Rishikesh Part 5: March 20 - 26

Last blog always gets posted a little late... settling back in and adjusting to jet lag takes a while!
So, my last week in Rishikesh - I'll try to keep it brief, here goes!

On Monday evening I finally met Truike, the founder of Children of the Ganges. She is originally from the Netherlands but works in New York at the United Nations school where she runs a music program. We've been in touch on Facebook since 2012 when I first discovered this little gem of a school (where Swati is the head teacher), but have never crossed paths in person as Truike's trips to Rishikesh are always in the summer (that's when school holidays are) and I will never set foot in India after the month of March again (was there till May in 2012), due to debilitating heat. This year, Truike was able to get away during her March break, so 5 years later we finally met - and it was a beautiful encounter.

Tuesday I went on a little adventure. Some of you may have heard about the huge currency conundrum that rocked India last November, but here's a quick overview for those who haven't: In an attempt to combat corruption, money-laundering, and counterfeiting, Prime Minister Modi decided to announce a surprise withdrawal of and ban on all 500 and 1000 rupee currency notes, the two highest denominations (equivalent of about $10 and $20 Canadian). The details of what followed are mind-boggling, but trying to keep this last entry short, so... I arrived in India with 10 000 rupees in old notes (about $200) and of course there were plenty of confusing and contradicting instructions on what I could do with my stash. One piece of info that was circulating quite widely was that foreigners and NRIs (non-residential Indians) who were not in the country at the time of the announcement had until March 31st to exchange their old notes, but only at RBI (Federal Reserve Bank of India) and its affiliated branches. Many people were saying this info was inaccurate, but that I may as well at least attempt. So, back to my Tuesday adventure... The closest RBI office to Rishikesh is in the city of Dehradun, about an hour bus ride north. Hopped into an auto-rickshaw to the Rishikesh bus station, found the bus to Dehradun, stood for most of the ride on the packed bus, then once in Dehradun, took a tuk-tuk to the RBI office, walked up to the 3rd floor, was offered a chai while I waited a few minutes, and when I told the lady what I was there for, she said, "Why does Rishikesh keep sending foreigners here? Every time, we inform them that the foreigner deadline for old currency exchange was December 31st and any other rumours circulating are misinformation." So that was that, I can now create a piece of art with my stack old rupee notes. I hung around town for a bit, walked along the main street to the downtown clocktower, stopped into a little cafe for an iced tea, then flagged down an auto-rickshaw to head back to the bus station. Back onto a crowded bus, but at least got a seated this time, for the 80min ride back to Rishikesh. Walked over to Swati's mom's to say good-bye, and Sarojni (Swati's best friend who lives near her mom) invited me over for chai and pakoras. Then one more auto-rickshaw back to Ramjula, walked across the bridge and headed home to continue the packing process I had started on Saturday (a week in advance!).

Wednesday morning, after yoga with Ashish, I packed my iPad and went to do some work at my fancy AC coffee shop called Urban Sip. There are big glass windows overlooking the Ganga - great spot to get away from the chaos of the streets. Some shopping in the afternoon and Children of Ganges in the evening.

Thursday morning I made my last trip over to Laxmanjula (the neighbouring town) for more shopping and a cup of chai & chat with Mahesh and Savita, the couple who own the rock shop where I buy all my stones and malas. They were disappointed I wouldn't be in town for their daughter's wedding in April, but are looking forward to my housewarming party next winter! That afternoon I went down to the river for my annual Ganga dip. Always save it for the end so that the glacier water might warm warm up a degree or two, but it's still painfully (though invigoratingly!) cold. When I got  back to my apartment, Pushpa, my neighbour, was in the hallway and offered to be bring me a plate of the lunch she had recently prepared for her family, which I gratefully accepted. In the evening, I walked down to the market to buy a bigger carry-on than the one I already had (which was just a small backpack). It's the solution I came up with to help solve my packing dilemma, which was starting to give me nightmares.

Friday morning was my last class with Ashish (who has agreed to giving private lessons to the group I will be bringing next year!), after which Swati invited Truike and I to her place for a scrumptious farewell lunch. The afternoon was just more final shopping and packing - yes, I kept buying things even though I knew there was no more room in my luggage. Silly girl.

