Some kind of Animal

Spring cleaning excavates all sorts of oddities under junk mail, work-life balance, and spotty attention. Found this travelblog entry that I created months ago, when it was timely. Seems that in-season is no longer relevant for fresh produce or original thoughts. Many of you I owe a phone call, email, or hip hop shout-out. I'll spare you the ramble for now and save for a rendezvous. Wherever your orbit is, keep your head up and be well! Enjoy the pictures.... read more

Months have passed where realities and dreams have for the most part been sorted from our jaunt to Guatemala in August. We're now into full swing with 2009, wishing all you peoples a healthy and happy new year! Long overdue: snapshots and impressions of Guatemala are finally up, heavier doses of the former. We pieced together a spontaneous trip to Guatemala for two weeks, with the help of wanderlust and the time afforded by transitions between graduate school and the real-world. In that short span, we'd cover some ground (and water) while adrift in this former "Banana Republic" and Civil War ravished country of Guatemala. We immersed ourselves in the colorful, thoughtful, flavorful, and danger-full aspects of this Central American hotspot in our short microcosm experience. Our Route: Guatemala City- Chimaltenango - Panajachel - Santiago- San ... read more

The Bolivian Altiplano rests near the top of the list of vast and punishing places on the planet that command endurance. Some of the curses (or blessings) of pleasure-seeking and reaching new heights are the pains that we endure and experience en-route. For those who enjoy occasional frolics into otherworldly environments, Bolivia brings it all. While she can do a number on the body, few will argue the statement that Bolivia is simply awesome. With Amazonian rainforests, salt flats, mining towns, and of course those hills called the Andes. Within the Andes and within Bolivian borders are a family of ranges including one that I came to know intimately called the Cordillera Real (literally translating to "Royal Chain"). There's also the existence of one of the worlds highest lakes with one of the worlds most chuckle-filled ... read more

Anything is possible. Fight the good fight. When one undergoes radical new experiences and is thrust out of their comfort zone, the first instinct is survival, then comes choices, and finally luxuries. It is this notion that has me holding on tight to the addiction of challenge and its style of teaching...forcing the pupil to look at his basic needs first. Usually I seek this out through travel and expeditions, whether far flung or right in front of me. It would be hard for me to continue to purposely chase another life experience as rewarding and demanding as last years 16-country blitz...but I managed to unearth layers upon layers of intense lessons right in my backyard of Washington, D.C. this past year. Those true and dear to me, I hope these pictures and insights give you ... read more

India makes a child out of you, a hungry and insatiable learner. With such rich spirituality and religious pursuits alongside diverse sets of people, your head is left spinning and curious. It wasn't until the 2nd half of my India experience that I realized I had a full blown love affair with the place. A perfect Hippie Olympics venue: Yoga, meditation, trekking, ayurvedic healing, massage, acupuncture, natural healing and therapy, herbs and teas, metaphysics, tantra, kama sutra, mantras, the pursuit of truth, Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Jainism. My favorite aspect of this country is the colorful way in which art and religion are woven into every last daily activity. The Varanasi Experience: Set along the Holy Ganges River or "Ganga Ma" to Hindus, this is classic India. Serving as the epicenter of the Hindu religion, the dying ... read more