SO MUCH has happenned since I left Patagonia,  although I have not blogged or written much in my journal.  This tends to happen when I meet up with other people.  It is almost 2am here in La Ceiba, Honduras, so I will try not share too much right now.. but since I am staying at a hotel with free wi-fi I figured I would take advantage of the opportunity to give a little update:

I left the fabulous owner Augustin of "La Casa De Viajeros" (the house of travellers) in El Bolson Argentina on February 23 at 7:30am.  One taxi and two buses later, I was in Osorno, Chile, begging for space on a bus to Santiago, along with EVERYONE ELSE, since it was the last week of summer and all tickets were sold out for the next two days.  Using all I had (my persuasive skills and "charm", and just enough Chilean pesos) I scored a seat on a luxury bus, and arrived in Santiago February 24 at 8:30am, exactly 14 hours before my flight out of town.  I checked my bags at the bus terminal, "skyped" my new Chilean friend Berni, and met her at a salon where I got a much needed manicure & pedicure in advance of my trip to Mexico to attend Nadine's wedding.  Berni & I shared a hostel room at Erratic Rock in Puerto Natales and quickly hit it off.  I walked, bussed and trained around town, finishing up at a bookstore where I finally bought a new book, and met at guy from Chicago(!)  We shared a beer before I headed back to the bus terminal to get my bags and take a shuttle to the airport.  A happily uneventful trip to Cancun via Miami eventually led me to the Omni Puerto Aventuras, where I met up with Nadine, Adam and their families for the wedding festivities.

In short, the wedding and all the activities surrounding it were TONS of fun.  An intimate group of 40 enjoyed eachother's company and the beach wedding ceremony and the great food and lengthy, daily breakfast conversations.  Oh, what generous friends I have!  Although I felt like a travelling mooch, I slept on balconies, in hammocks, extra beds and couches for half of my nights in Mexico... which greatly reduced the blow of spending over 10x the money per night in our luxurious resort accomodations (my usual hotel stay is $10-20/night max).  Of course, it was worth the cost, sharing this special weekend with them, and spending 2 nights there with Matt... (his trip was unfortunately shortened due to bad Chicago weather).

While in Mexico, my friend Greg unexpectedly decided to accompany me to Belize!  He and my friend Shawn have a very good friend, Israel, who grew up there, and was heading there with his wife Jen the same time I was planning to be there!  What a fun and funny adventure we had, taking 3 buses from Mexico to Belize.  When the headlights stopped working on the second bus, we were shuffled onto a local (school) bus.  As the bus sailed between cities, passing wild, junglely mangroves visible in the moonlight below the star-filled sky, the driver turned off the interior lights, turned on a disco light synchronized to music, and played among other songs the popular "whistle song" I heard all over South America AND the ultra-popular "I Kissed A Girl, and I Liked It"... totally trippy and surreal. 

We were greeted in Belize City by Israel and his cousin Yelmar, and taken to his aunt's house where Yelmar's wife had spent the day fixin' "Stretch Me Goots" - homemade dough pockets with sugar on top, filled with an incredibly flavorful mix of ground steak and spices.  YES, I am still a fish-eating vegetarian... but I clearly could not refuse the hospitable offer she had worked hard to prepare.  And, I am amazed to say, I Ate Some Meat, And I Liked It!  The next day, cousin Ivar - the passionate conservationist and guide - took us caving at Actun Tunichi Muknai. We hiked through the forest and three river crossings before we walked, swam and waded through the huge "ATM" cave, with stalactites and stalagmites, beautiful rock formations and unforgettable Mayan artifacts in their natural state... including pottery used for offerings to the gods, and calcified bones of sacrificial young adults!  Powerful stuff.  Outside the cave, we dove into the sparkling waters, where I was attacked by minnows!  What the F???  I could not believe these little fish were trying to nibble me!  I swear, wherever I travel I am hounded by insects... and now, fish.  Luckily the sea creatures were relatively less interested in me in the nearby island of Caye Caulker.

