.:Travels and Chants:. Josh's Travel Blog

Thoughts From Shanghai

2008-08-16T13:15:00.002-04:00

I just noticed my last post was from May 2007, when I traveled to Israel.

I'm now in Shanghai, China.

So what has happened over the last year?

After Israel, I took a cruise with my family in Rome, and then went back to Naples, Florida for a year to build my business.

It's becoming harder for me to live with one foot in this world, and one foot with God. I've become luke warm at times. Unthankful for what God has done in my life. He has changed my life so completely that it's difficult to remember how I was before I knew Him.

It is writen, "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him" (1 Corinthians 2:9).

God's Love for us is enough to fill eternity. He has given us all things and placed heaven before our eyes. "Truly, this only I have found: that God made man upright, but they have sought out many schemes" (Ecclesiastes 7:29)."

May we all be thankful for all the blessings in our lives and turn to God with our whole hearts.

Arrived in the Holy Land!

2007-05-04T15:48:00.000-04:00

I am so happy to be here in Israel again! I arrived yesterday morning and made my way from the Ben Gurion/Tel Aviv airport to a town called Kiryat Shmona, in the north near the border of Lebanon. My friend Alon lives there in an apartment over looking the mountains in the area.

Today we traveled to Alon's mom's house in Kfar Vradim, about two hours away from Kiryat Shmona. On our way, we saw the sun setting in the mountains.

On Sunday I will head for the Kotel Wall in Jerusalem.

It's such a blessing to be here - and the paths are opening in every direction with opportunity. I may go the Sea of Gaililee, or Alon has family that lives in the desert, so I may stay there if the weather cools down. (It's around 100 degrees right now). 6 of my friends from my last trip to Africa are all in Israel now, so we will surely meet up soon.

I will write more later.

Love,
Josh

Finally Home!

2006-05-25T23:14:00.000-04:00

After almost 11 months of traveling on my recent trip, I'm finally back home :)

Pictures are posted here.

Zimbabwe Hyperinflation

2006-05-02T10:06:00.000-04:00

An interesting article on Zimbabwe´s current hyperinflation problems. I witnessed the same economic problems throughout Zimbabwe. The salaries of workers lag behind the growing inflation-- many people can´t afford to buy basic food for living.

I spent a week living with a family in a place called Cement, near Bulawayo. The oldest in the family, a 25 year old guy, worked 10 hours away in a larger town and supported his family of 4.
The family had little money to pay for food or even basic healthcare. While we were there, we bought food and basic supplies for the family. The situation is terrible and continuing to get worse.

Mugabe, the president of Zimbabwe, is blamed by all for the rising inflation-- and rightly so. His government continues to print more money, to pay for the salaries of government officials. Mugabe is also seizing the land of foreign investors, compounding the problem by pulling out most of the foreign money from the country.

I´m not sure if you are concerned with the problems of Zimbabwe, but the fact is that while we are driving around in our 4 by 4´s and complaining about rising gas prices, there are others much worse off-- and we should keep that in mind.

..

Right now I´m in the city of Jujoy in northern Argentina. I´m making my way up to Bolivia in the next week. Today I think I´m heading over to a hot springs about 30 minutes from here. Last week, I rented a car with 3 others and drove for 3 days around the mountainous region south of Salta. Ýes, I´ve been taking plenty of pictures and hope to post them soon.

Quick Update

2006-04-22T11:32:00.000-04:00

I decided to postpone my ticket and stay in Argentina until June 2nd. I'm now living at the Gaia Ecovillage, you can learn more about permaculture and sustainable living from their website.

Coming Home!

2006-04-04T05:50:00.000-04:00

Hello Family & Friends,

I've been spending the last few days relaxing on the beautiful beaches of Tofo, Mozambique. The life here is easy- I have a small hut with a bed that I pay $10/night in a lodge that has a self-catering kitchen, bathrooms and hot water for showers. Every evening, the local fishermen bring in the catch of the day which includes shrimps, barracuda, plenty of huge fish and squid. The other night I bought 2 kilos of shrimp for $4 US.

I'm looking forward to coming home after this long, but amazing journey. I've counted the countries I've travelled through: Argentina, Peru, Uruguay, South Africa, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Mozambique- what a trip!
I'm excited and content. Joyous and calm. I'm at peace. Who wouldn't be after living so stress-free for so long :)

I can't wait to see everyone's shining faces.

Love,
Josh

Some thoughts..

2005-12-11T16:12:00.000-05:00

The time has come for me to leave this fine city of Buenos. I leave Wednesday for Cape Town, South Africa for a 4-month side trip that will take me to the New Beginnings - 500 didj players, 5000 djembe drummers, 500 fire dancers.

From there, I'm heading to see the pyramids in Egypt and maybe make my way to Prague.. Then back home in May for Darrin's wedding..

There's so much to write about, but I'm at a loss for words. I've met some amazing people on my travels. It's such a small world though, I was talking to someone yesterday who happened to grow up in Kfar Vradim and is best friends with my good friend Alon from Israel.

I met Jon, the backpacker who's traveled to 40 countries in the past 8 years. I had actually met him before while traveling in India...

I met Silvana, a shining star from Peru, who was terribly unhappy in her life before starting her journey. She decided to quit her two jobs and leave her family and friends to head to Uruguay for the Rainbow gathering. I just got this email from her..

"Hello beautifull brother!!

It´s beautifull to have news from you again, the gathering is finished , but
the rainbow in my live continue, and this is only the beginning!!

I´m so happy that there are no words to explain it!!"

And then there are the faces and personalities that seem to intertwine.. "Have I met you before?" .. "You look familiar..."

I met Natasha from Jersey & BA, Mabel from BA, Shooooki from Israel, Caroline from Zambia.. Emanuel from Venezuela.. all the amazing people at the Urbano hostel in Buenos... Eddy from NY.. And so many more diverse people that I have learned from and shared with...

I suppose I'm not usually a very expressive person.. Even when writing this blog, or talking to my family and friends..So I'm going to share with you what I've been thinking a lot about. Not just recently, but for many years. I'm not sure why sharing these things is so hard for me, or why we live in a society when someone starts to talk about spirituality or, of understand the moment, people seem to think they are a hippie or taking some kind of drugs. But, maybe each of us has these thoughts at one time or another..

I spend a lot of time thinking and reading, writing, drawing. Even though my apartment in Buenos has a tv, I put it in the closet - and let me tell you, that's one of the best decisions I've ever made- I highly recommend you do the same.. I was told by Jon the backpacker that there is a phrase in the bible- the devil will be attached to each of our homes.. Just take a look at the rooftops of houses and see the satellites which beam this bullshit into our heads all day long.

