French Road Trip

Can it be?? The magic of travel does not linger, it is busy tapping at my heart now and forever.

Barcelona was a wonderful few days of catching up with old friends, eating yumminess, writing songs and.. and.. of course a little bit of cosmic encounters..

You see.. I have this funny way of bumping in to people..

I arrived in Barcelona without a plan, except to meet one of my friends, which after a day of miscommunications.. We met.. It was fun and wonderful spend time with her and her family.

Then one night I decided to go to a concert. I was sitting listening to the music and I looked up, a friend of mine from Bali was there. I couldn't believe it. I had just seen him in Bali 2 weeks before, but heard he had left to go to France.. So there he was in Barcelona, at the same concert as me.. We laughed and laughed.. I mean, it is quite hilarious, as he had just decided that morning to drive from France to Barcelona to visit some friends.

I asked when he was going back to France and he said, on Monday.. I asked where he was going? He told me.. And I asked if I could have a ride.. And he said yes.. I needed to be in France on Monday night and he just happened to be driving where I needed to be.. So, he and I and another crazy gypsy, got in his 1971 VW bus and had a super fun time driving the tiny winding roads through the French countryside.

I love it!!

the journey continues + new music

The journey continues... I'm in Barcelona now.. It was a crazy long journey getting here.. I had found a good priced ticket from Bangkok to Barcelona and at the time thought it was a good idea to go for it.. after that journey though, I think I may pay a little more next time.. I stayed up all night on the full moon of July 3 and left my beautiful Balinese villa at 3 in the morning.. It had been a long stressful day, not knowing until 10pm if my jewelry would be finished or not.. Holding on to the faith that it would, it was, and I ran home to finish up my last minute things.. Returning my scooter, organizing what I was going to leave in Bali and what I would take with me, packing etc.. Deta, my friend and driver arrived at 3am and we drove to the airport.. Day 1 of no sleep.. I flew to Singapore and spent a couple of hours in the airport and then got to Bangkok in the late afternoon that day.. For some reason, I decided to take the train and try to find my guesthouse by foot.. I did.. but it was feat and I was super tired and super sweaty.. I hunkered down in my dingy room and pondered my next move.. Food and a massage.. Not all bad.. One night in Bangkok has it's benefits, for sure.. As i was getting my 'foot massage' it started to pour rain and as I walked out the door I wobbled my relaxed feet back in the warm tropical downpour.. ahhhh.. Refreshing actually.. Went to bed early not really knowing what time or day it was and set my alarm for 5:30am, got up, showered and took a taxi to the airport. From there I flew 8 hours to Moscow, spent 4 hours in the airport and took another 4 hours flight to Barcelona.. phew.. Talk about long haul.. so many days.. no sleep and little food.. but i love it..

I got to my sweet little hostal in Barcelona and had the best room in the place overlooking a beautiful plaza. I arrived at midnight and decided I had to have a glass of spanish wine (who needs sleep when there is good wine?).. So I went downstairs to the hopping restaurant and sat alone and drank a glass of wine. The table next to me was full of people and they invited me to join.. So i did.. turns out they were musicians.. We connected and shared our music with one another.. I love that, wherever you go in the world, there is always music.. And it is such a magical way to come together.. They inspired me to get my music out there.. Some of you may not know, but I sing and perform and write music.. So.... I just put one song up on Soundcloud, check it out here and let me know what you think (and if you like it share it with others)... I recorded this with my friend in Bali in April..


Today is my second day in Barcelona.. I am with some friends and we are going to the beach.. After 7 months in Asia, Barcelona is a perfect transition for me being back in the west.. A little Mediterranean sunshine, yummy food and beautiful people and good friends. 

Those final moments... flying again..

Those final moments…. I travel a lot.. It’s my guiding light in this world, connecting with people and cultures while diving into the divine unknown. The wonders that exist on the other side feed my soul and make me feel whole.

3 and a half months. I didn’t expect it. I thought I would stay a month and move on, as I’m pondering my departure in a few hours, trying to stay calm (while still waiting for my jewelry to be finished), I realize this is the longest it’s been, in years, that I have not gotten on an airplane. 3 and half months in one spot.. And the beauty of it is.. Bali may have captured my wanderlust soul. I don’t feel like leaving and know I will be back as soon as I can. Wow!!

Transformation has happened here, an energetically powerful land. There have been moments of big expression, artistic and emotional. My mind has evolved, I’ve met amazing people, designed and made jewelry, wrote music and performed, connected with the land and the people here. Enjoyed a slice of paradise on this globe and found my way in place where you better watch out what you ask for.. because it will happen.. in good ways and not so good.  At times it’s been difficult to stay grounded as I have major FOMO (fear of missing out) and want to do it ALL.. Somehow here, it ALL happened, in such a short time!! And I am thankful and blessed in this life on earth.. I am feeling nurtured, supported and loved as I journey on to the ‘other side’

Nearly 7 months in Asia and I am headed to Barcelona, France, Morocco and back to the states in mid-August.. Full power gypsy style for a bit.. It’ll be amazing and I’ll keep you updated.. on it all..

Full Power

Wow! The last month has been, as I like to say, FULL POWER! Taking a moment to breathe and absort all the beauty around me.... 2 weeks left here in Bali... I can't believe it's been 3 months. At the moment I am sitting in my room listening to the frogs, the music of the gamelan in the distance, watching the fireflies outside the window and taking in paradise. As, the last month has been full on and it's easy to let the beauty slip into the daily routine.

