dreamit

I'm still here in California making my lists of what I need to do before I leave in a month. Do I need shots? what about probiotics or grapefruit seed extract - all helpful hints gleaned from different sites on "Travel to India". Sandals or closed shoes? I've found the ugliest sandal/shoes that fit like a glove. Will it be cold in the north? Do I really have to drag a down jacket around for 8 weeks? What about the whole cell phone business? sigh.....what am I thinking? Is this crazy? Picking up and leaving...I'm on unemployement fer gawd's sake!!... read more

Huhhhhh? Whaaaat day is it???? Whaaat month is it???? The fan kachunks over head, the morning is always the same - breakfast on my terrace; customs of bali and maybe some balinese dance (oh, can I just watch YOU, Surya (a man) do this extraordinary transformation with just one movement into a creature of the forest with grace and mystery?) Yesterday we climbed into a van and headed to this sacred spring - a (again, the word mossy comes to mind) temple with pools and stone spouts, each one representing some aspect of ourselves we needed help with (bad things being said about us, jealousy, laziness). You stand in waist-deep water under each spout as cool, fresh, pure spring water pours over your head. Dressed in sarong and tank top - getting completely and modestly wet. ... read more

Hey wat's up w/the negative press about Bangkok? Okay, I guess it's like strolling around a little corner of LA and saying "I love LA", but I had a great time today! First of all the air is gorgeous and clear - unlike up in Chiang Mai where it felt like we were smack dab in the middle of a forest fire in the smoke and the haze. I had a restless sleep coz it was soooo hot in my room - the air con felt like warm, moist air was breathing on me all night - and I was alone! But this morning after finding coffee and a baguette, I got myself to the "boat taxi" stop - what a great thing! I was planning on just meandering down the river to the other Wat ... read more

A little prop jet carried us for an hour and a half to Luang Prabang. I had seen a bit about this town on Lonely Planet, so always wanted to come here. I do think I missed it by about 5 years. Seems everywhere you go it's "this is not the REAL _____". Don't get me wrong - LP is sweet, slow, beautiful....the old town is on a little peninsula bounded on one side by the Mekong and the other by a smaller river, the Phan. The distance between these two rivers is about 3 blocks. There are beautiful temples every 500 feet. Monks in orange robes strolling; monks in orange robes with umbrellas, monks in orange robes studying in the shade of a tree in the courtyard of their temple, monks in orange robes sitting ... read more

Hey everyone....I'm finally here! Ahh a 15 hour plane flight made supremely easy by the magic little pill of Ambien. Thanks M you know who you are! Arye met me at the airport - really an uneventful and easy flight. Not sure what the big whoop is about Singapore Airlines...it was pretty ordinary except for lots of hot towels brought at various intervals. Of course the noon-time humidity hit me like a warm, wet blanket of cotton candy. We took a taxi to the housing complex on the U of Sing. where I would be staying. They gave me a little apt with a/c (come to find out a/c is a treasured commodity to the students here). The apt is a 2 minute walk from Arye's room. He has ended up sleepiing on a futon on ... read more