Safari!

Here are some photos from our Safari in Tanzania. We'll write more about our African experience soon. There's lots to tell! We hope this finds you all happy and smiling : - )

Busy In Bhagsu!

We Love India!

We can't believe that in less than two weeks we'll be saying goodbye to India. It's crazy how fast our time here has gone. Seriously, it feels like it was only yesterday that we were in Thailand with my Mom!

We came to India with the primary purpose of exploring different types of yoga and gaining more understanding of ourselves and our bodies. That being said, we both feel like we've only just begun to touch the tip of the iceberg. If it weren't for the fact that, in only 11 more sleeps, we're meeting up with Jo-Ann, Dani and Angela, three friends from home, we would probably delay our trip to Africa and continue with our journey of self discovery here in India. That's not to say that i'm not completely freaking out at the thought of seeing friendly faces from home or that we can't wait to feel the sand between our toes and swim in the ocean. It's just that there's so much to do here and we want to do it all!

We didn't travel much in India, rather we found spots we liked and stayed. We spent our first month in Rishikesh then we moved further north to the cooler hills of McLeod Ganj and after two weeks of soaking up the Tibetan culture we moved 2kms down the road to Bhagsu where we've been for close to two months now. There's been no need to move around as everything we wanted is here. There's good yoga, great restaurants, beautiful walks and hikes, cheap accommodation and there's a plethora of classes and courses you can take depending on what tickles your fancy! In addition to our yoga, Kim and i have taken an Indian cooking course, a Tibetan massage course, a macrame course (learning different knots for making necklaces) and a silversmith course which is why we're so busy in Bhagsu!

Our one day silversmith course has definitely been a highlight so far. Kim made a blinging money clip with three different stones set in it and i made a simple ring with silver set around a square stone. The guys at the place where we did our first day are a bit of a shit show though so today we're starting a three day course at another place that seems more professional and organized. The reason i say they were a shit show is because at the end of the day you have to leave your piece there for them to set the stone in and they tend to leave your pieces just lying around willy-nilly on the work bench where tools get thrown on them and things can get damaged. And get damaged they do! My ring was given back to me with dents and scratches on both the silver housing and band that weren't there when i left it for the evening. (oh well, i still love it. it's my first piece!) And, a friend of ours went to pick up a pendant she'd left and her stone had been scratched and chipped. They're super cool guys who work there and hanging out there is fun but we decided that if we go to the trouble of making something so that it's what we consider perfect we want to get it back finished and perfect. Hence switching over to this other school! Class will be from 1 - 5pm for the next three days and get this, it only costs $22 for the course plus you pay for the silver you use and whatever stones you buy. Things are so affordable here. I don't know how much a course like this would cost in Sydney or Vancouver but i'm sure it would be a lot!

Well, that's all for now. After a stormy morning of pouring rain and clapping thunder it looks like it's starting to clear up a bit which means it's a good time to hang out some washing! I hope this finds you all happy, smiling and enjoying your day : - )

A Picture Speaks A Thousand Words!

Kim captured this moment from the train when we were traveling from Rishikesh to Amritsar. It's our favorite photo so far!

The Golden Temple.
The Golden Temple is the Sikhs' holiest shrine. It's located in Amritsar in the Punjab.

It's not uncommon in bigger cities for random people to approach you and want to have a photo taken with you. By the time these guys asked we'd already had numerous photo shoots with various families! This was taken in Amritsar.

Tibetan prayer flags in McLeod Ganj. We spent our first two weeks staying in McLeod before we moved to the smaller, quieter village of Bhagsu just 2kms away.

This was taken during a hike from McLeod to a place called Triund. It takes anywhere from 5 to 8 hours return, depending on your speed and it's a very popular hike because it gets you closer to what you'll see in the next photo!

One of the majestic snow-capped peaks of the Himalayas as seen from McLeod Ganj!


The following four photos show the small village of Bhagsu which has been our home away from home for the past six weeks.

