Barefoot on the road…

Walking barefoot is special! It's not just another fashion statement,
it's a lifestyle that comes with a philosophy! Living barefoot
24/7/365 I'm spending lot's of time travelling, and I'm ALWAYS
travelling barefoot. Whenever I meet another barefoot traveller –
somewhere on the road – I know: We've LOADS in common, no matter from
where we are, what we do! First of all, we're sharing an incredible
sensual experience: Feeling the ground beneath our bare soles! We're
getting exposed… Exposed to Mother Earth, the elements… Energy can
flow freely. We're not "separated" like those who are wearing shoes.
And: We've opted for being "different", choosing a lifestyle which is
very special, ignoring certain "conventions". That's why we're all
facing the same reactions. The list is not exhaustive, but there's no
need to go into details! I'm sure you know what I mean: Somehow we're
all a big tribe…
We're from different countries, our way of life, even the way we dress
might be different, but there's ONE thing we all sha Our tough
soles! It's the token of our tribe! After one or two month, our soles
adjust to our barefoot lifestyle… Easily… I'm proud of my tough,
calloused soles: They're the trademark of every true barefooter!

Living in India, I have plenty of opportunities to experience what you
might call "extreme barefooting". Well, even if conditions are tough –
I'm keeping ‘em bare! Last October for example, I went for some
extensive hiking in the Indian Himalayas. I'm absolutely su Many
people wouldn't even think about walking barefoot up there! But for
me, there was no question: NO SHOES, not even in my backpack! The trek
to the source of the Ganges river was a special experience: 36 km (18
km one way) of mountain trails, two nights in an open tent… Climbing
over countless rocks, wading through ice-cold rivulets… Crossing
little patches of snow… The temperature dropped to -2 ° C in the
night… Extreme conditions indeed, but nothing my bare feet couldn't
cope with! On the way up to the source, 1 km before reaching the
mighty glacier from where the Ganges origins, I asked a tourist if I
was still on the right way. He replied that I'll reach the source soon
– adding: "If your bare feet are strong enough"! I was spending the
night in an open tent together with other hikers. The morning was
quite chilly, and while having a cup of chai, a girl from Tel Aviv
admired my ability to "stay bare" in the cold! She told me she would
love to do the hike barefoot too, and I assured her that after a few
weeks of travelling barefoot, she'll be able to do things like that
without ever having to bother about her feet. On my way back I passed
a couple in their early 30ies. The husband looked a bit surprised,
spotting my tanned bare feet, but his wife gave me a big smile,
saying: "Barefoot – that's great". Reaching the little town of
Gangotri, the sky became more and more cloudy (after three days of
almost uninterrupted sunshine), and the next morning it was rainy with
temperatures below 10 ° C. Mine where the only pair of bare feet in
the whole town (I was surprised to realize that even the sadhus were
wearing flip-flops), and I got many comments, both from tourists and
Indians: "Where are your shoes?", "That must be cold", "You'll catch a
cold" and things like that… More than one shopkeeper desperately tried
to sell me a pair of sandals, even following me a few metre out in the
rain… I didn't care, and after 20 to 30 minutes of more or less brisk
walking, my well-trained feet managed to adjust to the cold, a healthy
reddish skin and warm feeling assuring me that everything was all
right! Only three month later, my leathery soles got exposed to the
hot streets of South India! Black tarmac can get quite hot in the
afternoon sun, but I don't mind as I don't really feel the heat. It
simply doesn't feel uncomfortable anymore… If you're an experienced
long-time barefooter, you'll know what I'm talking about!

There's a group for everyone interested in travelling barefoot:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/barefoottravelling/

Enjoy!

brrrrrrrrrrrrrrr I don't see the added vallue!

TJ

--

Kijk snel op www.tjerkstravels.com voor de laatste tips, reisverhalen en
foto's!


