Happy Thanksgiving

i hope this finds you all well, feasting your way through a cornucopia of delicious preparations, finding the hollowness in your legs to allow for 2nd and 3rd helpings, all the while nourishing your souls with the excellent company of friends and family, endless stories and discussions, and of course laughter...ah yes...laughter.

it has been just over a year now since i set out to travel and thus the 2nd thanksgiving in a row that i am not in the states for. i am used to missing some holidays given my job, but this is the time of year i miss home the most. last year i was on a beach in s.india eating thai food with my good friends, meg and tim. i this year for the holidays, i treated myself to a vacation in a vacation, a 2 day trek from xela to san padre set on a volcanic lake, lago de atitlan, via a lovely wild flower lined trail with stellar views of nearby volcanoes and mountains, and eventually the lake. i enjoyed more typical fare in the here in san pedro with new friends.

but now i get ´´corny´´. in sharing my many thanks of the last year, you all enter into my mind. while i certainly cannot complain, it is not the same as spending the day with those i am close to at home. the food just taste better. i am quite thankful for the opportunities and travel tales and experiences i have had in the past year, and the good health to make it possible, but more than that i am thankful to have such an awesome group of individuals ¿that is you? in my life...a home to return to. you continue to inspire and encourage adventure, laughter, and lifeª i am bringing on an entire wheel of cheese, i realize, but sometimes i just cannot help myself. hahaha! okay, i cannot figure out where in the hell the punctations are located on this keyboard, so i will just use crazy ones. anyway, i miss you guys, and cannot wait, seriously, for a massive (or many of them) reunion, exclamation points.

much love, katie

Meet The Family

i feel very comfortable in guatemala. i have fond memories and experiences from asia, but i feel like i can relate to central american culture on a different level. perhaps it is the language. now i am not a spanish speaker, but it feels more attainable as it is based on the more familiar common language it shares with english, that is latin. perhaps it also has to do with the fact that cultures are a sort of expression of religion, or at least reflect values and beliefs from a religion. while i am not particularly religious, i am more familiar with a christian=based culture and the deities it displays. i guess, for me, with familiarity comes comfort. with that said, however, south american cultures maintain thier own individual histories, heritage and customs creating a beautiful culture that varies from my own. and it is a friendly people that i am immensely enjoying.

so here is a brief intro to my "guatemalan family". my maestra, veronica, is an intelligent woman and an excellent teacher. we similarly share more liberal ideals, and conversation is rarely boring...for me. but my input is stifled by my language handicap, so i cannot speak for veronica. hahaha. the 2 women that operate the school, yannette and maribel are equally as fantastic.

as for my home living with 3 siblings in their 60s in xela, they are all quite kind and huggable. romelia is a sweet woman, traditionally dressed in colorfully full dress and double braids laced with ribbon. she is a fantastic cook, and i am becoming one with corn as that is the staple of my diet (corn tortillas, tacos, tomalitos...) along with beans...lots of beans...and i love it. i crave the tomalitos. i now need them. and i have been contributing my share of methane to global warming. hahaha! she, understandably can be a little more frustrated with the language barrier, reminding me to use my dictionary and correcting my pronunciation (which i appreciate). she also knows when i speak more english. i guess (somehow) my spanish worsens, although i find that hard to believe. i may have told them that they are a woman family instead of the best. they seemed to take it as a compliment anyway. but i definitely told fellow classmates that i ate women for lunch (in broken spanish).

anyway, jorge and i have become fast friends. he is a soft spoken man, a patient listener, and a lover of music. carlos is the brother i see the least as he moves at a brisk pace and carries a distinguished but friendly air with him. he speaks quickly, and i unfortunately can comprehend little, although i am looking forward to the day that i can discuss with him. i believe they all have much to say and are interested in discussion. unfortunately, i have little to offer at this point.

Bienvenido a Guate

Once i arrived in l.a. at my stopping point to visit my good friend, heather, i continued south ¿by plane? to guate. having had enough big city action in l.a., i bypassed guatemala city and made a b line to the smaller charming, colonial city and tourist saturated antigua for the night. i found comfort in the quiet cobblestone streets lined with colorful buildings, but i was anxious to get to xela(quetzaltenango) further west for spanish classes.

the next day, i hopped on a "chicken bus" (a brightly painted school bus) and made my way to xela. after a couple of days of spanish school shopping, i decided on la escuela de juan sisay. i opted to stay with a guatemalan family (of 3 60-something yr old siblings, as my shaky translations tell me-hahaha!) in hopes that i can get some sort of grasp on spanish. i feel sorry for them, but they are fantastic...so patient and try so hard to communicate with my extremely rudimentary knowledge. i take my dictionary to the table for each meal begging it for assistance and am often reminded by romelia (my host mother) to use it more frequently, to my chagrin. i feel like i am carrying the dead weight of my frita´ed brain, and i have had to dive into the depths of an atrophied section of it that has rarely been accessed for 10 years or so. whew.

i have been having a few withdrawals from the good ole bike, but guatemala is cool and quite relaxed. and there are muchos montanas and volcanoes surrounding the city just beckoning me to them. i impulsively signed up to run a half marathon my first weekend in xela. i am not quite sure what i was thinking there, but at the time, it seemed like a fine idea and a good way to score another shirt. i sort of forgot about the elevation. haha! i had a bit of trouble ambulating afterwards, but the race was a great course (sans the coke at the hydration stations) and provided me with a nice tour of the city.