See the cluster of houses at the top right? Ours is the brown one at the back. This picture was taken from the yoga centre where we practice. (You'll see a picture of it when you scroll down further.) It's about a 20 min walk from our house to here and it's a nice way to start off our day as we make our way to our 6:30 am class!

In Bhagsu you have to walk up or down to get anywhere, there's no way around it! For those of you from Vancouver you'll know what i mean when i say we probably walk the equivalent of the Grouse Grind every day.

The view from our balcony when looking down the valley to Dharamshala. That's an international cricket stadium you can see.

The beautiful Himalayan Iyengar Yoga Centre where we've spent the past 3 weeks learning about the Iyengar style of yoga. Iyengar's focus is on proper alignment and you use props such as blocks of wood, ropes, bars, chairs, blankets, straps and bolsters to help you achieve it. You hold poses for long periods of time, anywhere from 5 to 30 minutes and there's a large focus on relaxation as well. Kim and i have discovered that we both really like this style and we look forward to doing self practice in Africa where we can continue our journey of discovering more about our bodies and ourselves!


Random snaps from McLeod Ganj!

Talk about man power! Note all the water pipes in the background.

Road repair, Indian style!

The things you see when you walk down the street! This man is carving a beautiful ornate stamp out of a piece of wood. If only we needed a stamp : - )

A man playing an instrument on the side of the road with his little girl by his side. We're not sure what the instrument's called but the sound it produces is very cool! We see this man often when we walk the 2 km road between McLeod Ganj, which is where we used to stay and Bhagsu, which is where we stay now.

Going Back in Time - Riots & Water Fights in Bangkok!

A couple of Thai girls celebrating Songkran on Khao San Road. It's customary to mix clay and water together and wipe it on people's faces : - ) That's what they're carrying in the buckets.

Only a few of blocks away the "red shirts" take to the streets in protest.

Back at the water fights...... Travelers coming or going can't escape the blasts, backpacks and all. At the sound of someone shouting "dry person", water would be sent their way from all angles. Most people were good about it and had a laugh but some people got down right nasty if you sprayed them. One woman hit me and tried to throw a plate at Chelle!!

It's hard to imagine during the fun and festivities that not too far away things are heating up and turning violent.

Day 4 and Kim "Sniper" Boundy catches two people unawares!

The government decides to step in.

This is the money shot! Chelle didn't see that one coming!

After Chelle and I lodged our applications for our Indian visas we had 11 days to kill in Bangkok. The Songkran festival (Thai New Year) kept us cool and wet for 4 solid days when temperatures soared to the high 30’s with incredible humidity. Songkran turned out to be the biggest water fight that either of us had ever been involved in with thousands of people taking to the streets armed with super soakers, buckets of ice water and pots of clay. At the same time however, only a few blocks away, people were also taking to the streets in the form of protests. The “Red Shirts” were holding demonstrations aimed at getting rid of the current government.

One day as Chelle and I returned to our hotel in a tuk-tuk we accidentally drove right into the centre of one of these demonstrations. From what we could see, the “Red Shirts” had stolen a police van and were running around wearing the police riot gear. We didn’t stick around to see what happened next. The next day the protests escalated into violent riots, a state of emergency was declared and the Thai army intervened. After the Australian government issued a travel advisory for Bangkok, I received numerous phone calls from my Mum. I gave her daily updates as the events were unfolding and reassured her that neither Chelle nor I were in any danger. I even got interviewed by a correspondent from the ABC television network in Australia!

We've put some photos together to show both sides of these crazy events.

Free Tibet!

I'm sure most of you are aware of the plight of the Tibetan people. Many of you have probably seen t-shirts and bumper stickers with the slogan - Free Tibet. Their struggle has been a long and arduous one and as time's gone on their plight has been in the world media spotlight less and less. There's one place, however, where their cause is very much a current affair and that's in Dharamsala, India which is home to more than 250,000 Tibetan refugees; the Dalai Lama being one of them. It's been 50 years since China entered Tibet to "liberate" the Tibetan people and in that time hundreds of thousands of Tibetans have fled their homeland to seek refuge in India. How did they get here? They crossed the Himalayas, on foot!

