Searching For Shanti

Samaj gaya

2011-02-19T02:05:00.000-08:00

Its been a bit of time since I've updated my blog, life has been fairly mellow with not much to report on. We've gotten into a life routine here in Banaras so we're not doing anything extra special or especially amazing, even though what we are doing is pretty special and amazing!

We've just returned this morning from a week in Puri. We left on the 12th after attending a really special puja ceremony at Panditji's house outside in the country. Panditji had a village ceremony to bless his temple and especially to bless the fire pit outside the temple, so we went and enjoyed the few hours we were there. We left fairly late as Martin was unwell and we had to check outo f our room in Godowli and head off to Mahmoorganj to drop off/pack up our stuff. As a result of us leaving later than everyone else, we got caught in absolute mayhem grindlock! It took almost 2 hours to go 25 km! We sat in horrendous traffic for about 45 min barely moving, and I wondered where we were in Varanasi. Martin looked out of the window and exclaimed that we were only close to the railway station which is only about 2 km from where we started! But we got to Panditji's village in one piece and when we arrived, it was worth waiting for. Panditji's beautiful family and all of their extended family was there, and a blazing fire surrounded by people lay in the middle. Two men were on a microphone saying prayers in Sanskrit and everyone was tossing offerings into the fire. Naganath sat at the head, pouring in ghee and offering other items like small chapatis and rice. The fire was alive, and poured out so much heat that the women around the circle had pulled their veils over their faces. I took a seat next to Nagnath and Martin and we joined the puja. The children eventually stole me away to the mustard fields where they picked mustard flowers for me and jumped all over me and each other. The kids are so happy and alive here, and completely free from the distractions of modern life like tv and playstation. There are so many of the kids at Panditji's as his family includes his 5 sisters and their families, and all thekids get along like they are all best friends. So sweet and lovely.

We caught our train later that evening from Mughal Serai, which is outside of Varanasi. The train station was really old school India, right off the backpackers trail. A pack of street performing children with matted hair and tattered clothes tried to earn a few rupees on the platform while amphetamine eyed young men trolled the platform, scratching their skinny arms. Finally the train came and we got on and both passed out til the morning.

The train was 7.5 hours late because there are problems with Maoist terrorists going through Bihar, so the train kept stopping for hours at a time. Armed guards paced the stations and came onboard to check the train. I was more annoyed than nervous as this train was dirty and this meant that we missed our day in Puri, instead spending it on a train full of dancing cockroaches. When we finally rolled in to the station at 7:30, I was in a right grump but once I stepped off the train and into the humid air I was happy. We caught a rickshaw right to the Pink House Hotel which is right on the beach, and thats where we found Choti.

Choti was curled up in a little ball with her ribcage sticking out. She hardly moved, or lift her head. She was a darling little 3 week old puppy, white with browny red spots and big brown eyes. She lay right in front of our door, and my heart broke the second that I saw her. I got some bread and milk for her and held her in my lap while she ate. She didn't have much energy, but I could tell that she was really sweet. Bedtime came, and we shut the door. Martin got busy hanging up the mosquito net while I unpacked our stuff. I heard a little whimper and then a huge wail, followed by a barrage of cries. I turned to Martin, who took one look at my face (which was now crying) and he said "Bring her in". And so she ended up next to our bed.

The next day, we went out to the school with Neneta, Umesh and a Portuguese lad named Orrille who is there for a month working on the school as part as his architect masters degree. I brought Choti along, where she slept in the sun and drank loads of milk.

The school has changed quite a bit since the last time we were there. There is another level that has been added, and the primary school wing (2 classrooms and a teachers room) has been built. We rolled up in a cloud of dust, and suddenly all the children ran out of their classrooms and came running toward us with beautiful handmade bouquets of flowers. We got swarmed with kids "Namaste! Como estas? How are you?" and many grabbed our hands and touched our feet. It was hugely moving, emotional, and so fantastic to see the kids.

The school has grown in size, and there are about 300 kids that attend every day now. The school was able to buy a small minibus with a very generous donation so now the children who travel home everyday don't have to walk the 7 km to their villages. The school has (sometime) electricity and running purified water. Another generous donation purchased 4 sewing machines so some of the older girls are learning how to sew. For the children who live there permanently, music and traditional dance classes are offered on the weekends. The children are doing so well and are all so happy. I was thrilled to see that everything was thriving at the school. Neneta and Umesh work tirelessly for the school, trying to raise funds and take care of the business side while always keeping energy and love for the children. It is truly moving to see what a huge difference 2 people can do. In all of our busy lives, we lose sight of the fact that we are able to make a difference. Maybe its because we feel that it may be only just us, or maybe that really life is too busy or challenging to think of adding on something else. But people like Neneta and Umesh are just 2 people who put an idea in action, and 7 years later, they are still going strong. They get so much energy from people who come to the school and who decide that they want to help in someway. Some people paint pictures on the wall, or take photographs. Some people, like Orrille, come from Barcelona to spend a month helping with the planning and construction of the new add on. Some people like us, give money and become an advocate.

There are so many places to give money in this world. There is an endless need for help. Quite often, where the money get sent isn't actually where the money goes. Umesh and Neneta spend every last rupee on the school. This school gives children in this truly impoverished state a chance for something else. Some are orphaned, or from broken homes. Some come from agricultured families, where the expectation is that the children should continue with the line of work and help their fathers. The very chance that these children get to escape this life and attend a school where they will actually end up with something to go out into the world and offer is amazing.

The school needs your help. Money goes a long way in India. A donation of even $10 helps so much. I will be collecting money in Canada for the school and will cover the costs to have to the funds tranfered to India. If you want to make a donation, Neneta, Umesh and all the children would be so grateful. Neneta received word that the bank where she worked for 40 years and who previously donated 3000 Euros a year would be unable to help this year as they have merged with another bank who can't afford to help. This was especially disastrous news for Neneta, who spent the evening really quiet and sad. This chunk of money is meant to cover so many things for the kids- primarily food, books, and clothes. The fact that this money is not coming, means that she is going to have to find it somehwere else. And so Martin and I promised her and Umesh that we would help find it. The children eat 4 times a day at the school (those wholive there permanently) and all kids are clothed and given books, pens, paper etc. It costs nothing for the kids to attend, but means that these children are given valuable education. For a child who is from a broken home with no future, this education is priceless. I will be collecting funds upon my return to Canada. Like Isaid, even a donation of $10 helps so much.

Martin has been quite unwell, so our time in Puri was more restful and he spent it convalescing. This trip has been hard on both of our health. We rented bikes and went for a bike ride to the Jaganath temple on Thursday and woke up before sunrise to have a beautiful bikeride along the coast line Friday morning before our train. Puri is such a lovely place. Its got a wild, tribal feel to it. Every temple is decorated so vidily with strange looking Hindu gods and goddesses. The temples are protected by big smiling lions that don big handlebar moustaches. Its fantastic. Puri is also full of honeymooners, so you see many awkward couples walking around or eating together. The women shyly look at the floor while the men shift around in their seats. Some of the more loved up ones are openly showing affection in the streets - holding hands or catching eyes of one another. Its not something I have seen outside of Puri, and I love it that they feel comfortable enough to show affection openly. The tribal women come in massive processions, wearing brightly coloured threadbare saris that barely cover thier breasts. There are still many bare chested tribes here in Orissa.

I noticed a large white tourist popluation here in Puri that I didn't see before. Many Goa type backpackers as well as Hare Kirshna devotees. When we were here before, we didn't see hardly any other white tourists. But the secret ,ust be out about how great (and cheap!) Puri is. Shame really as I see that its already changing. BUt thats the downfall of travelling I guess.

Choti has developed into a proper little puppy. We spent the rest of the week caring for her, bringing her everywhere we went. She became quite the celebrity around the town. In only a few days, she started to get fat and rolypoly and started to play with us. She was especially sweet in the mornings, where she would prance at our feet and yip while wagging her tail feriously upon seeing us. We decide to bring her to Varanasi in the hopes that we can leave her at Panditji's house out in the country where she would have fields to run in, lots of kids to play with, and a tranquil lifestyle. We put her in a box and brought her on the train, where again she became the little celebrity onboard. I had to take her to wee either in the western style loo or out on the platform when we stopped, and aside from 1 accident in the carriage, things went well. Martin was adamant that I use the western style loo with her as he didn't want me to lose her down the hole onto the tracks if we used the squat style toilets. He said he didn't want to deal with me after a situation like that! Choti is now here in Varanasi with us, and is doing well. She is playing and biting verything in sight, and has taken to nuzzling up in Martin's elbox or pulling on his massive beard. Its hilarious and darling. I just love this dog!! I wish I could bring her back to Canada, but its impossible. So lets hope that Panditji can take her in.

The last 6 days I have here in India will be spent in Varanasi. I have a flight booked on the 25th to Bombay, where I have 13 hours to wait before flying to London on the 26, where I arrive at 7 am. I have the 26th in London getting sorted and then flying back to Vancouver on the 27th. Its going to be a long 3 days of travel, and I'll be very sad to leave India, Choti, and Martin behind. Martin will stay for another month before returning to the UK, and then *hopefully* Canada sometime in late April. I imagine that these last days here in Varanasi will be full of yoga, Choti time, and spending time at the temple. I also want to get my chai and chili paneer fix in so I will make sure to fit these in as well.

Hard to believe that my trip here is nearing the end. But I must get on with stuff back at home and as Nicky always says "India isn't going anywhere". I can come back anytime I want. I'm looking forward to seeing everyone in London and Canada, and getting back to work (and getting a paychq!!). My time here in India hasn't been the adventure that it was last time, but I feel a deeper connection to the land and its people. I'm seeing it all in a way that I only glimpsed before, and its wonderful.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Rest time

2011-02-06T21:10:00.000-08:00

Sorry I've been offline for the past week, I've viciously sick and I haven't had the energy to email, call or even do schoolwork!

I accidently drank Ganga water at the temple last Wednesday, that was given to me by a fill in at the temple as Naganath was in Allahabad. I thought that it was mineral water as it was sweet, tasted very clean and was actually delicious. Martin told me (after I told him that I drank from the brass pot) that that water was the water he collected right from Manikarnika (the burning ghat!). I was fine for the rest of that night and Thursday until we got to Allahabad.

Martin was asked by Naganath to come join him in Allahabad for a huge mela (festival) that happens every year. The festival is in Allahabad, at the site where the rivers Ganges and Yamuna meet. There are certain days where it is most important for pilgrims to go and bathe in the meeting spot where the two rivers meet. It is very important to take a dip at this spot regardless, of the date but on some days it is even more beneficial. We decided to go for one night, so Martin arranged a driver and off we went to Allahabad.

We had a really great driver Ramballak who spoke no english but was very enthusiastic and wonderful. The drive to Allahabad was about 3 hours, and we drove through many small villages where we saw families making beautiful carpets, elephants on the highway and goats in turtleneck sweaters! I found this to be particularly amusing, and kept entertaining Martin about this the entire trip.

As we hit Allahabad, we were stuck in the most ting tong traffic jam I have ever encountered. The street was jam packed to the point that I do not understand how cars made it through the throng without injuring anyone. This was only the beginning of what madness Allahabad was!

We drove over the bridge and for as far as the eye could see on both sides of the rivers where tents and little shanty huts. At first I thought it was a slum, but then as I looked closer I realised how uniform and in good condition everything was. It turned out that this was the festival that we were going to. the festival ground spans up to 25 km on both sides of the river, and the previous day (which was one of the auspicious dates) had over 800,000 pilgrim bathing in the river!!!! I started to get nervous as 1) This was a really important festival 2) I didn't realise that we'd be "camping" so I didn't bring along enough clothes (the nights are still cold here) 3) I felt really unprepared for this festival and what it means. We followed many buses and rickshaws stuffed to the gills with people to the festival site, which was absolutely flooded with people. People sat by the roadsides selling everything- from religious tat to cheap Chinese made toys. Loud speakers belted out announcements and music, while ice cream vendors sullenly pushed their carts past their competitors. Horse drawn carts carrying 2-3 entire families passed by as holy men waved incence. We didn't know where to go, so we turned down a road and parked until we could get ahold of Naganath or someone in his group that could tel us where to go. we didn't even know if we were on the right side of the river. We sat in the car for hours waiting for someone to either show up at the meeting spot or for us to know where to go. I amused myself by watching the scenes outside our window and watching the people watching us.

martin and Ramballak eventually left to go to the meeting spot, so I waited alone for about an hour and became increasingly nervous about being at the festival. I felt really unprepared about being there, and suddenly felt flung into a situation that I wasn't ready for. I described it to Martin like I had been invited to sit and have lunch with the Pope in the Vatican City- I don't speak the language, I don't know what all the rituals, movements, and ceremonies mean and I ultimately was surrounded by strangers. By the time Martin got back with Trouble #1 (more on him later) and a man we called Punditji- I was in a full on bad and stressed out mood.

Punditji directed us to a campsite that was miles away (good thing that we didn't try to find it on our own!) and we drove literally into a whole new city. It was madness.

It was full and I mean full of people, shopping, little makeshift halls for religious people to go and have a rant, music caves, statues of deities, dabbhas...everything. Martin said that it was like rolling into the Indian version of Glastonbury or Burning Man, but add 300,000 more people. It was insanse.

We ended up in the "VIP" area, a privately guarded area that was really serene and peaceful funded entirely by a right mad man Baba Boginath. Baba Boginath was a chubby Brahmin priest that wore a rick collection of necklaces and rings while scratching his belly and talking about how he was going to take over the world. By day, he is a Bollywood executive producer, by night a full on Brahmin priest. He was the epitome of the "Guru" that naive Westerners may be taken in by, he commands a strict and pious presence while he goes off on huge tangents. He was intimidating, impressive, crazy but very very very generous. He pays for everything in this area- music, servants, the tents that are equipped with straw and blankets and mats, food etc. The area had about 10 tents, ours being the biggest one, and was closely guarded. His servants were lovely men who took good care of me, when I became ill.

Naganath was in the large tent resting when we arrived, and it was lovely to see him. He had a few people from the temple with him- an American woman who was his new devotee, his newphew (Trouble #1), Punditji and a few others. We had some chai and went down to the river so that everyone w\could have a dip and so that I could see the rivers. I was in a really bad mood out of fear from the situation and tried to talk myself out of it, but the person that broke my mood was Trouble #1. He is a 17 yr old Brahmin boy (Naganath's newphew) who was so sweet, cheeky as hell and took a shining to me. He became my instant bodyguard and tourguide of the area. He was then joined by Trouble #2 Punditji's newphew who was 16, so sweet and eager to please, and politely cheeky. These two boys turned my experience around in a heartbeat, and thus I began to relax.

Punditji, Martin, Trouble #1 & 2 took us out for food and an evening walk so that we can check out a minute view of the festival. Martin and I were in disbelief about the festival, it was so insane but so so beautiful. However, I started to feel ill and we went back to the tents, where I ended up getting very sick. Baba Bolinath took me and Martin into his tent so that he could talk to us and give me medicine. It was overwhelming for me to be in his tent sucking on horrible tasting sulphuric tablets while listening to his rants, but Trouble #1 & 2 popped in and secretely made fun of him when Baba Bolinath wasn't looking. It was supremely hilarious and horribly cheeky!!!

I went to bed early and had the longest and more uncomfortable "sleep" of my life. Speakers blared music and religious mantras all night long and my bones ached and ached. I felt so nauseous, and ended up being sick in the night. Baba Bolinath generously offered me use of his toliet which was convienently close to the tent so I made sure that offer was taken! At 4 am, everyone woke up and went for a dip in the river. I curled up in the warm spot that Martin left behind and slept for a few hours. At 6 am, Martin came and woke me and took me outside into an absolutely surreal scene. Thick fog had infiltrated the camp and you couldn't see anything except the rising ball that wasthe sun. It was amazing and so dreamlike.

I went to the river with Punditji, Martin, and Naganath later on in the morning for a dip and a littl eprayer. There were so many people in the river, boys splashing around, women cleaning themselves, men sitting on the bank and staring over the sea. sadly, I started to get sick again, so we returned to the camp where I took to bed for the rest of the day.

Everyone took such care for me. Punditji went to the onsite hospital to get me some medicine, while Trouble 1 & 2 kept me thoroughly amused. Naganath kept me by his side, and Martin fretted and fretted. The servant boys came and sat and stared at me (what I fright I must have looked!) and got me water anytime my bottle got 1/2 empty. The care and kindness I experienced by strangers made me ashamed of my thoughts and mood from the night before. Martin decided that I should get back to Banaras, so off we went.

We went to Punditji's house yesterday, which is 20 km outside of Varanasi in a vibrant and lush agricultural area. Sadly, I was sick for the entire visit so I missed out on the walk, the beautiful lunch, and generally enjoying the serenity. But all the children kept me laughing, and they were all full of cuddles and games for me while I rested. It was fantastic to get out of Varanasi for a day though, and meet Punditji's family.

We are staying put here in Varanasi for another week and then we will go to the school in Puri for 5 days next Monday. Nenetta is here in India and will be waiting us in Puri. Nenettasaid that so many advancements have been made at the school, so we are excited to go and see what's happening. I'm keeping a low profile, resting and trying to do schoolwork. Martin has goe off to get me some medicine this morning so hopefully that will help me. I am feeling better though thi smorning, and managed to eat some toast so hopefully I'm on the mend. Being sick in Varanasi is NOT the place to be if you have a queasy stomach. The only place where I don't get sick is on the ghats where there is a fresh breeze. But I have to get through a few tiny and twisted streets full of garbage, cow poo and other rancid things first!!! Ah well. Lets hope I'm on the mend.

Love to you all.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Banarasi

2011-02-01T03:58:00.000-08:00

In Varanasi. Full of chai. Dangerous combination.

We made it to the land of utter havoc and chaos (a.k.a Varanasi) in 1 piece on Sunday afternoon after a long 2 days of travel. Our night bus from Goa to Bombay was a very rough, uncomfortable and cringeworthy trip consisting of trecherous and sharp hairpin turns, forcing me, Martin, and our luggage to crash into each other, dirty condensation from the filthy ceiling to drop on my head and the utterly enjoyable feeling that we were "sleeping" on jackhammers- every possible bump on the road or shutter of the long gone brakes we felt to our very core. If I had had false teeth, they would have been good and rattled! Alas we didn't sleep a wink but it all makes for an amusing memory and a laugh!

We rolled into Bombay and went directly to the train station Lokmanya Tilek to try our luck to see if we could get on the 12 noon train to Varanasi. Maybe it was because life in Goa was truly shanti and things were relatively easy, but Bombay felt like an assault on all my senses. The air is thick with smog and dirt, the streets are screaming full of honking horns, people eye you with a glint of curiosity and potential schemes, men having a wee at every possible wall and some even pulling down their pants to defacate on the shoulder of the road not caring who is getting a real good look at their nether regions. Getting to Lokmanya wasn't too hard, but once we got there people tried to convince us that we couldn't get tourist quota tickets there (an obvious ploy to get us into their taxi and take us to CST). The waiting room was jam packed full of people sitting with their extended families, sleeping on cardboard and tatty blankets while the mosquitoes and flies circled their heads. We were the only westerners in the whole terminal and so we got watched every move we made. The terminal was the dirtiest place I had experienced since coming to India. The bathrooms were gag worthy and completely rancid (with women actually sleeping on the floor), dirt everwhere and people spitting paan or shooting snot out of their nostrils. I was horrified, and tried to sit as still as possible, trying not to touch anything. We ended up waiting at Lokmanya for 4 hours, while we tried to get a reserved seat on the train to Varanasi. In the end, we scored 2 tickets in 2A/C (!!) and off we went. The train journey was really pleasant actually and the train was quite clean, especially after sitting in th etrain terminus for 4 hours. Martin and I ended up in a quiet carriage, me on the upper bunk, and we watched movies on our laptop, slept, I did some school work and we ate and drank loads of food and chai. I slept the best that night since arriving in India and the journey passed off without a glitch. The scenery was amazing - we saw gorgeous jagged finger-like hills pointing up toward the skies, and many many rivers and dusty villages. Passing through Allahabad was quite dismal and depressing, and brought me to the understanding that we had indeed entered Northern India. Piles and piles and piles of broken plastic bags, empty water bottles, and misc. trash piled up everywhere with kids aimlessly kicking it, women cooking in it and changing babies, dogs scavenging and cows eating it all. One poignant picture was of a man sitting in a bright red plastic chair reading the newspaper in a stream of sunlight, behind him a massive garbage heap and in front of him a rotting away home. Very dismal indeed.

We rolled into Varanasi 28 hrs later, and arrived through a thick brown haze of smoke. The second we exited the train, a fight broke out between 2 men who both tried to talk to us and get us into their taxi. The winner of the fight then joined Martin and I and tried to convince Martin that we should let him take us to his place. Martin told him off and we fought our way to a cycle rickshaw further down the road to the station. We are in Varanasi, fully primed and on constant alert.

We've been here now for 4 days, and I am slowly adjusting. I have forgotten how hard this city is on the body, and how much energy it takes out of me. North India is very poor so the people are aggressively hungry, pestering you every second and trying to take you off to their shop, their uncle's shop, their sisters' husbands' son's brother's shop. There is cow poo everwhere, and my left foot has had the unfortunate opportunity to continuously slide right through it. The streets are full of paan juice and spit, garbage, goats, puppies, food, motorcycles, barefoot pilgrims, tourists, touts. If you have ever been to Varanasi, you will know how tiny the streets are just off the ghats. I'm not sure if it is because I am older, or if it's because I am here with Martin or if its because I remember this all before, but I have lost my luster in trying to deal with people as everyone just wants something (money really) from me and I don't have the energy to bargain or even attempt to engage with most people. I'm just sticking to dealing with people I know (like Prem & his wife) and not relly getting involved with anyone else. It may sound like I am not happy to be here, I am indeed, its just that this place takes so much out of you...you need an adjustment time once the magic of being here has started to wear off. Varanasi is a very dark place, I mean after all its the place where Hindus come to die! I just need a bit of rebalancing thats all.

Speaking of which, Premu told me about a yoga college close to his place in Mahmoorganj that I went to yesterday to check out. Its a proper school, which is a relief after all the crazy fake yoga tourist traps! The school is called Brahmavarchas International Yoga Academy and is run by a man named Yogi Vikas. The school offers 6 classes a day, and is open to men, women of all ages. It was really refreshing to see who comes to the classes- its a mix of young and old, able bodies and disabled. the best part is that for 6 days a week, it is only 1600Rs a month each! fantastic. We went to our first class today, and had private instruction by Yogi Vikas and one of his teachers. In the hour class, we only went through 4 poses, but did 5 repetitions on each. Its not very vigorous, but it is very very good and you can get the full benefits of the poses. We will add 4 asanas each day.

We are off to Allahabad tomorrow for a day or so for a festival, and then will head to the orphanage in Puri at the end of next week.

I will be flying back to London on the 26th of Feb and back to Vancouver on the 27th, so I will see most of you soon. Bit of a bummer that Ican see the end already but nevermind, I got to India in the fisrt place!

Also got some good news today that the first stage of Martin and I's application of Martin's perm. residence has been accepted! I'm happy and relieved. So hopefully London will be as accomodating and Martin's papers will come in soon.

