[Kathmandu - Nepal]

A visa run to Kathmandu. As always, after waiting hours in a dreary queue at the Indian Embassy, where its bureaucracy machine was humming in its finest form; I eventually walked away grateful to get another 6 months visa. Cos your never sure if you will!

I had plans (ie- what is probably not going to happen) to visit Pokara for a week, a relaxed city by a big lake. But everyone loves a good strike... There was a 5 day strike over petrol prices and on the 6th day, conveniently, a new one day strike was called by the students, which the rest of city seemed happy to join in. Initially some buses did run but rocks through windows soon stopped that. Thus it has been Kathmandu for 2 weeks.

Some great live music in Kathmandu though, which is, ha ha, 'unheard' off in India. Tuesday I fly to Deli and then a 12hour bus back to Mcleod Ganj, North India.

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[Class Room Time- North India]

Since my 10 day meditation retreat I have been nested in Mcleod Ganj, the home town of the Dalai Lama. (I have seen him a couple of times, but only passing in his car.) I was also here in MG almost 1 year ago.

For something different I taught English over the last 3 weeks, (volunteer) to a 1 hour morning class comprised mainly of Tibetans and monks. I realise how much teachers can give in the class room (hats off to them) and in a way it was more about building up their confidence to speak English rather than teaching it.

I experimented with different formats, not only to keep the class interested but to keep it interesting for myself as well. It was challenging in ways but I enjoyed it and the class was keen to have me back when I return from Nepal. (I also noticed how a little class preparation could go along way...) In all it was good for me to do something different and on a regular basis, rather than just chat with friends and drink coffee (although they do have great coffee here :-)

Yes another visa run. I fly to Nepal on Monday 16th June and expect to be back in Mcleod Ganj in the begging of July where I will probably continue teaching.

So for the first time in 5 years I had the concept of a weekend! So with that, a fellow volunteer teacher (Vania with the video camera) and I had made weekend trips away on the motorbike. One weekend was to Chamba, passing through 2600m of mountains roads and forest, and another weekend trip to Kasol, a most picturesque valley full of pine trees. (I was there earlier this year in April).

So after hours of video editing, a very new experience for me, let me present...


The Videos! he Weekend Away

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

A day at School

The Cafe Guru

My Enfield

Q&A with Jean-Paul

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[Back on the Snow Board - North India]

The riding to and around the town of Manali (at 2000m) was a motorcyclist dream. Curvy bitumen roads, (well mostly and give or take a few pot holes :) blues skies, snow capped mountains and warm sunshine was the usual order of the day.

I had once read in an Indian magazine tips for riding through snow and after I had finished the article I was sure I would never try it.

In Manali I had hired a snow board, strapped it on the back of the bike and rode up the mountain. (I certainly was a sight to see) Cars were held back at a check point but I happily cruised passed, knowing that I had to get higher to reach the ski slopes. It was a few days ago that it had snowed in the mountains and I figured by now the path would be clear. But as I got higher, snow and ice appeared, which explains the check point earlier.(Doop!) It was one of scariest things!

At one point I hit a large ice patch on an uphill section of the road. The rear wheel just started to spin and wobble all side ways, so all I could do was put my feet down, squeeze the front brake as the bike and I slowly slid backwards until we rested in the middle of the ice patch. I had to wait until some one came along and push me :-)

So before I started snow boarding I already had my own snow adventure. (Needless to say I was the only motorcyclist for the day) Thankfully I only fell off the snow board and not the motorcycle. Luckily the sun staid out all day so the return ride was far easier and safer.

It was great to snow board again after 6 years, although, there are no lifts on this mountain so I had to trudge my way up the slope first. At 3700m that was hard hard work. Made me appreciate more that 30 second down hill ride :-)

On the 27th I will be back in Mcleod Ganj (Upper Dharamsala), where I hope to attend another 10 meditation retreat starting the 1st May.

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[Split Ends - North India]

Jaipur was rather full- of traffic, animals (camels, elephants, cows, dogs etc), forts, palaces and sand. Located in a semi arid region it has wonderful changing colours, especially around sun rise and sun set.

It was a hot and dry ride to the city of Agra, where we partially rode through a gritty sand storm, stinging our eyes and faces. It was the second time I saw the Taj Mahal and I must say it was just as impressive as the fist time, if not more. (I do have the suspicion though that the white marble is less white than 4 years ago...)

This time I noticed just how much detail went into building this symmetrical complex, and the feeling of warmth it gave. I wouldnt call it a romantic structure but it certainly had a lot of heart in it.