"Barefoot in India" schreef in bericht
om...
Walking barefoot is special! It's not just another fashion statement,
it's a lifestyle that comes with a philosophy! Living barefoot
24/7/365 I'm spending lot's of time travelling, and I'm ALWAYS
travelling barefoot. Whenever I meet another barefoot traveller -
somewhere on the road - I know: We've LOADS in common, no matter from
where we are, what we do! First of all, we're sharing an incredible
sensual experience: Feeling the ground beneath our bare soles! We're
getting exposed. Exposed to Mother Earth, the elements. Energy can
flow freely. We're not "separated" like those who are wearing shoes.
And: We've opted for being "different", choosing a lifestyle which is
very special, ignoring certain "conventions". That's why we're all
facing the same reactions. The list is not exhaustive, but there's no
need to go into details! I'm sure you know what I mean: Somehow we're
all a big tribe.
We're from different countries, our way of life, even the way we dress
might be different, but there's ONE thing we all sha Our tough
soles! It's the token of our tribe! After one or two month, our soles
adjust to our barefoot lifestyle. Easily. I'm proud of my tough,
calloused soles: They're the trademark of every true barefooter!

Living in India, I have plenty of opportunities to experience what you
might call "extreme barefooting". Well, even if conditions are tough -
I'm keeping 'em bare! Last October for example, I went for some
extensive hiking in the Indian Himalayas. I'm absolutely su Many
people wouldn't even think about walking barefoot up there! But for
me, there was no question: NO SHOES, not even in my backpack! The trek
to the source of the Ganges river was a special experience: 36 km (18
km one way) of mountain trails, two nights in an open tent. Climbing
over countless rocks, wading through ice-cold rivulets. Crossing
little patches of snow. The temperature dropped to -2 ° C in the
night. Extreme conditions indeed, but nothing my bare feet couldn't
cope with! On the way up to the source, 1 km before reaching the
mighty glacier from where the Ganges origins, I asked a tourist if I
was still on the right way. He replied that I'll reach the source soon
- adding: "If your bare feet are strong enough"! I was spending the
night in an open tent together with other hikers. The morning was
quite chilly, and while having a cup of chai, a girl from Tel Aviv
admired my ability to "stay bare" in the cold! She told me she would
love to do the hike barefoot too, and I assured her that after a few
weeks of travelling barefoot, she'll be able to do things like that
without ever having to bother about her feet. On my way back I passed
a couple in their early 30ies. The husband looked a bit surprised,
spotting my tanned bare feet, but his wife gave me a big smile,
saying: "Barefoot - that's great". Reaching the little town of
Gangotri, the sky became more and more cloudy (after three days of
almost uninterrupted sunshine), and the next morning it was rainy with
temperatures below 10 ° C. Mine where the only pair of bare feet in
the whole town (I was surprised to realize that even the sadhus were
wearing flip-flops), and I got many comments, both from tourists and
Indians: "Where are your shoes?", "That must be cold", "You'll catch a
cold" and things like that. More than one shopkeeper desperately tried
to sell me a pair of sandals, even following me a few metre out in the
rain. I didn't care, and after 20 to 30 minutes of more or less brisk
walking, my well-trained feet managed to adjust to the cold, a healthy
reddish skin and warm feeling assuring me that everything was all
right! Only three month later, my leathery soles got exposed to the
hot streets of South India! Black tarmac can get quite hot in the
afternoon sun, but I don't mind as I don't really feel the heat. It
simply doesn't feel uncomfortable anymore. If you're an experienced
long-time barefooter, you'll know what I'm talking about!

There's a group for everyone interested in travelling barefoot:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/barefoottravelling/

Enjoy!

Rita wrote:
Hookworm?

What is hookworm?

Hookworm is an intestinal parasite of humans that usually causes mild
diarrhea or cramps. Heavy infection with hookworm can create serious health
problems for newborns, children, pregnant women, and persons who are
malnourished. Hookworm infections occur mostly in tropical and subtropical
climates and are estimated to infect about 1 billion people -- about
one-fifth of the world's population.
Where are hookworms commonly found?

One of the most common species, Ancylostoma duodenale (an-cy-CLO-sto-ma
doe-AH-den-al), is found in southern Europe, northern Africa, northern
Asia, and parts of South America. A second species, Necator americanus
(ne-KAY-tor am-er-i-CON-us), was widespread in the southeastern United
States early in this century. The Rockefeller Sanitary Commission was
founded in response, and hookworm infection has been largely controlled.
How do I get a hookworm infection?

You can become infected by direct contact with contaminated soil, generally
through walking barefoot, or accidentally swallowing contaminated soil.


Don't forget you can get hookworm from standing barefoot on the beach for
a few minutes at the same spot if dogs feces is present in the sand.
(but it's not a problem for the sand under water).
You can get more information from your travel clinic.