First things first: a HUGE thank you to everyone for your sweet and thoughtful birthday facebook messages, wall posts, skype sessions, and emails! Hearing from everyone made me feel not so far from home...all the way over in India...so a million thank yous for thinking of me!
And now for the updates: (I swear, one of these days I'm gonna sit down at an internet cafe and write all of my stories out, but for now...bulletpoints will have to do!)
1) after enjoying lots of peace and solitude at Solitude Farm among the papayas, lemons, eggplants, tomatoes, green beans, rice fields, bananas, spinach, rocket, and varagu...I headed back north to my Indian love: the Tibetan communtiy of McLeod Ganj. And although I was merely traveling from the southeast of India to the northwest of the same country...it took me 30 hours! I began with a 3 hour cab ride from Auroville to the capital of Tamil Nadu, Chennai & flew from Chennai to Delhi, had an 8-hour layover there, took an overnight train to Pathankot, and then a 3 1/2 hour cab ride up the foothills of the Himalayas to McLeod Ganj. Phew!! Thankful that I made it safe & sound!
2) traveling solo means making new friends: on the train ride I met a super fun Australian couple: Heather and Nik...plus, I had made prior arrangements to meet up with Ariska & Josh (a Dutch/Australian couple that I have traveled with twice already). They introduced me to Kurt (an American) and Mariano (an Argentinian). These fellow travelers became my crew...my family...for the next week in McLeod Ganj. So much so, that Josh & Ariska set me up in their room on the floor in their sleeping bag so I could save some money! Thank you!!!
3) one day in McLeod Ganj our band of foreigners took a nice day hike up to the top of one of the mountains. The hike is called Triund...and we passed through boulder fields and rhododendron forests...it took us about 3 1/2 hours to go up and about 3 to come down...for a total of 18 kilometers. A wonderful way to spend the day; lots of sunshine and cloudless skies...there is something about being in nature that makes me feel so connected, so small, so peaceful, so spiritual...I'm sure somebody, at sometime said that nature was their sanctuary...so instead of taking credit for that idea, I'll just say "amen!"...but I won't lie: our legs were like jello later that night!
4) Kurt and I volunteered one afternoon at a place called "Tibet Hope Center". Here we spent about two hours meeting and talking with Tibetan Buddhist monks to help improve their conversational English. Wow! Talk about a spiritual experience! My group of three and I discussed reincarnation, karma, and monkhood. I mean, I already was a believer in karma & reincarnation...but after that discussion, I'm definitely sold. Later that night, we went to a fundraiser party for the center...chocolate momos and chai along with hula hoops and a dance party. Super fun to mingle with the local Tibetan community members and other foreigners!
5) THE DALAI LAMA FOR MY BIRTHDAY!!! So His Holiness put on a teaching for a group of Russian monks over three days...and it just so happens that the last day of the teaching was over my 27th birhday! How could I not go?!?!? We hitched up our yoga mats, blankets, FM radios (to hear an English translation), and notebooks on Nov 30-Dec 2 for the Dalai Lama's teachings on the Buddhist concept of bodhisattva (basically how to be a compassionate person who helps other people find peace...). Surrounded by men and women from all races, ages, countries of origin, religions, and backgrounds to listen to His Holiness...indescribable. Just the sense of calm and peace...wow...gives me goose bumps just thinking about it!
6) I haven't bought anymore purses since I last blogged...but I did buy two shirts...heh, heh...
7) on the first night of Hanukkah, my new friend Kurt and I headed to the chabad house to celebrate with about a million Israelis! We sang songs, lit the menorah, ate suvganiot, and munched on pita & humus. So nice to be able to celebrate my own religious traditions all the way over in India!
8) my new friends really went above and beyond to make my birthday so special...after the DL's teachings on Thursday, we went for lunch at our favorite roof top garden cafe for a surprise birthday cake, birthday song, and even gifts! Although I felt super homesick on this day (been away from home many times...but never for my birthday), I felt so grateful for the new friends I have made...and for all of their efforts and love!
9) also on my birthday, Kurt, Nik, Heather & I took the craziest, bumpiest, most ridiculous overnight bus ride I've taken in India...and probably in Indian history! 13 hours later we made it safely to Rishikesh (the self-titled "yoga capital of the world")...amazing energy here! Kurt and I are staying at the Parmarth Niketan Ashram (for $7 a day we get room, three meals, two yoga classes, and lecture...soooo good!!!).
10) tonight I head to Delhi on an overnight bus to meet Shannon!!! And our action-packed adventure begins tomorrow!!!
Until next time...namaste!
Happy belated birthday WEEEENNIIIEEEE! I did not forget about you...we have been on our traveling adventure to local state of California to visit family and I have finally come to check out the blogs!! Big kisses from Mai to her tia Ilene! Continue to have awesome travels! Much love to you!
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