Where is the truth in all of this? I'm reading a book now called the Awakening of Intelligence by J. Krishnamurti - one of the most insightful books I've ever read. It's really changing my perception on how I view the world around me...

"It would be rather interesting and worth while if we could share together a mind that is not tortured, that is fundamentally free, that has no barriers, that sees things as they are, that sees that an interval of time separates man from nature and from other human beings, that sees the meaning of dreadful, frightening time and space, that knows what is really the quality of love. If we could share this--not intellectually, not in a most cunning, elaborate, philosophical, metaphysical way, but actually partake of it, if we could do that I think all our problems would end. But this sharing is not with another, one must have it first. Then when you have it in abundance. And when there is this abundance the one and the many are the same, like a tree that is full of leaves of which one leaf is perfect and is part of the whole tree."

I guess many of you reading this are dismissing the words, or remarking one thing or another, "Josh is living in a dream world." But it's becoming more obvious to me that there is something in this world besides what we are led to believe. I believe humanity is undergoing a time of great darkness right now. I'm not sure if you are able to see it, but I believe we are moving further away from the truth of reality, of this moment..

In my diary I write.. "In my most awake and aware moments, I consider the grandness of life. I see the mystic in the air and I think to pursue the greatness before me. And I follow it in this moment -- this is the secret. You don't 'follow' a path somewhere in a country or in the future, or with planning. To follow this path, you focus all your will power on existing in the present. In each moment, focus is required. When the mind is not focused, it forgets. In pouring tea, washing dishes.. identify the present moment. No thinking required. In fact, when you are thinking you are not living in the present. When working, be aware of yourself, your ego- your interaction - watch how your ego behaves in situations and in realities - develop an understanding by poking and prodding.. exploring new things, changing, in this moment - always changing by simply pushing yourself - your ego - your mind - your body - into the direction of truth, of what you hold highest. For this is how you begin to understand. This is the path.. no country or future needed."

..."How to stop worrying and start living"...

I have always overthought things. Maybe for the people who know me, they might remark something about me being a chess player.. but this is a different type of thinking that I'm sure we all share to varying degrees. We think about some past memory.. some conversation we had, or what we should have said, or where we are going to be in the future, or is my girlfriend being faithful to me.. We cloud our mind with irrational thoughts and desire.. and for me, taking a step back and being able to observe these thoughts has really helped me to overcome them - to identify them - and be aware that they exist as a part of my ego.

My diary has interesting passages; here is one from December 6th.. "What a terrific day. I met Helena today, we went to see some parks and saw a clown in a thong doing flips on a trapeze."

.."People sprint to success as if it was a marathon, sprinting for god’s sakes! At the top of their lungs! Yelling as if they were under a boiling fire! These people desire and desire more.. more success..more money.. they never remove themselves from the fire, only increase the speed at which they are running at the bottom of the burning pot."

.."I sleep quietly,
I wish, something changes,
but it won't,
Until I do.
And the morning comes again.."

.."Life is a privilege!"..

.."When I'm on my deathbed. I want to give two thumbs up and exclaim "What a life!"..

Jon the backpacker said these words.. "We are Infinite and Timeless beings, ever growing, spiraling upwards.. Truth is Simplicity is Love."

2005-10-22T19:17:00.000-04:00

Pic from my balcony, overlooking Recoleta, next door is a brewery, 2 strip clubs and a dozen dance clubs/bars. no, you cannot have my apartment.

2005-10-22T19:14:00.000-04:00

interesting elevator..

2005-10-22T19:13:00.000-04:00

My apartment, 1 bedroom/1 bath, living room, nice ceilings, fridge, tv/dvd, high speed internet, wood floors, maid included..$550/month.

2005-10-22T19:12:00.000-04:00

Street side magic show

2005-10-22T19:11:00.002-04:00

I see this guy every weekend.. Don't be fooled, he's a boosing alcoholic.

2005-10-22T19:11:00.001-04:00

Beautiful Church a few minutes away

2005-10-22T19:11:00.000-04:00

Freddo's Ice cream across the street

2005-10-22T19:10:00.001-04:00

Argentine KKK or Pointed Hat Saint.. you decide..

2005-10-22T19:10:00.000-04:00

Raise your hand if you know what a rasta is..

2005-10-22T19:09:00.000-04:00

Great artists..

2005-10-22T19:08:00.000-04:00

Weekend market in Recoleta

Do you like your spam shaken or stirred?

2005-10-20T03:11:00.001-04:00

Well, first off I have limited the comments on this blog to registered users only. If you noticed below any of the entries I write, there is a 'posted by Josh' following a date and a comment link. If you look at most of the recent entries, they've been hit by Spam.

I'll continue to write about my life here in Argentina, but changing the format of my blog will give me more freedom to express the ideas that consume my brain.

In this case, the topic is spam. How does it exist? Who the heck is doing it?

There are all sorts of spam including email spam, webspam, splogs, and too many other forms to mention.

In this case, they are polluting my blog with none other than comment spam. If you've never heard of the way search engines work, they use the backlinks, or the referral text from one website pointing to another, as practical votes. Each page has a typical voting power, based itself on the voting power of its backlinks.

What you need to understand is that if someone places a link from my blog to their website, I've just voted for them and increased their search engine position. Now that they appear higher in the search page, they make more money selling their stupid products that .3-1% of visitors are likely to purchase.

In order to add their link to the comments section of my blog, they created a software program that goes through millions of blogs, heads to the comments section, and automatically posts their link.

Spammers are smater than ever by creating sophisticated content-generation software that can produce an entire blog like mine (known as a splog, or spam blog) which is written almost as well as some human writers.

As internet advertising evolves, more and more channels will be created to deliver content. Each of these channels offers another way to let advertisers, and spammers, into your life.

In short, if you think spam is going away any time soon - then think again.

2005-10-05T00:56:00.001-04:00

Zoili in Peru!

2005-10-05T00:56:00.000-04:00

Cuzco..

2005-10-05T00:55:00.000-04:00

My friend Dave..

2005-10-05T00:54:00.000-04:00

From above..

2005-10-05T00:53:00.000-04:00

Machu..

2005-10-05T00:52:00.000-04:00

Machu Picchu

2005-10-05T00:51:00.000-04:00

I love Llama's.. and they love me

Adventures in Peru

2005-09-24T18:46:00.000-04:00

Dave and I arrived in Cuzco this morning and were completely exhausted from the past 3 days in Lima. I got a chance to see Zoili in Lima, which was really amazing' she took us around to the best restaurants (Hooters) and places in Lima..

