Dreams of Sunshine dancing through the Clouds

Welcome home, Path of the Fire followers...glad you made it and so happy to feel you here. Well, I've just made it from Hanoi and am in in Bangkok Thailand now...how interesting is the feeling of traveling through space and time, so quickly, to another part of the world. I barely remember getting on the plane or taking off, I just remember looking out the window as we pushed through the clouds that hung over Hanoi...what an experience, just a beautiful blanket of gray clouds. Some of them actually took the shape of waves as they rippled through the sky...and as your eyes drifted up you could see the horizon painted before you like an incredible rainbow. The sun had just set and the glow of the orange, red and yellow sun lay just below the green, blue, purple and blackness as they climbed into space...Sweet :)
      Well I want to jump back through the wormhole of time just to give you all a rundown of events, the last part of my journey through the North of Vietnam...so here we go. I left Ba Be and wandered, lost and found among the mountains searching for a hidden treasure that was here all along, I'm beginning to see. It was cool, passing through some pretty remote areas, crossing towns and marketplaces with shiny trinkets, colorful clothes worn by the local hill tribes and munching my way through sticky and sweet rice rolls, rice wrapped in banana leaves, rice cooked inside of bamboo, rice on a stick, rice tea :) needless to say lots of good food and plenty of Oryza sativa Linnaeus. Can you guess what my poop looked like? I didn't stay long in any of the towns, more just enjoying the path as the destination which was wonderful, as there were mountains with climbing cliffs and cavernous caves, rivers which roamed over rocky rapids and through meandering valleys. Smiling people, zooming by on motorcycles or wandering the roads in tow of Buffalo. Houses of many designs; some mud, some bamboo, others pole houses built above rice paddies, others more modern in design with very intricately carved stone.
   Some images are more etched in my mind, others have slipped away... just as these days have become, a swirling whirlpool of life. I see myself from above, a shadow slowing moving through the hills, feet below dancing in circles, drops of sweet sweat passing over my lips joining together with warm welcomed tears to fall towards the earth...Flowers here, clouds there, butterflies who hypnotize my with their wings as they catch the winds and tease me from above. Walls, beds, T.V.'s, antennas thrusting their heads high into the sky...see me? Smoke me, breath me, eat me, look at me, know me, ...touch me - I'll think about it!
      I rode some more and then some more and there I was still riding,... my legs were big, my back was strong, my arms were bulging and my ass was sore :) I do remember aiming for Sapa a village up in the mountains were I wanted to spend Christmas for a few reasons. I felt that the coolness of the weather would give that energetic feel that you seem to associate with the Winter Holidays, I knew the area was more touristy...which I felt would be welcomed ( to be able to say more than Hello in English to someone, as well as not be the only strange looking foreigner around)...and I knew it would be one more last big push through the mountains which...was not only a physical challenge resulting in a psychological pleasure but a way to get off the bigger, more traffic filled roads and into the country side...the place were I find I am so much more aware of the peace in this world. Well, I found peace and I found pain... physical pain that is..or was I just saying challenge? How I love to play mind games with myself. I discovered that after 30 kms of back-roads towards Sapa, that the road ended and a muddy trail began...and this was were the fun started as I pushed Nightshade up 5km of remote mountain trail. There were no signs here and I was feeling very in-tune with the moment of it all, so at each intersection...where I had no idea which way to go, I would stop and wait for someone to cross my path and guide me in the right direction. These moments actually brought up some deep rooted fears, which I just barely touched because I wasn't really lost...but the mind is a powerful thing and I realized that this fear and I have some unfinished business...to be continued. Somehow after many strange looks from village peeps, as I pushed my bike through mud up 15% slopes, I found a gravel road which many people concurred was the road to Sapa !!!...and 40 kms later over wandering mountainsides I pushed up the last of the Vietnamese mountains I would embrace on this trip. Thank you beautiful Mother Earth who shared her most intimate places and experiences with me...I am grateful.
     And for all you beautiful people out there, I love you and I love me and I hope we can love each other. I'm sending good vibes around the Earth to you, wherever you are. Please be well, loving and knowing yourselves and the goodness that each of you bring to this big beautiful ball of energy that we all create. Until then...and right now. Your friend, Will

Reflections from above

Hello

Map of Ba Be

View from homestay towards Ba Be Lake

Climbing some stone

Forest Fungi

Right here, right now

Reaching for the Heavens

Ahhh!

I see you

Chillin on a stick

Lookin out..cave style

On the road to somewhere

Oh yeah...here

Sweet views

Hmmmm

Walk that Buffalo... or get on an ride

Hello there

Spiritual moments

Anybody need to pee?

