earthtoswift.com

Getting Ready for Summer!

Only 4 weeks left in India before i head to Europe for the summer. I will spend most of my time in Europe promoting/taking part in my rally race the Black Sea Run and hopefully a little sight seeing. The Black Sea Run starts in Krakow Poland on July 25th!

Here is My 2010 proposed country list:

Ireland
Poland
Sweden
Spain
Portugal
England
Ukraine
Russia
Georgia
Turkey
Bulgaria
Romania
Hungary
Slovakia
Austria
Czech Republic
Germany
USA
Columbia
Venezuela
Ecuador
Panama
Costa Rica
Nicaragua
Cuba
Brazil

Posted by Jimmy under Europe, Photos, Projects, Thoughts, Travel Tips, Uncategorized, Updates | Comments (0)

Time, Energy & Logic

I’m starting to wonder if I should start worrying about my energy or the lack thereof. I’m finding that living in a hot tropical jungle can really take the life and energy out of you. The heat is becoming intense, to a point where you avoid any sort of outdoor or physical movement during the mid days sun.

Also I’m finding that the Indian food as much as I love it is packed full of things that make you fat and gives you zero energy. After eating you barley have enough energy to find a good shady spot to lay your head for the much needed mid day nap. I sort of feel like a bear that’s hibernating from the winter, although I’m doing it in a steamy jungle rather then a cold dark cave.

Also dealing with everything Indian in terms of “trying” to start a business or work in India is proving the most life draining/maybe someday rewarding experience of my life. I have run multi million dollar projects with less stress then one week of work here. For me the biggest problem is nothing ever really gets finished or at least finished in any way close to what you set out for. Time seems to stand still; things just take forever and for no reason at all. Trying to figure out why is even more challenging, something that has sent the world’s brightest minds to metal institutions for trying to understand the ways of India.

I come from a world where pride, honor and your word mean a lot. People here will make promises with no intention to actually follow through they just say it because they think that’s what we want to hear. I mean they “try” to do what they say but it seems they have not a care in the world if they promise you something and never deliver. They even go as far to say 100% tomorrow, but all tomorrow brings in 100% let down! In every country I have ever been to if this happens they will do their best to explain why it didn’t happen, but here there’s no explanation its just normal. But I’m not trying to sit here and say why this country is better of worse then others… I am just trying to paint the real picture of how “I” feel India is as a functioning country.

Other foreigners here would think I’m crazy for saying this but they are looking at it from a touristy vacation spot, which of course you avoid all this stuff when sitting on the beach with not a care in the world. But living and working here is another story, so maybe I need to start looking at this place the same way I did 5 years ago when I fell in love with it. A place that’s full of color, life and a place where truly nothing makes sense to our foreign eyes and while the rest of the world continues to become the same, India will push on into the future as this wonderful crazy country that’s says NO to logic, NO to reason, NO to time…. But yes to being 100% different!

Posted by Jimmy under Europe, India, Thoughts, Travel Tips, Uncategorized | Comments (1)

Looking Back

I’m not sure how you can possibly sum up a decade…. I’m having trouble trying to sum up this last year, let alone the last 10 years.

I started the 2000’s as a 21 year old boy fresh into the world without a passport and unaware of the world that surrounded me. I now find myself 10 years older and have been fortunate enough to have visited over 100 different countries and now have friends in almost every city in the world.

I’m not sure where I will be in 2020, but wherever it is I’m sure it will be great. Life is one amazing journey and I’m enjoying the ride!

I wish you all a Happy New Year….. 2010 is going to be one… awesome year!

Here are a few photos from New Years and also some photos from the ealry days of the Sidecar Rally!

[Show as slideshow]

[Show as slideshow]

Posted by Jimmy under India, Thoughts, Uncategorized, Updates | Comments (1)

Work in Progess..

Here are some pictures of my new house in Goa. I am in the process of building a bamboo hut on the roof that will act as my office and party place. I am finding that getting workers to actually work here in India is like pulling teeth! Hopefully this will be done before 2020!

[Show as slideshow]

Posted by Jimmy under India, Thoughts, Uncategorized, Updates | Comments (0)

Week 1 - India

People think that living in Goa India is all beaches, sand and sun…. but there’s a lot more to this place then you would think.

Once you step a few feet off the beach you enter a whole new world. A place filled with pigs running around eating trash, cows eating trash, water buffalo doing whatever they do (which I’m still not sure what that is?) monkeys jumping from tree to tree and breaking into peoples houses to steal stuff, kids playing and local man just sitting around waiting for something to happen, and for someone to do their work for them!

I kind of feel like Ace Venture the pet detective. There are all sorts of animals wondering around my house. Last night when I came home I found a white cow in my yard eating leaves off a small tree and some stray dogs sleeping on my doorstep. Today some monkeys broke into my house and trashed my kitchen and threw my brand new masala cooking spices all over the floor, not that I ever would have actually got around to using them since I don’t know how to cook. Also as I was taking a shower a water buffalo with their normal stupid face expression stared at me through the window as I took a shower. This place is starting to grow on me in a good way. Nothing here is what we would call “normal” and I love that!

In the first week of being here I have got myself a 2-bedroom house with a kitchen, Internet, cell phone, car and one nice tan! Not bad for one week!

Posted by Jimmy under India, Photos, Thoughts, Travel Tips, Uncategorized, Updates | Comments (1)