Archive for the 'travel' Category
An open heart Let everything in without fear; an open heart will always lead to beauty. Open you heart to the people around you, the sun, the stars, and the wonderful experience of life in general. There is only one friend who can never betray you in life; your heart. It will lead you to your smiles, treasures, and true love. Take a moment each day and listen to the sound of its rhythmic beat; and ask it what the best plan is for today. Limited or no expectations Don’t limit yourself with expectations of the grandiose. The less you expect the more you get. If you want to be pleasantly surprised time and time again, expect nothing, want nothing, and just be. Make a point not to plan everyday out, or like me don’t plan anything at all, just step outside and follow your heart to the next pleasant surprise in your life. It’s when we least expect it that our heart fills us with the white light that brightens the day. Virgin Eyes All children are Zen Masters because everything is an eye opening experience. They’re seeing, tasting, feeling, and most important; loving the world for the first time. Try saying to a child with all the enthusiasm in your heart, “Wooowwwwwww Look at that Bridge”, their eyes will light up with wonder and inevitably have a complete Zen response like “AAAHH”, WOW, and so on. There is nothing mundane or boring in life for a child, everything possesses beauty: a Cat sitting peacefully in a window, a Bird singing in a tree, even a little Ant crawling along just trying to make it home alive. When or where we lose this wonder, I don’t know, but it seems to me when we travel a little sense of this child like wonder comes back to us. We want to gaze at Churches, buildings and monuments with delight. Yet, the same delight can always be found right in our own backyard on a cloudy day. Choose virgin eyes and see the world again for the first time. The present moment There is no tomorrow and yesterday is never coming back! Ask yourself each morning, “What do I want to do today; what will make me happy now!” That is the beauty of the journey. When all the routines, expectations, and obligations fall to the wayside; all that is left is your desire; follow this desire in the present moment. Start the day off with that which will make you happy and leave the rest open to new experiences. There are infinite possibilities of happiness; no one can ever hope to obtain them all. If you can gain even a few specks of what will make you happy; then you have done a good job. A journal A journal will bring you back to the thoughts and feeling in your mind. It will show you how your soul has grown and that you have become a different person. Rereading my journals is always fun because it shows me how my heart and mind has changed. This reminder is comforting; change is the only constant in the world. Embrace change and you will always continue to become a better person.
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Tags: beauty, changing, experience, eye, heart, journal, journey, life, moment, opening, present, wonder, zen
The Water-taxi that turned Death into Zen. I love all means of transport, it sounded like a brilliant idea at the time; avoid a 4 hour shuttle bus to Jaco by taking a 1 hour water-taxi from Montezuma. Walking to the beach, I was filled with anticipation and excitement. The first thing our captain said was “it’s going to be a rough ride, any rougher and I wouldn’t dare even try; prepare to get a little wet.” No problem, I thought to myself as they began to hand out heavy duty garbage bags to wrap up our bags.
Standing on the warm sandy beach, the sun warmed my early morning spirit; the Ocean seemed to be inviting us with open arms. The initial ride out was pleasant, I was enjoying every moment on the sea and under the sun. We crossed a threshold, the cross wind immediately picked up, the beach was almost out of sight, and the realization we were on the open sea soon came spraying over the side of the boat. Little by little the waves grew in size; my imagination was wandering in some distant dream until it was sucked back into the now by a huge crash as the Skipper cut the engine. I looked to my side and saw nothing but the deep blue Ocean. My pulse quickened as the engine began to roar into gear once more. The immense waves completely engulfed our little vessel, so big the horizon line was disappearing with each rise up and down, the Ocean slapping us in the face with salt water, as our little boat was tossed left and right. Nobody was enjoying the ride any longer, a quick scan revealed not a life-jacket in sight; the Captain never taking his eyes off the Ocean in front of him. Pleasure soon turned to fear as it often does, gripping the rail at my side with tight white knuckles; I took a recount of my life thus far and couldn’t remember the last time I felt the fear of death.
Death drops the grains of sand in the hourglass ever so slowly. Finally, after almost 2 hours of deep blue, we passed through the eye of the beast and motored into calm water. Relieved, I sat back a felt a heightened sense of being and wonder in my soul; it was a triumphant feeling. I could see the land again, it was a beautiful sight, but the taxi made a sharp left turn and seemed to be heading towards the open sea once more. The words “what the fuck” passed through my mind. The captain pointed out and uttered his first word since the beach “Dolfino”.
