“...the symbolism and science of celestial eclipse attest to a provisional extinguishing of the light, inevitably followed by its welcome resurgence" - The Book of Symbols

The darkness is always followed by light. Nature teaches us that, and millions of us we're able to witness that today. I wept as the moon and sun aligned to bring out the night sky and the mystical colors on the mountains today in Sisters, Oregon. A place where only two weeks ago I wept as this community celebrated the life of Taylor. I thought of a poem her sister read at the service, “A butterfly lights beside us, like a sunbeam... and for a brief moment its glory and beauty belong to our world... but then it flies on again, and although we wish it could have stayed, we are so thankful to have seen it at all". I thought of this again when Ellie passed away, searching for memories of her in her glory and beauty, and searching for the light that had to be there from the darkness of losing her. And now I think of this today, having my world rocked witnessing the eclipse and wishing it would last a second more but rejoicing in gratitude for having the experience at all. I've had dreams about the eclipse all week and now that it's happened I am aware of its significance, not only in my life but in the lives of the millions of people coming together, for a moment to be still in absolute awe. A sublime reminder that we are a part of this larger system, the cycle of existence on a massive scale. I felt the spirits of those no longer with us still present in the surreal moments of the morning, and it was beautifully healing. To experience the emotions of death and rebirth mirrored by the most spectacular celestial death and rebirth event I'll ever witness... it was all aligned. Today I am grateful as I embrace the light, the dark, and the inevitable resurgence of light. 

This morning I was driving on I-84 outside of Boise when about a hundred feet in front of me I saw a car flipping and pin-balling across the four lane highway. I felt my heart drop like a weight into my stomach and tears immediately rushed to my eyes—I thought I was watching someone die.

I imagine this was my first thought because of how raw the deaths of two of my friends are... wild Taylor Nieri and sweet Ellie Bartlett. Both in the past month, both in tragic car accidents. Both of who I am still very much so grieving. 

I pulled over to the left side of the highway behind a couple other cars which had done the same. Without thinking, I felt my body turn on my flashers, grab my phone, unbuckle, and make my way across the highway. On the opposite side, two men were helping a girl in a green dress out of the upside down car. She was screaming and crying, and when they sat her down, I found myself hustling to sit right by her side. I asked if there was anyone else in the car and she shook her head between tears. One of the men called 911 and another took her pulse and I rubbed her back and instinctually said, "everything's going to be okay". 

Miraculously, she wasn't hurt other than a scratch on her ankle and a bruise on her elbow. I even heard myself say that it was a miracle she was alive. She was very shooken up and said she needed to call her mom, so I gave her my phone and she made the quick call. She sobbed out that she was clipped by a semi and her car spun out and flipped multiple times, that she was okay, and that she was sorry. I was surprised by that one... she had just been hit and could've died and yet she was apologizing? I understood though, when I reflected back to being hit on my bike in India, and the first word out of my mouth was "sorry". And now it's a word I've heard so often in the past month of grieving these two girls. Maybe it's what we instinctively say when we just have no other words.

Two police arrived and asked her what happened. She told them her name and age (nineteen!) and explained how a semi was changing lanes behind her, clipped the back of her car which initiated a series of skids and flips, eventually landing her upside down on the opposite side of the highway. She cried and repeated that it was so scary. 

I told them I didn't see what happened but that we called her mom who lived nearby and was on her way.

They asked if she could remember anything about the truck and all she could remember was that it was white and maroon. She said she wishes she could remember more. The asshole just drove off :(

I sat with her and talked briefly, holding her hand and taking deep breaths. She was so scared and sad and upset about her car. I couldn't help but open up to her... "I feel compelled to share with you that in the past month I've lost two friends in two separate car accidents. I know things seem bad right now. And you're so lucky to be alive. It's such a blessing that you're okay". She squeezed my hand and nodded.

At some point the paramedics came and I scooted away so they could do an assessment. She bravely repeated the story and turned down the ambulance ride when they offered. Still they walked her over to it and inside to continue to monitor her. The police asked where I was parked and said they'd help get me across to my car. But I knew she wanted her phone so I ducked down besides the totaled car and followed an aux cord to an iPhone, playing a song from the Moana soundtrack.

I walked it over to the ambulance where she sat with a blanket around her shoulders and handed it over, saying I found it and that I was probably about to leave. She took it, then my hand, and looked me in the eyes for the first time. She said, "thank you, so much, for everything," and a paramedic nodded. I told her I was so happy she was okay. We smiled and I walked away. 

