Right. I suppose I've neglected writing a report about my trip for long enough. As mentioned previously, it really was an intense and heavy experience on my psyche and it has taken/is taking quite some time to recover from.
I really did try to go into this trip without any expectations because this is one of those once-in-a-lifetime-things that could be either amazing or not. And? What was the final result? Have I at long last been granted respite from my persistently formidable and misanthropic view of human existence? Am I suddenly a changed woman, filled to the brim with new experience and life teachings that will arm me with secret insight to happiness and gratitude for the rest of my life? It's difficult to say.
I've never been to a third world country before. I've never witnessed poverty on such an immense and intense scale - to be honest, I've only really ever seen the images on television. So after having been amongst it, having been exposed to it - do I feel more appreciative about my current disposition? Yes of course. I'd be completely soul-less if I didn't feel any sense of gratitude or self-awareness after seeing the conditions some people on this planet live in. Though has this new found sense of appreciation and glory bestowed upon me feelings of new found satisfaction and happiness? Do I suddenly have answers to questions I previously asked myself everyday? No. If anything, I'm left feeling more jilted and confused than I did before.
Life is a strange thing.
So perhaps instead of focusing on what I still haven't completely processed, I will instead write about the more casual aspects of the trip. And only briefly because I am simply too tired lately*.
Long story short - Graham Hancock is writing a much anticipated sequel to his best-selling book, 'Fingerprints of the Gods'. In conjunction with a fellow researcher of ancient civilizations, Hancock kindly offered to donate his (and wife Santha's) time and presence to basically be the highlight of the tour. If it wasn't for him, I am almost certain that myself and many others would not have gone on this tour. Even though it was advertised as us "joining" Graham in his research for the book, it really was just about us paying a lot of money to spend time with a hero (while he of course did some research for his book). So, given there were 30-something of us on the tour, it was convenient that at least some of us had something in common.
The trip was busy. I wouldn't call it a vacation by any stretch of the imagination because it wasn't a carefree, casual holiday where one could sleep in and laze about doing nothing all day. We had early morning starts every single day, sometimes returning to the hotel late in the evening after a full day of walking and sight-seeing; the food was average at best when it wasn't making people sick, and perhaps the most confronting aspect for me was being around so many people for such an extended period of time. I'm not sure if I am anti-social or just a natural recluse but what I am sure of is that I love alone time; I cherish it. On this type of tour I was very much forced into a social scenario whether I liked it or not, so that was an intense experience in itself.
Having said all that, I had a lot of wonderful experiences and made some friends I know I will keep for life, Mr Hancock included. He is truley an inspirational and genuinely wonderful person who I am happy and proud to now be able to call a friend. I look forward to catching up with him and my other new-found and cherished friends in future, though perhaps in a far-less vigorous and less-populated setting.
I really did try to go into this trip without any expectations because this is one of those once-in-a-lifetime-things that could be either amazing or not. And? What was the final result? Have I at long last been granted respite from my persistently formidable and misanthropic view of human existence? Am I suddenly a changed woman, filled to the brim with new experience and life teachings that will arm me with secret insight to happiness and gratitude for the rest of my life? It's difficult to say.
I've never been to a third world country before. I've never witnessed poverty on such an immense and intense scale - to be honest, I've only really ever seen the images on television. So after having been amongst it, having been exposed to it - do I feel more appreciative about my current disposition? Yes of course. I'd be completely soul-less if I didn't feel any sense of gratitude or self-awareness after seeing the conditions some people on this planet live in. Though has this new found sense of appreciation and glory bestowed upon me feelings of new found satisfaction and happiness? Do I suddenly have answers to questions I previously asked myself everyday? No. If anything, I'm left feeling more jilted and confused than I did before.
Life is a strange thing.
So perhaps instead of focusing on what I still haven't completely processed, I will instead write about the more casual aspects of the trip. And only briefly because I am simply too tired lately*.
Long story short - Graham Hancock is writing a much anticipated sequel to his best-selling book, 'Fingerprints of the Gods'. In conjunction with a fellow researcher of ancient civilizations, Hancock kindly offered to donate his (and wife Santha's) time and presence to basically be the highlight of the tour. If it wasn't for him, I am almost certain that myself and many others would not have gone on this tour. Even though it was advertised as us "joining" Graham in his research for the book, it really was just about us paying a lot of money to spend time with a hero (while he of course did some research for his book). So, given there were 30-something of us on the tour, it was convenient that at least some of us had something in common.The trip was busy. I wouldn't call it a vacation by any stretch of the imagination because it wasn't a carefree, casual holiday where one could sleep in and laze about doing nothing all day. We had early morning starts every single day, sometimes returning to the hotel late in the evening after a full day of walking and sight-seeing; the food was average at best when it wasn't making people sick, and perhaps the most confronting aspect for me was being around so many people for such an extended period of time. I'm not sure if I am anti-social or just a natural recluse but what I am sure of is that I love alone time; I cherish it. On this type of tour I was very much forced into a social scenario whether I liked it or not, so that was an intense experience in itself.
Having said all that, I had a lot of wonderful experiences and made some friends I know I will keep for life, Mr Hancock included. He is truley an inspirational and genuinely wonderful person who I am happy and proud to now be able to call a friend. I look forward to catching up with him and my other new-found and cherished friends in future, though perhaps in a far-less vigorous and less-populated setting.
* Not to mention I already have an entire other (private) blog already dedicated to these adventures.
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