2 Wheels Down the Left Coast Sept 27 to Nov 4

i just wrapped up a 6 week bicycle tour down the pacific coast with my friend, Lissa. we rolled into l.a. (my stopping point) on wed. afternoon, and i am feeling better trained than ever for a good ole fashioned leg wrestling competition! it was truly an adventure to fill the senses with views of spectacular coastline, jagged cliffs, mountains dramatically bolting out of the ocean, gatherings of sea lions barking, elephant seals sunbathing, scents of eucalyptus and redwoods, palm trees lining the streets in the south. it was mostly a rejuvenating trip of indulgence, exploring america's left coast beauty and culture from the pace of a bicycle. it became a daily routine to look forward to and crave: wake up, oatmeal and coffee, strategically pack up, jump on the bike and peddle peddle peddle, eat, bike, eat eat eat, find a place to camp, repeat.

among this routine, we passed much open and undeveloped land, miles of farmland, the existence of tiny towns in n. cali of 59-300 and no franchised places to be found for hundreds of miles, enjoying the intimacy of small communities and mom and pop stores (oregon, how i love thee), the novelty of no cell reception or internet access for days, and encounters with numerous friendly folks who could restore faith in humanity to even the biggest skeptics. it was often a meditative focus on the peddle, uphill climbs and the rewarding view from the top and the exhilarating downhill cruise. on the flipside, we eased our way back into society in crazy, eccentric cities like san fran and l.a. sometimes i felt like a dishelveled cavewoman tossed into society. hahaha! anyway, it has been an awesome, challenging, and beautiful experience leaving me with fond memories of coffee drinking, wine tasting, microbrew seeking, chocolate binging, bike and tour talk, flat fixing, camping, solitude to hectic city action, discussions with fellow tourists and locals...the list continues and so may the adventures.

i am nearly ready to find a place to call home again, and i miss you all and think about you often. however, given the season, i am heading south for a couple of months to guatemala for spanish immersion classes and exploring.

Photos of Laos and Cambodia

My internet access tapered, and so did my blogging this last month (in july) i spent in asia. that certainly doesn't mean i enjoyed these countries any less. it is quite the opposite. So, here are a couple of links to the photo version.

http://picasaweb.google.com/coffeewithkatie/Laos#
http://picasaweb.google.com/coffeewithkatie/Cambodia#

Thailand in Photos

http://picasaweb.google.com/coffeewithkatie/Thailand#

Mai Thai (in a coconut shell)

Because i have been a blogger slacker, i have fallen behind, and in order to catch up, here is a story of my time in Thailand. i reunited with 2 friends from high school, Kate and Sarah. we spent a couple of days roaming about the city, catching up and exploring some of the city's sights. Bangkok seemed so modern to me after 7 months split between india and nepal - the high rises, sky train and metro, trash cans, the streets are cleaner, the dress is less modest, the skirts shorter, tops lower, availability of ice and cold beverages, a beautiful city park (Lumphini Park) - a green space frequented by runners (that's right, people were running for fun), readers, and walkers - bumping day and night markets (which i fell into the trap of). i basically loath shopping, but i fell into the temptations. they are just too good to pass up.

we parted ways, and i caught a bus to Chumpon, then a boat to Ko Tao, an island off of the east coast built up around scuba diving. scuba diving has never really been at the top of my to-do list, but the accessibility and location made it tempting, and the price was right. i met a super fun austrian couple, alex and connie, on the boat with the same plans. we immediately hit it off, and completed the open water dive certification course together. it was awesome! sea life fascinates me and there was no lack of it here. the visibility was good, revealing loads of various types of coral, colorful angel fish, schools of barracudas darting about in unison, and the star of the show...a baby whale shark!

not feeling the need to linger on the beach, although beautiful but sort of spring breakish, i caught a night boat and headed to Nakhon Si Thammarat on the mainland. the famous shadow puppeteer ("nung talung" in thai) in s. thailand lives here and welcomes people to his home to visit his museum and the opportunity to experience a show. i had no idea what to expect, but i was pleasantly entertained. the show is staged behind a big white screen where the intricately carved puppets - made of cowhide - are shadowed behind by light or fire. the show incorporated traditional stories with new and adds humor for entertainment. it is a traditional art form practiced throughout asia, with many of the stories being hindu based which is interesting since thailand is primarily buddhist.

then i was off to the west coast to Krabi province. TonSai is possibly one of my favorite beaches, a climber's paradise reached by longtail boat. jungle meets ocean, and limestone cliffs of melted wax create a beautiful setting with incredible features of stalactites and honeycomb texture on the rock face. from the shore, more boulders jut out of the sea creating an even more incredible backdrop. onland, the beach remains fairly rustic providing hut accommodations amidst coconut trees and lush green vegetation. there is no shortage of bars or hammocks, and plenty of slack lines (tightropes).

i wanted to take advantage of this incredible rock. i met an aussie guy, sonnie, who encouraged me to lead climb. hesitantly, i caved and did it, and had such a sense of accomplishment! i felt like i was a big deal! hahaha! but, a highlight for me was the deep water free climbing. 12 of us jumped on a boat and headed to the boulders in the sea. we swam or kayaked to the rope or rope ladder, made our way onto the rock and climbed as high or traversed as far as we wished before jumping or falling into the warm sea water. TOTALLY RAD!

i spent about a week here (although it would have been easy to grow roots there), and mosied on for a 2 day journey to a cool little town, Nong Khai on the thai/laos border along the mekong and explored the nearby villages via bike. the next day, i crossed the friendship bridge into laos and headed toward Vang Vieng.

THAILicious!