I sat near her car on the concrete highway barrier and watched the slow traffic as my thoughts sped up, trying to make sense of it. What was the significance of it all? How come I happened to be there? What are the fking chances? And all of this just after two of my friends were in fatal car accidents. What message could I interpret from all of this?

The police helped stop traffic so I could get across to my Jeep, which I had never even turned off. I buckled and steadily merged back into traffic. And it was over.

But it wasn't, my mind was racing about what had just happened. How random, yet entirely not random. How fragile our lives actually are. I thought of how scared she was and how instinctually I stepped in and next to that fear. I just hoped my friends didn't have to feel too much fear before it was over.

I don't remember either of them being afraid, ever. Or at least they didn't live their lives by it. Taylor was never afraid to lead a route or climb the highest or get naked in front of total strangers. Ellie was never afraid of what others thought of her latest hair/clothing style, or to go on solo adventures, or to downhill mountain bike faster than anyone. 

They certainly were never afraid of driving to get to those adventures. So what choice did I have? I could live in fear everytime I entered a car, or I could live like them. Fearless. Choosing to LIVE and be FREE and BRAVE and WILD. 

I remembered an important quote, that bravery isn't the absence of fear. It's acknowledging all the fears and still doing it. Knowing the risks of falling off the rock or wiping out or being vulnerable in front of others. But the greatest fear of all would be to NOT do something because of fear. To let that force be stronger than love. 

I think this is what Taylor and Ellie would want. For us to be brave, and to not live any bit less because they can't, but rather to live extra. To go bigger and harder and wilder. And to also be more loving, and open, and graceful to one another. We definitely need some of that right now.

I have been embracing the duality of light and dark throughout this month. When something horrible and shitty and sad happens, it's hard to see past its horribleness and shittiness and sadness. And I have to believe that there is something that can grow out of the space that they left us with... it has to. I suppose I am starting to find the lightness in this, shining through the breaks in my heart, inspiring me to move forward. To not sit too still and too long in the darkness, but to talk and share and cry and laugh and live. 

So today I moved, I moved across traffic to a scene where I feared the worst, yet left with faith and hope. Faith that I can get behind the wheel of a car without being struck with fear. Hope that I can live for those who can't, and that we can shine on the everlasting light of Tay and Bart every single day. 

[most of the following was written a month ago but I'm only getting around to finishing and posting it now... more to come!]

As suspected, my quick 3-day stop back in Auroville flew by... But I loved every second of it. Have you ever lived somewhere a while and then been able to show it to someone else for the first time? When I have these experiences I often find a new appreciation for the place, and this proved true as I shared Auroville with Kelsey. Arriving back to the International House was very special, filled with hugs and excitement, and also a sense of subtle change. Most of the guests were different from the last time I was there so I had some new faces to learn in addition to the old.

Kelsey and I went next door for a farm-fresh lunch thali then we relaxed in our shared room. We rented a moped to share which took us to Pondicherry the next day.

Kelsey was new to this area of India so it felt special to introduce her to the city which was my introduction to India! She was in her element snapping pictures along the promenade of the colorfully dressed women.

We went to the Sunday Market and I bought some gifts and spices before going to a late lunch with Kelsey and Sumit. We cruised back from there and I said bye to Pondy for a while... But it still wasn't really hitting me that I was leaving. I had to put all my focus on not crashing the moped with Kelsey on the back as I navigated the now familiar city streets.

That night we went with friends to the beach at dusk and watched the waves and the moon.

 After an hour or so we decided to go get some dinner, but right when we were walking up to our bikes I couldn't seem to find the key. I didn't panic but I was definitely worried that I had just dropped the only access to our poor rental moped in the sand. Somewhere. I searched my bag and Kelsey began to look around with her phone light, and somehow magically found it in the sand nearby half-buried 😳 WHOOPS that was a close one. But another crisis averted! Pizza dinner, then chai and games with the ever-growing International House crew, then a good night's rest.

I got up early to get ready for the farm and reunite with Pierre, Debu, and Nitin, my little farm family. 

It was so good to be back, I spent more time at this farm than anywhere else during my one at Auroville so it holds a very special place in my heart and it contributed daily to my growth. I loved seeing the subtle ways in which the operations and plants had shown growth since I had last been there. I had nothing but gratitude to spread to it all, and planted the final sprouts that I would here, wishing them a safe journey.

