Gratitude and Gear
Gratitude and Gear
Now that the Journey has concluded, I'd like to give hearty gratitude to the people and things that made this experience brighter.
My dear ones – the loving eyes watching as yours truly globe-trotted - Mama, Anuta, my amazing Grandparents, Pepper, Patricia, John, Papa and Bill. You are always in my heart. Thank you for being alive! Thank you for believing in this dream with me.
The amazing thing about being on the road is meeting fellow travelers – the ones who shift our paradigm and expand our horizons. The world brethren united by the Itchy Foot Syndrome. Credit to you, my road lights!
In China – The elusive Xylophone hunter of Guatemala and National Geographic, Brian and Jeanee of the remarkable Linden Centre, the New-York film student who traveled the on the Trans-Siberian express and made me laugh in Dali, The DaZhai woman who fed me in her home on the steep trek between DaZhai and Pignan at the Longshen terraces.
Thailand – a lovely Thai woman who gave me a long ride out of her way when I was stranded near Krabi, the nuns who welcomed me at Suan Mokkh Dharma Centre after Vipassana, Abbott Ajan Pau, whose peace was tangible, the friendly folk of the Lub-D hotel that held my things for 3 months!
Laos – Neema and Mariam – my amazing new friends from San Francisco and Canada, it was wonderful to connect with you serendipitously, Buddhist novice Khan, with whom I conversed on the nature of love at a hill temple of Luang Prabang, the Old Nun at the Gold en Pagoda.
Cambodia – Sasha – thank you for the gift of Yoga Vashishta, Irina, Nikolai of The Airport – what an ingenious idea to build a disco-floor in a hangar with a real plane in it – all of it on the beach! Raphael at the Bungalow Village – your quirky humour and charismatic hospitality, as well as all the hammocks and huge warm rocks on which one can sun oneself silly are etched in my memory for good.
Bali – D and Kayan – I appreciate having seen a piece of Indonesia with you! Thank you for all the comforts, massages and hospitality!
Malaysia – Sam of the Baboon House – what a great idea and creative execution of an art cafe! Folks if you are ever in Melaka – do visit this place.
India – Yoga Vidia staff – Bhoomaj and Krish who initiated me into the essence of Hatha Yoga, Noopur and Sanjay who welcomed a stranger to India like family and got me to Dharamshala on time for the yoga school, Dr. Kanwaljit who rescued me from the border of Tawang and shared his car generously for 10 hours, complete with stories and wonderful conversation, Guru who taught me silversmithing, Manzoorwho gifted me the most beautiful Kashmiri emerald for my first metal artwork!
Nepal – Pemba in Khumjung, Kedar, Vicka of Ukraine and her amazing holy guide Sam of the Third Eye, Namche Hotel – I loved your electric blankets especially when I got snowed in – you gave me a warm home for the New Year's! Paul and John – the friendly Danes that kept me warm company complete with Champagne and Oranges at the foot of Mt. Everest. Cafe at theEnd of the Universe in Nagarkot – your fruit salad, the Didj and book collection are excellent – and the sunset views of the Langtang range are stupendous, The Stupa resort and Tsiring, its ambitious young keeper – my Nagarkot mountain home, Nishida and Shweta [Night and Light in Sanskrit!] - my new-found instant friends of Pokhara. I revel in the memory of sitting around the fire with you with a slice of Machapucharian pie and hot cocoa sharing movies and stories!
Myanmar – Aung-Aung who guided me through the alleys of Mandalay, the woman who saved me from heat with a herbal balm, the German meditators who offered a helping hand when I ran out of cash in the ATM-less country, Red Canal Hotel.
And, of course – all of you, readers of this blog. It was an honour and pleasure to share the journey with you. I hope, your dreams manifest vividly!
Lastly, gratitude goes to the creators of my fabulous gear that kept me warm, light and dry on the road[no, I'm not getting a commission for this ;~)]:
Arcteryx: I am convinced, there is no better backpack all around than Arcteryx Naos-85 – one can actually keep stuff dry in a monsoon.
Marmot: thank you for the warmth and comfort of the Couloir sleeping bag – it kept me warm at 5000 m near Everest mid-winter.
Mammut: I've never had hiking boots as comfortable and beautiful as “XT GTX gore-tex black” - for the first time I came back from a trek without hurting joints!
Sony: thank you for the great camera Cybershot DSC TX9 – I love the color accuracy and screen clarity
Keens/Ecco: you guys make the best sandals out there. It takes them years of hard trails to fall apart and one is super-comfortable along the way.
North Face: the gore-tex winter gear is bullet-proof – I think, I was the only trekker on the Great Himalayan Trail without a down jacket, thanks to your light and great quality equipment.
I would say, if you are heading for a world journey with a chance of being at altitude, get the best gear you can – waterproof, light, warm. This is no time to be penny-smart – you want to be able to trust that “-18 C” rating on your sleeping bag/coat because it will probably be tested. It's good to be able to trust your bag and boots to stay in one piece on the trail. Things staying dry and feet being comfortable, as well as the careful backpack fit [to make sure it is of your size and most of the weight is distributed to the hips and off your shoulders] is key. You are going snail-style – your home is on your back, so it better be compact, light and durable. Lastly – ear plugs, I'd say, are a must. If you happen to be a budget traveler, you might be staying in hostels sometimes. That means, you might not be alone in the room. And your roomies might snore and rustle bags at night.
Here's the basic “around the Globe” gear list I compiled and refined:
- An excellent backpack fit to size
- A warm sleeping bag [the lighter – the better] with a compression bag [you need all the space you can get in your “snail home”]
- A pair of sandals [Keens are the best because they dry at a snap and support arches on long treks better than any other sandal]
- Comfortable, light Gore-tex hiking boots [I'm partial to Mammut and Asolo]
- 2 pairs of hiking pants [the kind REI sells – quick dry]
- 3 quick-dry T-shirts
- Gore-tex coat/pants [if heading for the cooler climes/monsoons]
- 1 light sweater
- 1 warm sweater [the lighter, quick-dry polartec kind works well]
- 2 silk scarves that can be used as skirts/sarongs/tops – awesome for hot countries, as you can wear them wet on your head in lieu of air conditioning ;~)
- A bullet thermos
- A multi-tool knife
- Toiletries
- Electronics [computer/ipad etc./flash stick/external hard drive – awesome for exchanging movies with other travelers]
- A quad-band [4G] digital UNLOCKED phone – in most countries you can get a local SIM-card and have service on the local cell network
- Kindle [with all the guidebooks – a huge weight-saver]
- Meds [first aid stuff – antibiotics, alcohol/betadine, quick ointment, tiger balm]
- A quick-dry microfiber sports towel
- Lots of good humor
- An open mind
I'd say, if your pack is over 30 LBS, it's time to take some stuff out. Keep it light & easy - as long as the basics are covered, you can get the rest on the spot!
"Whatever you can do or dream you can,
Begin it.
Boldness has genius and power in it."
~~~~~Goethe, "On Commitment"~~~~
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| "Freedom" by Nika One, 2009 |
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