Big love to all.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Bombay Bound

2011-01-27T22:43:00.000-08:00

On our final day in Arambol, just getting ourselves sorted for our big trip up north to Varanasi. I'm a little bit sad as our week here has been really good for us, for our senses, and just getting back to normal after our experience in kollur. The week here in Arambol has been really chilled and relaxed, lots of yummy fresh food, yoga, swimming in the Arabian Sea and getting really hardcore body work massage from Martin's friend Adam, who is amazing. Adam really gets into the muscle, deeper than deep and does lots of painfully deliciousl work. I was covered in bruises the other after I finished my session with him, but for the first time in years I have no neck pain and my bodyfeels less rigid! So 2 thumbs up to Adam! Definitely worth checking him out if you pop over this way. We've spent quite a nice amount of time with Adam and his Kundalini teacher partner Virium over the past week, so its been really lovely.
Yesterday Martin and I decided to rent a cherry red Royal Enfield motocycle and take it for a ride across norther Goa. So off we went, and embarked on a7 hr adventure without any clue where we were headed.
We drove through shady coconut groves, past elementary schools (with sweet girls in matching uniforms and red bows in their braids), through small villages, past vast lagoons of turquoise water until we reached the ferry (complete with a completely pagal ranting local!) which consisted of a rusted out hull of a boat, to take us across the estuary to the next state of Majharasta. From there we peeled up steep hills and across wide open lanes until we ended up at a beautifully neary empty white sand beach where we swam in the waves and relaxed our bums. It was so peaceful there, devoid of any beach shack restos and pumping music. Eagles soared overhead while the lone dog cantered down the sand. It was exquisite.
After catching some rays (my feet are finally looking less white!) we continued on, keeping the coast on our left shoulder and sticking to jungle paths. We finally found ourselves in a tiny village in the middle of nowhere, where we were probably the only whities around for miles. We stopped for the best cup(s) of chai I have had to date in India this trip and gorgeous samosas, trying to block out the non-so-subtle curiousity of us standing on the corner, Martin talking Hindi and me munching samosas. After our delectable meal, we hopped back on and headed back to the ferry, only getting a little lost on the way back. We got back at nearly 7 pm wind blown, dusty and supremely happy.
We are off to Bombay tonite on an overnight bus which means we should get there at 8:30am Saturday morning. We are going to chance our arm that we can get on a train to Varanasi tomorrow, but my foot is down that since it's a looong 28hr journey, I refuse to travel 3A/C (so much for the adventurous hippy I am!!). So if we cannot get on 2 or 1AC, then we'll spend a night in Bombay and head out on Sunday. The original plan was to fly to Varanasi, but the flights are ridiculously expensive (starting at nearly 10,000 Rs) so its the long awaited (dreaded?) train journey. At least 1 have lots of boring uni reading to do!
Sending you all some Goan love and sunshine.
Ashley xxxxxxxxxxx

Backtrack

2011-01-23T07:47:00.000-08:00

We made it back to Arambol in 1 piece today, we are both really tired and deficient in vitamins from Kollur. The train ride here was epic...picture the busiest train you have ever seen, picture it really really filthy, and then times it all by 200%. Yup, that was our train ride from Karnatika back to Goa. Martin warned me that it would be a real local train (we had caught the wrong train down to Karnatika on the way down and aside from us being squished, it was no big deal) but when it rolled up and everyone started to swarm into the doors, I took a deep breathe of what would be the last hint of fresh air for the next 5 hours. Trying to follow Martin inthrough the door was enough of an issue, but to top it all off there was a stubborn woman sitting right at the foot of the door refusing to stand up so everyone was trying to push around her and carrytheir heavy luggage over their heads to avoid hitting her. Martin tried to get her to move but she was a stubborn thing so there she sat for half the journey until a bunch of women had a proper go at her and she eventually stood up, only to sit again on the last leg of the trip. This chaos inside the train was recreated at every stop until we got to Gokarna, where many people got off. Martin and I found ourselves holed up between the 2 toilets, which after the presumably long journey prior to us getting on, did not smell very nice. Martin has no sense of smell so he got off lucky, while I on the other hand did all I could to avoid breathing.
We arrived in Margoa and caught a taxi that took us back to Arambol, where we spent the rest of the day and night cleaning up the house, washing our clothes, having a dip in the sea and then having a languid dinner enjoying real proper food for the first time in a week.
We were both sad to leave Kollur today.
The experiences that we had in Kollur was truly amazing, and we really got into a nice routine of arising early (6am), having a hot (!!) bucket wash before heading off to the temple where we would get our flowers and do our perambulations around the inner sanctum before joining the queue and going into see the Goddess. We often stayed to watch and join in on the procession, and then went to have something to eat before going back to our guest house and sleeping for a few hours. We repeated this all in the evening 12 hours later.
Kollur is a tiny village in the jungle, and it is a very conservative village. We were pretty much the only westerners in the village, aside from a few that occasionally ventured outof a nearby Seat of Living temple just outside of town. We got loads of attention, even moreso when we were at the temple. I found it difficult to concentrate while doing my perambulations as I could see a massive line of people watching us, and little kids waving trying to catch my gaze. I worried that some Hindus would be insulted seeing us in their spiritual place of worship, but Martin often commented on how people are probably more often then not happy and surprised to see how serious we are about the practice. We met many people at the temple who were really excited and happy that we were at Shree Mookambika.
The only downside about Kollur was the food. I was warned before going that the place is perfunctory eating...proper pilgrim food...but I hoped that Martin would be wrong. Well I was wrong!
I quickly went off thalis after my 2nd day, and to my delight were taken to a dabba (bythe Baba and his partner) where they served masala dosas and idliis all day long. So I started to order dosas and then went off them. And then moved onto to parathas, and went off them. I completely lost my appetite to eat, and spent ages trying to swallow bits of idlii and sambar. Martin was much more stoic than I and was able to keep up his appetite, even though he was tiring of the food. There was a huge lack of fresh fruit and veg there aside from bananas and apples, so we started to feel a bit unwell from that. Martin was really excited when he found bits of cooked tomato in his thali subjii one day!!! I did have a moment of imagination about lemon sugar crepes, so I went and found some lemons. We ordered parathas and I went to work envisioning lemon sugar crepes...only in the form of a paratha. While it got many curious looks from everyone else in the restaurant, I was happy as a clam...for 1 meal.
Martin took me to the Saurparnika river, which is a gorgeous river in the jungle - proper Jungle Book style- that apparently comes from the Kodachadri mountain (which we visited the next day..moreon this later). I was worried about snakes as we made our way through the jungle to the banks of the river, but there was none to be seen and Martin and I had the most beautiful place to ourselves. There was a small waterfall nearby that I though looked exactly like all the Indian waterfalls you see on plates and on posters. The water was cool and refreshing, and even though I had to swim fully clothed, I was completely rejuvenated. We spent a good part of the day there just reveling in the beauty. A group of monkeys came by and Martin fed them bananas. It was a lovely day, and so nice to be away from the noisy and chaotic village.
The next day after going to Shree Mookambika, we took a jeep up to Kodachadri mountain, where it is said that the Saint of Kollur sat and meditated for 15 years until he could see a ray of light (Shree Mookambika). When he went to the ray of light, he found a massive gold disk, which is now in the pakara of Shree Mookambika.
Once we got to the top of the mountain, Martin led me uphill for about 45 minutes, stopping to pay homage to a Ganesh temple along the way until we got to the top where we came across another temple. There was a priest in the temple, and we had a brief little puja with him before venturing on. Martin wanted to get to the Saint's meditating post, and I, unaware of what lay ahead, agreed. Suddenly, for the next 30 minutes we were scaling down rocky crevices, holding onto tree roots and hiking uphill. I got very scared and tried to back outof it, but Martin urged me on and so finally we made it, after climbing up a rickety ladder and slippery rock face.
I was pretty grumpy at this point, so sadly the experience at the shrine wasn't as special as I would have liked it to be, but at the end of the day I made it - even though I was in flip flops and deathly afraid!
Kollur was an amazing place to be, and I am so glad that we spent so much time there together. It was a really bonding experience, and we had alot of really special and amazing things happen to us there. As we drove off this morning, I felt a bit of a tug on my heart but remembered that this place has always been and always will be so we can come back at anytime. And now we are off on a new adventure!
We will stay in Arambol til Friday or Saturday getting massages, eating fruit salads, and doing yoga, before we head off to Varanasi. I probably won't write much this week so check back on the weekend.
xxxxxx

Holy COW!

2011-01-18T19:42:00.001-08:00

Finally made it to a computer, and the keyboard is all mixed up so pls excuse any spelling mistakes!

So I am here. Finally. It only took an extra week in the end for me to sit and wait in London for mz visa to India to arrive, but it was definitely worth the wait.

I left London on Jan 13 and flew direct on Jet Airways (definitely recommended!) to Bombay where I had a 3 hour lazover before catching a 4 am flight to Goa. Stepping off the plane in Bombay was a shock to my system as I really did not have anz idea of when I was going to be flzing out so when I got my visa, suddenly I was off without any preparation. Leaving soggy and grey London for humid sticky Bombay was a shock. And suddenly I was here.

Flying to Goa was a quick easy 1 hr flight where I was fed delicious idlii and sambar. And then touch down at 5 am to arrive in the arms of Mr Martin Pennels. We were thrilled to be reunited, and to put the past week behind us.

Martin had hired a car to pick me up, so it was a smooth and easy drive to Aarambol. Goa was still dark but hot and sticky, and the streets were alreadz crawling with activity. I commented to the driver how 24 hrs India really is, and he laughed saying that in Goa this is empty compared to life in Delhi and Mumbai.

Martin and I spent Friday and Saturday in Arambol meeting up with friends and eating reallz well. Lots of fruit and salads. And of course lemon sodas. Arambol is full of tourists, but apparentlz is quieter due to the visa changes that have come into place. The main tourists are Russian, and thez have made Arambol very expensive as they refuse to barter, which means that Goans can always charge more and get what thez charge. We are staying at Fiz"s home outside of Arambol, so its verz peaceful and quiet.

Martin and I decided to leave Goa and head to Kollur, home of Shree Mookambika goddess, in the jungle for 6 days and then return to GOa for a few days on our way up north. So we headed to Margoa to catch a train that would take us to Karnatika state. We fought our waz onto the local train and sat smooshed between Indians. On the seat that 3 would fit most comfortably, we had 5 or 6. We were definitely the odd people out on the train, which commanded much attention.

I had a lovely conversation with a woman and her family from Bombay traveling to Karnatika for a 3 daz pilgrimage. She was thrilled with Martin"s Hindi, and with my studying. We talked for a long time, after which, upon disembarking, grasped my hand thrust a little bottle of nail polish in it and said she would pray for us. It is in these moments in India where I am always amazed bz the generosity of people here, wanting so much to reach out and make a connection and always leave a little gift.

We exited the train in Udapi onlz to find out that we were at the wrong stop and had to hire a taxi to take us to Kollur. It was night and the air was thick with smoke, incense, and humidity. I fell asleep onlz to be awoken by Martin who pointed out a festival happening in a village where a small child was balancing on a tightrope to a throng of musicians. It made me think of the book "A Fine Balance". I fell back asleep until we arrived in Kollur.

Kollur is a tinz little town in the jungle. It boasts 2 small high streets and one of the most holy sites in the South of India ' Shree Mookambika. The Goddess sits inside a little shine inside a big temple and is adorned with flowers, beautiful clothes and a huge emerald on her chest. People come day and night to worship her and to ask for assistance.

We are the only Western people here aside from a lone woman who I just saw last night.

We get alot of attention here, and it makes me very uncomfortable. Not only do I worry about how I am perceived, but I also worry about my actions in the temple. Martin tells me not to worry as the bus loads of pilgrims from other parts of India who are Hindu have no idea what they are doing! We attend the morning AArti at 7 am, and the evening AArti at 7 pm. I like the morning one the best as it isnćt quite so busy, but there is still a heaving throng regardless of the time of day. The first time I saw the Goddess I was so focused on not falling over bz all the people pushing me that I did not have a chance to take in what beauty I have seen and then it was all over. Martin told me to ignore everyone else, no matter how much they are pushing. Its over in a matter of seconds, so those few moments are very important.

The first night we attended AArti, we were befriended by a travelling Sadhu and his partner - his May. Thez were from Madras and were quite old, but so unbelievablz lovely. This friendship also garnered the attention of manz people, which again made me uncomfortable. We ate dinner with the couple at the Temple and met up with them on Tuesdaz morning before thez headed to Madras. Thez blessed us manz times and kept pulling little gifts out of their वोर्न बैग स्तुफ्फेद विथ ओद्दितिएस। थे वेरे अ लोवेली कोउप्ले एंड इ वास साद तो सी थेम गो।
Today is Wednesday andwe have just been to the temple. We have discovered a delicious restaurant in town that serves food other than plain thalis ("meals") so I am over the moon. Masala dosas, parathas, idlii all at all hours. Ićm thrilled.
Not much on our agenda except a temple inaugeration at 12 noon and then evening Aarti. Life is reallz quiet here and there is nothing to do when the heat is at its peak. The heat is relentless and can be quiet chokingly hot. We sleep for hours in the afternoon for this reason.
We are here until Sunday and then will head back to Goa for a few days.
Hope you are all well and happy. Big love.
xxxxxxxx

2010-07-06T07:11:00.001-07:00

Flamenco bootcamp and rain falling from the skies

2010-05-12T01:25:00.001-07:00

Hola!
Granada is definitely the place to be fore anyone with a romantic heart and mind....it is a truly beautiful city. I arrived late Monday after a 7 hr bus trip from Alicante...a drive that should normally take about 4 hrs. I got in late in the dark and was a bit nervous trying to navigate through the narrow cobbled streets around the cathedral...incredibly beautiful but very shadowed...to find my pension that Martin had set me up in. After searching aimlessly I found it in the opposite direction to where Martin told me to go...typical man-woman communication perhaps? LOL.
I am staying at the Hostal Zakatin run by a Moroccan man. It is hidden in a pedestrian alley that is chock full of Middle Eastern and Indian imports during the day. So many trinkets and treasures to behold...I feel like I am back in Morocco!
Tuesday was the first day that I had to explore the city. I arose early to get to a market to get some fresh fruit and then headed off to a yoga class, which I found eventually. The class wasn´t what I had wanted, but it was a good wake up to a body that sat in one position for 7 hrs yesterday. I was able to follow most of the directions which was good but I did have to peek over to the students on my sides to make sure that I was oncourse with everyone else.
I spent the remainder of the day roaming around the Arabic quarter, eating my first meal since Monday (a delicious and heavily seasoned falafel...bliss in a mouthful) and observing the passersby. Granada is an interesting mix of street kids with dogs-on-a string, high society types whizzing by on high heels, students hanging out in gangs, hippies relaxing in the square, and tourists. This is prime tourist season as the weather is MOSTLY agreeable (more on that later) and warm. The summer its hot, but not as hot as other places in Spai where the country just sizzles....
I met up with Ana who is a French girl who is a flamenco dancer/teacher here in Granada. We met for a coffee and chatted about life here in Granada. She encouraged me to come take a class with her at her studio prior to our private lesson...I was a bit nervous but figured Hell I´m here to work and learn so lets go!
Anas studio is a gem in the city where flamenco is abound but studio space is impossible. Apparently the reason that makes finding a dance studio so impossible is the noise factor - people call the police to complain about the noise and the police shut down the dance studios. Ana´s studio is in the basement of an artistic building on a very nondescript street off a plaza.
I went with Ana to the studio and met the other people who were there for the class with devastatingly handsome Pepe- a Nazi of a flamenco instructor! I was really nervous when I realised that I was totally out of league with everyone else, but Ana stood in front of me so that I could catch the footwork. Pepe´s feet sounded like a hammer, every sound was distinct, deliberate, and fast. At first the warm up was something that I understood and could do with ease but once the class moved into harder technique and then a choreography I was lost. But I took it in stride and attempted to complete what I could. The class was also spoken in fast Spanish so I was really concentrating on what was being said so that made things a bit slower for me. But I was really proud of myself afterwards and committed to coming back for the rest of the week. I am here to get my butt kicked right, so I may as well be submissive to the experience. Pepe encouraged me to come back and not too worry as the class have been working on this for weeks.
I took a private lesson with Ana afterwards and it was really good to work with her as she was patient and really funny. She switched into Spanish so that I can start learning faster. I am as determined to learn spanish as I am to getting better in flamenco so really now is the right time to learn both. Ana has taken me under her wing and is helping me get sorted in the city. I may start to teach a belly dance class in her studio 1X a week so that I can come into Granada, teach and take some flamenco classes. It is very important for me to keep active in dance as being in mountains can really turn one into a couch potato.
I wandered the city after my dance class and got caught in a few major rain storms.
I did not pack any proper shoes aside from a pair of flipflops and my heeled red shoes...somehow I figured that the weather would be the same in the mountains- hot and dry. Well I was really really wrong, even though the weather is warm the rain has been falling down in torrential downpours to the point that it bounces off the ground and big mean puddle form in a matter of seconds. Everywhere you turn you see African men standing on the corner selling knock off brand name umbrellas and I´ll be damned if I´m not tempted to buy one!
I arose early this morning to tryto get to an ashtanga yoga class but alas it in the evening so I´m left to my own devices. Probably wandering the city, have a few plates of tapas and off to flamenco in the early evening. Tonight Ana and I are going to go to a flamenco jazz bar to check out some music and take a load off. I´m thankful for having met her as shes lived here for 8 yrs and knows the city inside out.
Other than that I´m doing well and happy. Martin made it to the UK despite the volcanic ash problems and has started his first day of college today. I hope all goes well for him, he was nervous about his essay so hopefully it all came together in the last few hours (that man loves to work under pressure seriously).
I´ll report back in a few days, until then Adios!!
xxoxoxoxo

Villajoyosa - City of Joy

2010-05-09T15:20:00.000-07:00

Hola....

I am siting in the perfect Bohemian apartment tucked away by the sea, tired but happy after a lovely dinner on the terrace with bits of rich wine and a lazy meander through town. The scene is Villajoyosa, a quaint and crumbling gypsy town sandwiched in between the infamous "shagging towers" of Bendidorm and the bustling city of Alicante. Martin and I arrived about 8 pm, and parked our car by the sea. I caught sight of a lone couple necking on the rocks and pointed them out to Martin with a mischevious comment.

We made our way through the cobble stoned and narrow streets flanked with crumbing multi coloured buildings painted in electric blue, rose pink, terra cota orange and buttercup yellow; rod iron terraces strewn with laundry; old women sitting on their doorsteps watching the world go by; gypsy children running through the plaza; a chicken tethered to a string surrounded by people; flamenco guitar floating through the air; and the brisk sea salt twang in my nose. Ahh its so nice to be back near the sea.

Martin's friend Mark decided to live here after literally pulling off the road on the way to Barcelona one he saw the sign on the motorway for Villajoyosa- City of Joy. Mark found the perfect treasure here...not too far from Alicante, but far enough away to get a genuine feel for this little town. Its absolutely charming in every glance, and very idealistic in a genuine way about old Spain. Mark has settled here and has written and directed a fabulous and touching 14:53 minute short film that will be entered into film festivals all over the word. Wonderful film.

Villajoyosa may have come by its name quite honestly. It is known to be the Chocolate City of Spain. Villajoyosa has imported chocolate from Ecuador and Venezuela starting in the 18th century. Mark told me that about 2 days a month the entire town reeks of melting chocolate, and his mouth was watering so much that he was looking in windows trying to figure out where the smell came from. I hope to be so fortunate when I awake tomorrow morning!

I am off to Granada tomorrow for 7 days of flamenco. Martin is heading back to London for school till the 17th of May, so I decided to hit up the infamously beautiful city of Granada and get incorporated with the flamenco scene there. I have been in contact with a girl Ana whom I met on Facebook via my friend and previous teacher Ana in Vancouver. Granada Ana has agreed to do intensive private lessons with me in addition to taking her technique classes so I am very excited. I am also excited but very nervous about practicing my Spanish- it is amazing being with Martin as he is fluent but it is time for me to learn as I really want and desire to speak Spanish. So me going off on my own and getting to know a city and people in another language will be an adventure in itself. I am also looking forward to doing some yoga there in Granada, and hitting up the only authentic (and open!!) Moorish hammam (bath).

Being in Spain has been amazing- it has been so lovely to get back and reconnect with not only myself but with Martin and the village. The days go by quickly but are relaxing and filled with things necessary to life- preparing food, cleaning, watching the mountains and the sunset, early to bed as to arise early the next morning. The mountains are vivid and always changing, and the only noises you hear are the birds singing or the goats bells as they wander down the rambla on the way to a green pasture. Its a very simple existence, one that I didn't think possible to live. But I am very happy and content at the moment, and the fact that I can get up and see a spotless blue sky, sun on my back, and birds song in my ears while savouring a cup of tea is full contentment. And not one that I was to relinquish too soon.

Anyway off to bed...Happy Mommas Day to you all.

xxxxxx

Summer?

2009-08-03T02:27:00.000-07:00

Its been ages since I have sat down and wrote, so I figured that this sleepy morning may be the perfect opportunity to catch up. I've just awoken after getting to bed very late, Martin was up at 6 am and went off to work on about 3 hours of sleep. The only thing I've missed out on this morning was my morning run, so I will have to get out of the house at some point and do some exercise.
I am doing really well here in London. I sometimes can't believe that I actually picked myself up and made such a huge change, but then again it doesn't really feel like such a massive change as I feel really at home here in the UK. Martin was been the most supportive, hospitable, and accepting host here to me and I feel so lucky. He has been working nights for the past 10 days so we have been a bit like ships passing in the night but I managed to stay very active with dance classes. We have been here in London now for 3 weeks and I've managed to secure 2 jobs, dance a little bit, and network with lots of other dancers. I'm enjoying taking classes and I'm learning alot from Anne White. I have also met this male dancer named Shafeek who was a principle dancer in Mahmoud Reda's dance company back in Egypt. Shafeek is married to one of London's top dancers, and together they have an Arabian dance company. Shafeek said that he would like to audition me for the company, which I would be absolutely thrilled about. I really want to dance in a professional capacity and it seems a bit like this is the premise of what Ninawa was supposed to be, except Ninawa just wasn't ever going to get there. Shafeek warned me that although he is a gentleman, in rehearsal he is very strict and I assured him that I had PLENTY of experience in that field...dancing with Moh and Moh was probably the most abuse I've ever received and I've probably taken enough of it to last my next few lifetimes!
I've secured a Saturday night job working at the Proud Camden club/lounge/bar. I'm the VIP guest list girl, and I'm working 7 pm - 1 am. I just had my 3rd weekend, and it went pretty smooth. It's good for the most part, and I actually really enjoy it. It gets a bit hectic at 11:30pm when everyone shows up to come inside and we have to regulate but it's fun talking to people from all over. Seeing how absolutely drunk people gets is a real turn off though, and it puts me off drink. I have seen so many little wisps of girls go into the club and emerge being dragged out by the friends, so drunk that they can't walk or are being carried. I can't ever fathom being so drunk that I can't function, and at this stage in my life that novelty has more than worn off. I enjoy a few glasses of wine, but then I'm off to bed and ready to start the new day with a clear head.
I've also secured a job in Brixton (south London) at a cafe called Rosie's Cafe. Rosie is a friend of Sarah's boyfriend Toby and is a very successful 30 year woman who owns this amazing cafe. Roise put out a cookbook last year and its been selling like hot cakes so she has had more people coming into the cafe as a result. The cafe is really kitchy with mismatched plates, homemade grub and gorgeous coffees. Its a tiny little shop but I really like it alot. Its definitely the kind of cafe that I envision myself to have! But for now I'll just work there. I'm there 3 days a week doing the closing shift. Its a quick tube ride from where I'm at to there and I'm happy working as a barista again...making a good coffee is very satisfying.
My life here is quite full and I'm focused on getting out and networking as well as making new friends. I've started doing yoga 2 - 3 days a week with Martin and it has been very beneficial. I managed my first headstand the other days and was completely elated for 2 days about it. I can't wait for my next class!!
The summer weather though has been a real sore point with me and the rest of England...it just doesn't exist. TO be fair I have been in hot weather for most of the year but this is summer and I'm done with the chill!!! Its been hovering around 18 degrees for most of July and its been raining like crazy. I didn't pack for this weather, so I've been layering up and wishing for my cozzies back at home. I keep hearing that summer is on its way...but we are also now into August and all I can smell is the sneaking in of autumn. Boo!
The sun is actually shining right now and is beckoning me to get myself sorted and go outside so I think I'll get moving here.
I hope you are all well and email me sometime!
xoxoxoxo

Vivo en Londres

2009-07-12T13:27:00.000-07:00

Hola!!
I have just returned to London after a blissful month basking in 40+ heat in the mountains in the tiny Spanish village of Daimuz. Being back in London is a bit of an assault on all senses, the biggest one being the 22 degree weather that greeted us in a rainy torrent the second we emerged from the plane and descended onto the tarmack. Martin and I were definitely overdressed while standing at the Granada airport in our jeans, sweaters, and hats amongst all the burned- to- a- crisp sundress short wearing tourists groaning about heading back to the UK. But we were better off when we stepped out into the rain, protected by our hats and jumpers!!
Stanstead airport was a NIGHTMARE upon arrival...we think that too many planes arrived around the same time so the corridors leading to Immigration were chockful of people. There were security guards allowing only a certain number of people through at one time, so every few minutes the crowd stopped and we had to wait up to 5 minutes before moving forward again. This happened several times, and we were stuck in a stuffy wet corridor full of crying babies and tired people slugging forward complaining. Once we finally hit Immigration, Martin and I separated as he got to queue in the EU line up and I went to the non-EU passport holders line. The lineups for both were enormous, but I thought that I would clear before Martin...except I was wrong! Martin cleared in about 45 minutes, and it took me about 1 hr and 15 minutes. The immigration officer grilled me about why I was coming back into the UK, and finally let me go after asking me 3 times how long I was comng into the UK for. I could see Martin waiting for me, and I thought that he had collected our bags so that we could head to our cabbie who had been waiting for us for ages. Except our baggage hadn't come through due to a staffing issue...we didn't even have a carousel number! Finally one appeared so we raced over to carousel #2. Then the carousel stopped...and we were again waiting. People were losing their tempers and a pregnant woman had a go with one of the airport staff- which were very scarce to locate! Finally we got our bags and rushed out to meet our cabbie, who was patiently waiting. We got into his car and off we went on the M-11. Things were going great until we saw a sign "Accident Ahead" and then the trafiic stopped to a standstill. I passed out at this point, and awoke when we were in London. We got in a half 3, and crawled our way up the stairs at Ricky and Nicki's and passedout in bed.
We spent Sunday with Ricky and Nicki looking at their new home and passing an hour in the pub. I was reunited with a delicious halloumi cheese kabab that Martin had introduced to me when I was here in June and washed it down with a spicy ginger beer. Ahh blisssss.
Today (being Monday) Martin headed off with Ricky to his first day of work as a rigger working on a blockbuster movie (200 million dollar budget) starring Leo Di Caprio. I got up at 8:30am and spent basically the whole day applying for jobs on Gumtree (a Craigslist type website). The only response back was for a phone position working 11am - 10pm at an escort agency...this was listed as a receptionist at a dating service. A bit disheartening but I just have to keep positive and keep trying. I'm missing my friends and family a bit and really want to get myself into a routine. I am starting a bellydance class tomorrow night with Anne White so that is great, and I will attend the flamenco class with Jackie at the Greenwich Dance Art Academy on Wednesday. I'm missing dance so much right now, and I think that I will be set right after that. I do have my first booked show with BellyWorld on July 26th, its only paying 10 pounds but at least I can get some exposure and land some work for the future. Anne White has also asked me to perform in her next show, although I think that the July line up for the show is full so I may have to wait till August to dance.
I'd love to hear from you, I'm a bit homesick and lonely so email or call me if you have a chance. If you are dialing from Canada: 011447506552011. try using YAK 1015945 before the 01144 to save some money. Or find me on SKYPE: ashleygreeneyes and call me for free!

Thinking of you all.....
Ashley xoxo

Espana!