Saturday was my last day, and it was a beautiful one. I started with a street chai at my favorite wallah's stand - same guy I've been going to since 2012. Then it was over to Rishiskesh Yog Peeth (where I did my yoga teacher training in 2013) with Truike, Swati and the Children of the Ganges who were performing a song a dance for the teacher trainees, as well as a presentation by Truike on the Bottle School they have begun working on. (Her current lease for the room where the classes are held is up in 2018, so she now wants to build her own "plastic bottle" classroom - with the help of volunteers, teachers and students, so I will keep you posted on developments if ever anyone is interested in helping out!) I got to see my wonderful YTT teacher from 4 years ago, Roshan, while we were there, who also has a big project underway - opening up an ashram in the mountains not too far from Rishikesh, where he will transfer his school next fall when it is ready. And he was also happy to tell me that they will be offering complementary 21-day retreats for alumni - sweet!! We then packed the kids into 3 jeeps, and were off to Mahatma Yoga Ashram near Laxmanjula, where Truike stays when she's in town. The location is stunning, right by the river with a spectacular view of the mountains. After a drink of water and a stop at the bathroom, the kids headed up to the top floor where there is a big, beautiful yoga hall. They were then taught a 1h acro-yoga class that most seemed to thoroughly enjoy. Even Truike worked up the courage to do some flying! Class was followed by a delicious lunch, after which I rushed off a bit before the group as I had some final packing to do before my taxi to the train station at 4pm. Stopped in for a quick farewell at Swati's, went home for my final packing, and miraculously, I still had an hour to spare, so I went to the bakery for one last cappuccino from the talented Nepalese barista (would need the caffein perk for the night of travels ahead!). Then stopped next door at Amit's (Swati's husband's) stationary shop to sign the final apartment papers (yes, at the very last minute) - a 5 page document drawn up by a lawyer, which had had to be brought to Dehradun for translation and then returned to Rishikesh, and all of that, including the lawyer fees cost me a whopping $30. If you have any legal work to be done, bring it to India!! Amit met me at my apartment with his scooter at 4, to help me bring my luggage to the taxi stop, a 5min walk away. He piled half my stuff onto his scooter and drove off, while I walked with the rest. The taxi driver laughed when he felt the weight of my bags as he loaded them into the car. He was a great driver with good taste in Hindi music, and got me safely to the Haridwar train station, with almost an hour to spare before the Shtabdi Express would pull up on Platform 1. From the cab, I hired a porter (for the first time in 5 years) to help me get my bags to the platform, and he would then return when the train arrived (if he wanted to get paid!) to help me get everything onboard and all the big pieces up onto the overhead rack. I always love the train ride, and this was no exception. Once in Delhi, at 11pm, I again hired a porter to help unload my bags and get them to the taxi. 40min cab ride to the airport, with a very chatty and friendly driver, and then the final moment I had been stressing about: how much would they charge me in overweight fees?? Well, long story short, after 40 minutes of re-organizing and weight re-distribution, I got away with $180 instead of $300. Very long customs and security lines, good thing I got to the airport almost 4hours in advance (nothing like departure from home!!), but flight ended up being delayed over an hour, so went to Starbucks for a latte and some iPad web catching up. Smooth flight from Delhi to Doha, where I had a very quick transfer due to the delay (what a difference from 21hr layover I've had the past 3 trips!), and another nice (but long and pretty sleepless) flight from Doha to Montreal, sitting beside a lovely francophone couple who were returning from a trip to Vietnam. Got through customs pretty quickly (and when they asked what my most expensive purchase was while abroad, I said "Books!!") but then the luggage belt had technical issues, so it took almost an hour to get my bags. A bit annoying when you've been traveling for so many hours straight and just want to get home, but I had some leftover Indian zen I made use of. My dad was there to greet me, and of course, the first person I wanted to see was my nephew Theo, so we stopped at Liv and Mark's for dinner on the way back. As much as I adore India, it always feels so, so lovely to be home.

That's a wrap for India 2017, with exciting things ahead for next year - I will have my own apartment (and maybe even a scooter to go with it), and don't forget to let me know if you're interested in the group trip I'll be organizing from February 18 - March 18, 2018!!

