Better then a dream

I have wanted to travel to Bali for years.......not really knowing why, or what was pulling me to this corner of the world. Now that I am here, I understand. It is everything I had imagined it to be....and more. Temple after Temple.....offerings that the people leave each day...are left every where. It is the most spiritual place I have ever been. The Balinese belief in the forces of the invisible world motivates these offerings, that are created with the intention of thankfulness, and love. Their devotion is inspiring. The people laugh and smile....all of the time. The food.....is amazing, and really inexpensive, and the jungle/rice field landscape is breath taking. The only down side is that is is very crowded right now since it is high season.

To catch you up to speed.....we are staying in the village Sayan, which is walking distance to the city of Ubud. We rented a sweet little house, that is cared for by Wayan, and Nyoman.They made us feel so welcome, and have been a huge help. A few of the photos posted show the open air yoga studio on the bottom floor of the house, the swimming pool, and our home alter, which Jack and I have been placing an offering at each day.

On our first day here, we went to the Monkey forest in Ubud. The monkeys are everywhere, and come right up and take bananas out of your hand. The little ones will even sit on your lap if you let them. Jack was in heaven! This isn't a zoo people, they are not contained, but choose to live here......probably do to all the food they get for free! They could run the streets of Ubud if they wanted to. We visited several temples, which require a sarong and sash to enter. Jack was cute as can be in his green sarong, and is fully soaking up this new culture. He even had his first foot massage the other day, and wants another as soon as possible! Massages and reflexology are also really inexpensive. Getting to know money system (rupees) will take some time. 8500 rupees equals 1 US dollar, so price tags are in the hundred thousands to millions.

Today, July 16th is the most important holiday here, Kuningan, symbolizing the victory of Daharma (virtue) upon Adhama ( evil). Everyone dresses In their finest clothing, and the celebration lasts all day and all night. I am so grateful to be here for this! We will also be here for the kings mothers funeral in August. They are building a huge tower, that they will burn her body in. The photo of it being constructed is mixed in with this batch.

Today is also special for me, because my friend Jessica arrives for her week long visit with us. There is much to do and much to say, but right now we are headed out to witness these beautiful people celebrating Kuningan.









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Bali Indonesia.....Here we come

I am blogging this from the airport in Seoul Korea. We are half way to our destination in Bali, with a ......13 hour........(painful) lay over. We can't leave the air port, so we are keeping amused with fantastic people watching, catching up on e-mails, and will even break out some school books to pass the time......yes thats right.....my teacher hat is back on for the duration of this trip to keep my boy amused. Although traveling to Bali itself with be an education, for all of us.

Our return to life on land has been a basket of mixed emotions. It was so good to walk into my home and yoga studio after nearly a year at sea. Seeing family, friends and neighbors, and feeling their embrace was, at times overwhelming. I realized how much I really really like my life, and how blessed I am to know so many wonderful people. In addition to the people.....the food....the abundance...the ease of it all...... there really is no place like home. I even teared up as I walked into Whole Foods Market! I didn't go so far as kissing the Kale, or hugging the Pea Sprouts, but I did want to! The colors and smells were intoxicating. I could have spent all day in the produce section, just marveling at the choices. By day 7, I was fine with the idea of never stepping one foot on a boat of any kind ever again.

And then.........

On our last day home, we drove up to Santa Barbara with all of our boys. Seeing the Channel Islands off in the distance made my heart skip a beat. There is something about the ocean that pulls me to her very edge, and I can not imagine a life without her in some capacity. Did I really live on a boat and sail to the very end of Mexico? It all seems like a dream......but the change that has taken place within myself feels very real and tangible. I can only describe it as a clarity, an awareness, which, can be a double edged sword at times. Seeing things as there are, and not as I would like them to be is not easy.

Stepping off the crazy treadmill of life for a year has been a powerful experience. Living so close to nature, being in tune with the ocean and her waves that have washed and cleared so many things that have kept me blind to what is, has truly been a gift. I can only hope that I continue to live and breath from this place of clarity......and strength.

