October 26-28,2003-Another Anil Story!
Sunday..October 26th
Well, I came up to Dharamkot early for breakfast, and at 9:30 Anil arrived and we headed out. First we walked straight across where I always walk, but then we took a road up which goes towards a stupa and monastary which I had never tried alone...easy walk, but even though he had slowed his pace for me, it was much faster than I usually walk...At some point we came to a beautiful spot overlooking Dal Lake...I took a pic there..hope it comes out...and we rested awhile...then he suggested instead of going straight down to Naddi...he wants to take a nicer path and before I knew it, he had me climbing straight up the slope on NO path to reach an upper path which goes out to a place where I could see a view of the whole mountain range without having to go all the way up to Triund. Well, he took my bag from me, and said "just follow me"...yeah..right away...he walked up like a monkey as if it was a straight road, and I couldn't even begin to imagine how he did it...he realized I was not following so simply said...use your hands, grab the tree branches "no...not a twig!...a branch!"...and climb up behind me...you can do it! We got about half way up and I DID DO IT!....and then he found a nice place to sit and rest...and to my surprise, tried to convince me, one last time, that we are simply made for each other and telling me how much he loves me etc., and when I gave him the same old line of how it was not anything that could be good for either of us...perhaps if the situation was reversed...you know...man 25 years older than girls is always acceptable, but not visa versa, he just went on to tell me the story of another lady here (I knew exactly who he was talking about but waited until he finished)...who is my age and had an Indian boyfriend for a long time who was 21 at the time and even came to visit her in Holland when she went back to see her mother!!!)...he was trying every way he could...even said that he had packed a mattress in his backpack so I could sit comfortably and spend some nice time with him....well...he finally realized this would never be, was quite disappointed but it never went anything beyond his desire and need to make every effort to convince me....and then we laughed about it and continue up the slope for another few minutes and reached the next path. By the way, he is quite an interesting person and an EXCELLENT trekking guide...He DID convince me that on my next trip I AM capable of trekking for a couple of days and I will definitely think of using him and a porter....He knows the names of all the flowers trees and birds just like a proper Israeli guide does...the birds I had seen with the yellow breast and beautiful long blue tails are magpies...he also told me why he doesn't have a girlfriend or is not married...seems his younger brother was run down by a passing car 5 years ago and he says that although he always looks happy etc....which is true...people love this guy...he is very special....it is all a show...he has never gotten over the death of his brother and has no desire for anything in his life except being in the mountains...which is why he has the perfect job...he sometimes goes away for as long as a month and that is what keeps him sane, if not completely happy....you never know about people....he claims I am the first woman he has had any feeling for in all these years and I don't think he was just coming on to me....I saw something in his eyes, a yearning, I can't describe exactly, which makes me believe him. He has asked me to at least go walking with him a few more times so he can at least speak freely to me (which he cannot do at the tea house...he is always busy with people) and I agreed...telling him if I could, I would come up...yesterday I went walking alone but perhaps once more I will go together with him...we'll see how things go.
Anyway....we DID get up to this beautiful place where the whole mountain range was before us in all its glory, and from there I could have walked to Naddi and back home, but that is another walk I will save for my next trip...
Today I picked up my airline ticket...flight time has changed and I will be arriving in Tel Aviv at 9:30 PM instead of 8:30 (provided Amir Peretz doesn't have the airport closed that night)....I also have my bus ticket to delhi and my hotel reservation, so I guess that takes care of everything....next Saturday I hopefully will pick up my bag on wheels in Dharamsala...if not, I will have a problem but will manage I guess using porters to carry a backpack for me....and monday moving up to my "fancy" room in Bhagsu...
I will use the rest of this time just for rest and relaxation and hope to come home with the calm and tranquility I was feeling before this whole business started last Saturday....I am working on it, and aside from the tiredness, actually feel quite good....I imagine another day or so and all will be back to normal....even started doing yoga again today!
Tuesday October 28th
My how the times goes by!...Yesterday I was feeling really tired but still felt like going walking...so around midday I headed up to dharmakot and this time just walked up across the mountain to the Heena cafe and was thinking then of walking down past the pizza and off to Bhagsu, but the weather had turned warm again and i found myself much too hot when I got up there to continue...so just came back down the same way. Still a 5-6 kilometer walk and felt really good but soooooooo tired. The whole town was closed up yesterday as the Tibetan Childrens Village was having it's annual "birthday" celebration and the Dalai Lama was there so ALL the restaurants were closed...not only the shops...I was lucky to find one place open to eat something....there were over 4000 people there for the festivities but I did not go...had no desire to....anyway...when I came back from walking and eating, I went to my room...it was by then around 5 and almost fell asleep but realized that would be a mistake, so read and played cards and ate again and forced myself to stay awake until 8. I fell alseep and believe it or not awoke at 9 AM!!!! I guess I really needed it!
Today I decided to take an easy day and just prowled around town, tried out a new restaurant, checked out Richard Geer's Hotel here in town (couldn't see a room as they were full-but it is very expensive - between 1800-2500 rupees and very very elegant) but had coffee and cake there just for fun. Walked around and then bought a couple of new books, picked up some pics I had developed and got some ayurveda stuff for arthiritis and will see how it works...he says there is one Israeli who now sells the products and will get me his address tomorrow...if not, he ships all over the world if I am satisfied and want more. ( EVI_ by the way-your lip balm was in the bag that was stolen, and now none of the shops have it....seems they only sell it in season and when they run out they don't order any more as it is only needed in summer and everything is closing up this week here...if I see it in delhi, which I doubt...will get you a few more...if not, well, you'll have to wait until next year)
I read on the terrace this afternoon...the sun is nice and hot again...and will go eat and sleep early again tonight...but wanted to write about my hike the other day with Anil..