As Prem Baba says at the end of every satsang (and as I think I ended last year's blog):

Blessed be each one of you, until we meet again. Namaste.

Rishikesh Part 4: March 14 - 19

Down to my last week here, which is always a mixture of anticipation for being home and sadness about leaving. But as the temperature is quickly rising, reaching the mid-30s this week, I'm actually looking forward to cooler days back home, even if it's only zero degrees!

The Om Salon manicure from Riya on Tuesday (mentioned in the last post) was wonderful, and included a forearm honey massage and semolina exfoliating rub. The day before, she drew a beautiful henna tattoo on my right arm when I visited her and her siblings at home.

Wednesday morning was my meeting with Naveen (owner of the building my apartment is in) to discuss the details of our purchase agreement over chai and gujia (leftover Holi sweets). We met in Swati's home with her parents-in-law who currently own the apartment. I have to admit it was slightly disconcerting to make such a big purchase/decision in a room full of Indians speaking Hindi a mile a minute, but I can say that I feel completely confident and optimistic about it nonetheless. Then I was off to Prem Baba's final satsang of the season, a beautiful and festive event. When I dropped in to my favorite rock shop on the way back, run by a couple who have become good friends of mine, and told them about my apartment purchase being almost official, Mahesh congratulated me (badhāī hō!) and his wife Savita suggested I throw a jrrūra (housewarming party) when I come back next year - what a great idea! Just as I got back to my apartment, Prakash (my across-the-hall neighbor) was also just getting in for lunch and invited me to join them. His wife Pushpa had prepared some rice, spicy (very spicy) veg soup and fresh cucumber salad. We had a lovely chat and Pushpa told me to come by and cook with her whenever I'm free, which I will definitely take her up on in the next few days.

On Thursday morning I finally went back to yoga with Ashish, and judging from the muscle pain I felt the next day, it was clear I'd been slackin' on my practice. Don't have too much planned for my last week (and feeling 100% better health wise), so should be able to get a few more classes in before I leave. That afternoon I made my way to Swati's mom's home in Rishikesh city, where she taught me how to knit, using some old wool of my mother's I'd been saving. It was a touching experience.  

Friday morning I stopped for street chai and was able to have a semi-decent conversation with Babu, the chai-wallah, in Hindi. He was quite impressed. That might not seem like much of an accomplisment considering I've been to India 5 times, but try learning Hindi, and you'll understand! I went back to Om Salon that afternoon for another apointment with Riya - this time a marvellous papaya facial. It felt so great to care for my face in this way after all it had gone through while I was sick. The treatment started with a rose water wash, then fruit cream massage, papaya exfoliating rub, clay mask, more massage, and to top it all off, a plate of freshly cut papaya to snack on when it was over. Blissful - just what I needed.

It was Mooji's second to last satsang on Saturday, so I ventured over. While I do appreiciate his teachings very much, I still prefer the cozier atmosphere (and sublime musicians) at Prem Baba. The half hour walk home from Mooji's ashram is always a highlight of the outing, strolling along the Ganga with an exquisite view of the mountains.

My book buying seems to be more out of control than usual this year, and I even started packing last night (one week in advance!) to make sure I have enough room for them all in my luggage - which obviously I don't. Gonna have to work some puzzle packing magic if I don't want to have to ship anything home. Or... I just leave a few books here until next year - it's my home afterall! Took it real easy today, a shanti shanti Sunday. Started with a cappuccinno and cinnamon roll at my favorite little bakery with the talented Nepalese barista, then popped in to Amit's (Swati's husband's) store next door to pick up a few more... books. I told Amit that if I come back in again this week wanting to buy more, that he is to tell me to turn around and go read the 40 I already have!  He laughed and agreed. Came home for a little afternoon nap (the heat is making me quite tired), then back out for a mango lassi and refreshing feet dip in the Ganga.

That's all for now, and I leave you with a some words from Prem Baba's final satsang on March 15th:

"I am here to show you that it is possible to awaken from the dream of suffering. And that what you are seeking is within you. The seeker is the one who is committed to finding this truth inside themselves. And to find it, focus is needed. This focus is commitment. Commitment to the Truth. Honesty, integrity, the truth of who You are."

