AND I'M GOING HORSEBACK RIDING ON MONDAY!!
In just 2 weeks from today I will already be in Delhi on my way home and so I decided I would really be on vacation for the next 2 weeks and even make believe I am a tourist!
So I went out today with my camera, and mostly what you have here are pics of my day. I've been meeting lots of interesting people since yesterday, some I met in Rishikesh and others just met up with here, but they seem to bump into me all over the place.
Check out further in the post for lots of pictures.....
Met one guy today in Bhagsu
who gave me some very useful information about getting a visa for longer than 6 months, and also some suggestions about living in Rishikesh etc., and he took info from me about Panchakarma...we had a pleasant breakfast...
There are shots here from my walk up, the swimming pool in Bhagsu, which used to be just the sacred temple pool but is now a public swimming pool, and just some pics I imagine I would have taken if this had been my first trip...tried to see things as if this is my first time...enjoy . I find the weather warm enough these days that it takes its toll on me when I walk and I wind up coming back home with a light headache, even though I drink enough....
Saturday
Didn't write before about the people I'm seeing these days, but since I declared vacation, been meeting lots of nice new people and some people who I met awhile ago seem to be turning up again...so it is really nice.
Now, a few days ago a new guy came into the guesthouse, and we really hit it off. He is 47, gay, has a house on one of the islands in thailand where he lives much of the year but is originally from England. We have been having some great conversations, and now it seems he has a laptop and has offerred to lend it to me to watch movies. I took it last night and had it until now, and it was really lovely having it in the room. I am really going to enjoy having mine with me next trip. His name is william, and we are going HORSBACKRIDING on Monday. I've been contemplating doing this since my very first trip here, figuring it would be a good way to get up to Triund, and when he mentioned he was going, and suggested my coming along, I decided to do it! Just a half day trip but sounds really nice...will take my camera along and hope to get some good shots. He is really fun, reminds me alot of my fun days with Abdellah...very comfortable to be with and just nice pleasant company. He is leaving on Wednesday but it will be nice spending these last few days with him and adds lots ot my vacation days.
Women jealously watching the men in the cool pool! Reminds of Women
up in the balconey watching men dancing in a synagogue
Friday, June 01, 2007
India Journal 2006- #68-Beginning of Vacation-Lots of Pics and New Friend
Thursday, May 31, 2007
India Journal 2006- #67-May 30, 2007- Capuccino Lesson and Flowers to Make your Day!
Strange day...kind of fluidy, without form, just moving along, almost viscous. Warmer than it's been for weeks. Guess I'm not used to that.
finished my shopping at the chemist this morning. Late breakfast...checked out some wireless blut tooth technology available here which allows you to use your laptop, anywhere, with the help of a cellphone which somehow connects you to the internet. Discussed it with Beau but he believes it is not yet available in Israel and suggested I wait until I come next time and get all the gadgets and configurations I need here. The phone accessory would cost 5000 rupees (500 shekel) but then I would have unlimited internet access from my room at the price of 400 rupees (40 shekel-10 $$) a month. Much less than I spend using the internet cafe now and certianly more convenient. Will check it out in Rishikesh when I get back there.
I will also buy computer accessories here for my new laptop as the prices have gone down by alot even since I arrived here, and a wireless mouse, good quality, is only about 450 rupees as compared to 1500 just 2 months ago.
I will pick up a mouse, perhaps a wireless keyboard, and a mike and headphone set, and maybe even a webcam although I hate people seeing me when I am online...will think about that.
This entire discussion, above, I discussed directly with Beau, my computer guy, by speaking with him using Skype which is quite amazing and free, and works just as well, if not better, than a phone. and then I spoke to (and saw) my friend Esther in Tel Aviv on messenger. The world is a pure miracle of technology!
And then felt really tired so took a nap.
Have just photo copied an entire book for the price of 90 rupees (9 shekel) instead of ordering it over the itnernet for well over $30 with postage.
and am now sitting in a coffee house, filled with foreigners, mostly Americans, drinking my first cup of capuccino in over a month. And it WAS a real treat (although my stomach is beginning to tell me "that was not a good idea"!).
NOW THE WHOLE LESSON HERE IS THAT I am really sitting here, as I might in any ocffee house in the world, relaxing, reading, enjoying an amazing view and feeling like I am truly vacationing (and rich at that!). and all for the price of 40 rupees. Now that is a REALLY expensive cup of coffee here in India (but worth the price) but if I would want to do the same simple thing at home it would cost me at least 4 times as much. and this is what is going to be hard for me. Not having this freedom of movement and ability to do whatever moves me at the moment, once I get home. Or, perhaps that IS the lesson. DO what moves me at home as well, since money is no longer an issue in my life, wherever I may be!! (But old habits and training of 60 years die hard and the change in perspective is not easy).