The four of us enjoyed our first day there RELAXING on a hammock and at a picnic table partially submerged in the water at the Lazy Lizard Bar, enjoying the sun, the breeze, the water, the sunset... oh, and about 12 hours of Belikins and tasty food.  Early the next morning, Greg and I endured the scariest boat trip of our lives... 10 divers, 3 snorklers and the (3) dive staff, in a 20ish foot, re-purposed Colombian drug-smuggling boat barreling through waves well over 10 feet tall.  The euro & american tourists were passing around the motion-sickness pills and the garbage can until we made it through all three deep-sea crossings between the atolls.  It was a memorable three hour journey to the Blue Hole which I found amusing and exhilirating - if a bit scary at times - and altogether worth it.  The Blue Hole was discovered by Jacques Cousteau and has stalacites like you have NEVER SEEN.  They look like huge Greek columns, meters and meters long.  They are covered with greenish-brown mossy stuff, but there is not enough light for much aquatic life  The formations are really cool though, AND, about five minutes after I reached the lowest point in the dive, the deepest I have ever gone (130 feet), guess what we spotted?  SHARKS!  Blacktip sharks, four of them, one after the other, circling in that scary looking way they do in movies, with almost a mechanical flip of their tail.  The started circling higher and higher, possibly interested in our movements.  It was SO AWESOME.  But you don't get a lot of bottom time at that depth, so we had to start going up and away from them just three minutes later.  The next two dives were also great (Half Moon Caye and the Aquarium), with rays, barracudas, a turtle and more.  Riding back, the last hour, on the top of the boat in the calmer waters, was a relaxing and refreshing finish to the day.  I VERY HIGHLY RECOMMEND visiting Caye Caulker.  It was great fun, so chill, good prices for decent accomodations, great food (conch fritters and ceviche to die for), relaxed bars and good people.  I already look forward to returning... and bringing more friends with me. 

From Caye Caulker we took a wet ferry ride (sitting in the back of the boat, what were we thinking?) to Belize City then travelled with family to Orange Walk.  We were welcomed into the the house of another of Israel and Jen's "tias" (aunts), and treated to homemade tamales & fried jack, fresh ceviche and more Belikin beer.  Israel and Jen were incredible hosts, and their family could NOT have been more hospitable, generous and fun.  Their cousin, our guide and friend, Ivar, his father Yelmar, who drove us EVERYWHERE, all the tias and their amazing cooking, cousin Leo, the incredible singer and most popular guy in Orange Walk... and so many more...  for me, Belize was was a memorable and special place where I truly felt like family.

So - I left Orange Walk and caught a bus from Belize City that was supposed to connect to the luxury "Linea Dorada" bus line in Flores, Guatemala and continue to Guatemala City.  I didn't realize until after I boarded the bus - which arrived 1 hour late - that it was from the "San Juan" bus company - notorious on travel forums for crappy buses.  Sure enough, our bus was on its last legs.  It broke down on and off, and the 4 1/2 hour bus ride ended up being 7 1/2 hours, including driving at least a mile in reverse with no lights on in order to get in cell phone range to call a minibus to finally come and rescue us.  Ugh... a long journey that actually made me relieved to reach the roach motel where I slept that night.  On the plus side, Flores is a cool little island in the middle of Guatemala... so I am happy I ended up having the chance to explore it a bit, and enjoy a good breakfast there before hopping the next bus to Honduras.  With help from the drivers of the bus destined for Guatamala City, I made a plan to get off early and take a short-cut to the Honduras border, thus getting me to La Ceiba before dark.  It was fun:  First, 20 minutes in a "micro" (minibus just like the dala-dalas in Tanzania), my butt balancing between the edges of two seats.  Then, while awaiting another micro to take me to the border, I encountered two clean-cut men heading the same direction, so we decided to spend a little more and share a taxi.  Luckily I wasn't smuggled or sold.  It was a questionable decision but I felt safe.  These Guatemalan men took a different taxi than I across the actual border... riding in the other taxi behind them, I discovered why:  They have no passports, so when their taxi driver passed by the guardia civil with their AK-47s, he placed a HANDFUL of money into his hands.  Interesting...  so, after crossing the border, I changed what was left of my Guatemalan Quetzales for Honduran Lempira and hopped in another taxi with the nice illegal guys to Puerto Cortes (40 minutes, 120 LPS/$6), then an "express" micro (fast,  clean, comfortable, with Bob Marley blaring and driver talking and laughing with passengers the whole time, 1 hour/40 LPS/$2) to San Pedro Sula, then a luxury bus to La Ceiba.. arriving at 9:30pm.  So, the delay only cost me nine hours and one extra night at a hotel... I splurged and paid around $27 for a oceanview room with the "works" (A/C, TV, nice towels, hot water, breakfast I think).  Needing some food and a cold beer STAT, I walked to the nearest bar, where the barmaid had a regular customer escort me to buy some bean/cheese tortillas from a street vendor, as I discovered it is not that safe to walk alone here.  I bought his (Rudy from Roatan's) dinner also, and enjoyed a couple Salva Vidas (national beer of Honduras) before heading back to the hotel to research my next moves on-line.

