Highlights from a traveler...

All I can say is that I'm excited to come back!

I have had some of the wildest months of my life, but its getting hot and I am ready for some good Canadian weather. I feel so good about my last three months of "research" (AKA traveling India looking for great places to visit and projects to volunteer on).

I often have to give myself a reality check about how different my life is in India then back home. I forget how crazy certain things were I first I arrived in India last year that seem totally normal now. Things like cows walking down main streets. Women in full beautiful sari's walking around the markets. People asking to have a photo with me every five minutes. Having fresh squeezed fruit juices and cane sugar juice on the streets. Religious men wearing nothing but a loan cloth. Festivals and parades on the streets every few nights. Temples and praying happening everywhere at all hours. Men trying to sell you things you don't need. Taxi and rickshaw drivers trying endlessly to get you in there vehicle. People stopping you just to shake your hand or say hello. These are some of the things I have become accustomed to. Some things I will not miss and others I will miss dearly. 

Everything Happens For A Reason

Eland Bronstein : Volunteer Relations Coordinator / India Tour Guide

One thing I am constantly reminded of on my journey is that everything that happens, happens for a reason. Sometimes we cannot understand this until much later after the fact, but sometimes the universe offers little signs to make us realize this much sooner. In this story I am about to share with you, the universe offered me many of these little signs. 

It was 48 degrees Celsius in Varanasi, the Holy City. We had been delayed to leave by one day due to overbooking on the train, but now we had our backpacks on and ready to go. After a long walk through the markets we were approached by many auto rickshaw drivers (as one always is while wearing a giant backpack). It's always a race to see which rickshaw driver gets to the tourist first in India.

Can you say paradise?

Can you say paradise?

Shawna and I took a local bus (actually three) through the weaving bumpy roads to the entrance of the Great Himalayan National Park (GHNP). This little paradise was just what I needed. We where the only tourists in the little fishing town with only three or four guesthouses.

We spent our morning by the riverside relaxing then started a short hike to a nearby waterfall. This place cannot be described in words. In fact, I didn't say anything to Shawna when we got there, I just stripped down to my boxers and ran into the waterfall. After a few minutes of the heavy cold shower I felt rejuvenated (and numb).

Cute old lady from our walk home

A moment of gratitude for our mothers.

Eland Bronstein - Son / Volunteer Relations Coordinator / Tour Guide

I am sitting at a cafe overlooking the the worlds holiest river, The Ganga, drinking a nice Americano on Mothers day. I can't help but feel total gratitude towards my mom who really made this all happen. She is a gift that keeps on giving. 

Think about it. We are brought into this world through a gift of love. Then we are cared for, fed, nurtured and raised with no expectation of anything in return. Our entire lives are formed around giving. It is only natural that we live out lives in gratitude and giving. 

So again, as I sit watching the fast flowing river, with rafts full of tourists (which I am not totally sure I support) and drinking an awesome coffee, I am reminded to be grateful to my mother, to all people and to Mother Earth. 

Namaste for now,

- Eland

ps. I will be very grateful if you "Like" the Let Live Travel Facebook page. 

Volunteering

Blog Entry 4

Eland Bronstein - Let Live Travel Tour Guide / Volunteer Relations Coordinator

In my search for volunteer projects for our future tour groups, I have encountered many different opportunities. Recently, I met four people that are passionately working on different environmental projects including; protecting and preserving important forested areas, ecosystems, culture and water, in the Himayalan regions. I am hoping to create a mix of volunteer projects for the Let Live Travel tours that include giving in many forms. Giving to the environment is one form of giving that I think is so important. Everywhere in the world people our facing extremes in climate that have been caused by our lack of care for our planet. In India, where over a billion people live, it is extremely crucial to take care of the environment. India has many incredibly beautiful areas that our littered with garbage, due to the increase of non-biodegradable waste products, more people in general, lack of knowledge and lack proper clean up systems.

Dharamsala!

Blog 3

ELAND BRONSTEIN - Volunteer Relations Coordinator / Tour Guide

April 26, 2013

ARRIVING - Home Sweet Home.

Dharamsala is starting to feel like a home away from home. Last year I spent three weeks in Dharamsala but I never experienced the same view as I did this time. As our local bus rocked up the weaving bumpy roads to this mountain village the sun was setting. Music was blasting in my headphones as we sprawled over a few seats to maximize comfort. Then we got our first look at the snow-capped Himalayan mountains. The first site of these mountains are always so breathtaking and humbling. The three of us looked at each other and could only come up with the words, "is this real life?"

That moment in the bus later lead into a conversation about how traveling makes these "is this real life" moments so amazing. We decided that the challenges we face while traveling makes those moments of simplicity and natural beauty that much better.  For me, traveling is about seeing beautiful temples, people and landscapes but it is also about embracing the challenges that arise everyday. Our ego is constantly being tested while traveling as we break out of our comfort zone. At home it is easier to stay in our "safe place" where we are comfortable. As I push my "comfort zone" more and more, everywhere becomes my safe place, my home.
These challenges of uncomfortable buses, less personal space, different climates and language differences are also what make us really appreciate the amazing moments. The bus ride with the extra space, great music, the right people, the sunset, the trees around us and the snow covered mountains in the distance somehow was one of those perfect moments when you realize, I am exactly where I am supposed to be right now.


