Go --> Forth

It seems like the Philippines was so long ago, but it hasn't even been a month since we've been in Indonesia. I feel like the Phillies & Indo have been two completely different chapters I have been through in my life, & this phase I am in is the most powerful yet. I have taken myself out of the busy life-style that was consuming every part of my being & gave myself the opportunity to take a step back, listen to the silence, & get to know myself again. Not only am I continuously learning what it means to live on a planet (and not just a country), I am also learning what it is I love & what is truly important to me. Typically my summer would have been spent engulfed & hyptomized by loud music, parties, & mind altering experimentation, but this year I chose something different. I decided to see the world, practice yoga, climb volcanoes at 4am instead of party til 4am, meditation, silence, knowledge, God (actually I call it "Father Sky", I believe you can call this living entity of connection & oneness anything you want, but most people know it as God), & most importantly I chose self-exploration.
The major difference between the Philippines & now is that when I began this voyage I felt stuck.. internally... I came equipped with a ton of goals to achieve, so I knew I traveled half way across the Earth for a reason, but I didn't know where to start. So, in all honesty, the majority of the time I was in the Philippines I was solely an observant adventurist. The experiences were wholesome in every way-but it was almost as though I was on vacation & soon enough I would be back to the busy world of unconsciousness. I went about my days wondering when this "huge transformation" was going to take over me & even questioned if I was in the right place for it to happen. I underestimated the validity that all great things happen in good time. Now, looking back, the transformation began with a book (A New Earth) during my last week in the Philippines. I discovered that all these changes that I wanted to happen would only transpire by starting with myself FIRST. Without even knowing it, the door was opened, & all the things I so desperately desired started coming in one by one.

Now, I don't want to undermine the whole "starting with myself" journey. This was actually gruesome & there are many things about my personality & past that require some serious confrontation-this truthfully was no easy battle to initiate, but it was exactly what HAD to happen in order to prove to myself that I can obtain the things that I REALLY want in life.

The longer I have been overseas the more deep, heartfelt, & real it has become. Sometimes I don't even recognize myself (in the best way possible). The other day my yoga teacher identified that "people often associate yoga with self-improvement, but it's not, its actually all about self-exploration." As soon as she said that the light went off in my head & I said to myself (internally) "that's it! This journey I am on is all about figuring out what my mind, body, & soul is capable of." After all I have been through I can see now that all three parts of myself are being tested & exercised (even when I felt stuck).
Before I left the US I titled my journal "Trip of Transformation-mind, body, & soul." The door has been opened & it will consciously never be closed.

I understand how freakin sweet it is to be human, how lucky I am to be in such an amazing situation, I how I will always live up to my last name!

