"Om.."

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I checked into Amaji's "hugging saint" Ashram yesterday (Sunday) around 12:30 pm. the night before that I met with the 2 canadians, 2 french girls and a german gal at a local restaurant.. We asked the man in front if they sold beer, he said no, we asked again, he lured us in.. and in this quiet, devious manner he gestures "come with me.." and whispers "its a secret!! We have very expensive good beer back there! but shhh".. HMm... ok. So we end up in the restaurant in back which I admired off the bat.. My type of restaurant.. out door, with an open view of the forest.. deers passing by. a bit dim, candle light but still very rusty.. with families and young travelers.

We ordered 3 beers (king fisher).. they came in big tea pots.. HUH? What we found out is that there is only 1 man in all of Thekkady that bought a beer license.. which I think he said was about $1000 a year.. but I didn't catch it exactly.. So they have to sneak it.. It was cute though.. I also ordered a chicken curry, rice, chapparty (tortilla-ish bread).. I still havent had any indian food that I would say is more enjoyable than the one I fell for in LA. But it shouldn't be compared in that manner..

Yesterday morning at 5:30, I was awoken again by the call of roosters... I was out of bed and ready by 6:30 and took a walk through the cloudy breezy town... Thekkady is completely peaceful, there to cater to tourists, up high in the mountain, wildlife.. forest.. no poverty.. in a way, it seems like no ones really working.. but then again, it kinda seems that way in all of Kerala.. throughout the day you just see people sitting outside, on bikes, roaming around... observing visitors.

It was a 5 hour ride to where I am now.. on the way, me and Tomas - my driver friend and i stopped by a random restaurant for breakfast and tea.. I got a hard boiled egg in some curry spice.. dont know if its even called curry.. and 2 uppums.. another form of flour and water, with a bump in the middle.. and 2 cups of chai.. total maybe 1$..


Staring Problems I was warned through past travelers that Indians stare at you and to be use to it. Ive gotten use to it, but its just so different from anywhere else. They literally linger on to you from the moment their eyes seek you til you're out of sight... And for me it seems even more an issue.. They are very use to western Gringo travelers... They LOVE and worship White women.. like everywhere else.. Once in awhile they may see a Japanese older buddhist traveler.. But out of no where, all of a sudden, in mid-February, right before monsoon season in 2008.. a young exotic foreign asian lady comes about, and they are confused. "hi!!!! are you from japan??????" That and "what is your name" "where are you going" are just about what everyone knows to say.. and at first you are delighted to answer.. but after about 34 times by mid day.. you just wave.

During the breakfast meal.. i went to the restroom in the back... all these restaurants are somewhat intertwined with houses.. 3 cute kids around 12, 8, 4 approached me and said hello.. People here are either extremely shy, or very brave.. they asked my name.. i felt instantly in love with them.. I think my favorite thing here is the children.. I asked them their names, and to have them write it in my journal.. I also gave them each a CAlifornia Hollywood postcard (which i bought about 20 on hollywood blvd before coming.. someone advised that indians Love anything USA).. Just seeing the appreciation, love, and surprise in their eyes melted me.... something so simple as a postcard made them so grateful.. It makes me think... shall i deprive my child of most so that they'd appreciate life more? Its nearly impossible in the states to.. And I am not one to talk for I am a notorious victim of binge shopping, eating and alcohol..

I got to the ashram by 1 pm. It is comprised about 2000 people .. indian women, men, teenagers.. a lot of foreigners from europe, us here with kids.. here to stay for a year, perhaps a life time.. There is an international building that im staying at.. the 16th floor, top floor, flat which im sharing with a russian girl in her late 20s'. True hippie that girl. last night, i came back to her whistling, and singing to the tunes of her Seattle bf's guitar playing.. soo beautiful!!! After i showered, i had on my boxer short shorts n t shirt.. wasn't sure how they'd react since the ashram is strict for dress code, altho i was in my room.. shortly after my shower, she showered.. and roamed freely nude, slept nude, and in the morning as well.. True hippie. In the morning.. she laid in bed naked, with headfones on meditating.. She's been here she says for too long that she cannot remember but is leaving tuesday.. From our window.. and the balcony by the elevator.. I kid you not, a trillion dollar view... overlooking the arabian sea on one side.. the bridge Ama built after the Tsunami (this town was hit with hundreds deceased).. and also the backwater... It is what travelers pay hundreds at a 5 star hotel in Fiji island to see... And theres no one on the sand at all.. I am paying 150 rupees a night.. thats less than 4$ + 3 meals a day + 2 cups of tea.. But this is a temple, non profit.. and people are requested to perform at least 1-2 hour 'Seva' a day.. which is volunteer work around the ashram, cleaning, sweeping, library work...