I will leave in the AM for Utila, in the Bay Islands.  It is Whale Shark season, so I am hoping for some incredible snorkeling with them, as well as some of the best and least expensive diving in the world.

Sorry for the babble... it's been a while : )   I promise that as soon as I can upload my pictures I will share some with you.

Love to you all!  ~steph

disregard my previous post... I just received an email from an American guy... who oddly enough used to live at Addison & Southport... anyway, HE HAS MY PEN DRIVE!  It is lost no more.  I feel confident that he will send it to me, like he has promised, when he returns home from South America.  And I have promised him good Cubs tickets (Nunu will surely provide) as a thank you.

You just may have heard my sigh of relief.... all the way from Chile...  PHEW!

I have had a great time in the Chilean part of the Lake District.  I leave tomorrow for El Bolson, a hippie haven with hang-gliding and trekking galore.  CAN'T WAIT!

Until next time.... oh, one final note:   BELIEVE IN THE GOODNESS OF OTHERS.  I do!   -steph

I had an absolutely amazing time trekking in Torres Del Paine.  I hiked over 80 kilometers in 4 days, and somehow managed to walk out feeling GOOD!  Even STRONGER!  The trek I did is a well-marked path, called the "W" because of its rough shape: picture it, you go up and down 3 different valleys as you travel from west to east (or vice versa).  It was physically demanding going up each valley, often enduring a continuous hour of steep uphill hiking with a heavy pack on your back... plus 70-90 km/hr wind and sometimes rain.  Every day I enjoyed sun and blue skies... as well as wind stronger than anything I have previously experienced and rain.  This was exactly what I expected so I was fully prepared.  I am happy decided not to camp, but instead stayed indoors at Refugios (shelters) with hot showers and cool people, fun/funny staff.  I prepared my own (instant) soup and sandwiches (my specialty: cheese, apple, onion & szechwan pepper) and drank lots of tea.  I will give you a day-by-day account at a later date, including some photos. 

Before and after my trek I stayed at Erratic Rock hostel in Puerto Natales.  The co-owner, Bill, from Oregon, is THE most helpful person ever.  His partner, Rustyn, hosts a 'trekking talk' at 3pm every day... I missed that but Bill and I discussed everything I was bringing, the food I would buy, the route I had chosen, he even lent me an indispensible 1/2 liter cooking cup.  Their staff is cool, and there would always be groups of travellers with them watching movies in the family room at night... and I liked their taste, as I caught bits of "Princess Bride" and "American History X".

I spent two days/one night in Punta Arenas before flying to Puerto Montt...  I stayed at Erratic Rock again, although this location is more like a homestay... Patricio and his wife and 1 1/2 year old daughter host about 8 travellers.  They have a full kitchen and tv room with free internet.  Unfortunately, Patricio's reggae band did not play while I was there (I saw their drums, sax and guitar resting in the dining room), but I hear Bill is throwing a party in Puerto Natales this weekend, and they will be providing the entertainment.  Just missed it.  I enjoyed talking to Patricio about music, and am now on the hunt for reggae music mixed with the indigenous music of Chile.  I think the instrumentation as well as the lyrics about colonization and suppression add a very interesting twist to the reggae we know.

I landed in Puerto Montt, and took a transfer to the bus station, which is nuts - an overwhelming cacophony of people and offices touting bus rides and tours.  Randomly, Eduardo - a tour guide who had just got off work - offered me assistance,  and ended up being my savior!  With him I planned my next week in Chile, bought a bus ticket to Argentina, shared a taxi to my hotel, and later went out for bite to eat.  Not only did I learn a lot about Chilean politics (which sounds a lot like Argentinian politics, which sounds a lot like American politics!) and future trekking that I want to do.... but he offered me a free ride the following day, coming along on his tour to Chiloe.  In the process, I learned more about the culture of this group of islands, got to know his nice driver, Sergio Perez, and ate a great, free lunch. 

