Giant puckered bubbling steaming plopping anii aside.....

We finished up dinner amidst the lulling sounds of the pseudo-gypsy woman and her violinist friend caressing the nostalgia of the blind-drunk Russkys at the table next to us. And much glass breaking on the floor. And the stomping of aforementioned Russian businessmen staggering their way through traditional Russian dance moves. What can I say? We were inspired.

We last heard from the three young adventurers as they descended Five Fingers Mountain, after being charmed by a young shepherd with a million-dollar gold smile. The good times continue in…

Son of Baku. Long live Azerbaijan!

I know I've fallen off the 'blog wagon, and I heartily apologize to anyone who has been sweet enough to regularly check if I've written anything. Sorry, but this will be another whirlwind catching up entry. Just the facts to get everyone up to date. Stories will have to come later....

AzerbaiJAN! As in former Soviet Republik. As in oil boom on the Capsian Sea's left coast. As in.... a trickle of life in the West that warms my heart, fills my belly, and keeps me groovin' to post-Soviet techno-pop and cheesy hits from the 80s. Ah, a girl could spend a lifetime here!

No more mud for awhile. Put Ganesh to bed. Walked around a mountain. Lazing around Pondicherry.....

Yep, that's what I said, and it just about sums up the past two weeks. This is gonna be another long entry, and hopefully not too disorganized. I don't know if it's India, if it's because I've been in a specific community for a month, or what, but this month has thrown me more extremes than I've had to juggle in a long while. I bought a sari, and the first time I wore it the women and girls suddenly became my entourage. A local girl killed herself because her parents didn't approve of the boy she wanted to marry. Small children threw berries down for us to nibble on as three friends and I took a dip in an irrigation well to cool off from the heat. And more.....

Hey everyone, I'm alive! I've been in India for about 3 weeks now, and have totally slacked on the journal thing. Sorry. Anyway, I'm gonna try to type fast to catch everyone up on the past three weeks. Hold your calls, and buckle your seatbelts.....

Flying to India tomorrow morning. A bit nervous. A lot excited. Five days on my own before the course starts. What to do, what to do?? But first, what have I been up to these last couple of weeks in Thailand? Well....

Hey everyone, it's my brother's 31st birthday! HAPPY BIRTHDAY GABE!! An the cool thing is, it's his birthday here, but not yet his birthday there. Weird, ain't it? So everyone, close your eyes and hum him a happy birthday song right now, as you're reading this.... "happy birthday to you.... happy birthday TO you..... happy BIRTHday Valerie's big brother Gaaaaaabe.... HAPPY birthday to you....." (I wince at that high note that no one can ever hit, even while I'm typing it.) And now, a hopefully brief journal update....

A couple of days at Whispering Seed turned into a week. And what a fabulous week it was! After that, I headed east to Laos, and stopped off at my new friend Jo's farm for a few days. Pretty much all alone with water buffalo wandering past. Thank God for reading, bananas, yoga and meditation! Yeah, it's been an unexpected two weeks.