Just today i was chatting with a Tibetan woman who shared with me her experience from 9 years ago when she made the decision to flee her country. She made the trek, over some of the highest mountain passes in the world, along with 27 others and it took 23 gruelling days. She remembers being freezing cold and bone tired with no food to eat or water to drink but she had to keep pressing on. Despite the fact that it was painfully hard and she didn't think she'd make it, she did. She was one of the lucky ones. She said that many people however, especially the elderly or those travelling with young children are not so lucky. Many people die en route. She also said that in addition to being exhausted and having no nourishment you have to be very careful to remain unseen by Chinese soldiers who patrol the passes. In fact, not too long ago some mountaineers filmed footage of Chinese soldiers opening fire on a group of Tibetans trying to escape. Their footage, which I'm told is chilling, has been made into a documentary.

The Tibetans have proved to be a very resilient people. They've established a Tibetan government in exile and continue to fight for their freedom. They've set up Tibetan schools and cultural programs to preserve their language, culture and religion. And the Dalai Lama continues to promote peace around the world while shedding light on the Tibetan people's struggle through his talks and teachings. Along with being resilient they are also a very gentle and spiritual people. The Buddhist way of life is evident everywhere you look here which gives it a very different feel to anywhere else in India.

McLeod Ganj, which is a small village located above Dharamsala, is where the Dalai Lama's residence is along with numerous monasteries. It's beautiful here and our guest house is nestled amid a forest of pine trees where eagles like to soar in the mid-day sky. As i type i'm sitting on our balcony from which i can see a snow-capped peak of the Himalayas. It doesn't always make an appearance though as it's often enshrouded by rain clouds but when it does it's breathtaking. The rain they get here, which is a lot, only helps to add to it's beauty by making it lush and green year round. When the rest of India is unbearably hot it's a nice reprieve to be in the cool of the mountains where you actually have to cover up at night!

There are a lot of Tibetan monks and nuns here and they make an awesome sight coming and going in their bright red and orange robes and bald heads. Kim and I feel like we belong here with our hair-doos! Sometimes we can hear them debating Buddhist philosophy or chanting from the roof top of the monastery and you can't help but feel an energy or vibration in the air. It's very beautiful.

The village of McLeod Ganj sits at 1770 metres and is built on a fairly steep hill. Walking is the main mode of transportation here and anywhere you go, any way you look at it you've got to walk up or down to get there! This proved to be a blessing in disguise last week when we took a two day Indian cooking course. Okay, we knew that Indian wasn't the healthiest diet in the world but holy crap! Ladle upon ladle of oil, pad after pad of butter, a ton of cream and some more oil for good measure. No wonder it tastes so good! All that "goodness" combined with simple yet pungent spices makes not only for an incredible taste sensation but many trips to the toilet the next day as well! Kim and I have come to the conclusion that Indian is a treat to be enjoyed once every month or so. That being said, we look forward to cooking for all of you one day and impressing you with our culinary skills. Until then just know that we're thinking of you and hoping that whatever you're doing you have a smile on your face!

Thailand - A Montage!

Kim buying tom-sum thai from a vendor on Khaosan Road in Bangkok. Tom-sum thai is a dish made from various fresh fruits and veg using a mortar and pestle. The spicier the better!

If a scene like this doesn't make you realize how lucky you are i don't know what will. This was taken on a street in an upscale part of Bangkok where just around the corner there are mega malls housing expensive shops and restaurants. I highly doubt this guy cares about the sale at Dolce & Gabbana.

Kim marvelling at the destruction caused to a hotel swimming pool by the tsunami in Khao Lak. In this particular area about 4 metres of water would have passed through. It's crazy to think about but reminders of it are everywhere in Southern Thailand.