Now I am in Chiloe, an archipelago off the coast of Chile.  There are many quaint towns here, each one has a "Plaza de Armas", where you will find some of Chile's oldest churches.  They are known for their architectural style, and WOOD... simple and unadorned.  They have an old, rural feeling, as do the towns - with fishermen everywhere, and artesians selling their popular woolen goods.

I will make my way back to Puerto Montt tonight, and in the next 2 days boat and bus my way to Argentina... via Bariloche... heading to El Bolson.  Talk soon!

UGH.  Bad news from Chile...

Three days ago, at an internet place in Puerto Natales, Chile, I lost my 8GB pen drive.  I was having trouble "safely removing it" from the terminal, so was waiting for help, but then spaced and left without it.  By the time I realized and returned to retrieve it... the place was filled with schoolchildren playing "juegos"/video games.   I am sure one of those little f%ckers is a whole lot happier now that he has that cool new toy.   It put me in a sort of funk, having trouble coming to terms with losing two weeks of photos of glaciers and culture and music... all of these precious images and musings that cannot be recreated.  

I have had to remind myself why I am travelling.  Although I absolutely love to archive culture and music in obscure parts of the world... it would be my life's work if only I could find a way to make a living doing it!!.. this is a personal trip for me to EXPERIENCE the world.  The images and the feelings are powerful, so I should not need photos to remember them.  (This is like a mantra I have to keep telling myself).   But really... I am over it... although I have put off updating my blog, feeling a bit deflated about the photos I wanted to post, which I can still see, but which are no more.

Anyway... now you know.   Stay tuned for NEW photos and musings from Chile.

What are the odds that I would have the chance to attend a music festival in Patagonia??  OK, so it might not be unexpected that I would uncover a local, underground music scene here in Argentina.  But it is fortuitous that I found myself in El Calafate for this curious monthly showcase!  I'd like to think it is karmic balance, as my “first love” in terms of Argentinian bands - Orquestra Imperial - was on vacation while I was just in Buenos Aires.   

El Calafate is the jumping off point to visit the amazing Glacier National Park (where you might have spotted me trekking on Perito Moreno Glacier last week!)  It has become a hugely popular tourist destination since the routes to/from El Chalten and the nearby glaciers were paved and a new airport was built... thanks in no small part to the fact that Argentina's ex-president Nestor Kischner and new president, his wife Christina Fernandez de Kischner, own a home here.  Nepotism + corruption?  Surprisingly, we are NOT talking Chicago politics.   El Calafate is a city bursting with overtly tourist-friendly shops selling tasty pastries, chocolates, local handicrafts, and lots and lots of Patagonian gear (not the brand, but clothing and accessories for trekking and camping in this region). And its growth is monstrous:  ten years ago it had a population of 2,000, now it exceeds 20,000!  Some say it struggles to maintain its own identity among the tourist trappings that inevitably befall a small town experiencing such exponential growth.  This was precisely the inspiration for the creation of Centro Cultural del Calafate.   

Started by two visionary young men named Federico, the Cultural Center of Calafate is trying hard to create culture in this small town that has became a city and international travellers´destination seemingly overnight.  Federico 1 opened a cultural center in Mendoza over five years ago.  Upon  moving to El Calafate, he saw a similar need for cultural stimulation, particularly for children. He was introduced to Federico 2, who was disgusted by the lack of cultural activities in El Calafate.  Fede 2 says there were no entertainment options in town, nowhere to go to learn something, see differently, BREATHE.  He said the local talent is plentiful, and people young and old are interested in the arts.  Fede 1's success in Mendoza allowed him to get some funding from the 'cultural heads' in Buenos Aires, which supported the CCC's activities for children at the annual Lago de Argentino festival in February, 2008, and the ability to re-purpose the old, abandoned airport as a the new Cultural Center of Calafate. The Fedes put everything – including their own time, money, and hearts – into transforming a filthy old airport into a completely functioning creative, performance and education space.  The grand opening in the Spring of 2008 drew more than 600 people.  An undeniable success, they immediately started teaching theatre classes there and inspiring art in the youth of El Calafate.  The classes were essentially free, each student only paying what they could afford.  As its popularity grew, so did the government's attention towards it.  They took back half of the building, which was promptly converted into a profitable kindergarten.  And it did not take long before more and more of the creative space that CCC had revitalized and marketed was commandeered by the local government for more profitable endeavors.  I cannot help but see the same greed and bureaucracy that we complain about in our city, state and federal governments squashing the well-meaning efforts of the Fedes here in El Calafate!    However, the Fedes pressed on, and the generous bar owner of La Loika offered up half his space to be used for CCC classes as needed.  This has kept their efforts afloat, but the CCC is in dire need of an appropriate space for the Cultural Center.  Something must change, or it appears that the CCC will dissolve, and El Calafate will continue to “prosper” into nothing more than a different version of a ski town in any country of the world.  And its inspiring landscape will be developed by multi-national corporations just as the rest of the world has and will be. 