Nice

Hello my precious

Sweet spot

Sunshine dancing through the Clouds

   

Sea to Sky...riding the winds of Northern Vietnam

High, ...so high on life here folks. Thinking about you guys and just wanted to give you a quick update/message to say hello and I'm thinking about you all. Life's been pretty wonderful lately as I continue riding the waves of my inner most emotions...a thing that seems much easier to tap into when your spending alot of time by yourself. I guess some people enjoy being alone, others in the company of people, and most I guess a combination of the two...however, I really enjoy the opportunity to contemplate my inner thoughts, create mindfulness in each moment and while I'm learning that these things can be done in the company of those you love and surround yourself with, the opportunities for self retreat or "sabbatical" allows a quick access to the path of the fire...to the journey towards this moment. Calming the mind, balancing the spirit and coming back to the reality that you create for yourself to share your life's passions with others. Wow...where did I go on that :) Just sharing some deep thoughts with you all. In summary of that neural pathway, I find through the times that I spend alone, I see how much I need and appreciate those who share their lives with me...whether it be for a moment or life-times, so thanks! 

Well, I spent some nice moments staying in Cat Ba National Park, which was a beautiful jungle filled with butterflies, echoing birds whistling their majestic messages, squirrels the size of cats and plants/trees of every size and shape. I hung with a family for a week and enjoyed sharing a ceremonial dinner each night where I tried intensely to speak any Vietnamese possible...but a phrasebook that is only ment for basic communication leads you to keep asking the same questions over and over...or trying to piece together anything I could try and make out. So needless to say, it's been a lot of smiles, silence and strange animal sounds just to try and make people laugh :) I left Cat Ba by slow boat which was just as spectacular on the way out, passing awesome rock formations and islands dotting the water, creating surreal landscapes against the forefront of the ocean and the backdrop of the sky. I passed through some good sized sea towns where I continued in my journey to try and engorge myself on seafood...yet it seemed that even near the sea, seafood is pricey, so alot of times I just ended up eating Pho...which is quite tasty...but if it has any other meat than chicken (which you can easily recognize...you start to wonder, what is that meat floating in my soup?)

After I left the coast I started towards the foothills of the Bac Son mountains which were nice, I figured ...hey I've done the Himalayas baby...no sweat. Well there was sweat and alot of it, I had to get my mountain legs back on my body which suprisingly doesn't take long when you're inching up 10% mountain grade roads. But as youall know, with that beautiful/awful/exhausting/exhilirating push to the top comes that fantastical view, that awe inspiring moment of YES!!!, and the antcipation of the breeze blowing through your body as you give yourself over to gravity and plummet towards the valley...thankfully still atop beautiful "Nightshade". I've seen some cool places, shared a lot of smiles with happy faces and fallen far behind with kids and their bicycle races..but it's all been here, now, loving, crying, smiling and ALIVE. I just made it to a small town near Ba Be National Park today and will make it to the lakes tomorrow (Ba meaning 3 and I think Be means lake). I'll chill here for a week or so and then cycle another 250 km up towards another set of mountains (on the border of China...which I touched once) and meet some hill tribe peeps! Then I'll cycle further South West..making somewhat of a crooked horseshoe and by Christmas, take the train back to Hanoi. I'm getting an awesome Christmas gift, thanks to my family (Kaleb is coming to join me at the end of December...I'll fly to Thailand and pick him up) and will cycle together until the 3rd week of April when this journey will make way for the return trip home. Well once again beautiful friends and family out there in somewhere land, please know that I think of you guys often...actually I sometimes find myself talking to you out loud, until I notice someone looking at me and then I make one of my bird sounds...CooKoo and smile. I love you guys, am holding you in my heart...and hope with all my spirit that you are taking the time to love yourself and those around you. Filling each moment and each breath with an energy that connects us all together. Peace to you, your friend...Will

Sunset in Halong Bay

Full moon rising 

Bad Ass Crib

Beautiful Butterfly :)

