Hampi

Today Pat and I decided we were going to barge to Hampi earlier than planned to spend a week there and then be able to visit some sites in the Tamil Nadu region for the end of my trip. Hampi is a mystical place where boulders are strewn all over rolling hillsides. Hampi is a world heritage site and is the birthplace of Hanuman, the monkey god. Many devotees come from all over India and the world to give praise to him. Ancient ruins and temples line the area and are very captivating. I am here to get a glimpse of some of the best bouldering the world has to offer. I am very excited for this portion of the trip and I am anticipating the climbing greatly. Pat has a friend, Horst, who will be guiding us some of the time to the important sites and will be letting us stay on a nature preserve located on an island within the Tungabahdra river, in which he is a caretaker of. Here there are many boulders and caves to explore in which are private and only accessible through Horst and his helpers. This will be a one of a kind experience for me and I am thankful for this opportunity. We will be taking a overnight bus at 10pm tonight from Chaudi and arriving in Hampi in the morning after a grueling 9hr journey. Gasp! For now, I will be relaxing at the beach and guesthouse, and probably take a nap to sustain some needed energy for travel. The days ahead will change my life... Give Thanks to the most high

Beach day - Palolem, India

Woke up this morning feeling groggy from travel.... and the few swills of feni I took last night with a local Goan man, Michael. Feni is a spirit derived from the fruit of the cashew plant. It basically makes you buzzed and trippin at the same time..I only took a couple of shots to Michael's dismay... Woah!! I guess worth a try.. Michael, a 59yr old Catholic man, who had some travel experience, and enjoyed western movies and American actors. He was a middle class family man, who spoke really good english. He became our translator and friend on the train ride.

Palolem is very nice! It is a amazing place with beachside bouldering, waterfront beach huts and beautiful international women, mostly from India, Europe and Australia. Today, we ate a terrible breakfast.. Strike one! Then, walked to Patnem beach, which was an equally nice beach with a open ocean feel, and had a relaxed vibe. Pat introduced me to Christopher, a cottage owner and friendly man who took care of us. We will eat authentic Goan meals, cooked by his wife in a couple days, on our return from Gokarna.. Pat says, "Best food I had in South India", a large statment for a seasoned South Indian traveller! Can't wait!!!

It is in the 90's today and the sun is unbearable for my untanned skin. Gonna have to get a warm up, before turning into a red lobster... The internet place has AC so it is nice to be here now. Probably gonna take a swim and sip some kingfishers in the shade, before going to back over to Patnem. Our cottage was nice, and the bugs were non-existent, which was a great thing. Everything is wonderful in paradise and I will definitely be coming back to this place with friends in the future. Unreal taste of Goan lifestyle with a international feel. Unreal! Peace and love to all.

Train ride to paradise

I arrived in Mumbai yesterday with no delays. Yes! Met Pat and checked into a small hotel in the Juhu beach section of this chaotic city. Got a little sleep and barged to the train station to catch a train to the State of Goa due south of Mumbai. The train ride was 10hrs and we just arrived to Palolem, after a taxi ride from the train staton in Margoa. Palolem is a beach town known for wild parties and hedonism, and high grade.. sounds like my style! During our train ride I got to see a lot of the countryside, and we met some very nice natives who were friendly and interested in our travels. Upon arriving Pat and I were charged by a steer (yeah, a cow with horns!!!!) who was upset when a pack of stray dogs attacked it on the roadside. Pat was nearly hit with a horn after we both dodged the the bullet.. in hindsight it was kind of funny.. Anyhow, It is dark here now but we will be waking up just feet from the beach. I gotta sip some brews and relax. Been travelling via plane, train, bus, rickshaw, and taxi for the last 48hrs. Well worth it!! After chillin out on the beach tommorrow... We will be planning a trip to some Shiva temples in Gokarna, a town about 20 min. from our place. Wish I could upload some pics from the train, but Im in a ghetto cyber cafe and I am pressed for time... There closing. 1am. More to come very soon... Namaste'

South India 2010

The time is now. I am leaving this Wednesday January 27th to fly to Mumbai, India for 3 weeks of leisure, climbing, and history in South India. I will be meeting my good friend Pat to join him on a pilgrimage to some of the greatest destinations in this beautiful part of the country. I am very excited to explore this adventurous landscape and be cultured by the experiences I have. I am very fortunate to get this opportunity and I give thanks for all who have made it possible for me. More posts to come in the near future...

2010: An End of a era

As the New years ball dropped this past month and 2010 came upon us, I thought to myself that an era of my life has passed...also the end of the first decade since the millennium. It was an end, and a beginning to many good times with good people. I decided that I was to travel and enjoy myself this year, free of the constraints of everyday life. I would pursue some of the best climbing in the world, go to new places, and give effort to gain higher heights in my life. This blog will cover my travels, sights and accomplishments over the next year(s)...