Thailand is a carnivorous country. i generally toss myself in the herbivore category. but the fragrant smoke of grilled or roasted pork, chicken, beef, corn and loads of seafood fills the thick air of bangkok and about the country, a constant bbq, and makes me salivate! i love seafood, but quickly overloaded as it was a bit before i learned to specify vegetables only in thai (i take complete responsibility). however, it is not so common to find an authentic thai veggie dish, unless you are in a tourist area. street food is tastier and cheaper anyway.

i slowly began eating meat. when in thailand...! i thought chicken might be the least offensive to my palate and digestive tract to begin with, so one day at a particular street food stand, i pointed to the noodles, then the chicken. "chicken" the vendor said in...English! excited, i said, "with vegetables?" and she nodded and repeated in understanding. so i continued, "great. no chicken. only vegetables." again, she nodded and repeated in understanding. it is always a bit of a mystery ordering food due to the language gap. even when i attempt to say something in thai, my pronunciation is so poor, they don't have a clue what i am talking about. anyway, keep trying.

so, excited to enjoy my vegetable noodle dish of some sort, i sought cooler temperatures at a table shaded beneath an umbrella. after clearing the ice water in front of me as safe to drink, i chugged it. then my dish arrived. hungry and ready to dive in, it was a flavorful steaming noodle soup with greens, onions, and...apparently "no chicken" meant pork...and various other innards, unidentifiable to me. but 2 particularly yucky pieces were shaped like a beak with amphibian skin. hmmm. i did my best to eat the actual meat so as not to offend, but everytime i so much as touched the innards, i felt a gag coming on. in any case, i highly enjoyed the broth and veggies.

but thai food is a treat to the palate. sticky rice with coconut milk and mango or banana. the curries are incredible...all of them (red, green, yellow, mussuman (sp?)...the sweetness of coconut milk taming the fiery chillis singeing the taste buds. the iced teas and coffee hurt the teeth, each cup diluted with 2 heaping teaspoons of sugar and sweetened condensed milk, but the cold is cooling in the heat of the day and the caffeine wards off my dependent withdrawal headaches. but the fruit, both the exotic and familiar, are succulent and delicious - mangoes, rambutans, lychees, bananas, star fruit, i cannot even identify all of them, and the refreshing shakes they create are oh so good. mmmmmmmmm.

Everest Region in photos

alright, here is a currently unedited extensive photo journal, most are courtesy of meaghan doyle as my camera was out of commission for a couple of weeks. enjoy at your leisure if you wish!

http://picasaweb.google.com/coffeewithkatie/NepalEverestRegion#

Happy Himalaya Hiker...(grab a comfy chair)

...in fair weather! it is nearing the end of the trekking season, so the four of us amigos had the trail nearly to ourselves...well except for porters, donkeys, and yaks. just a brief side note about porters (although they deserve more): they are superhuman! i was impressed by the porters in annapurna, but these guys (and 10-15yo boys) carried awkward loads well exceeding his own weight...200+ lbs of lumber, logs, food, beer, soda, whatever supplies are needed in the region is generally carried in as porters are cheaper than flying it in. his pace is slow but steady - sweat dripping from his face and his body an obtuse angle bent at the waist by the weight of his loads - he snakes his way down thru the valleys and up over the passes. so when i say my body "was put to the test," i mean it in the most relative way possible. the load i bared was much lighter and compact.

We began hiking in the foothills at a town called Jiri. Many people fly into Lukla due to time constraints as the hike in from jiri adds an additional week. but the vegetation was lush and the hills abound with terraced fields of potatoes and barley. Incredibly, the hillsides are covered with terraces maintained by the hard working villagers. how they don't tumble down the side is one of the world's great wonders, and their contours create a 3-D version of a topo map.

the lifestyle in the mountain region is romantic in that they have a close relationship with the land: animals that they eat or milk graze until their hearts' content, they compost plants and dung to replenish the soil, and their gardens in turn flourish (in the lowlands). they seem to be living nature's intent. however, with the exposure to an increasing # of westerners, locals crave more. "U.S. is a great country. Nepal no good." televisions and satellites are appearing in remote villages. but with that, good things have come as well: schools and medicine (most notably from Sir Edmond Hillary - Everest's first summiter along with Tenzing Norgay), solar energy and hydroelectricity.

after a few days of hiking, we began to catch glimpses of the "smaller" peaks in the distance (meaning somewhere in the range of less than 24,000 ft). it was only after a week that the elusive high guys began to show themselves...given clear skies. the mornings were generally clear, and this time of year, the afternoons brought clouds hugging the necks of the peaks and sometimes rain and snow party favors. (this is when i became a less happy hiker, although the precipitate did bring much beauty: chocolate rivers flowing beneath our feet, the greens became more vivid, and in the higher elevations, blankets of snow insulated the respective peaks.)

about 2 weeks in, we spent time in Gokyo (west of everest), a village known to provide fantastic day hikes with panoramic views of everest and other impressive enormous peaks. the clouds lingered most of our 3 days here, but our stroll along the glacier left us all speechless as we listened in silence to the life of our surroundings. chunks of ice and rock peeled off tumbling down the face slowed with a splash into a nearby glacial pond or lake. this area is probably most identified by its 4 larger glacial lakes and countless other small ones, and nearby Cho Oyo peak (one of the 8,000m-ers).

after attempting a shortcut over cho la pass during the first day of a 48 hr nonstop snow/rain storm, we didn't quite make it. we actually ended up just a few hours south (rather than east) of where we began the 9 hr day. excited to see a guesthouse, our bodies cold and wet, we hobbled in presenting ourselves as quite the motley crew. meg was doubled over with abdominal pain from giardia, tim was carrying 2 packs, gary had tweaked his knee and was unable to bend it, and i was more or less just cold and crabby but hobbling from the cumulative impact of the downhills on my knees. we decided to rest the following day as our bodies told us to and the rain and snow alternated throughout the day and consistently fell...hard.

