Cambodian Giveaway!

Strive to live with less rather than desiring more; give away out of your abundance rather than accumulating more; relish what you have rather than resent what you're missing.
-Life Application Study Bible (Hebrews 13: 5,6)

And yet, the earth continues to give.    

Taroko Gorge, Taiwan

It's been a while, sorry!


I'm in between transition stages and am sending a little note from my hotel room in Siem Reap, Cambodia. I just arrived a few hours ago and thought that this would probably be the best time for updates. 


1) I'm moving to the base of the Himalayas when I return to India next week!
2) I only have 2 more months in India ;(
3) I got accepted into grad school for the fall ;)
4) I'll be traveling with just these items for the next 5 months (#overpackerstruggle)
5) North Korea is on the itinerary.


Along my travel route on this trip (Taiwan, Malaysia, Cambodia), I've been picking up cool and meaningful things that I would like to share with you. All you have to do is answer the question in the comments box and I will hand package the gift and ship it to you. 


About twice a month, I will be shipping a small gift from a different country. This go 'round, it's Cambodia. 


The question is: Offer a newborn child only one piece of advice. What would it be?

Fine History

Architecture aims at Eternity.
-Christopher Wren


I love observing the intricacies of architecture. This past weekend, I traveled six hours into the middle of rural Karnataka to visit Hampi, a village that is home to the ruins of the Vijayanagara empire.

Beautiful carvings in stone

Hilltop tree and temple

Amazing view of rural Hampi from mountain top

Lotus Mahal

French Toast, yum!

Observing the sunset

Staying in Hampi was like visiting an old and familiar beach town. There weren't  many people there and yet, the village offered plenty of things to explore. In fact, I bought a djembe drum and adorned it with an orange scarf decorated in Hindi script. Here, you can't really escape the hippies; they're everywhere! Overall, the village was a beautiful beginning to my future explorations of villages in India. A place full of history and culture, it is one that should be on every traveler's map. What are your favorite off-the-beaten path places? 

Some Things Never Change.

When I admire the wonders of a sunset or the beauty of the moon, my soul expands in the worship of the creator.
-M. Gandhi



No matter where you are in the world, you can count on few things so constant. I've always been an admirer of sunsets and sunrises; I used to invite myself inside tall abandoned buildings, only to break through the rickety roof door to catch a glimpse of one of God's greatest gifts. 

Sunset: Maui, Hawaii

Sunset: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Sunset: New Delhi, India

The opportunity to build and end each day anew is too often complimented with golden hues of purple and orange, and often looked over as other things end up preoccupying many people's early evenings and mornings (like sleep, :D). Throughout the years, I've snapped tons of pictures of sunsets and sunrises, and my obsession has led me to the most interesting places. 

Sunset: In the middle of nowhere, Thailand

Sunset: Anchorage, Alaska

The never ending quest to capture the perfect sunset has meant lots of waiting, a lot of patience, a lot of reflection and even more awe. As one of the most humbling experiences, it makes you appreciate all of the curve balls that life throws at you. It's as if your life flashes before your eyes and you replay old memories that you thought were buried in the hollow caves of your mind.

Sunrise: Phuket, Thailand

Sunsets and sunrises are so much more than a simple vertical movement, they mean that we get another chance at the day, another chance to get life right. Viewing a sunset or sunrise means that we are human, that we are small and that life always moves. No matter what happens, life goes on.

Sunset: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Let the wind kiss your face; go out catch the sun, I dare you.