It was our reward for bravery in the face of death: a huge swarm of dolphins racing along, jumping high in the sky with magnificent twirls, seeking only the pleasurable. Together with the dolphins at our side, we enjoyed a true Zen filled moment of wonder; we loved their beautiful presence, and they seemed to love ours. Although that will probably be my last water-taxi ride; when Death turns to Zen, it can only be described as: SPECTACULAR.
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Tags: , beach, costa rica, death, dolphin, Jaco, Montezuma, ocean, sea, taxi, transport, water, zen
How to change your life and enjoy getting from point A to B. I never liked flying all that much until I heard some words of wisdom from one of my old college buddies. He flew anywhere in the world for free, courtesy of his step dad who worked for Air Canada; needless to say he made the most of the situation. When I told him that I hated to fly; he was shocked. He told me to “just relax, you can watch a movie, eat, read, meet someone new, have some good conversation; the journey is always what you make of it. Forget about arriving, enjoy each little moment that you’re free and away from the routine and hassles in life.” I never forgot that statement; I carry it with me on every trip. Time is so precious in life, at some point the hourglass drops its finally grain of sand, so treasure every moment. Take some time alone in a special place to contemplate your happiness. Some people are always shocked when I tell them I traveled somewhere alone. They will never understand the complete and absolute feeling of freedom one receives from standing in a new part of the world and thinking “what do I want to do today, what will make me the happiest”. It’s so refreshing to get away from everyone and everything that has influence in your life; you can hear the voice in your own soul so clearly. So remember to take some time for yourself. Walk on the beach or up a mountain until you find a secluded spot and just sit back and enjoy the moment while contemplating your happiness. I sat on a rock in Greece and made a list of everything I loved and hated about myself, I came to some stark realizations that day. After a long time I threw the list into the ocean and felt completely liberated from my past. I swam in the ocean as the sun was setting without a single thought or worry about the past or future. If you take all you favorite and nostalgic songs with you on a trip and you will never find loneliness. Music is the great soundtrack to our lives. It will bring you back to the memory of a lover or a special time in life. The song Closing Time by Green Day, always brings me back to the fond memories of all the great friends I made in college that worked with me at the Shot Pool Pub in London, Ontario. Everyone who worked at The Shot was a very special and charismatic person. We had the time of our lives working together, sharing together, living together, and occasionally sleeping together. The road trips, birthday parties, and special events were a golden era in our lives. Music is a warm comforting blanket that will keep your soul alive with beautiful emotions at the most troubling times on the journey before you. Everyone has that one great book that is recommended to them over and over again. So think about it, find it, and take it with you on your trip, everything happens for a reason, and it often seems to me that the right book always comes to me at the right moment in life; when I need it the most. If you pay attention, the right book will always find you and help you change the impossible. One of my all time favorite college football coaches, Lou Holtz, states that “Only two things will change your life 5 years from now: the people you meet and the books you read.” Traveling is all about change: the only constant in our lives. The more you change on a trip the more beautiful the journey becomes. Traveling forces a change in everything around you and takes you away from your boring routines, narrow perspectives, disheartened attitudes, and fearful inhibitions. The best way to spark a positive change is to both read some great books and meet as many other people as possible. I felt so happy to be alive as I was returning home from a life changing trip in Greece. On the plane, I started a random conversation with a Lady sitting next to me at the back of the plane. We talked for a long time before she looked me in the eyes and said, “I can feel the happiness in you, you really must have made the most of your trip, and don’t ever forget this feeling when you get back. Don’t remember this moment; keep on living it.” Her voice cracked a little bit and I saw tears starting to form. She looked at me dead in the eyes and with a tremble in her voice said, “I went away because I needed some time alone, I have cancer, and I needed to figure out how I was going to tell me husband and kids that I’m dying. I couldn’t figure out what to say to them; but I figured out what to do about it. I’m going express all my love to them each and everyday with all my heart and soul. I am going to live in love for the rest of my days.” Starting that simple random conversation made me realize how fortunate I was at that moment, face to face with those tears of love and fear changed me a little, from that moment on I was going to try to live in love for the rest of my days. Too just Live in love… Pura Vida Forever…
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Tags: , book, Change, contemplate, flying, happiness, journey, life, live, love, music, nostalgic, people, point a to b, tears, travel, Traveling
Funny travel jokes and hilarious travel humor
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A mother and her son were flying TWA from Kansas to Chicago. The son (who had been looking out the window) turned to his mother and said, “If big dogs have baby dogs and big cats have baby cats, why don’t big planes have baby planes?” The mother (who couldn’t think of an answer) told her son to ask the stewardess. So the boy asked the stewardess, “If big dogs have baby dogs and big cats have baby cats, why don’t big planes have baby planes?” The stewardess asked, “Did your mother tell you to ask me?” He said that she had. So she said, “Tell your mother that TWA always pulls out on time.”
