Your Spiritual Journeys - Nilla's Insightstag:www.yourspiritualjourneys.com,2010-04-06:/insights/3142010-09-11T01:39:01ZMovable Type Pro 4.32-enMy Trip to Egypttag:www.yourspiritualjourneys.com,2010:/insights//314.59872010-09-21T08:00:00Z2010-09-11T01:39:01Z Loved my trip tp Egypt - had a fantastic time!!!...Nilla Sparkhttp://www.yourspiritualjourneysblog.com
Loved my trip tp Egypt - had a fantastic time!!!]]>
Our Journey Through Lima, Perutag:www.remember.org,2010:/fun/yourspiritualjourneys/insights//314.59092010-06-07T07:22:28Z2010-06-17T22:28:30Z We arrive at the airport in Lima, and immediately we know that we are in another country, another world we see the Quecha Indian women in their traditional costumes waiting for their loved ones to come through the international...Nilla Sparkhttp://www.yourspiritualjourneysblog.com
We arrive at the airport in Lima, and immediately we know that we are in another country, another world we see the Quecha Indian women in their traditional costumes waiting for their loved ones to come through the international arrivals gate, other nationalities mixed with us westerners, and the excitement is starting to build. This is truly a country of contrasts and we will see it immediately. We have arrived in Peru...
We will be taken to our hotel in Miraflores which is in a cosmopolitan area, close to the local indigenous markets, the ocean, great local restaurants serving delicious food, pinch yourself we are really in Peru.
After a great night's sleep we will taken on a guided tour of the city which was founded by Francisco Pizarro in 1535, where we will see the combination of Spanish colonial and 19th century European architecture, some  sitting on the Incan ruins!!!
Lima is a huge city we will not only see the Spanish influence, we will also see slums, statistically the slums house 30% of the population, live below the poverty line with 20% living on only $1USD per day plus education is compulsory, the ironies of life. Lima is a place that we don't wander the streets alone especially at night, due to the extreme poverty the children roam the streets hawking wares and they have also become very adept to pick pocketing!!!
In total contrast to the slum areas is the Gold Museum which we will visit, this is truly an amazing experience, here we will see the world's largest private collection of gold and silver artifacts, see pieces that date back to the beginning of the Incan civilization 800BC. Incredible to think that we are looking at pieces that date back that far makes us reflect on our significance.
That is why it is important that you take the opportunity to truly discover yourself, other cultures, other people.
Until tomorrow where I continue our South American journey, stay excited.
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Cuzco on the Orient Express train...tag:www.remember.org,2010:/fun/yourspiritualjourneys/insights//314.57982010-06-01T22:43:30Z2010-06-01T09:00:11Z I am so excited we are on our way to Cuzco travelling with the Orient Express, they say that this train trip is one of the last remaining classic train journeys of the world ¦and we are boarding it...Nilla Sparkhttp://www.yourspiritualjourneysblog.comI am so excited we are on our way to Cuzco travelling with the Orient Express, they say that this train trip is one of the last remaining classic train journeys of the world ¦and we are boarding it early this morning!!!
Wow! look at this train, it is exquisitely decorated just like the beautiful trains of the 1920's. Look, it has an open-air Observation Bar Car where I'm sure a few pisco sours or coffee might be drunk, as we watch the magnificent scenery pass us by. We will not only have ten hours of changing scenery and climates to enjoy, we will also be fed a sumptuous breakfast and lunch, just like in a five star restaurant, this what it feels like to be really spoilt!!
Sit back, soak in and really appreciate what we are doing and experiencing.]]>
Our first stop will be Juliaca, where we see the locals actually selling their wares on the railways tracks, bizarre, the train's engineer must wear his heart on his sleeve each time they pull in to Juliaca!!!
We are now going past seemingly-endless coarse grassland heading towards La Raya, which is some 210km from Puno. At 4,321 meters above sea level this is the highest point on our journey, it is a cold, remote place surrounded by snow capped peaks which are usually covered by mist or fine rain. It is quite an eerie experience to be so high up on a train; we may also be affected by the altitude.
The terrain is now changing as The Orient Express speeds along, we are now going through windswept and sun burnt prairies of isolated communities of shepherds and cattle farmers, the diversity is amazing and ahead we have the fertile hills of Cuzco.
As we approach Cuzco we are also seeing Inca and pre-Inca ruins, colonial architecture, churches that date back centuries, is this real?
We travel through the Urubamba valley where we will see green fields dotted with willow trees and eucalyptus groves then follow the Huatanay River as our incredible journey is slowly coming to an end.
It is time for us to think about Cuzco, the cradle of the ancient Inca civilization.
What an incredible day, let's get some rest so that we can discover a city that has perhaps the most beautiful views in the world!...goodnight!
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Macchu Picchu... "How can I describe the emotion!!!tag:www.remember.org,2010:/fun/yourspiritualjourneys/insights//314.58082010-05-26T02:27:48Z2010-06-01T08:59:21Z Here we are having trekked for 3 days stepping up 700 year old stone steps that the Incan Kings had walked on, passed incredible scenery, looking down to babbling streams, up to snow capped mountains that you could not...Nilla Sparkhttp://www.yourspiritualjourneysblog.com
Here we are having trekked for 3 days stepping up 700 year old stone steps that the Incan Kings had walked on, passed incredible scenery, looking down to babbling streams, up to snow capped mountains that you could not see the top of, ruins that appeared in the middle of nowhere. It is our last day of trekking...soon we were going to see what I had always dreamed of seeing, Macchu Picchu.
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Williams asked us to put down our trekking sticks, and to all join hands where we walked together hand and hand to the top of the Sun Gate, there in front of our eyes was Macchu Picchu, one of the most spiritual places in the world!!!
