Keester

Hey everyone! so this one is going to be a short blog- i just wanted to send at least a few pictures and check in.....so right now i'm in mammoth- 902 miles under my legs so far- and feeling sore but in the best shape of my life! I'm staying at my friend Shannon's place in Mammoth- a Villanova softball teammate- so it's been awesome seeing her and having a home to relax in. We got through the end of the desert, with lucky cooler weather- had some awesome times at some trail angel's houses- the Saufleys and the Andersons- its amazing the way people open up their homes to you- and just the generosity people show hikers on the trail- gives you faith in humanity in a way ;) The last 2 weeks we've entered ... read more

Fireflys In Flight Hundreds of fireflys looming overhead and in the distance. Dancing in the air, as the sun is setting over the Arabian Sea, a jungle lined shore, deep black rocks, pinks and purples stretching across the sky from the bright orange ball of a sun. Sitting on a cliff of a friends hut, overlooking the beach and ocean strectching out to the horizon of beautiful blues, while my friend Ralph plays the Hang, a unique, beautiful instruement, i think from switzerland; Deep vibrations penetrate my soul- rocks me on an emotional level... paradise... gazing at the fireflys hundreds of them flying overhead in the setting sun, gazing in a meditative like state, in bliss, so much love and appreciation for the moment, for the whole energy of the place- i instantly felt at ... read more

A wonderful time in Varanasi, one of India's holiest cities. Full of the Indian culture - a drastic place, either people love Varanasi or hate it. I was happy to discover that Varanasi took me in and showed me the beauty of the city and its rich culture. The Ganga- a completely different river in Varanasi than it is in Rishikesh, but carries the same mystical energy- or maybe it's the people living near this holy river that bring on or add to the spiritual vibe. I was in Varanasi for the Durga festival- Durga is the Hindu goddess that fights against Mahesa Surya, the 'Buffalo Demon' which from my understanding encompasses all the evils in the world- the Durga goddess fights it all year, and the fesitival is to return her to the Ganges, because ... read more

After 2 weeks in Kashmir, the road to Leh was finally fixed and so I began my 18 hour- 2 day bus journey to Leh. A special bus ride- through the Himalayas, enetering the desert region of massive, barren mountains- a landscape I have never seen before. A dry, barren, mountanous region- looked as if we were passing through the moon. Amazing natural rock scultpures protruding from the hills- patches of lush, green valleys, where villages sprouted up over the years. Ancient stupas and gompas, where they have not yet been influenced by tourists and western ways- like looking back in time. Leh, in the Ladakh region- northeast of India- referred to as little tibet, since so many reguges reside here, the Tibetan culture ibeing the main influence in the area. The highest and in the ... read more