crowds, camels, and cows.

While in New Delhi we talked with several other tourists and learned that the easiest way to travel the western state of Rajasthan was by hiring a private driver. So after a little negotiating with a local travel agent we booked a 12-day, all-inclusive tour and our journey through India officially began.

Journal entries from Jaipur:

“Another day in India. I just finished a dinner of chicken curry and naan on a rooftop terrace over-looking Jaipur after an interesting day in the city. It is so hard to find the right words to describe this country. There is so much movement and chaos that I can hardly think straight. This morning we arrived in Rajasthan after a 5-hour ride through the polluted countryside. I feel really far away from home. This part of India is home to camels and cows and gypsies and rickshaws and men that look like ancient nomads. I expected Jaipur to be more relaxing that Delhi, but it also never seems to sleep. It has been a bit hard to feel at peace here because the city is a constant whirlwind of activity, but I know this experience is helping me to more deeply understand the world. I have never seen so much poverty. People here literally have nothing. Every time our car stops women and children crowd around us begging for a few rupees. People are dirty beyong anything I have ever seen before. How can I ever complain about going 2 days without a shower again when some children look like they haven’t bathed in their entire lifetime? It’s a strange feeling to be 25 years old, traveling the world, and witnessing poverty from the outside. I will never understand what it feels like to sleep on the street, to walk on dirt roads without shoes, or go even one day without food. Traveling India has already been much harder and less relaxing than I expected, but I love the things I am learning. If I want to truly make a difference in the world then I need to be out among the people, not watching life happen from the comfort of an air-conditioned car. I know that I always have the option of returning to the luxuries of America, so for now I want to find contentment in the chaos of India.”


i love indian saris. and i love people that smile.


indian women talking on the steps at the monkey temple in jaipur.


snake charmers and their cobra.

“The weather is perfect…blue sky, sunny, and cool. I love this moment. Today is so much better than the ones before and I can finally say that I am falling in love with India. Maybe it’s only natural for change to take time. The first few days were hard for all of us. The congested cities, the pollution, the poverty. But now I am sitting on a bench outside of the royal palace in Rajasthan on this beautiful day. The colors here are so vibrant. Yellow, hot pink, blue, orange, and purple-jeweled saris contrast against the pale walls of the palace. Elephants pass through arched entryways carrying tourists from all parts of the world. A beautiful Indian girl just peered over my shoulder and asked what I was writing. I love the boldness and curiosity of the people. Traveling always presents the most unexpected moments. I am thankful for this experience.”


the royal palace in jaipur.


the orange turban.

Next stop: Udaipur and Pushkar.

arrival in new delhi.

I did a bit of reading about India before the trip and learned from numerous sources that it is often known for being a land of contradictions. Supposedly in India you find the best and worst of everything. Therefore, I shouldn’t have been surprised when our flight was delayed by almost an entire day, we made two additional stopovers in both Dubai and Amsterdam, and arrived in New Delhi after 48 hours of continuous travel without luggage. However, the best of India came shortly after when I stepped out of the airport and saw the country for the first time. I wasn’t prepared to see men walking the streets with turbans piled onto their heads, women wrapped in brightly colored saris, cows freely roaming the streets, etc. Everything looked so mysterious and exotic. The first few moments in a new country are always some of the best, in my opinion.

Shortly after arriving at our hostel Grant and I met our German friend, Nicole, and we found a somewhat quiet place to catch up over a cup of chai tea. It was so good to be reunited and traveling together again after 2 years apart. Our first night in India was spent adjusting to the noise and pollution of the city, trying authentic Indian food for the first time, and resting. All of us were exhausted from having traveled halfway around the world. The next morning we woke up fairly early and set out to explore New Delhi. We walked up and down busy streets home to barefoot beggars and curry restaurants. We dodged cows and pushy vendors and tuk-tuks that were driving on the “wrong” side of the road. And during this first day I became convinced that no experience in life could have adequately prepared me for India. If I had to sum up the entire country into one word it would be this: Chaos.

It only took us one full day in New Delhi to be sure that we didn’t want to stay any longer. After only 24 hours my lungs were working overtime and my head ached from the noise and pollution. So the following morning we packed our bags, hired a driver, and set of to explore the western state of Rajasthan where we hoped to find a bit more peace and quiet.

A few photos from the city:

almost every man in northern india is dressed this way.


indian traffic.


travelers between delhi and rajasthan.


typical street vendor in delhi.

Next stop: Jaipur.

india bound.

The iconic photo that will be taken in front of monuments throughout the world.