Looking out from Quan Lan Island

Cool Crab Balls

Vibrant Vietnam

Xin Chao (Hello) Path of the Fire followers...it's your crazy cycling friend pausing to send y'all a message from across the globe. It's been an exciting and eventful 2 weeks since I lást wrote and since Donavon lèft and I wanted to give you all an update, to let you know what's bêen happening, to say Xin Chao as well as to add something new and exciting to the Path òf the Fire blog...some HD video :) I might go a little crazy with this new toy at first but I will definitely try to maintain a reasonable number òf videos that I send, but figured this might be a cool way for you to get to "really" experience SE Asia 2nd hand. Well, to start off Donavon and I parted in New Delhi India after flying back from Kathmandu.Thís was a sad and anxious time for me after traveling so long with my beautiful son but I also know that starting new experiences requires that necessary but sometimes difficult 1st step . Well from thís point I headed to Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia...which was supposed to be for a 13 hour layover..however when I arrived I "remembered" that unlike móst SE Asian countries, you need a vísa for Vietnam which I đin't have and so the airport suggested I stay to get my vía before possibly arriving and getting turned back. So I đid and it turned out to be great...I ended up staying for 6 days, mostly in the city...which ís a 24 hour a day place...food (great food), entertainment (lights and the big city) and a lót òf cool people (other travelers I met) also journeying the world in search for theỉr own personal quest. I chilled out, shopped a little and ate enough to make myself a happy little buddha, but did take a 1 day trip into the jungle on a waterfall trip where we hiked to some beautiful cascades and swam in some very refreshing waters, after thís we headed to a hot spring...which was kind òf weird since the temperature was in the 80's and thểre was no shade...so after just a few minutes I felt dizzy and people were asking me something but I think I lost touch with reality at that point...I felt like a lightweight, but I guess the hot springs in Washington are in the mountains and the temperature ís much cooler...I was O.K. by the morning but wiped out for the rést òf that day. After a couple mỏre dáys relaxing I left K.L for Hanoi, arrived at the airport in the evening, took about an hour to put my bike together and then road about 15 miles to the capital ò Vietnam...Hanoi. Although I was riding in the dark and on the side òf the freeway, it felt like a cakewalk compared to Donavon and I's first days cycling through India. I spent about four dáys exploring Hanoi, staying in an area called the Old Quarter which is basically the tourist area...close to a cool lake (Hoan Kiem)...which was historically known to have giant tortoises living thểre, but now just a shrine in remembrance (I think they were all eaten..ás the people hể love their seafood)? I also săw a traditional performance called Water Puppet Theater which was pretty cool, thís consisted òf some musicians in the background playing some cool traditional music and a large stage which was a pond òf water in the front part and then a bamboo screen from out came very intricately designed puppets òf people, buffaloes and dragons controlled by the actors behind the stage. The puppets were controlled very realistically and each scene had a cool story associated with it. After Hanoi I took 2 dáy cycling to the coast which was about 135kms along the highway, which kind òf sucked...except that it felt good to be back on the bike again and there was a bike lane, practically the size òf the cảr road on which to ride...seems that they really thought out the road design well since thís country hás a long history òf cycling...not just a tiny lane next to speeding cárs ás in some párts òf the world. Anyway, I made it to the coast and caught a boat to Cat Ba island, where I currently reside...beautiful beachés, cool breeze, nice weather (although it's Fall here ás well), and great food (anything that you could possibly imagine coming out of the sea can be put on a plate to eat here...eel, turtle, seahorse :( ....shrimp and crab :). Well people, they are blasting some hard cỏre techno hểre at the cybercafe and I feel my not so gentle emotions arising (after a couple òf hours trying to figure out thís video thingy!!!!). So, I'll end my message here saying again that I'm thinking òf you guys, carrying your spirits hểre with me in my heart and imagining you...wherever you are at thís moment, living life to the fullest...lovin yourself and thóse around you. Viva the revolution in Amerika and around the world ...the revolution towards an evolution in spiritual consciousness, love and community. Smiling to you, your friend...Will :)>

Magical Nepal, Mystic Mountains

Lotus Flower

Mt. Incredible!

Rise of the Ancient Ones

Nepali little one

Surrounded by Mountain spirits

Awesome...up for a climb?

Campin' at the top of Mother Earth

Layin' back and Lovin' it

Magical Mountain Monkey Moments :)

Langtang baby!!

Chorten prayer wall and Himalayas

Up, up...and away

Mountains and hillsides in Langtang

Donavon chillin' by a fast and furious Khola

Beautiful Journeys

Soooo Happy :)

9 hour rooftop bus ride moment

Friends we met along the way

Mountain view from Rara Tal region

Rara Tal (Lake)!!!

