Some of these might help some of us while we travel.

Enjoy 98 other life-hacks — here.

5 Lessons from a Yoga Ashram in Rishikesh

Coder and yoga practitioner, Claire Byrne writes about how yogis and coders have a lot in common, mainly in the pursuit of understanding how the world works. Here’s an excerpt from an article where Claire talks about how yoga eased the physical ailments (inactive spine, tight joints and muscles) and mental ailments (stress, distorted breathing patterns) caused by life in front of a computer screen.

Last year, I spent a month in a yoga ashram in the North of India. The bell went off every morning at 5 a.m. Half an hour of meditation in the bitter cold was followed by two hours of yoga and then breakfast, which was consumed in silence looking out at the mountains. Yoga students spent six days a week in classes on philosophy, anatomy, and teaching methodology, did homework in the evenings and were asleep by 9:30 p.m. No alcohol, no meat, no caffeine, no screen time, no chairs. I’ve rarely been happier.

Read more about Claire’s adventures in Rishikesh, India and on how coders and travelers can benefit from yoga.

In case you’re curious about the Rishikesh ashram Claire studied at, here’s the link: Anand Praka’s Yoga Ashram.

Photo credit: Gaiam

Yoga and Coding

A Hipcamp type of service would have been useful last week when we were searching for a camping destination in the NYC metropolitan area. It took us a couple days but after 15 phone calls, Danielle and I found a great campsite in Croton Point Park, New York.

Danielle and Paz Camping in Croton Harmon, NY

As you see above, we found a beautiful spot with friendly people but it took entirely too long to locate viable camping options online. Hipcamp aims to solve that problem in a fun, easily accessible way. I came across an interesting interview in which Hipcamp Founder Alyssa Ravasio explained her rationale on learning computer programming and explained how she relates yoga and coding:

I decided to do Dev Bootcamp because I didn’t want to be the founder who couldn’t code. I’d seen how hard it can be when the leader of the company doesn’t understand the technology, so I decided to bite the bullet and learn.

What I didn’t expect was how much I would love coding. For me, coding is a practice, like yoga or surfing. It is a skill I can eternally improve, an art form so infinitely complex that it cannot be mastered. I find deep peace in these practices because there is no pressure of an endpoint, just a lifetime of working towards mastery. The path is the goal.

Ah, yes. Deep peace in practice. Whether it be yoga, building Lucid Practice, or everyday interactions with family, friends and acquaintances, I empathize with Alyssa on working towards a lifetime of mastery with no endpoint in site.

Founder of Hipcamp Alyssa Ravasio camping:

As Alyssa so eloquently points out, the path is the goal. Whatever you are working on, realize that the path is the goal and your practice is the manner in which you conduct yourself while on that path. So whatever your practice is…. yoga, traveling the world, building a blog, working a desk job, or just working at being a better sister or friend…. choose to move fluidly with patience and grace. And stay lucid 😉

What does your daily practice consist of?

Note: Dev Bootcamp is a 9 week intensive coding program where beginners can learn the basics of programing and coding. We are in no way affiliated with Dev Bootcamp or Hipcamp other than the fact that we think they’re both awesome 🙂

HARD WON AND FILLED with spending potential, your rupees – dollars – Euros – pounds – dinars are an essential part of any trip.

But that overloaded wallet you are carrying – with phone numbers, business cards, and photographs – is a rather insecure basket to store your cash. A few carefully stashed bills can be the insurance policy that gets you that train ticket, that hospital bed stay, that bottle of red wine, or that emergency call home.

Here are ten places you can stash some cash…

Storm flaps on backpack zippers

Most nylon backpacks have a piece of fabric protecting the zipper from rain and dirt, often built in such a way that you can slit it open with a razor, and slide in a few rolled up notes.

Backpack Frames

Modern backpacks have elaborate frames of plastic and metal. Sometimes, you can access the plastic stiffening backboard sheet through a pocket, or by making a slit.

You can hide larger documents and large amounts of money in this area. But if you put too much you might feel it uncomfortably poking your back.

For 8 more places to store cash while travelling the world — click here.

Via Matador Network

Image via Google Commons

The Pet Otter on Railay Beach, Thailand

Two years ago when we were traveling in Railay Beach, Thailand we met a Rastafarian who had a pet otter. It has to be one of the cooler friendships I have ever seen. During the day the otter would go into the ocean, swim around, and always come back at night. The owner had him trained as if he were a border collie. At night, most people would come congregate in the Rasta bar and everyone who wanted to could pet and hang with his otter.

On a peninsula that features hundreds of exotic bird species and a thriving, accessible community of baby monkeys, this otter was the most fascinating form of wildlife. Anytime the owner wanted to get up and go somewhere, the otter would automatically stop what he was doing and follow him. It was wild.

Railay was an awesome beach destination on our trip to Southeast Asia. It was really, really, really laid back. We spent nearly a week there just reading and enjoying the local people.

Private hotel rooms in the rainy season were no more than $20 US per night. You can find dorm rooms for under $10 US.

The Railay Beach otter chillin’ on my sandals. 

The Rasta and his Otter

A view of the Phra Nang Beach (behind Railay, on the same peninsula) from a fish tail boat

Food stalls on Railay Beach East

Railay Beach is famous for its massive rock formations and world class rock climbing

One of the massive rock formations just off of Phra Nang Beach 

Ever been to Railay Beach, Thailand?  Let us know what your experience was like!