time... mid-week quote

time... still on my mind.



and on that note, happy new yeeeeeaaaaaar!!!!!

not just temples...

november 2014, chiang mai, thailand... all photos by me

continuing into the new year

i never was really big on those new years resolutions… but every year around this time i do find myself thinking about what they could/should be. this year, too. and again i decided to not set rules or goals for myself, that i may or may not honor for more than a couple of months…. instead i decided to continue, or further develop trades that i like about myself or others, and things that have worked for me. such as…

…. smiling

…. seeing the beauty that surrounds me

…. trusting the universe

…. being kind to myself (being healthy is a big part of that. but the definition, as well as my interpretation on what “healthy” means and hoooow healthy is healthy, is ever-changing……)

…. being open to people

…. taking risks (a post is in the making on that subject)

.... respecting mothernature

... inspiring others, in any kind of way (i don't know if i already do... but it's definitely one of my biggest goals in life)

... being close to my family, that i am so lucky to have

me in khao sam or yot national park, kui buri district prachuap khi khan, thailand

(yes i have way more pics where that one came from)

meet my thai-grandma

in my series of "beauties", i wanted this special lady to get her own post.... i met her in khao luang national park in nakhon si thammarat province, thailand. even though we did not speak a word of the each other's language we both immediately fell in love with echother.... especially after discovering our shared love for bracelets.

 i met her in khao luang national park in nakhon si thammarat province, thailand. even though we did not speak a word of the each other's language we both immediately fell in love with each other.... especially after discovering our shared love for bracelets.

thai-temples

november 2014, temples in and around chiang mai, thailand... all photos by me

the beauties... vol. 2

the beauties of thailand... all photos by me

vagabond-christmas

it's christmas.... so marry christmas to you. (or whatever you want to celebrate on this 24th of december)

this is my first christmas that i am not spending at home with my family (forcing them to play board games with me... watching movies... and going for our traditional christmas-bowling).....

hi, chiang mai

in chaing mai (my thai-starting-point), my urning for elaborate golden temples... sun-bathed colors... and a beautifuly-simple life was quickly put to an end.

november 2014, chiang mai, thailand... all photos by me (and there are so much more.....)

the ultimate luxury

i have always thought a lot about time... even more since i have started my life as a vagabond. discussions with myself or other people could be endless..... (so i will try to get to the point) 

time has always defined ultimate luxury for me... time to do what you really want to do.

yesterday (that also marked my one-month-vagabonding) i thought about it a lot. when a friend (from ny) recommended a book to me, i responded (like i have heard many people say) "i would like to read more, but i just don't have the time....". anyway i bought the book (because i trust his recommendation... and i wanted to maaaake time to read). i always loved the vision of myself lying on the beach for hours... reading. i carried just kids, by patti smith for me for one month... and have layed at a couple of thai beaches on the way.... until i finally made this vision come true. and what feeling did i have, as i walked across the sand searching for the perfect spot for my towel, only armed with my book and sunnglasses? ......guilt. 

by nature (it's a leo-thing, i have been told) i often have the fear of missing out. as a vagabond i can be am exactly where i want to be, and have the luxury of time to move slowly. yesterday, on the beach i found myself debating about if i should really spend the day doing..... nothing. laying on the beach and reading. was that nothing? it should be eeeverything.... since i have told myself many times that i have always wanted this. but still.... was i wasting my time when i should/could be using it more efficiently?

i fought the urge to shake the sand off my book and towel and swap them with my laptop (to upload more photos) or my phone (to text or instagram...). i really got into my book which (as a "lexy" (as my sister calls me lovingly, to describe my dyslexic-ness) is (unfortunately) rare. i was no longer filled with guilt. the book inspired me... i was happy with the thoughts i was having between the pages (some of which you just read about)..... i enjoyed that patti's words reminded me of my life in new york... as well as my friend (who had recommended inspired me to read this book, that was giving me so much)...... and i was proud of myself for reading waaay more than 2 pages.

that's it for now..... but, even now, the thoughts on time and how to spend it are racing through my mind, and you will probably be reading/seeing/hearing more about it.

welcome to thailand

after (finally) arriving in chiang mai (the first city to start the thailand-roadtrip-eppisode of my vagabonding-adventure).... after the first two days.... this sums up thailand for me

gold....

elephants...

orange...

endless detail....

smiles...

and, taking off your shoes aaaaall the time...

november 2014, chiang mai, thailand... all photos by me

i can't get no... (you know how it goes)

yesterday i knew... even before getting out of bed... that it was going to be one of those days..... the kind of day (i have some times) where nothing will be to my satisfaction......... my morning cappuccino...  my outfit... other people........

(when i was honest to myself) i did quickly realized that i was actually unsatisfied with myself.... (basically the opposite of this). i looked around and found myself in a place that could easily be compared to paradise and i felt silly for feeling any kind of discomfort at all. i paused and felt the sun on my skin and it automatically put a smile on my face.

some days are just a bit off..... and that is natural........ as long as you (as my mom would say) "snap out of it". look around you will see little things that make you smile... beauty is everywhere.