Environment « Yummy Wakame

Oct15

The Door To Hell

The Door to Hell, as local residents at the nearby town of Darvaza have dubbed it, is a 70 meter wide crater in Turkmenistan that has been burning continuously for 35 years. In 1971, geologists drilling for gas deposits uncovered a huge underground cavern, which caused the ground over it to collapse, taking down all their equipment and their camp with it. Since the cavern was filled poisonous gas, they dared not go down to retrieve their equipment, and to prevent the gas escaping they ignited it, hoping it would burn itself out in a couple of days. Unfortunately, there was a slight miscalculation as to the amount of gas that was trapped, and the crater continues to burn to this day.

You can see it on Google Earth at 40°15′8″N 58°26′23″E

I think it’s worth visiting in this lifetime. Perhaps.

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Sep12

The Jungle Shower!!!

We have running water again! Here’s the grand tour of our bathroom and shower.

More videos from Ometepe Island

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Aug7

InanItah: Buenos Dias!

Waking up in the temple after my first night on Volcano Madras.

More videos from Ometepe Island

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Aug7

First Glimpses

Sorry that I haven’t been updating the blog – its so much easier to post quick updates on Facebook to let friends and family know I’m alive and kicking as the internet connection here is sort of frail. I thought I’d post my last few Facebook updates here for the folks without FB:

(in Costa Rica) The hostel is hot, overcrowded, bar music blaring at me right across from the window… and I will sleep like a baby tonight. Nothings going to stop that.
August 2 at 9:29pm via Facebook for iPhone.

6am start to the Nicaraguan border. Hope to be on the island of Ometepe by tonight.
August 3 at 5:12am via Facebook for iPhone.

Ometepe is incredible. More wild and beautiful than I ever imagined.
August 3 at 8:13pm via Facebook for iPhone

That’s it from me tonight. I’m spent! The trip was incredible, the border crossing just insane. Falling asleep in a hammock tonight under the stars with bugs chirping everywhere. Is this even real?
August 3 at 8:37pm via Facebook for iPhone

Awoke in the temple at 6am before sunrise, warmed up my sleepy body with gentle dance while the sun rose around us, then hiked through the rice fields with Erika to the neighbouring farm for some fresh frothy milk. Oatmeal and warm hot honey milk for breakfast. Giant papaya to snack on today. The papayas here are larger than watermelons!
Wednesday at 10:45am

a local boy hacked off then cut open a coconut with a machete and gave it to me to drink. Sadly he really is too young. But he had no shirt on which is always a bonus.
Wednesday at 6:41pm

Learnt to make ricotta cheese! There’s no fridge here so we have to get milk every day and I guess the cheese I will be grazing all night. Mmmmm!
Thursday at 11:11am

My shoestring Spanish rocks mucho gustso! I learn pronto! Buenos diaz por favor manyana.
Thursday at 3:44pm

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Aug7

4x4ing through the jungle to get to InanItah!

On Tuesday I left Costa Rica and travelled by bus, ferry and 4×4 to get home. This part was as much fun as the ferry!

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Jul24

I’m taking you some place AMAZING!

In about a week I will be venturing into South America alone, by planes, buses and finally a ferry to a beautiful island on a huge lake, to a very sacred place nestled between two volcanoes. I will live there for 3 months before knowing where I am supposed to travel next. Probably Sierra Leone. This morning I woke up with nervous excitement trapped in my belly, but it was curdled with sadness, doubt, regret and fear. Losing my sweet lover to impossible circumstances, leaving my home, beautiful Colorado. Failure of one of my biggest dreams after just 5 short months. I knew I needed to move on, to start over again some place new. But I kept wondering, is this trip was too drastic? Too soon? What if it all goes horribly wrong? What if I run out of money and get stranded? I can’t speak any Spanish. That seems stupid. Going into South America not knowing how to even ask directions. I don’t know any of the people I am soon going to meet and adventure with. I asked myself, “Am I doing the right thing? Should I go?”

The words I heard and felt ring through my body replied stronger than any of my doubts. “I am going to take you some place AMAZING. I will always take you to amazing places.” A huge, calming certainty flooded over me. And for the first time I realised, I don’t have to wait for anyone to follow my dreams. I don’t have to check if its okay. I don’t need a friend or a partner to go with me. I am all I need to be happy and free.

This trip is perfect for me. The opportunities there are staggering. Everything I have wanted to do for years. I will tell you more tomorrow.

Let me put you in my pocket and take you on this wild, and yes impetuous adventure. I will document the whole experience from beginning to end, mosquitoes and all.

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May15

ANAKLIA Sea Hotel

Gorgeous. I LOVE the underwater aquariumness of it all. And how its like an island. I wonder though, what do they do with all the sewage? I really hope its not going to be like adding more waste dumping cruise ships to the ocean. And I suppose transporting supplies, people and waste back and forth uses up unnecessary fuel. However, I think these could be put to great use as fully autonomous, sustainable community pods in the ocean. Reminds me a little of those amazing high-capacity community buildings in Sim City… I can’t remember what those were called. I would LOVE to live on one. But I imagine being surrounded by plants, friends and children, not in 5 star, poop in the ocean luxury all the time.

Great find Kenna!

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May7

Roust about

I need a jolt from a lightning bolt!

So an invite from Dragon arrived just in time. Time to let my hair tumble down, let off loads of pent up steam. Run around in the desert sun in flip flops, dance every bit of energy out of this frantic, aching, loving body all through the days and nights. We have only this one wild and precious life. There are beautiful people to meet and inspiring sights to see.

I’m pretty much out of cash but could work the site breakdown, be a rousty in exchange for entrance and camping. Would be the SWEETEST after-party!!! Hitting the hot springs before and after. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!! Sleeping in hammocks, under the desert stars again. The desert, where I love to breathe, swim and heal.

Crap, ALL my summer clothes are in Marathon. Seriously, living out of a small suitcase is starting to lose its appeal when all I have is reminders of dreary crappy winter packed into it. I cant afford to jet set around the country to get my clothes before the festival. I can’t afford new clothes. I have flipflops, jeans, a bikini, and will have to hit the thrift stores in preparation. Fortunately you don’t need to wear much in the desert sun.

Oh this has to happen. I have to make it happen.

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Apr24

Please help save our few remaining whales

The International Whaling Commission has just unveiled a proposal to legalize commercial whale hunting for the first time in 24 years. Time is running out to oppose it.

Now, other countries are deciding whether support it or push back, including the US which is drafting plans to support whaling. Please sign the petition. It’ll only take a second. Avaaz will deliver this petition to the Commission delegates each time it adds another 100,000 signatures — and please help spread the word! Use the ShareThis button. There isn’t much time left.