http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/Curl/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Curl en-us Wed, 16 Dec 2009 17:23:12 +0000 Wed, 16 Dec 2009 17:23:12 +0000 An abrupt thud rattled the door breaking the somewhat peaceful silencehellipand then another followed. The single bulb of light that illuminated the cramped concrete chamber suddenly went off leaving me in complete darkness. The mischievous sound of giggles trailed off into the dorm and then multiplied. After a few seconds passed I finally shouted at the top of my lungs ldquoKennedy Jo http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Kenya/Central-Province-/Kinangop/blog-354151.html The pulse of cowhide drums echoed off the concrete walls like thunder bean filled gourds rattled the air and the clapping of hands vibrated the pews beneath. I scanned the room to find countless little eyes questioning my presence. My attention then turned to the right where Solomon and Ruthie were dancing in the aisle like little bouncing bumble bees. A smile grew across my face and was qui http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Kenya/blog-348760.html Two years ago I spread my wings and left my worries behind. I began to paint brushstrokes of culture and experience onto the canvas of my life because I believe our lives should be an adventure and not a routine. I decided then that I wasnrsquot going to waste another minute nor take it for granted because you never know when itrsquos your last. Ever since I can remember Irsquove want http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/blog-274429.html ldquoTwo roads diverged in a wood and ImdashI took the one less traveled byrdquohellip and wouldnrsquot you know it I landed myself in backpacker hell. Leaving the Middle East and touching down in the former Soviet republic of the Ukraine has proved to be a logistical and communicational nightmare. Actually it all began when I nearly didnrsquot make it out of Cairo due to the fact http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/blog-269634.html ldquoThen Moses went up to Mount Nebo from the plains of Moab and climbed Pisgah Peak which is across from Jericho. And the Lord showed him the whole land from Gilead as far as Dan all the land of Naphtali the land of Ephraim and Manasseh all of the land of Judah extending to the Mediterranean Sea the Negev the Jordan Valley with Jericho the city of palms as far as Zoar. Then the Lord http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Israel/blog-266360.html Gazing past the shiprsquos bow my eyes surveyed the coastline of the Red Sea within the Gulf of Aqaba. My exodus from Egypt was underway and the shores of Jordan lie only a few minutes ahead. In that moment I simply sat and marveled at the fact that not only could I see Egypt behind me in the distance and Jordan just in front but I also had Saudi Arabia to my starboard and Israel to my port http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Jordan/blog-265375.html The sounds of Egypt pulsed through the speakers of my taxi as we sped through the streets of Cairo and traversed the bridge spanning the Nile River. Soon the hazy skyline delivered the surreal scenery of two giant pyramids in the backdrop of the palmspeckled metropolis. Buildings of fadedred brick and pallid concrete complemented the insipid colors of the vast desert that surrounded the city. http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Egypt/blog-263027.html As Irsquove traveled over the past two years Irsquove left behind pieces of my heart scattered throughout the world. Families have opened their homes to me countries have shared their culture experiences have left a permanent mark extreme poverty has opened my eyes missionaries have inspired and strengthened my faith travelers have given their friendships civilian struggle and injustic http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Kenya/blog-255638.html Solemn expressions appear painted across the faces of the Kenyan citizens who flee from the violence that has erupted around them. Hundreds of thousands walk away from a life they once knew now refugees in their own country. Hundreds will never see another sunset. What began as fighting and protests against election results has now turned into what is known as an ethnic cleansing. This is http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Kenya/Nairobi-Province/Nairobi/blog-241277.html Their eager little eyes stare up at me hungry for interaction and learning. Their smiles are radiant and suffused with an irrepressible joy. It truly is amazing how children smile with so much of their heart so honest and kind. To look into their eyes is like staring into the soul of the world. It feels as if God himself is smiling back at you. To be in their presence transports me back to http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Kenya/Central-Province-/Kinangop/blog-234554.html It has taken me many years and most of the world to understand who I am and my purpose in life. I have learned about love and hate and faith. I have learned about mistakes and the price of the choices we make. My life like so many others has had its pivotal moments and experiences that changed me forever. It was in these defining moments that I became the man I am today. I learned that your http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Kenya/Nairobi-Province/Nairobi/blog-234555.html My climb to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro began just after midnight on the 5th of January 2008. It was a frigid moonless night and the sky was heavy with stars. Lights from the surrounding cities flickered over the African plains as if the starry sky had cast its reflection. The only other lights present were those of trekkerrsquos head lamps snaking up the mountain like a fiery serpent. http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Tanzania/North/Mount-Kilimanjaro/blog-233373.html Moving westward into the Rajasthan region of India has felt like crossing over into an Indiana Jones movie. The remains of old sandstone forts and fairytale castles cover the barren wastelands. The vibrant colors and sounds of India reign through but at times this thriving desert region can feel more like the Middle East than India. At every angle of your eye there are turbans camels veilc http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Rajasthan/blog-228050.html Wow where to begin Well I must say that this part of my trip has been a roller coaster of mixed emotion and sensory overload. I had prepared myself mentally for the culture shock and I can say that it didnrsquot faze me too bad. Irsquove seen so much over the past two years that I donrsquot even think itrsquos possible to be that shocked any more although if any country could do it http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Rajasthan/Jodhpur/blog-227035.html Before I say anything I must first address the fact that I am in serious need of a burger. My lack of sufficient protein could have very well affected the quality of my writing. I have lost my focus. All I can think about is meat. There are stinkinrsquo cows walking all over the streets down here and everyone just ignores them. They drive around them as if they were supposed to be part of http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Nepal/blog-223650.html Namaste my friends. I sit and write this entry from the majestic mountains of the Himalayas. My quest was to reach the Mount Everest Base Camp and climb over 18000 feet to the view point peak of Kala Pathar. I guess from my pictures you can already figure out that I made it but how I got there and what my body went through is the best part. As usual it was no walk in the park actually it http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Nepal/Himalayas/blog-221442.html Crossing the border into Laos has brought a lot of what my Asian friends refer to as the ldquoSame Same but different.rdquo This is a phrase you hear on a daily basis which simply explains that something is very similar but at the same time very different. I believe that this phrase is by far the best way to describe the countries of Southeast Asia. They all share so many similarities http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Laos/blog-215206.html Fidgeting about my cramped seat unable to reach a position of comfort I question myself on why it is I continue to go through this time and time again. The night bus is a familiar setting to many a traveler and a journey that most dread but continually take despite. One can always count on the frigid air from the overhead vents the foul stench seeping out of the bathroom vibrations from the http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/North-West-Thailand/Chiang-Mai/blog-214204.html The first glance at my map promised a trip that was fairly short and painless but over here looks are always deceiving. I want you all to take a second and think of the worst road yoursquove ever seen or been on. Alright...now smack yourself that wasnrsquot hard enough because you have no earthly idea what Irsquove been through. The bus ride from Bangkok to the Cambodian border was http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Cambodia/blog-212287.html One thing is for sure about traveling you can never fully describe or explain everything you see and experience. You canrsquot capture every photo you desire or recall every unique character you cross. I know Irsquove said this many times before but I was reminded of this once again as I traveled north through the southern most region of Thailand. I was trapped in the back of a speeding m http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/South-West-Thailand/Phuket/blog-210580.html