I'm going to Peru! I'm going to Bali! I'm moving to New Orleans! (The long version)
I've been meaning to write about this for around 2 months and I guess it's finally time. Taking a break from the working and the travel arrangements and all to record and report.
At long last I am traveling with the circus! It's almost surreal that I'm finally going and hard to believe that I'll be leaving in a little over two weeks. I pretty much scheduled the last several months of my life around this event, arranging for a six month lease, working to wrap up design projects and handing over management of the Sun Room and responsibility for the Yoga Tree website. I'm not much of a plan ahead sort of person so checking in at 3 weeks from my trip and realizing I have immunizations and more travel stuff and all sorts of things still to do is a little daunting. (I'm pretty excited to now be at least mostly immune to all kinds of strange diseases. I was finishing up World War Z from the immunization clinic which was lots of fun.) Add to that preparing to move to New Orleans and travel for months in Southeast Asia and let's just say its a much busier time than usual which is frighteningly busy in the first place.
I've been sad that all this work and such has kept me from spending more time before I leave with friends in the Bay Area. There's a sort of poetry in this though as I never have enough time to see my friends here for one reason or another. In the mean time my yoga practice has gone to hell but my bank account is growing nicely in preparation to leave. I've been working A LOT. I'm hoping to have most of my projects completed by the end of this week. My goodness would I be happy to *not* be overwhelmed the last few days I'm here.
In a lot of ways Peru is the neglected part of my thoughts right now because I don't have to think about it too much. I just join up with the circus and go wherever it goes. I don't need to make advance plans I just show up. I had planned to get to Machu Picchu before joining the tour on May 3rd, but April 28th to May 2nd is seeming like a short time. I'll make it work somehow. Hopefully I'll be able to plan my way to Machu Picchu before I leave but if I have to do it on the fly from Lima I'll do the best I can. From May 3 to June 13th I'm the property of the Dreamtime Circus. No dozens of clients to juggle no hoard of personal decisions to make. I just try to be the best member of the circus I can be. However crazy and stressful that might be at times, it's just one thing. That alone will be a relief. I'm particularly looking forward to being in the rainforest and meeting and honoring the people and plants and animals and spirits there.
I return to SF from Peru on the afternoon of June 16th. I haven't bought my ticket to Bali yet, but I will leave sometime between super early morning (night) on the 18th and the 19th. My goal is to be in Bali for my birthday, June 20th. I'll be running around for that day or two going to the bank and dealing with other such things to prepare to be away for another 3 months. Then off to Bali.
I had originally planned to go to Thailand, but with the political unrest I decided to explore that other Southeast Asian paradise that lots of my friends have been to. I immediately fell in love with the Sacred Monkey Forest in Ubud. They are having a once in a generation Grand Ceremony to balance their village and the Universe. I immediately knew I had to be there. Reading about the Balinese spiritual practice had me in a state of tranquil humble reverence just sitting at my computer. So, I compulsively researched the area for hours last night making up my mind solidly to go there instead of some yet unchosen part of Thailand. I had originally avoided Ubud because I thought it might be a bit like going to an Opulent Temple party at Burning Man, that I'd be seeing people I knew everywhere. And why? Because it seems Ubud is specifically designed to attract people like me. Conscious organic artistic yoga etc etc. I have a good number of connections in the area and it seems like a perfect landing spot in my travels. I can stay for weeks on end or I could travel elsewhere for a while, returning for the culmination of the Grand Ceremony August.
I'll return to SF sometime in mid September, tie up my business here and head to New Orleans, possibly with a week or two staying with friends and family in the New York and Boston areas. I haven't felt the need to be too specific about how the New Orleans landing will happen as that's a long way off and I can communicate to people via the internet from anywhere in the world. I haven't been able to stop myself from researching apartments on Craigslist though and after living in the Bay Area for 4 years I'm super excited for what I can get for my money there.
My great plan for New Orleans is to investigate forming a web/graphic design company, get involved with the green building movement, theatre, circus, and yoga communities. I'll save money and establish more connections and by the next term begin studies at Tulane for a Master's in Historic Preservation with a focus on sustainability. That plan deserves it's own entry all by itself. In general though, once established in New Orleans I plan to spend two months out of the year away: one in the SF Bay area and the other traveling internationally. I'm really excited about that. So if any of y'all in the Bay think you might like to do an apartment/room trade for a a couple weeks to a month out of the year, let me know. I plan to live someplace awesome in NOLA.
