Allison A Janssen

Tag: explore

  • The love bubble. YTT in Koh Lanta, Thailand

    The love bubble. YTT in Koh Lanta, Thailand

    I can’t really remember when I began saying…’When I see myself as an old woman, I see me in a black swim suite top, a flowing green sarong, the curls in my hair have been let loose, and there is glowing energy around me. I think I am a yoga teacher, a writer. I bear age lines of laughter, worldly experiences and I seem really content with my life. I’ve obviously lived a full life-bearing witness to both beauty and harsh realities. My husband is there, and so are like 6 of our grandchildren. I can’t see them, but I hear them all giggling and playing around in the living room. I myself am by the kitchen sink, in front of a sun filled window, hand washing dishes and smiling with an ear towards the living room.’

    I guess I started picturing (manifesting) the older, wiser version of myself somewhere in college. Early twenties for sure.

    And this is where the power of thought, the power of our minds comes into play. Back when I was living in Geneva, had someone told me where my life would travel over the next five years, I would have probably said to them, ‘perfect, yay, how did I do it?’

    Even now, writer seems way far out there. Let’s be real. I blog. I journal. I write for companies. And luckily, I write for a newspaper. It does make me a writer, but not an author- at least not an author in the sense I hope to one day be.

    So this picture in my head. It’s there. I think about it. And maybe by doing so, I have created circumstances for myself that link, or follow on the same path to my picture. Moving to Geneva, meeting my soul mate-Rob-in the streets of Barcelona (of all places), moving to Thailand, moving back to Geneva, completing my MASTERS, moving to Holland to be with Rob, traveling to foreign lands together, moving back to the USA together, and when he leaves for Army basic training… there somehow being an open window to create something new for myself. To accomplish something my soul was seeking.

    It was late March. I officially had over a month left to go of no communication with Rob. The window was there. I had narrowed my choices down to either reaching for my Yoga Teacher 200hr certificate or volunteering in Costa Rica at a homestead. Both options were great, but there was only one real choice-Yoga Teacher Training. Of course, I wanted to learn more about living off the land; but, my heart was leading me to yoga. My self-practice was strong, my mind was ready and my soul was already waiting there.

    So, I spent the next four hours googling. (Don’t you freaking love google!) Google sent me so many directions. My window became the world and I could travel most anywhere and become a yoga teacher. And then it happened. I saw ‘YTT 200 Intensive, Koh Lanta Thailand’. 

    ‘Sold,’ I thought.

    I literally danced in the living room, yelling over to my Mom… ‘Mom, I am going back to Thailand’.

    A one month program, 200 hours of training in Koh Lanta. In two months, I would become a certified yoga teacher! Whoop whoop!

    My excitement must have lasted a whole of 4 minutes.

    Minute number five, I sat back down at my computer. Minute six, I saw the price. Minute 6.15 my internal excitement came to a screeching halt.

    How in the hell could I make such a big financial decision without talking to my husband. Yes, he gave me the green light before he left on any trips or any decision that would lighten the load of being left at home. To do something that I always wanted to do. But, still… to have to make this decision about spending so much of OUR money alone. It was difficult.

    I of course, went back to my Mom. Told her my thoughts and we talked through it all. (Mom’s are better than google). I will spare you the details, because I obviously made the decision to go.

    The flight was lengthy. First stop, Moscow. Second stop, Singapore. Third stop, Bangkok (where I got to hang out with two dear friends of mine).

    Last stop, Krabi.

    The love bubble began to grow.

    Our hosts, Kate and Farrah (owners of Oasis Yoga of Koh Lanta), told me via email that I would meet one other YTT participant at the airport and that together we would be taken by car to Koh Lanta. Norbert was sitting on the side of the airport, patiently waiting. As I walked out with my luggage, our driver signaled Norbert with one hand and waved his ‘Allison Janssen’ sign at me with the other.

    Our long ride to Koh Lanta, was mostly filled with silence. A big inward journey had just taken flight.

    Once we arrived, we checked into our rooms and were told that everyone would be meeting in just a few hours for dinner.

    I quickly settled in, washed up and anxiously waited for 6:00.