Motorcycle Diaries

The days I like the most are the ones when we hop on the back of a motorcycle & set off for the open road. We leave the tourist trail in our dust & explore the journey of the unknown~this is when we get to see the true culture of the country.
We are given the chance to go off road & witness the beauty that unfolds in the most primitive villages. The other day we were cruising through the mountains of Bali, & these aren’t like any typical mountains, these were rainforest mountains coated by thick, juicy clouds that consistently spit out rain. I didn't quite realize that we were truly deep in the jungle because there were so many villages, it seemed like any other place where people created a way of life surrounded by lush crops & forests. It hit me as I sat sheltered from the pouring rain in a sari-sari twistin & lickin Oreo's when I looked up & spotted a herd of 5-7 monkeys swinging through the trees RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME!! I looked around to find signs for which national park I was in but found none (you have to be in some kind of claimed land to see something so cool-right?). I turned to Matt & said "its not everywhere in the world where you can enjoy an Oreo & watch monkeys in their natural habitat," he agreed. The rain started to calm so we jumped back on our bike & about 154m up the road I saw some locals standing along the street next to two huge monkeys who were as calm as could be; there were no cameras, no awe inspired faces (except mine), the two species were coinciding-both just going about their business...
Typically, when we don’t have a destination or a plan we stumble upon the greatest things. We decided that we both enjoy the motorcycle excursions so much that we ditched our big backpacks at some hostel in Ubud, packed a day bag for the next week, found a brand new motorbike, circled some epic places in Bali we should definitely see, & hit the road leaving the rest up to fate.
We have a couple running experiments on this motorcycle escapade; one-who serves the best Gado-Gado (a typical Indonesian vegetarian mean with peanut sauce that is served throughout, but prepared completely different in every restaurant), two-who is the best masseuse in Bali, & three- which volcano serves the best sunrise.
The other day we discovered that the cops here are corrupt. As we were cruising along a quiet road, checking out the rice terraces, we ran into two cops on the side of the road who obviously pulled us over & screwed with us because of our pale-tourist looking skin. The cop who could speak English threatened us for about 20 minutes about how he was going to confiscate our bike & Matt’s license until we went to court & the bank & blah blah blah… Then had the nerve to say “or I’ll just let you go with a warning if you give my friend some money.” Luckily, Matt is good with his words & talked him out of the whole dilemma while snatching his license out of his hands. We drove off asking each other “did that really just happen???”
Learning Bahasa (Indonesian) has also been fun & advantageous along this journey. WE know all of the basics and then some. We can read the majority of the menu (which is especially helpful in the warungs-small restos) & even say things like “ini enak sekali!” (that was delicious!) to the chef. Matt also makes this learning fun & memorable, for instance, goat = kambing, he says “the goat like to go camping,” it sticks. I only hope that I am as good of a teacher as he can be. 
After a morning of climbing Mt. Batur another active volcano we were pretty exhausted as we set off for the east coast of Bali. The drive ended up being 3-4 hrs, & although it was vibrantly beautiful, we were beat by the time we arrived in Amed. A sigh of relief overwhelmed both of us when we finally spotted all the home-stays & hotels aligning the beach. We stopped in a few places to ask the price & were shocked to hear the $30-70 quotes without negotiation, & it only seemed to get more expensive as we drove. Now, $30-70 US may not seem like a lot to stay in a hotel on the beach of an Indonesian Island (its not, its an amazing price), but we’ve been spending $5-15 tops & splitting that between the two of us, so this was, how do you say~out of our budget (especially after traveling for over two months now). Just as we were about to loose hope & succumb to splurging we rolled upon a calm place with Buddha statues everywhere & the guy in charge shook our hands & introduced himself as “Smiling Buddha,” he told us “our rooms are full, but you can sleep here for free if you want.” We looked to our right & saw the wide open ocean splashing on the beach & 5-7 women in the courtyard doing yoga; on our left was a spacious & open nipa hut with huge comfy pillows for our laying upon-we both shook our heads yes. Smiling Buddha said “Ok, you sleep here, from the bottom of my heart,” & walked away. Matt & I looked at each other & both knew what the other was thinking… Score!
And this was where we met the French; a posse of 4 dudes & 1 girl who have come together over the course of their travels & created a rebel clan from France. Actually, we didn’t meet them here, the day before we climbed Mt. Batur with them at sunrise, somehow they were just as drawn to this place as us, good places have good vibes (aka vibrational frequencies). This was a lively crew & definitely had a pack leader, who was interesting in every sense of the word. After we all came to the conclusion that we were all looking to have a good time, Smiling Buddha made the suggestion that he could hire a band for us (since we were all staying there for free in his nipa hut like a big fat family). So we danced, we sang, we had great conversations, and a little bit of drama after the ring leader had too many to drink, but absolutely had a great night-one of which I will never forget..