BUT – STAY POSITIVE!   THERE IS STILL HOPE. 

I will see their efforts in action at tomorrow night's cultural event, and report back on its entertainment value and success.

Did you know that Patagonia is an ancient Spanish word meaning "MAGNIFICENT" ??

Well, actually it is not... but it should be.  It is unfortunate that I am not able to share photos of this place at this time.  I am trekking and therefore cannot afford the weight my computer would add to my pack.  So... I will use "theatre of the mind", as we call it in radio, to recreate the images and experience for you:

Imagine the crackle of lightning, followed by the big boom of thunder.  Picture a block of ice the size and shape of a massive church steeple toppling over into the lake, its ripple flipping the ice floating in its wake.  The cracking and moaning of the glacier is as surreal as its very visible blue glow.  This is Perito Moreno Glacier in Patagonia, near El Calafate, Argentina, in “Parque Nacional de Los Glaciares”.  Today I trekked about 2 kilometers on the glacier.  From the boat that transported us there, and the stairs/balconies across the lake, I saw stunning images of this massive earthly creation.  It is one of the only glaciers in the world that is actually growing.  Although in the summertime (which is now, here in the Southern hemisphere) it is melting by the minute, that glacial melt only strengthens the base which is attached to the rock below.  I was told that the snow we were trekking on today is 300 years old. And that in the winter there will be an additional vertical kilometer of snow/ice in the exact location where we stood.  Truly incomprehensible!!  From far away it looks hard and solid, but as I walked on it today, my crampons digging into its surface, it was like walking through a huge ice chest.  Watching some guys scaling the glacier with pick-axes and security ropes, I was tempted to take my ice trekking to the next level. But I'll save that challenge for next time.  Tomorrow I leave for Chalten, which is located on the southern end of the same national park and the base from which to hike the peaks of Fitzroy and Torre.  These trails are well-marked and doable on your own.  As this is “high season”, I expect never to be alone for very long. After Chalten I will return to El Calafate en route to Torres Del Paine National Park for a 5-day trek. For now I am planning to spend each night in a “refugio” along the trail (basically, a cabin with bunk beds and a kitchen).  It's crazy because, where I was today is just 30 kilometers “as the crow flies” from Torres del Paine, but the mountains and glaciers make it a 3 ½ hour round-a-bout bus ride. I am excited about TDP, considered by many to be the best trekking in the world.  Only the weight of my day pack (carrying my shell/coat, camera, water, sleeping bag, food, garbage and as little else as possible) concerns me, as I will carry it as I hike 5-10 hours each day.

Reflecting on the trekking that I have done and am planning to do, it occurs to me that I thrive on a variety of things when I travel. No doubt the cultural immersion is what gets me going and brings me back... but it's also the thrill of facing and overcoming challenges!  Be it scaling a mountain or finding/communicating my way through a foreign city, I love the anticipation that morphs into nervous energy, definitive choices and eventually... accomplishment. It's a sense of fulfillment that is hard to describe, or replicate. 

I expect to be off the grid for the next week or so, but will return with stories and photos to share.   Cheers!

