Namaste
Trip Start
Jun 12, 2006
1
5
29
Trip End
Sep 01, 2006
Dharamsala,
India
Sunday, June 18, 2006
I finally get the chance to write to you guys!
i arrived in Delhi after 18 hours flight. the flight was good, and full... but i had 3 seats for myself for the whole time!!!
i arrived at the guesthouse at around 5am and didnt really sleep. i spent the day in Pahar Ganj (the main bazar) which was the stinkiest, dirtiest, croweded, and loudest place i've ever been too. the air was so unclean i could feel it in my throat and chest, and (gross alert) when i cleaned my nose it all came out black!!! ah!!! so i was walking around the bazar which is basically a very busy street with tons of shops and food, and cows, and people honking all the time... indian people are the craziest drivers EVER! the honk is working extra hours and signals dont even exist.. i couldnt wait to get outta Delhi (i know there is much more to Delhi than the main bazar... i shall return at the end of my trip) hmm..at least 7 people asked me if i was indian.
i spent another night at the guest house, then then next day i took a 5 hour train ride to Amritsar (Punjab state) which is like the main city for the Sikh religion. on the train i met a guy from new york and a girl from germany. we ended up sharing a rikshaw to a guesthouse and staying at the same place and going places together. we went to the Golden Temple - an amazing temple (pic soon) lucky us it was some big Sikh festival there were so many people.. i decided to sit down and enjoy the beautiful temple and suddenly i notice that people stare at me... families just stop and look at me, and smile and laugh.. some of them came up to me and asked if i was indian.. i thought maybe i looked like some indian movie star and they think im her or something. some even took a picture of me!
then we shared a taxi to the border of Pakistan and India to watch a ceremony of closing the border. there were thousands of indians there, it was such a great experience, people singing, yelling.. i ended up carrying the indian flag to the gate infront of all of those people!!! then they invited me to dance (i did my best, but i really cant) it was so hot and so many people made it even hotter. we went back to the golden temple that looked totally different and even more amazing at night.
the next day we took a local bus (i repeat - local bus) to Dharamsala (Himachal Pradesh state)the ride was surprisingly easy.. and only 7 hours! we finally arrived took another short ride to McLead Ganj (a little more up the mountain) and then we said goodbye. i took a taxi to Bhagsu, and now im here. its such a great place, on the footsteps of the Himalaya (not yet sure) lots of israelis, israeli restaurants, and signs in hebrew... yesterday i didnt do much, i wanted to just chill out and walk around. i went to Haifa restaurant and this kid came to ask for money, he said he was hungry... after asking other people for money with no success, he came to me and i deicded to just buy him food.. so we ended up having brunch together. he ordered chowmein (hehe) as soon as he ordered it started to rain so hard, he had no shoes on and short sleeve. he was freezing, but with a smile on his face! we manged to talk with his broken english and i found out he was 12 years old, and doesnt go to school. oh and that he loves Israel. the rest of the day i just hung out. became friends with the 21 year old that works at my guesthouse. i bought him "Bhagsu Cake" (so yummy i dont know whats in it) and he invited me for Chai (my first chai!) we talked alot, he's such a nice guy.
anyway, now im here.. enjoying the green mountains..
I am going to take some courses (Reiki, Massage, Cooking, etc)
I miss you all.
I am having a good time.
Love
Maya
p.s. i will upload some pics+videos soon!
