I'm Back!

Livin' it large in America again, the land of clean water and food and insanely excessive consumption and spending. I look forward to being about to eat uncooked food again, and not having to worry about being ripped off more than the standardized amount.

I shall miss the unbelievable natural beauty, and the main ashram I visited, who's genuine lack of interest in making money off me unfortunately makes it a remarkable anomaly.

I have had many an adventure and consider it my responsibility to share some of that with you guys, but for now I shall just say hello and send my love.

-I Out

India... Kicking My Butt

Perhaps I forgot to mention this: I'm in India from the 7th of this month until the 27th. Meaning yes, I've already been here for a while. This post will be short because I have no computer and am touch typing.

Minor heatstroke yesterday, general dehydration, almost constant mild stomach upset that threatens to become worse any time I don't eat carefully and lightly. Achy, hands beginning to flake and peal in what looks like a horrible skin disease but is probably just from washing my hands a lot.

During the two nights I was in Bangalore I was ripped off for taxi fare with smiling faces. Lesson: stay in medium nice hotels, not really nice hotels. The hotel had their own taxi service that was fine, but about twice as expensive as it should be. And they wouldn't recommend me a normal outside taxi service.

The ashram seems to be the only place without a clueless foreigner tax.

And my whole reason for staying the extra day in Bangalore was totally fruitless, I could have done it all from my computer at home, rather than the hours and hours of driving at double price to try and get a Nadi leaf reading in person.

Also, sore throat, probably from one of the many people coughing on me.

So, India 367, me 0

The ashram has been super nice though, spiritually and generally. Even the Bangalore excursion was full of learning lessons. But I dread the attempt to not be ripped off looking for a driver in Uttarkhand. I've tried to do research online ahead of time, I've tried asking people for any reliable people they know in the area. Nothing so far. I'm left at the mercy of the hotel I'm staying at when I get to Pantnagar. 

I'm rooming with a really cool 20 year old who's done tons of travel in India over his lifetime. And his advice was "just don't think about it too much, and do what the locals do."

I think this is a fascinating insight into him, but probably would get me hospitalized.

But I think it is a good idea to trust the journey and just stay open to whatever is coming my way. I had no plans to go to India at all this year, I was kind of strongly nudged into it all, I'm really just putting my trust in the universe like I always do when it nudges me strongly in a direction. My only concern is that I may not have listened carefully enough. 

Though the ashram part has definitely been worth the cost of admission. Phyisical debilitation included.