Cycles of a Traveler
True Tales of Voyage, Discovery and Synchronicity
by
Book Cover & Preview Text
The room
itself was alive. The walls were misshapen and seemed to be sweating and
changing shape in the flickering candlelight. The space looked as if it had
been hollowed by chisel and hammer then smoothed by thousands of hands feeling
their way in the dimness to find a place to sit in lotus and convene with a
higher consciousness. The walls and ceiling had the smoke stains of countless
burning candles giving out just enough light but never too much. There was not
a hint of the twentieth century to be found. No electricity, no gas ovens,
radios, or televisions. We could have stepped through a corridor in time when
the big wooden door groaned open and we stepped inside this precious space. Now
we were here time didn’t matter, it was just the moment. Whether it was 1990 or
1090 outside the door was of no consequence. All I was aware of were the
thoughts swirling in my head.
The only
sound was of slight light breathing. All were perfectly still, their postures
erect – even The Raj managed this perfect position – then all eyes closed and
off they went into their world. I felt out of place, like a hunched-back
foreigner. I was uneasy at first and tried to make eye contact with Rob, but he
too was in his own world and dealing with this in his own way. I would have to
get comfortable.
The buzzing in my head never went away, but
subsided. Till this day I can not say how long we all sat there. The darkness
was pure, the smell was real, and the energy was beautiful. Ten years before
all of these men might have been working in big cities for large firms or some
may have worked the land. Now they were here, the possessions of the material
world cast off, sitting in lotus position near the roof of the planet all
focusing on a peaceful world. Here I was, with the absolute privilege to be
there, my life’s path slowly changing forever. I opened my eyes and saw that
bodies were beginning to move. My gaze met The Raj’s, his eyes twinkled and he
flashed me a smile. His expression said, “Pretty cool eh?”
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About the Book
Cycles of a Traveler – A celebration of humanity in all its wondrous glory and the world in all its devastating beauty. From the streets of The Bronx, Joe Diomede accomplishes his dream and heads out across America on his motorcycle for a once in a lifetime trip with his college buddy. For Joe it doesn't stop there – it turns into his yearly ritual. When a small mishap on one of those journeys puts him on a collision course with his life's path, the bitter reality of the poverty and injustice he confronts leads him to look at his life in a different light. A bicycle soon replaces his trusty motorcycle and we are led down the backstreets of Japan, maneuver on the muddy roads in the rainforests of Borneo, freewheel throughout the European countryside, and up to a chance meeting with fate high in the Himalayas. While mingling with the people who share our planet we are drawn into a search for meaning at a time before the internet offered instant answers, and mobile phones kept us in constant contact. Explore the world from the saddles of Joe's cycles; adventure becomes accessible to us all, coincidence takes on new meaning and synchronous moments become the norm. We become conscious that, although cultural, linguistic, religious, and social differences seem to separate us all, we’re truly on this ride together. Put on your leather jacket, slip on your bike shorts and enjoy these true tales of voyage, discovery and synchronicity.
About the Author
Joe Diomede lives
with his wife Angie and two children, Louis and Francesca, in the stunning
beauty of Southern France where the majestic Pyrenean Mountain chain secrets
away small hamlets and villages from the modern world.
Cycling is still
a big part of his life, and besides riding bikes with his family, Joe co-owns
two small-scale bicycle shops serving local communities in England and Ireland.
To supplement a low-key lifestyle their back garden produces (or tries to) much
of the food they consume as a vegetarian family.
Although his
open-ended travel has changed with the arrival of children, his love of life,
passion for social justice, and trying to keep his life simple is a constant
challenge.
Coming from The
Bronx in New York City, he struggles between his love of nature, and the 'buzz'
of a big city, but manages to maintain the balance.