“Adventure is a path. Real adventure- self-determined, self-motivated, often risky-forces you to have firsthand encounters with the world. The world the way it is, not the way you imagine it. Your body will collide with the Earth & you will bear witness. In this way you will be compelled to grapple with the limitless kindness & bottomless cruelty of humankind-and perhaps realize that you yourself are capable of both. This will change you. Nothing will ever again be black-and-white.” ~ Anatole France

John Steinbeck said, “People don’t take trips; Trips take people.” How true…

The people here are entirely generous, polite, & helpful when they find us travelers in need of direction & information. They will talk & walk with us for as long as we need without asking for a cent. Maybe it is completely out of their kindness, or maybe even to just practice their English (the ones who speak English here have a one-up in the job market), either way, I cherish these interactions.
The Indonesians love Obama!! Essentially it is because he once lived here in Java, but mostly because of his influence on the States. The Indonesians ask where we are from (it is of top priority to know this before anything else) & as soon as we say "USA" they are full of cheer and gratitude to meet us & yell "Oh YES! OBAMA!!" I'm not so sure they would have been so honored to meet us 1 1/2 year ago before Obama was in presidency.
We were told a very interesting story the other day that was extremely powerful & I will never forget. During one of our "interactions" with an English speaking Indonesian (who was a Batik Artist-incredible wax & dye cloth paintings) he was thrilled to hear we were from America & let us in a little secret. He was also a well-traveled individual taking his art world-wide & knew how people all over the world feel about the USA. He told us that people across the globe seriously anticipated & payed close attention to our last presidential election. The amazing part is that he told us that every person in Indonesia (& in other countries as well) stopped everything they were doing that day & prayed that Obama would win the election. "We stopped working, eating, driving, etc. to sit and send out our magnetic forces to your country. And it Worked!! We are all very excited your country is ready for change too." I was absolutely moved, it literally gave me goosebumps. Not only do many of us Americans understand how desperately we needed a change, but people all over the world stopped everything they were doing to help make it happen. Unbelievable! It is seriously powerful to know that people world-wide jumped for joy when Obama's name shouted victory on that very important day.

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So far, our journey in Indo has included many Western tourists (mainly Europeans with a dash of Americans). Right now I am struggling with this mostly because our experiences in the last two months have been very intimate with the locals-they looked at us as a hot commodity who they were curious about, now were just another tourist. And that's the second reason why its hard for me, they make me feel like a tourist-not a traveler. I often find myself asking Matt if we can "go eat elsewhere" just to get away from it all. I've got a bit of the "I'm not here to see Westerners syndrome" & because of that I probably seem either a bit intimidating or just plain & simple unwelcoming, either way I will get over it soon... But I just have to get it off my chest that Europeans are almost as loud & obnoxious as Americans. Which almost makes me believe that the West represents quite an egocentric & unconscious state (-), & the East signifies silence, devotedness, & selflessness (+); without the two dualities this world would not be able to exits as a balanced being. I have to admit though, all of us tourists & travelers have one thing in common; we are all searching for something. Whether it be an adventure, God, art, culture, yoga, a good surf spot, or simply a change; we all left our homes of comfort to see exactly what it is this world has to offer.I am also being a bit over-dramatic about this solely because I've been stuck either on a bemo (van-type transportation) or a huge "tour"-ist bus for the past 2 days with the same white faces. And its all because we signed up for a package deal from Yogyakarta (Java) to Denpassar (Bali).
Traveling Indo is nothing like traveling the teensy-weensy islands of the Philippines-these islands are HUGE!! The longest trek in the Philippines was 5 hours (I thought that was exhausting); now this one was going on 48 hours-which makes Indonesia as a country, as an archipelago -intimidating. But every penny we spent on that package deal & all the time spent with the tourist was all worth it because of what I experienced at the crack of dawn a few days ago.
Bright & early, I mean, dark & early @ 3:30AM we rose from our slumber (& this typically ain't my bag) with intentions to see the sun rise over Mt. Bromo a.k.a. a very capable & active volcano. We layered up & as we headed out the doors I tried to convince myself it was too early for coffee, plus I should experience this on my own, without any help of substance. It was about an hour walk to & up the volcano; it was not the easiest of walks either at the butt crack of dawn. My motivation on the way up was the shear beauty of my surroundings & my motivation on the way back was muesli.
I can't really describe the magic that swept over my soul as I stood on the lip of the crater of lively Mt. Bromo. I'm not sure if it was the visual of looking down in a volcano as it spewed sulfury steam, or the vibrant green volcano standing beside Mt. Bromo, or the clouds that rolled over the surrounding mountains like a waterfall, or the transcendence of witnessing the sun RISE over such a surreal setting, something deep within my soul evolved. On top of the ultimate gratitude that swirled in my heart for such a heavenly place on Earth, I felt a deep longing for a change of living & it all seemed entirely possible. That day I made four invigorating goals for myself.

