The worlds popular grain Quinoa that is exported around the world is stripped of the bitter shell (saponins) before it is packaged for your use.
Saponins (the by-product of Quinoa) are exported from Peru, South America for the use of natural pesticides, antiseptics and detergents. Birds dislike the taste of the bitter saponins, therefore making it an excellent bird proof crop to grow.
This is my first batch of castile soap that I have ever made in my entire life. It is love at first unmolding. I love the pale white color and the soap cuts so smooth with a knife. Normally I cut the soap after 24 hours, but this soap is softer and I let sit for 48 hours to become firmer.
Soap making links that I’m just starting to organize (May 13, 2013.)
Miller’s homemade soap page: Probably one of the best places to learn how to make soap that I know of on the Internet.
MMS Lye Calculator: Easy to use.
Soap Queen: Interesting ideas.
La fabrica de las hadas: Nice Spanish site and really beautiful soaps with recipes.
Pacha Soap: Soap makers in Peru, South America.
How to Create a personal Identity document in 5 minutes in a foreign country.
Interesting thing happened to me while standing behind a North American at the bus station a couple days ago. Normally in Peru, South America you need some sort of identification number to buy a bus ticket and the process usually works by allowing the bus station employee to inspect your Passport or DNI (Peruvian Id.)
Well I made some homemade soap using green clay, virgin coconut oil, olive oil and the fresh herb lavender (cut from my herb garden.) I must admit it came out pretty nice, with the proof in my happy soft skin. Really a super thick lather.
Selling natural local products to tourists and locals is a good way to make travel money.
I will let you in on a little secret of how I extended my travel by 2 years in my present location. Down to my last couple thousand dollars I teamed up with a local woman to start a natural products business in a foreign country. Both of us were looking at the lint in our pockets. Fortunately she is a marketing and seller whiz and had some experience.
Making money on the road is not easy and many travelers resort to teaching English in private or public schools. Why not setup your own language school when traveling? If you rent an apartment and plan on staying for 3 to 6 months, then you can setup a professional private language course in no time. Purchase a cheap cell phone, advertise on-line and hang fliers in your location. Many people want to learn English throughout the world, but can’t afford expensive schools.
We worry about death, so why not explore it with a natural cactus (San Pedro.) We can even call it organic cactus therapy.
Maybe we put a brave face on when we think of our own death. Often the real truth of death becomes apparent when our loved ones die and we are left in this world alone without them. Where do we go when we die? Are we forever in the dark and never to enjoy life again (Nothingness?)