After breakfast, Nitin helped me package seeds from the farm for gifts and gardening back home, so a taste of Shambhala will grow back in the states as well! I went for one last chai with them before heading to the Matrimandir for one final visit.

I arrived after they had closed the door, but thankfully the kind people working there let me enter. I was instructed to slowly walk towards the door at the base of the globe to set off the sensor and it would slide open, and sure enough like out of some futuristic movie this massive gold curved door slowly slid underneath the opening as I walked the steps up to the entrance. I felt welcomed, and knew the Mother's grace allowed me to be there this day. I walked the ramps up to the meditation chamber alone, and entered with a pounding heart and gratitude to return to this special place.

The following day was my last day at the school was filled with play and laughs and hugs and lots of little hands waving goodbye. I'll never forgot those sweet little faces and mischievous personalities.

 The teachers and I were tearing up as we parted ways, likely to never see each other again but still filled with a deep sense of connection and care for one another. 

The hardest goodbyes happened that evening back at the International House.  The sweet family who ran the place had been like my extended family throughout my stay. The daughter asked if we could bake some cookies together on their small wood stove, so that's how we spent our last evening together. Sumit and Kelsey were there to help as well, and I stress-ate cookie dough as I kept checking the gate for my (late) taxi to Chennai. 

When it finally pulled up, I scooped up my bags and gave my final hugs and met my eleven-fingered taxi driver. He showed me the extra pinky finger on his left hand and told me how it meant he was lucky/blessed/etc. He picked up an older French musician and drove the two of us to the Chennai airport, where we split the fare and parted ways. It was really happening. I smoothly navigated my way through the familiar airport, wondering when I'd be here again. I switched into travel mode and mentally prepared for the three flights ahead of me, taking me only to familiar places now. 

• • •

If you're reading this, thanks for sticking with me. I have now spent over a month back in the states and this post was long overdue. But the real overdue one is still in the works... I hope to write more of an update and reflection on the trip as a whole, now that I'm back in the land of drinking tap water and breathing cool air. Stay tuned :) 

There's something I really love about train travel in India. I find it to be my favorite form of transportation while I'm here, and a quintessential India experience. It's direct, no need to deal with winding roads or traffic, requires very little effort, a lot of beautiful scenery, and it's cheapcheap. It's amazing how popular train travel is in India compared to the west... it inspires me to seek out this transportation more in my life because it honors both the journey and the destination.

I arrived at the Canacona train station around noon and decided to walk the nearly 3km to Patnem Beach, which turned into a combo of me walking and hitching two motorbikes to cut down on the distance. I found myself on the beautiful Goan beach and walked along looking for Kelsey. After only a couple minutes I saw her and called out and then I was having my next beautiful beach reunion!

More than anyone in my life, I have the most similar overlap of locations lived/visited as Kelsey Hayden. We're both from Colorado, about an hour apart from one another. We both went to college at the U of O. Both traveled through SE Asia after college, in fact her trip really inspired and helped me to take on my trip that following year. It was almost no surprise when we discovered we'd be in India at the same time! 

Kelsey was finishing up a challenging and meaningful month at a yoga teacher training course in southern Goa. When I arrived all she had left to do was attend her final ceremony that evening, so after some lunch with a couple of her friends at Patnem, we went back so they could get ready. I felt so blessed to get to stay with her in her lovely cottage and also to witness their heart-touching ceremony.

(Easily the nicest accommodation I'd had in a while!)

It was so sweet catching up with Kelsey. To hear all about her journey thus far and to see my own experiences of overcoming hardships reflected back... Traveling India is no easy feat and to share that experience with someone who I've shared so many other experiences with gave me a sense of recognition and home.

The next morning I woke up naturally early and decided to do some yoga in the shala. Some of the other new teachers trickled in and invited me to join them in a big 108 sun salutations practice. 108 is a sacred number and completing this many sun salutations (cycles of about 5 yoga positions) brings a powerful and spiritual energy to a space. So I went for it! We all flowed together through cycles of 10, pushing through pain and sweat and doubt to one of the most memorable and profound hours of yoga of my life. Those final 8 rounds felt so satisfying, and led me to the best savansana rest I can ever remember. Not a bad way to start the day!

After packing and breakfast, Kelsey and I moved down to Agonda Beach for the day. We split a room near some other folks from her course then we all had relaxing beach time together!