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Two men got out of their cars after they collided at an intersection. One took a flask from his pocket and said to the other, “Here, maybe you’d like a nip to calm your nerves.” “Thanks,” he said, and took a long pull from the container. “Here, you have one, too,” he added, handing back the whiskey. “Well, I’d rather not,” said the first. “At least not until after the police have been here.”
- Heard on a public transportation vehicle in Orlando.“ When you exit the bus, please be sure to lower your head and watch your step.” “If you miss your step and hit your head, please lower your voice and watch your language. Thank you.”
- Two tourists were driving through Wisconsin. As they were approaching Oconomowoc, they started arguing about the pronunciation of the town’s name. They argued back and forth until they stopped for lunch. As they stood at the counter, one tourist asked the blonde employee. “Before we order, could you please settle an argument for us? Would you please pronounce where we are… very slowly? The blonde girl leaned over the counter and said, Burrrrrr, gerrrrrr, Kiiiing.”
- From a Southwest Airlines employee…. “Welcome aboard Southwest Flight XXX, to YYY. To operate your seatbelt, insert the metal tab into the buckle, and pull tight. It works just like every other seatbelt, and if you don’t know how to operate one, you probably shouldn’t be out in public unsupervised. In the event of a sudden loss of cabin pressure, oxygen masks will descend from the ceiling. Stop screaming, grab the mask, and pull it over your face. If you have a small child traveling with you, secure your mask before assisting with theirs. If you are traveling with two small children, decide now which one you love more.”
- An elderly couple was driving cross-country, and the woman was driving. She gets pulled over by the highway patrol. The officer says, “Ma’am, did you know you were speeding?” The woman turns to her husband and asks, “What did he say?” The old man yells, “HE SAYS YOU WERE SPEEDING.” The patrolman says, “May I see your license?” The woman turns to her husband and asks, “What did he say?” The old man yells, “HE WANTS TO SEE YOUR LICENSE.” The woman gives him her license. The patrolman says, “I see you are from Arkansas. I spent some time there once, had the worst sex with a woman I have ever had.” The woman turns to her husband and asks, “What did he say?” “HE THINKS HE KNOWS YOU,” the old man yells.
- A father, who worked away from home all week, always made a special effort with his family at the weekends. Every Sunday morning he would take his daughter out for a drive in the car. One particular Sunday however, he was so full of cold that he really didn’t feel like driving at all. Luckily, his wife came to the rescue and decided that for this week she would take their daughter out. They returned just before lunch and the little girl ran upstairs to see her father.
“Well” the father asked, “did you enjoy your ride with mummy?”” Oh yes Daddy” the girl replied, “and do you know what… we didn’t see a single bastard!”
- Taxiing down the tarmac, the jetliner abruptly stopped, turned around and returned to the gate. After a hour-long wait, it finally took off. A concerned passenger asked the flight attendant: “What was the problem?”
“The pilot was bothered by a noise he heard in the engine,” explained the flight attendant,” and it took us a while to find a new pilot.”
- Her father was very angry when he heard that his twenty year old daughter had hitch hiked all alone, all the way from San Francisco to Washington. “For gods sake!” he screamed, “Someone could have attacked you and raped you!” “I wasn’t ever in no danger at all”, she said, trying to calm him down. “As soon as someone gave me a ride, I said I was going to Washington, because that’s where they have the best treatment for sexually transmitted diseases.”