2009-06-17T03:53:00.001-07:00

I'm just finishing up on my packing for Spain...hard to believe that this time is here already! I'm looking forward to getting to Spain and chilling, Martin says that the weather is hot and sunny with temperatures hovering around 40 C. Yay!! I'm looking forward to some proper Spanish heat. My flight is at 5:50pm, so I'm gonna head out of here around 2 pm...I gotta get to Stanstead airport which is a fair distance away so I'll need to allow for more time.
I've caught up on some sleep, which feels great and I went for a run in Greenwich park this morning. The weather is variable but warm. There was a massive thunder and lightning storm on Monday night which caused flash floods all over London, the sky was really dark grey with swirling clouds. It was quite ominous at best! I made a tasty ginger carrot butternut squash and sweet potato soup as it seemed fitting with the weather. Yum!!
I rested most of yesterday and did some much needed cleaning in Mandy's (Sarah's mom) room where I have been sleeping. The room is much better now and got a good vacuum so the dustmites have fled thankfully.
I did go to my first bellydance class with Anne White last night in Islington. Anne had asked me to perform for her beginner class, and I stayed on for her intermediate class. Anne was a pivotal dancer in London in the 80s and 90s, but doesn't really dance that much anymore aside from her monthly Planet Egypt events that are held at Darbouka club. Anne knows everyone in the UK and knows many dancers abroad (Raqia Hassan, Leila, Dina, Amani) so she is a good person for me to stay in touch with. She is going to put me in touch with some higher level working dancers here in London, as well as with her first teacher Suraya Hilal (!!!!) when she returns from abroad in August. I also met a young Turkish drummer Tash who was drumming for the class and expressed much interest in working with me when I get back from Spain. Tash is very talented and is also on the cusp of being signed to a record label! All in all it was a very good experience, and I feel that I have much to learn from Anne. Anne is a very large vivacious blonde with a huge personality and a bigger laugh. She is very relaxed in her style and also very Egyptian. I had a blast in her intermediate class and I have so much to learn from her. She talked to me afterwards about me contributing some of my personal style to the class so that the students learn something different. I was hugely flattered. Anne and Tash gave me some info on where to go for dancing work, and Tash is gonna help me crack into the Turkish scene, primarily weddings. I'm excited to come back from Spain and get my dance career started here! I am also very excited to study dance here and get inspired again. I have been stumbling along in Vancouver being completely flat and too busy in my dance life aside from flamenco, and London has so much to offer me creatively. This to me is one of the biggest reasons that I am here.
Anne's classes are very interesting. She told me that she teaches 6 - 7 classes a week and that she has many men students as well. A Chinese man in a business suit showed up with a scarf around his neck, and proceeded to remove the scarf from his neck and tie it around his hips! He is a professor of Chinese medicine and attends Anne's 2 Tuesday night classes with his wife! Most of the other women came to class in skirts and fancy work tops, Anne taught in skintight jeans! I was equipped in my usual Lululemon combo, so I felt really out of place! The beginner class started late as we were all having coffee together before all sauntering upstairs to have our "medicine" (as Anne calls it). The beginner class was super duper easy but it was good for me to have a look at Anne's teaching and style methods. In the end the beginner class ran for 45 minutes, and then I performed at the end. The intermediate class was bigger and we covered more ground. Anne absolutely sparkles with the dance energy and it was wonderful stepping back to watch her sail around the floor with her dynamic dance personality. I left feeling happy and excited.
Well I must be off, got so much to do before I head out...keep in touch. I won't have daily internet access but will try to get on every few days or so. I will also get a Spanish SIM card for my phone so I'll post it when I get it so that you can call me!
Lots of love,
ashley xoxoxo

Londontown awaits...

2009-06-15T13:20:00.000-07:00

June 14, 2009:

I’m sitting at YVR waiting for my call to board the plane. For the most part I am feeling relatively calm, except for a few fleeting moments of panic that keep slipping by… “What the HELL am I doing???!!!”. My kept mother asking me several times today over and over “Are you sure that you really want to do this??” Simone’s constant questioning about this trip and pointing out that my Vancouver life is indeed very full- why do I need to run away?? (I love you girl!!) have both tested my personal resolve. But I am trusting in the higher purpose of my life that I need a change and that I am open to receiving this change. I am known to be a free spirited girl with slightly flighty intentions (as well as a having firm grasp on living life to the fullest) but never have I ever surrendered to the unknown. I am usually very calculated, slightly fearful and self- deprecating when it comes to my future. And here I am now standing in a line up stepping into the most bold and brave move I have ever done. Moving away.
Its amazing to me how in the final remaining days before a major change the very things that you want to change/leave suddenly become illuminated and bearable. I have been so weary of Vancouver and have a constant unfilled desire to high- tail away from here...yet when I sat last night surrounded by friends and deeply loved ones I realized how lucky I really am. Moving away to start fresh started to feel like a bad idea. But in order for me to get this out of my system, I need to try.
So I am on a plane to London. I am going with no job, work permit, home, or family. I am indeed alone. I do have friends there and I will make new friends of course, but nothing will ever be able to replace the ones I am leaving behind. I have left a job that I have really come to adore, unconditional love and security from vigilant friends and family, left a wonderful cozy home full of memories, and contracted out my dance gigs. In a lot of ways I am crazy. But I am also crazy for adventure.
Many things have started to line up for me when I decided this trip was more than a holiday. Situations started to appear that made me think that I am really being supported externally. Moving out of my home was a really hard thing to do, and I couldn’t even think about it before. But as things played out I realized that this was one of the ways I needed to free myself and just let go. I looked at it more as a gift in the end, and was thankful for the 3 years that I was able to live there. Sometimes we need a bigger push to allow ourselves to let go. In the end I don’t want to have 1 foot here in Vancouver, and another foot in London.
I had a poster hanging on the back of my door at my apartment. It was the Dahlai Lama’s 20 famous quotes. One of them said “Great love takes great risk”. This has become my personal mantra over the past few weeks when I suddenly have a seizing panic. I am not moving to the UK for Martin, but see him as a catalyst for my decision. For years I have talked about doing this and it’s finally come down to the wire to just go and do it. I needed to find myself a nice man who inspires me to do things…not just all stick to all talk and no action. I am standing in a position where many other women have stood before. I guess this is a part of the sacrifice that women in love make for men!
I realize how hard things will be for me, and I hope that I will be able to see the bigger picture when I am feeling down. I look forward to hearing from you and keeping in touch…the feeling of love is truly overwhelming and I thank everyone who is in my life. I also thank all of you who turned to out help me move and give lots of emotional support. And to my wonderful parents who now have my entire life in their living room…I’m so sorry!
With much love and hope,
Ashley xoxoxo

Gangamukti Project - Naganath's Mission

2009-04-11T05:51:00.000-07:00

Today we discovered that Naganath actually has an english site on Blogspot that is dedicated to his hunger strike mission in Benaras, India. Martin is also uploading his interview with Naganath on YOUTUBE...although it is currently in Hindi only. I will post the link regardless so that you can have a look. But do check out this blog about the Ganga, it is worth a read. The more we inform ourselves about what is happening to the Ganga, the better the chances that we can help contribute to its restoration.

www.gangamukti.blogspot.com

YOUTUBE:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHJuCE7luwM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kzm3hsKD11K

Bangkok Dance floors

2009-04-04T21:04:00.000-07:00

I arrived in BKK last night after a really relaxing day in Chiang Mai with Tiggy and Daniel. We all met up for breakfast at this really lovely veggie restaurant where I had a gorgeous fresh juice- coconut pineapple ginger beetroot...YUM!

Daniel and Tiggy are both avid swimmers and Tiggy knew of a really great 50m pool out of the core of Chiang Mai so Daniel rented a scooter and fit himself, and us two ladies on it and off we went to the pool! It was so fun zooming around the city, and a great way to catch some cool air...it's getting really really hot!

We spent a couple hours in the pool and lounging on the side...the pool is marvelous and we were the only ones there! It was situated in a jungle like setting with rows of beautiful fanjipany flowers lining the side of the pool. It was really relaxing and again another good way to cool off.

I had a plan to meet up with Leanna and Mike for lunch, so Tiggy and I headed back to "A Taste..." (of course) where we met up with them and had a nice lunch. Mike and Leanna are in Chiang Mai for a few days before heading off to Laos. Tiggy works as a tour leader through Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam so she had lots of good advice to give them. I was sad to say goodbye to Leanna and Mike as they are so much fun, and have such great travel stories. Leanna and Mike have been travelling now for 6 months and have just returned from spending 48 days in Africa. Leanna is a psych nurse, and has landed a job in Sidney, Oz so Biggie (who is living there now...) will have a chance to reconnect with them when they end up there at the end of May.

Tiggy and I went to NAMO yoga for our last yoga class together :( . Daniel showed up, so the three of us sweated it out in the back row. It was an intense 2 hr class, and I was thankful that there was a shower there so that I could freshen up before my trip to BKK. I hated saying goodbye to Daniel and Tiggy...especially Tiggy as her and I have been inseparable since we met and she's such a lovely woman! I look forward to staying in touch with her and hope to join her on her Yoga Vacation tour that she plans to start soon that will tour SE Asia.

I headed off to BKK and had a smooth flight. Upon landing, I caught a private taxi to head to RamButtri road to book a guesthouse, change my clothes, and head out to meet up with Jordi (one of Martin's best friends) and his mates. The driver was really old and slow, and ended up taking me through the middle of a massive night market...it took almost 1 hr to go 15 blocks, and both him and I were swearing at each other and groaning about the crawl! I ended up getting dressed in the back of the cab...very discreetly although he probably couldn't see much anyway!

I made to to RamButtri Road after 10:30pm. The guest house I was hoping to stay in was closed. I went to a guest house next door and took a room there, for a whopping 300B. The room smelled terribly like drains, and didn't even have a sink! But I was desperate as Jordi was waiting for me at a club. I finally made it to the club and met up with Jordi, and a few of his crew. We were watching his friends' band play- two super powered rocky chicks making the most danceable and wicked-est music that I have heard in a while. After grooving for a bit, his crew wanted to go to a club in the entertainment district of Bangkok. One of Jordi's friends, a guy called Woody called "his" car and "driver" to come pick us up...suddenly I found myself in a souped up SUV that had leather interior, a glass window separating us from the driver, and blacked out windows. Turns out that Woody is the Jay Leno of Thailand...a very famous guy! Woody was awesome and really funny. It was good fun hanging out with him. We ended up going to this cheesy bar with lots of tourists and danced to old skool Madonna, Britney Spears (yeah I know!!) and other mixed tunes. It was fun though as there were loads of lady boys standing on podiums doing the most synchronized and stylistic dancing ever! I was also getting tipsy as I haven't drunk hardly a thing in all these months, (and I don't really drink) so the club was really amusing. After a while there, Jordi's friends wanted to leave. Jordi, however, had other plans for us so we stumbled into a cab and went to this gay club called "Hollywood" where his room mates were. The club was AMAZING and Jordi and I were the only white people there. The boys were all gorgeous, and so sweet. They all wanted to dance with me so I got to groove with really beautiful men and not have them expect anything from me! Jordi's roommates were an absolute riot and man could they MOVE! Jordi told me that at home they will watch music videos and memorize the dance moves so when they all go out together they can all do a show when the song comes on. I danced my heart out, and admittedly got really tipsy as the bartenders were really heavy handed with my drinks! The woman's bathroom was also very interesting...I couldn't tell who was a woman and who wasn't! We stayed until 4 am and then I went back to Jordi's to crash for a bit. I didn't get much sleep though as I was really focused on getting up early and getting back to Ram Buttri Road to get my bags, go do last minute shopping, get my hair and nails done...and eat my small hangover off. Jordi was quite shocked when I woke him up at 9 am told him that I was leaving...he had set his alarm for 11:30! But I had so much to do and time was slipping away, so I had to go.

I got all my errands done and ate loads of mango sticky rice...it's such a delicious dish and I have to thank Tiggy for turning me onto it! YUM!

I'm at Hong Kong airport now and am getting ready for the looong leg to Heathrow...13 hours. But I'm really excited about going to London. I am looking forward to breathing in fresh-ish air. Bangkok was muggy today and it made me feel a bit ill (hangover perhaps?...). Spring air is definitely what my body needs, and maybe it will get rid of this ever present Varanasi cough that refuses to leave...

I'll still be blogging although it may not be as exciting as I'll be back in a Western Country...but I'm so used to writing that I just don't want to stop!

***Thank you to all of you who have reached out to email me about my blog...it means so much that you are reading and more importantly LIKING what you are reading. This is something that I want to continue with so stay posted!***

namaste

Love from HK International Airport...

xoxoxo

Flying through the air with the GREATEST of EASE!

2009-04-04T00:35:00.000-07:00

The Flight of the Gibbon- Rainforest Adventure

Tiggy and I decided to do an eco-zip line trek called The Flight of the Gibbon that was organized through my fav. veggie restaurant "A Taste From Heaven". The 3 hr zip-line tour takes you through the Northern Thailand jungle canopy

on high speed ziplines. It was really exciting amd extremely nerve racking as we were extremely high up, zooming through trees, and going over rivers. I am also scared of heights but it was really fun nevertheless...I thought it was time to start working on conquering my fear!! We were on the tour with 3 other couples: a couple from Munich, a Polish couple, and a really dysfunctional couple on their honeymoon...a 43 year old English bulldog type man and his blushing 19 year old Thai bride. I had a chance to chat with her while her husband was kicking up a fuss about something, and she told me that he was her first boyfriend. She also said that she wants to start working, as he owns a holiday resort in Kho Samui and wants to make some money of her own. But he won't let her...at lunch he freaked out on her for making a mistake when giving her email address to Tiggy and it escalated to the point of him screaming at her telling her to "F*** OFF!!" and embarrassing her in front of everyone. My heart broke for this poor girl who no doubt will be living a very miserable and potentially abusive life.

After our trek, we went to this lovely waterfall and hiked up the side to the top. The mountains remind me so much of BC, and it was lovely to breathe in the silky rich air. It was worth every penny and I'm so glad that I did something that challenged my fears in such an extreme way! he German girl on our tour started to cry when we got to the first platform and had to have the guide zip with her for the first hour!

Back in town I ran into Daniel (the London hairdresser from Kho Phangan who cut my hair) so him and I had a lovely lunch and as we were parting I ran into Mike and Leanna who had just arrived in Chian Mai and were actually walking around looking for me! I invited them to join Tiggy, James, and I to go to the temple for dinner but Leanna was really sick so only Mike joined us. We all headed over to the temple, but it looked like it was shut down for the night so there was no food for us! So we went back to "A Taste..." and feasted on pad thai, fresh spring rolls, massaman curry, rice, and mushroom cakes. It was sad to say goodbye to James, he is very comical and always has a wise crack on the edge of his tongue. Tigs, Mike, and I went to the night market to meet up with Daniel, and we headed out for a drink at the Rasta Bar where we sat on the dicey and slightly rotted rooftop patio. It was a lovely evening...especially as it is my last night in Chiang Mai! I am going to London on Sunday, so I am flying back to BKK on Saturday night where I will hook up with Jordi and go out and sample some of Bangkok's fantastic nightlife. The London trip was obviously very unexpected, but I am very excited and happy to go there. I'm gonna freeze though, so I'm gonna have stock up on long sleeved shirts in BKK at the market so that I am prepared! I'll be coming home now on the 16th....so I stil have some holiday time left. Yipee!!!

So I'll see you soonish....xoxox

Fried Pineapple Rice Recipe

2009-04-04T00:22:00.000-07:00

Recipe from "A Taste From Heaven" Restaurant in Chiang Mai... www.tastefromheaven.com

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups Brown Rice, cooked

2 cloves crushed and minced garlic

One Tbsp butter

1/2 Cup Pineapple

small bunch of Spring Onions

4-5 pieces of Baby Corn, chopped into rounds

TVP, uncooked

1/2 tbsp Indian curry or ginger powder

1sp. sugar

1/2 tbsp mushroom powder (or soup mix)

dark or "black" soy sauce

METHOD:

Fry garlic with butter until golden. Add in all the veggies and pineapple until cooked. Add rice and spring onions and mix all together. Add ginger/curry powder, mushroom powder, 1 sugar and 5 "shots" of dark soy sauce. Cook until brown.

This was one of my favorite dishes that I made...let me know if you've attempted it and how it turned out. The measurements are not precise...so use your own discretion and taste buds!

:: LINKS::

2009-04-02T01:03:00.000-07:00

Here is a list of the places that I stayed in around India and Thailand as well as some other recommendations on things to do, yoga teachers, and things to see.

::INDIA::
Mumbai: Bentley's Hotel 17 Oliver Rd, Colaba +9122871846 bentleyshotel@hotmail.com http://www.bentleyshotel.com/

Arambol, GOA: Hotel Ave Maria H.No 22 Modlo Vaddo +918322242974

Kochi, KERALA: Maple Regency Hotel and Residence XL/1511 Cannon Shed Road +914842371711 mapleregency@airtelmail.in

Kumili, KERALA: Hotel Ambadi Junction Thekkady Bypass Road +91 4869224617, 211015 sureshgreenview@yahoo.com

Trivandrum, KERALA: Greenland Lodge Thampanoor +912328114, +912323485

Delhi: (close to airport) Hotel Eurostar A-27/1 Road No. 1 Mahipalpur Extn. http://www.hoteleurostar.in/ hoteleurostar@hotmail.com

Varanasi, UTTER PRADESH: Alka Hotel/Teerth Guest House D.8/9 Kalika Gali (find them through the Alka at Meer Ghat)

Jaisalmer, RAJASTHAN: Hotel Haveli +919982098489, +912992252552 jsm_issac@yahoo.co.in

Pushkar, RAJASTHAN: Hotel Marudhar Kapaleshwas Road (near camel fairground) +911452772415

Jaipur, RAJASTHAN: Umaid Mahal C-20B/2 Bihari Marg, Bani Park +911412201952 http://www.umaidmahal.com/ reservation@umaidmahal.com

::THAILAND::

Bangkok: At Home Guest House 117 Tanao Road, Phanakorn +6622814056 athome117@hotmail.com

Big Blue, Kho Phangan: Haad Yuan beach, +66(086) 470 2625

Chiang Mai: VIP Guesthouse

::YOGA::

Sivanada Yoga Ashram, Neyyar Dam (Trivandrum) India http://www.sivananda.org/ndam/

Wild Rose Yoga and Sauna, Chiang Mai, Thailand http://www.wildrosesauna.com/

Namo Yoga Centre, Chiang Mai, Thailand http://www.namochiangmai.com/

Blooming Lotus Yoga, Ko Phangan, Thailand http://www.bloominglotus.ca/

::OTHERS:::

Ethos Vegetarian Restaurant, Bangkok http://www.ethosnet.biz/

Omelet Shop Near clock Tower, Jodphur, India (yummmmmy...the cook goes through 8000 eggs a day!)

Babaji Shivanada: YOUTUBE http://www.youtube.com/watchv=Ta1cZYXMShl

Swami Naganath: YOUTUBE http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kzm3hsKD11k
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHJuCE7luwM

Water Valley Tour (Keralan Tourism) +914842371761/2369811 touristdesk@satyam.net.in

"A Taste from Heaven" Veggie Restaurant + Ecotours, Chiang Mai, Thailand 237-239 Thapae Rd. Tel: +6653208803 http://www.taste4heaven.com/

Emerald heart

2009-03-31T19:13:00.000-07:00

So I have found the peace and serenity that I have been searching for in Thailand...Chiang Mai! It is a really lovely city and is super chill...and the air is actually fresh! It's still pretty hot but there is a lovely mountain breeze that whips through the streets and untangles the sweat from ones' brow. I found a lovely yoga school (NAMO) quite close to my guesthouse just outside Tai Phai Gate. I went to my first Vinyasa class last night and wow was it hard! But sooo good..I sweated buckets and stretched to my maximum capacity. I can't wait till tonite's class already!
I met a really lovely woman Tiggy in the class who reminded me alot of my friend Kim whom I met at the Sivanada Ashram. Tiggy and I came back to my hangout - a beautiful vegetarian restaurant called "A Taste of Heaven" and had a luscious feast and talked for hours about life and yoga. I'm doing a cooking class at "A Taste.." tomorrow where I will cook 6 dishes so I invited her to come and sample my inexperienced Thai cooking! We are also planning on going on a Zip Line Trek perhaps on Friday so that should be exciting! Zooming through the jungle at 60km an hour...YIPEE!
I spent yesterday with Diego who took me to a hotel down yet another nondescript residential street (with Thai prostitutes hanging out the door having a leisure afternoon) to go for a swim in a beautiful pool. It was so nice to sit away from the world with water lapping at my feet. I spent 4 hours there reading and swimming and was grateful for the serenity. I went back afterward to "A Taste..." for lunch and ended up meeting this really nice man James from South Cali who lives here in Chiang Mai. We shared the remnants of my spring rolls and I tried a few dishes that he had while we talked about India, the differences btwn Hinduism and Buddhism, and other thought provoking subjects. It was a very stimulating conversation, and James was picking my brain alot about India. I was very happy to share my stories with him, and he encouraged me to be a writer and share all that I experienced! The owner of the restaurant (Roy) came and sat with us and brought us some Gin and tonics (he's a proper english man!!) so I had a nice stiff drink before stumbling off to my yoga class. LOL.
James, Roy, Tiggy, and I are going to go to a nearby Sikh temple on Friday night for free vegetarian food so that should be fun. I may go a bit early and check out the temple.
I'm feeling a bit better and clearer, and ready to come home and sort myself out. I'm looking forward to getting back to work, making some much needed money and closing down my life there. I've got big dreams and plans and I think that it will all work out. I just have to believe and trust. Its a stuggle for a Type A personality like me who loves to control every aspect of my life down to the T but maybe I need to start taking a leap of faith. And just believe, baby, believe.
Anyway I'm off to cook some fabulous dishes...I'll post the recipes!
xoxox

Chiang Mai

2009-03-30T06:29:00.000-07:00

I arrived in Chiang Mai today and my first impressions are good. It's much calmer and quieter than Bangkok BY FAR and the air is actually fresh. It's still pretty hot out though, but less muggy. I came in from Kho Phangan last night with Stacie and Shaina after an epic 15 hour journey. It was a very long day and I slept a good portion of it as I hadn't really slept much over the past 2 nights. We went out dancing on Friday night, and I went to bed late on Saturday night as I was packing. We were up at 5 am on Sunday to catch the first boat to Haad Rin. We arrived in stifling Bangkok and walked to Ram Butri Street (which on the other side of Khao San Road) which is much calmer than Khao San Road. We got into a reasonable triple bed room and got settled. Shaina wanted to do last minute shopping as she was heading back to Japan today so I dragged myself out into the Khao San Road chaos, which tapped me of all my energy. I passed out at 12 and slept fairly well...which was good as I haven't been sleeping well or much at all as of late. Busy mind.

Chiang Mai is the city of temples, and boasts about 300 of them here. I've seen a few so far on my roam today, and plan to go talk to some monks in the temples about taking a 3 day meditation course. I met a Portuguese guy named Diego on my rambles who truly is a walking Buddha- tossing me intelligent and truthful tidbits as we roamed around. He's only 24 years old but as sharp as a whip and wise beyond his years... my goodness. Diego took me to this amazing hotel off the main streets and into a residential area to show me where he goes to use the pool. I'm going to go there tomorrow and get in some swimming before my 6 pm yoga class. I found a lovely veggie Thai restaurant called "A Taste from Heaven" and have signed up for a Thai cooking class on Wednesday. I get to make 6 dishes so I best make sure that I fast before I come as it's just me eating all that food! I post a recipe or two online and warm up your bellies back at home. I had a Thai massage today which was lovely. I fell asleep as the tiny lady pounded on my legs and heels and lovingly twisted me into a pretzel. There is a herbal steamroom there that I will go to tomorrow, perhaps before my swimming session.

There is a fantastic night market here that I hope to hit tomorrow night. Other than that, Chiang Mai is pretty small. I may try to do a 2 day trek in the jungle, but will see about that as meditation is a much higher priority at this point of time. I need to get my head on straight, and that will be the only thing to instill some peace.

Hope all is well with you...the countdown is on now till my appearance back at home. YIKES! xoxox

Haad Yuan

2009-03-26T09:16:00.000-07:00

I'm here on Haad Yuen beach on Kho Phangan and I'm having an alright time. Thailand is not what I expected it to be. I'm still missing India like mad and having a hard time just chilling on the beach. I'm not really a "relaxer" per se so that may be part of the problem, but I also feel like I am spinning my wheels here and just burning time. I am having anxiety about coming home...I'm really nervous about leaving this trip behind and getting back to life. I have realized so many things about my life back in Vancouver and I am honestly more confused about where I am in my life now that I have been away. I've been feeling awfully lonely and down here, and even started crying in yoga class this morning. The teacher played a track from this album "Sacred Chants of Devi" that had Reena played for me the night before I left to come on my adventure. The song is a beautiful and haunting track regardless but it brought back the excitement and wonder of going away and I felt like I hit a wall. I broke down and started crying, secretly of course...it's hot and muggy enough for me to disguise my tears as beads of sweat. I'm really got to put my nose to the grindstone and figure out a way for me to get to London. I'm just putting it out there, and I have faith it will all work out. I need a change so bad.

So the crazy thing is about this beach is that it is full of Vancouvites! The yoga teacher knows me from Beats Without Borders events (she has seen me dance a few times) and in the class I ran into 2 girls I used to party with waaaay back in the day when I was young and crazy (I'm still crazy but not that kind of crazy). The girls are Stacy and Shania (Tezra- Kirsten's friend Stacy). There was another girl in the class from the Drive so that was really funny to see her as well. Turns out that Haad Yuen is the beach to go to! I'm happy to have found Stacy and Shania. We are having a nice time eating loads of yummy food, drinking lots of shakes (pineapple & mint, coconut, and watermelon are my favorites) and of course our daily yoga class. It's been a nice distraction for my overactive mind. They are both moving home to Vancouver after 4 years of being away living in Japan. Stacy has been travelling for one and a half years now and I had just missed her at the Sivanada yoga ashram when I was there by 1 week. Strange.

I've been spending my days pretty much the same...getting up for yoga, eating with the class afterwards at the Bamboo restaurant, going for a swim, reading, watching movies at my bungalow and eating and reading some more. I'm not used to being this chill and I think that is one of the reasons that I am losing my mind! I'm struggling to keep my mood uplifted- I know I sound so melodramatic- but I am having alot of conflicting and confusing thoughts. It's hard being here in paradise and not being able to totally appreciate this beauty. I'm trying to stay present but my mind is a million miles away. Thailand is a good place to get away to but it's not really an experience nor an adventure...and that's the way I like to travel. I have run into more tourists here on this beach than I have in all my travels in India...and I go to sleep listening to banging house music. I miss the jangle of the temples of India in the morning, and the singsong intonation of Hindi.

I had my hair cut by this London hairdresser as my hair was in a dire need to get sorted out. He cut my hair really punky and I suddenly have baby bangs again ("Sweet ones darling") so I am coping with how to style my hair! Especially in this humidity....my hair has gone huge and corkscrewy! I hope the bangs grow out before I return...I look like I am 19 years old again (but with 10 yrs experience lol).

I'm gonna stay here till Sunday- till the end of my yoga pass- and I think that I'll fly to the north to go to Chiang Mai. A couple I met in Munnar (Leeanne and Mike) will be going north on the 1st of April and want to meet me there so I think I will. It'll be nice to have some company and they are hilarious Brits who will keep me laughing for sure. They are coming from spending 2 months in Africa so it will be great to hear their experience.

So I'm off to bed...good night. xoxoxox

Crash, boom, BANG!