"Travel is more than the seeing of sights; it is a change that goes on, deep & permanent, in the ideas of living." -Miriam Beard

Selamat Indonesia

I really do feel like we've been thrown into a whole new world. Just when I thought I had this traveling thing down, the very essence of traveling came knocking on my door and laughed in my face. In Indonesia, the money is different, they drive on the opposite side of the road/car (this mind-fucks you the first time you see it), there are people wearing sacred cloths on their head (which I don't fully understand yet-but excited to learn), and they barely speak any English-creating a true language barrier that I have never experienced-and I am the minority.

"There was just a topless woman!" Matt exclaims as I try to look up as often as I can from this writing. The setting is quite similar to that of the Philippines, there are sari-saris (little shop) on every corner, people gazing out their windows at the action, traffic up the wazoo, & palm trees that create the whole backdrop effect. But something definitely feels different here. I have a feeling this "new chapter" is not going to be the island oasis splurge we were just on, this one will be a bit more intense. Don't get me wrong, I am glad I started out in the Philippines because two months ago, I was not ready for this. But now I am. My heart, soul, mind, body & stomach are all ready for this new voyage. America is riding on my sleeve, telling me "No. No. No. These ways are not right!" but deep in my gut I am in love with these difference and I am really looking forward to this cultural exchange.
Jakarta. Another big city which we tried to escape ASAP, but this time we got a bit stuck (for a lack of better words). This time we got "stuck" not because of choice, we got stuck because we entered a new world totally unprepared. We arrived in Indonesia with a vague outline of what we wanted to do, no plans, no written down advice of where to stay or go, no travel book, just a map. Through this, we truly ingested why people call the Lonely Planet, the "Travelers Bible." We felt literally lost in a place where no one speaks our language & all the street signs are in Indonesian (Bahasa); & worst of all, when we did find a book store our much needed travel-guide was "sold out." On our last leg we finally found it in some random hidden book store tucked in the shadows (totally overpriced, but we didn't care). I knew "the bible" would be hiding in some odd whole in the wall. Ironically, when we opened the book it introduced itself by saying "If you think travels rugged now, delve into Helen & Frank Schrider's Drums of Tonkin which documents their 1963 journey from Sumatra to Timor in an amphibious jeep; landslides, gun-toting soldiers, & sea voyages galore." They definitely figured it out on their own 50 yrs ago without any silly travel-guide. I was humbled by this.

We have thrown ourselves into a Muslim world, is what we've done. I mean I've seen Muslims before (& had Muslim friends)in America, but that's when I was looking at them like they were the odd ball out, now their starring at me & asking themselves "what the...hell is she thinking." Maybe. I'm not for sure; their looks are mysterious, I can't tell if their intrigued or totally turned off. I say this because they are very conscientious about image & I can almost read their mind as they look at me thinking "Oh my God (or, Oh my Muhammad!)look at all that skin she is showing." But I specifically wore my longer shorts (to my knees) & a top that was midriff conscious with intentions to appease their religion. Still I think it might be too much... I haven't cared about my image so much since I was in the States. I think if I brought too much of my spunky American style to this place, they might gasp at me in horror.
On a lighter note, the Muslim prayer callings (songs of meditation) are much more inviting. On every Mosque there are loud speakers that sing to the whole town several times in the day (even at 4am). These callings are dedicated to the people to notify them it is time from prayer.. Its actually quite beautiful, and perfectly soothing.
So now, everywhere smells like cloves, we are surrounded by temples and the kindest people I have met so far, and the culture is as rich as a slice of chocolate cake that sinful written all over it! I can't explain the happiness and gratitude I am carrying with me in my soul. This experience is unreal, and the greatest gift I have ever given myself. Currently, we are headed east towards Bali, but not until we stop & see Borobudur (the largest Buddhist temple in the world). I LOVE Indo!

