Two years ago at the same time of year I was in Northern India. Tripping out of Thailand and into Malaysia I didn't expect to feel this odd bliss; like I'm back in India again! And not only am I paying 5 Ringet (R15) a meal for familiar Indian food such as delicious idly, southern Mysore dosas and even goolab jamooms, but I'm also paying 4 Ringet for gigantic coconuts from Chinese vendors and getting gifted with symbolic naartjies (clementines) as a sign for good luck for the new year.
I'm in Georgetown, Penang. It's a wild yet oddly graceful blend of Asia and India and even also parts of healthy European boutiques & eateries. I've only been here three days and already I'm falling in love with the country! A symbolic representation of true diversity. I might not yet have seen the looming dark underbelly but so far everyone is incredibly friendly and the lifestyle is cheap.
I've seen more than a few amazing innovations (see photos attached) already and the streets are clean and lined with bins. Drinking water is not too difficult to come by but the consumption level of plastic bottles is still worrisome. To my own horror , out of sheer dehydration and desire to avoid tropical diseases I've already bought a few bottles myself. But. When i can I fill up my trusty Trash Hero bottle from Koh Lipe, Thailand and feel better about myself in attempting to reduce my plastic karma!
The trip here was exhausting. I've been sick with weird pangs and pains and fever and slight delerium and it was difficult to be friendly, interesting or nice to anyone while on the journey. I was irritated by my own debilitation but it was a healthy exercise in learning to keep to myself and to observe and listen.
I spoke to a friend and teacher of mine last night and she reminded me that what happens within also happens without. We are as much emotional as we are physical and vice versa.
The past few weeks on Koh Lipe were taxing and transformational on all levels. Immense growth and learning and similar emotional upheavel and physical traumas. No wonder I felt so tired!
But I have to say, for the record, as much as the journey has been taxing and I've already said many goodbyes to astounding human beings, that I feel more alive now than I have in a long while.
My journey is looking brighter and brighter and more exciting. I'm ploughing forth on the journey of discovering how to live sustainably and to generate awareness about consumer consumption but I'm also healing my spirit and making use of my gifts as a connector, weaver, singer and writer. But the most important thing I seem to be doing currently is learning to trust my intuition. When I turn a corner I do it because it feels right, because it had a strange glow that the naked eye could barely catch, because down that street, under an Asian awning and inbetween tumbledown houses and mad street art,destiny and potential magic await !
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