India Journal 2006 -#69- June 4, 2007- Horseback Riding

Well, today I went horseback riding with William. We first went up the mountain where I usually walk, and then continued to trails which I've partially walked in the past but never to the end. It was quite lovely. At the beginning I was very tense, felt like I would fall off the horse, was holding on really tight and not enjoying, but after the first 1/2 hour I relaxed into the swing and really began to enjoy the vista from up on the horse. I didn't take too many pics as I couldn't do it while riding...but we stopped a couple of times, and I also took a video while riding which you'll have to wait to see. coming DOWN hill was not comfortable and when we got closer to Dharamkot, we both got off and walked the rest of the way and that was fine. William is an accomplished rider, but everyone was very patient with me and I had a lovely lovely day...a real adventure.

Yesterday was a REAL storm again, but it cleared the air and the weather could not have been more perfect for this day out...I am truly blessed, again, and as always!

Enjoy the pics and imagine how much fun I was having.!!
Namaste
Jane

Half Way Point...I've very often walked up to this point but not by going all the way around the mountain as we did today.















First Rest Stop Overlooking Dal Lake and Naddi etc....been up
here by foot before a few years ago with Anil..



William




Both of Us




William at the Half way Point





From Here you can begin the walk down to the waterfalls
or up to Triund...we just rested and then came back down!!




Horsies




Overlooking Dal Lake, Army Cantonement, TCV and further to
the right, Naddi




Naddi..note the HUGE tower on the left...new...good phone
reception but not very pretty




Naddi




Guide and his son (who got to ride my horse most of the way
down and was quite happy!)




Dal Lake

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India Journal 2006- #68-Beginning of Vacation-Lots of Pics and New Friend

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.

Soldiers coming out of Temple

Women jealously watching the men in the cool pool! Reminds of Women
up in the balconey watching men dancing in a synagogue

New Buddhist Temple in McLeod..Not yet finished

and the local dentist!!

Poolside

Bhagsu fields

Temple Crowd in Bhagsu on a quiet day...weekend begins this afternoon and Saturday and Sunday and then the place is really packed!!

Guess what?

Original Holy Pool and new Public Pool using the same mountain water

View Walking up to Bhagsu

Typical Village house and field

And another

Street Scene McLeod

New Building in McLeod as seen from Bhagsu road

Just a Cow on the Mountain

Schoolkids at Recess in Bhagsu

Just walking up to Bhagsu

Downtown Traffic on a QUIET day!

Lady Carrying Wood

Down the Valley from Bhagsu road

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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.

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