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Published: August 15th 2010
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Spiti Valley
Just to give an idea - this is really TIBET on the Indian side of the border. OK then people - this is an uncharacteristic little blog - just thought I would do a short piece to catch anyone up who might be interested on where things are at right now. Sorry - no theme here - and not much in the way of pictures.
Officially I have now completed 5.5 months of my placement - and when you add in the month I am allowed for leave within the 12 month commitment - that becomes 6.5 with 4.5 to do.
It's been good but at times very slow and frustrating - but when I reflect on it all I think its been meaningful in terms of the work I have shared with the community based organisations I work with. There are some fantastic people there who have become friends (like Rinu, Subham and Bikash) - and I am very appreciative too of the flexibility and trust I have from my NGO supervisor Sarita.
So... on Wednesday (Aug 18th) me and Gladys (see pic - Gladys is the Bullet motorbike) board a train to Delhi. Gladys gets parked for a week while I go and meet my daughter Leah off her plane and she and
Gladys
Me and Gladys relaxing I go to beloved Pushkar (Rajasthan). This is Leah's first trip and only a week en route to Europe. My secret plan is for her to be bitten big time by the India bug for a future longer travel!
Then on August 28th I mount Gladys and with Mark (another VSO - Canadian - who I met in March and we started plotting around common interests) and 2 other friends of his - all on Bullets - take off for the Himalayan foothills. Our plan is to ride to Manali in Himachal Pradesh - then to Leh pending how things are with the road (much rain and therefore some closed roads) and with the recent cloudburst disaster in Ladakh, and back to Spiti Valley.
This is going to be a month's long odyssey - and really an exciting one I think. It's bound to have it's moments - some of the roads are very narrow to say the least (I was in this area last year - sans motorbike), and passing other traffic can be precarious (don't look down). Also the weather can (as said) cause havoc with some roads and high passes. Speed will not be an
Gladys on the shop floor
This is Gladys the day I picked her up back on April 22 2010. Born to be wild! issue - on some of the mountain climbs we'd be gunning it if we hit 40 klms an hour as we wind slowly upwards and over and down again.
I'll be back in Bhubaneswar end of September. For those who can count - that's 5 weeks. This is because I have successfully negotiated my 12 month placement to be spread over 16 months - allowing me more travel at optimum times and when and if friends come over - and also allowing the work I have done with the community based organisations more 'trial' times - when they get to implement things without me there.
So... there will be blogs but maybe not done until I get back from the journey. Three more big sleeps to go!!!
Mahadev (Paul)
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Marguerite
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Happy journey
No need to encourage you to have a fabulous time Paul - you will!!!!!!!!!!! And with your enthusiasm Leah can hardly resist the 'I luv India' bug. So glad you will get to spend some time in Jibhi - special moments hey!!! Hugs Marguerite