Missing my travel partners, but loving Rishikesh!

Hello! Sorry it has been so long since I added an entry, and I feel like I have a million stories to write about! Well, in summary, I left off last when Carma and I were in Goa. We liked most things about Goa, it really was tropical paradise, but we did not completely feel like we were in India anymore, it seemed like it could have been a beach place anywhere. But the beach was beautiful and water so warm, the food and drinks were lovely, and we saw some some interesting aspects of the hippie and rave culture down there. It was a nice ending to our time together. We got back to Delhi just in time to quickly check me into a hotel (unfortunately, a really crummy one) and get Carma to the airport to catch her flight. It was hard to leave her for many reasons. We had had such an experience together and as Carma said when she left, I knew it was then time for me to start being the bravest I have ever been! It was also hard because I knew she was going home to family and Thanksgiving dinner and I was going back to that horrible hotel. Then to make matters worse, security did not easily let me out of the airport because I guess I was not supposed to be in there with her checking her in. The guy was mean, and told me I would have to pay some fine. I cried and yelled at him a little, telling him my friend had left me and he eventually let me go. Anyway, all turned out okay. I ended up changing hotels (unfortunately the next was not much better), and the next day treating myself to the fancy Radisson fitness center, pool, sauna, a bottle of wine, and a yummy dinner to celebrate Thanksgiving alone.

That night, travel companion Teresa joined me! We met in the Indian embassy at home when we were both getting our visas, she already had a little private tour arranged with her own cab, and she generously welcomed me to join her. We stayed a night in Delhi, two in Corbett tiger reserve, and one in Rishikesh. Unfortunately, the tiger reserve was closed, on strike. But our hotel guide and kind cab driver took us on a beautiful walk in the jungle where we saw tiger and elephant footprints. They were awesome guides.  At one point, they even built a little stone bridge for us over a part of the river that did not have enough stones to easily cross, we felt very well taken care of. We had a great time together that we will not forget. And it was so awesome to just sit back and enjoy trusting our driver and pre arrangements and not have to worry about anything! I felt like she was an angel to me after Carma left and she felt like I was an angel to her to join her before her bigger tour with another group. We parted in Rishikesh, the best possible place she could have left me alone. The ashram where Carma and I already stayed is here, and the city center is filled with yoga, holistic healing services, sacred places and holy people. I decided to hang out in the city center taking different classes and listen to different lectures for some days before returning to Swami Veda’s ashram. I have attended a couple yoga classes and am finding the lectures of Swami Dharmananada at one ashram a very rewarding aspect of my learning here. I go to meditation with him in the morning and then a 2 hour lecture in the afternoon. He does an excellent job of breaking down ancient yoga texts and philosophy for a young western audience. I am really enjoying the lectures and am learning and understanding valuable information.

I had an incredible day yesterday that deserves an entry completely of its own, but I will give you a summary. My friend Vikas from my first ashram had an ashram day off and invited me to come with he and his cousin on the motorcycle into the jungle to try to see elephants, as they both knew I really wanted to see an elephant! So, all three of us set out on the motorcycle (yes, it is normal to have 3 or sometimes even a small family of 4 on one bike!) and went into the jungle. It was beautiful! First, we went to an ashram deep in the jungle where an over 100 year old swami (holy man) lives. He is completely serene and expressionless, and all of these little mice are running around all over the place around him! We paid our respects, bowing before him and then putting out heads by his feet. He sort of kicked me a little, which he did not do to everyone. I was not sure if he did not like me, or if it was a special little kick. As we left, he gave us a special blessing with an intense expression in his eyes, we said “Sita Ram!” in response, and felt very blessed! So anyway, most likely he did like me after all! Then we continued our elephant search, not seeing any in the wild, but finding one village that has 2 domesticated pet-like elephants that take people on rides. So we got to play with them for awhile and be very close to them. We had dinner and then I returned with Vikas to his house in his village to stay the night with his family. I felt very welcomed, his momma welcomed me into bed next to her right away and his sister made us tea. My Hindi is still really lacking and momma and sister do not speak much English, but we smiled a lot at each other and I really like them. I stayed the night with them, all of us in one room, girls in one bed, boys in another. This morning, when I woke up, they were all laughing and joking together in Hindi and I did not understand. Although I felt so welcomed, I was feeling a bit sick and the experience made me miss my own family, and I started to cry. They were very kind, momma wiped away my tears and stroked my head until my tears stopped. So in my bit of homesickness and sickness, I will share the family of Vikas for a little while! I am going back tonight. It is nice to have friends and new family here. For the first time, I have some stomach problems that have lingered a few days. : ( But everyone is taking good care of me, the cousin of Vikas got me some antibiotics and sister cooked special food, they are all very kind and I do not feel alone. So overall, all is well and I am really enjoying my time here! I debated on taking a trip to Nepal, but because I am a bit sick and I think it is trying to do too much, I will instead stay in the city center for a couple more days, then to the other ashram for a week, then down to the next yoga conference I am attending at Kaivalyadhama Institute/ashram. Hope you are all well. I will try to keep up more often and not write so long next time!