Our trip to Indonesia holds more lessons, which I am ready to receive and embrace, what ever they may be. I completely trust in the flow and process of life in this moment. And in two months, when this journey is over, home sweet home, I will happily go.

Espirtu Santo and Partida and the future plan

The islands Espirtu Santo and Partida are national marine parks, located just 20 miles from La Paz. It offers a cruiser the perfect playground to frolic in crystal clear warm water and on beautiful white sandy beaches. Our new favorite place to drop our anchor is a sweet cove called Ensenada Grande. Right around the corner from this cove is Los Islotes, which hosts a sea lion colony. There are many snorkel tours and divers that arrive here daily from La Paz, so the sea lions are quite familiar with humans splashing around in their domain, and they don't seem to mind at all. It was a bit intimidating jumping into the water with them at first, because they come right up to you, and then dash away as fast as they appeared! Patrick and Jack logged many dives from this sweet rock. It ranks as their number one favorite dive spot in the sea at this moment. I snorkeled, and hands down, it was the best place I have ever snorkeled. In addition to the Sea LIons, there are huge schools of fish of all different shapes and sizes. I have not dove since Puerto Escondido ( I miss you Terry!) It's not that I don't want to. The complication is that I don't have the getup to dive since I really never thought I ever would (BC, Tank, Regulator...ect) so I snorkel above them, and the water is so clear here that I can see them even when they are 45 feet below me!

Los Islotes now holds another special meaning for me and Jack. I released my fathers ashes here on Fathers Day. He passed away in October, and my sons, Alex and Blake brought me his ashes when they came to Ixtapa for the holidays. I had been waiting for the right place to let him go, and for what ever reason, It just seemed like the right time and place to do so.

Since the last post, much has occurred aboard Santosha. Patrick and I turned another year older, we experienced our first hurricane to keep on eye on, which never put us in any danger, it just made listening to the morning weather a bit more exciting. We also met a great family that we have been having so much fun with (M/V Contominium) Rich, Lynn and Bryce, who is Jacks age. Bryce also happens to be a packers fan.....being a girl from Wisconsin, need I say more?

And now for the future........a decision has been made...... We do not plan to continue on with our sailing plans next season. When we return from Bali in September, Jack will head back to Aspen for the 5th grade. I will head back to my mat to teach yoga....and Blake will move back in with us. He has been having a very hard time living on his own, and this is the primary factor in this decision. He still needs his Mom, and it is a need I am happy and lucky to fill. There are several other reasons (the daily homeschool battle ground being one) and we all agree that a year at sea has been enough. It is a mixed bag of emotions in this moment. Typing this out loud fills me with a sadness to be leaving this life behind, and yet so excited and thrilled to be returning to my wonderful life at home. We will leave Santosha in Mexico, and figure out when and how to get her home. As for the captain....he says he has no plans...so he will continue the cruising life on land I guess.

We all feel so grateful that we had and took this opportunity to live on our boat and sail from California to the end of Mexico. We have made so many new friends, which we plan to stay in touch with....and you know who you are.....the front door to our house will always be open for you to come visit and play, renew your visas, ect., any time...and we hope you do.......Seriously!

This entire experience has yet to be unpacked. I am sure when we make our re entry into our old way of being, it will be clear how much we have changed. And the trip to Bali will hold a few more lessons as well I am assuming.....so the journey isn't over yet. My good friend Jessica is joining us in Bali for 10 days, and I am so looking forward to spending time with this very special soul in a place like this. To have her with me is just icing on this decedent cake that will complete this one year journey.

Now it's time to get to work. We are back in La Paz and prepping Santosha for her rest this summer in hurricane land. While Patrick works on her outsides (taking down the sails and rigging, ect. ect,) I'll work on her insides, making sure we don't return to any unwanted crew when we bring her home (cockroaches).

Enjoy these last pictures from our journey at sea. Next post and photos will be from Ubud, Bali, Indonesia!!!





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