A trip to Dambulla

Having some (ok, a lot) of free time while here in Sri Lanka trying to set up a yoga program with a hotel, I decided to take a day to go see the Unesco Dambulla Temple caves. I'd seen pictures of the insides of the cave and it looks beautiful.  Just outside of town you also have Sigiriya. Sigiriya is famous for its 200m high red stone fortress and palace ruins which are surrounded by the remains of an extensive network of gardens, reservoirs and other structures.  I had read and heard that while Sigiriya is very impressive, it's also very tourist overrun and over-expensive at $30 a head.  While just behind it is another temple and high rock, Pidurangala. Pidurangala rock is almost as high as its famous neighbor and provides a pleasant view onto its sibling as well as the surrounding area. It also cost $2 and had virtually no people on it. Though you don't get to see the ruins atop of Sigirya, having traveled extensively, ruins are ruins and after a while your brain doesn't process them much.

After hiking up, doing a little bouldering work at points near the top, and chilling out on the top with a view, I decided to head back to town to catch the caves as I was only in town for one day.

The caves are amazing. I've been to caves, I've been to temples, I've been to temple caves. None held a candle to these ones.  I was completely in awe. The beauty and majesticness of it was truly magnificent (as I hope the pictures can somewhat show).  I had a few problems here, but so did a few others.  Turns out there are a few entrances in, but only one sells tickets. And if you come into that entrance, the ticket area is hidden. You then walk up a steep hill (small mountain) and get to the the caves where they ask for tickets. Why the ticket place isn't here makes no sense to me, but then again living in developing countries long enough I know to ask for sense is nonsensical. As you can guess, I didn't have a ticket. So after trying hard to negotiate up top (to no use) I walked back down, furious., found the ticket place and trudged back up. Funny thing was, the second time up wasn't so bad, maybe it was more of a hill in my mind or maybe I was just too upset at the ridiculousness of it all to realize I was even walking. At one point I, stupidly, thought, "I'm not going to go. F this, if they have no order or logic."  Luckily, I am not that ignorant, only moderately. So I made it back up, showed my ticket, and went in to see what so far may have been the most impressive thing I've seen here in Sri Lanka.

Little note: The picture with a small Ganesh in it also has a white thing next to the tree on it. This is the bone of an elephants skull. It's considered holy to the worshippers of Ganesh. I thought it was pretty neat.

A New Adventure Begins...

Writing from BKK Airport.  In an hour I'll fly to Sri Lanka to start a new gig with yoga and massage.  A new country, a new adventure.

Let's make it a great one.

Love and Light!

Out For A Nature Walk In Singapore.

While in Singapore I decided to out for a walk along the The Southern Ridges.  According to Wikipedia, The Southern Ridges are a 10km group of green spaces in Singapore spanning the hills of Mount Faber Park, Telok Blangah Hill Park and Kent Ridge Park. It is an area rich in history and is home to to a wide variety of flora and fauna. It sounded like something nice to do in the city full of shopping malls and concrete structures.  The walk is beautiful, with numerous elevated canopy tree line paths among rich flora, though not much fauna.  The contrast of the nature, the city skylines, and the water in the distance was a wonderful stark contrast from each other.  There is a small beautiful bridge along the way, the Henderson Waves Bridge which is rather unique and elegantly designed bridge and highlight of the walk for many.  You don't need to walk the full 10km, though I highly recommend it as the canopy trails are all different and the scenery changes as well.

Goodbyes into Hellos

Goodbyes are never easy. I've said it numerous times before and will say it numerous times again.  I've spent the last week in Singapore staying with a wonderful family. Daily yoga classes, playing basketball with a very talented and sharp 11 year old, and running around after a very naughty but incredibly adorable 2 year old. It's been a week of family time, which is something I don't get much on the road and appreciate when I can. My family is very close and was as well when growing up. To stay with good friends from such a big and loving family is truly nice. There will be moments of drama and sadness, but mostly happiness and love. It has been so nice to be included in that all. And now, I must head off, as we can't always stay in one place forever, especially when it isn't "our" home.  And so I have to say a sad and hard goodbye. Or a see you next time.  But what will help to ease that sadness... is...

that I'll be going to Cambodia for a few days to visit one of my dearest friends whom I became close with in Bhutan.  So I will leave one beautiful community and go to another. A goodbye to a HELLO!

Constant travel can wear on the soul (and body). When I can travel from loved ones to loved ones, it does help make living this life a lot easier (and happier)

With sadness I will leave Singapore, and happiness arrive to Phnom Penh.

Love to you all.
namaste

Get out from behind the camera...

.... and get into the scene!

"Get out from behind the camera, and get into the scene!"

This is a statement to all. Stop living behind your camera's, behind your phones, behind your fears.  Drop them, put them aside. Go out there and live this one life (or more for the Buddhists reading this) that we've been given.  I keep seeing too many of my "friends" online constantly barraging the web with self photos and photos of their every move.  When you take a photo of something you are not part of that something. Once you step into instagram (or whatever) mode you now are outside the scene. Disconnected from whatever was happening.  And when you share every little detail, does it maybe seem like maybe a scream for help. "I'm so insecure about my constant every move that I am BEGGING for your approval. Like this photo, give me more followers, feed my Ego."

Now this isn't to say that a photo or social share of whatever sort from time to time, even multiple times a day are bad.  (Heck, what is bad anyways.. but that's a post for another day.)  No, rather just a wake up call to start to see why we do what we do as well as what we are actually doing.  This can also lead into a deeper and deeper rabbit hole of self inquiry.

But please, don't "like" this post.   You can share it with people if you feel, but I'd rather not feed my own ego here and request you honor that. First off, I am guilty of much of what I write about. Secondly, I write this all for your enjoyment. I get the enjoyment from sharing my adventures with you all, that is my "like" of it.

Now get off from in front of this screen, close the blog, and go out and explore. Go do something new, exciting, familiar, comforting, nurturing.  But sign off and go do it. Do it now!! Because the next moment may be too late.  (and if you must, feel free to take a photo of yourself doing it.)