the clouds cleared, and the trail beckoned. so we continued on (a different route) toward everest base camp. along the way, we became an enthusiastic cheering section for the everest marathoners whose course is on insane terrain starting at about 17,000+ft (about 3,000ft higher than mt rainier). awesome! and being the end of the expedition season for summiting everest, we encountered many traffic jams of yaks carrying loads of gear including the kitchen sink...literally. we slept in a village called gorak shep where we had crisp clear days. after hiking to a viewpoint called kala pattar, we were rewarded with absolutely stunning views of nuptse (a handsome mountain that was the star of the show), a 360 degree view of the impressive range, and finally chomolungma...sagarmatha...everest! from these views, however, it is dwarfed by closer peaks that are equally as mind-blowing. as we stood at over 18,000ft, the hunks of rock that have pushed themselves up through the earth's surface still towered above us...way above us!

the following day we strolled on to everest base camp which had just a few of the 600 tents remaining from the expeditions. i imagine it to be quite a circus during the summit season, and not the place to go for solitude. despite the steep $60 grande required to even attempt a summit, the mountain is swarming with people a couple of months each year. and to complete the city, a coffee house and bakery (among other conveniences) is set up right on the glacier. we met khumbu glacier and an american guide who answered our numerous questions about the season. apparently it was a successful one.

our last stop was Chhukung valley (often a starting point for climbing island peak), which is currently on my list of favorites. the hike itself was mild and it was pleasing to the soul: cool crisp air touching my skin, my body breathing its purity; sunkissed snow-capped mountains in every direction; the solitude and serenity that only nature can bring; yaks (and the cute babies) grazing on the vegetation; a stream peacefully running through its center. it felt pretty close to a shangri-la, as i blissfully strolling through the expanse.

and finally, we cruised back to lukla where i caught a flight back to kathmandu, but not without one more wee adventure. my motion-sick prone self reintroduced itself.
i tried to focus on the beauty below, a green topographical map peppered with mini houses and water trickles, but my distraction was no longer working. sweat began pouring off my head, my own personal waterfalls. i frantically searched for a bag durable enough to hold vomit. i closed my eyes and breathed deeply until we landed. i basically fell out of the tiny plane and gasped the biggest breath of outside air that i could before i was shuffled onto...another moving vehicle. arghh! "how will i keep it in any longer?" i was thinking to myself. but i managed and was pathetically bedridden the rest of the day.

back in kathmandu for 10 days, i am in the city and ready to leave it. although my body was put to the test over the 3 weeks we spent in the everest region, my soul was filled with pure, indisputable beauty. i yearn for the fresh air and the nature the city lacks, and i am looking forward to my departure to thailand in a couple of days.

thanks for enduring. i had actually expected to keep it short as i already shared much of my wonderment of the mighty Himals and snickers and dal bhat binges of mounded rice, bloating dal, and curried veggies while hiking around annapurna, but i couldn't help it.

Annapurna Circuit: in photos

here are some pics and my attempts at capturing the majesty of the mighty himalayas in all their glory...not possible, but it is my best attempt. the trail was certainly a highlight of my travels despite the physical discomforts. the changing vegetation, fresh, crisp air, face to face views to the peaks of the high guys, to the individual villages, each with its own culture and all extremely hard workers. feel free to browse at your leisure.

http://picasaweb.google.com/coffeewithkatie/AnnapurnaCircuitAndAround#

Annapurna Circuit: Culture and Food

the culture of the trail may vary from village to village. that in itself is another exciting draw of this trek. no matter how remote it feels, there is a village. and in this area, many of them are tibetan in origin and thus buddhist. so at the entrance of each village are prayer wheels (a row of drums inscribed with mantras; the mantras are scattered in the wind when turned); prayer flags; and some with a Mani wall (rows of stone slabs carved with mantras); or Gompa (a shrine or temple); or a Chorten (domed structure to ward off evil spirits and is the focus of religious devotion). in the lowlands toward Jomsom, Hinduism is the main religion practiced, reflected in the clothing and devotional symbols and deities. the politically radical maoists (nepal's communist party) are also more present in this area where rocks are graffitied with their symbols.

consistent throughout are the donkey parades, suspension bridges, the curiously friendly and welcoming attitudes of the locals, and the availability of tea or a snickers and a coke, although the prices increase with elevation. it makes sense considering the mode of transportation to get it there (human porters).

the accommodation is no longer the modest intimate guesthouse/teahouse it used to be, but rather more built-up basic lodging. there are a few still in existence if you look outside of the main towns, and they were my favorites.

no matter where you stay, however, the menus throughout are set. but what you order is always a mystery as the people preparing the food have probably never had spaghetti or pizza or a burger. it keeps the ordering process exciting and the spelling from menu to menu quite entertaining. oftentimes the food was surprisingly good (even if it wasn't as i know it), although the pizza with stir-fried veg (mostly cabbage) topped off with ketchup was a little disappointing. but the least pleasing to me was the local tsampa porridge (corn or barley based) - thick, brown, and...gag-inducing. but a local staple packed with energy, i had to try it.

Annapurna Circuit: Part 2

as soon as we crossed the pass, the views were quite hazy, creating the illusion of floating peaks - snow caps only were visible if we were lucky. this is not to say it was unenjoyable. they were behind blue and purple layers of foothills.

observing the changing landscapes more than kept our interest along the entirety of the trek: from hot, moist and green to drier subalpine climates where pine trees surrounded our senses, then the more barren landscape above tree line but more open mtn views; as we made our way back down, the landscape was desert-like dotted with various bushes and sporatic tufts of grass, then rocky dry terrain where the winds picked up to gale-force speed a couple of days; then eventually rhodadendon trees hovered around the trail; apple country in Marpha; and then we were back to hot, sunny, humid green weather with banana trees and corn and wheat fields.

after a couple more downhill days, our screaming quads and kneecaps welcomed the hot springs of tatopani (literally meaning "hot water"). after a couple more days of up and downhills, it was bittersweet to cross the finish line of the trail (although there were no ribbons to bust through or crowds to cheer us on. it was our own personal gratification that was the prize.)

