http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/JamieG/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from JamieG en-us Sat, 05 Dec 2009 16:25:24 +0000 Sat, 05 Dec 2009 16:25:24 +0000 gearing up in equipment that seems so unnaturally foreign with tubes supporting my breath that strongly resemble a hospitals apparatus.meditating on the sound of my inhale that is amplified and rooted from deep within my aqua lungs.bubbles escape through each exhale of survival.equalizing the pressure in my ears to convince my body that sixty feet below sea level is where i am supposed to be.fal http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Honduras/Bay-Islands/Utila/blog-399249.html embarking on my independent journey.leaving vibrant textiles and entering a land full of dark unclothed bodies and luscious lip smiles.the sounds of spanish dialect now replaced by indistinguishable accents of english creole and garifuna slang.welcomed by bare feet and dread adorned heads i step off the bus to the sounds of blasting reggae tunes and the sight of red gold and green everywhere. http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Belize/blog-399248.html antigua and atitlan...once again familar with the unfamilar.feeling at home in Latinlandia.cobblestone streets set amongst lush greenery and steep volcano walls.walking the streets with awareness for each stumble upon a stone reminds me to be in the present moment.stray dogs wander amongst crowds of colors.sunset rainbows intertwine amongst vibrant textiles and wardrobes.street vendors selling h http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Guatemala/blog-399247.html bangkokBeginning our journey on the crowded streets of Bangkok. Traffic lanes nonexistant and pedestrians invisible. Running for life each time we dart across the street to get tot he other side. Clouds of polluted smog fill our lungs and dirt cakes onto our sticky sweaty mesquito bitten bodies. There is no escape from the heat despite the fact that this is the cool season. Food carts line th http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/Central-Thailand/Bangkok/blog-354636.html northen thailand...chiang mai and paichiang mai...leaving bangkok...humidity left behind and sun rays depleting within each kilometer we travel north. Chiang Mai a little big city. Alley ways entrapped amongst old city walls. Trash and feces eminate that same distinct smell that makes me gag everytime but somehow I still think its beautiful. Temples scattered between tourist restaurants and sho http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/North-West-Thailand/blog-354635.html hey all...made it to cambodia safely and thought i would update on the last weeks... leaving pai on curvey roads that lead to blind corners of adventure ahead.familar land behind...exploration of new found territory in front.reflection upon the last five weeks...thanks love and gratitude for what i have experienced.staying present for the future moves too quickly.wishing there was a way to stop http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Cambodia/blog-354634.html hey everyonea bit of an update...the past month can be summed up with one word ocean. we began our coastal tour in sihanoukville cambodia with fresh breaths of ocean winds after exploring one polluted city after another. my sand coated body kissed by the sun and instantly healed by the salt water. colorful sunsets complimented by full moon rising cycles that continue to keep us aligned with t http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/South-West-Thailand/Ko-Phayam/blog-354632.html hey everyone we arrived in india safely and have officially begun the next leg of our journey...different flavored aromas approach my nostrils as i set foot on the indian filled flight. leaving thailand with a bang experiencing one more insane taxi drive to the airport. already nostalgic for the amazing experiences thailand has offered me. immediately understanding the craze of our next adventur http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/West-Bengal/Kolkata/blog-354630.html hey everyoneso it probably seems like i am an internet dork but there is so much to share with everyone. just left varanasi passed through agra to see the taj mahal today and going to delhi before we hit up the mountains and slow down the pace for shanti shanti time.varanasi...introduced to us as the holiest city in the world the city of burning and learning.experiencing the intensity of i http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Uttar-Pradesh/Varanasi/blog-354629.html hey friends and familyjust updating on the past bit of time...arriving into rishikesh fresh off the train. stopping to sip some chai as we are first introduced to the himalayas. with the sunrise reflecting on mama ganga i take a deep breath of fresh air and enjoy the peace and quiet that was longed for since i set foot in this country. as the morning approaches musical chanting of mantras and r http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Uttarakhand/Rishikesh/blog-354628.html hey everyonewe arrived in bagsu about two weeks ago and we are loving the mountain vibes. a small mountain village tucked snug between the Himalayas. evergreen and pine trees cascade down steep mountain sides with snow covered peaks in what feels like only an arm's distance away. cleanliness from beneath the soles of my feet up through my body and eventually filling my lungs with fresh air. coo http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Himachal-Pradesh/blog-354626.html a few words on seeing the dali lama speak yesterday...walking into a sea of monks...bald heads and round bodies decorated in maroon and yellow robes.hands in prayer positionbowing headsvoices expressing mantrasand delicately moving mala beads.all attention forward focusing on the sacred words of the dali lama with all do highest respect.a small figure that barely fits over the podium captures t http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Himachal-Pradesh/Dharamsala/blog-354625.html gangotri...hey everybodyjust got back from the journey of a lifetime and wanted to update everyone. gangotri...seriously one of the best and worst experiences i have had in india.let me start with the negative...the ride from hell...returning back to india from the backpackers haven of Bagsu. diving in head first...full force. rising before the sun in a deserted Rishikesh to board our 4AM bus. no http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Uttarakhand/blog-354623.html