Dr. D

Holi is the Indian festival of colors - a celebration of spring, joy, and the triumph of good over evil. The colored powder (called gulal) symbolizes letting go of the past, embracing playfulness, and honoring the beauty of life in all its shades...

In 1968, The Beatles came to this ashram in Rishikesh looking for peace, clarity & a break from the chaos of fame. George Harrison was the most spiritually curious of the group and really connected with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi & his whole Transcendental Meditation thing. 🧵

So while they likely didn’t use these exact ones, the originals were probably pretty similar... same vibe, same river rocks. They’re all abandoned and crumbling now with post-apocalyptic vibes, tucked inside Rajaji National Park next to a Tiger reserve.

In 1968, The Beatles came to this ashram in Rishikesh looking for peace, clarity & a break from the chaos of fame. George Harrison was the most spiritually curious of the group and really connected with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi & his whole Transcendental Meditation thing. 🧵

Lennon wasn’t thrilled about homeboy allegedly getting naughty and making moves, so he and George packed up and dipped. John was so pissed, he wrote the song Sexy Sadie, which was originally called Maharishi, but George convinced him to chill and change the name.

In 1968, The Beatles came to this ashram in Rishikesh looking for peace, clarity & a break from the chaos of fame. George Harrison was the most spiritually curious of the group and really connected with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi & his whole Transcendental Meditation thing. 🧵

While they were here, they wrote close to 40 songs. A bunch of them ended up on the White Album: Dear Prudence, Blackbird, Sexy Sadie etc. So yeah... pretty solid case for meditation unlocking creativity 🧘🏽📿

Indian street food is so sketch they literally have a term for it: "Delhi Belly" - which is basically Traveler’s Diarrhea with better branding 🤢

Long story short, I was about to revoke his “brown card," but I gave him a pass cuz he can't eat gluten, and I didn't want to be responsible for his death. So yeah… this test wasn’t valid.

Every so often, you need a reminder of how small you are — and how vast everything else is. If that's what you're after, you can't go wrong with the Keck Observatory on Mauna Kea, Hawaii. #Travel Threads (1 of 11) 🧵👇🏽

Some experiences can't be captured in pixels or prose – they need to be felt firsthand. This is one of them. (10 of 11)🧵

Every so often, you need a reminder of how small you are — and how vast everything else is. If that's what you're after, you can't go wrong with the Keck Observatory on Mauna Kea, Hawaii. #Travel Threads (1 of 11) 🧵👇🏽

After sunset, we headed back down but missed the laser-guided stargazing, so Vincent and I trekked to a smaller nearby summit to get a long-exposure shot of the Milky Way. (8 of 11) 🧵

Every so often, you need a reminder of how small you are — and how vast everything else is. If that's what you're after, you can't go wrong with the Keck Observatory on Mauna Kea, Hawaii. #Travel Threads (1 of 11) 🧵👇🏽

Without a 4WD vehicle, we had to stop at the visitor center at 9,200 feet (2,804 m) and hitch a ride. Luckily, the first person I asked — a Chinese dude named Ping visiting from Taiwan — was kind enough to let us tag along in his empty Jeep. (6 of 11) 🧵

Every so often, you need a reminder of how small you are — and how vast everything else is. If that's what you're after, you can't go wrong with the Keck Observatory on Mauna Kea, Hawaii. #Travel Threads (1 of 11) 🧵👇🏽

While the public doesn't have access to telescopes, it's one of the best spots on Earth for sunsets & even more spectacular for stargazing. You're above the clouds with minimal light pollution and a clear view of the night sky. Sunsets are breathtaking, but the stargazing is surreal. (4 of 11) 🧵

Every so often, you need a reminder of how small you are — and how vast everything else is. If that's what you're after, you can't go wrong with the Keck Observatory on Mauna Kea, Hawaii. #Travel Threads (1 of 11) 🧵👇🏽

Mauna Kea, a dormant volcano on the Big Island, towers 13,803 feet (4,207 m) above sea level, making it the highest point in Hawaii and the second-highest island peak in the world 🌋 (2 of 11) 🧵

Gabon isn't a vacation; it's a test. And you'll feel every moment of it. A raw, unforgiving slice of Central Africa that most tourists will never see. #Travel Thread (1 of 8) 🧵👇🏽

Gabon doesn't let you leave unchanged — and maybe that's why I'm not ready to return just yet. Some journeys demand more than just time to heal; they demand time to become who they've made you. (8 of 8) END 🧵

Gabon isn't a vacation; it's a test. And you'll feel every moment of it. A raw, unforgiving slice of Central Africa that most tourists will never see. #Travel Thread (1 of 8) 🧵👇🏽

It comes through living it, breathing it, and sometimes struggling through it. Here, in the remote bush of Gabon, every challenge is a teacher, every discomfort a lesson. The path isn't always forward. (6 of 8) 🧵👇🏽

Gabon isn't a vacation; it's a test. And you'll feel every moment of it. A raw, unforgiving slice of Central Africa that most tourists will never see. #Travel Thread (1 of 8) 🧵👇🏽

In a world where we scroll endlessly through feeds yet feel emptier than ever, they offer something different: truth earned through direct experience, wisdom forged in difficulty. (4 of 8) 🧵

Gabon isn't a vacation; it's a test. And you'll feel every moment of it. A raw, unforgiving slice of Central Africa that most tourists will never see. #Travel Thread (1 of 8) 🧵👇🏽

There's no Instagram filter for the discomfort, no guidebook for the chaos, no way to prepare for how thoroughly this place dismantles everything you think you know. I didn't come here twice for tourism. (2 of 8) 🧵