 Floralis Genérica - Recoleta

HOLA!  Although it has been only 48 hours since my arrival in Buenos Aires, it feels like much longer.    I am staying in San Telmo – one of my favorite barrios en el mundo!  I was here several years ago, with Nadine and Heather.  The neighborhood is known for its arts, Sunday antique market and most definitely the TANGO.  It is a great place to see the traditional side of Buenos Aires, such as... lots of little fruit or pastry or hardware shops with old people behind the counter saying “Hola! Como esta?” as you pass by, bars dating back to the 1800's with old placards and wine bottles lining the walls and “chopp”/tap beer flowing freely, and tango singers striking up a song or a conversation as you sit at an outdoor cafe.  These traditional elements are all mixed up with a modern streak of young artists,  funky boutiques and an active nightlife.  Una mezcla muy saborosa.

So, the day I arrived (Wednesday) I walked around San Telmo, enjoyed lunch at one of those traditional corner bars and ate a very late dinner at a local “parilla” (they are known for grilling the famous Argentinian meat, but I ordered fish & veggies).  My waiter was a blast, he and I talked music and exchanged recommendations until he got reprimanded for not getting his other work done.  I returned to the hotel around 1:30am and was invited to share wine with two of the staff out in the courtyard.  What followed was two+ hours of random conversation with us and a girl from Israel – who met up with me the next day to share music by an Israeli band she loves.  A great first night!

Yesterday I eased into my day, taking the “collectivo” (bus) to Recoleta to visit the famous cemetery where only Buenos Aires' finest take rest.  That controversially includes Evita Peron.  No tomb will ever compare to the obnoxious size and maniacal detail of the Terracotta Warriors in Xi'an, China, but some of Recoleta's massive tombs and sculptures feel excessive, especially those displaying plaques from “disciples” extolling the god-like virtues of the deceased.  The things people do to protect themselves in the afterlife...  Despite this, I found the cemetery interesting and quite peaceful.  Afterwards, I watched Serena Williams win her semi-final match in the Australian Open over a lunch of pumpkin+gruyere crepes with the owner of one of those corner bars.  I glanced at the “diario” (daily newspaper) and saw that “Babel Orquestra” was playing a concert at a cultural center early that evening... I fell in love with Orquestra Imperial Tipica my last trip to BA, so I figured it was worth trying again.

The cultural center KONEX is in Abasto (southwest of San Telmo), which I now know is another barrio filled with a unique and impressive mixture of restaurants, bars, clubs and cultural places.  KONEX itself has a big courtyard with a HUGE orange staircase that doubles as a stage.  There are hanging baskets underneath where people swing and chat, and the bar is complete with swings (I'm a big fan!) and cushiony chairs and couches.  Babel Orquestra put on a fun, family-friendly interactive performance, with good musicians and three actors who demanded audience participation.  They did not move me like Orquestra Imperial Tipica... but I enjoyed it. 

After the show, by chance, I struck up conversation with a big group of locals.  Most of them work together in local television, on a series of programs that are broadcast throughout South America.  We ended up leaving together, six of us squeezing in a car that required a wrench to start, and heading to the apartment of one of them.  Time just disappeared as we sat there listening to music, drinking cervezas, talking...  Two of them left for work at 1am, and an hour later we turned on the TV to see Rosario, who was just sitting next to me chilling out with us, all dressed-up, acting like a Game Show host, encouraging the audience to call in with the answer to the question (“Animal name with no A or O”  what could it be???) to win MUCHO DINERO!  It's pretty much the epitome of bad late-night TV, and they know it, but somehow it's real entertainment for the thousands who pay call in each program.  It was funny to watch... ESPECIALLY when Rosario suddenly looked in the camera and said (in Spanish) “Hey!  I just found out Stephanie is watching!  Hi Stephanie!  How are you doing?  etc etc.¨"  Yep – I GOT A SHOUT OUT ON NATIONAL ARGENTINIAN TV!   Who woulda thunk it.

Somehow we managed to keep the party going until almost 6am... I slunk into the hotel room I am sharing with three Brazillian girls and slept until 12noon.   Good times!

• Hidden gems (people, places, tribes, traditions) still exist throughout the world... But how long with they last?  What can we do to help and protect them?

• Diversity is precisely what makes world travel so amazing and interesting to me.

• Like-minded people can be found everywhere, despite extreme differences in culture and experience.

• Humor is a universal language.

• There is poverty beyond comprehension in some parts of the world. And abhorrent disrespect towards women.  We are SO lucky to have been born in the USA!