Tomorrow morning I will wake up early, pack last-minute items into my suitcase, drive to the airport, and board a plane bound for New Delhi. It's hard to believe that the moment has arrived. During the next 7 weeks I will be backpacking India, Singapore, and Maldives before beginning a new teaching job in Beijing. I am so excited about exploring chaotic cities, touring ancient ruins, photographing exotic people and landscapes, and meeting other travelers on the backpacker's trail. My two close friends, Grant and Nicole, will be joining me. Grant and I first met in college but became good friends almost three years ago while we were both living in China. We then met Nicole (aka. our favorite German hippie!) during a backpacking trip through Southeast Asia. I know it is going to be an experience of a lifetime for all of us and I am so excited about sharing the journey with good friends.

Check back regularly as I will be updating my blog during the trip!

a new year.

It seems so surreal that another year has already begun and now 2008 remains nothing more than a memory of the past. I haven’t given the change much thought, probably because my New Year's Eve was relatively uneventful and nothing out of the ordinary, but the other day I was sitting in the living room watching the news and thought about all the stories that will flash across the screen in the next year. It’s crazy how quickly life changes and current events become nothing more that a part of history. I don’t have any idea what's in store for the next 365 days, but I know I will do everything possible to find joy, contentment, love, and adventure. I will not settle for anything less.

A friend of mine sent me an email the other day recapping this last year of his life, and it caused me to reflect on the moments I’ve been lucky enough to enjoy. The last 12 months have been a whirlwind of experiences and sometimes I still can’t believe it was me in all of the moments that fill my head. I remember dancing the night away at a club in Seoul on December 31, 2007 and looking around in amazement at the dozens of nations represented in a single room. I remember my first snowboarding trip in the mountains of Korea and spending hours in a heated pool taking underwater pictures with friends outside of our condo. I remember the numerous mornings I woke up early and rode my bike to Olympic Park where I would then sit and write and read for a couple of hours before work. I remember long runs on the treadmill at the gym overlooking the busy streets below. I remember visiting Eva's hometown, meeting her family, and feeling so grateful to have found true friendship on the other side of the world. I remember boarding a plane to Malaysia all alone and wondering if I was capable of traveling to new countries on my own. I remember dinners with friends, teaching young Korean children, shopping in the city, and riding a taxi home at night while looking out over the illuminated Seoul skyline. I feel like I have learned so much about myself during this last year. I haven’t always made good decisions, and haven’t always followed my heart, but I have lived. I have experienced incredible moments of joy that outweigh everything negative. Life changes so quickly. In one year I went from dancing the night away in an Asian club on New Year’s Eve, to a quiet evening at home in the suburbs. In many ways the change has been hard but I know it’s the only way we grow. I am thankful for the journey that life has taken me on and am even more thankful that it brought me home to my family once again.

This last year has been one of the best, and I have nothing but hope for a memorable 2009.

life as i know it.

This week was gray skies, India books, Ugg boots, running at the gym, old friends reunited, movies with family, homemade cookies, christmas decorations, overdue emails, Galleria shopping, hot apple cider, photo editing, icy roads, thoughts of Asia, and reaching a state of contentment.

a reason to give thanks.

One of the things I love most about Thanksgiving is the opporunity it gives to pause and reflect on life's blessings. The things I am thankful for are too numerous to list in full, but a few of them include: my mom, dad, brother, and sister, parents that encourage me to follow my dreams, grandparents, cousins, aunts, uncles, being an American citizen, a warm house, food, a well-paying job, good health, music, books, the opportunity to travel the world, fun memories, good friends in Asia, my best friend in the solar system, bicycles, coffee shops, my journal, freedom, photography, shoes, changing seasons, laughter, faith, the many wonderful people that have been a part of my life during the last 2 years, sunshine, exotic islands, airplanes, and a loving God who has blessed me with so much more than I deserve.

This Thanksgiving season meant more to me than ever before because it has been 3 years since I last celebrated it with family. Although I made many wonderful friends while living overseas, nothing compares to spending the holidays with people who love you unconditionally. I had a great time eating turkey and pie, sharing stories and photos from my last year in Korea, and seeing all of my relatives again. I am so thankful for my family and this time we have together before I return to Asia. I am blessed.


my mom's side of the family at the lakehouse. all 24 of us!


dad, sister, brother, me, and mom on thanksgiving day.

we celebrated with my dad's family too, but unfortunately i don't have any photos to share.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

live octopus.

This video was taken a few months ago when I still lived in Seoul, but I thought it was worthy of a blog post. One night a few of my friends went out for live octopus at a small restaurant in our neighborhood. It was hard to pick up the octopus legs with chopsticks because they kept moving, and when you finally got one into your mouth you had to chew quickly so that they wouldn't suction to your tongue. It was definitely an interetesting meal that I wouldn't mind having again. When I first moved to Asia 2 years ago I hardly ever ate meat...and now this. People change!