Also, bought myself a present today. I've been looking at a beautiful (I think so) suede purse for about 3 weeks now. Seeing it hanging out every day, and finally decided to DO it today. It was a very liberating moment. Buying something for myself just because I want it. I am moving in a new direction by changing habits of 60 years and it definitely is not easy. I must work at it, and will.
The flowers all over this post are another example. I love flowers, but rarely buy them for myself, seeing them as an unnecessary luxury, and even here, they were not cheap...the price of full meal. But I bought them because I wanted them and they are just soooooooo lovely in my room and giving me so much pleasure.
Monday, May 28, 2007
India Journal 2006 - #66 - May 28-29...Feelings of Peace and Wellbeing and some pics of my room
Monday
Even more snow fell during the storm yesterday which raged until well into the nite. But this morning dawned crisp and sunny. You can feel the soft, lovely, cool breeze of mountain air and so far the sky is a brilliant blue with just a few wisps of clouds. Let's see what the day brings! The hawks are circling seemingly aimlessly and lazily in the currents, but every once in a while one will dive and swoop down on what apparently is breakfast. (The day brought dark, threatening clouds, again, by 1 in the afternoon, and it is now close to 3 and FREEEZING again...no one, but no one can believe the weather....I am back in my winter clothes including my warm shawel and it is the end of May...normally the hottest time of the year here.
And now, 7 PM, the sky is clear again. The sunset reflecting off the snow peaks, the lower foothills luch and green, all holding the promise of a lovely day tomorrow.
Personally, I am feeling very much at peace for the first time since I left Rishikesh. I have also begun to imagine my homecoming and I see it as also very calm and tranquil with quiet time for my loved ones and friends. Although I truly wish I was staying here longer, and perhaps going back to Rishikesh for while, I know that will also be happening before the end of the year, and the months at home will bring only further harmony and balance into my life. and this is the source of my wellbeing right now.
Just bought flowers for my room. beautiful day lilies . Still closed. Then I realized that I've never taken pictures of this room...so, here are a few with some explanations
note the night table and lamp, which means I don't have to get out of bed to turn off the light at night when I finish reading...this is a first for me in India!!.JPG)
see "read more" for the rest....
This is my closet, above
Above some flowers I bought...will shoot again when they open
This has become my sofa, my treatment table, and even my table for eating if I cover it with a tablecloth!!.JPG)
and below my bathroom....not the large hot water heater!!
.JPG)
Below some pics of the room....JPG)
.JPG)
Table and chairs...mostly my corner for makeup and hair as there is a mirror on the opposite wall, but when I have company, the chairs can be moved over into the other side of the room and it is quite nice..JPG)
Tuesday
New view from Nick's...Hawks are so sloce on the current I could reach out and touch them as they soar past. Below, the amazing view of a building site with the women laborers as usual. Four women dressed in lovely sairs (one red, one daffodil yellow, one bright orange and one turquoise) walking as elegantly as if they were taking an evening stroll. Working as human bulldozers. A house is being build and the foundation of 4 rooms laid out in concret squares, which have to be filled in first with dirt and then overlaid with rocks and gravel. Normally, I would picture a bulldozer with large shuffle scooping up a load of dirt from the hillside and then dumping it in the center of each square and men spreading it evenly to cover the foundation.
Here, the women worked in pairs. One digging dirt out of the side of the hillside with a hoe and filling msall baskets with it, and then helping the second one to lift it on her head and then carry it herself over to the foundation and dump it. Each "dump" barely makes a dent in the area to be filled and I watched for 1/2 hour. I imagine it took them the whole day to fill in this the area in this manner....and they were not walking with the baskets on their heads over a regular path, but up a hillside and over all the rubble of the building site, never missing a step or seeming to falter...graceful is the only way I can describe it.
Now that I am feeling better, and have the CHOICE of doing nothing, I REALLY feel like I am finally on vacation, and 2 weeks is all too short!
Namaste
Jane
Sunday, May 27, 2007
India Journal 2006- #65 - May 26-27-Weekend Traffic
Well, first of all, as you can see from the picture, it SNOWED again on the mountains yesterday!! It is now the end of May and this is THE hottest time of the year here...just another example of how global warming has screwed up the weather everywhere. And it was freezing...needed all my winter clothers including my heavy shawel! And today began as a beautiful and warm sunny day, and now, while sitting at the internet, a storm has again begun and it is pouring cats and dogs and COLD!! It's no wonder people get sick here...