• It is a historic, fascinating time to be alive... things are changing so rapidly... paradigms are shifting in nearly every aspect of life... power is building and alliances are forming on the other side of the world... Global Awareness is crucial for America and its citizens.

My next move is to plan travels in Mexico and South America.  I am seeking another volunteer opportunity.  And giving some thought to what I would like to do after this trip-of-a-lifetime is over.  I will take a quick trip to Colorado to see some of my best girls and their babies... and leave sometime in late Jan/February for Round 3.

Stay-tuned in the coming weeks, for additional stories & photos of my adventures through South Africa, Mozambique, Tanzania, Dubai, Israel, Jordan, Egypt, Greece, Turkey, Japan, China, Hong Kong, Macau, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia and India.

For those of you who sent me well wishes in the last week... or expressed concern over the recent violence in India, THANK YOU.  I just wanted drop a quick note to tell everyoneknow that I am safe, sound and centered.  

Being in Northern India at a yoga ashram, one can be quite disconnected from the outside world.  So, I was oblivious to the Mumbai bombings until my sister told me on Thanksgiving.  Wow, did it upset me.  Mostly for the senselessness of it all.  But it also felt personal, as the violence was directed towards people just like me.  Targeting US & British citizens, the “terrorists” stormed into Leopold's – where Matt and I ate/drank less than a month ago! And they bombed the Taj Mahal Palace hotel, located just across from the India Gate, where we hung out on our last day in Mumbai.  Just like that day, I can just picture it filled with innocent tourists (from India and abroad), no one meaning anyone any harm.  Those killers are filled with evil and misdirected anger.  It is very disconcerting – whether or not I am in India. 

I promise to add some good photos from India and Indonesia soon!  Love to you all ~steph

MUMBAI (Nov 4-7):  As expected, the streets of Mumbai are crowded with taxis, auto-rickshaws, dogs, cows and people spitting, shitting, sleeping, walking, living... the chaos seems like an inevitable result of overpopulation, coupled with a different social/cultural filter than our own.  It is a buffet for the senses:  bold, bright colors of sari-clad women, aromatic spices drifting from street food stalls (overtaking the waves of other - more pungent - smells), simultaneous stares from leering men, begging children and smiling strangers, Indian pop music mixed with beeping horns mixed with street sellers offerin

g a hopeful “YES!  You want a watch?  Hello, YES – a book?  Hello sir, YES?”   We met some friendly and helpful people... especially in a big city, that's saying a whole lot.  But men generally would only address Matt when taking our food order, or asking where we're from, etc... it has been explained to me as a culture distinction respectful to males (they would be disrespecting Matt if they talked to me) but it is also very obviously an example of the lower position women have in this society.  It's not my place to judge, but I DEFINITELY noticed it – and do not like it. Last night I fell asleep watching Indian music videos... totally entertaining.  Many followed the Bollywood formula of highly choreographed (sometimes very goofy) huge dance numbers by traditionally-dressed men and women.  Or the good old ones with ladies jumping from behind trees or popping out of a field of flowers to do a little shake-a shake-a.  But many others were surprisingly risque!  Provocative moves like grinding their male duet partner or pole-dancing a la Britney Spears “Gimme More” (yes, sadly, I have watched that video... with the same interest as looking at a car crash, seriously -uh!).  Either Indian culture is not as conservative as I thought, or there is just a big disparity between acceptable pop culture and acceptable public behavior. I love Indian food.  It can rich, savory, spicy, sweet... sometimes all in one  bite!  Most of our meals consist of two orders of veges with tasty sauce, maybe some paneer (cheese cubes, also in sauce), dal (flavorful lentils), rice and chapatti or paan (a cross between pita bread and flour tortilla).  You can order this stuff a la carte as you wish, or get a set meal, called “Thali”.  At a “locals” restaurant we enjoyed a fresh and delicious Thali + chai for 50 rupees each – just $1.00! 

