What a privilege it is to travel. I am still blown away with how many life lessons I learned in one day of discomfort. To learn about someone’s religion, embrace their culture, admire their crafts, dedications and see into their lives is so sacred. From spending days searching for snow leopards in the Himalayas, to celebrating death in Varanasi, catching sunrise at the Taj, chasing tigers in Ranthambore to finishing with one last butter chicken in the pink city. India is everything people say it is and so much more. I pray that I never lose curiosity to understand people and celebrate them. The world is so much brighter when shared.
I have been wanting to go on tour for YEARS and I couldn’t have had asked for a better experience with my talented sister goose @lacikayebooth . Call it divine timing we found each other or luck of the draw. 🎲 ♣️🪿BENNYYYY
Kyrgyzstan - my recent horseback trek on a wooden saddle through the mountains staying with local families in yurts (or horse trailers) along the way to taking a motorbike trip down the Silk Road.
A horse safari in the bush in Botswana, Victoria falls in Zimbabwe and Zambia and camping along those borders. :p
I reflected on one of my journals about a local named Kemm and it still sits with me today- I’m on a solo trip in Africa right now and I can’t stop thinking about this conversation I had today with Kemm. I had a five hour commute to the bush with some locals who very early on became friends. When I got in the car he asked me if I felt safe? He said wherever I am, I am home. He said the world is one, the universe is one, we breathe the same air and regardless of color, education, background...we are the same. He explained that even though I was from America and he might never get the chance to go there, we are having a conversation now and get to enjoy this earth, this life, together. How amazing is that?? He then proceeded to cry about how he feels connected to trees and plants. (We need to protect this mans). Kemm was raised as an orphan in a village with no running water or electricity. He was raised by his community and nature. We got to spend hours at his village made from the grass from the Okavango Delta and share a meal from the same water. He introduced me to every person he knew with pride.
I hope everyone is encouraged to love like Kemm, with empathy, understanding, love without borders and want the best life for everyone. This is what I believe love looks like.
I DID THAT.
It’s hard to describe or perfectly word this experience for me. Every day got harder and easier in the same breath… (or lack there of) 6 am wake up calls, freezing tea houses, altitude sickness, no showers, wearing the same clothes for days, no running water, frozen pipes, painful side effects from medicine, blisters, migraines, food poisoning and I wouldn’t change a thing. Every morning we would begin the day around a fire with a ginger lemon tea and start our 6-8 hour trek. We began the journey in the forest trekking from village to village, stepping to the side for yaks, mules, porters, crossing bridges filled with prayer flags, making sure there was at least one dance party a day and finishing the day with oreos and cards. Surrounded by the Himalayas every day only got more beautiful, I feel like this was the first time in a while I had felt truly proud of myself. There were all walks of life on the trails, each person hiking with purpose and pushing their bodies to a new extreme. Nepali people were the most gracious, selfless and appreciative. My guide Shambhu invited me to his home after we hiked to celebrate with dinner and cards, he invited his entire family, neighbors and his wife prepared me french fries because she knew I loved them. She wore her nicest red dress, red lip stick and jewelry. 🥺 This trip was humbling, grounding, pure and filled with blessings. With the path lined with marigold for luck and terrains that were “a little up, little down” I truly felt like I was on top of the world. 🙏🏼