Anyway...to my day...
Wish I had my video with me now...maybe next Sunday I will come out again and see if I can get pictures of what I will try to describe to you now.
Imagine Saturday Night in Israel, everyone coming back home from the North and traffic backed up for miles...at a complete standstill. Now, imagine the same scene but all traffic, cars, jeeps, busses, vans and richshaws and motorcycles must all make their way back on the old road, before it widens into a regular 4 lane highway. But, imagine now just ONE lane, for vehicles going on BOTH directions, no shoulder at all, just buildings and shops adjoining the road on both sides, or, in some places, a steep mountain on one side going straight up from the road and a sheer drop on the other side...remember, no shoulders, no guardrails etc. and now add PEDESTRIAN traffic to that, as well as cows!! Walking up and down this same one lane as well, making their way on either side of the cars, and the really brave ones, weaving their way between the cars!
This will give you a little idea of what the road between Bhagsu and McLeod looks like now when I walked up to Bhagsu. The walk should take no longer than 10 minutes...today it took almost 1/2 hour by foot, and the cars are not moving at all!! The line of traffic and people was unending from one town to the next, as well as people, in single file on both sides of the road...Very often a PEOPLE jam as well with no place to go but directly up agains the buildings, or if lucky, near a doorway of a shop.
But I finally made it up and am now awiting for my kitcheri and to meet Akhilesh.
Taught a Pranayam workshop today, first session, to Shanti and a second session is next week.
Feeling really really well. Even better than before I got sick!
Nice chat with Akhilesh...come back down, again, no camera, a whole regiment (or whatever you call it...lots) of GIRL soldiers in dress unifroms, walking through town, singing, smiling etc. Really young and sweet. Didn't know India HAD women in the army. Reminded me of the girl soldiers who used to walk through our village sometimes in Israel when they were on maneuvers. I have no idea what they were doing or why they were doing it in McLeod, but it was really nice to see.
And now, rain, thunder and lightning....the weather is truly unbelievable.
Type rest of the post here
Saturday, May 26, 2007
India Journal 2006 - MESSAGES FROM THE OTHER SIDE-India, May 26, 2007
Since this post really is one for the Mindfulness Journal, I have posted it there and you can follow the link
HERE
to read about my "chance" meeting with a medium at breakfast this morning, who had an entity, with a message for me, appear to her while we were eating!! Quite amazing!
Enjoy and believe if you choose to...I am sure it is real.
Namaste
Jane
Friday, May 25, 2007
India Journal 2006-#64 May 24,-25- And Another Couple of Days Go By
Thursday
Big improvement in my health but still not "myself"...or maybe this is a "new self"?. all I feel like doing is NOTHING! Just reading, enjoying the mountain air, listening to music....when I even THINK of walking up the mluntain I feel weakness all over! Maybe it's just too soon.
I am trying to relax into this feeling of doing nothing. (Things tend to happen when you are doing nothing....just BEING). Nick's, with its lovely terrace, good inexpensive food and fresh view of the mountains, as well as plenty of shade (the weather is still very hot), and of course nice clean toilet...I've made it my refuge this week. I come here in the morning
for breakfast and usually evening for dinner..it is about as far as I can walk anyways these days. I can sit here for as long as I want...sometimes I meet people...sometimes I don't...either is fine.
Perhaps this is forced relaxation for me as I have had VERY little of it since I got to India and probably will have none when I get home in 3 weeks. Not even my house to myself. So will make every effort to appreciate what I have, as boring as it may sound, for as long as it lasts. I still look forward to walking the mountain, but will not let NOT doing it depress me.
3 PM same day.....Feeling even better than this morning and know another day or so will do it. Did alot of walking today, in town, for the first time in 4 days. It's also turned very warm. and for the first time I need the fan in my room. Happy that I opted for a room with fan now that I need it.
Time is getting short but I am sure I will begin walking again in a couple of days and my mood has swiftly changed and I have my smile back. It was a hard 4 days for me, but not bad in retrospect and did put things into perspective for me so I can't complain.
I am grateful and accepting of ALL things which come my way and know each thing is for a reason which will benefit me in some way.
Friday
Woke up to a nasty day (of course ...after 2 lovely ones!)...decided to do a little walking but I guess I was being told it was too soon. By mid-morning a storm had rolled in, the wind was so powerful it was howling and the tall pines were swaying from side to side as if they were broomsticks...the power was off and I was up in my room.