Farewell Philippines

THE FILIPINO...
They do not live up to any standard but their own.
They are relaxed islanders by nature but innate hard workers by necessity.
They indulge in sweets & cigarettes to make life more enjoyable but their teeth do not agree.
They still smile big!
Sin color is a classification of social class, the light colored ones are the ones who care and the dark either don't care or have the choice to hide from the sun.
They're all hopeless romantics, even the men sing sappy love songs loudly.
Rice is the staple of every meal, if they go without it in a day they feel as though they haven't eaten.
The Filipino will drop everything they are doing to wave hi, or yell "Hey Friend!"
They are an indigenous race that has uprooted from the junlge & created their own unique villages to reside.
Their livelihood includes selling the goods and services of the Earth.
Even their homes and shops are created out of the very materials of Earth, & actually look like they belong among the forest.
But, just like an American, Filipinos value the quick, easy, & fast; fast food chains with long lines prove this.
They work very hard for very little inevitably limiting desires to necessities.
Every capable family member contributes to the daily budget, young & old.
The Filipinos with money do not segregate themselves to a "higher" community, instead they nestle their houses amidst neighbors of various social classes.
They are a barefoot culture whose mantras are of God & LOVE, & through this they are truly a pleasure to be around.


HIGHLIGHTS OF THE PHILIPPINES
There are so many visions & memories that come to mind when I think of this new experience of travel & the culture of the Philippines. But the places and things I will remember the most is: (in no particular order)
~The boat tours in El Nido-carsts, blue lagoons, snorkeling, & beach side lunches :)
~ Apo Island Diving-Huge aquarium, tons of life, especially the 15-20 sea turtles.
~Cantabon Cave-Amazing splunking tour
~Getting Scuba certified in Moal Boal-and the introduction to the "lady boy"
~Sugar Beach-remote & quiet break (from everything)
~Siquijor waterfall- swimming under it!!
~El Nido Sunsets- BEST I have ever seen (so far), every night was a dramatic display.
~Motorbike exploring-especially Valencia & the Twin Lakes
~Roosters GAllOre- cock everywhere!
~Sari-Sari's (small shops) on every corner fulfilling my sweet tooth at night time.
~Halo-Halo- the weird Filipino dessert (with beans?!?!)
~Mangoes-mmmmmm I'm in love~!
~The markets-culture SHOCK!
~Jeepneys, tricycles, buses, bangkas, ships, & planes-getting places was always a new ride.
~Seeing Matt's face at the airport.
~Being a minority-& all the expressions I received from Filipinos of all ages.
~All the animals roaming the streets.
~3 in 1 Nescafe, & the early morning transition.
~Jungle trekking-especially the Monkey Trail.
~THE FLORA! Absolutely Vibrant!
~Virgin coconut cream sauce + garden veggies, mmmmm, & that delicious green vegetable we never could find out the name of...
~convincing Matt that breakfast is the best meal of the day :) & the muesli, mmmmm.
~So much sugar in everything! even the spaghetti was sweet.
~The geckos!-welcoming them into my home.
~San Miguel & Tanduay (rum)-cheaper than water
~The safety of the mosquito nets at nighttime.
~A New EARTH, and the inner transformation.
~ The hut & bungalow accommodations-some nicer than others :)
~The Chocolate Hills & the Tarsier
~All the nasty fat old white men with Filipina wives...

