Mike Horn is invited once again to be the motivational coach for the Mumbai Indian Cricket team prior to the 2012 IPL tournament. The Indian public are excited about his apearance and the Indian press are talking.

To review the Indian press please click here

Blog written by Ansgar Fellendorf (Nunavut Expedition)
Location: Isla del Sol, Lake Titicaca, Bolivia

Being a volunteer in the school of Ch’alla on the Island of the Sun in Lake Titicaca, one of the world’s highest lakes, is already quite social as I teach the children not only English, but also broaden their horizon and offer a sports program in the afternoon.
Well, what´s social for me? I think one important part is to speak and to share with people and to learn and grow with their different perspectives and experiences.

The local Aymara people definitely have a lot of different points of view and I thought to speak and learn best when working with them in their everyday life. I accompanied to the tough field work. Before starting the manual labor we sat together, chewed Coca, had soda and enjoyed the company. “Compartir”- sharing is one of the main mottos in the Andean world. I dare to say that the Aymara care more about community and family than we do. When going back to Europe I want to take some of the timelessness, peace and enjoyment with me. You hardly hear ever anybody yell or see them being in a hurry.
With the view of the deep blue lake and a white sandy beach we started working. We loosened the earth with tools that remind of the Middle Ages. With your foot you stamp the metal blade, that´s attached to a wood with leather, into the earth. Then you pull and get out a large piece of earth. The women take it with their little shovels and turn it over. Random people of the community came to help without asking for money. We all had lunch together on the field: Chuño (dried potatoe), Aba-beans and plantain.
I learned a lot by talking to the Aymara: on purpose they choose a simple life without cars and Internet. Most of them have been to the busy city of La Paz, but couldn´t agree with modern life style. Most of them are subsistence farmers with some animals and fields. They don´t know problems like air pollution, chemical fertilizer and other issues that industrial development carries.

The afternoon of March 21st I visited the house of Victor. He is 44 years old, from the village and has been a fisherman all his life. He says, he still doesn´t get tired of it, though. He was so kind to invite me to accompany him to go fishing in his small self-made boat. First we rowed direction open water, then set sail. The construction of the cloth sail didn’t remind me of Pangaea at all. The mast is a wooden stick, the sail looks like a linen and it’s simple attached just with strings. But it works!! Easily we `flew` over Lake Titicaca, which is sacred to the Aymara. Here the first human Manco Kapak rose out of a stone and here the spirits (or Pachamama) watch life.
Going in the boat the views of the surroundings in the evening light were just gorgeous. We two had loads of time to chat. Victor has learnt fishing from his dad, when he started there was much more fish in the waters. I asked him what would be problems: 1)big fisher boats from Peru. 2) contamination from the cities. Nobody controls what the industry does with its toxic garbage.
In the middle of the lake we put out the nets, that are floating on the water, stones pull the lower side down. I rowed and he threw in the nets. They are attached to each other and like this build a long line. After about two hours we were done. The fishermen always stay the night in their boat on the lake. So did we. We witnessed the sunset in the water, had a simple dinner together and talked beneath one of the clearest skies filled with stars I´ve ever seen. I heard about the Aymara custom that a married couple has to live some months by itself just with nature. When there was a shooting star my friend said “This is a robber searching in the sky.” It was very interesting. Sleeping on the wooden ground of the boat with the waves was just fantastic.
We got up at 4AM and pulled in the nets. There was Trucha (trout) and Pejerrey, but not too much. I am convinced that fishermen like Victor are not responsible for over-fishing and dead oceans! They catch as much as they need to feed their family and when it´s reproduction season he doesn´t go. It was very exciting when we caught a huge Trucha of more than 14 pounds, but right after that it was just sad to see many plastic bags caught in the nets!
We saw the sunrise over the Andes and then got back sailing. The people can´t afford an engine and don´t desire one. I learnt so much and think it´s always exciting to learn and share with the people around you.

Build a winning team out of 32 International sport personalities! That is my job description for the Mumbai Indian cricket team. Everyday I will give them Ingredients to reach their goal. IF YOU SURELY KNOW WHERE YOU HEADING TO, ONLY THEN CAN YOU GO WHERE OTHERS CANNOT!

We have amazing talent in our team this year! with a lot of depth in players. Its going to be an exciting season. I'm happy to be part of the Mumbai Indians.

After a few days sailing Pangaea stops at a sheltered bay at Sao Luis, on the North Eastern coast of Brazil.

Wikepedia: São Luís (Portuguese pronunciation: [sɐ̃w luˈis], Saint Louis) is the capital and largest city of the Brazilian state of Maranhão. The city is located on Ilha de São Luís (São Luís Island) in the Baía de São Marcos (São Marcos Bay), an extension of the Atlantic Ocean which forms the estuary of Pindaré, Mearim, Itapecuru and other rivers. Its coordinates are 2.53° south, 44.30° west. The city proper has a population of some 986,826 people (2008 IBGE estimate). The metropolitan area totals 1,227,659, ranked as the 16th largest in Brazil.

São Luís is the only Brazilian state capital founded by France (see France Équinoxiale) and it is one of the three Brazilian state capitals located on islands (the others are Vitória and Florianópolis).

The city has two major sea ports: Madeira Port and Itaqui Port, through which a substantial part of Brazil's iron ore, originating from the (pre)-Amazon region, is exported. The city's main industries are metallurgical with Alumar, and Vale do Rio Doce. São Luís is home of the Federal University of Maranhão.

São Luís was the home town of famous Brazilian samba singer Alcione, Brazilian writers Aluísio Azevedo, Ferreira Gullar and Josué Montello, Belgian-naturalised soccer player Luís Oliveira, the musician João do Vale and Zeca Baleiro, a Música Popular Brasileira (MPB) singer.

After three incredible weeks exploring the mighty Rio Negro and Amazon Rivers, Pangaea and her crew start their journey along the North Eastern coastline of Brazil. She'll follow the coastline until she reaches Santos, Pangaea's birthplace in southern Brazil.

What I like about the end of an adventure is the "start" of the next!! We all lived a life changing experience. The smile on our faces stretched from one shoreline of the Amazon to the other, 321km wide.

Just a few days left of the Amazon Expedition and the group of 10 youths currently onboard Pangaea will disembark at the city of Belem. The Young Explorers have had an incredible 3 weeks with Mike Horn in the Amazon learning about the biodiversity of the jungle, distributing water filters to small communities, planting trees in areas of deforestation, interacting and learning about the indigenous people, their culture and their livelihoods.

Pangaea progresses at an amazing rate as she sails downstream the Amazon River. The further toward Belem they go, the more people they encounter and less and less trees.

Pangaea turns around and starts her jorney downstream towards Belem.

There's quite a bit of distance to cover and many more activities to do on the way.