Escape from America

Steve gave me the travel bug, way back when. It happened circa 1989-91 when he was my housemate on the houseboat. He'd spent nine months studying in Nepal before that, had lots of good stories and cool pictures. Quite impressive.

So I changed my life and started alternating work and travel, too. I went to South America in 1993, then spent five months in Nepal, India, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia in 1995, and some time in Berlin and Egypt in 1998. Plus a few other places in Europe and America.

Steve made more journeys, too. One year he spent in Thailand as a Buddhist monk. Spiritually, he's much more hardcore than me, but nevertheless a fun guy.

This was his first trip since starting his acupuncture practice, and I'd saved a little money from a soon-ending management consulting project. Our friend Karlin also decided to join us. She'd been to Thailand, but wanted the security of coming along with "seasoned" travelers to India. Not that she really needed it - but I'm getting ahead of the story.

My mind is funny, it files and categorizes things, especially life management issues. 

Career-wise, I'd had a crazy year and it was clearly time to go on to the next evolutionary cycle. I was basically over working for wacky entrepreneurs. It wasn't negative, I liked it most of the time and felt good about what I'd accomplished. But it was complete. I knew that feeling, been there before. It was time to move on. What to do next? I thought about it and decided I needed to go away to think about it.

Creatively, I wanted to do more photography and writing, and explore rather interesting subjects, stuff you do in India. Enlightenment, that sort of thing..

Health-wise, the more time I spend outdoors, the better. Tropical beaches are good. I always lose weight in countries with bad restaurants.

There was also a woman in the picture. I was in love. I asked her to come along, bought us both plane tickets. It was too much, too scary. She stayed home, I left. The night before my flight I dreamed she'd found someone else. When I came back, it was true. I write country music now.

I only mention this briefly, as the looming backdrop to my feelings and emotions throughout the trip. She truly missed out. And I was sad about that. It was a great time. It would have been better if she'd been there. I'm a wacky guy, certainly. I thought she could keep up, but as it turned out, we're different. I hardly think about her at all now. I'm moving on.

Getting ready, we had lots of help. Steve's uncle and aunt, Jake and Cynthia, showed slides and gave us their recommendations. Our friends Flemming and Josefina were already in India, sending email reports. Alas, we weren't to cross paths. They left before we arrived, headed to Sweden, and left my Christmas present with a travel agent in Kovalam.

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