Now we are thrown into Indonesia, and this is a VERY different experience, I will expand later, we are getting kicked out of the internet again...

The Visayas.... So Far.

In every direction the Philippines has beautiful landscapes & ample opportunities for exploration. This place is an Earth Scientist dreamland! From the top peaks of the mountains & volcanoes to the deep trenches of the ocean & everything in between amazing views of the Earth are waiting to be seen. gazing from the rocks and sand of the Earth to the thick clouds in the sky it is very rare that I need to remind myself that I am in paradise. The colors are so vibrant, the brightest blues & greens I have ever seen! The other day I saw a tree with flowers every color of the rainbow~quite a site.
About a week or so ago I was given my PADI scuba certification after four days of hittin the books and underwater lessons. We were stuck in Moal Boal for those 4 days- and it wasnt too bad of a spot to be stuck. I went 20m or 65ft deep in the ocean & saw a whole new world. I thought snorkeling was cool... pshhhhh.. Scuba diving is one experience EVERYONE should have, snorkeling is incomparable, when you dive you are IN the ecosystem. That might scare some, but I was thriving! I swam with a sea turtle, it was probably 1-2ft away from me. I felt like I could reach out and grab it, but I resisted, and swam with it instead. During this moment I felt the energy of my brother, an avid turtle lover. At another point we were swimming up on what seemed to be a huge dark rain cloud, it was almost scary how big it was. I noticed it was a school of sardines, millions of sardines, like you would see on a clip of a Planet Earth movie, each of them were swimming in sync with each other. I saw GINORMUS tunas trailing their path, but the day before Matt saw Thresher Sharks stalking them. Moal Boal on Cebu Island is a major attraction for diving because of its massive coral wall. The shore goes for about 30m then suddenly drops to the dark deep ocean floor, along the wall the ocean life is beaming in all shapes, colors, and sizes. I cannot even begin to explain what I saw because it would take me hours. But I was in awe by the sights, and I was almost as impressed that I could breath underwater.
The bus rides are long, some up to 6 hours, but they allow me time to think. Each place we pass seems similar to the last, but still unique in its own way. A transformation has already shifted inside of me, I dont know why or how, it just has. I feel a oneness with everyone and everything, as though they are a part of me, rather than separate. Two months ago I had no idea who these people were and now I see their ways of life as a beautiful manifestation of tranquility and serenity. Even the parts that seem hard to swallow, I allow myslef to see the light of their ideas and visions. Every section of each island we pass provokes a deifferent thought, and I am trying to absorb it all. The school yards are so full of life with children hopping around with smiles and excitement to be out! They stare at me with amazement as I pass by with a smile in return. I think they are facinated by my curly hair, I might be the only onw in 1000 miles with it. The other day Matt & I went to Malapataya secifically to see their colorful market. It encompassed a vast display of their culture. From the dried fish, fruits & vegetables native to their land, big slabs of tuna & beef with flies covering them & women trying to shew them away, cheap plastic toys & shiney things, buckets of slop that looked like fish guts (but that was only my guess), cows pigs goats, and chickens running around to the sound of kareoke every 5m, this place screamed Filipino life.
We just left Sugar Beach, once again we got stuck on a secluded beach paradise. And this was the most secluded yet. :) In order to get there we had to take a bangka boat that cost 300pisos/$6 one way. Once we were there everything turned into complete relaxation mode. There were no tricycles zooming up & down the street, no buses honking, no roosters crowing, no street lights, just clean white beach surrounded by blue ocean, hammocks hanging in every capable tree, a few hostels & resorts, and a small village. We got stuck hanging in hammocks, reading our books, and playing in the ocean for 5 days. A total of 6,000 Pisos/$13 per day including food, I can't complain. While we were there I was having continuous headaches & mild fevers at nighttime. I was sick of feeling like crap at night so I decided I needed to see a doctor to figure out the issue and get some medicine. As soon as we stepped foot in the doctors office I instantly changed my mind about the state I was in. There were probably 75 people waiting to see the 1-2 doctors, mostly sick babies and children. I decided to save that stop for emergencies only and stopped at the pharmacy instead. Yesterday on our bus ride to Bacolod (North Negros) Matt & I decided everytime we get on a long distance bus one of us will give away a belonging of ours to an unknown Filipino who looks in need of a brighter day.
We made it to North Negros with intentions of climbing Mt. Kanlaon, an active volcano, but today we found out it is booked for a month.. We were both very excited to do some volcano trekking, but a change in course is now in progress.
Today marks my 1 month exploration away from home, and Matt's 2 month (were totally treating ourselves to sushi tonight). The Islands have treated us VERY well so far, but we are getting a bit antsy and eager for a more intense excursion. We decided once we get into Indonesia we are going to start volunteering, WWOOFing, and finding a greater role. But we still have a few weeks left in the Philippines to relax & soak it up, and 3 more Islands to investigate. Leaving no stone left unturned.
More pics are coming soon, its hard to find internet cafes that will let you upload data.

