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
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