Although the sun didn´t come out for our 3 days in Lima, it still was great to walk around the city , watch Dave lose money in the casinos, and generally just have a enjoyable time with Zoili..

We are heading to Machu Pichu on Monday.. still trying to get used to the altitude and avoid the sickness that comes along with it, but there are special drinks here that help´with that problem.

After Machu Pichu, we are taking a flight back to Lima and should be back in Buenos September 29th. I´m taking a lot of pics which I will post on the blog next week..

I know I´m always a bit short on these posts, but if you email me I will surely tell you more..

Oh yeah, our hostel overlooks the city of Cuzco, its very peaceful and we are only paying $8-night per person.. wow!

Short Update

2005-09-13T02:15:00.000-04:00

Alon has been here for the past week! I say that with an exclamation point because it has been quite a jive from the relatively quiet life I was living. But it's been great having so many Israelis here in my apartment. Alon's Israeli friends from Peru are also in town and so is Alon's good friend from home, who I invited to sleep on the couch.

I'm leaving for my short Lima trip September 21st. Since Alon spent the last two months in Lima, he's giving me a lot of great advice.

There have been a few sunny day's lately. It's surprising how much I have missed the great Florida heat that I never knew I loved. Speaking of love, the nightclubs here are booming.

I'm changing my plans, probably, to stay here another three months to save enough money to travel again. The wiser thing to do.

I will try to write more later. Till then, I'm available outside of normal business hours :)

Upcoming Plans

2005-09-05T00:50:00.000-04:00

I've had a pleasant time in Argentina, but lately I've been feeling the need to move on to another place, somewhere else to explore. I have my apartment until November 1st, and I think that will be a good time to leave. I will probably head over to Melbourne, Australia or Madrid, Spain - I haven't decided yet.

I'm excited becaues my great childhood friend, Alon, is coming down to Buenos Aires this week. The last time I saw him was when I was in Israel 3 years ago. The past year, Alon set off for a trip around the world. He travelled through the states and saw my sister. He was also in China and is now travelling in South America. I told Alon he could crash on my couch as long as he wanted to stay.

Last week, my friend Dave from UF and I booked a trip to Peru (September 22-28). We are going to spend 3 days in Lima and a few days in Cuzco, the fortress city of the ancient Incas. We're planning to do a 3 day jungle trek up to the ruins. I'm going to be taking a lot of pictures. Hopefully, I'll even see my old gf Zoila who got deported!

I'll be sure to post more later.

Take care.

Igauzu Falls, Argentina

2005-08-16T18:16:00.000-04:00

Igauzu Falls, Argentina

I took an 18 hour bus ride to Igauzi Falls this weekend.. I left on Friday and got back today.. it was quite a trip..stayed at a hostel in Igauzu where I met a bunch of other backpackers... It doesn't help that most bottles of alcohol cost less than $5 dollars.

Overall it was a great weekend and I'm exhausted.. I'll post more later.

2005-08-16T18:15:00.000-04:00

Another pic..

2005-08-16T18:14:00.000-04:00

Every angle is beautiful..

2005-08-16T18:13:00.000-04:00

So cool.

2005-08-16T18:12:00.000-04:00

This is a parrilla.. all parts of the cow.. don't really want to know which parts..

2005-08-07T02:13:00.000-04:00

Wine tasting

2005-08-07T02:12:00.000-04:00

The artistry here is amazing..

2005-08-07T02:11:00.000-04:00

My aunt and cousin, Sunny & Arielle (taken at my sisters wedding)

2005-08-07T02:10:00.000-04:00

Yeah, das right (taken at sisters wedding).

2005-08-07T02:09:00.000-04:00

Ah, so beautiful - Nana, Mom & sister Rachel

Travel Soup for the Soul

2005-08-05T03:13:00.000-04:00

I can see the nervous twitch in the old man sitting across from me. It was sort of like a pulsing vain, that made its way from the top of his forehead to the edge of his left brow. He was not going to like my next move, and I knew from his vein the second I laid the piece on the square.

I like when people ask me for directions in the street. I usually point in a direction and say "Aya!" (Over there!). I also sometimes pretend that I speak Spanish to the lost American tourists who only speak English.

My new elevator has a pretty big bounce as it hits the ground floor. It's nothing to be worried about, but it is always a bit jolting. I think I will start taking the stairs.

-- Chess News (Be careful, it's a dangerous world below) --

Last chess tournament I was placed in Division 4, the lowest division. Today started a new month long tournament at the club, and I was placed in Division 2. I had quite a few people congratulate me, as this seems to be quite significant at the club.

There is an internationally famous tournament called the American Continental Championship being held in Buenos Aires August 5 - August 16th featuring 40 Grandmasters and dozens of International Masters (my chess coach being one of them). Since it's open to the public, I'm sure I will spend a lot of time watching their games.

New Apartment Eats Kids for Breakfast

2005-08-02T01:11:00.000-04:00

The original plan was to rent an apartment for a few weeks in Buenos Aires at a higher price because the room was reserved from the internet, then get down here and in three weeks find another place to live at a cheaper rate.

Well, the three weeks were up and I moved yesterday to my new apartment. Unfortunately, this one is, well.. just not as nice. Also, the high speed internet connection is heartbreakingly slow. I'm ordering a new high speed internet service tomorrow.

I've been busy with work lately. Life is about finding some sort of disappearing thread of balance - and work sure does ground me down while I'm here. But not too much... I'm still enjoying every day.

Today, I went shopping to fill my massively large fridgerator - one of the two good things about this apartment (the other happens to be the shower pressure). Although I've never really enjoyed shopping, there's something about shopping at a foreign supermarket that is somewhat intriguing. I grabbed things such as the Quilmes Boch - A National beer (970cm^3 if you are curious - not sure what that is in ounces) and uncooked prepared shish kabob’s. I hesitated on the milk, only because it seemed to come in a plastic type bag.

I'm beginning to feel more comfortable with acting as if I'm from here. Very important upon entering a taxi. The driver wants to sum you up, giving you that look like 'Is he from here, and if not, how much can I take him for?' So I stick my chest out and roll my r's and say, "Sanchez de Bustemante y Corrientes!"

Did I mention that my bed gets folded up against the wall to turn into some sort of wooden thing that stands up with a hidden bed inside? I guess that's good for parties.

The Gaucho I told you about in my last post said something very wise to me. He said, "Goshe, the women here are like beef. On the tv, beef. In the street beef. We have a lot of beef. But, the beef does not want to be eaten. The beef is to look and not eat." I guess, the Gaucho may have a point.