Soaking up the sun before heading back to rainy Portland! We had a very chill day filled with good food and great conversations. 

Horseback rider and cricket games on Agonda beach...

That evening we bought some fruit for the morning and booked a cab to the airport. We had a 7am flight from Goa to Chennai, meaning we had to leave the guesthouse around 4am. Despite the very early wake up, the day went smoothly and we arrived into that familiar Chennai airport. It was my first time out of many arriving here domestically and I was surprised how comfortable it all was to me... And smaller somehow. I think I've been growing.

I ran into a wonderful woman who I'd previously met in Auroville and she was returning there from Goa as well. She shared a taxi with Kelsey and I down the coast and we had lovely talks about our experiences. Getting closer to Auroville felt a bit surreal. It was a homecoming, a return to the source, and the final resting stop of all the places my soul had been over the past three months. Auroville welcomed us with that familiar warmth (figurately and literally) and it felt so good to be "home" one last time before going "home" ❤️❤️

After a quick shower, pack, and charge at Goan Corner, I set off on foot across the island as the colors of dusk set in. Ran into a friend who gave me a motorbike ride part of the way! I got to the pick-up spot early so I split some snacks with the rickshaw driver and got some quick calls in to the parents.

We drove to Hospet (I say "we" because this driver also let me operate the rickshaw for a beat haha) and boarded the sleeper bus. I opted to save a couple bucks by sleeping in a reclining chair as opposed to the beds, but surprisingly I still got some solid rest. We transferred at about 4am to a minibus and got into Gokarna town about 45 min later. The minibus driver was offering to take folks the extra 6km to Om Beach for 100 rupees each, which was a good deal compared to the 200-250 the tuktuks would charge. Unfortunately no one else wanted in on this deal so the driver wasn't game to take only me, and after some failed pleading, I was out on the dark streets.

But some good fortune struck, about 10 steps later I asked a young Indian guy on a motorbike if he could give me a ride to Om Beach and he instantly agreed. As we rode there and talked, I learned he was from Hampi and was related to a local climber I had met just days before! Such a sweet coincidence, and immediately affirmed this spontaneous transportation choice. My new friend explained he was taking a couple weeks to travel around Karnataka by bike before heading home to Hampi. We arrived at Om Beach and I kept trying to thank him for the ride, and he kept thanking me for keeping him company. We walked down the steps to the beach and hopped around on some rocks before settling for some snacks and the sunrise.

After checking out some tide pools, I figured it was light enough to head down the beach and look for a chai or a guesthouse. Again the chai came first, and I sat taking in the peace and quiet and waves. And cows.

Hi.

After checking out a few different places, I settled on a simple spot at the end of the beach called Rasta Cafe where I negotiated a simple room for Rs.250. I promptly took a nice long nap to make up for any sleep I'd lost overnight.

By noon I was sunscreened up setting out on my first adventure. I hiked up and over the south end of the beach along a cool little jungle trail with some spectacular ocean vistas.

I came down first to Half Moon Beach which to my surprise was clean and void of any other people! I took a refreshing first dip in the Indian Ocean and let the warm salt water hold me. 

I was tempted to stay here for lunch, but I met a couple returning to Om Beach from Paradise Beach and they gave me some pointers, so I followed their instructions to what I discovered to actually be Paradise!

A beach accessible only by hiking or boat attracts rustic backpackers from all over the world to set up camp in tents and hammocks among the shady palm trees. In the past couple years, some locals have begun coming here during the day to make food and sell fruit to the travelers and daytrippers. I enjoyed a yummy thali lunch plate provided by three sweet sisters from Gokarna, and their delicious chai, for less than I would have paid for a lunch anywhere else in the area. Plus having interesting conversations and learning from interesting travelers was a lovely bonus. 

Exploring around Paradise I found my friend and roommate from vipassana, Carmen, nestled into a nice camp just above the beach! Another sweet surprise and we-couldn't-have-planned-this-better coincidence! 

Not a bad place to live off the beaten path... Carmen told me about a natural spring within short walking distance for refilling bottles, making this beach even more livable for extended periods of time. The last couple places I've stayed haven't had filtered water available for the guest to refill bottles, and it's actually been paining me to my core to have to buy bottled water. Partially because I feel like such a fool for losing my camelbak bottle for purifying water (mentioned in a previous post), and mainly because there's too much damn plastic polluting our poor planet and it's completely unnecessary. So I have been seeking out any way possible to refill my bottles instead of buying water.