So, to keep my feet moving, danced for an hour...the storm was over, with no rain, after 2 hours and now again it is VERY dry and quite hot outside.
Went to Ashoka for lunch as I felt the need for some chicken. My appetite has come back, but as I am trying to be careful about what I eat, I am quite limited and it is difficult to fill my stomach. Well, I ate the best chicken tikka I have ever had in India. Perfectly seasoned and not cooked until it is dry, but so juicy it melted in my mouth. and I met a lovely Israeli couple there. I had this uncontrollable urge to speak to them and turns out that he runs a center in Ramat Hasharon for body/soul work for professionals...doctors, psychotherapists, nurses etc. I will check out their website but it seems like a really serious center where only quality professionals come to supplement their regular work life with body/spirit work. Meditation, Vipassana, Buddhist philosophy etc. We spoke for awhile and they were quite interested in what I do and what I plan to do with spiritual group tours in India, and perhaps this is another direction for me when the time comes. It certainly was not "just by chance"that we met. We all realized that. Will send more info when I have it.
Feeling much better today, although still not 100%...but being patient and enjoying lots of music and reading.
Have my final Aura transformation this evening and will learn some interesting things there which I will write about tomorrow....all things are coming to a climax now and I think the next 3 weeks will give birth to many new things for me before I get home.
That's about it for today....boring again I know but what to do?
Namaste
Jane
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
India Journal 2006-#63 May 22,-23- Somewhere Over the Rainbow...and the Elephant
The pictures here do not do justice to what the afternoon brought today, but if you use your imagination, you will feel the blessing I felt when this rainbow appeared.
I was sitting out on the balcony with a new lady who just checked in, and a storm started to blow up so we back into our rooms. As I got into my room, I saw the sun was out on the other side of the sky and figured there had to be a rainbow, so go tmy camera and went back out, to find the lady there as well, figuring the same thing as me.
And as we stood there, quite disappointed that there was no rainbow, all of a sudden, it began to appear. Slowly and faintly at first, but as the rain and wind picked up, the colors became more alive and vibrant, and it actually began in the valley floor and spread all the way around to the trees behind us. I could not capture the whole scene, and the camera does NO justice whatsoever to the brilliance of the colors. And I've never really seen a rainbow which begins on the ground and 1/3 of it is on "land" before ascending into the heavens. It became more and more colorful and brilliant as we watched, for over 15 minutes, and then, although I doubt you can see it in the last picture, a second rainbow appeared, very faint but definitely there, above the first. So, for all the terrible weather we've been experiencing here, this was a true blessing and quite impressive. God's gifts to us are with us at every moment, but sometimes he has the need to do something spectacular to remind us!!
I Went to the Ayurveda doctor in the morning as I was feeling so bad it was becoming depressing, my third day with fever and weakness, headcold etc. He gave me something and lo and behold, I slept like a baby last night without 3 pillows to prop me up, nose dry, no cough and no fever. Too bad I didn't check him out 3 days ago!
I am still quite weak today and sure it will be a few more days, but there is a vast imporvement, in my spirits as well! He told me to continue to take the meds for three full days AFTER I'm feeling completely better. I will bring some of this stuff home with me as well.
The weather I'm sure is part of the problem, as many people are sick now...sun in the morning, stormy in the evening, and today is VERY dry and VERY hot.
I know this journal has become quite boring, but I find that I no longer have the need to WRITE about what I see here all the time...that should not be construed to mean that I take all the beauty around me for granted!! Far from it! I sit here and count my blessings many times each day and thank God often for allowing me to be here once again. But the need to describe each thing as it happens, or as I see it unfold before me, seems to no longer be a pressing need as it once was.
So, for those who still need to read these descriptive posts, simply go to my other India Journal (you can find the link on the sidebar) and check out the descriptive posts from McLeod and you will see either for the first time, or once again, the miraculous things which one finds here and the miracles that Nature and God can achieve just by being with them here in the mountains.
AND JUST TO KEEP THINGS INTERESTING ANYWAY...
While sitting on the balcony and looking across the valley to the road on the other side of the mountain, I saw an elephant coming down Bhagsu Road. At first I thought I was dreaming as I've never seen an elephant here in town before, but I followed it down the road and sure enough, it was an elephant, with loads of children running after it down the road.
If I had felt OK, I would have gone down and over to Bhagsu road to see it as it arrived in town, but you will have to take my word for it, there definitely was an elephant here yesterday!
Namaste
Jane