Rishikesh Part 3: March 6 - 13

Near the end of my last blog, I mentionned thinking that I might finally be running low on mucus production, but one week later, that still hasn't quite happened. Feeling a million times better than when I typed my last post, but a chest cough still lingers, and the sinuses remain rather generous in their offerings. It was quite a show when I would sneeze last week, with tears and liquid snot and saliva exploding in all directions. My nose was so sore and raw from incessant blowing, that it formed an outer shell which eventually cracked and bled. My eyes were teary, bloodshot and swollen. My skin hurt all over. I'd shiver, then I'd sweat, then shiver, then sweat. Ok, ok, onto better news!

Had a great meeting with Prateek (astrologer) last Monday afternoon, followed by candlelight dinner (electricity is a bit temperamental in India) with an Australian friend I met here back in 2012, here this time for the yoga festival with her mother (who might be intersted in renting my apartment for 6 months after I leave - good start to my ownership endeavour!) Tuesday I headed to Ramana's Garden for lunch with Julia, one of my favorite spots in town. It's a children's home (orphanage) where the kids get lodging, food, and schooling, and even work skills by helping out in the organic garden which produces fresh ingredients for the restaurant where they also work. It's a heartwarming place in an exquisite peaceful setting. Then Julia and I went jewelry shopping, where I bought my first toe rings - don't know what took me so long, I love them! (Even considering a nose ring stud since I tested out the look with a little bindi sticker last night...) Wednesday I went for an ayurvedic nasya treatment to help with my lingering sickness - it's the recommended treatment for anything sinus related. Begins with a face massage, with special emphasis on the sinus area, then an herbal face steam, followed by medicated nasal drops and oil in the ears, ending with a quick final sinus rub. Just what I needed, and it definitely helped, but wasn't a 100% cure. That afternoon I said good-bye to Julia and her dad, who were off to Delhi by train early the next morning, then flying home to   Montreal the following day. Thursday I went back to Children of Ganges to play games with the kids, who had just finished their public school exams. Even got to play a little harmonium which Truike (the school's founder) bought for them last year. Friday, I went to yoga for the first time in (I confess) over 2 weeks. Yep, what with being sick and having a friend here, I was otherwise occupied. But it sure felt great to get my body moving again, and it even seemed to help clear up my congestion a little. That afternoon, the rain began. And in Rishikesh, when it rains, it rains. With it came hurricane-like winds and cold weather (though I won't complain about that too much, as I've heard about the nasty cold spell back home...) So I stayed in on Friday night, bundled up with tuque and blankets, watching Indian movies on Netflix by candlelight (electricity extra fussy during rain storms, but it does make for a rather lovely atmosphere). Didn't leave my room much for the next 24hrs, except for a couple quick food runs. By Sunday morning, the sky was clear, the sun was shining, the air was fresh and light, and people were back out and about. Packed a little bag of reading books and coloring books, some sunscreen and a juice bottle, and headed up four flights of stairs to my rooftop to soak up some vitamin D after being cooped up and cold since Friday. That afternoon I went to a little statue shop nearby for several purchases. While waiting for the credit card machine to arrive, Gopal, the shopkeeper, went out to get me a glass of chai, and while I sipped on the delicious drink, we chatted about export possibilities. Like the real estate development, this is not something I had planned, but seems like a perfect little addition to my yoga studio - a small shop with beautiful Indian merchandise. Guess I'm really becoming a business woman! (words I never thought I'd hear myself say, but life is funny that way...)