Afterwards Carmen and some of her friends were going for a swim and I joined in. The sea was getting more rough than earlier, and in an attempt to body surf into the shore, the ocean decided she would body surf me IN to the shore... Dragging me along the sand and tumbling me around in the break :(

OUCH. That event kind of ended my dreams of relaxing ocean swims... I rinsed it with clean water and joked with Carmen about impermanence (the theme of our vipassana course) and felt really glad to have a friend at that moment. She gave me some iodine for the wounds and her friend have me a hit of a joint and then I laughed my way back to Om Beach. I washed up and a nice woman who I'd met earlier at my guesthouse helped play nurse on my stillverymuchso open wound. She poured some kind of disinfecting liquid on a pad and cleaned it out and holy hell nothing has ever felt more painful! I would have screamed if I wasn't already biting into a tshirt with all my might. But slowly the thing has been healing with no signs of infection so I have to believe it was worth it.

The next day I hiked back over to Paradise for another delicious thali, chai, and chillin. 

Common Paradise Beach scene! Carmen and her girlfriend met traveling a couple years ago and have spent their time together backpacking around the world, funding themselves by selling macrame jewelry. And they are so sweet and seem so simply happy... it's inspiring :) 

I made it back before sunset and found a seat among the rocks to meditate and wish the sun goodnight.

The next morning was the day that three of my friends from our Goan Corner adventures were arriving! Shortly after 6am I started walking down the beach to try to find them, and at the exact same time they were heading up the beach having just arrived after their overnight travels. As soon as we recognized each other we began running towards each other and embraced and spun around and laughed and hugged some more! Like a magic movie moment! 😂

The day before I had scoped out a better guesthouse and they were even kind enough to check in us weary travelers at 6:30am. Rooms were only 400, so Evie and I split one and Ralph and Matt split another to save some rupes. They went for a morning swim while I did yoga then we all had breakfast at the guesthouse beachfront restaurant. It was very conducive to relaxing, reading, chatting, napping, but eventually we moved out to the beach. To do more of the same. But with a beach around us.

I haggled a fruit seller for a pineapple to share and finished a book and taught the crew how to play my favorite card game. I realized how I rarely allow myself to "do nothing" during the day. If it wasn't for my friends having a rest day, I probably would have pushed myself to do more activity for the day. Between getting that scrape and traveling around more, part of me was asking for a laidback, low-activity day. And it was sooo good for the soul!

After more yoga and a shower, I climbed around on some rocks to find a spot to meditate for the sunset. The police saw me out on this far left steep rock and beckoned me back down so I had to settle for this average view.. ;)

That night we all shared and devoured a big family-style meal of Indian food and quite a few Kingfishers... My last night with them together being the excuse, and it was a blast. I was feelin silly. After the restaurant closed, I still had a lot of energy. I explained to the crew how I'd skinny dipped in every country is been in expect India, and you can guess where that led! We all went skinny dipping out in the ocean and became instantly mesmerized by the bioluminescent plankton illuminating our every motion! With the lights below and the stars above and the friends all around, I was completely blissed out! It was a absolutely magical way to end my time in Gokarna. 

The next morning we all had a final meal together before I had to head out for Goa.

Evie, Ralph, Matt... If you're reading this, I miss you loads and thanks for showing me a brill time!

I shared a tuktuk to the train station with another couple from the guesthouse. Even though I didn't get to say bye to her, I saw Carmen on the road a ways out of town, walking alongside a cow and talking to it casually. I like to hold this image as the last one I'll have of her :)

I booked the train for a cheeeap Rs. 25 and waited for the hour-delayed train on the platform.

It finally pulled up and I loaded up with my eyes and heart set on Goa! The journey continues!

Hampi continued to deliver as I found my way into the climbing scene via Goan Corner. I arrived midday and checked into my spot, one of about twenty beds on the roof terrace for only Rs.200 ($3) a night.

Backpacker style... Making my own bedside porridge! 

My first day here was restful and not too social as I eased from cave life into my more extroverted self. I met up with a friend from my vipassana course, kind Tilla from Hungary, who was staying on the main/temple side of the river. We ordered a delicious dinner which the chef agreed to show us how to make, making it that much more delicious.

We walked amidst boulders and temples and monkeys and tourists to a sunset overlook. I could barely make out the rock outcrop where the caves were under last light of the disappearing sun. 