- A policeman pulls a man over for speeding and asks him to get out of the car. After looking the man over he says, “Sir, I couldn’t help but notice your eyes are bloodshot. Have you been drinking?” The man gets really indignant and says, “Officer, I couldn’t help but notice your eyes are glazed. Have you been eating doughnuts.
- An airline pilot finishes talking to the passengers after the plane has taken off, and forgets to turn off the intercom. He said to the co-pilot, “I think I’ll go take a dump and then put the make on that new blonde stewardess.” The stewardess hears it, and runs up the aisle to tell him the intercom is still on. She trips and falls in her haste. A little old lady looks down at her and says, “There’s no rush, honey. He said he had to take a dump first.”
- A group of Americans was touring Ireland. One of the women in the group was a real curmudgeon, constantly complaining. The bus seats are uncomfortable. The food is terrible. It’s too hot. It’s too cold. The accommodations are awful. The group arrived at the site of the famous Blarney Stone. “Good luck will be followin’ ya all your days if you kiss the Blarney Stone,” the guide said. “Unfortunately, it’s being cleaned today and so no one will be able to kiss it. Perhaps we can come back tomorrow.” “We can’t be here tomorrow,” the nasty woman shouted. “We have some other boring tour to go on. So I guess we can’t kiss the stupid stone.” “Well now,” the guide said, “it is said that if you kiss someone who has kissed the stone, you’ll have the same good fortune.” “AndI suppose you’ve kissed the stone,” the woman scoffed. “No, ma’am,” the frustrated guide said, “but I’ve sat on it.”
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Tags: , funny, hilarious, humor, jokes, joking, travel, travel jokes, traveled, Traveling
Follow these rules and philosophies in travel and life; they will never do you wrong. This I promise with all my heart, cross my fingers and hope to die.
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Dance like no one is watching
- Love like you have never been hurt. Love, Love someone, love something, love everything.
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Spend like you didn’t earn the money; don’t take life too seriously: No one gets out alive, anyways.
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Throw caution to the wind in pursuit of pleasure, because if it hurts, then it’s probably worth it.
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Fear nothing, never quit, never give up, never surrender, and always speak your mind even when your voice trembles. A life lived in fear is a life half lived; because man should never fear death but man should fear never having lived.
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Nothing happens by chance, so don’t chance anything; make it happen now. Don’t wait for your ship to come in, swim out to it.
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Circumstance don’t make a hero, they just reveal him. Man is not the creature of circumstances,
circumstances are the creatures of men.
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The sky isn’t the limit, so shoot for the stars: Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.
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Never refuse an invitation: Never over stay your welcome. The only moment you can live in is right now, there is no past or future; only this moment. So live this moment to the fullest.
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Live this day as if it will be your last. Remember that you will only find “tomorrow” on the calendars of fools. Forget yesterday’s defeats and ignore the problems of tomorrow. This is it. Doomsday. All you have.
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Live this day as if it will be your last, because some day it will be: Unhappiness and hate waste time better spent living
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Laugh at yourself, life, and everything around you. Laugh as a remedy and a miracle drug that will ease your pain, cure your depression, and help you to put in perspective seemingly terrible defeats and worries in life.
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It’s the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting. Remember that you have only one life to live so make the best of it. Be whoever and whatever you’d like to be. Pursue your passions and your dreams. Don’t waste time suffering. It is better to fail in originality than to succeed in imitation.
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Realize that true happiness lies within you. Waste no time and effort searching for peace and contentment and joy in the world outside. Remember that there is no happiness in having or in getting, but only in giving.
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Meet as many people as you can and make new best friends overnight.