Oh, did I mention I have a sandwich maker.

Ok, till my next post..

Living Again

2005-07-29T05:19:00.000-04:00

The small heater in my room pumps out warm air on the 5th setting. I have 2 settings to go before I begin to worry. The last few weeks have been cold, compared to Florida standards at least. But sometimes I don't even know, as I'm in my room working on my computer for most of the afternoon.

After work, I put on my jacket and head downstairs. There's a great buffet next door, serving an all-you-can-eat meal for $10 pesos, or roughly $3.30. I have to remind myself to explore the other restaurants in the area. The food here is well prepared. A meal here is more than just a meal. It is a time to sit down with friends and enjoy - a pleasurable event during the day. You can tell that they take pride in what they cook. The steak, of course, is excellent. I was told by my landlord, a former gaucho (Rancher), that the meat tastes good because the cattle are able to graze the fields without being confined, as well as a lack of steroids. The meat is eaten without any sauce, or dare I say, A1.

Walking around the streets, I often see couples embarrassing each other. As if their worlds have merged into one - without regard for on-lookers like myself, who can't help but watch their display which lacks any inhibitions.

The Spanish is at a slower pace, a result of the Italian influence which drags out the syllables - making it easier for me to think I understand. I reply an enthusiastic "Si!" to most questions. The few remaining sentences I remember from the 3 years of Spanish in high school make up 80% of my daily conversations.

And then it hits me. I'm in Buenos Aires. The international traveler has done it again. And here I am, trying to figure out what brought me to this place. My head tilts at a 35-degree angle, and then I remember.

Chess has infiltrated my life at all angles. I visit the chess club three times a week. Last week I played in a chess tournament (won 5 lost 4, ew). My new chess coach, an International Master, charges me $5/hour for the four hours we meet each week.

I'm happy here. I think I will stay awhile.

I have arrived!

2005-07-15T11:13:00.000-04:00

Wow! What can I say, I love this place! It really has exceeded my expectations so far in every way. My apartment is beautiful and is located next to three different dance clubs, a few dozen cafe's and bars, and about 500 feet from the famous Recoleta cemetary.

I haven't had a chance to take any pictures, but I will shortly. During the morning and early afternoon, I work-- then I've been getting lunch at some of the cafe's around here and walking around the massive city.

My Spanish is getting a lot better. I've met a lot of people, including Rocio, the daughter of my landlord, who speaks English pretty well. Today I'm going to one of the biggest markets in BA with Rocio and Kyle, a guy I split a cab with coming from the Aiport. This weekend, the three of us and some of the students in Kyle's spanish language class are all going by boat to Uruguay.

Yesterday, I took a bus to the famous Argentine Chess Club, Torre Blanca, and actually played my first tournament game in about 6 years! It felt great. I did manage to overlook winning a pawn during the middle game, but by the 31st move the guy was crushed. I signed up for the on-going tournament, so every Monday and Thursday I have a match. The club is open from 5pm - 1 am every day and has lessons with Internetional Masters every Friday! I am even thinking about getting private lessons because it is so cheap.

I am getting fat. Yes, the food in Argentina is excellent, especially the steak. Put it this way, I haven't been making much use of my stove.
Also, I am becoming quite the wine connoisseur--it's so damn cheap!)

My Voice over IP Internet phone blew out when I plugged it in, so this has been my biggest problem so far. I am urgently trying to find a replacement (mostly so clients from work have a way of contacting me, but also because I love the voice of family..)

The weather has been a lot better than I expected as well. During the day, a light coat is just enough. Some days are a little colder than others, but overall it's been great weather so far.

Well, I'm off to go get lunch!

On the Road Again

2005-07-07T21:48:00.000-04:00

Buenos Aires

I am off again this Saturday-- I guess I just can't keep still. This time, I'm heading south to the land of the tango and steaks, the beautiful Buenos Aires, Argentina.

I'm not quite sure how long I'm staying. I've rented a furnished apartment in Recoleta, for $550/month including high speed internet.

I'll still be working on SEO from my apartment. Argentina is also known for its strong chess players, and Buenos Aires is home to four chess clubs--so hopefully I'll start playing again. I'll take some Spanish lessons, learn the Tango-- I'm 23, can you blame me?

I'm not sure how long I'll be gone for, most likely a few months. I just checked the weather in BA, high of 60, low of 40. Not too bad for the winter.

I'll try to keep this blog updated with pictures in the next few weeks.

The End of The Road, The Start of Another

2005-03-20T09:43:00.000-05:00

It's been hard keeping this journal updated, I guess I have an excuse.. I've been travelling.

I have decided that I'm coming home in a week or two, a month earlier then I expected. Travelling through India for 4 months, and then into Thailand and now Laos has left me pretty exhausted. I'm tired of not having nothing to do! I'm not in the least disappointed, I think I accomplished quite a lot and have learned about another small part of our world. Right now I'm in Vientiene, Laos. I'm heading back into Thailand in a few days, then into Nong Khai where I volunteered last year, then to Bangkok and back home.

I know my posts are short, but I will be home soon.

Much Love,
Josh

Happy Birthday To Me

2005-03-09T11:18:00.000-05:00

Having a birthday in northern Thailand isn't so bad. I just got back from a 3-day trekking tour visiting some of the hill tribes in Thailand near Chaing Mai. Today we went white water rafting and bamboo rafting, I had a great time. Then, after getting back into town I got a Thai massage for $2.50. Overall day went great and now I'm the mighty 23 yrs old.

Chaing Mai is a pretty good place to visit. On Sunday I went to the Sunday Market where hundreds of venders line the street selling their wares: paintings, wood carvings, drums, if you want it they have it - and the prices are cheaper then you could imagine.

I have about 2 months left before I had back and I'm going to try to make the most out of it.. yet on the other hand, I think I'm going to spend as much time as I want in each country and if I don't make it to Cambodia I'll just have to come back next time.

Things in Thailand are pretty good, although pretty much the same as when I was here last year. Tomorrow I'm heading to Pai and then off to Chaing Rai to a border crossing into Laos, then taking a 2 day slow boat on the Mekong River.

I took a lot of pictures from the trekking this weekend, but my camera fell into the water so I hope they aren't damaged too bad.

Anyway, I'm off to hit up the Chaing Mai nightlife. Take care everyone.

Keeping Everyone Posted

2005-03-01T06:24:00.000-05:00

Once again, it's been awhile since I updated - but better late then never.