Sunday night was the beginning of Holi, the annual color festival honoring love and the victory of good over evil. It always falls on the last full moon of winter, celebrating the upcoming arrival of spring. On the evening of the full moon, locals do a puja (worship) in their homes, then head down to the ghats to make offerings to a huge bonfire on the banks of the Ganga. I joined Swati's family for these rituals, and was invited to stay for a delicious meal afterwards. The next morning (which was this morning) is the wilder part of Holi, which some of you might remember from my previous blogs. People throw brightly colored powder and water balloons at each other, and you might even get soaked by an entire bucket of water launched in your direction.  My first couple years, I participated in the insanity (or "played" Holi as they say), but the last couple times I've opted to stay home, venturing only onto my rooftop, from where I can safely (and dryly) watch the warzone streets down below. As of 4pm, it's safe to go out, as the mayhem has died down and people have headed home to wash up and rest. So I walked over to visit with a beautiful family (3 of the 5 kids used to attend Children of the Ganges), who I had "played" Holi with 3 years ago. I was warmly greeted and offered a plate of scrumptious gujia, the traditional sweets made for Holi. They were thrilled when I gave them a few pictures I had had framed of our Holi shenanigans 3 years before. The eldest daughter, who is 16, now works in a nearby beauty salon, so I told her I'd go by for a manicure tomorrow afternoon - not something I usually treat myself to, so looking forward to it!

Today's closing quote, simple yet exquisitely profound, is from one of my favorite classic novels, To Kill a Mockingbird (picked up a used copy here from a bookswap shelf): 

"Atticus, he was real nice."

 "Most people are, Scout, when you finally see them."

Rishikesh Part 2: Feb 28 - Mar 5

Well, as much as I may love the coming of spring in India, it appears I am severely allergic to it. My first couple years here it was tummy troubles that had me on meds, but my system seems to have adaped to local food and water (yay!). The last few years, however, I've been plagued with painful allergic bronchitis, which is hitting with full force as I type this blog. I was actually supposed to be at a wedding right now, in my beautiful new custom-tailored Indian suit, but instead I'm sitting in my room with piles of kleenex, coughdrops, warm honey water and nasal medicated inhaler capsuls. It was Swati's best friend's cousin's wedding - doesn't take much to get on the guestlist here! (Liv, you might want to reconsider your wedding location...)

The day after our "Jesus cave" outing, Julia, Eric, Anna and I walked up to the nearby Sivananda Ashram for some book browsing and meditation, then in the evening walked down to the Parmarth Niketan ghats for the daily Ganga Aarti (river worship ceremony). The following day was Eric and Anna's last in Rishikesh, before heading down south to Sadhguru's ashram. We all went out for a nice farewell dinner, during which I felt quite bizzarly high from my 2-hour ayurvedic treatment earlier that day. It started with a seated scalp, head and shoulder massage, followed by a full body, 4-handed sesame oil abhyanga, then a facial and shirodhara (constant stream of warm oil running side-to-side across the forehead, uuuuber relaxing), then a 10 minute eucalyptus body steam, and finally a cup of tea and chat with the two lovely ladies who were part of my teaching team during the ayurvedic panchkarma course I took here last year. Hence my totally cloudy and dazed state during dinner!

A few highlights from the last week: buying a Shruti box (a sort of mini harmonium with wind only, no keys); buying a stunning piece of natural himalayan blue quartz, suggested by my favorite rock vendor as an auspicious one to put in my new studio when our center opens this summer; buying a dozen new books to fill my brain with motivating thoughts and ideas... ok, moving on from purchases... semi-adopting a beautiful little black dog that hangs out near my apartment (and naming her Kiki); eating a scrumptious bowl of pumpkin-spinach kitchri at the Ayurvedic Café (which I'm delighted is the nearest resto to where I'm staying, a 5min walk away); going to a hangdrum concert on the banks of the Ganga (part of the new Rishikesh Art & Film Festival); going up onto my roof to watch the glorious Indian sun rise over the mountains in my backyard. 

And now, the front-page-worthy piece of news: I'm meeting with a lawyer next week to discuss the terms of purchasing the apartment which I currently live in! Yep, long story short, it was bought by Swati's parents-in-law for Swati's little family of 4 to move into, but they ended up opting for a bigger place being built in downtown Rishikesh. So when she told me it was for sale, I said, "I'll take it!" For those of you who are into astrology, you'll understand the importance for cancerians like myself to have a place to settle into and call home, and you'll appreciate my overwhelming joy and satisfaction as I undertake this surprising, unplanned and uncharacteristic real estate venture! And for those who intend to be in India while I'm not, I will have a cozy, perfectly-located 3 1/2 to offer you at a very reasonable price ;)

I've (literally) blown through 6 packs of kleenex while writing this post, and I think my sinuses are finally running out of mucus (here's hoping, anyway). Gotta be feeling a little more human for tomorrow's special satsang with Prem Baba, followed by a vedic reading from Prateek, the local astrologer who I've seen a couple times before, but couldn't get a hold of last year. Always a pretty insightful half hour.