Annapurna Circuit: Thorong La pass

the thorong la pass was the mysteriously built-up climax of the 15 day trek. after all, we were taking our time to acclimate and tackle the big day of climbing and climbing, passing the 14 false cols that tricked us into thinking we were there, our breaths more labored in the elevation, all the while being aware of acute mountain sickness and its dangers.

the day came, and the morning was slow with the first hour the steepest and most difficult climb of the day. the weather was a perfectly clear, crisp day, and with each step we were greeted by a seemingly more congenial view of the high (over 8,000m peaks): annapurna I, II, and III, and Gangapurna with its glacier staring back at us. and after 4 hours or less we reached the pass.

i cannot even describe the elation the himalayas bring to my soul, leaving me speechless and almost embarrassed at my smallness. but i was so thankful they welcomed me into their vast world, high up in the sky where the birds fly and the clouds hang out, looking face to face to the snow-capped neighbors. i had never been exposed at this altitude before. we were at 17,768 ft, and i wanted to jump some of the highest peaks in the world like they were hay bails.

we basked in the excitement and celebrated at the pass that welcomed us with a proper sign that has been draped with layers of prayer flags by people who have passed this way before us, and several other trekkers, many of whom we had been playing leap frog with along the trail. a couple of french guys indulged in the ham and wheels of cheese, and homemade liquor they packed from france. a couple of others climbed the extra couple of hundred feet to reach 18,000ft. an extreme unicyclist from the UK began his descent the way we just came.

after an hour or so, we decided we should face the inevitable 4 hour knee-crunching downhill that awaited us.

Annapurna Circuit: Part 1

after a 3 day train and bus journey from rishikesh in northern india, we crossed the border in Sonauli and cruised into Pokhara, Nepal. we spent a few days organizing ourselves and picking up a few more necessary items for the trek. we had been looking forward to this 150 mile trek since we started traveling 5 months ago, and could not wait to hit the trail.

we chose to approach the annapurna circuit from the typical counter-clockwise direction (besisahar to eventually meet the jomsom trek and finish in naya pul) as it allows for more gradual acclimatisation. at 6:00am we hopped a 5 hr bus from pokhara to besisahar and kicked off the adventure once we arrived.

the first few days were a nice introduction to the culture of the trail as we passed many villages in the lowlands, terraced fields of corn, and observed the hard-working nature of the people who live there. the deeper we trekked along the trail, the more remote it seemed, although a rough jeep road followed near the trail the first few days, and is in the process of being extended even further.

finally, we lost the jeep road. the climb was mostly gradual, with a few days of steep switchbacks (but only when absolutely necessary. oftentimes, switchbacks were not even a consideration...just straight up, baby!) that reminded me how sedentary i had been over the past 5 months. we were constantly passed by many a donkey parades and trekked alongside porters walking slowly but steadily in their flip flop sandals carrying about 150 lbs - more than most of them probably weigh - up the mountainside. my 20-25lb load neatly confined into a fancy backpack suddenly seemed menial compared to the awkward load of hay, chickens, or corregated tin carried on most of their backs, supported with a forehead strap. and the trekking porters carrying their customers' loads often completely bypassed the provided shoulder straps and added his own forehead strap instead.

about 5 days into the trek, the previously shy, introverted peaks began to expose themselves and their personalities. they have a contagious smile about them, attracting us further into their depths, desiring more of it.

Ramana's Garden in Photos

and to put some faces with the stories, or to put the story together, or something like that:

http://picasaweb.google.com/coffeewithkatie/IndiaRamanaSGardenChildrenSHome#

That's A Wrap: India

today is a big day for me. i left Ramana's Garden this morning after 2 months. and while it could be a roller coaster ride, it was a wonderful experience for me. it was difficult to walk through the gates for the last time, tears streaming down my face, as my friends kindly saw me through them. i am leaving filled with laughter and warmth, kindness and thoughtfulness, and the best hugs in the world from people who have left such a positive lasting impression on me, and especially my experience in india.

this journey also marks the end of my time in india after 5 months. and i feel like it is a good time to go. i have fond memories (with the people of Ramana's making the top of the list), although i have to admit, it was challenging and chaotic at times which probably proved to be the things that brought me here in the first place. in hindsight, i would not change a thing. from the chaos of the cities; dodging traffic; constant honking horns; the sheer number of people...everywhere; processing the volume of poverty, stray animals, trash; witnessing bodily excretions any ol' place; strong smells that either repulse or enchant; constant bartering; monkeys stealing food; rats, roaches, bed bugs, and lice; endless fields of fresh spices, coffee, and rice paddies in the south; fresh fruit and coconut juice; crazy bus and train adventures; delicious food with flavors that explode in your mouth and the varying cuisine from north to south; trekking and homestays; curious indians and random photographs; fresh sweet lime sodas with salt; inevitable bouts of diarrhea; vibrant colored clothing; chai wallas and becoming a chai connaseur; camel rides into the desert; ayurvedic massages; yoga experiences; rickshaw drivers; bus accidents; spiritual tourists wearing all white; swimming in the Ganga. this is just a quick abbreviated brainstormed list that could continue and continue.

the point is, all of these experiences are beautiful and challenging, frustrating and amazing, and they collectively are my indian experience. india is fantastic because it is what it is. the chaos is unforgiving. love it or hate it or both at the same time, it is open and honest and leaves you wondering, "what the hell?" and often justifying experiences with "because it is india," or "only in india." in a sense, india is one big oxymoron. it is extreme...to both ends. it is extremely complex in its caste system, traditions, and religions, but daily living is fairly basic. slow food (cooking and eating well with so many flavors), close family connections, living with essentials - oftentimes cold water, bucket showers, hand washing clothes and linens, simple homes that are essentially shelters, and wood fire cooking.