I arrived in Bangkok a few hours ago on Royal Bhutan Airways which, as it turns out, is a really great airlines and they don't even charge for the food like el crapo Northwest does. I wasn't sure how I'd feel coming back here, since I was here last year. When I arrived, I figured I'd head to where I stayed..last year - and I spent the last few hours walking down the roads I walked... last year. Well, getting the picture? Anyway, I don't think I'm going to stay here for too long, I'm heading up to Laos in 2 weeks and trying to do the SE Asia tour in 2 months, which should be a challenge.

I'm staying here Kaosan Road, the main backpacker hangout in Thailand. It's amazing at how developed this place has become, catering to the whim of the "backpacker." I sort of hestitate to say backpacker, because it seems like most of these people just saw the movie Roadtrip and decided backpacking was the cool thing to do. So they all are fashionable and well-groomed, to each his own!

Leaving India wasn't too hard. I was ready. My ears were ready. How can I sum up nearly 4 months? It's pretty difficult to describe, but I certainly will remember it for the rest of my life.

I'll keep everyone posted (hopefully) and of course if you ever email me I will always email you back as soon as I can.

Keep in touch.

Pictures

2005-01-31T08:01:00.000-05:00

Hey All,

I'm in Bundi now, a very small town in Rajasthan. I'm heading east now to Orcha, Khajarho, Varanassi, and Calcutta -- then flying to Bangkok and making my way around SE Asia. Everything is going great and hope you guys enjoy the pictures. The last 2 months I've taken 500 pictures but I'm only able to upload a few because of the poor internet connection.

Backwaters of Kerala
Longboat in Kerala
Sadu @ Hilltop in Hampi
Drinking from Coconut
Beautiful Munar - Tea Plantation
Banana Pickers, Hampi
Me praying in Temple
View outside cabin room in Munar - Would you pay $6/night for this view?
Me getting palm read
Hyderabad, teen group at Fort
Grandma & baby in Sanchi
Traditional Dresses
Oh, Taj - Thy Beautiful
Me & Taj
Taj - Diff. Angle

Me getting interviewed by media about stolen stuppa on largest Indian TV network
Me in Hindi Dance Video
Another Dance Vid Pic
Happily Insane
Camel - What Cutie
Monkey Striking a Pose
Orit - Israeli I spent a week with
Me & Orit
Teaching Chess
Sunset in Pushkar
Building in Lake
Me doing Fire Poi
I love kissing Camels
Happy Jewelery Store Owner (After big sale with me)

Not Many Days Left...

2005-01-21T10:12:00.000-05:00

I can't believe how fast this trip has gone. As cliche as it is, time flew by. I will probably be leaving India February 5th to give me 3 months in SE Asia. I was thinking about heading to Nepal, but any time I spend there will leave me with less time exploring Vietnam or Cambodia.

I've been staying in Pushkar the past week, relaxing and not doing much of anything. Hey, I'm on vacation! Can you blame me?

From here I'll head down to Kota and then make my way to Calcutta to fly into Bangkok.

I'm actually going to miss this place. People say the more time you spend in India, the more it grows on you, and it certainly does. Masala Dosa, chai, "give me 1-pen", loud horns, "NA MA STE", 2nd class sleeper trains, Iway cybercafe's, hippies, squat toilets, POLLUTION, crap everywhere, bucket showers, "what country are you from?", GOA, templezzz....

Where I've been: Mumbai, Goa, Mangalore, Kerala (Kochi), Munnar, Coimbature, Mysore, Bangalore, Hampi, Hyderabad, Bhopal (Sanchi), Agra, Pushkar.

Books I've read: 9/11 Commission Report, Chaos - Making a new Science by Gleick, Art of Wordly Wisdom by Gracian, Making Friends & Influencing People by Carnegie, Clicks Bricks & mortars

Number of Festivals I've been to: 4 (Diwali, Holi, Kite Festival, Eid)

Number of Americans I've met: 12

Festive India

2005-01-14T08:14:00.000-05:00

The Kite Festival has got to be one of the best festivals of all time. India has a thing for festivals, I never quite understood them, but they are beginning to grow on me. This festival brings the entire city into the streets and on roof-tops for a day of non-stop, action-packed, KITE FLYING!

OK. I know what you must be thinking, "Flying kites, Josh, that's kids play." Absolutely not! This is hard-core competitiveness in its purest form.

Buy a kite (3 ruppees) & string from the hundreds of venders that line the street. All the kites are made exactly the same. The person who flies the kite highest is the best.

Hundreds of kites fill the sky, except my kites, which barely got off the ground. I took a video of the most skilled kitesman in all of Jaipor using some crazy advanced kite flying techniques which I'll post shortly.

Finally, An Update

2005-01-11T09:02:00.000-05:00

There are so many things to write about, it's hard knowing where to begin. I was questioned by police and interviewed on India's largest TV network. An ancient statue was stolen and they suspected a foreigner, so me and the two Dutch travellers I was with got pulled out of a jeep and questioned. Pretty cool. While I was getting interviewed I pulled out my digital camera and started taking pictures of myself being interviewed, I'll have to post them soon.

Today I went to monkey temple, absolutely spectacular. Hundreds of monkeys darting around, fighting, playing, doing monkey things. I even saw one smaller monkey jump on the back of a goat, the goat was obviously not very happy about the situation, so he began jolting back & forth, and the monkey continued to hold on as if he were riding a bull. The little monkey's like showing off and playing-- I saw one sliding down the side of a rocky mountain on a plastic bag. He was quite happy with himself, until small puppy wanted to claim the plastic bag as his own.

Ah, and of course there's the Taj. That guy must have really loved his wife and it shows. Everything in exact symmetry and harmony, the perfect building in every way.

What else? Every day is still new and exciting, so after travelling for over two months, I think that in itself is remarkable. I've been meeting travellers along the way, but no particular love interests as of yet--although it's no secret that Indian's make good wives--very compromising and mostly good cooks.

I plan on spending another month in India, then heading to Asia for 3 months. I will try my best to make my updates more frequent.. It's easier for me then trying to relate 3-week's of experiences into one update.

Everything else is going pretty good I'd say. No complaints at all. They don't call it "experiencing India" for nothing. To travel here, you must really accept everything as it comes, otherwise you will be doomed by the pollution, traffic, hectic life, and a thousand other adjectives and nouns.

Keep emailing as it's always great to hear from everyone.

Earthquake & Hampi

2004-12-28T04:49:00.000-05:00

First off, I'm sure many of you are wondering about the impact of the recent earthquake in India. The mood is still somewhat frantic and chaotic among travelers. Sitting across from me right now is a group of 6 Israelis trying their best to access an email account to hear from a missing friend who was traveling in Tamil Nadu, a region badly hit. The man to my right is the owner of the cybercafe and now searches for pictures of his missing friend on his computer. Other travelers are rescheduling their travel plans to accommodate for the recent event and to stay away from coastal areas. Right now, it's as safe as possible in Hampi and I plan on staying here for some more time.
********************
On a different note...