Up High, near Rara Tal :)--~

Medicinal Plants Everywhere...8)

Cool river view spot on Rara trek

Jumla village... Rara trek

Cookin' up some traditional goodies

Bardia N.P- 1 horned Rhino

Mommy and baby 1 horned Rhino - Bardia N.P

Hello wonderful people, hope you're out in the streets bringing back the revolution for peace and justice...I'm so proud of the Amerikan grassroots movement for the news I've been watching lately...I hope this is the beginning of the transformation to a more Utopian country where family and communities come together to love life and live for each precious moment...the richness of simpler living. Give up the illusion of finding true happiness through materialistic accumulations and return to the roots of who we are as a species, balanced, full of life and passions and reaching out a caring hand to help those around us. Well, I think I could have preached a little longer but I'll stop there and just say, step outside and let your voice be heard. I've been so excited and impressed by the country of Nepal, where everywhere you turn around someone is sharing a smile and offering acts of kindness. Life is at a slower pace, we are still very connected to Mother Earth here and seeing the interdependence of the land and creatures is evident in everyday life...it's beautiful. Since the last communique we've done much and I'll try to summarize without writing a small novel because it's been quite a ride. We chilled at Bardia for a few days, took a walk into the deep jungle looking for tigers...only saw footprints though. We did see some very cool 1 horned rhinos, mother and baby, as well as some snappy crocodiles :) It seemed very adventurous at the time because the grass is so high we were literally crawling through narrow pathways and listening very intently for any approaching footprints. All was well though and after several hours of hiking and watching we came back out of the jungle and celebrated our experience with some traditional fermented wine and some good conversation with other travelers we met.  Our next big trip was heading up north towards Tibet to a place called Rara lake, which is Nepal's largest. The lake itself is deep into Nepal's remote Western region and took quite a lot to reach it, but the journey as well as the destination was worth every challenge. We started by taking a several hour bus ride to a place called Surket where we had to take a 30 minute flight up to the closest town to the lake. We wanted to try and make it by land but apparently the road was really bad and we were trying  to do a rafting trip in the same area and thought we only had 10 days...unfortunately when we actually headed back down, the rafting company  said the river was too high and we couldn't do the 7 day trip :( . Anyway, from the town closest to the lake, Jumla, we did a 10 day round trip hike up and down anywhere from 6,000 - 12,000 feet. We passed through small villages and joined families for meals, camped in amazing spots where you could see the Himalayas and another place where we could see Rara  from far away, this was a side trip in which we climbed a ridge and saw the lake a day before the trail would take us to the shore.  Once we reached the lake we were exhausted from the long climb but so exhilarated to be at the cool refreshing turquoise blue green waters; we jumped in for a nice swim looking through the clear waters to see beautiful fish and kelp floating around us. We chilled at Rara for a couple days and then hiked back to Jumla  where we decided to try the commute back to Surket via road...wow was this exciting? We took a short 2 hour bus ride to the end of where the bus could drive and then ended up hitchhiking on a tractor for 10 hours on an incredibly bumpy road. I joke not that we were gripping so tight for that entire ride that our hands were blistered and our bodies were so sore for a couple days afterwords. After the 10 hour ride we slept on a small cot in the corner of someones house, woke the next day for another 17 hour bus ride along side swiftly moving rivers and lush jungle covered hills. Finally after a 3 day journey, compared to a 30 minute plane ride we reached Bardia again...where we had our cycles stored and stayed a couple of days to recover from our strenuous adventure. We left Bardia for an overnight bus ride to Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal and had some serious culture shock...this place has a serious tourist scene and  you can basically find anything you desire...good food and deserts, all kinds of souvenirs, live music and cool people. This place can really suck you in, so to get an exposure to the real Nepal, getting out of Kathmandu quickly is a wise idea.....so I'm really glad we've spent most of our time in rural areas. We stayed in Kathmandu for a couple of days and then went out into the countryside for a 2 day rafting trip, which was awesome. We stayed at a riverside resort and rafted class 3 and 4 rapids for 2 incredible days, Donavon fell out 3 times in some serious rapids but survived the experience and was still smiling at the end. Now we're back in Kathmandu and we are headed out tomorrow for a 10 day trek to the mountains of Langtang...deep inside the Himalayas. This is the mountain trip that we've been gearing up for...20,000 + feet mountains encircling ancient villages and glaciers just a few miles from the mystic land of Tibet. I'm missing you all and Donavon will be headed home just a couple of days after we return from this last trek, which will be a big change for me but I just can't describe how wonderful being with my beautiful son for 5 months has been. He's been really excited to get to see the family back in the states, see his friends and start "school" back up. I'm happy for him and also anticipating the start of a new journey for me :) Well peeps, I'm thinking of you and holding positive thoughts that life is treating you well and your finding peace and happiness in this beautiful moment. I will be uploading pictures when we return from this trip and give you guys a peak into the beauties of Nepal and our adventures. Love to you all, Will and Donavon