Travel Souvenirs of the Strange Variety – or – My Name is Raveburbleblog and I am a Relicaholic.

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R-Expo and their delicious natural goods. Delhi, India.

R-Expo and their delicious natural goods. Delhi, India.

In 2005 when I was leaving India to return home, I’m pretty sure that technically I was kicked out of the country. It was my debut overseas trip and also the first time I could afford to buy whatever the hell I liked, within reason – we’re not talking a Maserati or a luxury yacht here, and I have no inclination to have my own exotic python zoo either. I’m talking about getting a few clothes tailor-made, treating myself to a nice piece of turquoise and silver jewellery, buying odd, dusty brass items from that hole in the wall shop five alleyways past the cyber cafe with the public urinal outside it, or going to R-Expo and indulging in my ecologically created, natural ingredient incense, soaps, shampoos and perfumes  enough to last for an entire year. Continue reading →

New Page – Postcards

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Front of Postcard free with set of Six - Please Don't Ride the Elephants

Front of Postcard free with set of Six – Please Don’t Ride the Elephants

I have added a page with the postcards on that are available. These are to raise money so I can return as a volunteer to Elephant Nature Park. Postcard page here

Holding on to Anger…

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Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned.

– The Buddha

Garden monks, Chiang Mai, Thailand

Garden monks, Chiang Mai, Thailand

Elephants in High Heels and Angle Grinders with Wings. Day 2 at Elephant Nature Park.

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Carvings done by the mahouts while out in the field with the elephants.

Carvings done by the mahouts while out in the field with the elephants.

Bathroom critter report –

  • 1 snail
  • 1 worm. Sadly, the worm got stood on before being noticed, so make that
  • 1 snail. Sob.

Types of work the volunteers are asked to do here:

  •  Wash and prepare food for the elephants
  • Unload the trucks of fruit and vegetables as they arrive
  • Pick up elephant pooh in and around their night shelter and put it on the compost pile (pitchforks and trolleys provided)
  • Cut corn or other greenery for elephant fodder
  • Mend fences
  • Plant young trees
  • Help out over at the dog shelter
  • Whatever other random jobs come up that need doing – no shortage of them!

There’s a wee orphaned goat here, Noah, who is about four days old. He’s being carried around by his human nanny and being shown how to pluck leaves from bushes for a chew and generally be a goat. He has a special pen in front of the gift shop where he is practicing his cuteness and collecting human admirers. Continue reading →

Cuteness Leaking Out all Over the Place… Baby Elephant Antics

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Take a look at this action clip made at Elephant Nature Park of their newest baby Dok Mai.

Faa Mai leads some of the elephants towards the skywalk at Elephant Nature Park.

Faa Mai leads some of the elephants towards the skywalk at Elephant Nature Park.

Do not seek…

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Do not seek to follow in the footsteps of the wise.

Rather, seek what they sought.

– Matsuo Basho

The picture below is one of the postcards I have made. I am selling them to raise money to return as a volunteer at Elephant Nature Park, Thailand. If you are interested in buy some, send me an email. Thanks.

Postcard - Do Not Seek

Postcard – Do Not Seek

Tiny House and ‘Normal House’ Living – Pros and Cons (May Contain Llamas)

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Your potential new lawn mower.

Your potential new lawn mower.

There’s a lot to be said about living in a ‘real house’. As I’ve mentioned before, the divine presence of an automatic washing machine is number one in my book. Here are some other great things about it: Continue reading →

Breathe..

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Breathe in, breathe out.

Breathe in, breathe out.

Forget this and enlightenment will be the least of your problems.

Private life of a lotus flower.

Private life of a lotus flower.

 

Elephants Here I Come, or Scrat, Vegetarian Banquets and Killer Elephant Pooh. Day 1 at Elephant Nature Park.

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Elephant Nature Park, Chiang Mai, Thailand. The view over my coffee cup.

Elephant Nature Park, Chiang Mai, Thailand. The view over my coffee cup.

I’m not one to swan about on deck chairs, sipping cocktails while watching the sunset at a luxurious beach resort. Oh no – I have to go out and punish myself in some strange and unusual manner for being a Westerner whose life is easy compared to many the world over, and who can scrounge up enough spare dollars to jump on a large airplane and fly to foreign climes. Far be it from me to wallow in comfort in pleasant surroundings while locals scurry to and fro with platters of gorgeous food and glasses with wee umbrellas poking out of them. That will not do at all! Far better that I throw myself into yet another deep end, fray my nerves with unfamiliar situations and learn to swim like hell until I’m at the other side of God-knows-what pool I’ve dunked myself into this time. Continue reading →