A Sense of Palawan

The experiences here, small or vast, are all very potent. All senses are triggered. I see, hear, smell, feel, and taste every element this atmosphere has to offer, internalizing each of them.

I see enormous pigs on leashes walking men instead of being walked; a live rooster in a plastic bag tied tight with lettuce; children having dancing contests, rap battles, and playing tag with a sandal; monkeys tied to fences as "pets"; string beans 3 ft long; water buffalo coated in mud to stay cool; mountains covered in clouds; families riding motorcycles; men riding on the top of buses with the luggage; live bamboo some as big as my arm; bright pink, orange, yellow, white, and blue flowers; huge trees vibrant & green; crystal blue waters; jungle flora & fauna; butterflies, lizards, & snakes; electrifying gardens & rice terraces; the longest navigable underground river with bats flying all around me; and phenomenal sunsets.

I hear a language that I cannot even begin to understand let alone speak; roosters crowing with the rising of the sun; coins clinging; pigs squealing; ice cream men ringing bells; all sorts of engines revving; loud deep laughter, babies crying and talking; American music covered by Filipinos playing; dogs barking; birds chirping; monkeys calling; people selling goods; Matt's mind speaking, educating, & humoring me; people of all ages singing; hammers pounding incessantly on houses and buildings; all types of horns honking repeatedly; waves crashing on the beach; wind chimes singing; food cooking; and fans humming.

I taste ripe, juicy mangoes; cold Coca-Cola from glass bottles; the best frozen fruit shakes I've ever had; local eggs; a variety of crazy fruits & vegetables I've never seen before; delicious curry dishes; all sorts of well cooked seafood; peach hookah; every different flavor of rice you could imagine; & delicious Filipino candy & snacks.

I smell fresh, crisp air; street food; ripened mangoes and pineapples; dried fish in the markets; fresh rain; sweet flowers; stinky farms and garbage in certain areas; burning charcoal & coconut shells, matches being blown out (my favorite); exhaust in the cities; every meal I have been served; lemongrass, ginger, & curry.

I feel the hot sun on my skin (sun poisoning the 1st week-I was so white-the sun is so intense-now I am golden brown); wind blowing through my hair; cold & warm rain on my skin; continuously moist-the humidity is constant; Matt' touch & warmth; massage, reflexology, & yoga healing my body; cool winds at night time which make the days heat not seem so bad; mosquitoes biting and ants crawling on my skin (especially in Sabang); the finest sand I have ever felt; sardines rub up against me as I swam through a school of 1000's; & a deep connection with Earth & all the people & things around me. I have never felt oneness like I do here, like I do now.

I am truly realizing that cultures around the world are not just some picture in a National Geographic that are untouchable. In fact, the other side of the world is not that far away~it is here, it is happening, tangible, & within reach.
Tomorrow morning Matt & I are flying to the Visayas. We are both anticipating new & exciting experiences to delve into.