i cannot fully pinpoint what brought me here in the first place, but i know the challenge and chaos is part of it as well as the desire to live more simply and basically. seeing so blatantly how much water i use to shower or do laundry makes me reconsider how much i really need and how frequently i really need to do it. more than that, observing people wearing tattered clothes who barely have food is a stronger poke to simplify. perhaps the art of traveling itself encourages differentiating your needs and desires. the act of packing followed by the weight i feel when i toss on the pack really makes me reconsider..."what the hell is in here that is making it so heavy? do i seriously need all of the extra amenities?" process of elimination.

anyway, i am now ready to experience a different, more relaxed culture. so meg, tim, and i (the 2 friends i traveled with in the south), rendezvoused in rishikesh 2 months after splitting for our own adventures. we are now making our way into nepal for some trekking. first stop: Pokhara, our jumping off point for a 3 week trek around the annapurnas. then, tentatively, we will head into kathmandu to check out the scene, and depending on how we are feeling at that time, we will try to beat the weather and aim for everest base camp. whew!

Ramana's Top 11

11. The best salads i have ever ingested from the cafe, freshly grown in the gardens (esp since salads are a delicacy in india), and Dil's (the nepali chef)desserts and pizzas.

10. Sunday laundry days and swimming in the Ganges River

9. Hilarious quotes and rudimentary English that have worked their way into my normal speech: "you want?", "it is paining", "i am rounding"-dizzy, "so much noising/smelling", "what it is?", "no problem", "my god", "not possible".

8. Curiosity and brutal honesty of the kiddos: "you have big arms."; "why aren't you married?"; "have you kissed your boyfriend? where?"; "do you live with your parents?"; "do you like white skin or brown skin?"; "katie, i found sooo much blood in my mom's underwear, my god. why?" and after a long discussion of why, "do boys get it too?"; "you have chicken pox too," 9-yr-old Mukhul pointed out during the Ramana's epidemic. i explained through my laughter, "no, it's just acne."; 15 y.o. Gagan confessed, "i thought you were going to be tough when you first came here." perhaps it was my 'big arms'?!

7. Holi, the festival of colors, celebration at the Gangaji River, and perhaps my most memorable day in india. powdered vibrant colors of the rainbow were flying around the entire day, while laughter ensued. the Ganga graciously (and guiltily as we polluted its waters with the paint) provided a refreshing bath for us all before getting hit again. the only interference was a delicious picnic of indian fried goodness - samosas, puri (fried chapati/flat bread), sabji (mixed veg), and fresh fruit.

6. Two words: 1. LICE 2. FARMING

5. Eldon and Hilda, the massive friendly mountain spiders who were an unenthusiastic but reliable audience each day in our bathroom.

4. The furry little friends that live in the cafe and around Ramana's

3. Our morning alarm clocks: the meowing peacocks and the continual searching for Shiva (one of Ramana's mascots), the untrainable but cute yellow lab.

2. Late nights with my fellow staffers (Nepali ladies) spent dancing, doing "the worm", yogaing, laughing, talking.

1. Everything to do with the kids: sleepovers in the girls' rooms, hair braiding, their beautiful voices and the vibrations they create while singing at satsung, their smiles and laughter, and the best hugs in the world!

A "Typical" Day at Ramana's

it does not exist. but to share a rough idea:

8:00a Breaky
9-4:00 Cafe shift or
9-2:30 free time or organizing something...anything!
1:00 Lunch
2:30-4:00 Tuition (tutoring) time! kiddos are finished with school, so time for homework.
6:30 Dinner
7:30 Satsung -- a family gathering time spent singing Sanskrit chants, happy birthdays, welcoming guests, etc, etc.
Otherwise, time can be filled checking on sick kiddos (mostly coughs, sore throats, runny noses, and now the chicken pox epidemic), visiting with kids, helping with homework.
and most evenings i spent laughing, yogaing, talking and dancing with the nepali ladies i work with.
Then off to bed.

just a little insight on the medicine technique at ramana's. it is mostly homeopathic, which is a whole new world to me and has brought new meaning to the #'s 5 (head cold),6 (cough/chest involvement),and 8 (diarrhea). our most used meds were simply referred to by these #s. as for the chicken pox, an ayurvedic dr. suggested that we burn cow shit (why not...it is used for everything), mix the ash with fresh neem leaves (antiseptic), and rub it over their bodies. and so we did. it is difficult to judge the effectiveness of it, but it was a fun activity for all! hahaha!

What is Ramana's Garden Children's Home?

okay, it is officially time for a much overdue blog post. for the past 2 months, after robb and jay left, i remained in rishikesh to work as a volunteer at Ramana's Garden Children's Home. Prabha, an american woman from colorado, started the project about 14 years ago, and it has since grown into the unique operation it is now. It is in the foothills of the Himalayas along the Ganges River where the kids (and staff) do their laundry and swim every sunday.

About 50-60 children ages 5-19 currently live at Ramana's, maybe about half from Nepal and half India. Most of them are not actually orphans, but their families are either unable to appropriately support them, or their home situation is too dangerous to stay in.

There is lots of good stuff happening here. The primary school through 8th grade provides free education for the kids living at ramana's and about another 60 kids from rishikesh. An organic garden supports the health food-centered cafe (that also helps support the project), and contributes to the kids' meals. There is a well-established traditional Indian dance troupe that gives the kids a chance to be involved and perform around the community and travel (they went to England last year to perform.). Their gym class is yoga.

During the summer months, to beat the heat and rains of the monsoon, most of the kids and staff head up into the primitive mountain location to relax and literally chill out in the beautiful setting while the rest spend time with their families.

if you are interested in learning more about the project or in making a donation, please go to **http://www.sayyesnow.org**.