HAMPI BACKGROUND: Hampi was founded in 1336 and hit the peak of its power in the 16th century, controlling the spice and cotton trade. Unfortunately for them, the town was ransacked by a "confederacy of Decan Sultanates" in 1565.

I am writing from one of the (usually, before the earthquake) most serene and peaceful places on Earth. To look around is to see life itself come alive. The landscape has been transformed from a once thriving empire into a city of scattered boulders (by the ransacking). The boulders stretch as far as the eye can see in all directions. In a miracle of empowerment, I woke up several days ago at 6am to watch the sunrise over the ruins. The experience captures the soul. As the sun slowly rises, you begin to hear the birds chattering in the sky. The due that covers the grass glistens and waves to greet the coming day. And with the passing of each moment, another outline of a distance place makes itself known. You feel yourself at the will of spirituality. One could fill pages describing a single infinite instant of time in Hampi.
The main city bazaar is catered to the tourists: hotels, restaurants and beggars crowd the streets. Yet away from the commotion and a bamboo-boat ride across the river, leaves me in the small community of travelers and locals where I'm currently staying. Of course, on the single street, I am but a short walk away from a cybercafe (OK, so it's a city of unspoiled beauty and a few satellite-linked cybercafe's). The Israeli women that comprise half of this community are both fertile and f..ashionable. I have been enjoying my day visiting temples, playing chess with the Hampi Chess Team (!), and thinking about everything and nothing at once...
How is it that most of us are so removed from what is real? Sure, our families are real. Our jobs are certainly real. But the substance that consumes the vast in between moments of the day often goes by unnoticed and unappreciated. In Hampi, clarity is plentiful.
One day, I climbed up 600 stairs to Monkey Temple, named for the dozens of monkeys that have made it their home. Another day, I met up with 2 American girls, rented bikes, and rode to a nearby waterfall. At night, there are sometimes bonfires and movies shown on small tv's. Night-time discussions tend to be on random subjects: speaking with a former government official who now owns a local restaurant about the rampant corruption, talking to 2 older 'proper' Oxford scholars about how to buy ancient Mogul artwork in India, listening to a Hamp cook till me how to cook a pizza.
I'm in no rush to leave. Since I have no set itinerary, I will probably stay here another week or two.

YES IM OK

2004-12-27T04:45:00.000-05:00

For all those who are concerned, I'm FINE. The city that I'm in, Hampi, is 300 ft above sea level and away from the coastal region. News travels pretty slow in India, but I did find out about it early and emailed my mom, but she was in Miami so didn't receive the email. So I just responded to quite a few emails asking if I'm OK.

I have met quite a few travellers who were headed to Sri Lanka, it's incredibly scary to think about the speed and impact of the earthquake.

I'm planning on staying in Hampi for another 2 weeks, so I'm about as safe here as anywhere.

Where Did I Leave Off?

2004-12-16T09:12:00.000-05:00

So much has happened since my last update, it's hard to know where to begin. Yesterday, while walking around the city of Mysore, I saw a few hundred people gathered around the street. As I approached, it became clear what as going on, they were shooting a music video. As I started taking pictures, one of the producers noticed me, said something to the choreographer, then promptly shouted at me "YOU WANT TO DANCE?" - My reply, "HELL YEAH". So guess what? They taught me the dance step (sort of flapping your arms while raising one leg, reminds me of the funky chicken dance...), put me on a horse & buggy type deal, and started filming me doing this weird dance. Well, that was fun.. They are sending me a copy too. (I'll post pictures of the event shortly)

Last week I was in Allappy for the backwaters, a massive network of rivers and islands only accessible by boat. Many tourists rent a houseboat for 24-hours which has a private cook on board ($120+), but I decided to just take the boat the locals take (.10 cents) and just enjoy the serene atmosphere. I had a great time meeting the native people, drinking from a coconut cut down from a tree by a local, and generally just relaxing and enjoying myself.

From Allapy I headed back north to Kochi and then east to Munnar, a hill-station (high in the mountains, highest point 3.9 miles up-- in the clouds) which I heard about from some college student's I met in Kochi. The bus ride was pretty exhilarating, considering the old bus going up the mountain side without any guard rails and only a few feet away from imminent death, but the other Indians didn't seem too nervous about the situation, so I tried not to worry (I did notice other foreigners were quite nervous as well).

I spent 3 days in Munnar, in a cabin with 2 Swiss students I met on the bus. The cabin was really great, located far away from the city. The Swiss (1 guy, 1 girl, not together) were fun to hang out with, and one of the nights we made a campfire and ate dinner under the brightly lit stars. Another day was spent walking up & down a nearby mountain (3 miles up, 3 miles down), visiting a tea factory (Munnar has tea plantations as far as the eye can see), and more relaxing.

Another long bus ride down the mountain left me in Coimbature, a transit city with not much to see or do. However, I was content with spending the day on the internet. From there I took a train to Mysore... (I'm exhausted just writing this...)... I visited the Majarahas Palace among other places, and gave one of the security guards $3 to take me upstairs to the 2nd floor not accessible or ever seen by the public..

Arriving in Bangalore this morning, I checked into a hotel with a TV (although no showerhead, hot water from 5am-10am, no a/c of course, $8), and spent the day walking around the city. In a few hours I'm going to check out the posh(?) Bangalore nightlife.

Some More Pictures

2004-12-07T09:17:00.000-05:00

I uploaded some pictures, but didn't have time to organize them. Be warned: they will probably take a long time to load, I'm not in most of them, and they are mostly people, trees, and beaches. When I get back home I will organize them.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 I2 I3 I4 I5 I6 I7 I8 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48

Mangalore

2004-12-04T10:00:00.000-05:00

(By the request of Steve and Lori I'll try to be more detail specific).

I left Goa 2 days ago with baggage and train tickets in hand. The travel agent managed to convince me that if I did not book the southern-leg of my trip all at once the trains would be booked and I would be stuck (ie. if you book all your tickets at once my commission will be larger). I hate holding myself to traveling on specific dates set by a train ticket schedule, but at least I have some sort of itinerary which makes travelling a little easier (rather then my style of showing up and figuring out what to do next).

The Goa experience was something quite unique. The last few days were probably the best, because I decided to rent a Scooter and boogy all over Goa. For $5/day and $3 in petrol, I went from beach to beach throughout the coastline.