2009-03-23T07:31:00.000-07:00

I'm sitting in a cyber cafe at my bungalow in the most FANTASTIC storm ever...waves of rain washing down, ear splitting thunder above my head and incredible flashes of lightening illuminating the entire sea! Incredible!
I have arrived on Kho Phangan today after a fairly easy journey from Bangkok. I caught the night bus and managed to get a little bit of rest on the bus...I had 2 seats to myself so I twisted myself up sideways and caught some shut eye. We stopped at 24 hour Thai food extravaganza...it was brillantly lighted with hot pink and mint green fluroscent lights. a shrill woman barking orders over the super loud speaker system, and the craziest assortment of food I have ever seen. I was right out of it so I didn't take any pictures...but if I stop at a place like this on my way back believe me I will!
I caught a high powered catamaran to Kho Phangan which took about 3 hours. I passed out for most of the trip, but awoke when we arrived on Kho Tao to see the chunky island dressed in emerald palm trees and white sand. I arrived on Kho Phangan and immediately was addressed by a Hare Krishna spreading his love of Krishna...I must have something written all over my soul or something! I gave him 50 B for his book on Karma-Yoga and caught a minibus to Haad Rin (the infamous Full Moon Party beach) so that I could catch a boat to Haad Yuen. I met a girl named Lucy on the bus who lives here on Kho Phangan -actually at the yoga centre The Sanctuary. Lucy convinced me to go right to The Sanctuary and check out the beach there. So I went to that beach and checked into a dorm room at the Sanctuary. As I was getting out of the boat I ran into a Vancouver Yoga Teacher at the Sanctuary doing a teachers training course! It really is a small world isn't it!
The Sanctuary is a really beautiful spot but it was a bit too high-end hippy resort-y for my liking. The restaurant had gorgeous (but expensive) food, so I splashed out on a lentil burger which was music to my lips. I ended up walking the steep pathway through the jungle to Haad Yuan- the beach that Sarah had recommended inititally and found it was much more to my liking. So I booked a room at the Big Blue Bungalow, trekked back to the Sanctuary, packed up all my stuff, and trekked back to the Big Blue. This was all done between 2:30 & 3:30 in 37C heat. and I forgot to reapply my sunscreen after my post- meal swim. I have very burned shoulders and a rather Rudolph looking nose...alas my quick dosing of SPF 40 didn't help much.
I met a really strange Israeli fellow (who I think was gay) who took a real liking to me, so much so that he tried to climb into my hammock with me. I felt rather uncomfortable OBVIOUSLY so I fled as soon as I could claiming that I was being bitten by mossies (which I was...they are as big as birds here). This fellow is named Asher, and I'm hoping to avoid him at all costs...he seems like a real wierdo! But this beach is TINY and very unpopulated so unless I hide out in my bungalow all day or leave the beach I'm sure I'll be seeing lots of him. He seems like the real man about town...I hope he's just extra gay and friendly, not creepy and lecherous! LOL
I'm starting yoga tomorrow morning so I'm quite excited. I'm not really one to sit and relax much on the beach so I need some activity besides shopping (which there isn't much of here thankfully) and eating (yikes...I really need the yoga to stop me from eating so much!). Staring at the endless sea is lovely and all but I cannot spent 10 days doing that. I may head into town Haad Rin in a few days to check out the scene there, but I'll wait till after the Black Moon party to do so.
I had a fab dinner at my bungalow and watched the movie "Old School" there. The Big Blue shows 2 movies a night, so that will be a good way to ease into bedtime..seeing as I lost my beloved book "A New Earth" somewhere between Bangkok and here. Oh Ashley. Typical!
The rain has now eased off so I guess I will mosey back to my bunglaow and hunker down for the night. I'm going to get up early and wander the beach a bit before all the rest of the other people get their yoga grooves on.
Mom and dad- so sorry to hear about Alf :( but hopefully he's in peace now. Send gramma my love.
xoxoxox

Ba-bye Bangkok!!

2009-03-22T04:39:00.001-07:00

I'm just quickly writing an update as my bus is coming in 15 minutes to whisk me outta here and takeme to the beautiful shores of Kho Phanang. I've had a few whirlwindy days here...I've gotten used to the craziness and difference of Bangkok and have adjusted as much as I can. I'm still not entirely sure about it here but hey I'm only here for another 15 minutes!
I got up pretty early yesterday and checked out of my hotel and into another one that is off Khao San Road in a much quieter area. The veggie restaurant that I have been living (Ethos) is next door to me, so that is quite a treat!! I ended up shipping home another box yesterday...I ended up buying a Rajasthani bedspread in Benaras from Prem's shop that I had been coveting for the past month and a half. I may be late in getting some gifts distributed as the SAL mail service will take a minimum 4 weeks to get to Canada...so please be patient!
I went to Wat Phrew Kao (The Emerald Buddha temple) and City Gate Palace yesterday as well as I popped into Wat Po (The Reclining Buddha Temple). Wat Po was amazing, and holds the largest gold reclining Buddha in the country. On the wall along his backside you can make a nominal donation and get a little bowl full of tiny coins that you drop into buckets that line the wall. I said a little prayer for every coin I dropped...I'm not sure exactly what this routine was for so I thought that I should make the most of what I was doing!
After visiting the temple, Sarah recommended that I go and get a Thai Massage as Wat Po has an excellent school there for massage. I booked an hour long massage and was worked over beyond belief. I'm not sure why everything was so painful- I haven't been very active so maybe that's why but it still felt good. I had every part of my body worked over, and the tiny Thai woman put my body into positions and then used her body to stretch me further. It felt amazing and kinda like I had a workout...Lazywoman's yoga I guess I could say!
I went to the Weekend Market (CHACHEW) today and shopped like crazy. I'm now regretting sending over that package as I could have filled it with so much more stuff! My backpack is back to being as heavy as it was when I had the bedspread in it. Damn! The market was insane...had absolutely everything available...from handicrafts, tons and tons of clothes and thelike, sheets, Thai silk, home furnishings to pets like dogs, rabbits and turtles and much much more. It was so hot though and the humidity is really stifling. But it's better than being cold and wet back at home (sorry for the jab...;)).
It's been amazingly difficult to get vegetarian food here. I had some pad Thai yesterday that was pretty good but to be honest I'm not such a fan of Pad Thai to begin with. It tasted better than the Pad Thai back at home though as ketchup isn't used. I'm looking forward to getting to the beach and getting a little routine place to hang and eat at.
I got an email from Adrian today who is studying esoteric tantra yoga for 6 months in Kho Phanang. The yoga itself doesn't call out to me but running into an old friend does so I'm gonna make sure to call him when I arrive. I'm going a little batty talking to myself...although as long as I don't answer everything is alright...right? LOL

I'm off to Kho Phanang tonight and I am excited to get some R & R and do lots of yoga. Sarah sent me some really good recommendations so thank you my streudal!
I'll check in with more deets later.
xoxoxoxxo

BKK

2009-03-20T05:15:00.000-07:00

I've arrived in Disneyland..aka Bangkok. I am not feeling it at all at the moment and have had quite a few wobbly moments as I just miss India so much! I am also suffering from MAJOR culture shock, and it doesn't help that I was dropped off in backpacker hell...Khao San Road. The area is loaded with half naked tourists, (well that's not really the case but it sure seems like it!) everyone is around 20 years of age and all getting wasted on Thai Buckets. Top 40 music is pumping from the cafes and 7/11, Pizza Hut, Starbucks, and Subway dot my corner. I'm feeling one step closer to home. Yikes.
I got about 3 hours sleep last night and was awoken by the reception at my hotel at 2:15am. I struggled to get going but made it in plenty of time to Bombay International. The whole morning (shall I say mourning?...) seemed like a dream. I was quite emotional at the airport and I longed to stay on in India. But I boarded my plane and had a really nice flight to Bangkok.
I arrived in Bangkok and caught a cab into town. I was trying to figure out what the noise was that I WASN'T hearing...silence!!! No one was honking, everyone was driving sanely...it was almost too much to take! Ahh how I long for the craziness of good ole Indian highways...wait I must be really homesick to wish that upon myself!
I got to Khao San Road iat 12 noon and took the first hotel I came across. I was knackered and needed a place to drop my bags to chill. It is a nice hotel but quite expensive so I will move on tomorrow once I have had a decent sleep.
I did a bit of shopping and had lunch at this really lovely veggie restaurant. The street is so overloaded with tourists that I cannot hardly stand it. In all of India the only places that I saw this many tourists was Arambol and Pushkar. But there they had the whole city to spread themselves out...here its only a few blocks. I decided that I needed to unwind so I went and got a mani, pedi and reflexology treatment to calm and treat myself...my feet are looking gorgeous and I fell asleep during the reflexology treatment. The Thai really know their beauty stuff for sure.
I'm gonna stick around in Bangkok at least till Monday and then I think I will head to Kho Phanang to go to a yoga retreat centre there. Flashes of white sand and turquoise seas may be the thing to soothe my soul. If you have any recommendations please let me know as I am travelling by the seat of my pants!
Thailand just seems to be the land of excess..whether its the Thai prostitutes hanging off every middle aged white mans' arm, the massively indulgent Thai bucket, cheap and oily street food, cheap prescription drugs, and 7/11's on each and every corner. Everything is available ALL the time here in Thailand, and it's not something I'm into.
Starting to face the reality of returning to reality back home..it's amazing how fast these months have gone really. But I have my UK trip to tide me over in June...and hopefully I'll land a job (and a visa EEK!!) over there so that gives me something to look forward to. Keep your fingers crossed for me...I really need a fresh start in my life!
Lots of love from BKK...
xoxox

Escuela Marina Solina

2009-03-19T05:18:00.000-07:00

I came to Puri to meet up with Martin. Martin has come to Puri to look at a school that has been successfully running for 5 years. The children who attend the school are either orphaned, live far away, or are too poor to go to public school in the city. The school is run and funded by a Spanish woman from Galicia named Neneta. Neneta is a regular here in India, and has been coming to India every year since 1984. Martin has also spent alot of time here in India. Martin has been wanting to help out in some way to give back to a country that has given him so much. Under the guidance of Babaji (Shivanada) Martin was directed to contact Neneta, who was also guided previously by Babaji to open the school.
Neneta originally helped to reopen a school in Juanga, Orissa that was destroyed by a cyclone in 1999. The cyclone killed 100,000 people, and destroyed many of the small surrounding villages. Many of the survivors survived only by huddling together in large groups that made them too heavy to be carried away by the winds. Neneta singlehandedly raised enough money through raffle sales and donations back in Spain to rebuild the school. She then created an NGO called Shanga that helped generate more funds for the project.
Neneta decided to let the project go in 2005 when an American NGO stepped in and wanted to take over the project. Neneta again started looking for a way to help the children of Orissa. Orissa is one of the poorest states in India, and the people of Orissa are heavily trodden with troubled times. The annual monsoon wipes out much of the agriculture, and villages often get flooded and washed away.
One day Neneta was talking to Babaji who suggested that she go to Puri and see how she could help in the villages around there. Once in Puri, Neneta then met a wonderful man named Umesh who owns a local travel agency. He also wanted to help his people and agreed to assist Neneta in her vision of building a school. The two of them then found a plot of land in the jungle in Pubai ( 1.25 hours from Puri) which they purchased and started building a school.
The journey to the school was a beautiful drive- we drove through tiny villages alongside emerald rice paddy fields and watched the sky get framed by palm tree groves. Many villagers looked at us with curiosity as we bumped along the dirt path in the white Ambassador. Once we arrived at the gates of the school, a flood of children came down to meet us. They greeted Umesh and Neneta first, and then came to greet Martin, Dina, Mano, and myself. Many of the children bent down to touch our feet and then touch their foreheads in a sign of great respect. Hands searched for clearance to greet us with "Namaste! Como estas? What's your good name??" It was very touching and tears quickly sprung to my eyes.
We spent the evening touring the school and trying to get comfortable in the 40 degrees heat. In the evening, the children run 1 km to a nearby lake where they take a bath. Every evening after the bath the kids have a yoga class, and man are they ever flexible! From standing upright to bending backwards into bridge, getting legs behind heads, twisting themselves into a pretzel...they do it all! I watched the session with extremely wide eyes, gave an occasional gasp, and tried to mask a whole lot of envy.
The children finish the yoga session with chanting. Two young girls led the opening bhajan which was then sung by the rest of the group. It was a beautiful experience listening to the tiny voices lilt and sing, and then echoed back in response by the rest of the group. The children sit straight backed in half lotus position with closed eyes and their hands folded gracefully into namaste at their hearts. On this evening after the chanting the children were then sprung into their music class. Normally the music class falls on the weekend, but because it was a special evening (as we were all there visiting), the teacher decided to showcase his workings with the students. The music teacher is a man from a nearby village who comes on the weekends. He plays the tabla, harmonium, and other traditional instruments. He also had a rich melodious voice, and sang us a haunting traditional Orissa folksong that made my heart ache. The children sang many songs for us, in both Oriya and in Spanish. Neneta then brought our talents to the table- we had an impromptu talent show! I bellydanced 2 songs for the kids, Martin played a song on his guitar, and Patri (a Spanish girl who was also at the school visiting with her boyfriend Arthuro who painted a vibrant mural in one of the classrooms) sang a Orissa song that she had learned over the previous days. The kids then volunteered to get up and perform...some of the shy girls sang sweet love songs with Filmi style dancing, some of the boys did outragous Bollywood disco, and one even dramatically told a joke which made us all laugh even though we didn't speak Oriya! The children are rife with talent and eager to learn. I taught them how to zaghreet (a Middle Eastern ululation that is made by chirping La-la-la really fast) which I am sure will drive the teachers all wild!
The kids love being in school and seem to all work hard. 97 children sleep at the school full time, while the other 150 go home in the evenings. The children that stay at the school sleep together on the classroom floor on palm mats.
The next day we had another impromptu talent show where I was again asked to perform and this time got a few of the young girls up to dance. Their ability to move was astounding and I was suprised to see such natural ability. Neneta asked me to teach a dance class for the girls later on in the afternoon which I did in the hot, hot heat. I had about 30 girls in the class and had alot of fun teaching them. Many of them danced very naturally and often added their own bit of expression and flair. I was exhausted after teaching for only 30 minutes, but they just wanted to keep on dancing!
The school is doing well but donations are always needed to keep the project moving. There is currently no running water nor electricity at this point, but Neneta hopes that in the near future the funds will be there to bring these vital things to the school. Neneta is also looking to hire an english teacher for the school.
I am personally involved in helping this school reach its highest potential. Neneta and Umesh have worked so hard to establish a solid foundation for Maria Solina. Presently there is no way to donate internationally, but there are established Spanish and Indian bank accounts. I talked to Neneta about setting up a PayPal account, so hopefully when she goes back home to Spain she will get it going.
The current website for the NGO Shanga is http://www.shangaindia.org/ but I believe that it is in Spanish.

In terms of donating, it only takes a few dollars a month to make a difference. For example, the cost to feed 1 child is a mere 0.10 Euro cents per day. As I said earlier, Neneta's current wish list items are to provide running water and electricity, an english teacher for the school, and to bank some money for the Stage 2 and 3 buildings that will serve as dorms for the students and teachers. Neneta has funded the school solely on money that she has made back from donations from friends and family. She also receives nominal donations in a collection box placed on the wickets from clients at the bank where she currently works. She is going to be retiring at the end of this year, so she is a bit nervous about the loss of funds from the bank donantions.

I will list Neneta and Umesh's details in case you want to contact them to help out in anyway.

***For you dancers- any old dvds or cds that you have lying around would be greatly appreciated as Neneta wants to get a CD, tv and dvd player in the future so that the girls can watch dance videos to learn moves as there just isn't any funding available at this time for a dance teacher. I wanted to sponsor a teacher to come to the school and teach dance but the teacher Umesh talked to charges 3000Rs/ a month which is quite steep. I will be sending over some videos so if you want to get them to me I will post them all when I get home. They LOVED bellydance, but would take any videos as long as its some form of classical dance.

Neneta Herrero nenetahe@yahoo.es
Umesh "Travel Fair" travel_fair@hotmail.com
Check out Babaji in the movie Baraka...he looks SOOOO YOUNG!!!
http://www.spiritofbaraka.com/slideshow.aspx?image=Baraka1085

Incredible India...

2009-03-19T04:32:00.000-07:00

I am sitting in a little cyber cafe in the industrial part of Bombay close to the international airport. The temperature is 32C and the air is dirty, hot, and sticky. I am writing with a much leaden heart as today is my last day here in this amazing country and I am truly very sad to see this portion of my life end. I had a really tearful goodbye with Martin this morning in Benaras, and have been feeling wobbly ever since. I did, however, perk up on the Indian Airways flight from Benaras to here as they were playing non-stop Janet Jackson videos from the late 80's and early 90's....only here in India!
I have spent the last few days in Benaras just chilling and getting last minute stuff done. Martin is heading to Bombay tomorrow as he is going back to London on Saturday, and sadly couldn't accompany me here as he has loads of stuff to do for his last night in Benaras. We spent the whole day yesterday running all over the place trying to tie up loose ends, and since this is INDIA it always takes much longer than anticipated. I had to try and figure out how to get all the stuff I accumulated over the last few days either in my bag or shipped back home. Sadly I had to leave a few things at Martin's friends' home (like my carpet :( and some clothes) but that only means that I will have to go back. And go back I will. Definitely next winter. My bag which was feeling pretty empty after I shipped stuff back home in Jaipur is completely and utterly filled to the brim and is weighing over 20 kgs. Once I get to Thailand I'll have to send another shipment home methinks.
I am off to Thailand tomorrow at 5:45 am. I have to be at the airport for 3:30am which means I should be up by half 2. I was awake almost the whole night last night because there was a crazy house party next door and I was also feeling laden with sadness so I spent the whole night tossing and turning. Not even the bottle of Veuve Clicquot champagne that we drank made me pass out. So I'm feeling sleep deprived, sad as hell, hot and bothered, and happy. Quite the range of emotions. I have absolutely no idea about what I am doing in Thailand- I left my travel guide at home and my guest house that I had previously booked and paid for for my early March 3 night accomodation has not returned any of my emails re-confirming my booking. I don't know where I am going to go, where I will stay, even how much money I have at this point!!! But it's all a part of the adventure, even though I am sure that my parents are really unhappy with me at this moment after reading this! I am not feeling Thailand at all and I think I may see if I can come home early. I may try to get to Ko Samui and try to head to a yoga ashram there. I'm not into the big beach scene and since I have been spending alot of time thinking, being, and talking about spirituality...the whole beach scene makes me feel a bit sick. So I think yoga may be a good option, and I can also get some exercise!
I went to the temple last night at Manikarnika (burning ghat). It was a really special evening, not only because it was my last night in Benaras but also that the Baba Naganath (who I wrote about in my Kashivashi blog) had returned from a few weeks stay in hospital and was there to lead the evening AArti. He is still on his hunger strike for the Ganga, and is on day 240 of fasting. Naganath is obviously as skinny as a rake but he seems like he is doing alright and was moving around like anyone of us. It is really amazing to see the human body functioning under such deprivation. I think Naganath will take this to the very end...he is really commanding alot of attention for this cause. The biggest polluters of the mother Ganga are the US and Europe owned chemical plants that are dumping huge amount of toxic chemicals in the Ganga and rewarding the municipalities richly with lots of money to turn a blind eye. Never mind the fact that the Ganga is the holiest river in the world, and that the Hindu faith revolves around it. Martin shot a 10 minute video of Naganath in hospital talking about his hunger strike and the problem with the Ganges and it will be posted it on Youtube with English Subtitles. I will post the link when that happens.

I have so much to thank India for. This experience has been some of the wildest adventures that I could never have dreamed nor expected, and I can't believe that I ever had reluctance about actually coming to India. I have personally experienced some of the deepest sense of peace and happiness I have ever had here in India. On the flip side I have also confronted much negativity and darkness. I am grateful that I came back to Benaras in the end as I left with a bad taste in my mouth and my week back there has erased alot of those bad memories. I am leaving India with a major chai and biscuit addiction, an automatic head wiggle when talking, having Namaste burned into my vocabulary, a possible tuberculosis cough, and accepting that India really is the most chaotic, stressful, aggressive, beautiful, giving, hilarious, and maddening place in the universe! The land of organized chaos time and time again.
This country is a land of extremes- from the street child pulling burning plastic out of a midroad fire to the fancy SUV's that cruise the back lanes, from the dirty and matted hair of a tribal woman to the proud way she carries water back to the village. This country is technicolour at best and almost like an acid trip at times. The biggest gift I have received in this trip is the closeness I have come to accepting a level of faith and trust- I have never really thought much about faith in the past beyond the ordinary but here in India it is prevalent everywhere. Cars with dashboards Durgas screaming for a safe journey, the shopkeeper that won't make a sale until he finishes his opening Puja, the family kept shrines that dot most corners in Varanasi and represent almost every Hindu deity. Flashing fingers sparkling with astrology derived stones to increase wealth, shift dodgy planetary alignments, pearls to keep calm and full of self-assurance. Necks heavy with charged malas and charms. Babies with heavily kajaled eyes and red protection bracelets. From laughing Babaji's drinking 17 cups of chai to the heroin ridden ones shooting up in dark corners...this country is again rife with contradictions but is always governed by some level of faith.
I have had the immense opportunity of getting past the snide money maker Babas and meeting some of the real deal ones here in the temples. I have had alot of help from Martin who has undergone quite the spiritual transformation on this trip especially and I feel very lucky to have had such experiences. Being at the evening Aarti as the only woman in a dark corner of the Manikarnika temple is an experience that I will never forget. The acceptance I have been given has been most humbling and affirming. I didn't come here to find a Guru but instead came to realize that the real Guru is truly yourself.
This land is truly Incredible. Go and see it for yourself.

Peaceful Puri

2009-03-16T01:08:00.000-07:00

Sorry to have been so slack on writing...Puri was a real holiday and I didn't nor managed to find the time to sit and do any updating on my blog. So where to begin...

I arrived in Puri on March 6 after staying one night in Delhi. My flight was delayed by 2 hours, so I arrived at half three and Martin met me at the airport. Upon arrival, the pilot announced that the temperature was 36C which was music to my ears as the airplane was beyond arctic and I was not prepared in anyway so I arrived quite frozen. The landscape reminded me so much of Kerala with the lush green landscapes, towering palm trees, and thick scented air. The airport was a tiny little airport (I landed in Bhubaneshwar) and was colourfully decorated with all sorts of Orissa handicrafts. The attitude in Orissa is also very laid back, nothing like the aggressive and desperate attitudes of the North...maybe because it is so hot that it just takes too much effort. The humidity was about 60%, so I started sweating immediately.

We stayed in a lovely hotel just off the beach front and had a lovely view of the slate grey sea. Puri is a beachside town on the Bay of Bengal that draws in a very eclectic mix of both foreign and Indian travellers. Puri is also a sacred Hindu town as it holds the holy Jagannath temple. The temple is unfortunately closed to non-Hindus but we had a good look at it from the outside. We spent an evening riding around Puri on rented bicycles which was actually quite crazy as the city of Puri was steadying itself for a holy festival in which 1 million Hindus were expected to arrive for the ceremony at the Jagannath temple then to bath in the salty sea. I had to bob and weave quite a bit through the narrow streets but it was really exciting with all the pilgrims arriving. The men here are mostly shirtless and wear a tiny little lungi wrapped around their waists. The women also wear little lungis tossed casually over one shoulder or else wear a thin sari quite often with no choli or blouse underneath so you do see flashes of bare breasts here and there. The humidity and the temperature was absolutely soaring and it made it very hard to wear many clothes. We visited the temple that sat on the beach and I did a little Shiva puja with the resident Baba (Baba Betal) who was very pleased to see me and Martin there.

I didn't spend as much time as I wanted in Puri as we spent most of the days that we weren't at the school just relaxing, and the main centre was about a 15 minute bike ride away. I wasn't really prepared to cycle into Puri on my own so I joined Martin on a few trips to the temple, and that was about all that I saw of Puri. I will definitely go back, it was one of my favorite placesto visit in India and the temples are sooo beautiful. They look slightly Mayan and stand very tall. They have brightly painted lions as guardians on the outside and everything wasjust so colourful.

The reason that Martin came to Puri was to check out this school that is set up in the jungle just outside Puri on advice from Babji Shibanada in Benaras. Martin was thinking about setting up an orphanage in Varansi but was coming up against a lot of problems. Shibanada knew a Spanish lady called Neneta who had set up a school and was looking for additional help and he told Martin to go have a look as perhaps this may be the project that Martin may want to get involved in. The school is a serious undertaking and man has it ever prospered. I will be writing a blog dedicated only to the school and my experience there so stay tuned for that.

There were afew other Spanish people that were also interested in the school: Manu and Dina from Granada, and Arthuru and Patri from the North of Spain. Arthuro was painting a beautiful mural in one of the classrooms and Patri was hanging out at the school getting to know the children and learning a few Orissa folksongs. The couples were absolutely lovely to spend time with and I got to practice quite a bit of Spanish as english was a rarity!

Manu celebrated his 40th birthday the night before Holi so we all met at the local restaurant ThePink HOuse and had a really fun fiesta for him. I drank about 5 glasses of beer (!!) so I got a bit tipsy but had so much fun. I am really glad to have made such nice new friends, and it gives me another incentive to go to Spain! We all ended up giving Manu Kama Sutra style presents under the advice of Dina, so there was much laughter as he unwrapped present after present (and some furious blushing from me aftre he unwrapped the soapstone statue that Arthuro helped me choose!).

The people in PUri are very lovely people, and were very pleased to us engaging in not only their culture but also in their religion. On the morning of the special ceremony Martin went to temple and I went to the beach to watch the bathing that followed the temple worship. Many people came to ask why I was there and offered my portions of their offerings to give to the sea. I did however have a classic Ashley moment when I was drawn in by this polio ridden woman Magla who took me back into her fishing village, was surrounded by loads of her family, drank sweet chai and was given quite possibly the worst mendhi that I have ever seen on my right hand. Of course after all this I was asked to help out Mangla financially so that she could buy medicine. I felt really angry and bothered but forked over 200 Rs/ and ran out of the village trying wipe the henna off my hands. Martin had a good laugh when he saw my face and then saw my mendhi and said thatI should never be allowed to wander off on my own again! The henna stained my hand for days and days and has stained my fingernails a garish red colour that will undoubtably have to grow out. Ahh well perhaps I will never learn my lesson!