In closing, more words of wisdom to tickle your heart from the ever-inspiring Prem Baba: 

"Peace and prosperity are only possible when you love... Peace and prosperity are a consequence of love being awakened... At the same time, in order for you to awaken love, you must go through the difficult test of relating... It's all mathematics. I'm just giving a math class. Can you see it?... The person you are having difficulty relating to is not your enemy, it is your teacher. It is your teacher... May we be able to feel free to love." (scribbled notes from satsang on March 4th)

Rishikesh Part 1: Feb 15 - Feb 27

Sitting in my cozy candlelit apartment to write this post, loving the feeling of having a place to call home for the next month. Bactrack to my post-travels arrival in Rishikesh...

Of course, my first destination (after a little unpacking and a much needed shower) was Swati's. As always, we were both very happy to see each other and catch up on the past year of our lives. Her daughter, Arna, who was just a couple months old last time I was here, is now a lively little girl, quite possibly one of the happiest I've ever seen! She is full of animation and curiosity and smiles, a joy to be around. Next stop was Ganesh's roadside cart, my favorite chai-wallah. Then I did the rounds, popping into a few shops and saying to hi to those friendly familiar faces.

The following morning I made my way over to the neighbouring town of Laxmanjula for satsang with Prem Baba. Five years later, I still can't quite explain what happens to me in that hall, but the feeling is exquisite. The live musicians move me to tears every time, with the sublime sounds of their voices and instruments. And when Prem Baba speaks, the love circulating in the room is palpable, and I find myself involuntarily bringing both hands over my heart, pressing firmly, as if to keep it from bursting right out of my chest.

A little less emotionally intense, but significantly more physically intense are my morning Iyengar classes with Ashish, favorite teacher in town. He even agreed to teach private classes for the group I'll be bringing to India next year! Spent my first Friday night here at Children of the Ganges, the school for underprivileged kids where Swati teaches. Dropped off the donations I had lugged over from Canada (thanks again Melina, Robin, Lyne, Amanda, Mandi and Meera!) and helped correct a few English assignments in prepararion for their state public school exams this week. Next time I go we'll be able to celebrate with some fun and games.

Been spending quite a bit of time with my friend Julia from back home, who is here until March 10th. We share a common interest for all things spiritual and astrological, so have of course been enjoying each other's company here in the land of all that good stuff! It's her first trip to India, and she's already planning her second :)

Went to see Dr. Srivastava, a renowned ayuvedic physician who even treats Mooji and Prem Baba. Went in feeling great, as I usually do in India, but came out with a pretty hefty assortment of brightly colored herbal pills and little custom-prepared powder packets. He read my wrist pulse, and in 10 minutes gave me an impressively precise and accurate diagnosis. So as healthy as I may feel, it seems there are a few things that need tending to in order to uncover truly optimal well-being.

February 24th was the day of Maha Shivaratri, annual celebration of Shiva, beloved Hindu god of yoga and meditation. The majority of Indians fast on this day, and in the evening go down to the Ganga for a river puja (also a very auspicious day to bathe in the holy water), then go participate in temple ceremonies late into the night. Some years I'm more traditional than others, but this wasn't one of them, as I did none of those things. Julia and I met up with Eric and Anna for dinner, a couple friends of ours who had just arrived in Rishikesh. After a delicious meal at Pyramid Café, I made my way over to Prem Baba's hall, where there whould be Shiva chants until the wee hours of the morning. Got back to my room at 2am, which I think officially makes that my latest night out in India.