    I think it would take me a whole book to actually explain to you the depths of YTT and our experience as Jai Yoga Arts trainees/graduates. So, I won’t do that. This post is already long enough.

    But, what I do what to say, I guess, can be felt through the review I gave Ella, just a month after the completion of our training.

    It went something like this…

    “Every time I reflect upon my Jai YTT experience, my heart begins to swell with both love and gratitude. The entire month of Jai YTT was simply ethereal, beautiful in every possible way. Ella Luckett constructed a course so entirely practical, truthful, challenging and engaging, both physically and philosophically. She completely filled it with her heart and soul. In the first days of the course, one of the questions Ella asked us, was what did we hope to gain out of this training. In my reply, I answered that I was seeking a sense of quiet confidence, confidence in myself as a yoga teacher. If I walked away with anything, quiet confidence was what I really needed. Now, a month later, I can honestly say I gained that sense of quiet confidence that I was pursuing and so much more! I walked away with knowledge of my Self that I will carry with me for the rest of this life, I gained peace in who I am on my yoga journey and how I can best share my passion and purpose with others. I learned to better appreciate every moment, to more sincerely realize that yoga is a journey that requires patience, and the beautiful part of the journey is the small singular moments we each take as individuals in a cosmic whole. While I genuinely cherish every moment we all shared during our month long experience, the silent mornings hold a special place in my heart. Every morning, accompanied by silence, I could feel the energies of my comrades around me. Together we built a love bubble; moving, breathing and growing in silence. It was magical. I am incredibly thankful to Ella as my guru, for the inspiration she is, and to the other sixteen beautiful individuals, all who I now proudly call friends.”

    Last words:

    Our thoughts are powerful. See where you want to be. Place that picture of yourself in your head and hold onto it. Edit it if you need to. When you act, question if your actions are leading you towards that place. Watch your soul open windows for you and jump through. Don’t let fear stop you. Move forward with kindness, trust and love.

    I know I am no where near that picture of myself. There is a lot of time and experiences still to come. I trust there is. But, I know that image I have in my head is me. I know that laugh in the other room… it’s Rob’s. Those childish giggles, I have no clue who they are, but I know I will one day. I love my journey. I trust it, whatever comes. But mostly, I am so thrilled to experience every little unfolding, every manifestation come into existence.

     

  • The Taj Mahal, Agra, India

    The Taj Mahal, Agra, India

    The funny thing about traveling is, that sometimes, maybe most of the time, it ends up that the destination is not what you remember, but more of the journey getting there. In the case of the Taj Mahal, looking back, I rememeber the long train ride, the taxi, the man getting shaved on the side of the road near a “public toilet”, the women carrying loads of grass on the top of their heads, the cow shit, the camel shit, the horse shit, the loads of people, and the woman who asked for some of our water once we got inside the Taj (which of course we simply gave her the whole bottle, I mean it is water, we all need it). The Taj itself, is indeed beautiful, but the brillant moments on our journey to get there are even more stunning.

