World Travel Tales: True Stories of Travel, Trouble and Transformation - France, Greece and India

By Willy Mathes

In World Travel Tales: True Stories of Travel, Trouble and Transformation – BOOK ONE: France, Greece and India (and this entire World Travel and Adventure series), much of what I’m going to share with you has to do with walking, hiking and hitchhiking in exotic places, and the seemingly extraordinary situations I often end up finding myself in as a result. But there’s more.

Because, walking around by yourself, or hiking through the wilderness, or hitchhiking just about anywhere, these modes of travel—if you’re paying attention—naturally change your perception. What I mean is, they shift your perception, from what you thought was going on or expected to happen . . . to what TRULY is going on and what REALLY is happening. In my mind, there is no such thing as an “insignificant” shift of perception . . . since each one contributes to a greater overall awareness of what we call “reality.”

In BOOK ONE’s first story, “Strange Angels,” you’ll read about my adventure-filled odyssey hitchhiking from Oxford, England to Greece through the French Riviera, meeting unexpected allies and mystical messengers along the way, who inevitably lead me to a profound insight about myself and “others.”

In the concluding story, “The Delhi Belly Blues,” I recount my harrowing, yet ultimately illuminating spiritual journey through northern India, by way of a month-long international symposium that turns into a fight for my life and my freedom – by way of my contracting amoebic dysentery and encountering a nurse whose wealthy father wants me to marry her, so she can go to a prestigious American medical school!

While I hope you enjoy my telling you these tales . . . even more, I hope they inspire you to go out and live your own. To those who do, Bon Voyage!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Willy Mathes
• Release date: Apr 25, 2012
• ISBN: 9781476381978

Willy Mathes

Will Mathes was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area during the 60’s, and began college at Maharishi International University in Fairfield, Iowa in 1974. There, he received both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in education, and met many inspiring, well-traveled souls. At the conclusion of his graduate program, Will spent time (along with many others) studying the Vedas in India with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. Upon returning to the U.S., he soon set off traveling again, living in Europe for a year, spending the majority of his time in Paris, London and Oxford (with extended jaunts to the Swiss Alps and Greece). Once back in the U.S., his involvement with a variety of Asian import businesses (handmade furniture, art and antiques) brought him out to China, Thailand, Hong Kong and Macau. On various other excursions, Will has spent time in Italy, Egypt and Morocco, as well as a month in Aguilas, Spain, along the Mediterranean coast. He has hiked in many of America’s major mountain ranges, and has hitchhiked both across the U.S. and throughout Europe. Currently, he resides with his fiancée on top of Lookout Mountain in northeast Alabama.

Book preview

WORLD TRAVEL TALES

True Stories of Travel, Trouble and Transformation

BOOK ONE: FRANCE, GREECE AND INDIA

by Will Mathes

Smashwords Edition

Copyright 2012 Will Mathes

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

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AVAILABLE SOON IN THIS SERIES:

(Three new books--one every two months—due out in 2012)

BOOK TWO

Morocco and Egypt

BOOK THREE

Taiwan and the United States

BOOK FOUR

The Appalachians and the High Sierra

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Table of Contents

Introduction

Strange Angels

The Delhi Belly Blues

About the Author

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INTRODUCTION

As soon as little kids start to walk, they’re immediately wandering around, right? Exploring this and that for all they’re worth! It must be in our genetic makeup—to traipse and trek . . . to step forward and seek out what’s around the bend, letting our native curiosity guide us . . . to know more about what life’s really like, what this world truly has in store for us. It seems to be part of my makeup, at least . . . because I’ve done a lot of walking, hiking and hitchhiking in my life.

In this World Travel Tales series, much of what I’m going to share with you has to do with walking, hiking and hitchhiking in exotic places, and the seemingly extraordinary situations I often end up finding myself in as a result. But there’s more.

Because, walking around by yourself, or hiking through the wilderness, or hitchhiking just about anywhere, these modes of travel—if you’re paying attention—change your perception. What I mean is, they shift your perception, from what you thought was going on or expected to happen . . . to what is going on and what is happening. And in my mind, there is no such thing as an insignificant shift of perception . . . since each one contributes to a greater overall awareness of what we call ‘reality.’

However, just like what occurs when you walk from a darkened room into the bright sunlight, some shifts of perception are definitely more startling, eye-opening and transformative than others. So, in World Travel Tales, I’m going to also share some of the more profound shifts I’ve experienced, as I’ve walked, hiked and hitchhiked around this magnificent, mysterious world.

While I hope you enjoy my telling you these tales . . . even more, I hope they inspire you to go out and live your own. To those who do, Bon Voyage!

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STRANGE ANGELS

One morning back about thirty years ago, before the safety of hitchhiking became highly questionable, and less than thirty days after I’d started a doctoral program at Oxford University, I hitched a short ride into