From Goa I came down the coast to Mangalore by train, arriving at 8am. (not to be confused with Bangalore, the IT capital). I stepped off, opened my Lonely Planet to the Mangalore section, and treated myself to a hotel with a TV and hot water (although, the hot-water is only hot before 8am, which would have been nice if someone told me).

Mangalore is anything but a destination resort. It smells. Everything closes at 11:30... Maybe planning isn't my speciality. However, there is a zoo. The zoo was actually quite spectacular and massive. I was practically the only one there and got a personal tour-- seeing bear's, holding snakes, feeding deer, petting baby leopards and seeing all sorts of other animals up close (it's amazing how close you can get when there are no safety standards in place).

Some highlights of the last 2 days:
- Met 2 Indian's from Udapi, a town 1 1/2 hours from Mangalore who invited me to come to their town (which I woke up early and did today). We took a boat to St. Mary's island, founded by Vasco De Gama. I took lots of pics, mainly of rocks and me standing next to rocks. If you are reading this Prameela-Angus, sorry, I'm not Christian but Jewish.
- I went to a "Dancing-bar" - This is nightlife in Mangalore. Basically the way it works is the guys all sit down, order a beer, and watch the 6 fully clothed girls on stage sing and dance to karaoke songs. I never quite figured out what the hell was going on, although I did figure out this place also closes at 11:30.
- I argued for 10 minutes with a Rickshaw driver that took me in a complete circle then demanded 10 ruppees (.25 cents). I told him "YOU IDIOT, YOU TOOK ME IN A DAMN CIRCLE." His response: "10 ruppees, no english." After 3 other Indian's got involved, I apparently gave the man 10 ruppees, dropped my head and sighed. " (Definition of Rickshaw: a 3-wheeled suicidal car which can out-manuever buses, cars, and mopeds. The tradeoff.. if you get in crash you will promptly and swiftly die, sry mom).

Tonight at 4am I head to Kerala by train. A.. nother... beach resort. Although this one is not to be missed because of the highly touted 'backwaters.' We shall see.

Some Pictures

2004-11-23T09:18:00.000-05:00

Click on the links below for some pictures from India. It's hard to share many pictures due to the slow upload speed.

http://www.hpseo.com/1.jpg
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http://www.hpseo.com/3.jpg
http://www.hpseo.com/4.jpg
http://www.hpseo.com/5.jpg
http://www.hpseo.com/6.jpg
http://www.hpseo.com/7.jpg

Still Here

2004-11-22T10:22:00.000-05:00

"Look my shop!" the Goan woman shouts as I pass her makeshift 'shop' at the weekly Anjuna market. On Wednesday's, the tourists head to Anjuna for a flee-market that would leave my own mother in a state of awe. My head turns as I smell corn cooking on the barbeque. I hand the man 10 rupees (.25 cents), and continue on my way. I pass another smell of something distinctly Indian, which is about the best you can describe it. To my right, a UK couple is bargaining with a shop-owner-- "100 Rupees, no 80, 90 Ruppees, OK OK." Straight ahead and walking towards me approaches a bunch of Israeli hippies, which there seem to be a lot of. I quickly turn to the side and try to squeeze by a group of Indian tourists from Bombay and a pile of not-so-biodegradable trash thrown onto the floor.

Saturday's - Anjuna fleemarket. Wednesday's - Apora night market. Friday's, 9bar then Paradiso.

As each day passes, I find myself more and more drawn to this unique city of Goa. Today, while passing a restaurant I noticed several people playing backgammon. Excited, I approached and was soon wagering 100 Ruppee ($2.50) per game against a 15-year backgammoner and tournament player. After 8 games, we were tied and called it even.

Not far from my guest house lies the shack formally known as "Hangloose." The Goan owner, a 28 year old with a wife and two children, recently changed the name to "Joyston" as a combination of his two children's names. It's here that I've been spending most of my time, hanging out with a group of Goan's my age who practically live in the shack. They tell me they have the life. Why would they ever want to move somewhere else? Each day they meet new foreign girls.. Each day watch the sunset.. Each day eat fresh fish and prawn caught from the previous night. "Life is meant to enjoy, not be stressed" one of them comments.

Watching the Goan sunset each night brings a tranquility to everyone who witnesses it. The sun turns a bright red as it slowly sinks over the horizon. The waves crash onto the shore, trumping all other sounds with its thunderous power. Is this a commercial for a beer? Can this be real?

The broadband enabled cyber-cafe is within walking distance--life is good.

Tonight I passed a sign with small imprinted letters: English Book Store. Traveling is a great time to read good books (of course, some would say anytime is a good time to read good books). I picked up "The Hitch-Hikers Guide to the Galaxy" by Douglas Adams.. it sounded appropriate.

Tomorrow I will go see the "16th Exposition of the sacred relics of St Francis Xavier" (http://www.indianexpress.com/full_story.php?content_id=59380

I think I will stay here for a little longer.

Woah, Chess!

2004-11-20T09:44:00.000-05:00

Not a proper update, but check out what I just learned of:

World Juniors/Girls U-20 Chess Championships (Kochi, India, 18 November-1 December 2004) have started.

108 chess players from different countries have started the participation in the 43rd World Junior and 21st World Junior Girls Championships at Hotel Casino, Cochin, India on Thursday, 18th November 2004 at 12 Noon.

This world mega event will be a 13 Round affair.

--

Kochin is really not that far from Goa, about a 12 hour train ride (if you look on a map it looks very close to Goa, but its actually quite a distance.)
I would really like to check it out, but I want to spend more time in Goa and heading directly to Kochin is out of the way. I haven't decided.. should I go? You can post a comment by clicking on the "Comments" link below. Let me know what you think.

Current Location: Goa, India

2004-11-16T11:29:00.000-05:00

How to I begin to describe India? The words polluted, dirty, over populated and poor all come to mind.

I am sitting in a cybercafe in Goa, a city with a life and character of its own, related to India only by geographic location. As the tourist season approaches full steam, this place becomes packed with foreigners from around the world in search of sun, beer, and late night parties.

It seems as this trip has been a rollercoaster which continually increases in speed. I have been so emersed in the experience, that it was only today that I noticed large white patches in the back of my throat. I went to the doctor and was informed I have a bacterial infection and was put on antibiotics. I feel fine and have halted alcohol consumption..

Yesterday, I was fortunate to watch fisherman pull in a massive net of fish shortly before sunset. Fish that freed themselves from the net and swam the wrong way toward shore were caught by eagerly awaiting children with plastic bags in hand. I caught a fish, threw it back into the sea, and shouted "FREE YOURSELF." I don't think anyone understood.