  • Pushkar, India

    Pushkar, India

    Sometimes, when I look at the adventures I have been on, the countries I have seen, the landscapes I have walked through, the cultures I have gotten the chance to swirl in, I am simply baffled and cannot help but feel incredibly blessed. Pushkar is a small city in the Indian state of Rajasthan, near India’s border with Pakistan. In some cases, even the most devout of Hindus wait their entire lives to make a pilgrimage to Pushkar, for the fact that it holds one of India’s few temples dedicated to Bramah; yet, miraculously, Rob and I made it there. Of course, when people ask you about India, it seems to be that the terrible instances get highlighted. Most often because people ask, “well, isn’t it dirty?” or “didn’t you get sick?” or “weren’t you uncomfortable as a western woman?” I guess it is also because the wonders of India are so very hard to explain. How can I rightly explain what it is like to watch the sunset over the Holy Lake of Pushkar, a lake infamously created by the tears Sati when her beloved husband Shiva passed away. How can I spell out the echoing song of the holy men, the soft tender cries of elderly beggars, the chatter of gypsy children pleading for a simple chapati, the call of street traders selling their catchpenny items. It seems close to impossible. Also, deeply personal. Somewhere inside, I constantly think to myself, why am I trying to explain the wonderment of India; unless a person is to experience it for themselves, they are never going to truly understand. But, of course I will keep on trying, muffling that small thought every now and again. So, yes, Pushkar is a facinating city; one that was truly worth the trip. Though it is very small in comparison to even Udaipur, a day can easily be filled by walking through the shops, trying to find ways to get around without walking near the entrance of the lake (where Sadhus time and time again ask you to come to the lake for prayer, which costs you-the tourist- as always- a pretty penny), eating vegetarian delights that you had no clue existed, watching the sun set over the lake from the many lakeside rooftops, counting cows, playing cards and drinking chai. Okay, it may not sound so facinating here, but its in these simple acts that you encounter so many things. For example, we wanted to send some dresses home to our nieces, so of course, we went to the post office. Well, what would take fifteen minutes in our western fast world, took half the day in Pushkar. It was actually fun though. We got to go inside the post office, spoke to the local postman who painstakingly took our dresses, wrapped old cloth around them and sewed up the sides for packaging. He spoke of the travelers he has met in his many years living in Pushkar, all while searching through piles and piles for a pen that could actually write on cloth. He was genuine, real and a delight to chat with. There were so many times that a normal task turned into an “experience”. This of course happened everyday on our travels, but in Pushkar there was something in the air that made every encounter heavier, more gritty and forever memorable.

  • Udaipur, India

    Udaipur, India

    Udaipur, India, in the state of Rajasthan. An incredible beauty. From Ahmedabad, we took a RedBus to Udaipur, which was about a 6 hour bus ride. Something like that. Udaipur is more of what I had always imagined India to be, in so far as Architecture and such, with the palaces, small streets, vendors gallore, a dirty lazy river and ghats rolling between where people swam, bathed, gathered for prayer, did the wash and even drank from. We stayed a total of 4 days in Udaipur, all which were filled with new sounds, colors, dirt, warmth, cow poop, trash and happiness. Freedom. Up to this point, I had vehementently refused to rent a scooter while in India. For me, the roads in India are a dangerous place for a foreigner to drive. I mean, Indians clamour about in old caddy cars, horse trailers, tractors, bicycles, elephants, donkeys- not to mention the Holy Cows wandering through the roads- and all without clear rules and regulations. Indians know this to be true, so I promise, I am not slandering here. But, Udaipur is so big, so if we were going to see its true sights, it seemed I needed to give in on the whole “renting a scooter thing”. So I did. Some parts were scary as hell, but we did it. One of the most beautiful sights for me was the Monsoon Palace of Udaipur, formerly known as the Sajjan Garh Palace. The Monsoon Palace was our first destination outside of the city that we wanted to go see, and with our scooter, it was now all possible. The palace itself overlooks Lake Fateh Sagar. It was built in 1884 by Maharana Sajjan Singh of the Mewar Dynasty. The palace itself is not that incredible, but the views you can see from it ARE. It offers a panoramic view of Udaipur and the Aravalli Hills. And by traveling there, you will gain new white and black, long tailed friends- monkeys. I think Macaws.

  • Adalaj Stepwell, Ahmedabad, India

    Adalaj Stepwell, Ahmedabad, India

    The sheer size of the Adalaj Stepwell in Ahmedabad is insane. Built in 1499 A.D. by Queen Rudabai, the Vav (step well) is several stories in depth and was intricately carved to meet its importance. It is a stunning piece of artwork. Upon our arrival to the step, we were a bit taken aback, as the outskirts of it is swarmed with people, indian style. There is a busy market next door, which is not for tourists really, but more for the small village the vav sits next to.

    Before entering the vav, we made a stop at a beautifully maintained temple. Honestly, I am not sure which Hindu god it adorned, but it was vibrant and beautiful. After this short stop, we headed into the well; I found it stunning. Not only the history behind it (as the vav was used on ancient trade routes), but the design of it. I think the picture above captures what I can’t put into words. The designs on its walls and pillars include, leaves, flowers, birds, fish and other ornamental designs. Inside nooks and crannies, you can find both bats and people, both which have come to see this beautiful historical monument.

