release 30 years of crap. There is no other way of saying it. On that day, I experienced the meaning of letting go, and it was an amazing feeling. Thank you Arunachala.
Bangkok
Sundays in Bangkok where the best ever. Somehow it worked out that every Sunday Carla and company - whether it was me, Liza or Shirley (pronounced Chirrrleee), who often slept over after a fun Saturday night out - went out for a market run and came back with delicious fresh fruit for shakes, eggs, fried chicken, mango sticky rice and whatever else we picked up along the way. Carla was often the chef, while Shirley served as sous chef and I cleaned the apartment. Sunday brunch was almost always followed by sun bathing and a late night movie. Sounds like fun, doesn't it? The best part is that this was my life for nearly three months. It was during one of these precious Sundays, while Carla and Shirley chatted in the kitchen and I set the table, that I realized neither of us could ever relive that precise moment. What we shared on Sundays in Carla's little apartment was absolutely magical. I carry these memories in my heart. Thank you Carli!
India
I have learned that in my life, I live extremes. I have been consciously working to find my middle, my balance and I feel really good about the work I have done to get there. The fourteen kilometer walk in India is an example of living extremes. For the past five years I have been considering running a half marathon. Instead, I walk a half marathon in India, barefoot. I guess my rock climbing experience in Rai Lay is similar to the 14K walk (see "Climbing Rocks, Conquering Fears"). The 14K walk was around Arunachala, a mountain in Tiruvannamalai, South India. The walk around Arunachala is a pilgrimage performed to practice discipline, to gain enlightenment and to purify the mind. I accepted the inviation without really understanding the purpose of the walk. I was completely open to all of the activities we engaged in, but during the first hour, the walk suddenly became an intense burden.
I began to ask for guidance and as I did so, a renunciant rode his bike towards me, looked me in the eye, held his hand to his heart and said to me, "Om Arunachula, many blessings to you." He said this in his language and thankfully my friend Peter was able to translate. The beggar encouraged me to keep going. He was the answer to my prayer and I knew that I was not alone. Suddenly, it was so clear and so obvious to me. Each pebble that pierced my feet and each sting of pain represented the small sufferings, small angers and small fears that I chose to carry with me for 30 years. I decided that was not how I wanted to live my life and during my walk around Arunachala, I slowly began to release 30 years of crap. There is no other way of saying it. On that day, I experienced the meaning of letting go, and it was an amazing feeling. Thank you Arunachala.
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