Thursday 12 January 2012

Hampi

A great place, many things here for everyone, temples, strange rock features, climbing, parties, culture, a great place to meet other travellers.

I heard about a place called La Tipi, cheap and chearfull accomodation, huts, huge communal Tipi, camping or just hammocks in the trees, very cool relaxed atmosphere.



















































2012


Well we are still here, happy new year to everyone, it is 2012, wow....sounds very futuristic! how did I survive all these years and where is it all going, lots of profound questions, but slightly dissapointed that the cosmos did not split in two, [yet] no aliens came to visit [yet] and looks like today is another day in paradise, but we did survive it all, so now again it is time to look forward, make new plans and put behind us all our regrets and fears from before. Today is our gift.

Really enjoyed my week of rest in Gokarna, a very spiritual, peaceful place. Apparently it was here where Vishnu was born out of the ear of a cow and thus a strong community of devoties have established themselves here. I am starting to envy these people and their colourful Gods, customs, their daily Pugas, rituals and offerings, sweet insence that satturates the streets having something to believe in bigger than our own egos does make peaceful happy people.

So that is my wish for us all to smile, leg go of the self, our ego, our desires, our cravings, our material and emotion distractions, so that the waters of our mind become still, no disturbance upon its surface, the pool becomes clear and reflects the truth and beauty of this strange mysterious world.

Wednesday 11 January 2012

Gokarna

OM beach, Gokarna.

The last day ride to Gokarna was hot, hilly and long, finally after 146km I reacched Gokarna as night was closing in, mosquitoes biting, sweaty, dusty and no idea where to go from here, but soon found myself heading back out of town and climbing up a hill which kept going up, getting a bit frustrated this time of the day with huge pot holes in the road to add to the discomfort of pushing already overtired resources......I thought beaches were supposed to be at sea level I was thinking, which made me smile and soon enough everything changes, hills do not climb forever and sure enough beaches were on sea level.

A great reunion with friends and a much appreciated bottle of cold beer.

After over six months of cycling this was to be the first time to actually stop and rest, what a strange feeling...!

 ...Plenty of time to re-discover......fire, well done Fabien, old techniques re learnt and passed on, I tried to do it myself last week creating a lot of heat and then collapsed in a pool of sweat......phew not easy.

 














Jungle guest house, Om beach, fantastic rustic beach huts set back in the jungle under a canopy of lush green, extremely peaceful, I did not think about cycling at all and time quickly dissolved.













Amazing food at Ganesh restaraunt, the best I have seen so far.


My life is my message..!




beware of these, totally unpredictable, but peaceful dosile creatures of the night....a rare glimpse of one during waking daylight hours...






Om shanti OM.........