The Drive from Jaipur to Agra was about as interesting as Interstate 70 through Kansas. Another rest break at the overpriced gift shop/restaurant only seemed to prolong the boredom. After about 6 hours, we rolled in through the seedier side of Agra. My driver made countless turns through the city on the way to the hotel and I thought maybe…
Eating These Purple Berries
I didn’t really have a set timeframe to leave Goa. My hotel room reservation was up and I just couldn’t think of a reason to stick around any longer. So far, my India experience has only been here and the Delhi Airport. Not really the immersive experience that one needs to say they have been to India. India is huge…
You Dont know How Lucky You Are Boy
On one of my last nights in Pokhara, Nepal, I came across a free showing of the recent Beatles themed movie “Yesterday”. A charming and really engaging little movie about the entire world shifting to a plane where the Beatles never existed. except for one guy who proceeds to reintroduce the world to their music by him taking credit for…
One Hit To The Body
After the Mardi Himal trek, it was about 3 days before I could even step up a street curb without my calves and thighs feeling like they were on fire. My level of activity was limited to eating and waiting for sunset at one of the lakeside restaurant shacks. My immobility was a perfect time to fill out the needlessly…
Can’t You Smell That Smell?
I have been hanging out in the little lakeside town of Pokhara for a few days. Not much plan in place but it is a pretty place at the base of the Annapurna mountain range. It is also doesn’t cost much. No real reason to move on except for the lack of things to do beyond walking the shops on…
You get what you need
Worksite view on my first dayI got into the project here in Nepal waaay back on Nov 4th. 6 day work weeks since has been tough. Digging dirt, busting rocks, hauling rocks, moving bricks, digging holes, mixing concrete, passing cement and generally breaking backs. I submitted my request to stay through the New Year a couple of weeks ago. Last…
Getting down on the farm
It is a hard days work here. Manual labor from 8am to 4pm with two much needed 15 minute breaks and a very much anticipated hour for lunch. So much so that we don’t (at least not yet) even get tired of the daily plateful of gruel i.g. Dal Baht (lentils and rice) that is served up. It is really…
I got work to do
Back in civilization today, at least from an internet perspective. I found a coffee shop in town to get my internet chores done. Saturdays are our day off. Sadly, not for the Hindu worship service at the temple a couple of hundred feet from our front foor. Or maybe it’s a Bollywood music festival that kicked off at 5:30 this…
The Way We Get By
This is the project overview information that All Hands And Hearts sends out to prepare the volunteers for what to expect: MAKWANPUR, NEPAL EARTHQUAKE RECOVERY Volunteer Information Packet Location: Hetauda, Makwanpur District. We recommend you fly into Tribhuvan International Airport (KTM) in Kathmandu, located 87.4 km from Hetauda (4hrs by Sumo vehicle) Cost: Free to stay on base and meals…
That’s really, really where I’m going to
Last winter, I hooked up (not the way kids today use the term) with a volunteer organization called “All Hands and Hearts” They do post disaster cleanup all over the world. I was thinking I would spend the winter doing hurricane cleanup work. Other than Hurricane Dorian, it was a pretty light year when it comes to storm damage. There…