We did visit Konark one hot day on our way to the school to see the infamous Suntemple. According to Wikipedia:

It is the site of the 13th-century Sun Temple (also known as the Black Pagoda), built in black granite by King Narasimhadeva I (AD 1236-1264) of the Eastern Ganga Dynasty. The temple is a World Heritage Site. It takes the form of the chariot of Surya (Arka), the sun god, and is heavily decorated with stone carving. The entire complex was designed in the form of a huge chariot drawn by seven spirited horses on twelve pairs of exquisitely decorated wheels. The entrance is guarded by two lions, which are each shown crushing a war elephant. Each elephant in turn lies on top of a human body. The temple symbolises the majestic stride of the Sun god.

It was really incredible how intricate the carvings are and also how longthey have withstood the test of time. YOu can see some of it wearing away and much of it was under scaffolding. It was really really hot though and I felt very faint so we didn't stay that long.

Holi was celebrated in Orissa on the 12 of March but we didn't actually getout and see any of it. It turns bad quite quickly as many of the yuongboys get really drunk on cheap liquor and throw oil based paint everywhere. The streets were a rainbow of colour when we ventured out to the temple in the evening and many cows and bulls wore multicoloured skin! Holi can get really out of hand, and western women can quickly lose their clothes if they are out in the action. A bit disappointing really but it was fun to see the coloured faces in the aftarmath.

Baba Betal was really lovely at the temple and ended up giving me a beautiful wool shawl on the morning ofour departure. He really embraced us and let Martin lead the morning aarti which was quite the honour. It was very peaceful at the temple, and I hope to go back someday in the future.

Anyway I 'm off to run around Benaras a bit, so will update you later on the school.

much love...xxox

Mighty Taj Mahal

2009-03-04T22:39:00.000-08:00

I didn't sleep all night as I had 2 big cups of masala chai and I bravely ate a bowl of noodles which was a really bad idea as the noodles were very greasy. The noodles made me very ill unfortunately, so I was sick all night. When I did manage to fall asleep, all the dogs in Jaipur seemed to have a catch up meeting in front of my hotel...so there was much howling and barking till the wee hours. The front desk called me at 5:15am to wake me up, and I grudgingly got out of bed. Our trip to Agra to see the Taj Mahal is gonna be a long day, and I wasn't prepared to spend 8 hours in the car!
I went down to mommas and Anu's room and waited while they got ready. Momma had made some purchases in Ajmer the day before and was very excited to show me what she had bought. She was especially excited about this satin pink and red bedspread she had bought for Shazia's impending nuptials. It wasn't quite my taste, but I oohed and aahed anyway. Shazia and Sabah showed up about 20 minutes later and then we were off! Our driver was waiting outside for us, and the sky started to change colour as the sun came up. I felt a surge of excitement and felt again very honoured to be able to join this family on the trip to the Taj. We had a really nice drive- we were all very much awake with excitement and they were all dying to find out information about me and my life in Canada. I told them all the Hindi I had learned to date (not very much really!!) and they were keen to teach me more. I managed to learn numbers 11 - 20 on the trip, so I can now count to 20 in Hindi! Momma asked me to sing a song for them so I croaked out "O Canada" and then she sang some lovely traditional Hindi songs. The driver swerved sharply at one point and swore loudly. Shazia asked him what was wrong, and he pulled over on the shoulder, turned the car around and then drove back in the direction that we had just come from (and driving on the WRONG side of the highway. *sigh*). He once again pulled over on the shoulder and we saw a massive brown snake lying on the already heated pavement. It was HUGE!!! We all gotoutto take pictures...and then we realized that it was a 2 headed snake! It had a head on both ends of the body!! So WIERD! Some men working nearby came to over to see what we were all looking at and picked up the snake in the middle of its body. We all screamed ( I think I screamed the loudest...don't know why as I am not afraid of snakes) and they all started to laugh. We got back in the car and started driving again. We made it to Agra in about 4 hours. The second that we parked and gotoutof the car, the hassling began. Shazia handled it really well and arranged for us to get a rickshaw up to the main gate. Sabah was dying to ride a camel up to the gate, but the prices were very inflated and we all wanted to get going. I paid 750 rupees ($20) to get in while as a foreigner, but the girls all got in for 20 rupees. We made our way to the entrance, and then we saw the gleaming white marble. I got realy excited and a bit emotional as I have always wanted to see the Taj and here I finally was. We all walked through the gate in silence and then stood in wonder once we got through. The Taj is everything that you have ever pictured it to be. It stands on a pedestal so that the background is only sky. 4 red gates flank its sides, each one as regal as the next. It was very busy for a Tuesday so we had to move away from the gate quickly so thatothers could have a moment capturing the beauty. We took loads and loads of pictures, and momma kept on getting in trouble from the impatient girls who wanted to go inside. The heat was searing at midday and I was suddenly glad that Ileft my salwar kamis at home and opted for my short sleeved and cotton dress. As were were walking up the steps to go inside, Shazia pulled me back and said that she wanted to speak with me. She told me that she has a boyfriend in America who is Indian and that they wanted to marry each other. The problem was that he is a Christian, and Shazia's family are very strict Muslims. Shazia approached her family 1 year ago to try to convince them, and her parents both refused and forbade her to ever speak to him again. They had met in India when she was doing her MBA and they quickly became friends. He would come o the house and hang out withthe whole family, and momma actually really liked him. But once Shazia talked to her about marying him, he was quickly denied and forgotten. Shazia is panicking as her family has found her a husband who is also from Bangalore but is living in Quatar and the family wants the wedding to happen later this year. Shazia had been accepted to work in the US but with the global economic crisis, the job was taken away and given to a US citizen. She told me that the plan was for her to go to the US, they would marry, and then they would tell her family. But now that she has lost that opportunity there was diminishing hope. She asked me for advice which I really could not give as I come from such a different world and in my life I can marry anyone from anyplace that I choose. I felt really sad forher, and I got quite choked up while talking to her about this. Shazia said that this reason was why she came to Ajmer as she wanted to go to the Mosque and pray.

We held hands for a moment and I told her that I would pray for her that her family will change their minds..so if anyone of you need someone else to pray for PLEASE pray for Shazia!

We spent about an hour roaming around the Taj and taking turns relaxing in the shade. The gleaming white marble stayed refreshingly cool in the blinding sunshine. On our way back to the car, we stopped at one of the shops and drank endless cups of chai while momma shopped for carpets, more bedspreads and jewelery for Shazia's wedding. I was convinced to buy a carpet as it was only 2500 rupees so now I have got to carry a carpet around for the rest of my journey (I may give it to Martin to putin his Spanish house..I really can't fathom carrying this around for another month and I just sent off a parcel home). We got back in the car and most of us fell asleep. I was absolutely fried from the sun and felt exhausted. We then drove for about 1/2 hour to this other must see in Agra- the Itmad-ud-Daulah. This was a better experience for me as it was not very busy, we reached it just before sunset, and the environment was very peaceful. The Itmad-ud-Daluah Tomb is a Mughal mausoleum in the city of Agra in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Often described as 'jewel box', sometimes called the Baby Taj, the tomb of Itmad-Ud-Daulah is often regarded as a "draft" of the Taj Mahal. It was absolutely breathtaking at sunset as the suns fading rays litup the red stone and turned it a burned scarlet colour. I got many photrographs which I will post once I get onto a better computer later on. the girls all went inside the mosque while I sat and enjoyed some men singing and playing tabla.

We stayed until dark and then we had an episode with our rickshaw driver (no surprises really) aboutpayment. I couldn't understand what was happening as it was all done in flying Hindi but Shazia was really really mad and upset. That was a very unfortunate way to end the day. But we allpiled back into the car and made the long journey home. We gothome by 10:30 pm and I wentoff to bed after saying a sad goodbye to new family in Bangalore. They left early the next morning, as did Penny so I am all alone in Jaipur! I'm off though to Delhi on Thursday where I willspent 1 night at my friend Charlot's flat before catching a flight to Bhubanshwar to meet up with Martin in Puri.

Hope all is well with you, I'll post the pics once I get to Puri!

xoxox

Rosy City- Jaipur

2009-03-02T05:04:00.001-08:00

Sorry to have been away from writing for a while- I got really sick as a result from eating at that lady's stand in Pushkar...the problem was compounded bythe fact that I ate there the next day as well as I had promised her that I would come and eat there after my visit to the temple and didn't actually make it back there until 6 pm...so my food had literally been sitting out in the hot sun all day. I tried to slink past her into my hoitel but she saw me and uncovered a huge vat of dahl and aloo paratha and beckoned me over. Yikes. I felt even worse once I met her amazing 8 yr old son Shiva who was afflicted with polio. This broke my heart and I figured that my gastrointestinal tract will recover (someday) while her son never will. So I swallowed my fear and bravely ate what she had lovingly prepared for me. Yikes.

I am definitely paying for it now, although I actually craved and held down real food (aside from curd which has been my staple over the last fewdays) today so that is a good sign. Indeed.

So to sum up the last few days...I spent my last day in Pushkar hangingout at the Savitri temple and I met a really lovely and funny American couple at the top. We all headed down the mountain and went to visit Sundeep at his herbal tea cafe. We enjoyed a lovely glass of chai and then decided to get scooters and headout on a bit of a roadtrip. Sunny ended up taking us to the otherside of the desert to this other Shiva temple which was nestled in a valley between 2 masse mountains. Sunny took me on his bike which was great as the road was really sandy and rocky, and Amanda and Brian rented a scooter. The ride was amazing- we sailed past lush gardens growing marigolds, roses, and herbs which lit up my olfactory glands in the dusty heat. Children came out to whack our hands as we sailed past. We spent about 4 hoursout in the desert, and sat in this Shiva cave in meditation for about 20 minutes. It was so cool and dark inside the cave...we had to climb down stairs that were carved into rock to get to the main lingam.

I left Pushkar the next day with a ready and sound mind. I enjoyed my time there but was definitely ready to move on. I had my bus ticket and a lovely hotle courtesy of my loving father. I was feeling really il though so I was a bit worried about how I was going to fare on the journey. Well India has a way of messing with yourplans in the only way that it can- by turning everything upside down. I ran into a Baba that I had met on my first venture out to the desert, a realy sweet and young man who spoke fairly good English. I told him that I was ill (it was fairly noticable as I was a particularshade of green) and he blessed me with some mala beads and some other gifts. I invited him out to get somethingto eat (curd for me) and we sat and chatted for a while. He sudenly asked me to move closer to him and he then showed me a very infected testicle after telling me that he was in great pain. I had noticed him limping butdidn't want to ask any questions. I wasn't sure what to do, and an alarm bell went offinside me. I did want to help the guy- he had walked for 2 hours from the middle of the desert to Pushkar and was on his way to Rishikesh...so I gave him some money for medicine. He blessed me yet again, and I just really hope that he actually spends the money on meds...he does have a fairly significant chillum habit. I did checkw ith Martin though about this as he knows the Baba's way and he said that it was fairly standard to be so open with such a private partof the body..the naga babas wear no clothes and Babas are supposed to be above any sort of modesty. So I guess it was in order from his side toshow me this, although in my western way I was really shocked!
I made it down to the bus stop for 2:30- 30min before my scheduled bus departure. And waited...and waited...and waited....The men who sold me my ticket seemed totally uninterested in the fact that the bus was meant to be there for 3 and that I was geting picked up in Jaipur at 7 pm by my hotel. They also told me suddenly that the bus was going to stop in Ajmer for 45 minutes so that I would be arriving later than 7:30pm. I asked to call my hotel to let them know that I would be late on arival, but the men wouldn't let me "Madame they know this bus is always late". Well I sure wish I had known as I would have taken another mode of transit!! The bus finally showed up, and on I went only to discover that I was joining a tour group and that the stop in Ajmer was actually going to be for 1 hr and a half...enough time for everyone to go to the mosque in Ajmer! The driver took one of my bags, dropped it in the trunk and then asked for 20 rupees "Luggage charge madam" which I didn't pay for. In Ajmer I didn't get off the bus, and sat fuming on the side of the highway with an aching tummy. To top it off the bus driver and his sidekick took a liking to me and came to sit with me asking me all sorts of questions. Luckily there was an equally frustrated Japanese guy who took pity on me and asked me in broken english if I would like to get off the bus and split a taxi with him to Jaipur. I gotoff the bus and together we headed off to find a taxi driver who would takeus for a good price. We found someone to take us for 1350 rupees after bargaining for about 15 minutes and off we went. It was a fairly relaxing journey aside from the fact that we were almost killed a dozen of times by huge trucks carrying massive loads on their ends driving in our lane trying to pass the other trucks carying massive loads, and the fact that we listened to the same track the entire time to Jaipur. But we reached Jaipur in one piece (with me whispering the occasional OM NAMAH SHIVAYA) and were dropped off at the bus station at 6 pm. The driver wouldn't call my hotel to let them know that I arrived early so I headed to the nearest phone booth to call my hotel. I was surrounded by touts immediately and no amount of me telling them that I already 1) Had a hotel 2) Was going to be picked up momentarily would get them away from me. "Please madam good price I take you good hotel" "Madame why you like this? My hotel so nice, you first business for me today" "Madame I give you good ride for good price in rickshaw, ok please come". I walked out of the station with 5 men following me and more men joining the group "Madam you need rickshaw? I take you good price". I started to get very annoyed and angry and told them all to leave me alone, which none ofthem did. I'm starting to think that they just cannot hear nor understand the word "NO". I think the word "NO" means to ask again! I asked someone where the Traffic Jam Cafe (where my hotel driver was going to meet me) was, "Madam so far 10 minutes this way. I take you in rickshaw. Good price". This continued with many people jumping in to tell which way the cafe was "NO madam this way good restaurant cheap price" when in all actuality it was behind me the whole time! I finally found it after getting really frustrated and settled in momentarily before my driver came and swept me into his car. Pnce I arrived at the hotel Umaid Mahal, I was in heaven! The elaborate paintings on the outside as well as the gleaming gold front doors assured me that I had indeed found a litlle piece of paradise in the polluted and soiled capital of Rajasthan! Thanks DADDY! My bedroom is amazing and I have a lovely bathroom with 24 hr hot water and a proper shower..it's been weeks since I have had a proper shower...it's been bucket baths for ages!! I settled in nicely and slept very well. I spent most of Sunday in bed watching bad Indian tv (the dance shows are the WORST! And ALWAYS on!!) and sitting on my terrace having a read. I met a really lovely Indian family from Bangalore (3 daughters and 1 mama) who have now adopted me and are taking me with them to Agra on Tuesday to see the majestic Taj Mahal. I'm very excited to spend the whole day with them and get to know them, and they are excited to show me their country and one of the ancient 7th wonders of this world. I was taken out though by a rickshaw driver though and managed to spend a pretty penny on a strand of rubies- my present to myself for making it through one of the worst periods of my life- so I felt really indulgent but satisfied. It's a small strand but the necklace is gorgeous and I can finally say that I am done shopping here in India!

I made it outtoday with the rickshaw driver and saw a goodportion of this pink city. I have to say that I'm really noit very impressed- if I had come here first then I may have a different view but after being in the smaller Rajasthani cities I find this one a bit much. It's very loud, noisy, polluted, the people are very harrassing, and hot. I have been grabbed by street people begging while sitting in the rickshaw and everyone expects money everywhere I turn. I am finding it really exhausting especially in my sick state and my hotel has become my sanctuary from it all. I managed to see the City Palace, the minaret over looking Jaipur, the Maharaja gardens and "lake" (dust bowl with empty fountain", the monkey temple of the Sun God, and my favorite place the Maharaja Masoleum underneath the forts. It was absolutely stillthere with intricately carved crypts and tombs. Ispent about 45 minutes walking around escapingthe heat and admiring the carvings. I also found an eagle feather and loads of peacock feathers so that made for a nice scavenger hunt. My driver was really nice although I may have ruined his plans of taking me to "his friend's shop" as my visa card stopped working so suddenly I was whisked back to the hotel (with no complaints from me...I was DONE). I did manage to catch a preview of the impending Holi festival though on the Jaipur streets…a massive procession of people, decorated elephants, coloured camels, marching bands, flying marigolds, blasting music, and sailing colours came down the Jaipur streets. I was very excited to see the procession, and hope that the Holi festival will be as colourful in Puri as it will be here in Rajasthan!
I’m still feeling very ill though and have started to take antibiotics unfortunately. Hopefully I’ll be able to eat something other than curd in the next fewdays…and I don’t want to feel like this when I am viewing the Taj!
xoxo

Aloo Baba

2009-02-26T05:47:00.000-08:00

I awoke a bit late this morning so I neglected my morning walk up to the Savatri temple this morning. By 10 am it's almost 25 degrees, so I gotta get up at half six and be on my way by 7 am. I made my way down to this delicious cafe called the Honeydew Cafe and had a gorgeous muesli curd and fruit salad. I met a really lovely women from Germany and enjoyed a conversation with her while having my breakfast. At 11:30 am I headed off to the cafe to meet up with Sunny and go with him to the desert Shiva temple. The other guy never showed up, so me and Sunny went off on his motorbike. It was so nice being on a bike catching some fresh air as it is so hot and dusty in Pushkar and being on an open road felt very nice. We stopped in at a local animal hospital that is founded by a vet in the UK. I was given a tour of the facility and met really lovely Indian people who are working very hard tosave the lives of injured and abused dogs, as well as cows. The cows are really sick here in India...once they stop producing milk the owners just let them go free. They munch on anything they can get their mouths on, which is mostly plastic garbage, and they plastic gets stuck in their intestines and basically strangulates them to death. The hospital picks them up, operates on them, and then feeds them till they are healthy again. The sad thing though is that the cows just go back on the street and it all happens again...so not really a solution. I really want to volunteer here when I come back next year, so I picked up the info and told the staff that I would be back! Sunny then took me to see Aloo Baba at the first Shiva temple - he's named as such as he LOVES potatoes! We had a quick chai with him before we set off into the desert to see the other Baby about 20 minutes away. We took the river way and came across a huge clan of peacocks resting in the sun. They flew away when we came across them. They are such regal birds, and seeing them against the barren drabness of the desert only illuminates their beauty. We finally came to the Shiva temple in the desert, which has been standing there for over 2000 years and is declared a Ragasthani protected site. We sat in the temple with a Shiva lingam and had a 10 minute meditation before retiring to the massive banyan tree to escape the heat. Sunny and I stopped in to see the Baba in his little house, he was resting with a sadhu and was surrounded by puppies. Three cows stood peacefully behind him, observing his every move. We sat with the Baba and the sadhu and I watched as they all pulled on a freshly packed chillum (which I didn't engage in...no bhang for me please!!). Baba and I had a small conversation and then I played with all the puppies...31 to be exact. Baba will never be lonely in the desert!! Sunny and I headed back to the first temple to see Aloo Baba as we had promised to play a game with him. When we made it there, the gypsy women were there taking a break from the washing and relaxing in the temple. Their children played in the dust, and once they saw me got very shy. The ladies made me a cup of spicy chai and I saw with Aloo Baba. The children slowly gotover their shyness and came to sit around me, observing my differences. I gave them all Ganesha stickers and that was it...I was totally accepted. They climbed in my lap and fought over who was going to sit next to me. Baba pulled out some shells and we all started to play a game that was painted on his floor...I wasn't really sure how to play as the rules kept changing, but it was really fun. I got my Hindi numbers (1 - 6) down pat and enjoyed yelling my roll to the amusement of the kids. Finally we had to go, and I promised Babaji that I would be back before I left. Such sweet children.
Sunny dropped me back off at my hotel and I wandered across the street to eat at this tiny lady's food stall. She whipped me up some smoking hot parathas and dahl and I washed it all down with 2 cups of sweet chai. I worry about the state of my teeth...I'm drink waaay too much hot syrupy chai!
Sitting here at an internet cafe watching camels loaf on by, it's truly a surreal sight. I came across a huge clan of monkeys eating the left over vegetables from the market all sitting on a roof together. India is such a surreal country, you never know what awaits you on every corner you turn.
And with that namaste.
xoxo

Brahma-ville

2009-02-25T04:03:00.000-08:00

Pushkar...It's an amazing place, the buildings are all white and blue and very ornate. I spent some time today on the holy lake at one of the ghats and watched the life swirl around me. It was nice to sit and not be pestered for once! The people here though are really harrassing...if it's not the shopowners, it's the baba's and the sadhus, then the beautiful rajasthani women who are wearing clothing nicer than I will ever own, then the beggar children. It's a bit much, and again I'm left with the confusion of being a tourist and contributing to the degrade of culture. Ah well...I think I might have too much time on my hands to ponder such things! I rolled in yesterday and spent the day shopping and then shopping some more. The shopping is insane...but if not all same-y- and I dropped a good chunk of coin (or shall I say tattered Rs/!) topping up my gifts (and bagging some bling for myself). The night before was a very special festival day called Shivatri- a day dedicated to Shiva so there were still some remnants of the celebration left over. People were pulling huge trolleys with Shiva statues and boys with drums lead processions down the narrow streets. I got pulled away to the holy lake by a Brahmin "priest" to do a puja...suddenly I realizedthat I may be in a very expensive situation! The priest went and brought back a plate with kumkum, a coconut, rose petals and rice. He asked for a donation for the Brahma priests ("Madame 500 or 1000 Rs/ is ok maam...good donation" and looked very annoyed when I told him that all I can offer is 150 Rs/ (about $4). The thing is that when he starts to bless all your family members- dead and alive- suddenly the "donation rate" becomes the rate per blessed person. I was starting to sweat as he asked for names of my immediate family, my grandparents and uncle & aunts. I started to calculate the potential cost and lost track of what was actually happening in the puja. I blessed everyone in my life and offered my plate of flowers and rice to the water. A huge carp came up and devoured the sinking rice...hopefully he hasn't eaten my good wishes and prayers! In the end I forked over 250 Rs/ and quickly escaped with my "Pushkar passport" red and yellow string on my right wrist and was marked with a red kumkum and rice tikka on my forehead. The good thing is that now I have this bracelet, no one else will harass me! I met a really nice American couple (Shandy and Wes) in the evening and had a delicious thali with them in this hidden "palace" off the beaten track and listened to shanti tracks of women singing the Gayatri and Om Namah Shivaya. It was very peaceful indeed and nice to connect with such a friendly couple. Shandy and I made a plan to walk up one of the nearby mountains to visit one of the temples - Savatri which is on top. The walk takes about one hour and is straight up the mountain. I'm dying for some cardio action, and a chance to get out of the madness and have a few moments with Brahma's wife. There are 2 mountains facing each other here in Pushkar on opposite mountains...one is the Savatri temple and the other is the Gayatri temple. The legend is that when Brahma came to Pushkar (his place) he wanted to have a huge puja to celebrate the arrival of his own city. He sent his son to fetch his wife Savatri to join in the blessing. His son was a bit mischevious and didn't get Savatri right away, so Brahma was waiting and waiting for a long time. He finally asked his consort Indra to go and fetch him a woman. When INdra returned, he brought back a milkmaid. Brahma put her head into the mouth of a cow (gaya) three times (thri) and she become a goddess. Gayatri then became Brahma's wife and stoodin the puja celebration. When Savatri arrived, she was furious that Brahma had taken another wife so she cursed Brahma and went to live on an adjoining mountain. There is only one Brahma temple in the world (here in Pushkar) and that was Savatri's -that he shall be only worshipped in one city and have one temple. Gayatri went to live on the other mountain and hence the two temples ontop of the mountains. Cheeky Brahma...what was he thinking??

After dinner I walked home in the darkened streets and realized that Pushkar closes early. I'll be at my hotel now before 9...as I walked I heard drums and shrill womens voices. I came across a wedding celebration and the beautiful women were all dancing. I was pushed into the party by an old man and I was swarmed by little children- all reaching for my hand and screaming "Hi! What's your name!" One little monkey literaly shimmied her way up my leg into my arms so her and I dancedto the beat of the drum. I was given a chair to sit on and suddenly I had 5 kids on my lap, all talking and exploring my face and arms. The women pulled the kids off me and got me to come and dance with them. I danced with them for about 15 minutes and then realized I had to get going. I bid them "Namaskar" and tried to escape but was attacked by all the children begging for chocolate! I tried to run but was quickly overtaken! They all pushed me to a nearby store to buy sweets until one of the elder women came out and scolded them...and they all turn and ran. It was quite amusing and fun, but I felt sad that this was all they saw me for.

The walk up the mountain today was really good. Shandy (the girl I met) had a really strong bhang lassi last night so was a bit fuzzy but we had a good walk. It is such hot here, and I'm glad we started early. The walk started off with stairs but then turned into a rocky climb. I was not looking up, just kept on focusing on the rocks in front of me and almost walked into a family of mean-ass monkeys!! Once I realized they were monkeys I panicked and jumped back. The biggest monkey of all bared it's teeth (vampire teeth eeeek!!) and we freaked out. We were both too scared to walk past the group until an indian guy came down to reassure us that it would be ok. So we rounded up our courage and walked past the group...they didn't even bat an eyelash. We carried up to the top and enjoyedthe cool breeze and the amazing view of the desert. The lake of Pushkar was shining in the morning sun, and we could see camel camps for miles and miles. It was very peaceful, and we were the only people aside from the sadhus in the temple. Shandy pulled out her sweets as an offering and a monkey came and grabbed them from her..they are really scary creatures!! We stayed up at the top for a bit and then made our way back down to the bottom, stopping in at a cafe at the foot of the mounatin that promised "The best herbal tea in Pushkar". I made sure it was not infused with bhang (it wasn't) and we drank one of the best cups of chai I have ever had. The man made it with mint and all the chai spices and the result was a syruppy nectar like drink. Yummmm. We chatted with the owner for a while, and I am going to join him and a french lad tomorrow to go to a Shiva temple in the desert to visit a Baba and hang in the cool temple. I'm quite excited!

Spent the rest of today just chilling and contemplating life on the lake. I'm at a cafe on the lake called "Sunset Cafe" and am going to see some live music tonight here before meeting up with Shandy and Wes for dinner. They are off to Jaisalmer tonight so I'm quite sad that I'm losing my new friends already!

