Dharamsala~0406 photo by mirabile dictu~ a22422441的flickr

Shh, did you hear that? When we travel listening is probably one of our most overworked senses; from the serenity of attending a teaching by the Dalai Lama to the cacophony of Times Square in New York City.

One of my most memorable vacationing experiences was in Los Cabos, Mexico where I found nothing more calming than going to bed (ok, and walking up) to the sounds of the waves pounding against the shoreline.

Here are two experiences highly recommended by Flight Centre‘s global consultants.

The Teachings of the Dalai Lama

Did you know that you can attend public teachings from the Dalai Lama? A good friend was travelling through Asia and he made a last minute decision to visit Dharamsala. There he had an opportunity to attend a teaching and insists, no matter your religious views or faith, experiencing His Holiness words was an experience he will never forget. (Hey, there’s a guest blog post just waiting to be written… feverishly searching for Dana’s email).  Remember to register a few days in advance and bring along 2 passport sized photos. Seating is first come first serve, bring an FM radio with headphones for translation, tea is served so bring your own cup, and contributions/offerings (at your discretion) can be made to the monks and nuns. Can’t make it in person? His Holiness is podcasting – wow!

TimesSquare_B&W.jpg photo by midweekpost

Broadway, New York, New York
Times Square is probably one of the busiest and noisiest places on earth. A great way to sneak away from all the commotion is to catch a Broadway show. Highly recommended is to hear (and see) one of the longest-running Broadway shows of all time.  The Phantom of the Opera at the Majestic Theatre is an opera that tells the tale of the obsessive love by the mysterious Phantom for the beautiful Christine. The Phantom, who is so driven by his fixation, devotes himself to nurturing Christine’s talents by any means, fair or foul. This much beloved story is packed full of romance, drama, and (yes) heartbreak.

What incredible aural experiences have you had along your travels? It would be great to do a Sense of Travel – Hearing, part 2. Yes, you just heard me a say that!

We have featured Dharamsala, the home of the Dalai Lama, on the Flight Centre travel map.

Categories: Off The Beaten Path

This entry was posted on Tuesday, April 21st, 2009 at 4:52 pm and is filed under Off The Beaten Path. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.