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Just because you said it while drunk / stoned / tripping doesn’t make it profound
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Never be afraid to cry or tell someone you love them. Never take laxatives and sleeping pills together
- Always lie to cops
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Tags: , backpacker, backpackers, bums, chance, circumstances, cry, dance, fear, guide, guidelines, hero, invitation, life, love, now, philosophies, philosophy, pleasure, rule, rules to live by, travel, Travel bug, Traveling
What is a vacation or journey without a little fleeting love for the soul? For me, it would be a disappointing and devastating one. Granted, I don’t consider myself a pro or expert on the subject, but I do find what I’m looking for each and every time I hit the road. So I thought perhaps I could suggest a little guide to help those poor souls that travel far and wide and never embrace the beauty of the opposite sex. So let’s begin… Rule #1) Forget the past. I have never met anyone who can truly live there, so don’t try. Flush away all the past disappointments and defeats today; begin a new chapter in your life. We’ll call this chapter Today, here, and now, and we won’t quit till the job is done. Boys remember that every woman want to find romance; and Girls, well it will probably be the nervous guy without any approach style or confidence that appreciates you the most; so be nice. The first thing you need to do is make a commitment to the cause. I don’t care if you’re the shyest person in the world, because there is someone just as shy as you waiting for you on this planet. The only way to find this person is to look for them, and say hello. That’s it, just say hi. Don’t sit there and worry about what to say or do in future, because you can’t live there either. You’ll probably end up wasting time and psyching yourself out of the duty at hand. The moment you see someone you’re attracted to, forget everything and just walk up and say hi. It’s that simple. And for heaven sakes, Forget about pick up lines, pick up lines are for losers, real men and women of substance simply engage in conversation. So embrace the moment and go for it; remembering this golden rule that was passed on to me be one of my college buddies we called Chops. “It is our job to ask and their job to say yes or no, and if you’re not getting laid it’s simply because you’re not getting shot down enough.” Given the choice of having to get rejected ten times to find some fleeting romance, what would you do? Take my advice and just do it, because the juice is worth the squeeze. And when it does happen, the last thing you will be thinking about is all the prior rejections it took to get there. You’ll taste the sweet nectar of passion and be entranced in the present moment; this I promise. The first girl I was able to hook up with in Costa Rica was completely random. She was sitting on the beach in her little cute surfer gear. I had no intention trying to pick her up; I just wanted to know how the waves were today. So I went up to her without any hidden agenda, which is always good because it sets the other person at ease right away, and simply asked her a question. We got into a quick chat about nothing all that important, and later that night I saw her at the bar; from there no additional effort was required. She felt immediately comfortable with me like we were already friends; I leave the rest up to your imagination. Rule #2) Just ask; ask anything all the time. The more people you encounter and talk with on the road; the greater your chances. Don’t just focus on the nightlife. During the day is just as good a time as any, usually it’s even better. People tend to have their sexual guard up more during the twilight hours, so use the daytime to meet as many potential mates as you can. If you chat or share a laugh with someone during the day, when you see them out again, they will be open to you in a different and friendly way. So to speak, half the battle is already done, you have taken down their guard. The rule to live by is this; ask simple questions you know they will be able to answer. “What time is it?”, “Do you know this place?” Etc. This will start the ball rolling. Follow this question up with a more personal one that you say with enthusiasm, like “Oh where are you from” “Do you travel much?” etc, etc. Follow these two questions up with a little personal information of your own that is interesting and you think they will be able relate to or find common ground with. And so now your half way home; and ready to hit it out of the park. Rule #3) Be cute, genuine and convincing. Take your cues from the great actors and actresses of the day. Give a genuine smile, make tons of sweet eye contact, laugh at all their jokes and bat your eyes whenever possible. Everyone has a story to tell; so tell it. In my studies of psychology, it’s a proven fact that the best way to build rapport with someone is to share your true self. Try to think of the funniest stories you have to tell, and your coolest moments, we all have a couple; and share them. If you can’t relate to this and you’re a complete geek or nerd, maybe telling a story about one of your coolest friends and making it your own is a good idea. I don’t suggest lying; but if all else fails and desperation creeps in; do whatever it takes. No man or women should be without love or romance in their life; it simply makes the world a better place to live in. Usually, travel romances are short term; so you