TEACHING!

His Holiness the Dalai Lama, along with many other Tibetans were exiled from Tibet and welcomed to settle in Dharamsala. In my experience the Tibetan people are very lovely, which makes for a very peaceful environment. The community is strong and puts a lot of energy to supporting Tibetan's in many different ways. One way is by providing free English classes for Tibetan monks and refugees from all over the world.

English conversation class in the sun.

We got the opportunity to do volunteer teaching in an English conversation class . All the teachers are volunteers from abroad. These classes are so important for the students both practically and for their confidence. It is very empowering for them in the process of regaining their independence. It is also an amazing way for volunteers to learn about another culture through first hand interactions. It was so inspiring to see each person stand up (whether they had been learning English for one day or ten years) and speak to the entire group. Michael, the exuberant Mongolian man I was working with was soaking in as much English as he could in a month before starting university. I couldn't help but feel a little proud as he stood up in front of the whole group to say his piece and made them laugh.

New Creations! 

ACTIVITY TIME!

It was time to get our creative juices flowing with some silversmith classes. For me it's pretty amazing when I went into the class thinking, "I can barely draw stick figures, how the hell am I going to make silver jewelry?"
Then when your done you still can't draw stick figures and your thinking, "how the hell did I just make that?"
It is inspiring to see our own creative potential if we just focus our energy for a few hours.

After creative time,  it was time to do some outdoor adventuring. We hiked a steep mountain (with a rewarding Chai shop called Magic View). The view is stunning as the Chai shops name implies. I always forget how great a simple hike can be...


To get a slightly different perspective we thought we would try running off the side of the mountain (don't worry we had parachutes). It was my first time paragliding, what an amazing rush! As I ran off the side of a mountain and my feet rose into the air, I was thinking "man, I hope this guy knows what he's doing!"
Then we just floated over the forest and the city with the perfect wind. After about 5-10 of pure glory we landed with a bump. However, the little bump couldn't erase the stupid grin I had on my face for the next few hours. If your planning on joining me on one of our trips you better pray for good weather so you can try this!

Namaste for now,

- Eland

On the path up the mountain. 

Foggy view from the top. 

My view from my parachute! 

This stupid grin was around all day after this...

PS. If you enjoyed reading this please "Like" and "Share" our Let Live Travel Facebook Page. Also feel free to share my blog with any travelers!

Drummmmmms

SHAWNA - CEO

"SCREEEEAAACH!" My eyes instinctively flew open to witness the madness Indian's call driving. In the middle of the night, in the middle of the mountains, we were approaching a bridge. And by that, I mean we were drifting around the sharp corner onto the bridge, with cliffs on either side of the narrow dirt road. Giggling to myself, I closed my eyes and thought "Oh India, always keeping the mundane thrilling."

A couple of hours later, when I was finally falling into a deep sleep, we reached our destination - Manali. 3:00 am. Damn it. Anyone who knows me well, knows that if I am only an hour or two into deep sleep for the night, waking me up is not a successful event. It's not that I'm grumpy, I'm just a nauseous zombie. Next thing you know, I'm attempting to climb up a mountain in woollen socks and flip-flops, half asleep, rubbing my angry stomach and stumbling on rocks in the pitch black. Lucky for me, Eland was, of course, still on his A-Game. He managed to befriend a local who happened to own the most lovely of guest-houses. Apparently they carried my bag and led me up the hill and straight to my new bed. Thanks boys :).

When I woke up the following morning, feeling far more chipper and human-like, I was so pleasantly surprised to see where we had ended up. Just check this out:

I know, right!?! Imagine falling asleep on a bus and then next thing you know this is what you wake up to! After a wonderful morning of yoga, coffee and a "Oh. My. Gosh." view, I felt ready to take on the world. I headed down the "main road", chatting up every local who smiled at me (and being pretty much the only white female here, that means chatting up everyone I passed). As I pleasantly skipped down the steep hillside, I spotted a gem. That gem had the name of "One Stop Music Shop". I popped in, and instantly my 8 year old self was in a dream land. It was a small room filled with all sorts of hand-made musical instruments - African drums, Indian drums, flutes, harmonicas, shakers, guitars... Amazing. The owner of the shop, Johnny, started handing me instrument after instrument, each time teaching me a little bit and cheering on my butchered attempts at making a melody or rhythm. We enthusiastically discussed details about having jam sessions/drum lessons around campfires for the Let Live Travel tour groups. He brought me tea; we laughed; we played; we were jolly. I soon discovered that my 8-year-old self's dream land was the same as my 24-year-old self's dream land. Visualizing a future of kick-ass drum circles, I bought two Indian drums, called Doluks, and literally ran back-up the vertical hill to our guesthouse. I spotted Eland as I ran up and excitedly started yelling "I HAVE A SURPRISE FOR YOU!!! A SURPRISE!!!". Finally reaching him, I started rambling out the story of my last hour, and thrust his new drum into his hands. It was drum circle time.

Well, writing this has got me inspired. So I'm cutting this short to practice my wrist-flicking-stiff-finger-beating drumming skill.

Later gaters.

Shawna