India Journal 2006 - #12 Feb, 23-My Mountain Walk with Bernard

Well, just take a few minutes to go back to yesterday afternoon. Woke up from my nap and decided to do a little exploring before dinner and bought myself some ghee to add to my food instead of butter, some dried fruits for snacks and also found a restaurant nearby that is willing to prepare mung dahl for me (which is the kind I am supposed to eat. and now on to today and the lovely walk. First of all, I did not take a camera, which in one way was great, but

on the other hand, I was unable to video (and get the sound) of things along the way, but I will be going again so next time I will take the camera. Not having the camera is basically an advantage on such a walk as you use more of your own awareness to "photograph " what you see instead of relying on the camera.

So..let's begin the day with brown roll with butter and honey for breakfast...better than porridge anyday!.

then I met Bernard at his guesthouse just up the hill from me...lovely place with great view but I prefer mine at the moment. He turned out to be a lovely walking partner, very respectful of my pace and my need to rest, as well as my need to END the walk when I felt the need to.

Walked through village and up the valley into the hills. We actually walked the whole first 45 minutes along the narrow concrete wall of a water conduit (which I never would have thought to do on my own...I would have taken the main road)which directs water down to the village from the mountains. The sound was meditative (and that is what I want to record next time). People pay money to buy CD's with the sound of burbling brooks and running water with birds in the background etc., and this is exactly what I heard in full force the whole way. It was just wonderful. There were spots where boulders had fallen and created places for the water to pool and ripple down like small rapids on the other side of the path. Walked down to sit for awhile along one of these pools. Birds, and babbling brooks...and the butterflies of every color, yeallow, purple, orange, black, dotted, striped...Hay stacks on trees donkies carrying building materials and all around the wonderful green hills. Fields of wheat and rice almost emerald green in color. Pure Azure blue sky above with little wisps of white cloud here and there. Warmth of the sun mixed with the cool mountain breeze. Heavenly luxury!

Hope I can find my way up here again by myself. I have since met another lady who is looking for a walking partner, so I will try to do it together with her next time.

Next walk promised to me by Bernard is across Laxman Jula, up the mountain and over the ridge to get a view of the Himalayas in the distance....

He says you can continue up the we were going for a couple more hours, but it was enough for me and returned via another village...just lovely. For now just feeling completely blessed and at peace and in complete gratitude for always being provided with exactly what I need at every point of the way.

When I came back, quite hot, I decided the time was ripe for my first bowl of muesli, curd and fruit, and since I was told to no longer eat this for breakfast, why not for lunch? The fruit included strawberries, pomegranates, bananas, papaya, mango and pineapple, and raisins and nuts.

The rest of the day I rested, read, spoke with some more lovely people (one day I will have to write about the amazing variety of people I am meeting here...much different than those I meet in McLeod...more "normal" people from all over the world.

I will end here and try to get another post off with my visit today to the Market in downtown Rishikesh...let's see if we can manage it...

Namaste
Jane