  • Calangute, Goa, India

    Calangute, Goa, India

    The Indian State of Goa; formerly a Portugese colony, equipped with such past remininces mixed together with all the spice of today’s India. We stayed in the town of Calagunte, famous for its proximity to gold beaches, the Old Portugese Fort and chill hippy feel. We arrived in Calagunte via RedBUS, which took us a total of 20 hours from Bangalore. Upon our arrival, we searched for a cheap taxi to take us into town. After about 20 minutes of bargaining, we were off no better than we started at $8 for a 20 minute cab ride. We stayed in Calagunte for six days, mostly chilling around town, eating wonderful food and taking our mo-ped to all the beaches and small towns in the area, constantly getting caught in torential rain.

    One day, I made an appointment at an Ayruvedic Clinic just outside of town. My appointment was from 11-12, so Rob came back to come pick me up at 12:00 sharp. On his ride to come in get me, the sky was clear, but literally 5 minutes into our ride home, nature starting spilling car-size droplets on our head. We could not see two feet in front of us, so we found a tree to which we thought would provide us with shelter until the rain lightened. But, the tree could not even help. There was nothing to do but laugh, dance in the rain and be so thankful for life. We waitied for around 25 minutes, just talking, shivering, dancing, and laughing (me doing most of that) and then the sun broke free of the rain’s chains and we quickly hopped back on the bike. Shortly after is when I snapped this picture above. I found it beautiful, just like Calagunte.

    The sights of everyday life always brighten my soul and during our time in Calagunte, an “everyday” included Monsoon Season life. With fewer tourists around, life in Calagunte during Monsoon season is slow, lazy and free; women walking in fields after hard rains, men in bars at 10 am sipping on cold beers, couples plowing their field with their faithful ox, children running and splashing in flooded soccer fields. Simple and beautiful.

  • Bangalore, India

    Bangalore, India

    Just a short flight away from Colombo, lies the Silicon Valley city of India: Bangalore. Truly, we did not know what to expect, for the reason for traveling to Bangalore was more that we could hangout for a couple of days with my old roomate and her husband (Priyal and Jamshed). Therefore, Bangalore took us by surprise. It is s seriously cool city.

    Formally known as Bengaluru, Banglore is the capital of the state Karnataka and is the third most populous city in India. Bangalore has a really comfortable climate, sitting at over 900 meters above sea level, and can therefore be enjoyed year-round. Out of all the cities we have visited thus far, we deemed Bangalore as the most livable. As a sprawling metropolis, every corner has something to offer, whether it is an old temple, a historic market, or a new modern cafe (such as The Smoke House or I and Monkey).

    The photograph taken above is from the front of the Krishnarajendra Market, which really was a whole city in itself. Every walk of life meets here to get their goods: clothing, food, utensils, spices, toys- just about anything. And as most bazaars, upon entry, you feel as if you are walking back in time. Thinking to yourself, “wow. this is what a supermarket use to look like.” Furthermore,  I am sure many Westerners would be set-aback by the hygienic state of the market, but that didn’t stop us. In fact, I think it spiked our curiosity even more. Walking between sacred cows and their poop, vegetables, clothes, sewage, monkeys, bare feet and piles of trash, our curiosity was rewarded by the new sights, sounds and smells. Our day was incredible, our stay was perfect and we hope to get back to Bangin in Bangalore some day in the future.:) Thanks again to our dear friends for letting us stay at their home: a home filled with a lot of love, beautiful people and ridiculously good food.