Here we are chillaxing at one of our favorite spots in Khao Lak. White Sand beach was our home for many days until some grumpy Germans complained about us having a cooler filled with beer. We're still not sure why we were asked not to come back!

The view from our beach chairs on White Sand beach.

Kim cooling down in our own private rock pool. This place was heaven on earth and we returned day after day after day!

The Floating Bamboo restaurant, 25 kms north of Khao Lak. We found this little gem one day while we were exploring on our scooter. We almost turned around 5 mins before but decided to keep going just a little further. We're so glad we did because it turned out to be our favorite restaurant and we went back again and again!

Even though all the food here was incredible the curried crab dish was our favorite! I think during this particular meal we had the crab, a seabass dish, squid, mixed veggies, rice and a few beer to wash it down with and our bill came to the grand total of $20!

One day we were at our favorite rock pool when it started to rain so we took shelter under a nearby hut. Soon after a Thai family came along seeking shelter as well. Long story short, we ended up spending the entire afternoon and evening with this beautiful family. They didn't speak English and we don't speak Thai but through gestures and a few common words we shared many moments and laughed a lot. The father who is the one pictured above owns a karaoke bar and we've come to affectionately call him Mr. Tiger Mountain Karaoke!

This is another great group of people we were fortunate to meet and share an evening with. Sitting next to Kim is Songkran and his wife Oi. We met them at a market in Khao Lak where they were selling beautiful hand crafted jewelry that they make. The next thing you know we're back at their place drinking beer, sharing food, chatting and laughing until the wee hours. You gotta love those random moments!

The eating area on our liveaboard dive trip in the Similan Islands. An amazing experience with 16 dives over 4 days! Well, truth be told we actually did 17 dives because Kim lost a torch during one of our night dives and the next morning we had to do a search and recovery dive to look for it. I'm happy to report that we found it!

The bottom deck where we'd get suited up and ready to go.

A curious turtle swims up to the back of the boat hoping for a banana!

Mom arrives in Phuket and we throw her on the scooter. Just like a local family we were. Actually if we were a local family we would've had a couple of kids on there too!

Kim & his ladies on one of the many beautiful beaches in Phuket.

A boat trip we took while Mom was with us on Koh Phi Phi. The boat is a traditional Thai fishing boat called a longtail.

Because we were in Thailand over a month ago and are just now getting around to posting something about it we decided to do a montage (every blog needs a montage)! We also figured that a picture speaks a thousand words. We picked a few photos from each of the spots we went to. Our trip actually began in Phuket (which is at the bottom) on February 4th and ended in Bangkok (which is at the top) on April 17th. We're still figuring this blog thing out which is why the photos are in the wrong order! In any case, we hope you enjoy!

The Boundy Baldies!

Cooling off at a waterfall in Rishikesh.

As you can see, Kim and i shaved our heads! For a guy it's no big deal (they do it all the time don't they?!) but for a girl it's a whole other story. Doing it was definitely a holy shit moment but it's a totally liberating experience and something i think every girl should do at least once in her lifetime. I was that girl who was utterly and completely attached to my long locks. I was obssessed with brushing it (i know some of you will be laughing right now!) and it was very much a part of who i was. Then one day i grabbed some balls so to speak and got my hair cut, gradually going shorter and shorter. Before leaving Australia in February i got a super short pixie cut that i absoluely loved and i thought the shorter the better for travelling. I soon found out how wrong i was. Short hair requires frequent cuts to stay looking good so it's actually a really high maintenance cut for when you're on the road. So, i thought i'd have to grow it out again and knew i'd have to endure all the scraggly bits and those awful awkard stages. But, after only a month or so i became so impatient i that i thought screw it, i want hair like my husbands. So into Kim's barber shop i went and voila! It's cool. It's easy. And there's absolutely no maintenance required other than a buzz every week or so. So, for now we're the Boundy baldies who get strange looks from Indians where ever we go. But, hey, i'm sure they'd look at us strange hair or no hair!