On my last morning in Mcleod ganj I went to my favorite restaurant, Oogos, and order some of the very best french toast. As the theme song to our trip "om mani padme hum" (a song we heard in the streets, restaurants, hotels, etc) sung out over the speakers I became quite sentimental. As I paid to leave, the tibetan woman who i saw everyday I came here gave me the sweetest hug goodbye. At thangka painting class I finished transferring my white tara drawing onto canvas. In the evening Jason walked me and my luggage to the bus stop. The [View Full Entry]

---

---

The past three days have been really nice. Each day we would wake at 6:30 to make it down to a sweet little cafe overlooking the valley for breakfast. They had great tea and real espresso! The monks, nuns, and tourist of all ages made their pilgrimage toward the temple. The Dalai Lama sat inside the main temple and most others sat on the floor surrounding where he sat watching through tvs and loudspeakers. Evidently some Koreans requested the teaching so each day began with a Buddhist chant in korean--very enchanting....I have not heard the likes before. Twice everyone is served [View Full Entry]

---

---

Yesterday morning Jason and I woke early and walked down to the Dalai Lama's temple where we were able to get our malas blessed (prayer beads) by the Dalai Lama himself by the afternoon! As it was a rare sunny (partially) morning we took the opportunity to do some hiking around the hills surrounding the town. We headed up a forest path towards the small village of Dharamkot. The forest looks amazingly similar to the redwood forest, but unbelievable as it may be, the forest here are even more lush with fern and little flowers growing from all the cracks and [View Full Entry]

---

---

Jason and I have now been in Mcleod Ganj for five days now. It is a very comfortable place to be. This village is where many Tibetan refugees have come and is where the Tibetan Government in Exile is centered. Two days ago the Dalai Lama arrived and hundreds of people lined the streets to greet him. Many women burned incense and we all bowed with hands at our hearts as he drove by with his glowing smile blessing us all. I was touched with deep emotion when my eyes alighted on his face and was almost brought to tears. We [View Full Entry]

---

---

So our plans have shifted once again. In Leh we settled into a very nice guest house, were reading luxuriously, enjoying the view when suddenly the reality of being at 11,500 ft suddenly struck. Jason suffered first but the clouds of suffering cleared the next morning for him. I on the other hand had three lovely days of hanging my head in agony out of the window and nibbling on what I could. The window was very nice. I could look over the garden, see the brook, watch all of the interesting birds of ladakh but nonetheless it wasn't so good [View Full Entry]

---

---

Julley, Julley, Julley!!! (Greeting in Ladakhi) Out of the window rises the majestic ladaki range and prayer flags flutter on the street below vieling the old palace on the hill. What a journey to arrive in Leh! Delhi wasn't quite so appealing. We procured a prepaid taxi to the ymca in connaught place which ensure that you get to your safe destination yet it however does not ensure a safe ride!! Lanes? Trafic lights? People? Who cares! Just honk and excellerate. Weaving through large trucks and many motor-rickshaws we made it alive to the YMCA. Afer a grueling day in Delhi, [View Full Entry]

---

---

The sun shining brightly, Jason and I make last minute packing decisions and errands for our trip. Our plane is set to fly straight from L.A. to Delhi, India on Monday. The plan, ahem, as-of-right-now, is to stay for a day and half in Delhi to buy a few things as well as a plane ticket to Leh up in Ladakh. Once we fly over the high mountains and gain several thousand meters higher we will arrive in Leh to stay for a few days to let our bodies adjust to the difference in altitude. After that we shall see--hiking, monasteries, [View Full Entry]

---

---