  • A kind soul named John

    A kind soul named John

    In total, we stayed in Sri Lanka for close to a month. Our days were filled with so much natural beauty. Just as important, if not more, we also experienced so much kindness. Though we met so many nice people with friendly faces and hearts along the way, the caretaker of Dinaka Rest in Kataragama, MR. JOHN (the man on the right) was for me the kindest soul I had met in Sri Lanka. On the night of our arrival in Kataragama, traveling and experiencing new food and a new diet got the best of me. For a total of 12 hours, I basically puked my guts up. But, I couldn’t have been in better hands. Not, only did I have my husband by my side, who is always helpful and caring, I also had Mr. John. Being in just s small village, knowing where and what medicines to get was not easy for Rob. And therefore, with a caring hand, John did his best to help me in every which way, from going to get me medicine, to serving simple foods and honestly just being thoughtful. After 2 days of rest, I was finally better. As if he hadn’t already been so kind, John took care of us in so many other ways. John was like our Sinhalese grandfather, offering stories, simplicities, lessons, and standing up for us when our Safari driver did us wrong. He gave us a free night stay, saying we must stay more days since I was sick and did not get to see what we intended; he made delicious meals to both mine and Rob’s needs; he took us to the bus station, making sure we got on the right bus to Unawatuna, and even paid for the tickets. At every chance, we tried to interrupt, saying, “John, please, it’s too much. You don’t need to do that.” But, he was insistent, and all we could do was smile and feel blessed. Though sometimes the language barrier was present, the understanding between the three of us was so dear and something I will never forget. Thank you John and we hope to see you again some day. :)

  • Kandy, Sri Lanka

    Kandy, Sri Lanka

    From Anuradhapura we traveled south to Habarana town (stayed 1 day) and then again south to Kandy. Along this trip, we saw the environment and scenery drift from small hills and jungle to mountainous terrain. Kandy, for us, was absolutely stunning.

    While in Kandy, we imagined that we would have the chance to do some mountain biking, but unfortunately could not find any sources. So, instead, we made day adventures in the city, which definitely worked out in our favor. We stumbled  upon a man who offered us tickets to a Sinhalese Dance performance, land monitors, yummy food and the above cemetery. Offically, it is the British Garrison of Kandy. If you can, please read the BBC article link below. From my side, the cemetary was a treasure and the caretaker, Charles, was an master at story telling, unfolding the dramatic endings of both British men, women and children who made their way to Kandy during the British Colonial Era.

    http://www.bbc.com/news/world-south-asia-14984188

  • Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka

    Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka

    After a 2 day stay in Negombo and another 2 days stay in Kalpitiya, Anuradhapura was the next stop. Anuradhapura is one of the ancient capitals of Sri Lanka, famous for its well-preserved ruins of ancient Sri Lankan civilization the preservation and continuation of Theraveda Buddhism. The ancient city, considered sacred to the Buddhist world, is today surrounded by monasteries covering an area of over sixteen square miles (40 km²).

    But again, being on a backpackers budget, we opted out for the UNESCO tickets and decided to find bird’s eyes views of the Dagobas inside the ancient city. So, with our backpack packed full of the tourist reg (water, camera, books and money) we headed to the watersheds (an impressive engineering feat themselves), which with their height above ground, we could use as a viewing point. From there, we traveled on to see the laying Buddha, Ruwanwelisseya Dagoba, the Rock Temple, and the sacred Bodhi Tree (where we recieved our first Buddhist Blessing of the trip). By this time, it was getting later in the day, but earlier, we had passed by a huge Buddha statue, which we thought would be worth a see. So, thinking it was our last stop, we headed for the statue, only to find ourselves in the middle of a monastery. And as we entered through the gates, we were waved over by a monk with a big smile, asking us to come into his classroom filled with his students. The kindness we experienced in the next two hours and again later in that evening is something we will never forget. We spent hours talkng about the English Language, Buddhism, the circle of life, finding faces whom you are sure you have met in another life, and visiting one of the monk’s temples late into the evening with a cup of soup, tea, and a big smile; feeling absolutely sure that at this moment in time our lives were blessed.

  • Negombo, Sri Lanka

    Negombo, Sri Lanka

    After around a 4 hour flight of so from Dubai, we reached Colombo at 3 am. Thankfully, I had arranged before hand with our hostel to pick us up. So, upon our sleepy arrival, a man named Ali was waiting for us to take us to our guest-house for the night. I had listened to all the advice colomns on Sri Lanka and decided that we would forgoe staying in Colombo, opting to move straight onto Negombo. By around 4 am, we had offically arrived at Fire Dragon Guest House, where the friendly owner Hassan kindly awoke from his sleep to welcome us and show us to our room and a few of the ammenities. After traveling for like 2 days (because of our cheap flights), we ended up sleeping pretty late. But, we did get up in time to still go see Negombo. With the excitement of our new adventure at shore, we rented bikes and headed out for a day tour- seeing for ourselves what Negombo was all about.

