Happy New Yeat
Trip Start
Dec 17, 2008
1
10
14
Trip End
Jan 04, 2009
New Delhi, India
Thursday, January 1, 2009
We got into the rowboats once again. The morning is a totally different experience. We saw the pilgrims bathing in the water and doing their sun salutations. We saw one big ghuru who leads his followers in laughing yoga. His non stop laughter can be heard way out in the water. We saw the men washing the clothes at the river's edge and we went by many of the Ashrams that famous people visit. Then we walked through the ancient twisted , allies of this ancient city. The cows have the right of way, even on the narrowest alley.
We returned for a quick shower and breakfast and then headed out again. We visited the site where Buddha gave his first lecture, a very holy site to the Buddhists.
Our plane was delayed a couple of hours, so to kill time, we went to even more textile shops. We are in textile overload by this point. We have seen so many gorgeous things for two weeks.
We flew in the afternoon back to New Delhi. When we started out trip, I referred to this city ae dirty and dusty. Now that we have returned here after two weeks in the countryside, it feels immaculate, opulent, and magnificent to all of us. I can't believe we now feel halfway home and yet we are still in India. We all took vey long, hot showers and sent our shoes out to be cleaned.
Manuel is flying back tonight through London. We leave tomorrow night and stay overnight in Zurich. We plan to spend the day tomorrow in the gym and spa getting scrubbed.
This has been an incredible trip and we have all loved every bit of it (except the train station). This has been so different than any of our travels. We have been so lucky to experience this other world. We look forward to being home with all of you very soon.
Incidently, our cellphones which worked perfectly in the countryside , cannot get a signal here in the city. So, we cannot call to reach your answer machines and wish you a Happy New Year. We wished for you, our loved ones at the Ganges. Have a wonderful 2009.
Love,
Leslie