Ironically it seems, this is where Shael and I parted ways. I just couldnt see myself going back to Holland and finally it just seemed that we needed to follow our own paths. It was with alot of love and pain in our hearts that we said good bye on the morning of 1st April (another irony?).

So instead of selling the motorcycle as we originally planned, I decided to continue traveling on it by myself. I had the strong call to go back to the Himalayas (I so love these mountains), which after a few days, I am now at their foot hills, in a non tourist place (Mandi). Traveling by myself on a motorcycle has its challenges, particularly navigation, which by enlarge, I am pretty crap at! It also has been raining alot and today I wanted to ride on... but my wet weather gear keeps me dry for about 5 minutes...so in the end I will stay another night in Mandi.

My first stop is a village nestled in a valley called Kasol, and later a mountain top retreat called Manali. (when it stops raining!)

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 [Road Side Diksha]

Sometimes when I find myself in a difficult situation I actually realise how blessed I am. And so it was when we went for a ride, leaving Arambol for the day.

We were turning into the national Highway to head to Panjim, Goa's state capital, when the back wheel felt all loose and just plain wrong. I cursed heavily as I instantly saw that we had a very flat tyre, the 3rd one in less than 4 weeks...(grumble grumble) Being in the middle of the day it was uncomfortably hot and not one shop was in sight. We discussed our options, push the bike back to the town we just came from or perhaps uphead something might appear from around the bend? We were still undecided when a local turns up on his scooter and informs us that 1km down the road there is a puncture repair shop. Thanking him he darts off as we push the motorcycle. Unfortunately the bike weighs in at around 170kg so even with 2 people its a sweaty push with a flat tyre.

1 minute later the same man reappears on his scooter. "Dont worry" he says in his chirpy disposition, so typical of many Indians, "I have brought the mechanic with me". And so he had!

We take off the back wheel, and Franky brings the mechanic and the wheel back to the repair shop. Soon after they both reappear, Franky translating for the mechanic, and shows me why the tube cant be repaired. The mechanic and Shael wait by the motorcycle while Franky, who tells me he is Catholic (hence the Christian name) takes me to town, the one we just passed through, all the while engaging me in his enthusiastic conversation. In town we had to stop at a couple of places before we could buy a new tube.

On the way back he said he felt sorry for us, stuck as we were in the hot sun, with a woman too! He picks up the mechanic and goes back to the repair shop. Finally they come back and we could remount the wheel. We paid the mechanic the agreed price and he caught a bus back to the repair shop. Later we realised just how far his shop was, certainly not within pushing distance.

We were really grateful for Franky's help but he didnt seem to fuss about it. He gave us his card and wrote down his home address, inviting us to visit him in Panjim. As he rode away I felt so so blessed and how the universe, despite its appearances, is very supportive. Thankyou again Franky Ferrao.


(on the 24th March, we with the motorcycle, catch a train to Jaipur, North India).

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 [Life is a Beach - South India]

After eating TATA* exhaust fumes lightly flavoured with the dust hovering over the roads... we reached Om (Aum) beach, which looks very much like a back to front 3. It was just a few days here before we reached Patnem Beach in Goa, on the 14th Feb.

It was our home for the following month. My favourite part of the day was in the morning, scanning the bay to see if any dolphins had come in for 'breakfast'. Once I was able to swim close enough to them to hear their breathing, it was exciting!

During our stay here we happened to chance across a workshop based on the self enquiry questions of Bryon Katie. We followed the course and I have to admit it really helped me to see what my thoughts are in relation to the I, and how ultimately I only hurt myself when I unquestionly believe my own thoughts.

Body surfing on idyllic small waves, drinking chai on the beach as the sun set while the fresh sea breeze cooled the land down. It certainly wasnt hard to spend so much time here.

On the 14th March we moved to the north of Goa, to another beach called Arambol.


*TATA- nearly all trucks and buses in India are made by this company.

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[Hampi Again - South India]

My 4th time here and I still feel its a unique place. Its wonderfully quiet here (a rarity in a land of over 1.2 billion people) surrounded by rice fields, rock boulders and temples, with a river meandering some where through this landscape. With restaurants serving great western food it was not hard to spend 3 weeks here. :-)

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[Gone Ashramic - South India]

First we had a long (32hrs plus) train journey from Calcutta to Bangalore, taking the motorcycle with us as cargo.

It was time to stop by the ashram town of Sai Baba (Puttaparthy) and say hello to old friends and clear out my things I had in storage. I had a supportive and rather interesting time in Puttaparthy; but I feel those days are comming to a close. So it was a relative short visit of 3 weeks compared with previous stays of months on end. On the 17th Jan we rode to Hampi.

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