I've extended my ticket to stay in India till the 20th of March, then I'll head to Thailand for 3 weeks before coming home. I'm really glad I'm staying...wasn't ready to leave India yet. I've also made a few emails to some Bollywood references that were given to me, so maybe I won't come home at all! You never know what can happen here...as I'm constantly reminded "Everything is possible in India!"

xoxox

Pushing Pushkar

2009-02-23T21:38:00.000-08:00

I've just arrived in Pushkar this morning at 3:00 am after a lovely busride from Jaisalmer. I spent my last day in Jaisalmer checking out the Jain temples inside the fort and wandering around. I met up with Penny at the hotel who was reluctantly thinking about leaving to Pushkar. I was thinking about her all day while out on my own and decided that she needs to stay in Jaisalmer for a few extra days and explore this new ray of light in the form of Asharaf. I told her this and her face lit up. I still planned on going to Pushkar amd felt totally comfortable going on my own. I'll meet her in Jaipur as she is doing her Level 1 Reiki course (and my amazing father has secured us 4 nights at the Taj HOTEL!! EEE!!!) on the 28th. She helped me bring my bags up to SOCH and Ishaak soon followed. I was dyingof hunger so Ishaak piled me and Penny on his bike and we went to the Chowk to a little restaurant where I ate a delicious masala dosa (ahh memories of Benares). Ishaak disappeared for a bit, and came back with a beautiful gift of a carnelian beaded necklace I had spotted the night before at a shop in the market. It was a very generous gift, and I was utterly speechless. Ishaak is a very sweet, wise soul and I look forward to keeping in touch with him. He has given me some Bollywood contacts in Bombay and Jaipur that I am going to contact. The boys all swear that I am goingto become a famous Bollywood star, so I should at least try!! I made it back to SOCH and the boys ordered me a rickshaw so me, Ishaak, and this Italian man I met all piled in and met Penny and Asharaf at the bus stop. Because Penny and I had a booking together we had a double bed in the sleeper. Asharaf made sure that only I would be in the sleeper- sometimes the busdriver tries to sell offthe spot and I may have been snuggling with an unknown person! Yikes. BUt we were assured that only I would be in the sleeper so I piled my bags in the compartment and we wentoff to have a last minute chai. 4:30pm came quickly and I was ushered on the bus with hugs and warm wishes. Asharaf was dancing around and telling me to stay in touch, especially when I became a huge star. Ishaak slipped something in my hand, and Penny made sure I was set up safely on the bus. I was sent out of Jaisalmer with warm memories, new friends, a beautiful Carnelian necklace, a love letter, a teach yourself Hindi book (from Asharaf who said I need tolearn for Bollywood), and love and light from Penny's smile.
I started talking to a man across from me in a single bunker who was from Edmonton and had been travelling for 1 year now. He was really nice and we enjoyed a few hours of conversation. The bus made a stop about 2 hours in and then a mob of people got on the bus. Single seats below turned into a a triple seat, and people mashed together everywhere. Single bunkers fit 4 people, and a man opened my window to have a peek in (which Ifirmly shut with a "NO!"). I felt really indulgent as my double bunker could have easily fit 3 people Western style but 8 or 9 Indian style. The aisle way was crammed full of people and I heard people climbing on the roof! I have never seen so many people packed into such a small area. Justin made a comment that if the bus did one mistake then we would all be dead and I started to fret! There was at least 30 people packed into the aisle way. I shut my windows and watchedthe desert landscape roll by. The bus ride was 10 hours, and it was one ofthe smoothest journeys I have taken here in India. I was nestled in a dark coccoon with loads of room for me to stretch out, and the windows blocked out most of the noise. I didn't really sleep but was in and out of conciousness. Loud temple music would break my rest and the occasional twist of the bus would send my heart pounding but it was a really enjoyable ride.
We arrived at 3 am and I sleepily pulled all my bags off the bus into warm evening air. Immediately I was being hasstled by hotel touts, and I joined the Italian Jean-Claude in a serach for a hotel. We walked through Pushkar in the dead ofnight surrounded by sleeping cows and barking dogs, and made our way to a hotel at the edge of town. I got a lovely room that is surrounded by temple music and fell asleep listening to harmonium and tabla. Pushkar is known for its sacred lake and for being the site of the only Brahma temple in India. I'm off to explore the holy lake, have some lunch, and visit the Brahma temple. Namaskar!!
xoxoxo

Gypsy Soul

2009-02-22T04:44:00.000-08:00

Penny and I have been kidnapped by two romantic Sufi-poet loving Indians and are still in Jaisalmer! We met them on the first night we landed here in Jaisalmer- one of them named Asharaf owns the internet cafe where I practically live and the other Ishaack owns the hotel where we have now moved to. Penny and Asharaf hit it off right away his cafe (SOCH- Spirit of Centre Harmony), and Ishaak was there also hanging out. Penny and I changed hotels immediately after our one night in the desert and ended up surprisingly at Ishaak's hotel "Hotel Haveli". So it has been a most curious arrangement.

Penny and I booked our tickets to Pushkar for the 22 and really planned on going. We want to get healthy (I still have a horrid cough that refuses to leave) and we are both really tired. We were at SOCH yesterday- I was doing some catch up emailing- Asharaf showed Penny a pamphlet called "Arabian Nights" that takes place out in the desert. His uncle runs the venue, and he was inviting us to go that evening. I was drawn to it immediately (obviously) as there was going to be a Rajasthani Band and dancers. Because I am not going to make it to Udaipur I'm itching to catch a traditional dance show so I was sold immediately. We changed our tickets to leave on the 23rd, did some shopping in the fort, had our palms read, went back to pack an overnight bag and we were off!

We were driven out to Sam - which is a huge sand dune area that is a very popular tourist spot out in the desert. Asharaf's uncle (Roger) owns a resort like complex with about 15 thatched huts around a bonfire area. There are 15 horses on site, and a really fun tractor for dune buggying in. It was scorching hot, so I retreated to my hut to have a rest and a shower to freshen up. Penny went on a horse ride through the dunes, and when I awoke Roger took me on a very insane tractor ride through the dunes, freaking out all the camel riders! I was bumping around like crazy, and it gave me a head ache afterwards...probably wasn't good for my whiplash ridden neck! Asharaf spirited Penny away on a beautiful Royal Enfield bike to watch the sunset, so I got really worried when I came back and she wasn't there...but she came back unscathed and bursting about the beautiful sunset they watched on top of the dunes.

The Rajastani band reminded me very much of the band from the movie "Latcho Drom". The lead singer (looked like Johnny Depp but gypsy style!) had a heartbreaking haunting voice, and the rest of the performers also played very well. They had a dohl drum, a harmonium, little wooden castanets sticks, a double wind flute, and a tabla in the band. I was sitting at the front on the ground and was held captive by the call and answer singing demonstrated by "Johnny Depp" and a young boy playing the castanets. There two dancers that performed, one was a transvestite dressed up in loads of makeup and a shiny golden costume (very common for gay men to dress up and perform as women here in the Rajasthan..apparently it brings good luck to the audience) and a very bored looking woman in sea foam green. The audience was a women's group from Delhi and they were having a very good time, shrieking, dancing, and laughing.

The sea foam green dancer piled on 7 metal pots on her head and danced around the fire, stood on 3 swords (edge up), and also stepped into a silver dish and hopped around with a heavy hip twist all with the pots on her head! It was pretty impressive, and was my favorite performance from her.

Asharaf told Roger that I was a bellydancer so Roger insisted that I get up and perform with the band. The band started off with a very funky dhol rhythm so that was easy to dance too, but then the band went wild! They were musically going all over the place so all I could do was choo-choo shimmy! So shimmied I did for about 5 minutes (basically till my legs fell off). It was fun dancing though, and it made me also realize how out of shape I have gotten here!

Penny also got up to dance to a little tune, and was exuberant after finishing- she hasn't belly danced in10 years and man is she a natural! It was at this point that a group of gypsies showed up- 3 women and a few other band members. One of the little girls got up to dance and she blew me away. She was also like the dancers out of Latcho Drom, she had a very cheeky style and moved with precision and grace. Dancing was so natural for her, and it oozed out of every pore. She demonstrated a crazy back bend, picking up a 100 Rs/ note with her teeth! Penny and I were enchanted and after she finished dancing, I went to sit with them and bowed at her feet!!

She is a tiny little thing, like the Rajasthani desert people, and wore beautiful seed bead jewellery around her neck. She had little puki shells on beaded strands on her chest, so when she shimmied they make a lovely deep twinkling noise. I was absolutely in love with her and even though we could not communicate, the feeling was definitely mutual. All of the guests left shortly after dinner, so we had the entire gypsy band and dancers to ourselves. There were 5 very drunk Indian men who showed up and dominated the group, requesting songs and dances and throwing money on the performers. It made me very angry to see these men with their huge bankrolls of notes tossing money on the ground for the gypsies to pick up. But the dancers ignored them mostly and Penny and I danced with them all night long, while the band played all sorts of ragas. My little gypsy girl was there with her mother (another tiny women wearing a beautiful magenta dress and was decorated with tribal jewellery) and her little cousin who was a saucy 13 yr old. I was en cloistered in their huddle of skirts, veils, all holding hands and was privy to their shy laughter and obvious annoyance at the drunk men. They would lean into me and rest their head in my shoulder or into my chest and laugh. It was so nice to be included in the gaggle of gypsy girls. We would get up and dance, swirling under the desert sky to the sad arpeggio of Johnny , the whining harmonium pitches and the thumping dohl drum. The girls seized me and marched me out the gate to the outside of the complex. I looked over my shoulder and waved goodbye to Penny and Asharaf...I was being kidnapped by the gypsies! We went outside and all started to dance, the girls doing some crude pelvic motions (imitating the drunk men) and us all collapsing in laughter. They then all spread out their skirts, gently sunk down into a squat and began to pee. I was only wearing a short dress and my leggings so I couldn't engage as gracefully as they did, and they all laughed when I tried! They looked so royal and I felt like an arse!

The drunk men requested some gypsy songs, so the girls broke into a fast but haunting song with lyrical voices with a strange range of notes. Tears sprung to my eyes, and my little gypsy girl grabbed my hand as she sang. They then burst into another one, and the little cousin kept laughing and moving her veil over her face so I assumed that it was a naughty song. The voices sailed over the still air, and I could feel the vibrations in the air from the tones they hit. It was very special, and I wish that I had a way of recording it.

They band and dancers stayed till after 1 and we danced and listened to the music till then. I had my own private Rajasthani band and dancers...what an experience! The band will be coming to Canada on tour in May, so hopefully they will make it to Vancouver. I'm dying to see them again! Johnny Dep wanted me to give me one of his Cd's in Jaisalmer the next day but sadly he didn't materialize. They are on YOUTUBE though, so when I locate the link then I'll post it so that you can see the band. Amazing.

Our driver ended up taking the gypsies back to their camp, and I was invited over and over again to come to the village in the morning to see them again. Ishaak promised them that we would come, so they left very happy. I gave the two girls my bangles, and my gypsy girl gave me one of hers, a red jewelled on. I went to sleep in my hut listening to the remnants of the band sing drunkenly with the drunk Indian men. The singing soon turned into loud snoring...and I was awake for the rest of the night coughing like crazy and trying to ignore the snoring!

Ishaak came to awake me at 6:30 am to watch the sunrise but I had just fallen asleep and was too tired to get out of bed. Penny woke me at 8:30 am saying that Roger was taking us back to Jaisalmer and that we had to go now. Roger had been on my case the whole night before about us staying there for the following night. He wanted to bring the best male bellydancer to the place and have him and I do a show together. Roger was very pushy and I was getting uncomfortable. I told Ishaak that Penny and I had a plan to leave to Pushkar the next day and that I wasn't going to stay for another night there. Ishaak told this to Roger, and Roger got very weird with us. But I didn't feel comfortable at all with Roger- he made quite a few comments to me on our tractor ride- and there was no way I was going to do a full bellydance show for free. So in the morning I had about 10 minutes to get ready and pack up my stuff and off we went. Roget told us that there was no way that we had time to stop in at the village to see the gypsy family, and I felt terrible. Penny and Asharaf followed our jeep back to Jaisalmer on the Enfield looking like a glamorous Bollywood couple. Penny had a light in her eyes that I have never seen before, and I felt that we should stay on another night in Jaisalmer. We got back to town and decided that we would stay on for 1 more night which made the boys very happy. Ishaak set us up in a room in his hotel for free and we all relaxed in the room for a couple of hours. Ishaak and I went to the market and hung out for a while. It was Asharaf's brother Sokat's 19th bday so we gathered him from the Internet cafe (where he spent all day working for Asharaf) and met up with Asharaf and Penny at this delicious pure veg restaurant. I quickly paid a visit to the Sai Baba temple that belts out tunes 24/7 on the way to the restaurant and had a little word with Durga- asking for a blessing as I was going to travel the next day. We enjoyed a lovely meal of chana, Kashmiri pilau, and saag paneer. Penny had picked up a colourful egg less birthday cake (the boys wanted to eat it before dinner!) and we all sang "Happy Birthday" to Sokat who had never had a birthday cake before! We had to remind the boys of the words...it was such a lovely evening. I was starting to feel a bit sick again though and had to go home shortly after dinner. Ishaak wanted to read me some poetry he had written but I was wanting to go to bed.

I had such a lovely adventure in the desert and again was reminded that I need to be open to spontaneity.

xoxoxo

Desert Dreams

2009-02-21T21:45:00.000-08:00

Ahh Jaisalmer....

I'm really overtired- just came back from a night in the desert dancing with gypsies all night long...more on that later so excuse me if I'm not making much sense!

Penny and I went on a 2 day 1 night desert adventure on camel back that was organised through our hotel. Our hotel was a complete disaster (did I mention this already)? so we were extremely skeptical about our "Non-tourist" camel tour, considering we paid really good money and didn't want to be sorely disappointed. Well the camel trip was really good- our guides Jamin and Hamir kept us thoroughly entertained (well Jamin did, his English was perfect and he did a really good version of the Bob Marley song "Jammin'"...even though he had never heard it before (Penny played it for him in the end and he loved it!!). We literally saw NO other tourists along the way as we well avoided the beaten track, and ended up being 45 km from the Pakistan border. The heat was really intense though, topping almost 40 degrees so we had a really nice lunch and a rest in a shaded area for about 3 hours to escape the heat. My camel was called Ji and was quite naughty. He kept walking into shrubs and trying to knock me off! Jamin told us that the camels we get are reflections of who we are inside, so for the rest of the trip I was referred to as the "Crazy Girl". Jamin was really informative and gave us so much history about the tribal villages and gypsy camps that we passed along the way. Jamin was only 30 yrs old with 3 kids, and hamir was 22..but they both seemed much, much older. Jaminlooked at least 40, and Hamir seemed in his late 30s. The life in the desert is so very hard, and the average life span is only 60 years old. We made it to the sand dunes in Thar desert were we set up camp and Penny and I went wild on the dunes, rolling down them like children and jumping around. We were camped at a spot only 15 km from the Pakistan border, and was told that at night we would see gunfire flashes (luckily I didn't see any!!). Penny and I sat atop a dune and talked at great length about life. I personally feel that I have grown so much on this trip, and my eyes have been opened to many things along the way. One of the things I have been struggling with here has been the chance of our birthright...why am I so lucky to be born into a wonderful family in a part of the world that allows so much freedom and personal exploration where my day to day worries are 'What I am going to do today?" and "How can I become a better person?". Compare this with the harsh reality of living nomad-style in a cow dung hut with 15 other people, living off dahl and walking 2 km everyday in scorching heat to fetch water. I am struggling with the indulgence of my existence, especially coming to these lands and being able to see what is happening but unable to help in any way other than giving a few rupees and a school pen to the children. And in doing this only perpetuates the notion that tourists are only good for giving. This was an issue that I struggled with when I was staying in the Berber villages in Morocco, but because I am more connected to this land and these people I am questioning so much more.

Penny and I had a wonderful dinner with the men who cook a mean spicy curry and we sat back to watch the galaxy unfold, slowly with Venus coming out and then the rest of the stars slowly emerging. The stars were the brightest that I have ever seen, and we felt quite insignificant compared lying on the heated desert sand. Wow.

I feel asleep with my turban on my face to keep off the mossies (and joked that I felt like I was off to the Mahikarnika Ghat!) and awoke a few hours later to find a perfect crescent moon rising above me. Beautiful.

We got up fairly early and had a yummy breakfast with gingery chai before mounting our camels. The men felt that we were comfortable enough to ride, so they started us off galloping through the sands. It was such an exhilarating experience, and we felt so free! Penny had a major laughing fit, and the boys got worried that she was going to fall off! We rode heavy over sand dunes, and scraggy plains till we reached Jamin's village. He doesn't take people there very often, but since we showed such an interest in his family and life, he thought we would enjoy it. We were swarmed by his beautiful little children first, then by the rest of the village. Adorned women with sparkling nose jewels and smiles came out to greet us and give us a thorough look over. Jamin's wife scrutinized us the most (oh how similar we women are!) but once she was satisified by our scraggly appearance she warmed up to us quickly. We went into Jamin's tiny hut and everyone surrounded us, staring at our strange faces and eyes. Little hands grabbed at my rings and at my watch, curious eyes met mine and shy smiles were exchanged. The children loved Penny's phone, which she played random rings tones ( the boys loved the techno ones the best!!). Jamin's wife brought out some embroidery that she was doing for a dress which I promptly bought (the handiwork is incredibly patient...took her 3 months). Penny also bought a dress from Jamin's mother (which neither one of us fit..these women are sooo tiny) and a piece of embroidery. We had a lovely glass of chai and then headed out. We were starting to get a bit stressed as all the village women were pulling out their crafts and the kids were pushing through our bags. Again my moral issue came out, and we sullenly left the village feeling a bit pillaged but understanding the desperation that was the intention. These people have nothing really, except for the love of family and the other members in the village, and they see us as walking money bags...which to a degree we are...we possess more than they will ever see in their lives. Penny was a bit upset and Jamin was really concerned. But once we got back on the camel, and I made a promise to myself that I will post Jamin some pens and paper when I get home, the feelings soon passed. Wes stopped for lunch and enjoyed a delicious cabbage curry and then was visited by a gypsy women and her 4 kids. She was absolutley gorgeous, wild and free with dark skin and radiant eyes. She wore an orange veil that covered long dreadlocks. Her children were very dirty and half naked, with huge empty eyes and impish grins. we gave them some sweets and a packof cards which they got really excited about. I gavethe woman some paper soap and a hair clip. They stood looking at us for a long time, and Ifelt so sad. Jamin told us that the gypsies have temporary work here in the desert chipping the rock and boulders that are lying about as there is a government plan to build a road here that will be taxed. Imagine chipping rock by hand with mallets in the middle of the day with 35+ degree weather? Life is just so hard for these people out there. They soon wandered away, and we all took a rest. When the heat died off a bit, we got back on our camels and galloped away. We rode throughthe gypsy camp and watched the beautiful women in their tribal gear chip rock and carry children on their hips...watching us as we were watching them. Silver flashing in the late afternoon sun, white smiles, dirty hands waving hello, long veils catching the wind as the women stood us to watch us sail by. Contrast against the burned sierra (thanks Crayola!!) desert.

We made it back to Jaisalmer sunburned, tired, and happy. Full of vision and memories. We walkedinto town and finally found the Jaisalmerthat everyone was raving about...beautiful Rajasthani stores selling mirror work, roadside cafes, wandering cows, and wedding processions. I fell in love right away and changed my view of Jaisalmer being a nuclear war zone! We ate at a restaurant overlooking the illuminated fort, and decided to order green salad as we are waaay too full of chappatis! The "green" salad was served by an adorable man with cokebottle glasses and no english. The salad comprised of a whole cut red onion, a little sprinkle of sliced cabbage, a few shreds of julienned carrots, and some cucumber. Apparently the kitchen ran out of tomatoes, so of course onions werethe next best substitute! Ohhhh India.

We were meant to leave to Pushkar on Saturday but we got persuaded to saty by the etheral internet shop owner and our hotel clerk. So we ended up on another amazing adventure...stay posted!!

Thik hai!!

2009-02-18T08:18:00.000-08:00

Well Penny and I finally arrived in the mighty desertland of the Rajasthan after an epic 29 hourtrain ride from the Ganges city of Benaras. The train was 5.5 hrs delayed from Lucknow. Penny and I awoke at 2am to find ourselves completely surrounded in our bunker by Indianmen, and thus hid up on our top bunks in our "prison cell" for a good part of the morning until most men got off. We did meet a lovely gentleman who let me use his laptop, got us some food at a deserted station, andinvitedus to come round to his home for dinner. I also made friends with a lovely indian family who gifted bothPenny and I with beautiful clay bangles, and I got my hand hennaed. We also had nonstop entertainment from a very naughty but utterly adorable little boy who worked everyone over in the carriage. Quite entertaining and refreshing indeed. We arrived in the mighty blue city of Jodhpur at 10 pm and foundour way flawlesslyto our guesthouse- Yogi's. The guesthouse was levels painted in Krishna blue and had a gorgeously decorated interior with loads of Rajasthani antiques, paintings, andrelics. The staff were mostly friendly. but a bit too much so! The rooftop restaurant had an exquisite closeup view of the Meherangharh fort that towers over the city in silent domination. Reallyincredible. We went out shoppingin the main market thenext day and did some serious retail damage. I ended up also buying a second hand sari for $6 and we suffered a massive attack from the bangle selling women who were hawking their finest wares on us. We definitely got a bit ripped off, but at $2 for 10 bangles..is that really being ripped off?? It is really hot here in the day time, so we decided to have a lassi and people watch. The Rajasthani people are so incredible to observe. The men have a royal presence and sport huge handlebar moustaches with multicoloured turbans. The women though are simply beautiful. Tiny but strong, loving but fierce, cultivated but still wild. They wear ankle length veils that hide their flashing eyes and sport bangles in silver, white, and red up to their shoulders. The women are decorated with jewelled headpieces that sit ontop of their foreheads, and wear huge nosepieces that link chains to their ears. Their feets are richly coloured with remnants of henna, and thier footsteps sing with the tinkle of bells. Absolutely gorgeous..Penny and I felt quite drab and plain next to these wild roses.
On Tuesday we headed up the slopinghill to the mighty palace and lost ourselves in the sands of time. The passage up into the fort had traditional desert musicians tucked into nooks and crannies. The haunting melodies greeted us as we proceeded closer, and we felt the urge to dance to the winding nay and thumping drum. We passed into the fortress through massive doors that held sharp spikes (for elephants) and paid hommage to the satvi markings on the wall. The fort was one of the most elaborate places I have ever been...it rivals Topkapi Palace in Istanbul! The courtyards are cool expanses with white marble floors and cutout doors, the inner rooms (Palace of the Flowers, The Pearl Palace, The Hallway of Mirrors) were perfect examples of Indian excess but done tastefully...lit up by delicate cutglass and elaborate murals painted in gold. My mouth dropped when I hit the Flower room, and stood transfixed as I pictured meetings held there long ago, entertained with dancing girls and musicians. Incredible. The view from the top gave a 360 degree view of the blue city and the city palace gave a Taj Mahal impression through the haze.
Penny and I awoke this morning and decided to head off to Jaisalmer as we are running out of time here and have so much to see. We got on a bus and had a very relaxing albeit a bit cramped ride. We sailed through villages and fought goats and camels on the road, the driver using his singing horn to tell everyone in the next 35 km that we were on our way!! We were the only white people on the bus so it was quite a nice feeling. We ordered fresh pakoras through our window whenever the bus stopped, and drank deliciously spiced chai. Upon arrival though in Jaisalmer we were absolutely accosted by a sting of young men who were all fighting for us to go to their hotel. Some of the village women came out to observe the noise and even a long haired goat came trotting down the lane to have a look! Penny and I got very angry with the heavy hassling and ended up going with a quiet man who was hanging around the back. The hassling was the worst I have ever experienced, and I know that it is only because the people here are very desperate for money. But it was too much to deal with especially after a peaceful journey, and I couldn't help but lose my temper. The Indians here in the north have an fast, aggressive, and persuasive way of speaking ...perhaps to distract you from thinking for yourself and losing the ability mull over your different choices. It has tested my patience in the few days I have been here...and Iknow that they act like this out of sheer desperation. This the major difference thatI have seen between the south and northof India...in the south things are very shanti and thepeople are extremely relaxed. Here in the north everything is done at a frenzied pace, whether it be greeting someone, buying some food, or trying to find something. Exhausting. Jaisalmer is the last city before the Pakistani border so there is a huge military presence here whichI find completely unnerving. The town itself is a rugged desert town, and Peny and I feellike we are actually somewhere else...perhaps in Pakistan or even out in a Middle Eastern town. The houses are square structures builtout of brick, and everything is squat and barren. We went on a chocolate mission and ended up feeling that we were actually in a Clint Eastwood movie! Hopefully the fort and the temples here will gain our respect for this town.
Wehave organized a 2 day camel ride into the Thar desert leaving tomorrow. I am excited to sleep under the stars, meet some gypsy dancers, and have the space to think. I have to say that I feel finally feel completely at home here in the Rajasthan, and the North of India is truly where it is at for me. From the gentle limp of camels in the fields, to the dreadlocked children playing in sand piles, the multicolouredflashes of sari clad women carrying bricks on their heads, burned eggplant roasting over a cowpatty fire and the hairy smiles of Rajasthani men this is India. Truly. Forever. Enveloped. In. Magic. And. Mystery.
Shanti. Shanti. Shanti.
xoxoxox

Onward bound...heading west

2009-02-15T04:12:00.000-08:00

February 15 – Onward Bound

Penny and I managed to finally drop our KashiVashi status and leave Varanasi. I was definitely ready to go as I was starting to feel that I was just spinning my wheels over the last few days. We all were sick with various ailments, and had spent many hours just relaxing in our hotel room. We had a lovely last evening in Varanasi 2 nights ago. Penny and I were lunching on our old hotel terrace watching the city and the Ganga when we heard vibrant Indian Music below us. Upon inspection we found that there was an impromptu concert happening on one of the Ghats and that there were also some cheeky men dancing. We high-tailed it downstairs after eating, and enjoyed the bhang-ed up performance. It was a beautiful sight set against the lapping waters of the Ganga with the sun beginning to set and turning that water a dusky rose colour. An ailing Martin managed to join Penny and I at the Ganga where we got accosted by cheeky jhotis (little girls) selling banana leaf boats that contained a crude diya (a candle like item) set upon roses and marigolds that would be laid on the Ganga at the evening Aarti. I found myself with piles of these in my lap as once I bought 1 from one jhoti another one would come forward with pleading eyes and sassy demeanor “Why madame you like this? You are my first customer of the day! Please madame!” So I ended up buying 3 and Penny got 4 (and a package of free matches). We set them alight with a wish and a prayer and watched them float up the river. Martin secured a last boat trip for us that reflected our first night in Benaras. I felt really sad about leaving but ready for a new adventure. Being in the holy city of Benaras has affected me in many ways, and opened my eyes to Indian culture in every aspect. I have so many vibrant memories from spending so much time there. In the end I was able to find a sense of calm and escape the frenetic dark energy of the city. I witnessed every state of human life in Benaras; from the heavily kajal eyed babies squirming in their mothers arms; being hustled by elementary school aged children; watching heavily decorated demure brides greet their husbands for the first time upon the banks of the Ganges; watching the wedding procession of nay- like flutes and tabla drums march the couple down Dasaswamedh Ghat Road followed by men wearing chandeliers and fluorescent lights on their heads; desperate lepers reaching out for baksheesh with cracked hands and melted fingers; elderly orange robed sadhus spending their days meditating on the ghats; to the final procession of life marching down the stairs of Manikarnika to be bathed in the holy waters of Ganga before being laid on a burning pyre that will fast track their journey to Nirvana.
Penny and I were planning on going straight to Agra and from there working our way around the Rajasthan but once we realized that the train we were booked on was going to Jodhpur, we decided to make the long journey and start this next leg of our trip in the West. We boarded our train at 5:20 pm on Saturday, and then sat at the station till half 6. Our journey to Jodhpur will take us about 24 hours as the train has been quite late along the way.
The change in scenery has been amazing to watch. The arid desert landscape started to appear after going through Agra. The railways stations are full of men in multicoloured turbans, beautiful women with large nose rings and veils over their faces, and impish children running up the carriage to have a look at the strange white woman observing the scene. Sadly Penny and I were not prepared for our journey- our last day in Benaras was filled of last minute things and a last look at the Ganges and Mahikarnika- so all we had in ways of provisions were 1 bottle of water and a package of biscuits each. I have been unwell for the last few days and have not been eating much, if at all, so I wasn’t really worried about getting hungry. I also thought that there would be an ample supply of food available on the train that we could buy when needed. We ate some veggie cutlets, and luckily ordered a veg thali at the last minute which was a saving grace as there was no other food available!! Today has been a long journey, mainly spent eating the nibbles we purchased in the morning and lying about on our top bunks. The food service stopped after breakfast as did the water service and unluckily for me I started to get hungry. So to date for today I have eaten nothing but endless biscuits, a hard candy, ½ a package of crisps with Penny, 2 cups of chai, and some apples which a nice man in our carriage gave to us of which I quickly devoured 3. We are going to get to Jodhpur sometime after 7pm…2 hours past schedule and more than 24 hours on the train. We are booked to stay at the foot of the fort in Jodhpur at a rest house called Yogi’s Rest House, which sounds nice. The owner is very friendly and is quite worried about us getting ripped off by the rickshaw men. Penny and I are going to have to be very tough and firm here in Rajasthan. We had Martin taking excellent care of us in Benaras so both us of got quite comfortable, but now that we are 2 ladies on our own we are going to have to be a bit thicker skinned for now.

