Yes, you read that correctly. Coup. On May 22, 2014, the Thai military took control of the government and enforced curfew and martial law, banned political gatherings, censored the media and detained and arrested politicians. As fate would have it, I had a flight to Bangkok booked for May 23. So on my last night in Delhi, I weighed my … Read more
India was, for lack of a better word, the most hard-core trip of my life. At various points in my six weeks I was struggling to breathe from the stench of cow shit, vomiting from (many) bouts of food poisoning, violently shivering in a wind-whipped tent, nearly passing out from sunstroke in the Himalayas and doing vinyasa in 110-degree heat. … Read more
It’s no secret that I had a spectacular time completing my Kuari Pass trek. (Read Part I and Part II of my experience here.) I loved the Indian Himalayas — I truly have never seen more beautiful mountains. But often when travelers decide to hike the Himalayas, they head to Nepal. I get it- Nepal is home to the … Read more
So I have an announcement! I got a job and am moving to Denver, Colorado, THIS FRIDAY. And I’m crazy excited. While I had my heart set on San Francisco, rent prices turned out to be way too high. (4K a month for a two-bedroom? No thanks.) And though someday I’d love to live in the Bay, it’s … Read more
Before leaving India I knew I’d have to make one last stop- the Taj Majal. The Taj Majal is located in Agra, a few hours south of New Delhi. Built in memory of the Emperor’s third and favorite wife Mumtāz Mahal, the Taj Majal is one of the world’s most beautiful examples of Mughal architecture in … Read more
After a month of Yoga Teacher Training and 10 days hiking the Himalayas, we were back to civilization in New Delhi. In the past five weeks, I had eaten meat once (goat stew), drunk one beer (Kingfisher- blergh), completed 100+ hours of yoga in 110-degree heat and lost countless pounds due to extreme physical exercise and … Read more
You can read about part one of my Kuari Pass trek here. After three days of trekking, I finally started to get the hang of hiking. Okay, fine- both sleeping in a sleeping bag and uphill hiking were still miserable, but I was acclimating. And as we ascended higher and higher into the Himalaya, it … Read more
Let’s just get the tough stuff out of the way: my ten-day Himalayan trek in Northern India was hard. While I didn’t get altitude sickness, I did suffer from blood blisters and sunstroke. And obviously, there was the whole not showering for 10 days thing and hiking EIGHT HOURS UPHILL under the blazing sun. I’ll be … Read more
This spring I attended a Yoga Teacher Training in India with my good friend McCall. Upon arriving in Rishikesh we took an ascetic wellness pledge. For the next 30 days we were to abstain from the following: meat, alcohol, coffee, sex, social media, make-up, body-hate, soda, complaining, swearing, smoking and worrying. Not only that, but we … Read more
When I was packing for my Yoga Teacher Training in Rishikesh, India, I failed to find a single packing list on the internet. And unsurprisingly, once I got to India I realized that I had packed poorly: I brought one pair of athletic shorts, one maxi skirt and absolutely no snacks. I also didn’t consider that the … Read more