I'm going to New Zealand almost exactly four years since the last time I went. Only a week this time, but I will be back. My dates in New Zealand will be May 28th through June 3rd. What will I do there for a week? Not sure yet, but the movie theater in Wanaka is definitely on the list!... read more

Every day that I had spent inside of Berlin was lovely, sunny, summery. The day I finally decide to get outside the city and daytrip to Potsdam, the weather decides to pour and blow and storm like I haven't seen in ages. Perfect! Of course I didn't dress properly either- flip flops are a terrible idea in rain. The park was huge and didn't really have signs, so I got really annoyed walking around in the rain and not being able to find anything, especially as I had gotten there kind of late and was really pressed for time. Plus, one of the big palaces was closed after I had trekked through rain and sand to get to it. I still had a pretty good day. I love rain, no matter how wet I get. The ... read more

Heidelberg 18/05/09-21/05/09 Every place has a history, but in Heidelberg you can really see and feel it. Walking the cobblestones of the longest pedestrian walkway in Europe, you look up and see grotesque gargoyles and graceful maidens adorning doorways and windows. On the hour, a cacophony of bells sounds across the city from centuries-old churches. Cycling past you on all sides are students attending the oldest university in Germany. On one hill stands a castle bearing evidence of successive ages, on another lies the site of Celtic, then Roman, then early Christian and finally Nazi structures. It’s all walkable and accessable and cute. Exploring the well-preserved buildings down narrow alleys can keep you entertained for hours. But Heidelberg is by no means stuck in the past. It has huge shops and trendy boutiques and cafes to ... read more

Gangotri and Gaumukh Trek Gangotri is right up near the northern border of India. It is one of the holiest places in India and consequently a major pilgrimage site because it is located at the source of the Ganges River. It is one of the Char Dham, four pilgrimage sites in Uttarakhand. Gangorti temple is built near the place where the god Shiva supposedly received the Ganges in his matted locks. Above Gangotri sits Gaumukh, the glacier that gives birth to the Ganges. The most determined pilgrims can make a trek up to the glacier. Because its such a popular destination, the path is well-established and guides are generally not needed. This seemed like a good idea for me. Kevin has been telling us about these places since we were children, and it had been my ... read more

Life in McLeod Ganj March 26th-April___ I’ve been in McLeod Ganj since March 26th. Originally I planned to chill out here and do some volunteering until some of the treks I wanted to do in Uttarakhand opened up. McLeod Ganj is near Dharamsala, in Himachal Pradesh. It is the location of the Tibetan government in exile and the site of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s residence. A large percentage of the town is Tibetan. There are also lots of foreigners hanging out here volunteering, or teaching or taking yoga, massage, or reiki courses. It’s a beautiful mountain setting and the air is clean and sweet. Every morning I can see snow-topped peaks and thousands of butterflies blow through town on the spring breeze. In McLeod Ganj it’s possible to forget you are in India, which is ... read more

February 27th-March 1st Khajuraho is known I think exclusively for the erotic carvings adorning its many temples. I thought it would be a fascinating thing to see, and I was right. However, I have never felt so hassled as I did in Khajuraho. That, along with some crazy local characters made me impatient to leave! Khajuraho is a pretty small place In Madhya Pradesh, but quite touristy due to the awesome attractive powers of the 25-odd temples. The temples were built by the Chandela dynasty, mostly between AD 950 and 1050. It is unclear why the temples were built in such an isolated and unremarkable location and how such monumental work was carried out. It is also uncertain why the Chandelas chose to embellish their temples with so much sexiness. I was really lucky to arrive ... read more