can apply this tip if absolutely necessary, but definitely try to avoid it if there is the possibly of anything long term. All lies are eventually uncovered, so try your best to be a genuine person. Rule 4) Don’t say it; just suggest it in the most round about way possible. Everyone knows what “let’s go back to my place for a drink” means, or better yet “Let’s go to the beach and sit under the stars”. If you don’t know what I’m talking about here, then there may be no help for you; considering a monastic life might just be the right choice for you. Simply put, never try to close the deal until late in the fourth quarter. If it takes all the way until the morning, then so be it. Nobody wants anymore pressure then they already have in life and everyone wants to keep their op-out options available. So again, just say hi, be cute, be open, be suggestive, and attempt to get secluded. Rule 5) It’s the bottom of the ninth and the bases are loaded; it’s time hit it out of the park. So here is how to do it. To start with, you will need that moment when your eyes connect and there is no need for words. Don’t rush this moment, let it linger as if you’re looking into the eyes of your true long lost love. Next, pretend it’s the last kiss you might ever give in your entire life, the kiss a soldier or nurse gives to their love before going off to the war. A soft slow passionate kiss will never do you wrong. Forget sloppy tonsil hockey, sucking or biting until the third or fourth kiss. A first kiss will tell you almost everything you need to know, so go slow and don’t rush it. Make believe it was the best kiss of your life; even if they completely suck. From this point on just be as romantic and endearing as possible, and you might just get lucky. My last piece of advice is this. If the new found love in your life won’t go all the way, make the suggestion that you give them an orgasm any way they would like. Once someone has had one, they always eventually want another. If you give them one orgasm by whatever means possible, you will get sweet sex eventually, it’s just a matter of time; so remember rules # 4 and 5 in the morning they may just pay off with a grand slam. Stay tuned on this channel for the upcoming article on advanced techniques on fleeting love and romance on the road. If you have found this information useful drop me a comment below. P.S. If you’re still having problems then watch the movies Swingers and Roger Dodger until you know them by heart. They’re the bible when if comes to game of seduction.
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Tags: , ask, attaining, Boy meets Girl, boys, cute, eye contact, find love, fleeting, genuine, get laid, girls, guide, guides, how to, love, lovers, nightlife, on the road, orgasm, orgasms, passion, pick up lines, questions, romance, sex, sexual experience, suggestive, tips, travel, vacation
It’s Monday morning, the Giants just pulled off the biggest Super Bowl upset of all time; for obvious reasons I have no clear and decisive thoughts to share with my audience. So instead, I will rant randomly in a true nonsensical manner about everything I love to miss about Costa Rica. So forget about proper English for the moment; embark on this small voyage while my heart spews forth the rant of an inspired traveler. I miss the sheer and stark beauty of it all, the magnificent splendor of the sunsets; Feeling freedom deep within my soul. Not knowing or caring what time it is, and then finally figuring it out by looking at the position of the sun in the sky above: Everyone acknowledging your presence with a nod or smile; hearing Pura Vida time and time again. I miss longing for being soothed by the sounds of waves crashing upon the beach; to see the remarkable beauty of the sunrise and to feel the absolute openness of other people; just because it is right. Not knowing what the day will bring. Thinking that if I died it would be to the sound of new music in my ears while knowing all the strangers I see generally like me; and they don’t know why this is or care to figure it out; it is because it is. The feeling that I like them for no reason at all, because of the oneness shared by all: thus I miss knowing today will be remembered. Living a life devoid of routine while enjoying the gentle gawking cry of the gecko; the heart pounding desire within me to make this day special as my nose becomes filled with the enchanting smell of ocean while the warm sand tickles my toes. I miss enjoying the feeling of being completely happy and free for no reason at all; while being touched deeply by the random love in my heart and the heart of others: The cool refreshing waves daring me to push forward. Loving it all and not having to worry why; the true sensation of being lucky to be here at this moment; knowing no matter what that I will meet someone new on this special day, love sweet love. Knowing that the monkeys in the trees are living in peace and freedom: and that I’m making a small difference to the soul of the world by nourishing it with happiness by being, just being; by living, just living. I grave the Feeling of the now more then the present or past while loving each and every moment of my small existence to the maximum of its potential; Loving everything just a little bit more; expecting the world to taste better. Now, I am enjoying sharing with you this knowledge, and the knowledge that one day nostalgia will bring my soul back to Costa Rica. I miss it all; even simply writing in Costa Rica the true statement Pura Vida forever into my Moleskin journal.