Ode to Grandpa Gene

this his been an interesting activity for me, memories both voluntarily and involuntarily swirling around in my head. i am still processing my Grandpa's recent death, but I have enjoyed brainstorming memories of him. and it has brought back many fond memories of my other grandparents, Grandma and Grandpa Donze that my brain is slowly and involuntarily focusing less on with time. but i like thinking about them and how fortunate i have been to have had the influence of each of them--each with his/her own different contributions and memories. this may have been sharing more of what goes on inside my head than you were looking for, but here is a bit more in memory form.

I hear him clearly in my head with his distinct accent, and whether he greeted me on the phone or in person, it was the same enthusiasm each time saying, "hi, kater!"

I believe that Grandpa Gene was born with a saw in his right hand, a pencil behind his ear, and two green thumbs. as long as i can remember, Grandpa has spent hours getting to know and playing with wood...I believe cedar was his favorite to work with. I can smell the shavings as he opened the door to his shop revealing mounds of it lying beneath his tablesaw next to his art...engraved jewelry boxes, rocking chairs, cradles, tables, benches.

He often wore a pencil behind his left ear...the flat "carpenter" kind that required manual sharpening with any ol' sharp object around. Those pencils became well-rounded (no pun intended) in their lifespan, whether he used them to map out a project or draw a quick masterpiece. I think Tori (his great granddaughter, and his latest joy) was perhaps his biggest fan, and an artist in training under his guidance.

The color of his thumbs encouraged a flourishing garden filled with root vegetables, greens, the juiciest tastiest tomatoes i have ever had, zucchinis...you name it! summertime brought an overabundance of veggies year after year. his talents spilled over to the visual appeal of gardening as well. being the manly man he was, he had an incredible eye for flower arrangements, ribbons and bows included.

The best part is that he loved modestly sharing his talents. you could feel his excitement when someone was interested in picking his brain about any of the above topics, and did not think twice about sharing his experience and time and giving whatever he could to help out. perhaps his best quality was his ability to give...quietly...and humbly (if that is a word)...he did not expect recognition. he did it because he wanted to, and that makes him extraordinary.

Two words...1.Soul 2.Food. Every time we went to gma and gpa's house for a meal, it was a feast...fried chicken, greens smothered in vinegar, mashed potatoes, homemade biscuits and gravy, grandpa's famous cornbread with milk, butter, and sargum molasses, of course! And the desserts, oh yes the desserts...his FAVORITE part, esp. chocolate cake or fresh berry cobbler with ice cream. Mmmmmmm! And bacon grease. According to Grandpa, everything tastes better when fried in bacon grease...corn...eggs...

One of my favorite recent memories was during a visit to gma and gpa's house a couple of years ago. And on this particular visit, he was his natural giving self. Knowing how much i looove the fresh laid eggs from his ladies, he offered me a sunny side one (which means 2-4). so i obliged without hesitation, a smile on my face anticipating the love he put into his eggs that makes them the best tasting eggs i have ever ingested. anyway, he took out his refrigerated jar of bacon grease, plopped a few heaping spoonfuls into a skillet with a couple of eggs and placed them on a plate that he handed me with his proud-that-i-appreciate his eggs but modest Grandpa Gene grin on his face. i had not eaten meat in years, and i will have to admit, i was a little hesitant watching that bacon grease sizzle in the pan initially and i could already feel my arteries clogging. but the feeling quickly vanished when i watched his face as he presented his masterpiece. i enjoyed every bite.

I will forever imagine him wearing overalls or a white t-shirt with a james dean-style pack of cigarettes rolled in the left sleeve and blue jeans with 6 inch cuffs, and often a cowboy hat to match the season or his exposed flat top. When he worked at a maximum security prison as their carpenter, he used to talk about how the "good ol' boys" would trim his hair. by that he meant convicted murderers with sharp objects next to his head. "they were nice guys." typical Grandpa...nonjudgmental, giving everyone the benefit of the doubt.

He is John Wayne's most devoted fan.

When I think of Grandpa Gene and music, that is easy -- Johnny Cash, Conway Twitty, Hank Williams, the good ol' country boys...and still classic!

A man of few words, people listened when he spoke. And he was a prankster, but his subtlety could catch you off guard. You could often catch him laughing quietly in the corner, guilty and entertained by a prank he just played on someone. His laugh was not a big loud belly laugh, but a quiet, yet contageous full body/shoulder shake with his entire face laughing.

He had his own one-liners we like to refer to as Geneisms, sayings he would use to describe a situation. But i believe he had enough of them to create his own language. i did not often understand what the heck he was talking about, and he loved it. so he would just keep repeating it and laugh and laugh at the silliness of it all.

his life is a celebration...with cake and laughter...and johnny cash playing as the soundtrack of a john wayne movie that he is watching while building a flower planter just after feeding the horses and chickens, wearing his overalls and a cowboy hat!

India Funnies

Photos!

to put some photos with my long-windedness, feel free to browse around:
http://picasaweb.google.co.in/coffeewithkatie/IndiaTamilNadu#
http://picasaweb.google.co.in/coffeewithkatie/IndiaTheGoldenTriangleRajasthan#
http://picasaweb.google.co.in/coffeewithkatie/IndiaRishikesh#

Spiritual Playground: Rishikesh

whatever inspires you, even if you don't know, rishikesh can help you find it. it is set within close proximity of the himalayas and right on the holy ganges river. take some yoga classes for a spin, ashram hop, guru hunt, unwind and relax with meditation, rejuvenate with massages, check out and learn about any holistic medicine you can imagine from reiki, ayurveda, gemstone therapy, others i have never heard of. rock climb, raft the ganges, trek in the himalayas, become friends with the cows. you name it, it is here, and there is something here for everyone. we have been staying at a quiet ashram (well except for the 4:30 am tincan bells and loudspeaker chanting), enjoying the gardens, good food, and experiencing one of the nightly fire poojas (offerings and chanting). we are housed on the top floor/roof, and share it with a village of monkeys apparently. so we spend a good chunk of the day fending off monkeys when they break into the room and corner us on our beds until we feed them.