TRAIN TO JABALPUR: We took an overnight train from Mumbai to Jabalpur, located in central India.  As dawn broke l looked out the train window at the dry, brown land with scattered trees and cattle farms, occasionally noticing a half dozen gravestones huddled together under a shady tree.  In China and Vietnam we saw similar family cemeteries – and Buddhist shrines – in rural areas. Approaching each train station I would see scores of men in deep squats, elbows on knees, just waiting... and brightly sari'ed women sitting in circles.  Around big cities, the poorest people live in lean-to shacks along the tracks.  These ghettos are huge and overpopulated... and it made me scared and sad when I saw that the kids there consider the train tracks their playground.  The train stations are chaotic, with thousands of people waiting, sleeping or pushing their way onto the general class cars.  We avoided the trampling risk by making reservations for an air-conditioned car.  These cars have seats that convert to beds, with relatively clean linens and pillows, and privacy curtains for each 4 person space, to minimizes the number of chai wallahs (tea salesmen) who peak in at you saying “CHAI? CHAI CHAI?”.   Exiting the train station in Jabalpur was FUNNY.  For the ½ kilometer distance we walked to our hotel, we were inundated with offers of “transport?  TRANSPORT?” from guys on cyclos (bicycles that pull 2-seat carts).  “Ten Rupee? Ten Rupee?”  Until we were literally at the gate of our hotel... and one guy who rode alongside us the entire way was still offering – a reduced rate - “Five Rupee?  Five Rupee?”  Needless to say, they do NOT give up.  It's their livelihood so I don't fault them.  At this point we are very used to being solicited almost constantly when walking down any street. 

KANHA NATIONAL PARK:  Matt and I took two game drives through India's most renowned national park, accompanied by a driver, a guide and a naturalist.  They know everything about the animals, their behavior, the territories of the biggest male tigers in the park... very interesting.  Every morning the mahouts ride out on their elephants to spot tigers.  We were very apprehensive about joining the mahout to see a tiger which was spotted – fearful that they were trained and treated in the abusive manner we learned about in Thailand.  We were assured that this was not true though, so...  we rode an elephant into the bush and spied on a tiger JUST TEN FEET AWAY FROM US!  The mahout instructed the elephant to pull at branches, I think so could get a better view of the tiger, which was crazy and intense.  It was invigorating, having the tiger so close and hearing his deep grunts.  His stripes and patches formed a beautiful pattern, his paws were huge!  A really cool experience – sorry my pictures do not do it justice to better share it with you.  

AGRA:  The Taj Mahal is majestic.  I will let the picture (above) tell the story...We found a great Tibetan restaurant serving good, cheap food AND beer!  Yes – Matt and I managed to enjoy a frosty beverage in just about every holy city (we visited) in India : )  Surprising.  You won't find it on the menu – but they're serving it if you ask. 

RAJASTHAN: Jaipur, Pushkar and Jaisalmer are all distinct cities in the West of India.  Jaipur is big and crowded with some beautiful palaces and monuments.  They are known for their textiles, silver and gold – Indians love to shop there.  Pushkar is small and unique.  We stayed at the Pink Floyd Hotel & Cafe – how could we not?  They have a great rooftop – it even has a small lawn with tables and chairs to chill and enjoy the sky-high view of the monkeys and children flying kites and ladies drying their laundry and beans on top of the nearby buildings.  Each night we enjoyed the Floyd (tunes) as we watched the sun set over the big, holy lake that attracts pilgrims all year long.  We arrived for the last day of the famous Pushkar Camel Fair.  We saw hundreds of camels on the road as we arrived by bus.  But sadly we missed the festivities which included:  Moustache contest, Turban Tying race, Miss Pushkar pageant, and much much more.  The city of Jaisalmer, located  just over 100 kms from Pakistan, is dominated by a huge Fort that looks more like a sandcastle in the middle of the endless looking Great Thar Desert.  Our hotel was run by some nice brothers and their staff.  We spent an evening listening to Indian music on the manager's cell phone, and hearing stories about Indian women and dating and marriage.  Also, the day we left was a big political rally in the streets – thousands of people peacefully marching and chanting and waving flags for their party.  Quite a thing to have witnessed... the election will take place Dec 4. 

DELHI:  CHAOS.  That's pretty much the best way to describe it.  Auto-rickshaws (aka tuk-tuks) rule the streets, only yielding if a big huge smelly truck comes charging by.  We found some funny bars playing funky Indian music (at which I was the only woman there – one time two other female tourists showed up to lessen the attention I received).  We visited an art gallery, shopped, and enjoyed the “Presidential Suite” we rented for Matt's last night in India.