Spent most of Sunday in Rishikesh market with Swati and Julia, stopping for a delicious lunch at Swati's mom's in town. I was mainly shopping for things for my new apartment - yup, an actual 3 1/2 apartment! Spent my first 10 days here at a great guesthouse that Swati was able to pull some strings to reserve for me before my arrival, but then on the day of Shivaratri, I moved to this great apartment owned by Swati's parents-in-law. (And it's for sale... I'm tempted!) It's a little ways out from the main hub of westerners and teacher trainees, where it's more calm and quiet, and my neigbours are lovely lively Indian families. There's a fantastic rooftop from where I can watch the sunset over Rishikesh, and a wooded area just outside my ground floor apartment. I'm just loving it, here for the next month, and really making it feel homey.

Yesterday, I discovered a magical new spot thanks to Eric and Anna. The four of us (with Julia) took a cab 40 min out of town, heading north towards the mountains. Destination: the "Jesus cave." A place he apparently spent months, if not years, meditating in this cave, during a period of disappearance in the story of his life when his whereabouts were unknown. The location is exquisite, just by the Ganges, surrounded by mountains, and sitting to meditate in the dark, moist cave itself was an indescribable feeling.

That's all for now, Rishikesh Part 2 coming up next week.

Today's closing quote is from Paramahansa Yogananda:

"Seek to do brave and lovely things that are left undone by the majority of people. Give gifts of love and peace to those whom others pass by."

Travels - Part 2: Metros, Trains & Tuk-tuks

Took off from Montreal during a snow storm, from Doha under the pouring rain, and landed in Delhi through thick smog. Was looking foward to the sunny blue skies and fresh air of Rishikesh. Super quick airport exit - 5min to get through customs, 5min at the luggage belt, then across the street to catch the metro to New Delhi. Things got a little less smooth when I exited at my stop. When I got outside and looked around, I didn't recognize anything. Strange. I've taken that metro before, but usually go straight to the train station (staying a day in Delhi this time). My guesthouse should have been a quick 10min walk from the metro stop, but it seems I wasn't at the stop I was expecting to be at, and I ended up walking around in circles for about 20 min, getting conflicting directions from everyone I asked. Hot and tired, I finally gave up the search and got a tuk-tuk. Of course, he over-charged, but I just wanted to get to my room for a shower and a nap, so I didn't argue for too long over the extra dollar. Was settled into my room at RAK Hotel (where I've always stayed in Delhi - ordinary rooms, but extraordinary staff) by 11am. Had a few little errands to run on Main Bazaar, the central street of Paharganj, backpacker district, after which I could relax and recup from long, sleepless travels. Out for a quick bite at my regualr spot, the organic Brown Bread Bakery (always best to start off with some not too exotic food!), then back to my room for some repacking and prepping for the next day's early morning train to Haridwar. Got a few solid hours of sleep, and probably would have managed a full night if it weren't for the barking dogs I awoke to shortly after 4am. Walked to the train station at 6am, in the pre-dawn calm and darkness that I love, and was in my seat for departure at 6:40. The 5 hour ride from Delhi to Rishikesh is always one that I thoroughly enjoy, listening to my music and watching the Indian scenery go by. From the Haridwar train station I walk across the street to catch a rickety old bus to Rishikesh - 40min, 35 rupees (70 cents). Then comes the moment I dread, when I get off the bus and am swarmed by a crowd of tuk-tuk drivers, all wanting to be chosen for the ride to Ramjula (precisely here that my foot got run over last year). So I was momentarily pleasantly surprised when I walked down the steps from the bus, and the swarm didn't happen. But as I looked around, I realized that the reason there were no tuk-tuk drivers waiting around for customers, was that there were no... tuk-tuks! Hmmm, this is bizarre. Ok, so I'll start walking, I thought. The main road where I would surely be able to catch one was about a 10min walk away. Manageable. But when I reached it, still no tuk-tuks in sight. Very strange. So I start walking along the main road, but I know that with the heat and the weight of my 4 pieces of luggage, I'll never make it to my destination, a good hour by foot. I did see a couple tuk-tuks drive by, but they were either full or not stopping. Walked for another 20min or so, and was just about to stop for a rest on the side of the road when I finally heard one slow down beside me. He knew rides were hard to come by today (the reason for which I would later find out from Swati, was that it was election day and therefore a holiday, so many drivers not working) and used the opporunity to hike his price. I managed to reason with him a little, I knew it was a short drive to where I was going, but would have paid quadruple if he had insisted. Once at the taxi drop off area, I still had a 20min walk to my guest house, across the pedestrian bridge and up the hill. At last, I arrived, and despite my exhaustion, was thrilled to be back "home".