I've been working hard on my jewelry as well as on a beautiful collaboration called Amari... My goal as an artist and as a woman in this world is to work with the people I meet when I travel. I love combining my art with the art of the region, working with the local artisans to create little pieces of beauty to adorn the body, or in a word.. jewelry..

Bali is known for it's carvers, so I've been working with a carver here. He has carved amazing pieces with beautiful Balinese designs. It's been a 6 week process, but finally yesterday, I received my last bits from him. I have taken them all to a silversmith and he is creating the carvings into jewelry. It is all very exciting and I can't wait to show you the finished products.. SOON!! so so SOON..

Alongside my own jewelry, I am working on a new project called Amari with my friend Rachel. Our moto is 'inspired by women to give back to women'. We have begun to work with unemployed crafts women here in Bali and are designing a whole line of jewelry, to then employ the women to make it. It's been a wild and fast ride into something very exciting.. We will launch the website soon, as well.

In the meantime, enjoy the 'in process' photos..

soon to be Karazi Design's Bali Collection!

carved buddha heads

making jewels with the women

javanese glass beads... and carved horn

Mt. Batur festival, Kintamani, Bali

Volcano power... I spent my weekend dancing at a small festival on the active volcano called Mt. Batur. It was a magical weekend of dance, hot springs, good people, good music, and not such good food (we can't have everything). There is always something special about camping at a festival.. Somehow this seemed even more.. I think it was a combo of being on the powerful island of Bali and then mixing that with being on an active volcano with it's amazing view. It was full power! I danced til my knees hurt and stayed up til I couldn't keep my eyes open anymore. I had interesting conversations and when the music got to be too much (it didn't stop), I got a ride on the back of a motorbike to the local hot spring just next to Lake Batur, with an amazing view of the volcano, and soaked in the healing volcanic waters with families from the area. One family and I sat together and sang Indian mantras.. We knew the same mantras and we sang and sang and laughed and laughed. While I was changing into my dry clothes the family came up to me and thanked me for singing and gave me a wonderful gift of crushed ginger with special herbs in it.. It's good for digestion, memory and liver problems.. I had some with my tea this morning. It was wonderful.

It is moments like that I cherish and hope to remember for the rest of my days.

island life!

Sometimes, when traveling, time is like a vortex. I get lost in each moment and forget all the rest. It’s a peaceful place to be. In the zone,  focused on the present. I woke up this morning to the sounds of the ocean, the waves making sweet music.

I’m on a tiny island called Gili Air, off the coast of Bali. There are no motorized vehicles here, only horse drawn carriages and push bikes. The water is an aqua blue and today I plan on snorkeling with turtles.. I can’t wait! He he he…. I left Bali a few days ago to do a little traveling.  I was feeling a bit stuck in Ubud, a magical place, hard to leave. Since arriving on these small islands, I’ve been sucked into the calm steady way of island life. Slow moving, shanti shanti shanti.

Goa Gajah, magic!

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Travel… Oh my.. So much to say. Within all the movement, all the new experiences, new faces, new places, there is some sort of stillness in the beauty of the present moment. I find magic in these moments.. Here is one that will never leave me.

Goa Gajah: elephant caves

Bali, Indonesia

18.04.2012

A tourist location. Interesting, as they are (tourist locations). Wide open, roar, the entrance to a cave, an intricately carved stone mouth, monster, or whatever it is. I didn’t do my research before going (or after). But that doesn’t matter, the feeling is strong, the energy is powerful. That’s all that is important to me, really, or at least in this instance. The impressiveness of the entrance was muted by the dullness of the cave, a small, dark open cavity, with 2 small statues inside. Ganesha, om gum ganapate namah and Shiva, om namah shivah.. But this is not my story.

After leaving the cave and wandering down the path towards the jungle, I saw an old man sitting beneath a magnificent Banyan tree. He was wearing all white and was dirty, as in hasn’t showered in ages. He was glowing, as well and I like that.. A beaming light of being, a true Bodhisattva. Baba Gushti is his name. As I approached, he stood up with a radiant toothless smile, his hands were shaking and his shirt was splotched with red dribble from his betelnut habit. He took my hand and lead me into the river beneath the tree. A magic little spot, with spring fed water and Buddhist ruins from an earthquake in 1917. He surprisingly spoke a little English.

As we left the river, He said. “Mediation cave, long walk?” I, of course, followed his lead through the mysterious jungle. He laughed. I giggled with joy in the magnetic attraction we had for one another (you know what I mean). We walked deep into the jungle coming to a serene and secluded tropical river flowing through the jungle. We crossed, a precarious bamboo bridge and he lead me to the cave in the jungle. We sat and meditated. I sang some mantras, we shared a magical silent moment in the midst of the buzzing jungle. After several minutes we departed, I jumped in the river and smiled, Big. Really BIG. Feeling particularly blessed by that moment. Letting paradise soak into my skin.

A few days later, I returned to visit Baba Gushti. Again, we went to the cave, again we meditated and again I swam in the river. He told me, sometimes he sleeps in the cave. He doesn’t eat much, he likes to chew on betelnut.. I thought to myself, food isn’t the only fuel to keep us alive.

Open to the moment. Open to experiences of travel. Magic happens.