October 24-25, 2003 -Recuperation
Dear All,
This will probably be short but want to get the rest of what I accomplished off to you and also for myself...The whole week seems to have left me quite exhausted, and I guess I should not be surprised....yesterday, the rest of the day just sort of drifted by without incident and in the evening a farewell dinner to many poeple who are leaving today. Today is Diwali and although this is nothing compared to regular Indian cities, you cannot imagine how many fireworks have been going off since last night and they say tonight will be the worst. The houses are decorated with Christmas type lights and it is quite nice. Everyone saying Happy Diwali, and shopping etc. Got up this morning to a deserted quiet guesthouse compared to usual and had planned to go to Dharamsala yesterday. I had initially ordered a bag with wheels from a guy in town here but he was not sure he could get it on time, so someone suggested going to dharamsala during the diwali sales today. Got Abdellah to go with me and as usual we had a fun laughing time, and also found a guy who sells bags. He had one there but it was too small but he can order one for me. He asked do I want a good bag or "local quality" and I said the cheapest you can get I only have to get home with it (comment: when I arrived at Tel Aviv Airport it had split open on 2 sides and luckily nothing was lost...so much for "local quality")...so he has ordered one and promises it will arrive by next saturday. I told him if it doesn't arrive I time for my flight I will come to live in his house!!...I hope it will be big enough and if not, will just have to dump stuff. Will give some things to Ashish anyway I think...I'll see before I leave. On the way back I bought all kinds of cookies for Ashish and the other 2 guys here for diwali...they love sweets. And this morning, Kokila gave me another shirt which is REALLY nice...I can't imagine she ever wore this as it fits ME perfectly. She got me very angry yesterday as initially she told me I didn't have to pay for the last couple of weeks I owed her as that was the least she could do, but yesterday she renegged saying I got my stuff back and don't have to go to delhi so I can pay...in the end she gave me a 500 rupee discount but I was really annoyed....she said if I had had to go to delhi she would have also paid my bus fare but she doesn't understand that I've lost over 10,000 rupees or more in my bag and it was the fault of her guesthouses lack of security...but I didn't argue and took it as part of the whole "thing"....But I have decided not to stay here much longer. So, after getting back from Dharamsala, in a shared jeep with 17(!) people in it...I swear...tried to take a picture but I'm sure it won't come out...I walked up to Dharamkot, saw someone else who recognized me and spoke to her for awhile and then Anil made lunch for me and wouldn't take money. He feels sort of responsible because as he says, if he hadn't convinced me to come to Dharamakot, this never would have happened. So he offered me a room very cheap for the next 2 weeks, the best room, all sun, many blankets, heat if I want and a discount at the local restaurant...but I turned him down and he was quite upset. Anyway, I will be going trekking with him tomorrow up the mountains and he promises it will be to a beautiful place over looking the mountain range without being a difficult hike, and he is packing a picnic lunch as well....
I then walked across the mountain to Bhagsu and reserved myself a "luxury" room at the Seven Seas hotel. Picked a room with all day sun (it is a corner room) and after much deliberation, decided to take the expensive one for an extra 50 rupees with a TV...I will be moving there next monday for about 5 days and will leave here for delhi on saturday night by bus and arrive sunday morning in delhi. Will rest on sunday and visit some people and then still have monday for shopping before leaving tuesday morning....
I have very very mixed feelings about coming home. I honestly would love to stay away (not from everyone, but from everything) for as long as possible, but my reserves have been worn down quite low this past week and feel just like resting now and then coming home. I went walking today and it was great....will try to walk in dharamkot and mountains up there everyday this week, and next week concentrate on bhagsu and areas down around and out from McLeod.
I think my last couple of weeks will be quite pleasant and relaxing and hope when I get home after seeing everyone, perhaps to conitnue down to eilat for a couple of weeks..we'll see when I get there...
That's about it for today...
This will probably be short but want to get the rest of what I accomplished off to you and also for myself...The whole week seems to have left me quite exhausted, and I guess I should not be surprised....yesterday, the rest of the day just sort of drifted by without incident and in the evening a farewell dinner to many poeple who are leaving today. Today is Diwali and although this is nothing compared to regular Indian cities, you cannot imagine how many fireworks have been going off since last night and they say tonight will be the worst. The houses are decorated with Christmas type lights and it is quite nice. Everyone saying Happy Diwali, and shopping etc. Got up this morning to a deserted quiet guesthouse compared to usual and had planned to go to Dharamsala yesterday. I had initially ordered a bag with wheels from a guy in town here but he was not sure he could get it on time, so someone suggested going to dharamsala during the diwali sales today. Got Abdellah to go with me and as usual we had a fun laughing time, and also found a guy who sells bags. He had one there but it was too small but he can order one for me. He asked do I want a good bag or "local quality" and I said the cheapest you can get I only have to get home with it (comment: when I arrived at Tel Aviv Airport it had split open on 2 sides and luckily nothing was lost...so much for "local quality")...so he has ordered one and promises it will arrive by next saturday. I told him if it doesn't arrive I time for my flight I will come to live in his house!!...I hope it will be big enough and if not, will just have to dump stuff. Will give some things to Ashish anyway I think...I'll see before I leave. On the way back I bought all kinds of cookies for Ashish and the other 2 guys here for diwali...they love sweets. And this morning, Kokila gave me another shirt which is REALLY nice...I can't imagine she ever wore this as it fits ME perfectly. She got me very angry yesterday as initially she told me I didn't have to pay for the last couple of weeks I owed her as that was the least she could do, but yesterday she renegged saying I got my stuff back and don't have to go to delhi so I can pay...in the end she gave me a 500 rupee discount but I was really annoyed....she said if I had had to go to delhi she would have also paid my bus fare but she doesn't understand that I've lost over 10,000 rupees or more in my bag and it was the fault of her guesthouses lack of security...but I didn't argue and took it as part of the whole "thing"....But I have decided not to stay here much longer. So, after getting back from Dharamsala, in a shared jeep with 17(!) people in it...I swear...tried to take a picture but I'm sure it won't come out...I walked up to Dharamkot, saw someone else who recognized me and spoke to her for awhile and then Anil made lunch for me and wouldn't take money. He feels sort of responsible because as he says, if he hadn't convinced me to come to Dharamakot, this never would have happened. So he offered me a room very cheap for the next 2 weeks, the best room, all sun, many blankets, heat if I want and a discount at the local restaurant...but I turned him down and he was quite upset. Anyway, I will be going trekking with him tomorrow up the mountains and he promises it will be to a beautiful place over looking the mountain range without being a difficult hike, and he is packing a picnic lunch as well....
I then walked across the mountain to Bhagsu and reserved myself a "luxury" room at the Seven Seas hotel. Picked a room with all day sun (it is a corner room) and after much deliberation, decided to take the expensive one for an extra 50 rupees with a TV...I will be moving there next monday for about 5 days and will leave here for delhi on saturday night by bus and arrive sunday morning in delhi. Will rest on sunday and visit some people and then still have monday for shopping before leaving tuesday morning....
I have very very mixed feelings about coming home. I honestly would love to stay away (not from everyone, but from everything) for as long as possible, but my reserves have been worn down quite low this past week and feel just like resting now and then coming home. I went walking today and it was great....will try to walk in dharamkot and mountains up there everyday this week, and next week concentrate on bhagsu and areas down around and out from McLeod.
I think my last couple of weeks will be quite pleasant and relaxing and hope when I get home after seeing everyone, perhaps to conitnue down to eilat for a couple of weeks..we'll see when I get there...
That's about it for today...
posted by Jane @ 8:29 PM
<< Home