    At first sight, we could tell how arresting Sri Lanka was going to be. By bike, we saw small street vendors, jungly canals, trash burning, art in forms of women’s fashion, sarongs for men, lottery tunes, fish markets, trading, coconut water for sale, stray dogs and cats in the masses, and seriously everyone we encountered saying a genuine hello.

    Sri Lanka, I felt, was going to show us who she was, as long as we were ready to take the plunge.

  • Dubai for 12 hours

    Dubai for 12 hours

    Without a minute to spare, we headed for Dubai from Sharjah Airport. Did you know that you can get gold bars out of an ATM in Dubai? How crazy is that. Of course, has we had the chance to spend more time there, the city probably would have found a way to keep me interested. But, in all reality, I was glad we only had 12 hours- especially because on a backpackers budget, you can’t go far in Dubai. So, we walked in the blazing 45 degree heat. We saw skyscapers and more skyscrapers, roof top pools, gold glimmer, and a lot of money (without actually seeing it in exchange). We ended the day with a Iranian dinner and felt atleast pleased that we made the stop. And unless someday we have ungodly amounts of money to spend, I don’t see us returning.

    With all of that said, there was a beautiful highlight: the port. The port was filled literally tons worth of shipments, men hard at work and men waiting for work. The port captured what I imagine Dubai would look like, what it did look like before money grew wings and flew its way to Duabi.

  • Istanbul, Turkey

    Istanbul, Turkey

    So, Istanbul, Turkey; the historical crossroads between Europe and Asia and the starting point of our big 4-6 month trip. The city holds 14.1 million people, stradling the Bospohorus , the Sea of Marmara and the Black Sea. It’s well thought position or location has led it to prosper throughout history, with being the capital of four different empires. Today, it has become truly big and metropolitian, though old world Istanbul can still be found by seeking out religious monuments, bazaars, listening for the calls to prayer and tiny nooks and crannies holding colorful favorites, such as the Blue Eye.

    In total, we spent 9 days in Istanbul and found the city absolutely incredible. Almost every one of the 9 days, we spent walking somewhere between 10-30 miles; and the reward was the fact that we got to see so much of Istanbul. From Taksin square, to Kadikoy, to most every religious house of worship, we saw so much. The photograph above is of the inside of the Sutan Ahmed Mosque, more commonly known as the Blue Mosque. While, I would have loved to capture this moment at the time of prayer, it seemed a bit too invasive, so I opted for an off time. The Mosque itself is absolutly beautiful, with tiles and colors that keep your eyes amused.

    Istanbul is a truly captivating city where every one of your human senses is intrigued and then rewarded.

  • Dommelstraat 23B, Our Home

    Dommelstraat 23B, Our Home

    Dommelstraat 23B, our home; the place where so many memories were made. You often hear songs about first homes and I guess until you have that “first” home with the one you truly love, you don’t get it. But now we do. Our memories will remain strong and the love we grew there will hold steadfast.  And on May 1st, we set out for our big trip, set to see so many beautiful places and incredible moments, leaving behind “our home”, telling ourselves that we must move forward, yet appreaciate all the memories we made. Happiness bloomed in the Dommelstraat, but the seed of the flower we will replant in every place we are together, leaving a trail of flowers.

  • Konings dag, Eindhoven, The Netherlands

    Konings dag, Eindhoven, The Netherlands

    In celebration of the birth of our King Willem Alexandar, we wear orange, drink loads, laugh with friends and dance dance dance. Last Konings Dag, I was tormented by a terrible stomach flu, so this year, we went all out. Inviting friends over to start the day with Mojitos and snacks, the day turned into night and the party still went on! Waterguns, pints, loompjes, and orange everything, oh yeah- our party pants!:) So much fun and I am so thankful for the amazing friends we have. Shout out to Dames Twee and Pusphaira.