Comments on yes and yes: The Art of Travel Zen

I'm new to your blog and I've enjoyed read...

2011-01-12T15:29:39.637-06:00

I'm new to your blog and I've enjoyed reading your posts. I had a moment while traveling in India. I went with a tour group that included my favorite yoga teacher and everything was as well organized as India is capable of, but one morning was hard for me. We went on a sunrise boat trip down the Ganges in Varanasi and passed the cremation ghats, lit flower votives and sent them down the river with prayers. But that wasn't the hard part. One the way back to the air conditioned bus, we were accosted by vendors. The one who latched on to me had nothing I wanted to buy so I didn't. But I offered him some money to take a picture with me. He did and when I gave him the bill, he asked for me. When I didn't give him more, he returned the money and asked me to delete the picture. After I got on the bus, I went to back, popped my iPod buds in and cried quietly. Who did I think I was? My yoga teacher passed by, saw me, and just hugged me. Crying was certainly necessary that day.

Eyeliah: You flatterer! ;) Thanks so much, lady. ...

2009-01-22T22:12:00.000-06:00

Eyeliah: You flatterer! ;) Thanks so much, lady. The feeling is mutual.

Dude, (I feel I can call you dude since you called...

2009-01-22T18:38:00.000-06:00

Dude, (I feel I can call you dude since you called me dude). Yours is fast becoming a favorite blog. I am not this witty in my dreams. Such thoughtful posts, I really appreciate them. :-)

Such a well-written, thoughtful post Sarah! I espe...

2009-01-22T12:05:00.000-06:00

Such a well-written, thoughtful post Sarah! I especially liked the "cry" pary :-)

This is an amazing post - If I ever actually get t...

2009-01-20T09:46:00.000-06:00

This is an amazing post - If I ever actually get to travel (maybe in a million years, lol) I'm certainly printing it out for my wallet!

wow great post. I agree with every single point yo...

2009-01-20T02:00:00.000-06:00

wow great post. I agree with every single point you made.

this post really brings me back to earth about tra...

2009-01-19T23:39:00.000-06:00

this post really brings me back to earth about traveling. i always get so freaked out about giving beggers money, but you make some amazing points. great post!!

These are so great.
I'm trying very hard to mak...

2009-01-19T23:03:00.000-06:00

These are so great.
I'm trying very hard to make this upcoming trip one of relaxation, and my compulsive planning tendencies keep creeping up on me...

I had a great cry yesterday that made everything so much better! You hit that point, you're bawling, and then you realize, this is as bad as it gets! Sometimes it just melts that stress right away...

This is great and so true! I'm planning to travel...

2009-01-19T22:07:00.000-06:00

This is great and so true! I'm planning to travel to Italy this summer and am trying to absorb every travel tip I can find. I'll definitely add your blog to my daily reads!

I love your tips. They're really refreshing and go...

2009-01-19T20:21:00.000-06:00

I love your tips. They're really refreshing and good. I grew up moving all over every 3 years so I'm used to accepting things are VERY different depending on where you go, but it still amazes me when I travel with friends and they get so upset about not being able to buy things like PB or thinking different habits are "strange." What do people expect, if it was all the same, why leave the States?

Fab advice!

I'm one of the weirdos who lov...

2009-01-19T19:50:00.000-06:00

Fab advice!

I'm one of the weirdos who loves to 'get lost' in a large strange city, and walk till I find my way to something familiar.... be it Tokyo... Paris... Rome :)

Erin: that is a great idea!

Tee: Wow. I ad...

2009-01-19T18:42:00.000-06:00

Erin: that is a great idea!

Tee: Wow. I admire your dedication to the map! That never even occurred to me!

Freya: Yes. I think this is the classic American travel mistake. 10 countries in 10 days! No. That doesn't count as travel. That counts as a death wish.

Hey Sarah! If I was the mental patient roommate on...

2009-01-19T18:34:00.000-06:00

Hey Sarah! If I was the mental patient roommate on your world ticket trip...well, fair enough.

You know what way more places have than you'd think? Radio stations that play American oldies. If you have a little portable radio or can tune in on your MP3 player, it's strange how much more at home you'll feel in a strange place when you can hear their foreign banter between comforting, familiar songs. Saved my brain in Copenhagen.

This was a great article! When I travel, I tend t...

2009-01-19T14:28:00.000-06:00

This was a great article! When I travel, I tend to over plan. In my backpack are pre-printed maps of all public transportation routes with phone numbers attached. I know where I want to go and how to get there.

This is all good and well until you realize you've missed some great memories from spontaneity.

Then again, when my husband found himself in an airport in San Jose for over an hour trying to figure out how to get to the hotel, he turned to his coworkers and said, "If my wife were here, we'd already be at the hotel, unpacked, and on our way to dinner."

I stay zen when travelling by taking it out on oth...

2009-01-19T13:11:00.000-06:00

I stay zen when travelling by taking it out on other people. Joking! Well - kind of. Maybe stopping by every single bakery I see and eating myself into a coma?

This is a perfect post and such a good reminder.
2009-01-19T12:01:00.000-06:00
This is a perfect post and such a good reminder.

I would also say to slow down. If you have three days, don't pretend like you can see an entire country, or even city. Pick two or three things a day, and don't drive yourself crazy if you don't see it all.

I'm mentally filing away all this advice for when ...

2009-01-19T11:36:00.000-06:00

I'm mentally filing away all this advice for when I leave in June or July...

I agree with when in doubt cry, I get really aggra...

2009-01-19T10:50:00.000-06:00

I agree with when in doubt cry, I get really aggravated when someone says "you have no reason to cry". Crying is a release and sometimes letting out the pressure makes you feel better.

This is SUCH a good article, I loved every word of...

2009-01-19T09:45:00.000-06:00

This is SUCH a good article, I loved every word of it! :D

Great post. Reading your blog reminds me how much...

2009-01-19T09:04:00.000-06:00

Great post. Reading your blog reminds me how much I love traveling. It's been a few years since I left the country...but I'm planning to backpack through Europe after college. Just..1.5 years left...

Honestly? Xanax. But that is only traveling in the...

2009-01-19T09:02:00.000-06:00

Honestly? Xanax. But that is only traveling in the United States, otherwise I would be the lady who needs to be strapped down in the plane.

This post is so true!especially the $3 means a lot...

2009-01-19T08:18:00.000-06:00

This post is so true!especially the $3 means a lot more to them. I went to the Dominican Republic and gave a kid a 5 dollar bill and he just started crying, it was a very tender moment, for me those 5 dollars might just mean, Mc nuggets and a coke for him it was food for his family.

I really wish I could just get my fears out and travel the world. It has being my dream since I have reason.

Great post! I really enjoyed reading this and need...

2009-01-19T07:52:00.000-06:00

Great post! I really enjoyed reading this and needed a reminder about a few of these things!

I totally agree about money vs memories. You can always make more money, but some of the opportunities that come along when you're travelling are not going to come around again!