i should not complain. life is quite good here. we kick off the morning with a painfully good yoga class, followed by more good food and perhaps a dip in the ganges river or an afternoon spent reading or visiting with fellow travelers. the evenings may bring another more relaxed yoga class or perhaps an easy stroll or run, and each night we are soothed by the sweet and calming voice a swami (holy woman) who leads guided meditation. she makes it seem easy and pleasant for a novice like me.

just a quick note about running in india. i had not run in 3 months and thought it sounded like a nice idea. i set off, dodging through people, playing chicken with motorbikes, and felt winded. but it was such a cool experience to see another perspective. for a minute, i did not feel like a tourist. i was not asked to buy anything or even take a look. i received more curious gawks wondering why i was running, or kind namastes (greetings) and smiles, and a few chuckles. it was more satisfying than i had anticipated.

(the last photo is the last leg of our journey to rishikesh. our bus hit an oncoming car, but no one was seriously injured.)

Sore Butts, Camel farts, and Camel Carts

rajasthan is full of history, but i know very little of it, admittingly. And while we only visited a small piece of it, we missed the numerous forts and temples synonomous with the region. The romanticism of the architecture and the stark contrast of vibrant colors and textiles set against the drabber colors of the desert hues, along with the strong traditions attract people from around the world. In the smaller villages in particular, the women wear colorful saris sparkling with sequins, the married women keeping their faces a mystery to the outside world covered beneath a sheer cloth. And her body is decorated in jewels - earrings, ankle bracelets, arm cuffs, nose jewels.

we just brushed the surface of this rich culture as we rolled into the city of bikaner, still relatively off the beaten path compared to the golden triangle anyway. our main objective here was to get as deep into the desert as our virgin camel-riding bodies could tolerate and inhale the cleanest air we could expose our lungs to.

we set off into the desert on the funny creatures that are a weird mix between a brontosaur, a giraffe, and a horse. the ride was bumpy (creating open wounds on our butts and sore backs), and the farts were stinky. not the most charming animals i have ever seen, there was a constant pulsating stream of urine and stool, and being mating time, one male camel in particular demonstrated his unattractive mating call (see video).

now that i have painted the most unpleasant picture of camels, don't let it deceive. this was a highlight for me. they were hilarious to observe, and are quite gentle animals. i grew very fond of Angeli, my camel on the second day and Jay's on the first. she was so sweet, a new momma with her 9 month old baby, Raju. they marched to their own beat...literally, constantly behind the pack. but she didn't care. she was just out for a stroll, and so was i. it did not matter much to me either, as long as i could still see the rest of the crew.

the food was gourmet. we ate really well since it was "cart camping" with all of our supplies carried in a camel cart, meals prepared by the fantastic crew. (apparently, some camels can pull up to an impressive 2 tons!) we trekked along with 3 aussie travelers and enjoyed an eve of cards, delicious food and drink, serenaded by traditional live music of harmonium (similar to accordian), drum, and beautiful voices. the first evening sunset was so quiet it was almost deafening. my ears continued to ring into the silence trying to adjust to this unusual darkness of sound. and the colors of the sunset reflecting off of the white sand were brilliant. i think all of the stars in india have migrated here, because i have not seen them many other places. it was quite a treat and exactly what i needed.

Golden Triangle: Jaipur

we wrapped up the chaos in the third angle, the "pink city" of jaipur in rajasthan. it is known for its rich culture, beautifully vibrant colors, and deliciously spicy food among other things. Jaipur in particular is known for its wonderful shopping, especially gemstones and textiles.

upon our 4 am arrival, we befriended a young rickshaw driver, Saleem Ali, who kindly helped us find accommodation, and became our guide to the city the next couple of days. per protocol, the ride was cheap, but the shopping hot spots he introduced us to dipped a bit further into our pocketbooks.

india, unsurprisingly being located in the east, is loaded with "eastern" remedies and medicine (i.e. ayurveda, reiki, yoga, meditation, and various energy-based approaches) holistically incorporating mind, body, and spirit. our curiosity was peaked after visiting a gemstone therapist who read our chakras and insightfully shared detailed personal information with each of us. we could not refuse the gemstone he recommended each of us based on his reading. Scam or not, he was quite impressive and convincing. and so we all left jaipur with frustration of large crowds and salesmen sure and probably more phlegm, but better yet our energy-tailored gemstones, beautiful textiles, opening minds and hearts, stories to share, and a drive deeper into the quietness of the Thar desert!

Golden Triangle: Agra and the Taj Mahal

it turns out that agra is about equally as crazy as delhi, but we wanted to see the Taj Mahal, india's most famous and probably most romantic monument. to gear up for the crowds, we first made a stop at a nearby hotel for a few kingfisher beers. at the entrance, we passed the tight security check and off we went to view and stroll around the magnificent white structure full of inlaid precious gems. being the minority of western tourists, we became taj mahal celebrities, having our photos requested by multiple parties. what a hoot!

we were somehow tracked down once again by a rickshaw driver with a sixth sense of our given location at all times of day. we met him immediately off of the train in the morning, again on our way to find a breakfast spot, and again later in the day, 7km from our original meeting point, in a neighborhood we had inadvertently but pleasantly lost ourselves in the maize of its paths. here, we captured the interest of the cute local kiddos, curious what these westerners were doing in their village. but again, there he was, waiting for us in an inconspicuous corner in the depths of this community. what? how did he find us?

eventually, we found our way away from the creepy tok tok driver, back to the train station where we started the morning. determined not to stay the night in agra, we caught the night train to jaipur (the pink city). after a 5 hour delay observing the colonies of rats living on the train tracks, we hopped our train and arrived in jaipur in the wee hours of the morning.