Hope you are all well, and I’ll write more when I arrive in the majestic Blue City.
xoxox

Kashivashi

2009-02-10T08:11:00.000-08:00

Day 9 in Varanasi...

There is a term here in Varanasi for sadhus who choose as part of their penance to stay in Varanasi till the end of their days. The term is "Kashivashi" and I believe that I have become one!! I am quite "stuck" at the moment here and don't really know when I plan to leave! I have gotten into the city and the hecticness of the city before has slowly ebbed away into a faint memory. Yes it still is as hectic as before but I understand how the city operates and have gotten to know many people here thanks to Martin. Penelope and I spend much time eating, drinking chai, and wandering the markets before retiring to bed for a lazy afternoon nap. I've gotten used to this slow day and have become much more relaxed as a result. We attempted a yoga class on Sunday morning which was a complete gong show...the woman who obviously had many years experience started us us with intense side balancing postures, a 8 minute sun salutation that included possibly every ashtanga asana (and expected us to memorize it after one trial...madness!!), and a really wierd 1 minute meditation where we joined the other class and laughed as hard as we could. The man leading it had horrible teeth that were all rotten and sticking out everywhere so that made me and P laugh more than anything. Wierd.

The night before, we got all dressed up and went to see a concert at the International Music Ashram. About 2 minutes in Martin starting laughing hysterically which then set me and Penny off. We spent 45 minutes in absolute hysterics shaking and sweating with uncontrollable laughter, and had to leave the second the intermission started. Ahh good times!!

Martin arranged for us to go to the Muslim quarter on Sunday to go visit a local family and see how silk saris are made. It was really humbling to see how hard they work to create these silk saris which are all done on hand looms. It takes 2 days to create, and then the sari is passed onto the women who then embroider intricate designs. This often takes 5 days, and then the sari is packaged off and sold to the market. Penny and I even got an opportunity to handstich some sequins onto the sari! We got treated like royalty at the house with a non-stop flow of deliciously sweetened chai, gooey balls of gulab jaman, biscuits, and little onlookers coming by to shyly have a peek at us white girls. It was a real experience, and I am so thankful to Martin for setting up this visit. Him and Penny each bought a sari, but I didn't as I had already bought one from Prem's shop. I still have to find an occasion to wear that new one plus all the others ones I have!!

I'm slwoly thinking about moving on by the end of the week to Agra. I only have 1 month left here and I have to hit a majority of the Rajastan so I need to start planning...

days drifting away...

2009-02-05T04:39:00.000-08:00

I'm on my 5th day here already!! In Benares and I'm having a blast. After having the initial blast of chaos for the first 2 days, we have settled into a fairly mellow routine of drink cup after cup of sweet chai (my dentist will be a millionaire when I get home sadly methinks...), sitting in Martin's friend Prem's amazing shop and having men pile scarf after silk sari after salwez kamis on me, and then having a delicious leisure snack somewhere then meandering down the Ghats to take in the action. Then having it all begin a few hours later. Jordi and his mother Gilly left on the 3rd, so it has been Martin, Penelope, and myself. Penelope has been feeling unwell so we've been taking it easy which has also been good for me. Her and I have done some serious damage though at Prem's shop, so I'm gonna have to ship it all home before I leave Varanasi. The whole gang spent the day at Sarnath on Monday which was the first place Buddha gave his sermon. Needless to say it was a very spiritual and holy place. We first visited an archeological museum and then hit the ruins. We also walked around the massive stupa (which used to house a bone of Buddha) 5X with a few Tibetan pilgrims....they walked around it 108 times and they were no spring chickens! That evening at the Mahikarnika Ghat we all sat with a sadhu at the adjoining temple who is on a starvation fast of going on 204 days now as a protest to clean up the Ganges. He is a very peaceful man with a wise face and gentle spirit, I hope that his wish is fulfilled in this lifetime.

Yesterday Martin and I walked for over 6 hours on a circular tour of Varanasi...we walked to the end of the city through villages over a wobbly bridge to the fort, then walked back along the silty shores of the Ganges to the other bridge across town. It was a really cool walk, I got a really good glimpse of the life here in Varanasi...including a disclaimer from Martin warning me that the last time he walked the silty shores he saw dogs ripping apart a body ....so prepare myself. We didn't see anything too horrible aside from a cow skeleton in the water, and even found a little clay Ganesh sculpture.

Martin is taking excellent care of me and Penny so I feel really blessed. This is a full on city, and I wouldfeel really lost without him. We have eaten like royalty, and met really interesting people. We visited the Hanuman temple on Monday which was a realy treat. Penelope and I took a cycle rickshaw to the temple where we were helped by the ever-learned Martin on the procedure to how to worship at the temple. It was a very powerful experience, and we all felt quite calm afterwards.

I think we are going to hear some live Indian music tonight...Penny and I are itching to hear some music. We've been playing Arabic music non-stop in our room and it's time for us to get out and have a proper listen.

namaste xoxoxox

City of Lights

2009-02-01T07:42:00.000-08:00

I arrived this morning from Dehli into Benaras (Varanasi) and all I can say is wow. I'm quite speechless at the moment in this holy city. Bit of history about Benaras (thanks to Wikipedia): holy by Hindus, Buddhists and Jains, and is one of the oldest continually inhabited cities in the world (5000 years of inhabitants). The culture of Varanasi is closely associated with the River Ganges and the river's religious importance. The city has been a cultural and religious centre in the north of India for several thousand years.

Upon arrival in Varanasi, I was greeted at the airport by a man from my hotel who was a kind looking grandfatherly type gentleman. I thought for sure that he would take his sweet time getting me into the thick of Varanasi safe and sound. Well appearances are dubious things and this "grandfatherly" type man was probably the most dangerous and risktaking drivers that I have had to date. Welcome to Varanasi Ashley!! Noteable images from coming to the city: single lane traffic in both directions becoming 4 lanes of traffic for donkeys pulling carts, loads of tandem riders on bicycles, bicycle rickshaws, tractors, cows galore, other cars, half semi's loaded high with thousands of pounds of potatoes; children defecating on the side of road; gorgeous dark skinned women in technicolour saris; roadside chai and pan wallahs serving up their delectable offerings; fruit sellers spreading out their wares on torn blankets; cows munching on piles of garbage; dogs fighting everywhere; goats jumping around; leprosy sufferers begging for handouts; men and children burning garbage on the roadside and the big sign welcoming me to the Holy City of Varanasi. Indeed.

I feel like I have stepped into Alice in Wonderland. This world is incredibly different from the south in EVERYWAY possible. I am surrounded by thousands and thousands of people who have come here to die and by those who dedicate much of their lives to existing in this chaos. I am in an orange technicolour world stunned with boats and beggars and scented with smoke from the ongoing buring pyres- reducing human flesh to ash. It is totally mindblowing and beautiful...I love it.

I checked into my hotel which has a beautiful terrace over looking the Holy Ganges river, and is a hop, skip, and a jump away from both the main ghat (Dasaswamedh Ghat) and the burning ghat (Manikarnika Ghat). I managed to meet up with Martin and Penelope (a wonderful friend of his) admist the chaos and we then met up with his friend Jordi and Jordi's fabulous and fiesty 71 yr old mother Gilly. We sat and had a chai at the main ghat and took in the scenery laid out in front of us. Today is a day dedicated to the Goddess Saraswati (Goddess of Learning and of Music) so there were many little celebrations happening around us: young pre and pubescent boys busting a move to Hindi infused techno, groups of drum laded youths dancing in the streets, women chanting and carrying a Saraswati statue. Penelope and I were completely in awe and couldn't stop our heads from spinning around. The first stop we went to was the burning ghat.

Bit of history: Manikarnika Ghat is the main cremation Ghat of Varanasi. Manikarnika Ghat is one of the oldest and most sacred Ghats in Benaras. According to the Hindu mythology, being burned here provides an instant gateway to liberation from the cycle of births and rebirths. Lying at the center of the five tirthas, Manikarnika Ghat symbolizes both creation and destruction. At Manikarnika Ghat, the mortal remains are consigned to flames with the prayers that the souls rest in eternal peace. There is a sacred well at the Manikarnika Ghat, called the Manikarnika Kund. Manikarnika Kund is said to be dug by Lord Vishnu at the time of creation while the hot ashes of the burnt bodies makes one remember the inevitable destruction of everything in the world. OK right...so what was it like? It was surprisingly peaceful and beautiful. The pyres are going all day and all night 365 days a year. I have no idea how many bodies are burned there but in the 45 minutes we were there 9 bodies were brought in and placed onto a pile of wood after being dipped in the Ganges. The bodies are carried in on elaborately decorated stretchers covered in shiny tinsely blankets. The bodies are wrapped underneath in white cloth. The body is laid to rest on the bank of the Ganges where holy water from the river is poured over top, or else the body is totally immersed in the river. The bearers bring the body up to laid wood piles and the body is then placed ontop. More wood is piled up ontop of the body before being set alight. Some bodies are burned in huge piles of wood, others just a wee bit. Apparently the more money you have the more wood you get. People often ask for donations that go towards the families' cost of the cremation. Men mill about (no women are present except tourists) and you can tell who the mourners are as they have completely shaved heads and are wearing a white lungi style skirt. Old men tended to the fires, and many more brought down seemingly impossible loads of chopped wood upon their backs.

I have to say that the atmosphere was really calm and peaceful. The thing that touched me the most was the fact that this ghat was quite crowded and everyone was honouring those who were laid to rest upon the fire. Death and cremation is a tangible part of the life here. For us in the west we fear and almost deny death- it is not openly discussed as it makes us all uncomfortable. Death in our culture is almost ignored regardless of the fact that this will is the fate of us all.

After this, Martin and Jordie took us to something that I have not experienced too much of yet here in India...SHOPPING!! We were taken to Martin's friends Premu's shop where we had delicious chai in rough clay cups (later to be smashed on the dirtroad) and marvelled at the rainbow and textures of thousands of pashmina and silk shawls. Us three women made quite a pile for ourselves (we get to sleep on our decisions and go back to decide tomorrow!). Penelope and I are itching to shop...I have finally found the shopping mecca that I was missing entirely in the South! We then wandered through maze like backstreets- watching the ground constantly for cow dung and upturned stones. Martin and Jordi know this town like the back of their hand thankfully and took us to see many hidden gems in the tiny cavernous streets. Martin and Jordi then took us on a magnificent sunset boatride up and down the Ganges where we watched people bathe, children fly kites, listened to temple bells and chants and admired 13th century palaces and buildings. At sunset the boat rowed us over the the Main Ghat where 2 massive Aarati (Prayers of Light) Pujas for the Ganga goddess were being held. Boats were lined up straight to the shore and tiny chai and candlewallahs jumped from boat to boat peddling their wares. The candles were lit, wished or prayed upon, and then set to float in the water. The Aarati was a massive affair- thousands of people suurounded the stages which had men doing symbolic gestures in all 4 directions with incense, massive candelabras and open flames. It was stunningly beautiful and I was deeply touched by the displayed reverence. After the Aarati we walked around the burning ghat a bit more before going to eat a delicious meal at a little hole in the wall (Hotel New Moon Star) on the main street. The main street was in complete chaos due to the Saraswati festival, and it was hard to move in the heaving and excited crowd. After our yummy and ridiculously cheap meal Martin and Penelope walked me back to my hotel. The dance party that was happening earlier had now moved in doors and as we walked past many teenage boys were doing their best dance moves to disco. It was quite funny and I loved how excited they were.

Tomorrow we are going to Sarnath to see the Buddhist Stupa there. It should be a lovely little jaunt outta town.

more tomorrow...xoxoxox

Sunset chaos

2009-01-31T06:12:00.000-08:00

Just arrived in Delhi...man t'is a crazy town!!! I'm just on the outskirts close to the airport as I am flying out at 9 am tomorrow and I can't even imagine the craziness in the epicentre! Left Kochi at 10:30 am after having a lovely masala dosa with a Horlicks (yum I love that drink!) and took a flight to Mumbai where I was directly put onto a flight to Delhi. I flew on Jet Airways which was a treat and a half. The staff were lovely, I got spoiled royally with fresh juices, tamarind candies (my new favorite), Himalayan water, lemon scented towels, and 2 delicious meals about an hour and a half apart!! Thinking back to Air Canada's Jazz airline or even Westjet, you don't get fed if it's under 2.5 hrs unless you buy a totally budget sandwhich from them! The food on Jet Air was yummy and the dessert was fab. Yup my sattvic diet is DEFINITELY over now LOL.
Delhi is a cool 22 degrees which was a bit of a shock to my tropically adjusted body. Kochin was 30C when I left at 10:30am!! I hear Rajastan is really chilly at the moment so I'm pretty much out of luck with my Kashmir trousers and short sleeved tops. Thank god for my Lululemon trousers and my 1 pair of leggings. Oh yes and my one hoody. Damn. I'll have to get some shopping down in Varanasi when I arrive tomorrow so that I don't freeze. Yikes.
I just spoke to Martin and he is on his way to Varanasi. There has been really bad fog in the mornings so his flight was cancelled so he's on a train from Delhi. I'm praying that my flight makes it out tomorrow morning...cross your fingers and toes (but not your eyes!!) for me.
xoxoxo

Transitions...

2009-01-30T08:23:00.000-08:00

Ahh so I am back in Cochin all alone and getting ready for my next portion of my journey. I left the ashram yesterday with a very heavy heart and cried half of the way back to Triv. I think I scared the rickshaw driver! But I made it back in one piece...barley though. He was a crazy driver and almost got me squished between a bus and oncoming traffic. He was quite a risktaker and ended up on the sidewalk to avoid the near collision. After coming out of the tranquility of Neyyar Dam I was quite on edge and extremely nervous! But I made it back to Bigs and Aggy in one piece and I was overjoyed to see them. They came back from Varkala and had a lovely and relaxing time. I ended up meeting up with Migs and Sarah and had a lovely visit with them. It was so good to see Migs and meet Sarah...we have many friends in common! Migs, Sarah, and I went to the Indian Coffe House where we had...surprise..coffee as there was no masala chai in sight. I never drink coffee and had just come out of the ashram where I followed a pretty strict sattvic diet (no stimulants like caffeine, garlic, spices, onions etc) so I was completely spun out from the coffee and ended up feeling really in the heat. It is as hot as hell here and normally Iwouldn't mind excpet its just so muggy and sticky. Migs and Sarah have AC in their room so we chilled there for a while which was wonderful.. We met up with Bigs and a glowing Aggy for dinner and had fantastic food (goodbye again sattvic diet...) and decided to catch the 9:30pm showing of "SLUMDOG MILLIANIER" (hee hee this was how it was spelled on the billboard). What a good movie. It brought back many memories for me and Bigs!! The audience was extremely interactive...clapping, cheering, oohing and ahhhing. It was like being at the Rocky Horror Picture Show but better. The only thing was that there were no subtitles so we missed out on a good portion of the dialouge...but only really minded when everyone was laughing except us!!
Bigs, Aggy, and I went to the Indian Coffee House for brekkie and I ran into 2 women whom I shared the dorm with at the ashram! It was so lovely to see them and I felt again a bit emotional. I left Bigs and Aggy and caught the train from Triv to Cochin where I am now. It's still smoking hot at 10:30 pm. I"m flying to Delhi tomorrow and will spend the night there before heading up to Benares on Sunday. I spoke to Martin a few hours ago and he is flying there tomorrow so I'll definitely meet him there. I'm relieved and excited to have a few laughs. I hear that the north is quite cold....and I'm sure i will really miss the heated south when I'm up there. Especially when I am having a freeeezing cold shower. Brrr. I have really enjoyed my time here in the south and when you have such amazing travelling partners like Bigs and Aggy it makes for wonderful memories. xxoxoxoxox

Om Namo Narayana

2009-01-27T23:17:00.000-08:00

On my final day here at the Sivanada Yoga Ashram and I am feeling very sad!! I've had such an amazing time here and have developed some good friendships as well. I would love to stay on for another week or so, but I'm flying to Varanasi on Sunday so I gotta make the trek back to Triv so that I can get to Kochi on Friday to fly out on Saturday to Mumbai, then Delhi, then finally to Varanasi. The yoga has been really good and challenging as I've moved up to the intermediate level. I've managed a headstand but it only happened once and I've got a nasty bruise on my shoulder that bears witness to my other attempts!! I like the intermediate class as it moves faster and gets into more challenging positions for longer. I'm already pretty flexible so it pushes me deeper into the poses. Its been amazing for my body and I feel taller, stronger, and happier after each class. We had a massive tropical rainstorm yesterday with thunder and lightning, so that was pretty exciting. I was listening to a lecture at the Siva hall for the Teachers Training students and ended up falling asleep...the warm breeze and the fragrant wind combined with the Swami's deep voice lulled me to sleep...wole up just in time for my asana class though.
Last night was a really special evening, we had a puja dedicated to the Divine Mother. It was a really interesting event and very endearing. We sat in rows singing our usual chants and then for about 1/2 hr we threw kumkum (the bright red powder you dot on your forehead afterwards) and flowers onto a banana leaf that held a ghee candle that represented the Divine MOther and recited the following mantra: OM SHREE PURA SHAKTIA NAMAH (or something like this...Usha maybe you can help me out!!!). It was really moving and was a bit funny too...Johanna was making me laugh a bit! Afterwards we all lined up and met the swamis who marked our foreheads with the traditional markings of worship: The three lines on the forehead representing the ash (for Siva), a dot of sandalwood paste, and on top of the sandalwood a scarlet kumkum mark. We were also given a blessed flower and then sticky rice pudding on a banana leaf for prasad. We were all very enxited and giddy afterwards, and Johanna and Kim didn't want to go to bed! I had a good sleep afterwards but awoke at 4:30am to the nearby temple playing its annoying chanting cd over the loud speaker. I was awake by the time our bell went at 5:20am and actually made it on time for satsang, unlike yesterday when my entire dorm slept in till the final bell at 5:50 and had to creep in for the meditation! I'm gonna be meeting up with Biggie and Aggy tomorrow in Triv as well as Migs and his wife so that will be great to see them all. Then off to my bigger adventures!
Namaste...OM NAMAH SIVAYAH

"Why do we do this?" "Because we are yogis!!"

2009-01-24T22:47:00.000-08:00

The above Q & A came from our KRIYA (yogic cleansing) class yesterday when the teacher demonstrated putting a thin rubber catheter up one nostril, down her sinus cavity, and out through her mouth. She then pulled it back and forth while the rest of us groaned and squealed!! I had no problem with the netty pot though as I have used it before and own a pot at home. But many other students have never used it before so there were loads of giggles and pictures being taken of the teapot up in the nostril!
Welcome to Sivanada Yoga Ashram!
So I am on my 4th day here and I am loving it. It is really challenging and we are kept extremely busy the whole time we are awake (5:20 am - 10:30 pm) but strangely I am not tired. It takes me a few minutes to get going in the when the gong goes off but once I get into the main hall (Siva Hall) with all of the other people and the sky is still dark I feel totally energized. The day is set up like this:
5:20 am: Wake up bell
6-7:30 am: Satsang (meditation, chanting, lecture)
7:30am: TEA TIME!!! (most awaited moment of the day!!)
8 - 10 am: Yoga Class
10am: Brunch
11am: Karma Yoga (Picked up leaves from the lawn yesterday...today toilets!!)
12:30pm: Coaching class (optional...but really necessary if you have any questions or need assitance with asanas)
1:30: Tea time with fruit
2pm: Lecture
3:30 - 5:30pm: Yoga
6pm: Dinner
8pm: Satsang

I'm def. feeling all the activity and the yoga is quite intense. 4+ hours a day really works the body, and as much as I am feeling sore I am also getting stronger. The Ashram is a very interesting place, and is full of international men and women. There is a group from Iran of Muslin (fully in hijab!!) women who don't speak any English, loads of Indians, Japanese and Chinese studenst, a bunch of Christians from Europe and all the other usuals: Ozzies, Israelies, and other Westerners. There is a Teachers Training course happening right now, and man they are getting WORKED! They did a series of 108 Sun Salutations yesterday...we just did 6 and I was sweating! The first night I arrived I felt very strange and a bit lonely. I walked in to the dining hall to the Swami singing Hare Krishna and everyone sitting on the floor clapping their hands with MUCHO GUSTO and tried desperately not to think of my father's parting words to me: " Don't join a crazy cult in the ashram!!". LOL. It's not like that at all, and many of the chants and bhajans we sing include Buddha, Mohammad, Allah, and Jesus. It's non-deominational for the most part, but does have Hindu overtones. The Siva hall, where we take our satsang is a huge open air hall with a massive golden OM at the end above the statues of Swami Sivanada and Swami Vishnu-Devandaaya. Candles are placed around the statues of the swamis and also on the Dancing Shiva, Ganesh, (and another one that I can't tell). The walls have a massive painting of each main deity and goddess (Siva, Ganesh, Vishnu, Durga, Laksmi, Kali etc) and I often look at them during the Kirtan as they are so beautifully painted. I'm OM-ing and OM NAMAH SIVAYA-ing more than i ever have in my whole life- everything opens with a triple OM and closes with a OM. If you want to greet someone or excuse yourself, you do it with a quick OM. It took me a while to get into it...instead of saying "Hi" its "OM". I felt a bit silly at first but now its all part of the routine.
The ashram is located in a tiny area of Trivandrum called Neyyar Dam and sits above a lake, where there are crocodiles!! Across from us is a lion sanctuary and you can always hear them roaring...especially now as they are in heat and are really randy. The Swami explained that all the roaring is them "communicating" with each other...but we all know differently!
The people here are really nice and I've become close with 2 girls, one 19 year old beauty from Holland called Suze and another wonderful lassie from Scotland called Kim. I share a dorm with Suze (and 17 other girls...) and I met Kim on her first day in the afternoon yoga class. It's been really nice spending time and getting to know them.
The food is alright...the brunch is better than the dinner and there is usually more of it. There is no sugar, garlic, or onions on site though so the food tends to taste a bit bland. We all sit on the floor in rows and eat off tiffin trays with our right hand. Food is quite plentiful though so you can get really full. We only have 2 meals a day, and I'm really not that hungry (which is a surprise to you I'm sure as you know how much I can eat!!). There is a Health Hut on site but it is open funny hours. Kim, Suze, and I have escaped today to "town" for internet, chocolate, and crisps purposes! Have a lecture this afternoon on Aryuvedic Eating so I'm really excited about that.
We had an amazing walk this morning with the Ashram...a walking silent meditation. We got up at 5 and at 5:30am headed up this mountain (treacherous at parts...eeek) to sit and meditate as the sun came up over the surrounding mountains. I mainly just sat and took in the incredible view. I felt really happy and at peace. Got some photos of the sun coming up and will post them soon. हद अ ग्रेट निघत
Last night at Satsang we had a special performance from a local Kalaripayattu martial arts troupe. It has been said that Kalaripayattu is the first martial art ever and that all other forms performed when India was under British Rule. But since the Independence of India it has made a strong comeback. The warriors train from 5 - 7 am and 5:30 - 9 pm everyday and demonstrate amazing flexibility, precision, strength, mental control, and courage. I took some video footage and hope to upload it onto Youtube so stay tuned for the link. The guys were quite fit and handsome (a nice sight for our hungry eyes!!) but dangerous. Would not want to get into a fight with one of them!!!
I'm here till the 29th then I'm going back to Trivandrum to see Bigs and Aggie and hopefully meet up with my former mental health OT Migs and his wife Sarah. They were supposed to also be at the Sivanada Ashram right now but Migs had to stay for a bit longer in the Philipines. It'll be nice to see him and meet his wife Sarah. I'm going back up to Kochin on the 30th where will fly to Delhi and then to VARANASI!! Just got an email from Martin so it looks like he will be meeting me up there which will be great!!! I'll get a goood inside look at Varanasi and also get some good laughs in as well...he is wickedly witty.
Ahh I guess thats its for now...
NAMASTE!!! xoxox

AShley este sola

2009-01-21T20:24:00.000-08:00

Ahhh well it's time to part with Biggie and Aggy today and I feel a bit sad. Biggie and I have had such an amazing time and travel really well together (and she's got kickass music...) so it will be hard to say goodbye. She's hoping to come to Van in the summer after her Oz tour so I'll be able to show her around my hometown. I'm gonna be leaving at 12 to go to Neyya Dam in Trivandrum for a weeklong yoga intensive at the Sivanada YOga Centre...and I'm a bit nervous. I'm in a dorm room (with 31 other people...) and I hope I'll meet some nice and unpretentious people there. My adventure is only just beginning now...yay! I'm trying to convince Sundara to get her butt over here and travel with me but she's not taking my lead!! LOL
We arrived in heatsoaked Trivandrum yesterday after a lovely but winding bus ride and then a 3 hr hot train ride. We were sad to leave Kumili and the coolness of the hills but the bus ride was so much fun! We even saw an elephant!! Arrivingi n Triv was like opening an oven door in the face...hot and sticky. It took us a while to adjust as the hills were so refreshing. Wandered around Triv to the market and then to the 260 yr old Sri Padmanabhaswamy (what a mouthful) temple. It was beautiful from the outside (and from what we could see of the inside) but we couldn't go in as we are not Hindu. But the Sadhu at the gate let us poke our heads in. We also got accosted by a group of elderly men who wanted our pictures taken with them...we said no at first but then relented..they were just so cute! We really don't understand all this business of people taking our picture. I guess we are really an oddity here. Haven't seen that many travellers here. Had a delicious fish curry dinner last nght...coconut creamy and sweet but hot. I love the food here. Seriously. I got flashed yesterday (intentionally?...I think so) by a middle aged man "fixing" his lungi. I was really shocked and surprized as it was mid day on the busy street!! Didn't know what to do so I just looked away and pulled Aggy and Biggie along with me. Ewww. Hope that's the last time that happens...although Lee was telling us of some stories about the north. *sigh*
Keep those emails coming...I loved opening up my mailbox today to see all 52 of them LOL!!!
I'll do my best to update when I'm not getting up at 5:20 am to meditate or when I'm not in my 5 hrs of yoga class. Or cleaning toilets..part of my sevi service!! Love to you all...namaskar.