Alright, I finally wrote this. Now to write the quicky version on Facebook and get back to my web design work.
Blessings and bliss, y'all! :)
At long last I am traveling with the circus! It's almost surreal that I'm finally going and hard to believe that I'll be leaving in a little over two weeks. I pretty much scheduled the last several months of my life around this event, arranging for a six month lease, working to wrap up design projects and handing over management of the Sun Room and responsibility for the Yoga Tree website. I'm not much of a plan ahead sort of person so checking in at 3 weeks from my trip and realizing I have immunizations and more travel stuff and all sorts of things still to do is a little daunting. (I'm pretty excited to now be at least mostly immune to all kinds of strange diseases. I was finishing up World War Z from the immunization clinic which was lots of fun.) Add to that preparing to move to New Orleans and travel for months in Southeast Asia and let's just say its a much busier time than usual which is frighteningly busy in the first place.
I've been sad that all this work and such has kept me from spending more time before I leave with friends in the Bay Area. There's a sort of poetry in this though as I never have enough time to see my friends here for one reason or another. In the mean time my yoga practice has gone to hell but my bank account is growing nicely in preparation to leave. I've been working A LOT. I'm hoping to have most of my projects completed by the end of this week. My goodness would I be happy to *not* be overwhelmed the last few days I'm here.
In a lot of ways Peru is the neglected part of my thoughts right now because I don't have to think about it too much. I just join up with the circus and go wherever it goes. I don't need to make advance plans I just show up. I had planned to get to Machu Picchu before joining the tour on May 3rd, but April 28th to May 2nd is seeming like a short time. I'll make it work somehow. Hopefully I'll be able to plan my way to Machu Picchu before I leave but if I have to do it on the fly from Lima I'll do the best I can. From May 3 to June 13th I'm the property of the Dreamtime Circus. No dozens of clients to juggle no hoard of personal decisions to make. I just try to be the best member of the circus I can be. However crazy and stressful that might be at times, it's just one thing. That alone will be a relief. I'm particularly looking forward to being in the rainforest and meeting and honoring the people and plants and animals and spirits there.
I return to SF from Peru on the afternoon of June 16th. I haven't bought my ticket to Bali yet, but I will leave sometime between super early morning (night) on the 18th and the 19th. My goal is to be in Bali for my birthday, June 20th. I'll be running around for that day or two going to the bank and dealing with other such things to prepare to be away for another 3 months. Then off to Bali.
I had originally planned to go to Thailand, but with the political unrest I decided to explore that other Southeast Asian paradise that lots of my friends have been to. I immediately fell in love with the Sacred Monkey Forest in Ubud. They are having a once in a generation Grand Ceremony to balance their village and the Universe. I immediately knew I had to be there. Reading about the Balinese spiritual practice had me in a state of tranquil humble reverence just sitting at my computer. So, I compulsively researched the area for hours last night making up my mind solidly to go there instead of some yet unchosen part of Thailand. I had originally avoided Ubud because I thought it might be a bit like going to an Opulent Temple party at Burning Man, that I'd be seeing people I knew everywhere. And why? Because it seems Ubud is specifically designed to attract people like me. Conscious organic artistic yoga etc etc. I have a good number of connections in the area and it seems like a perfect landing spot in my travels. I can stay for weeks on end or I could travel elsewhere for a while, returning for the culmination of the Grand Ceremony August.
I'll return to SF sometime in mid September, tie up my business here and head to New Orleans, possibly with a week or two staying with friends and family in the New York and Boston areas. I haven't felt the need to be too specific about how the New Orleans landing will happen as that's a long way off and I can communicate to people via the internet from anywhere in the world. I haven't been able to stop myself from researching apartments on Craigslist though and after living in the Bay Area for 4 years I'm super excited for what I can get for my money there.
My great plan for New Orleans is to investigate forming a web/graphic design company, get involved with the green building movement, theatre, circus, and yoga communities. I'll save money and establish more connections and by the next term begin studies at Tulane for a Master's in Historic Preservation with a focus on sustainability. That plan deserves it's own entry all by itself. In general though, once established in New Orleans I plan to spend two months out of the year away: one in the SF Bay area and the other traveling internationally. I'm really excited about that. So if any of y'all in the Bay think you might like to do an apartment/room trade for a a couple weeks to a month out of the year, let me know. I plan to live someplace awesome in NOLA.
Alright, I finally wrote this. Now to write the quicky version on Facebook and get back to my web design work.
Blessings and bliss, y'all! :)