A view of the Matrimandir from a distance and the surrounding green belt
Arriving in Auroville was exactly what everyone needed. Auroville is not crowded at all and it is very clean. We decided to stay for 6 days and spend Christmas here. Each day here was different and we managed to have a few low key days where we just relaxed, read or just went for a bike ride to explore. Having access to bicycles gave us a lot of independence and we were able to explore the community. Some of the highlights include spending time at the visitor centre where we learned a lot about the history and goals of the community. We also had a tour of the Matrimandir which is the meditative geodesic dome structure in the shape of a sphere that the community is built around. It is. . .
Allegra at our guest house grounds in Auroville, notice all the trees!!
We have arrived in Auroville. Auroville is an intentional "spiritual" community started by a woman whom they call the Mother. She had a vision of creating Auroville a community which belongs to no one yet is accessible to everyone. The present population is roughly 2000 people and they come from all over the world, with the majority of residents from India, France, Germany, The Netherlands and the United States along with many more nationalities including 5 Canadians. At the geographic centre of Auroville sits a huge banyan tree and beside it, they built this golden globe structure which is supposed to be in the shape of a lotus flower and houses their spiritual centre, where people enter in complete silence to meditate.
Before Auroville was created, the area was . . .
WOW, WE have arrived in India and it is unbelievable. You can see as many photos and movies as you like but to actually see, smell and hear all the life that is going on around you is sensory overload and an extreme culture shock.
Our first real experience of India was during the taxi drive from the Chennai airport to our hotel in central Chennai. I could not believe it. Indians do not have any concept of following a single or double lane. Basically they drive their cars or mopeds into any available space and are constantly using their horns. Drivers use their horns to communicate to each other which can mean any number of things. They will honk their horn when attempting to pass with very little room, when they are entering a T-intersection, when they are going around a blind corner, or when they want someone to move out of the way. They have no concept of using their brakes. Drivers will rarely come to a full stop, this is the last option. Instead of braking drivers will . . .
Bangkok was our first major Asian city in our travels so far. I think we all had different expectations before arriving. I was prepared for a densely crowded, dirty, dangerous place where we would have to be super militant as we navigate the streets. Well I was absolutely wrong. Yes it was crowded and polluted but the city had a very friendly and safe atmosphere about it. Bangkok is a city of 12 Million people which is half of Thailand's population. When we arrived at the airport, we did not have a hotel booked, but we read a good review in the LetsGo Thailand book the gave us a name and address of a hotel in downtown Bangkok. The key to getting a taxi was to make sure it was a metered taxi, which meant that before we got in we had to make sure the driver knew we wanted to pay the metered rate, not a pre-negociated price. As it turns out the Hotel was better than expected because the price was right and it was close to the river and walking distance to the palacial and temple grounds. Yes! We successfully found a decent place to stay and paid the metered rate for our taxi ride into town.
The first thing we decided to do . . .
On Jennifer's recommendation, we had an amazing late afternoon / evening kayak trip with a local outfitter called John Gray's Sea Kayak Adventures. Basically our day was spent kayaking into various Hongs that surround Phuket. Hongs are a Thai word for lagoons in the centre of a small island, made by the top of the island eroding until a hole is left in the centre, like a donut. The hongs are surrounded by steep cliffs and are accessible via "tunnels" that can be paddled only during low tides. We were paired up and each assigned a specific guide to paddle us into these often narrow caves that reveal their hidden gems to the motivated paddler. Hopping on our canoe, Birch and I excitedly took in the scenery. Tom our guide paddled us beside these steep cliffs that surrounded the lagoons with Carolyn and Allegra and their guide close at hand. We entered our first . . .
We were off to Thailand, specifically Phuket which was our first stop. A friend of Carolyn's from high school, Jennifer, invited us to stay at her Villa while we were in Phuket. Arriving at the Villa was spectacular. We arrived at night and were shown to our respective rooms - absolutely gorgeous! - a real luxury after travelling in a Jucy Camper Van for 6 weeks. We were served a late snack and waited for Jennifer and her husband Fergus and son Cameron to arrive later that same night. It was great to meet them all and quickly catch up before heading to bed. The next day we . . .
KANGAROO CROSSING SIGN
One of the first road signs we saw was the iconic kangaroo crossing sign. When I saw this I was really excited and the following day, rest assured we saw wild kangaroos at a golf course. A little like driving along on Bowen Island and seeing deer on the side of the road or in a park but better because they are kangaroos!
During our visit in the coastal town 1770 we bumped into an Australian couple, Marianne and Graeme, who were also visiting that day. They shared some of their travel stories about Greece and Egypt and soon were on their way.
Days later, when we were returning along the coast, we decided to stop at a town called Noosa Heads. While we were at a picnic area, guess who we bump into? That's right, Marianne and Graeme. This time we are in their hometown and after a few words, they invited us to dinner the following day. We exchanged information, saying that we might take them up on their offer if our plans change. HereOur original plan had been to . . .
We drove through Brisbane and started our drive north towards the Great Barrier Reef region. It is getting super hot the further north we travel and time is sadly but surely running out. My intention is to find out how far north we must drive in order to have the opportunity to see the Coral Reefs of Australia. When we get to a town called Gympie, I stop at the information site and ask the volunteer how much farther I would need to drive before we can enjoy the reef and she gave us two options; drive to a town called Seventeen Seventy (1770) where one operator provides day tours or drive to a larger town called Rockhampton where there are a few more tours to choose from. Driving to Cairns (the main Hub for coral reef expeditions) simply was not an option at this point and time in our trip, it was just too . . .
While travelling north on our way to Brisbane, I finally found the contact number for Gena, one of Allegra's friends that she met on Bowen Island and who is now living in Port MacQuarie. We were about a day away from Port MacQuarie and I stop to call Gena's family. Ray, Gena's Dad, answers and I say, "Do you remember me?" (we only met and visited once while they were on Bowen) and Ray kindly says that he does. With very short notice Ray and I arrange a time to drop in on his family the next day. When we arrived . . .
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