I am writing this from the Dogga Internet Cafe, a non-profit centre to benefit the Tibetan society here. It is down a steep, dark set of stone stairs. Everything here is either up or down. I have been here three days and I am just starting to get to know my way around, though McLeod Ganj is not large. It is perched precariously on the side of a hill, several hundred metres above Dharmasala, and you can continue to go up this mountain to other smaller centres. It is all very windy, chaotic and in generally bad repair. There are Indians, [View Full Entry]

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I am leaving tonight on an overnight train to Dharamsala, home of the Dalai Lama, nestled in the Himalayan foothills. I will be there for a month or so, volunteering as an Assistant Art Therapist at Art Refuge, to work with Tibetan refugee children. This past week I have spent relaxing in Delhi, sleeping a lot, dealing with a second bout of TD (Traveller's Diarrhea -- I think I picked up a bug eating the food on the plane from Jodhpur) and enjoying the city. This was the week spring turned to summer. It literally happened overnight. One day it was [View Full Entry]

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After leaving Agra, and the glorious Taj Mahal, I travelled by train to Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan. Rajasthan means "land of kings." It is a desert state, replete with camels, mountain top forts, legendary and living maharajahs, women in colourful saris, labyrinthine bazaars filled with turban-topped sellers of silver, slippers, cloth, and much, much more. This is one of the most touristed areas of India, and for good reason. It is magical. I loved it. Kerala, Delhi and Rajasthan are thus far my favourite places in India. However, my entry to Rajasthan was not magical. I arrived at midnight to [View Full Entry]

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I finally made it to Agra, city of the Taj Mahal (pronounced MUH-hel). I left last Monday morning, March 20, at about 5:30 a.m., arriving at New Delhi train station while it was still dark. What a terrible place! And so busy, even at that hour, that I had to get out half a block before the station and walk. But the train was on time and two hours later I was met in Agra by a car and driver. It was the start of my Golden Triangle road trip: Delhi-Agra-Jaipur is India's most travelled tourist route. Originally, I had no [View Full Entry]

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This week I celebrated Holi, one of the biggest festivals in India. It was very exciting! But more about that later ... First ... I ended my last blog by writing about how low and tired I felt. I asked the universe for peace and quiet and relaxation ... and the universe sent me Caryl! Caryl is a Canadian woman working with the Canadian High Commission in Delhi, and living on the Canadian compound. We met a while back, in Trivandrum. We were staying at the same guest house. Anyway, Caryl invited me to stay at her beautiful and spacious house, [View Full Entry]

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I have spent about 7 weeks in Delhi (in total) and I FINALLY made it to Old Delhi! People told me I shouldn't go alone, so I have been trying to get someone to go with me, to no avail. Finally, I decided to go by myself, but I chose to go on Sunday (today) when the main market area, Chandni Chowk, is closed and the area is less busy. It was a good choice. Neither the Red Fort nor Jama Masjid -- two of the main attractions in Old Delhi -- were very busy, by Indian standards. There was a [View Full Entry]

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Yesterday was my birthday -- and International Woman's Day -- and I am so thrilled that I spent it in Delhi and with Ajay's family. I am still having a love affair with this city, especially after five weeks in Chennai. For example, two days ago I decided to hop in a taxi and go to a neighbouring colony, called Hauz Kaus, without really knowing what I would find there. I discovered a large, spacious and beautiful park with a large pond (called a tank), fountains and an interesting market of winding lanes, filled with boutiques. It was somewhat European, and [View Full Entry]

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I took "heaps" of pictures during the last days of school at Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram (KYM) of many of the amazing students and teachers (and friends!) I met there. This entry is primarily a selection of pics of my fellow students and teachers. On Friday night, March 3, they held a graduation for us, and gave each of us a beautiful pink flower and a certificate. TKV Desikachar introduced the guest of honour -- I didn't get her name. She had been the headmistress of a school for a long time, but she wasn't cold or forbidding! She was warm and [View Full Entry]

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March 3 I am writing this on my lunch break, my last day of school at KYM. They served us a traditional South Indian lunch, on banana leafs, on the floor. It was delicious, though I am still not completely comfortable eating rice with my hand. It has been a wonderful experience, though very tiring. The days are long and packed with information. Plus, it is quite hot here (34 C.),very humid and there is no A/C at KYM. We sit on old mats on the floor, and mosquitos are a constant problem. Everynight I feel hot, sticky dirty and smell [View Full Entry]

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My friend asked me for more information about the yoga I am studying at Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram (KYM), so I will try and impart some of what I am learning. This is a good day to do it, too, because I am having a fantastic day and feel very calm, centred and clear. It's Saturday and I attended the weekly lecture by KYM founder TKV Desikachar, who then spent about an hour with my group, answering questions. Then I went for an amazing brunch with some group members (inlcuding Torontonians Mo and Tiffany) at Eco Cafe -- muesli, watermelon juice, toast, [View Full Entry]

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