I met up with her again the following morning for a sunrise hike. After a short, steep climb we found ourselves overlooking the entire valley from all directions. We nestled into our own meditation/yoga spaces and I flowed with the rising sun. After a bit we shared some fruit and explored the temple at the top of the hill.

The views in Hampi are unbeatable, I was in constant awe no matter which direction I looked. Hampi gives off this ancient energy... From a geology standpoint, it's one of the oldest exposed surfaces on the earth and the unique balancing boulders are a result of over a billion years of weathering and erosion. It's no wonder that historic civilizations were drawn to this area to create beautifully carved temples for deities over the centuries. I often found myself so humbled by this landscape and felt as if I had woken up thousands of years in the past, to a simpler time.

Goan Corner is named after a classic bouldering problem (made famous by pro-climber Chris Sharma in a movie) and sits among other awesome boulders just above the rice fields and guest houses on a rock plateau. The whole area is brimming with high quality bouldering problems for all skill levels and is considered the largest bouldering area in the WORLD. I don't doubt it, there are boulders as far as the eye can see, with some of the best being no more than a ten minute walk from the hostel. For climbers of the world, this place is the mecca.

After going up to the climbing plateau one evening, I had met nearly everyone I'd be climbing with that whole week. It became a routine to meet at 6am to get on rock before the sun was up, watch the sunrise with the warm-up routes, eventually having to climb in the shade or head back for breakfast. Midday would be too hot so evening climbing would start again around 5 and continued through the sunset, and even into the dark with headlamps occasionally! That meant there was plenty of time in the middle of the day for perusing the guidebook, slacklining, napping in hammocks, reading, exploring temples, swimming, and more! But mainly relaxing ;)

I even led an informal yoga class for about 6 folks one morning and got a bunch of positive feedback! I want to get back into the space where I'm confidently teaching, so maybe another yoga teacher training is on the horizon for me. Another day I spent an hour playing 4-on-4 volleyball games with all guys and tried to hold my own, and our team only lost by a couple points! Plenty of fun ways to pass the days :)

Late start morning, ft. Pug

I was amazed at skill of some of the climbers I met... Many of who were traveling purely for climbing and had a deep passion for the sport. I hadn't climbed in probably four months so I was a bit rusty, but I found others around my skill level and we worked together on a lot of the same projects. 

Nothing beats being on these stunning granite outcrops for both sunrise and sunset everyday, surrounded by local and international climbers, kids selling chai out of thermoses, temple music and bird calls echoing in the rocks, and the adrenaline rush of topping out on countless beautiful boulders!

Found myself in my element in these elements! 

My final day in Hampi was one for the books. Had some proper sends in the morning, including a fun highball climb that I flashed, down-climbed, and supported three other friends to overcome their fears and do the same! (Ask me for translation from climbing lingo ;) )

We had some well-earned breakfast and about 9 of us headed into town to rent motorbikes. I drove one with my friend Evie on the back and surprised myself with my confidence with operating it over the bumpy roads.. it was such a blast. We arrived at the base of Anjaneya Hill and climbed the 575 steps to the "Monkey Temple" at the top, dedicated to the monkey warrior god Hanuman, who according to Hindu mythology was born on top of this hill. 

And it is actually covered in monkeys!

But in the middle of the day, the heat was nearly unbearable and the rock surface was burning our bare feet so we didn't stay long. As we walked along the top exclaiming "oh, ah, ee!" Evie joked that's how the monkeys got the sounds they make haha! We quickly cruised down, seeking some relief from the heat. We had gotten word of a (possibly corocodile-infested) lake that was nice for swimming so we headed there. We crossed over a dam (okay so maybe it's a dammed river, not a proper lake) and found a sandy beach. And it was lovely! No crocodiles, only a few people (at first), little trash/debris, and niiiice cool water!

After a couple hours of floating, playing, and dancing, we headed back into town for dinner. To top off a delicious meal, my mate Ralph found a puppy and the momma! It doesn't get better than this... I had the most touching goodbye yet, filled with hugs and kisses and smiles and a big full heart.

Hampi was a dream come true for so many reasons. I was reminded how energized I get by being around friends, even ones I've only known for a short time, and to have big belly laughs on the daily! I felt open and joyous and free and filled with love. And that's made all the introspection and loneliness and isolation worth it, because I now get to celebrate in the extoversion and friendships and free-flowing fun!

Bring on the next dance :)