Leadbetter State Park

3 Fun Things to do at Leadbetter Point State Park, Washington

Walking along the silvery colored sandy beach of Leadbetter Point, while watching my dog run through the shallow waters without a care in the world, I felt captivated by the tranquility of the place. The beauty took my breath away, but it was the silence that struck me most. I couldn’t hear a single car, boat, or airplane. There wasn’t another person in site. The only thing I could hear was a couple of seagulls off in the distance.

 

Leadbetter Point State Park is located on the northern tip of the Long Beach Peninsula, just northwest of Oysterville. The park is nestled between Willapa Bay on the north and east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. If you’re a nature lover, you’re going to love Leadbetter Point. There are a number of great things to do at the park, including hiking, fishing, bird watching, boating, clamming, and oyster collecting.

Ramana's Garden Cafe in Rishikesh

Ramana’s Garden and Children’s Home: A Cherished Icon of Rishikesh

I had the pleasure of spending Halloween night celebrating in style with the beautiful children of Ramana’s Children’s Home. As we danced to blaring Hindi hip hop under the vivid flashing lights, I felt someone tenderly tap my leg. I looked down to see the cutest little girl reach up to me. She wanted to…

The Ganga River in Rishikesh

Why My Love Affair With Rishikesh India is Over

All my life I’ve had a terrible pattern of falling in love with the wrong people, people that weren’t a good match for me. In the beginning of the relationship I’m overcome with a sudden burst of intense chemistry, and then I spend years, or even decades, trying to make it work. Now I realize that I did the same thing with Rishikesh India. At first I was attracted to her picturesque beauty, exotic charm, clean air, and the mighty Mother Ganga. But like any new relationship, the once rose colored glasses have turned dark. Now that the new relationship energy is over, I’ve begun to see obvious red-flags that I missed before.

I came back to Rishikesh for one main reason, to decide if I wanted to move here. All of the yoga, spiritual classes, Ayurveda, and recreation are very alluring. Plus, it’s cheap here, really cheap! I could probably live in Rishikesh comfortably on $500 a month. Unfortunately I’ve decided that inexpensive living is not enough for me. After a month in Rishikesh the clear answer is no. I can’t live here. These are the reasons why my love affair with Rishikesh, India is over.

Air Pollution

 

The first time I came to Rishikesh, in early 2016, I cried tears of joy when I saw the brilliant blue sky. Keep in mind that I had just left New Delhi, one of the most polluted cities on the planet. I hadn’t seen a shade of blue in the sky for months. The pollution in Delhi was so bad that on most days I could stare directly at the sun because it appeared blurry and orange through the grey dense smog. Rishikesh is in the foothills of the Himalaya Mountains and she looked shiny and new to me compared to Delhi, a good 7 hour drive away.

Sunset on the Ganga River

What’s all This Spiritual Stuff Going on in Rishikesh, India?

The first few time I visited Rishikesh I was astounded by all the usual tourist activities, such as white water rafting on the Ganga River, trekking through the Himalaya mountains, and shopping for exotic handicrafts. Then, last year around this time I took a 200 hour yoga teaching training course and learned that Rishikesh has…