Montag, 24. Januar 2011

Changes


Since I have been going through a lot of changes in my life lately, I decided to make another change and shaved my head – for me it symbolises a new start.

The idea behind shaving head is a symbol of renunciation. Hair is the symbol of attachment and since I am not attached to anything right now, it just felt like it was the right time to do this.

I always wanted to do it and it feels great. I wanted to share this with all of you since you will see the next pictures with me and probably wonder how I look like now; it’s very convenient to travel with short hair as well :) and don't worry, my hair will grow back faster than I will be back home ;)





I will be doing a 10 day meditation course starting February 1st, 2011 – www.suanmokkh-idh.org. I will continue afterwards with my blog.

I hope you are all well.
Many smiles and hugs.
Yours Eylin

Thailand - island hoping


After a whlole day of travelling, 3 different flights, I finally arrive in Koh Samui. Thailand is so different from India – I already miss the chaos, noises, smells, people of India – Thailand is clean, organized, friendly – amazing and exotic.

First stop is Koh Samui, where me and a friend rent a scooter and explore the island with its temples, local markets, elephant rides, beaches – very nice.

Big Budda statue in Koh Samui

coast of Koh Samui

at the local market I found some culinary hightlights: bugs and frogs


And then I am off to Koh Phangan, where I found another little paradise: the Sanctuary http://www.thesanctuarythailand.com/koh-phangan


I arrive in Koh Phangan and because of the Full moon party there are no rooms available, so the owner of one guesthouse (Beams) offers me to stay on the balcony of the guesthouse – I accepted happily and slept my 1st night in Koh Phangan under the sky with a huge full moon – it was great.

The next day I moved into the dorm room and shared the room with 15 other people from a circus – this circus collects money with their performances to help refugee children in the North of Thailand – really nice people and great fire shows.

my dorm

a little visitor, we called him Papaya bird
Next stop is Koh Tao, where I was doing a 2-day free diving course - remember the movie: The Big Blue: http://www.apnea-total.com/en/koh-tao . I loved every single moment!

Gokarna or Cow’s Ear


After Hampi, I’ve been travelling to Gokarna – Sun worshippers and Hindu pilgrims rub shoulders in the low-key village of Gokarna (Cow’s Ear), 50km south of Karwar. The quaint village is a holy place.

Gokarna's Ghats
I found a beautiful little hut on the beach with palm trees and a hammock in front of the hut – heaven!

in front of my hut
Gokarna is paradise, more quite and peaceful than Goa, you can easily get stuck there.

women power
I’ve been doing long walks to different beaches and enjoyed seeing the Indian’s enjoying their Sunday swim.


I love this pic – the group of Indian men in the background look like as they are from another time.


After my yoga training in December finally I am able to do the Scorpio but I will continue to improve and will post another picture in a couple of weeks.


 After 2 months I am leaving India with one crying and one smiling eye. I am off to Thailand...

Hampi – my first week of the New Year 2011


Hampi is a magical place, after 4 weeks of beach life; I was very excited to travel to this beautiful place.

The fascinating ruins of the 15th-century city of Vijayanagar, near the village of Hampi, are set in an extraordinary landscape of giant granite boulders, lush paddies and banana plantations. The clock seems to have stopped at this World Heritage site, and you can spend a surprisingly large amount of time gazing at the weirdly balanced rocks, wondering how millions of years of erosion could achieve such formations.

Boulder fields Hampi

 

Temple in the far background


Rice fields
I arrived in the morning after a 10 hour bus ride (which was much better than expected, not too bumpy) and waited for the boat to bring me over to the other side of the city – while waiting, the temple elephant took his morning bath and afterwards he blesses people in the temple – if you donate money and only then. It’s an intelligent elephant because somehow he can make out the difference from an Indian to a foreigner. Or shall we say his owner can, because Indian’s have to pay less to get blessed than the tourists…ts, ts.

Temple elephant taking is morning bath

Temple elephant at work
Hampi is known for its many beautiful temples – below you'll see the Hanuman temple - it took me 570 stairs to get up there - but the view from there was totally worth the effort.


Other activities than visiting temples included: biking, swimming and bouldering.




like the Indian's do - talking on the phone while driving :)
My time in Hampi was beautiful, but: Everyone gets sick in Hampi – it’s the water quality and I was sick for a day, which is mild in comparison to some of my fellow travellers. So if you visit Hampi, be prepared…