Highlights from my first week here coming up next.

Until then, a few words from Kahlil Gibran:

"All things in this creation exist within you, and all things in you exist in creation; there is no border between you and the closest things, and there is no distance between you and the farthest things, and all things, from the lowest to the loftiest, from the smallest to the greatest, are within you as equal things."

Travels - Part 1: Planes, trains & tuk-tuks

Yet another Indian adventure begins! As per usual, the departure was a chaotic frenzy. Every year I swear to never again leave my preparations so last minute - i.e. laundry, cleaning and packing on Sunday afternoon, when I have to leave for the airport at 7pm. But every year, that's exactly what I'm doing. Maybe 6th time's a charm, here's hoping.

Thought the snow storm might help me out by delaying my flight, but checked online, and no such luck (yet grateful that it wasn't cancelled!). So my dad gets me to the airport as quickly/safely as possible, and when I get to the check-in counter the lady says, "Ma'am, you are very late. Passport please, quickly!" She takes my two check-in bags, looks at her screen, and says, "Ma'am, plane is boarding, run!" So I hurry to the security entrance, wait in line a few minutes, throw my carry-ons onto the belt, walk through the scan - beeeeeep! I look questioningly at the security lady, as I have nothing on me that could possibly set off the alarm, and she explains that I've been randomly selected for a more thorough examination. Great. I ask if she can please proceed quickly, as my plane is boarding, which she kindly does. Once through security, I grab hold of my backpack and purse straps, and start sprinting towards Gate 52, which of course is at the other end of the terminal. I ran for what felt like a kilometer, before finally reaching my gate, panting and sweating, only to see everyone still comfortably seated in the waiting area. Not sure where the check-in lady got her information, but clearly my flight was delayed afterall. Sat down, caught my breath, and repacked my carry-ons, which had been quite haphazardly filled in the departure rush. Boarding was delayed about half an hour, then we sat on the plane without moving for an hour and a half - waiting for our turn at the de-icer (I don't know whether it was an attempt to get a head start on the melting process, but it was about 100 degrees on the plan. They kept having to come around with trays of ice cold water for people on the verge of passing out). After 20 minutes at the ice&snow removal station, and another 20 waiting our turn for the take-off strip, we were in the air at last. Twelve hours and only a few brief moments of sleep later, we were landing in Doha. Due to our significantly delayed departure, we were landing almost 3 hours late, which had people with closely connecting flights in quite a panic (my layover was scheduled to last 9 hours, so I was fine, with still 6 to go). As soon as the plane slowed down at the end of the runway, half the passengers jumped out of their seats, and stared opening the overhead compartents, reaching for their carry-ons. Anyone who's ever been on a plane knows that this ain't the way it works. The plane must be fully stopped, and parked at the gate with the seatbelt signs off. The poor flight attendants were trying to get everyone to sit back down with frantic hand motions and the captain kept asking over the intercom for people to please wait patiently, but it was useless. They were determined to catch their next flight. (Though I wonder whether they realized that their current actions would do nothing to get them get there any sooner.) The girl at the security scan on the way into Hamad International Airport had heavy, tired eyes that were closed longer than they were open between blinks, and I got through with a full water bottle - that's not normal, is it? So much for heightened security. Had no problem keeping busy during my 6 hour wait, and though I didn't get a surprise first class upgrade this year, the flight from Doha to Delhi was smooth and pleasant. Had to laugh as I watched that little video they play as you take off about airplane emergency procedures - you know, the one no one ever pays attention to? Well it seems Qatar Airways has tried to encourage attentive viewing by hiring Qatari soccer stars and models for the "feature" roles. It was quite comical, and I have to say, it worked.

Ok, that's it for now. It's past 11pm and I need a good night's sleep before my morning yoga class with Ashish tomorrow. The rest of Week 1, Part 1 (trains & tuk-tuks) will have to wait. 

I leave you with a few words from Thursday's satsang with Prem Baba:

"We make our own plans, then God laughs about them. Open yourself to the wisdom of uncertainty."