That's all for now...love...Jane
Well, I came up to Dharamkot early for breakfast, and at 9:30 Anil arrived and we headed out. First we walked straight across where I always walk, but then we took a road up which goes towards a stupa and monastary which I had never tried alone...easy walk, but even though he had slowed his pace for me, it was much faster than I usually walk...At some point we came to a beautiful spot overlooking Dal Lake...I took a pic there..hope it comes out...and we rested awhile...then he suggested instead of going straight down to Naddi...he wants to take a nicer path and before I knew it, he had me climbing straight up the slope on NO path to reach an upper path which goes out to a place where I could see a view of the whole mountain range without having to go all the way up to Triund. Well, he took my bag from me, and said "just follow me"...yeah..right away...he walked up like a monkey as if it was a straight road, and I couldn't even begin to imagine how he did it...he realized I was not following so simply said...use your hands, grab the tree branches "no...not a twig!...a branch!"...and climb up behind me...you can do it! We got about half way up and I DID DO IT!....and then he found a nice place to sit and rest...and to my surprise, tried to convince me, one last time, that we are simply made for each other and telling me how much he loves me etc., and when I gave him the same old line of how it was not anything that could be good for either of us...perhaps if the situation was reversed...you know...man 25 years older than girls is always acceptable, but not visa versa, he just went on to tell me the story of another lady here (I knew exactly who he was talking about but waited until he finished)...who is my age and had an Indian boyfriend for a long time who was 21 at the time and even came to visit her in Holland when she went back to see her mother!!!)...he was trying every way he could...even said that he had packed a mattress in his backpack so I could sit comfortably and spend some nice time with him....well...he finally realized this would never be, was quite disappointed but it never went anything beyond his desire and need to make every effort to convince me....and then we laughed about it and continue up the slope for another few minutes and reached the next path. By the way, he is quite an interesting person and an EXCELLENT trekking guide...He DID convince me that on my next trip I AM capable of trekking for a couple of days and I will definitely think of using him and a porter....He knows the names of all the flowers trees and birds just like a proper Israeli guide does...the birds I had seen with the yellow breast and beautiful long blue tails are magpies...he also told me why he doesn't have a girlfriend or is not married...seems his younger brother was run down by a passing car 5 years ago and he says that although he always looks happy etc....which is true...people love this guy...he is very special....it is all a show...he has never gotten over the death of his brother and has no desire for anything in his life except being in the mountains...which is why he has the perfect job...he sometimes goes away for as long as a month and that is what keeps him sane, if not completely happy....you never know about people....he claims I am the first woman he has had any feeling for in all these years and I don't think he was just coming on to me....I saw something in his eyes, a yearning, I can't describe exactly, which makes me believe him. He has asked me to at least go walking with him a few more times so he can at least speak freely to me (which he cannot do at the tea house...he is always busy with people) and I agreed...telling him if I could, I would come up...yesterday I went walking alone but perhaps once more I will go together with him...we'll see how things go.
Anyway....we DID get up to this beautiful place where the whole mountain range was before us in all its glory, and from there I could have walked to Naddi and back home, but that is another walk I will save for my next trip...
Today I picked up my airline ticket...flight time has changed and I will be arriving in Tel Aviv at 9:30 PM instead of 8:30 (provided Amir Peretz doesn't have the airport closed that night)....I also have my bus ticket to delhi and my hotel reservation, so I guess that takes care of everything....next Saturday I hopefully will pick up my bag on wheels in Dharamsala...if not, I will have a problem but will manage I guess using porters to carry a backpack for me....and monday moving up to my "fancy" room in Bhagsu...
I will use the rest of this time just for rest and relaxation and hope to come home with the calm and tranquility I was feeling before this whole business started last Saturday....I am working on it, and aside from the tiredness, actually feel quite good....I imagine another day or so and all will be back to normal....even started doing yoga again today!
Tuesday October 28th
My how the times goes by!...Yesterday I was feeling really tired but still felt like going walking...so around midday I headed up to dharmakot and this time just walked up across the mountain to the Heena cafe and was thinking then of walking down past the pizza and off to Bhagsu, but the weather had turned warm again and i found myself much too hot when I got up there to continue...so just came back down the same way. Still a 5-6 kilometer walk and felt really good but soooooooo tired. The whole town was closed up yesterday as the Tibetan Childrens Village was having it's annual "birthday" celebration and the Dalai Lama was there so ALL the restaurants were closed...not only the shops...I was lucky to find one place open to eat something....there were over 4000 people there for the festivities but I did not go...had no desire to....anyway...when I came back from walking and eating, I went to my room...it was by then around 5 and almost fell asleep but realized that would be a mistake, so read and played cards and ate again and forced myself to stay awake until 8. I fell alseep and believe it or not awoke at 9 AM!!!! I guess I really needed it!
Today I decided to take an easy day and just prowled around town, tried out a new restaurant, checked out Richard Geer's Hotel here in town (couldn't see a room as they were full-but it is very expensive - between 1800-2500 rupees and very very elegant) but had coffee and cake there just for fun. Walked around and then bought a couple of new books, picked up some pics I had developed and got some ayurveda stuff for arthiritis and will see how it works...he says there is one Israeli who now sells the products and will get me his address tomorrow...if not, he ships all over the world if I am satisfied and want more. ( EVI_ by the way-your lip balm was in the bag that was stolen, and now none of the shops have it....seems they only sell it in season and when they run out they don't order any more as it is only needed in summer and everything is closing up this week here...if I see it in delhi, which I doubt...will get you a few more...if not, well, you'll have to wait until next year)
I read on the terrace this afternoon...the sun is nice and hot again...and will go eat and sleep early again tonight...but wanted to write about my hike the other day with Anil..
That's all for now...love...Jane
posted by Jane @ 5:44 PM
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