This is what I wrote in my diary when I arrived at Macchu Picchu... "How can I describe the emotion!!! all the girls were in tears. What an awesome feeling, experience and achievement all rolled into one. There were hugs, tears, screams of joy and excitement; I can't think what else to say but WOW!!! I was so proud of myself, this was a dream come true."
The alternative Incan Trail was as I mentioned a dream come true for myself, if you have ever wanted to experience Macchu Picchu as the Incans did, then trek the trail and feel, see and experience what they did 700 years ago, and what I was blessed to experience four years ago. This is where I really understood the power of the universe.]]>
Developing Spiritual Journeys.comtag:www.remember.org,2010:/fun/yourspiritualjourneys/insights//314.58672010-05-18T08:44:53Z2010-06-01T08:58:33ZI really can't explain the excitement as I commence the journey of developing yourspiritualjourneys.com. Over the past 28 years being in travel I have planned many, many itineraries for thousands of people, each itinerary I planned was done with love...Nilla Sparkhttp://www.yourspiritualjourneysblog.com
I really can't explain the excitement as I commence the journey of developing yourspiritualjourneys.com. Over the past 28 years being in travel I have planned many, many itineraries for thousands of people, each itinerary I planned was done with love and care, whether it was to Sydney or a dream Round the World adventure, to extract the dream from their hearts and turn it into reality was the most rewarding and exciting part of being a travel consultant.
When I came through my darkest hour (so to speak), and I started putting together itineraries for a purpose, where you could experience a destination at its deepest level, immersing yourself in the energy of where you are, seeing the country and it's people as they really are, then listening to how they live in their homes, communities and country, I knew then and there that is what I wanted to continually do.
That is how and why the concept of developing spiritual journeys began, to watch people discovering themselves, doing things that they would not normally do makes my heart leap with joy. Personally I have watched people transform mentally, physically and spiritually by just standing in the grounds of Macchu Picchu in Peru. My dream is to extract the dream that you have held in your hearts and make it a reality. Because in life you can have, be and do whatever it is that you desire.
Follow your heart let it take you on an incredible journey where, you too will be transformed into who you really are.
Nilla Spark
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How Your Spiritual Journeys was created...tag:www.remember.org,2010:/fun/yourspiritualjourneys/insights//314.58682010-05-11T09:00:28Z2010-06-01T09:10:01ZI was a live-in boarder at a private Catholic school back in the "70's", when one night a movie called, I think, "Inca Gold" was screened for us; it was a long time ago and I really don't remember the...Nilla Sparkhttp://www.yourspiritualjourneysblog.com Today I sit back and reflect back on these thirty years that have passed, to when I was 22 years of age, young, full of dreams...and just returned home from traveling to Europe and America, a twelve month journey that was cut short as my mother had been diagnosed with Breast Cancer and we were not sure how much longer she had to live.
My mother was my "hero" always encouraging me to travel, study and to achieve something incredible in my life. With this burning desire to achieve, I went on to study to become a travel consultant, part time. I excelled in my studies and as a result was offered a position in the travel industry with a large company as their receptionist.
Unfortunately my Mum passed away before she actually saw me achieve my dream which was to graduate and then become involved in the travel industry; I know that she would have been very proud.
In the years to follow travel became my passion, not only traveling the world myself, I was also helping others to travel and achieve their dreams.
During this time I met and married my husband John, who also had a beautiful son Jason, once we were married life threw a few challenges at us... such as problems having children, my father passing away, my family divided due to misunderstandings, suffered a few burglaries, with the most painful being when they took our whole safe with all my mothers jewelry!!! The list goes on...
In September 2004 my life was being prepared to face it's biggest hurdle...
John & I escorted a group of 12 to South America, one of my dreams from so long ago was turning into reality, I was going to walk the Inca Trail, at the time I wasn't sure how... as I was really struggling to walk, my hip was giving me huge problems which made walking difficult...however NOTHING was going to stop me.
The four day trek finishing at Sun Gate...a time that will always be in my heart as one of the most memorable four days of my life...
Picture this...
...the last day of our trek; ahead of us were probably 40 steep steps, 40 steps that separated us and the 8th Natural Wonder of the World, our guide Williams. asked us to put down our walking sticks and join hands (14 of us) and together we walked those last 40 steps hand in hand, we reached the top of the Sun Gate and there in all of its glory was Macchu Picchu...
Emotion flowed as did the tears for each of us, for myself I felt emotion like I have never experienced before...this experience created a bond that the 14 of us will never forget.
Something magical happened; I realized that God, The Universe, Nature whatever it is that you can relate to is far greater than man will ever be. The Inca's with their knowledge and understanding of the laws of nature, of the spirits, of themselves was very incredible.
I returned from home South America, having achieved a life long dream, feeling blessed for the opportunities and experiences of the past 30 days when a person's greatest fear was upon me...
I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer; this was really when my Spiritual Journey began....
My experience with Breast Cancer has transformed my life forever; as a result of all the challenges that have been presented to me in my life I have realized that I can make a difference, and the way that I am able to is to help transform people's lives through travel, personal life experiences and through example...
I am so excited we are on our way to Cuzco travelling with the Orient Express, they say that this train trip is one of the last remaining classic train journeys of the world ¦and we are boarding it early this morning!!!
Here we are having trekked for 3 days stepping up 700 year old stone steps that the Incan Kings had walked on, passed incredible scenery, looking down to babbling streams, up to snow capped mountains that you could not see the top of, ruins that appeared in the middle of nowhere. It is our last day of trekking...soon we were going to see what I had always dreamed of seeing, Macchu Picchu.
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