365 Inspirations--253: Peru Rail

Right now, we are on Peru Rail. We got on the train at 6:15pm at Machu Picchu station and we are heading to Ollantaytambo Station and then on to Cusco by minivan. The train is really nice. It's got sky windows, drink and food service and its very clean. I'm having chamomile tea and a ham and cheese roll which is included in the ticket!

I don't remember ever seeing these modern trains when I was here 20 years ago! They've definitely improved things here and made it easier and more pleasant to travel in Peru.

Have you ever traveled by train? Where did you go?

365 Inspirations—243: Packing

On my first trek to Machu Picchu nearly 20 years ago!

"Life is either a great adventure or nothing."—Helen Keller 

 Tomorrow we leave for Peru! Yikes!  Lots still to do, but I'm going to try and find inspiration in packing today. The weather is gorgeous today and we headed out to REI to pick up last minute hiking goods for our Salkantay Glacier Trek to Machu Picchu.

I took my husband to lunch at a fusion Chinese restaurant and then he had an ice cream outside in the sun while I was doing a few other last minute things.

My goal today is to try to pack so incredibly lightly that people look at my back pack and say, "That's all you have?!"

Things I'm bringing on my trip to Peru:

• Therma Rest Air Mattress (I heard the trekking companies in Peru have uncomfortable mats)
• Small/Packable Sleeping Bag
• LL Bean Down Jacket that stuffs in pocket (got in 1996 when I did hiking in Himalayas!)
• Helly Hansen Rain Pants/Jacket/stuffs in pockets (also got in 1996)
• Convertible short/pants (Got on Amazon for $30)
• Hiking Boots (Gore-tex Sportivas—Got on Amazon)
• Water Sandals (Just picked up a pair of Keen Sandals on Super Sale at REI)
• 2 tank tops/2 short sleeve shirts/2 long sleeve shirts
• yoga pants
• yoga mat
• skirt
• gloves/hat/sunhat
• 4 pairs hiking socks
• sunglasses
• Fleece jacket
• long underwear
• Personals—insect repellant/sunblock/etc.
• iPhone/ iPad mini for blogging ^_^!

I got a data plan on AT&T so that I can blog without roaming charges!

Looking forward to blogging and keeping you informed on the road of our expedition!

More soon from Peru—Machu Picchu, Cusco, Sacred Vally, Puno, Lake Titicaca and beyond!

Do you enjoy packing for trips?

365 Inspirations—169: Flat Tire

"Just because something didn't work out according to the way you planned it, doesn't mean it didn't work out for the best."—Unknown

During breakfast this morning, I browsed through the paper reading stories about the first man to be completely cured of AIDS and about another woman who tried to live on sunlight, but only made it 45 days.

For the record, Washington State is not the best place in the world to try to live on sunlight. There are other places that might be more suitable, like Arizona or Death Valley for example.

 At least the news was amusing. I'll take these stories any day over the usual murder and mayhem that is normally in the paper.

I personally like the weather section. I like to read about the moon cycles, high tides, pollen levels, weather in other parts of the world. I also like to read my horoscope on occasion. I'm a scorpio.

Here's what my horoscope said:

Today is not a good day to travel

Well shoot. Today I was supposed to set out on my yoga, meditation, writing, juicing, adventuring, book researching, go-wherever-the-wind-blows (or not) odyssey.

But the cards weren't in my favor.

Not that I instantly believed this blurb written under my sign in the Seattle Times. Who writes these things anyway?

As soon as I pulled up in our driveway, after a 4-day housesitting stint down the street, I noticed my left front tire had a rather FLAT look to it.

"You probably just need some air," Yoon said.

It was going to take more than a little air to pump that thing up.

I sifted through the mail and found a Midas Tune-up Special and Yoon followed me to the auto shop.

We dropped the car off and headed out to a Thai restaurant for lunch. Later, Yoon dropped me off at the shopping area where my car was being fixed because he had some work to do. While in the dressing room trying on summer clothes, I got the call.

"You have a huge nail in your tire. There's no saving it. You are going to need some new tires."

"How much for new tires?" I asked, feeling as deflated as my left front wheel.

The man in the office did some figuring out loud and said, "Let's see....well...looks like about $450 or so."

There goes my adventure. I settled on getting two new tires for half the price and got a tune-up. So here I am, still in Seattle.

I am grateful that I didn't discover the nail and flat tire on some desolate highway all alone. That would have been an adventure I could do without.

Even though I'm still here, I feel like I've already started my travels. I'm tuning in, paying attention to the signs, and going with the flow.

Who knows where I'll be tomorrow....I'll let you know.

Do you believe in blessings in disguise?

365 Inspirations—45: A Letter to my Husband on Valentine's Day

On our Wedding Day in Korea, May 10, 2003

Dear Yoon,

Valentine's Day is just another day, right? Still, as busy as we both are, I want to take some time to tell you how much you mean to me.

I haven't always been the easiest person to be married to and have gone through my share of ups and downs. Lately, I've been more down than up.

For almost eighteen years, we've always found our way back to each other, even when things seemed shaky or like they might break apart.

It hasn't been an easy road for us. You're from the East, I'm from the West. You were a monk when I met you, I was a crazy American girl with wanderlust traveling around trying to find what the meaning of life was.

You left everything to be with me. You left the monastery, your country—pretty much everything. When you arrived at my apartment door in Korea, all you had was a tiny backpack and the clothes on your back.

You had never known a life outside the monastery, yet in that very first year of living with me, you had set up a yoga business in my living room. I came back from Christmas with family in New York City to find a bunch of people in stretch pants on yoga mats saying, "Ommmm..."

You had a knack for teaching yoga and had lots of training in the monastery and in India. You brought so much experience with you.

I can't forget the day you said, "I found a building!" I had no idea how we would pay for a building or a sign or everything else that came with forming a yoga school in Korea, but you believed it would happen and it DID! Again and again and again....

Fast forward to 2013, and you are the owner and teacher at a beautiful yoga studio near Seattle and have led retreats all over the place! You are my BIGGEST inspiration.

Because of your belief that things would work out, you have encouraged me to fulfill many of my own dreams (i.e. blogging, book writing, etc.).

I know it wasn't easy to hang up your robe and decide to walk a very different path with me. I know it took so much courage. And here you are, still walking by my side, through the thick and thin.

Thank you for being by my side. Thank you for believing in me and loving me even when things seem difficult or hard. Thank you for your gift of teaching yoga. You have inspired and helped so many people, including me.

I love you so much and I am so happy you are still with me after all these years!

Your wife,
Katherine

*To my readers:
I hope you will take the time to tell the people in your life how much you love them. It is so easy to take the people closest to us for granted.