Right now I am staying on one of the most populated beaches in Goa. Five days ago the place was nearly dead. This place has been nice, but in a few days I will travel to Bangalore, a city known for its highly developed IT tech industry. I met a traveller from Bangalore several days ago and I will meet up with him while I'm there, I even have a place to stay. From there, I will explore the backwaters of Kerala, an experience I was told I shouldn't miss.

Hope all is well with everyone. Keep sending emails, its good to hear from you.

The Busy Traveller

2004-11-07T13:30:00.000-05:00

Location: Urecht, Netherlands

With 6 months of time, why do I feel like I have none of it? It is because I am constantly occupied, my attention always turning to something new. Walking through the busy Utrecht streetwalk, I am approached by a man who is passing out leaflets to attend a Christian prayer group. I stopped, and began talking with him about life. I, trying to convince him that our lives we're just illusions-- in which we work, have babies, and die in a blink of eternal time. He, expressing God loves me. I thanked him for it and left.

Of course, these types of conversions are easy to have while traveling.

As I enter a small shop in Leiden (Netherlands), I overhear a discussion on the current state of world affairs by the storeowner from Surinam and a Canadian. Of course, I couldn't help myself from entering the conversation. We discussed how the terrorists are probably plotting attacks from a cybercafe, and more likely a cybercafe which is across the street from us then one in Afganastan or Iraq. It seems obvious to say that the terrorist threat is both global and philosphical, and certainly not one which can be defeated via groundtroops conducting midnight raids in Fallujah. However, I wonder how many Americans would agree?

As I write, I am torn between writing about what cities I went to and the sites I saw, or my true interest-- the people that I have met. To me, the churches in Leiden look similiar to the churches in the Hague. Of course, a Dutch would argue the Churches found in The Hague are Christian, and the ones found in Leiden are most likely Protestant. But honestly, do I really care?

What fascinates me are the people and the culture. I've had a lot of philosophical discussions during the short time I've been traveling-- and I must say, it is refreshing to hear someone explain their viewpoint on life. We, as a society, as humans, are so focused on our own lives and "realities" that its easy to lose focus on what's important. So, you might say, "All knowing Josh, what is important?" Well shit, this is just a blog. You can't expect to find the meaning of life here.
I am leaving for India tomorrow. I have heard there are many small 'tibetan villages' in which tourists can stay for a modest price, so I will seek those out as I travel. The thought of going to an Ashram has crossed my mind.

And one other thing I forgot to mention: President Bush won. Why do I wait till the end of an entry to post such a significant event? Well, in the spirit of Europeans and the rest of the world-- "Americans are idiots, what do you expect."

The Traveling Experience

2004-11-01T11:30:00.000-05:00

Location: Amsterdam, cybercafe.

The traveling experience is like nothing else. It captures you, the way you think and who you are as a person. Today, while walking around a Dutch plaza, I came across a "big chess board", the ones you sometimes see in movies with the human sized pieces (ok, maybe this one was more like knee sized). As I approached, a serious match was progressing between two chess players-- in a few moves it was over and I approached the pale skilled winner. After talking about tournament play and analyzing the position, he invited me to a Dutch chess club where I spent most of the day.

As I sat there, thinking about my next moves, but also about life, I realized what an incredible experience this has become. I am in the heart of Amsterdam, with a Kenyan Rasta guy as my opponent, it felt like one of the most peaceful moments (ok you can stop thinking that I was just high). I had nothing to do all day long, I had no where to go, I had nothing to see or no one to meet; I was in a chess club, enjoying life.

I look outside at the neon signs that brighten the narrow streetwalk, as tourists wandering a playground of senses look around in wonder, and the focused Dutch confine their looks to a two foot radius. What an interesting land, a bunch of byclists hustling up and down bridges which seperate them from the engulfing sea. Yet what seperates the Dutch, is their amazing carefreeness. As if they are just living life itself and aren't concerned with other people's realities except when it interfers with them.

Tomorrow I watch elections, and would like to "wake up"at 4am (I think) to watch it, I don't have a TV in the bedroom and all the Dutch roommates will likely be sleeping. I will hear of the results in the morning, and either sigh with relief, or sigh with devestation. The latter isn't going to be much fun, as it will not only affect us as Americans, but will also affect our public image around thew world. To re-elect Bush is to stare ignorance at its face and enact the human emotion called faith. It is faith which has turned this country on its side, coming from all angles into politics. There is no rebuttle for an argument based on a declaration of religious faith, or a President who evokes it into politics.

On many levels, this will be the destruction of America if Bush is re-elected. It has confirmed history, as another great nation has fallen by its own accord. So as I write this, I wonder about us as Americans. Have we commited ourselves into something which we are not, or have we commited ourselves to something which we are. Time will only tell.

I'm getting a bit chilly as night falls and the darker side of the city begins to appear. The colored lights that flank the crowded streets are adjusting to the growing urge of naturalistic tedencies. Soon the night will turn on its head as the music fast forwards to a quicker beat. I take in a deep breath and wish for clarity for the American people.

Traveling Along

2004-10-31T11:12:00.000-05:00

Amsterdam

Well this is my first update from the road. Right now I'm at a cybercafe in Utrecht, Netherlands, about 30 minutes train ride from Amsterdam. My Dutch friend that I met on my study abroad trip to the Netherlands 2 years ago allowed me to stay in her room for the week while she is away.

The past two days were spent traveling the streets of Amsterdam. I didn't bother going to the "Red Light District" or seeing any of those foolish "Sex Shows" or getting pulled up on stage! But anyway, I've been having a great time and meeting a lot of nice people.

Last night I met a few Israeli and dutch girls and helped them promote a Halloween party outside their parents club in downtown Amsterdam. The club is owned by an Israeli family and they were all very nice.

Tomorrow I will be going to Leiden in Holland and possibly Rotterdam. On Tuesday I'm coming back to Utrecht to watch the presidential elections with my Dutch friends, a cheering group of bush haters! I couldn't be more at home here.....

Then this weekend I am taking a train to the south with Esmee visiting some other cities which I can't pronounce.

I leave the Netherlands November 8th and then off to India. Hope everyone is doing well and keep emailing. And in case you are wondering, I am looking ouside into a darkened depressing cold Dutch sky.

Hey All!

2004-10-27T23:21:00.000-04:00

Well tomorrow I'm off! First stop.... Amsterdam. Northwest Airlines flies through Amsterdam, so for an extra $100 bucks I get to spend 11 days there. Then off to India for 2 1/2 months, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Australia-- 6 months total. I'll be posting journal entries when I find internet access, so keep checking the site.