Kathikali

2009-01-20T04:47:00.000-08:00

Just saw the most amazing dance perfomance by a local performance company - Mudra Kathikali Centre. Kathikali stands for KATHI - heaven and Kali- dance. The peformers are all male and play both male and female roles. They did a demo before the dance performance where one peformer (set to drums and a man playing a large set of finger cymbals) showed us the facial and torso movements, the hand mudras (and the meanings behind each one) and symbolic dances. The performer was amazing- the first demo was on the eyes. The performer did circles, horizontal and vertical slides all set to the beat of the drum. He would catch accents, speed up and slow down, then go into double time. We felt quit dizzy waching him! Then he went onto to show the facial expressions: with just a wiggle of an eyebrow and a movement of the mouth he demostrated grief, happiness, anger, courage, peace, disgust, and fear. It was incredible how fast he could change expressions and change the mood in the room. then he went down into the torso and did some shoulde shimmies, circles, and then into the dance. The muscular control was amazing, and I sat on the edge of my seat for the whole demo. when the performance started I was enthralled from the getgo and sat with my mouth open in amazement. As a dancer myself I have such admiration for all the hadwork, control, and precision that I witnessed here. The performance took us to another land, and when it was over I was shaken out of a dreamlike state. We hung around afterwards to chat with the performes, and I tried to convince them to come to Canada and do a tour...they wouldn't sweat so much in our climate! If you have a chance to YOUTUBE Kathikali do so, I'm not sure if it's even on the but have a look and see. Amazing!! xoxox

Cardamon scented days...jasmine filled nights

2009-01-20T01:10:00.000-08:00

Kumili is a beautiful little jungle town!!! I haven't got around to much today...my intention in coming here was to go to the Periyyad Wildlife Sanctuary and check out some of the wild elephants and such but it is really expensive to get in and to be honest the packages that are constantly being pushed at us look really tacky.
One of the packages we could buy:
Jungle Patrol: Only recommended for physically/mentally strong persons develops/sharpens their power of observation to sense the unseen animals and birds during dark nights. So exactly what am I gonna see?? LOL

So we have been wandering the town of spices and sampling more local Keralan delicacies...man the food gets better and better! Its pretty hot here although the morning was overcast and cool...quite refreshing after the oppressive mugginess of Cochin. Had an interesting bed fellow last night...a little lizard! I felt something scuttling around the sheets last night but was too tired to look and prayed that it wasn't a super spider like the one from the night before. When i drew back my sheets this morning, a little gecko popped out...he was sooo cute! We are going to see a Kathakali dance performance this afternoon and then Biggie and Aggy will cook a Keralan meal for me tonight...yum yum yum!
The air here is thick with spices and the nights are scented with jasmine. Its such an olfactory explosion!
Tons and tons of HOLY cows here...quite sad really as there are no bins for rubbish and the cows graze in plastic fields. Makes me sad.
Going to Trivandrum tomorrow with Bigs and Aggy...will have our last day and night together before I head off to S T R E T C H my body and my mind. It will be such a sad parting, Biggie and I have had so much fun together! :(

Other than that, I am on the mend and am feeling good. Also had another HOT shower this morning to set me right. Makes me appreciate so much about my life back at home. This trip has really opened my eyes to many things that I take for granted.
xoxoxo

Emerald hills...Kerala

2009-01-19T06:02:00.000-08:00

Just arrived in Kumili from Munnar. We (Bigs, Aggy and I) did a 2 day tour from Cochi to Munnar that took us by car to an elephant sanctuary (really sad :( ), then up through the rolling jungle hills to Munnar which is a gorgeous valley full of tea plantations. We met a lovely English couple (Lee and Mike) that were on the tour with us and they kept us thoroughly entertained their travel stories, of which they had many!! The guest house we stayed in was on a side of a mountain overlooking a massive valley. It was absolutely breathtaking and we felt very fortunate to have been able to be there. After tucking into a delicious Keralan thali (this food here is the BEST!!) we went up to the town which was this electric hub of activity. Kerala has a very interesting history...aside from it being a Catholic state it was also communist and has a 99% literacy rate. The area is quite rich and we have seen almost no poverty, as compared to everywhere else. When we arrived in Munnar, there was a Communist rally happening next to the massive church. Everyone was getting very excited and wound up! We went up to the KDHC tea plantation to see how tea is made and cultivated. very interesting and we had a lovely cuppa afterwards. Yummm. I'm getting quite addicted to the chai here..more so now than ever before! After the museum we spent some time wandering in Munnar and I went to a Hindu temple overlooking the town to pay my respects. I'm feeling a temple hungry as I haven't actually seen too many here (loads and loads of massive churches) so whenever I see one I tend to visit asap. Caught a really remarkable sunset coming down from Munnar (the roads here are FREAKY!! Twisty turny single lane roads that a bus, car, and tuktuk all take at once. We actually saw a car that went off the road onto the edge of a cliff...bet they were saying their Hail Mary's as fast as they could...they were super lucky to get out alive!) and went back home to another gorgeous meal. Stayed up talking for quite a while with Lee and Mike, and Lee came to my rescue when I discovered a very UNWELCOME guest in my treehouse...the biggest spider I have ever seen. Lee bravely took the spider outside and set it free (after I trapped it under a bucket...and screamed while soing so as I could feel it scuttling around the inside...eeeewww).

I had a fairly rough sleep though as the dogs in the hills were howling all night, and then at 4:30am the mosque at the bottom of the valley started the call to prayer followed by a Hindu temple chanting for ages. But when I finally did get out of bed, I had a HOT WATER SHOWER (fisrt one since I left home!) which was blissful. I felt totally human and pranced into the dining room for breakfast! After breakfast we went up to see a waterfall and then to a dam where we all dove onto homemade chocolates and marshmallows. Our driver then took us to this beautiful lake (reminded me so much of home) where an Indian family took pics of me (??!) with thier kids. I've been having my picture taken quite a bit here, I guess I'm as much as a novelty to the peole here as they are to me. It's funny though as I'll get in with whole families! We then went up to this incredible viewpoint where we could see into the next next state - Tamil Nadu. It was breath taking, and I am so glad that I took this tour as I would have missed out on some of the best scenery I have ever laid my eyes upon. After having yet again another gorgeous thali, Aggy, Sarah, and I headed off in a taxi to Kumili where we will stay for 2 nights before I split up with them and head to Neyyar Dam for the Sivanada Yoga Ashram. The trip here was really lovely along very windy, and we almost got annilated a few times by buses whipping around th ecorner. The driver thought it was quite funny when we all squealed and gripped each other...but I didn't think it was that funny! We landed at a gorgeous guesthouse where we watched a massive colony of fruit bats (HUGE animals..big as birds!!) leave the Periyyar Wildlife Sanctuary and head for the farms to start their evening meal. It was a really cool sigh to behold.

We're off to see elephants and stuff tomorrow at the Sanctuary...and may engage in a Keralan cooking class tomorrow night. Getting quite sad to leave Biggie on Wednesday- we've had so much fun travelling together! But she's on another mission to Varkala with Aggy so that will be relaxing for her before she heads into the jungles of Borneo to work with the oranguatans. Gonna go grab some food no wthat the power is back on (the state turns power off for 1/2 hr every night to conserve electricty!) Miss you at home....pls send me updates! xoxox

ahhh Kochi

2009-01-16T07:41:00.000-08:00

Had a most amazing day today!!! Bigs and I arranged a backwaters tour through our hotel- Maple Regency (which rocks by the way...) so we jaunted off to the boat jetty at 8am. As we were waiting met this really sweet German girl called Antonia who was also going on the tour. We got onto a houseboat by 10 and we were off...the weather was super hot, the sky a blistering shade of blue, and the islands lush and colured emerald green. The tour was so serene, just meandering around the narrow rivers and checking out the small islands and its inhabitants. Listened to the repetitive chanting of aa Hindu temple beckoning people to come worship, watched fishermen reel in their nets, long skinny canoes punting their way down the river, the odd silver finned back of a flying fish break the stillness. Everyone on the boat lapsed into a collective appreciative silence as we sipped our masala chai and watched the scenery unfold. GOt off the boat on one island and had a tour around an Aryuvedic garden, learned how calcium carbonate (for medicinal purposes) was made here, watched a toddy man shimmy up a tree and collect foamy sap from severed coconut flowers- which we then later drank (before it becam alcoholic...although after 6 hours from collection it becomes alcohol...quite curious to go home and see if mine fermented!!). Ate a goreous feast of steamed clams wrapped in banana leaves and cooked with cumin, coriander, ginger, garlic, and curry. We then boarded the boat again and slowly made it make to our starting off point where we enjoyed an amazing Kerala thali- rice with squash, potato, eggplant, carrot, onion subji; ginger raita; tomato cooked with fresh black pepper and onions; cabbage with grated fresh coconut; carrot salad with fresh coconut; sliced green beans again with coconut, fresh papad and to top it off a delicious rice dessert topped with fresh cashews. Everyone on the boat wolfed their meal down with sigh of deep appreciation...definitely one of the best meals I've had in India. After lunch we got into small Indian canoes and were punted down the narrow crevices off the riverways. We sailed past naked children playing in the mud, women doing their washing and making coconut thread, men chilling in the sun, and many kingfisher birds singing overhead to us. It was very dreamy and...HOT as hell. Luckily it was mostly in the shade so that was a major relief. Stopped off at a field and had fresh coconut water and meat. Yummmm. Biggie and I went for a lovely pedicure after we got from our 7 hr trip...our feet were disgusting and in dire need of TLC and we sure got it! My feet are literally shining and singing with every step. I can't believe that they are my feet!!
Just finished a delicious masala dosa with Antonia and her friends (who are all staying in this incredible mansion on top of one of the biggest buildings in Kochi...it even comes with a pool AND its' free as they are Couch Surfing it!!..we're going there tomorrow) and I am getting ready for my Aryuvedic treatment tomorrow. Biggie's friend Aggy is coming tomorrow from London so there will be 3 of us for the next few days. We are leaving Cochi on Sunday on another tour through our hotel that will take us up into Munnar which is tea land! We'll visit plantations, check out the rolling green hills, visit an elephant rehab centre, and sleep in a tree house. Should be quite the trip. Then I am off to Periyyar Wildlife Sanctuary for a few days before heading down to Trivandrum for my ashram stay...which is looking a bit tricky at this time. Amma isn't actually in Amritapuri at the moment, so that leaves a major hole in the ashram. Sivanada Yoga centre hasn't returned my emails...so I'm not sure what is happening! BUt I do have my ticket to Varanasi (yes yes yes!) for Feb 1 so at least I have that. Hope to hear from Martin soon about meeting up in Varanasi as I could really use some familiar company and he knows Benares like the back of his hand. So hopefully that will manifest.
Off to bed...will post pics later. These computers here are terrible! xoxoxox

Cozy in Cochi

2009-01-15T02:20:00.000-08:00

Just arrived this morning at 2 am after a BRUTUAL 12 hr train journey from Margoa, Goa. We booked this train in Goa which was the only train out of Goa for a good couple days and we were assured that this was the best train in all of India. We definitely paid for it as well so I was looking forward to having a relaxing, cockroach free journey. Well imagine my utter dismay when a rickety green, red, and white train pulled up that looked susiciously like the last train we travelled in. Well it wasn't...it was much worse! The train had just pulled in from Delhi...a 48 hour journey and the train was in an absolute tip with empty food trays everywhere, empty water bottles, general garbage and dirty kleenex. Sarah bravely started cleaning (all I could think of was the cockroach party I was going to be in the middle of) and we stashed our bags on our beds which were the top bunks. 2 horrible Danish ladies got on and stored their luggage on our beds, replying unsympathetically to our protests. I got really mad (and those of you who know me know that it takes alot to anger me) so I moved into the next compartment with 2 sweet Norweigan girls. Sarah moved her stuff over (as did 2 other people from our compartment...the women were foul) and we actually had a pleasamt time with the two lassies. Managed to sleep a bit and only saw 2 cockroaches (one of which Biggie killed for me...my hero!). WE landed outside of Kochi at 2 am and were very disorientated and a biton the grouchy side. GOt into a rickshaw and sketchily made our way to the hotel we booked hours before. Our richshaw driver got lost and ended up asking 2 passing policemen for assistance. I was quite sure that this was gonna cost us either loads of money or our lives (so dramatic at 3
am!!) but we made it safe and sound to our clean hotel. Caught the jetty into Fort Cochin and spent the day wandering around eating fresh fruit, ice cream and watching the fishermen work the ancient and massive chinese fishing nets. Very very hot and muggy and no plac eto swim! Going on a backwater cruise tomorrow and I'm gonna get an aryuvedic massage and steam on Saturday...hope to clear this lasting cough outta me! xoxox

Goodbyes...boo

2009-01-12T21:00:00.000-08:00

Biggie and I are stuck in Arambol for one more day as we can't get a train out of here and the buses seems very scary so we'ew just gonna chill today. Both of us are sick as dogs...I've got this Arambol flu that is pretty lethal and started getting sick last night although I don't feel as nauseous today. Biggie's got an upset tummy so we are quite the pair! Had a super mellow dinner at Fellini's with the crew last night...was really sad as it was our last night all together. It was so hard to say goodbye...Fiz, Alex, Martin, and Jo are off today to Kallour to see the Goddess of the Jungle (shrine in the foothills of the Western Ghats). Dave is gonna stay put as he is flying back to Londontown on Friday so we'll likely see him today. I'm hoping to meet up with Martin in Varanasi in 2 weeks which would be amazing. Martin lived in Varanasi for so long and definitely knows his way around so he would be able to educate me as well as show me the town in all its splendor. Bigs and I are feeling rather low today mentally and physically and glad that we are leaving tomorrow...this town ain't the same without our group! We're headed off to Kochi tomorrow on an overnight train and will arrive Thursday morn at 2 am which should be quite sketchy. Gotta line up a place to stay today. The weather has hit the high 30's so it's cooking in this town. Not gonna swim today tho as I need to avoid the sun. Gonna eat loads of pineapple and papaya (thanks Sondra!!) to get my tummy back on track. xoxox

Last day in Arambol

2009-01-11T21:10:00.000-08:00

Biggie and I are on our last day in this blissful spot...so sad really. This has been an amazing place to be and hanging with our new crew has been most delightful. I have never laughed so much! Spent a beautiful day yesterday at a beach about 1 hr walk from Arambol for Dave's 32 birthday. Ate loads of food, slpet in the sun, drank loads of chai and saw the most incredible sunset...bIg fiery ball disappearing inthe sea. Amazing. We had a splendid dinner on the beach and watched the blood red full moon rise which was accompanied by frenzied singing and chanting from the nearby temple celebrating the full moon. Fiz had some fireworks which we set off and almost got maimed in the process. It was a beautiful evening, one of many here in Aramabol and I am truly sad that this is our last day here. Biggie and I are trying to figure out what to do next...so many options. Ah well...another day in paradise!

xoxoxo

Arambol, GOA...con't

2009-01-07T23:00:00.000-08:00

Just arrived in Arambol last night from Mumbai on a 12 hr train journey that showed us some of the most incredible sights of the Indian countryside. Women in scarlet and emerald carrying gleaming jugs on their heads, children scratching out a game of cricket among a mound of rubbish, long stretches of rice fields, burned red dusty patches....truly amazing. I spent a good amount of time just standing by the door watching and letting it all soak in.
Visited Elephanta Isle on Tuesday which was really amazing. Checked out the caves of Shiva and watched the antics of the wild and impish monkeys as they stole food from people and basically ran amok everywhere. It was really fun and we had a lovely time. What wasn't so lovely though was that we found out that we had been duped by Sandy our vicious lipped "aide" in Mumbai. Ahhh well it was a good lesson learned and this will only prepare me for the rest of my journey.
Arambol is really interesting little spot- really smoky and dusty full of hippies and Goan locals. I had a lovely salad at one of the restaurants here and just finished a gorgeous beetroot and carrot juice with a kick ass fruit salad full of papaya, mango, coconut shivers, chickoo, and pearly grapes. My tummy is feeling a bit off though so I must take a bit of care today.
We ran into some of Biggie's friends from London last night so we are going to spent the next few days with them. They are really nice and funny guys so I am sure they will keep us entertained with their London attitudes and dry sense of humour. One of the guy's (Joseph) mom (Fiz)has a house here just outside of Arambol so we are going to hang there for a while and see if we can see the dolphins. I went for a run on the empty beach this morning and came across a wild boar forgaging in the bushes. That got me up and running pretty fast!!
Loving the chill vibe and the chance to decompress from the madness of Mumbai. We were quite desperate last night as we did not have a booked room and every place was full but we managed to find a place for a whooping Rs. 800 (about $20.00) that provided us with a bed that was literally a wooden plank with a sheet on top (I did a vicious round of situps on it in the morning tho...one bonus) and a dirty little bathroom with no mirror. The upside was that it had a balcony so that was grand. We managed to get a new spot AVE MARIA in the morning right up the lane which is amazing and cheap.
The guys are hilarious and I have been laughing my butt off so much...I don't think that I have laughed this much in ages. They are quite a talented, and intellectual group- Jo is an actor, Alex is a model, Martin was in fashion but is now an architect who is currently building a 6 bedroom home just outside Granada in Spain (he spent years in Varanasi and also speaks Hindi fluently...I hope to hook up with him in Varanasi when I'm there), and Dave is a London dj who is also a Eng Lit student. These guys have been super refreshing to hang with and its been loads and loads of fun. Fiz is also most hilarious and wonderful, and makes the most gorgeous masala chai and porridge. The days are spent on the most incredible beach hanging out, swimming in wild waves, drinking loads of fresh lime sodas and watching the boys take the piss out of each other. Quite blissful and I actually think that I am able to relax!! Not sure when we are going to leave...as I was previously warned its a hard place to leave and I am now tending to agree. Its a super healthy place...physically, spiritually, and mentally and with 30+ degree weather, a good crew of people, wonderful healthy food and loads of exercise...I may get trapped!!!
Hope you are all well....lots of love xoxoxox

Organized Chaos

2009-01-05T02:00:00.000-08:00

Day 2...

Had such a busy whirlwind of a day here in Mumbai...we met this woman yesterday (Sandy) at the train station (Victoria Terimus station) who works for the Indian Tourist Commission who said that she would give us a tour of the best sites in Mumbai. What a saucy lady she turned out to be. At first sight she seems like a sweet and demure Indian woman dressed up in a beautiful sari, but spend some time with her and she swears like a truck driver, owns a very dangerous long look and could scare any man away with her body language!! She was a BLESSING as she took such care of us all day today. We got to drive all over Mumbai in all its glory...from the poverty stricken red light district to the mansions up in the hills...we saw it all. Visited the Dobhi Ghats where all of the washing sent from launderias go...what an incredible and colourful sight. Spent some time in Gandi's memorial museum which was absolutly inspiring and humbling. Bowed to heavenly gods at a colourful Jain temple and fought off beautiful and impish gyspy children. Witnessed the most intense variations of life ever possible and chuckled at painted bulls and cows meandering around the streets. I am thankful for our taxi driver who Sandy hired for us...she referred to him as "Her fighter". I have no idea how anyone drives here...the biggest case of organized chaos if I have ever seen it. We put our lives in his hands and he delivered us safe and sound all over town. I feel a bit battered by the sounds...the drivers honk their horns here so much that it becomes a symphony. I think other drivers feel left so they then join the chorus! This city literally PULSES with life, tragedy and beauty colliding in a vicious whirlwind. Incense and sewer waste mixing together and smothering you as you pass by. So many paradoxes here that it almost becomes comical.

Went back to the leather shop today and met Mustan who was very excited to see me and receive the gift that my parents sent along for him. He will take me out for a meal tomorrow so that will be good. Off to Elephant Isle on the 9 am boat in the morning to see Shiva and laugh at the antics of the monkeys.

xoxo

Landed

2009-01-04T05:16:00.000-08:00

So I have landed in Mumbai and wowee what a crazy wonderful city! Too bad it took me so long to get here...20+ hours on 2 flights back to back has left me with a numb bum and an insane case of jet lag spanning a 13.5 hour time difference. Just awoke from a crazy deep nap so I'm feeling quite groggy and spaced out.
But I made it! Biggie made it in this morning a bit late as she was waiting for ages at the airport for her backpack which sadly didn't make it from Helsinki. It was so good to see her and we are quite excited to be travelling in India together. I'm feeling super positive and excited about being here for the next few months although I am definitely fighting a cold or something that I picked up from some friends back at home.
Landed at 2:20 am and the air was smoky, hazy, thick and boasted a tempid 25 degrees. I was thinking of my lot back at home with all the snow...seems so far away now. Biggie and I sepnt the day getting out into Colaba (which is the area that we are staying in close to the water). Saw the remnants (and there is much left) of the bombed Taj hotel which is a sight to behold. Meandered through the throng of people at the plaza to see the underconstruction Gateway to India (and fought off many eager tourguides wanting to seperate us and our money for a quick tour of Mumbai). We had a lovely breakfast at Leopold's Cafe which is a tourist epicentre for all travellers to go and be seen (and also much talked about in the book "Shantaram"which I am aching for right now) and I visited a leather shop that my parents went to when they were here. We then wandered all over the rest of Colbaba and up to the Grand Train Station "Victoria Terminus" which is one ofthe most beautiful buildings that I have ever seen. Bought a few pairs of harem trousers with aggressive haggling and then sat to watch a massive free for all cricket game that showcased at least 12 different games. Back to our hotel area were we discovered this amazing food stall selling incredible roti with veg ingredients (sooo good...I swear that I am going to eat my way over the whole menu) and I had an amazingly refreshing drink made from sugar cane juie, lime, and mint leaves. I'm sooo hooked. Tonight it's off to Chowpatty beach to people watch and nibble on many delictable treats served up from the street vendors. I feel quite at home here and not really minding the chaos, although I did manage to get myself nicked by a motorbike today which gave both me and Sarah quite a start! And I hope that a red light means go in this city as this is a rule that all the drivers seem to follow. EEEK!
Thinking so much about my friends and family back home, and hope to hear from some of you soon. I had a wonderful gathering the night before I came here and the night has let me with a warm heart indeed. Lots of love.....xoxoxox

Feliz Navidad, Merry Christmas, Joyeux Noël , Shubh Christmas!

2008-12-24T21:18:00.000-08:00

Wishing you all a wonderful, magical, SNOWY (especially if you are here in Vancouver!!) and joyous holiday season.

Much love,
Ashley xo

13 sleeps..if I can ever get to bed!!

2008-12-20T02:17:00.000-08:00

Been a busy week and I have now passed the 2 week mark till I leave...eeee!! The present subzero temperatures here in Vancity are both agonizing and delightfully fresh but I can't wait to feel a blast of hot Indian sun on my face. Vitamin D overload.

Said some goodbyes tonight, feeling a bit wierd. Ah well.

SNOW?!!!

2008-12-14T00:29:00.000-08:00

Snow. Snow. Snow.

20 days till I leave. 19 sleeps....

Countdown...T-25 days

2008-12-08T15:09:00.000-08:00

Ahhh....
Just finished the big day of exams and starting to really realize that I am outta here in 24 sleeps!! EEEEE!

Just packed up some stuff in suitcases. This weather is so grey and I am happy to know that I will be in blissfully hot sunshine in just over 3 weeks. Breaks this dreary winter monotony....