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Tags: , beauty, costa rica, heart, I miss, inspired, knowledge, love, magnificent, miss, nostalgia, ocean, openness, past, poetry, present, random, rant, sand, soothed, soul, splendor, stark, sunset, the now, the world, things, time, travel, traveler, waves, writing
I remember sitting in my grade six classroom staring out the window dreaming of basketball, star wars, and my grade six crush. I looked around the classroom and wondered if any of the other kids were actually paying attention to what the teacher was saying. My wandering imagination has always been more fascinating to me then what most others had to teach. I would dream and fantasize constantly; paying little attention to the boring or mundane moments in life. Later on, I would learn this is the blessed curse of writers; a never ending imagination of possible wonders. I didn’t realize I wanted to be a writer till very late in life. The first piece of literature that broke open a little crack in the doorway was the poem Ulysses by Lord Alfred Tennyson. It was my grade twelve English class where I heard that inspiring piece for the first time. Incredibly, it was the first time that any piece of writing had any sort of affect on me. That moment inspired me to travel to Europe that summer for the first time; and that was simply the best decision I have ever made. I grew more in character that summer then I ever had before. I realized the world was a grand and vast place that I had yet to make my mark upon. As I traveled, my imagination seemed to stand still while I marveled at all Europe had to offer. Everything was so fresh and alive to me; I was seeing new things and different horizons. I took my first little step closer towards experiencing a few fleeting moments of enlightened that summer. I would return to Europe three years later to find my true self. I was in Corfu Greece sitting on a rock enjoying the splendor of the brilliant pink sunset. I made a list of everything I loved and hated about myself. I looked at it for a long time- and then threw it into the ocean. Then this absolutely overwhelming feeling of joy invaded my soul, and I wept with tears of joy for the first time in my life. I was happy to be who I was; and proud of the accomplishments that I had made. That cry was the best cry of my life: I was forever a changed man. Nothing could hold me back from returning to Europe that next summer. I needed to go back and sit on that very same rock to figure out what I want to do with my life. The question I put to myself was simple. If I could do anything at all, what would make me the happiest? The answer didn’t come to me at that moment sitting on my rock once again, but when I left Greece on a ferry ride to Italy; the answer came while gazing out at the never ending horizon and sunset before me. I was listening to Ben Harpers song ‘Give a man a home’ and I finally figure it out. I wanted to travel the entire world and write about my journey. That would make me the happiest man I could be. I knew that was the answer I was looking for more then I knew anything else on earth. I traveled up along the coast to arrive in Barcelona a couple of days later; there I received my first meeting with fate. I arrived in Barcelona very late at night and there wasn’t a bed to be found anywhere. I stored my backpack in a locker at the train station and headed to the beach to crash. I awoke miserably that morning, I searched everywhere for 5 hours to find a place to stay; the hot sun was pouring down on me and my heavy backpack was digging deeper and deeper into my shoulder. I had no luck at all. I was ready to give up and get back on the train, I decided to give it one more try and go back to a hostel that had put me on a waiting list. Finally, the hostel L’Auberge Palau had only one bed available; I quickly snatched it up. On my bed was a copy of The Pilgrimage by Paulo Coelho: a story about a sacred journey to Santiago Compostela in Northern Spain to become a new man and leave all the past behind. I decided it would become part of my journey and I traveled to that majestic place. In the cathedral of Saint James of Compostela; I felt the undeniable presence of god with me at the moment, and I knew that there was a higher source of power at work here on earth. When I returned home I quickly picked up a copy of Paulo Coelho’s famous book The Alchemist. I realized everything I would ever need to know about listening to my heart and chasing my dreams. I was the Shepard boy who loved to travel and was seeking his personal treasure by following his dreams. From that moment on, I dedicated my life to becoming a writer. It’s my greatest dream and personal legend. I had finally found what I was looking for; my destiny. Ulysses is still my favorite poem and The Alchemist my favorite book by my favorite writer. So there it is; the story behind my journey to become a travel writer. JMH P.S. If you’re an editor or publisher, then I probably want to write for you, so drop me a comment below.
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50 Cents said it best with “All the things they said you shouldn’t do: I did them.” Well, me to 50. I stood many times in the garden of forbidden fruit tasting each flavor: only then can you decide what fruits are right or wrong for you. I remember Kerouac boldly stating that the appeal to being a writer was having to live the biggest life possible. And