Upon my arrival yesterday at 1 pm.. Lunch was served in the big auditorium/cafeteria.. soup kitchen style.. 4 guys with big tins, scooping to your plate.. Its all vegetarian here.. The food was pretty good, rice, potato curry, veggies.. After I sat down I realized there was no fork/spoon in sight. FACK! I've been avoiding this moment so long but knew it would inevitably happen.. I must eat with my hand, thankfully I washed with soap before.. I have to say it was quite painful doing so.. and its not something I want to or can get use to.. but I did finish the meal and enjoyed it.. after finishing the meal, i joined my neighbors just seats down.. a 30 some year old guy named Lance, a writer from Phoenix, Arizona. Here in india for a few months, and is not leaving til he finishes writing a book. the other a French guy in his late 20s, traveling for 6 weeks. The French guy was very educated in Buddhism, meditation and the works. he offered to teach me meditation since there really is no classes here, no strict schedule, all free will on where and when you meditate..

French guy, Xavier, invited me to the beach with him, about 4 km he said. And that we'd catch a bus. We walked and walked in the scorching sun.. no bus.. it was about 3 mile walk i think, but of course, when we got there, i appreciated the exercise. He annoyed me a bit from time to time, talked a bit too much.. (which is a major turn-off when a guy talks more than you).. was kind of strange and too deep and intense for my enjoyment. But thats the rewarding thing i suppose of traveling alone.. you are out of your comfort zone, by yourself, raw in this world, and learn to deal with different people, different situations.. Theres a lot to learn from this guy.. I just wasn't in the mood for it i guess.. The beach was completely quiet.. And on the way, were just villagers hanging out by their shops, saying hello, what is your name, where you are going.. We stopped by a random shop to have a cup of chai, I preferred a cold soda since it was 85 degrees humidity outside.. And the french, in awe disgust, "Oh you American.. " and to the guy "2 cups of hot chai".. The people here drink hot tea to retain their body temperature even with the outside.. its not something us westerners are use to.. The 2 cups came to 6 rupees.. about 8 cents a cup.. We were on the beach from 4ish-6ish.. walked over to the cliff and watched more locals and answered more to what our name was.. and him stating he was french, and NOT an American.. while me telling people, or simply agreeing to them that i was japanese, named Miko..

The sun started to set, the beach we were at was overlooking the Arabian sea.. parallel to this is the backwater.. the lake the runs through kerala, in which you can take that boat to just about every city and get off within a few hours.. We wanted to walk along that instead, so we passed by some villagers which seemed more untouched by foreigners.. Loved the feel.. even the cows here seem more tranquil and unbothered. There was no path to take to walk along the backwater so we got back along the rode we came from..

We were quite restless as we started to walk back... We tried to catch a bus on this quiet slim road but they didnt stop for us.. finally a jeep came by and Frenchie waved him down, the 2 guys in the car offered us a ride as they were going to the ashram as well.. Girls should never do this in India, but I suppose its okay for a guy.. They charged us nothing and we got back safe. Thats the 2 difference you see in foreign 3rd world countries.. People are either only out to squeeze every penny out of you possible.. or people are genuinely interested to help and learn about you.. It seems as if they are more interested in you, than we are in them..

I was quite relieved once we got back.. around 7 pm.. I was getting irritated with all this French guy's talk.. he had that condescending look in his eye when he dissaproved of what you said, which is a major peeve of mine.. the ever so common "Oh you American.. You california girl don't know any better." But the ratio of amazing people I've met to annoying are at about 6:1 so its okay.. im sure it will adjust throughout my next 2 weeks.

At 8 they served lunch, they're schedule here is very strict. I didn't want the vegetarian meal anymore, nor did I want to eat with my hands so I succumbed to the Western canteen.. I really do miss the food back home. and you can believe it friends, the week, or month im back.. sushi, steak, chinese, EVERY DAM DAY!! so be ready.. On my way to the western cafe.. a tall, very handsome, buff, nicely built Austrian man approached me and asked where the check-in information center is, i showed him and it was unfortunately closed. He invited himself to eat.. Oh what an Eye candy. about 6'3'', had the passed Heath Ledger resemblence and very charming.. between 29-32??? but then again my age alert is quite skewed.. we both indulged in a bland veggie burger and had the usual discussion that every other traveler talks about.. how long they've been in india. how long they'll stay for.. he says he doesnt know how long.. he's just going... Many people are like this here.. either traveling for half a year - 1 year.. or just traveling.. I long for that.. He is a business owner.. owns a hotel somewhere too.. I would love that some day to be the creative mind behind a business and just have people who work as machines under me as i travel...

This morning i awoke at 7:45.. the latest since i've been in india.. I took another walk around the ashram.. and decided to check out.. It was too boring for me.. I could really live this way.. as a nomad, global trotting from place to place.. stay as long as i'd like.. and leave when I feel.. with no home, no obligation.. I hope I will be able to.. For breakfast at 9 am, i had a double egg mc muffin type food, and soy milk.. I then got on the internet to search for air fares. I met a swiss lady who was going to Varkala.. I decided to join her.. its a beach on the way down to Trivanthuram.. where my departure airport would be regardless.. The boat would leave at 3.. so until then.. i roamed on the other side of the bridge.. through a village... i just kept walking.. tried to search for an internet cafe since the one in ashram closed.. and found one.. which would charge me 15 rupees an hour.. about 30 cents.. the teenage dude leads me in to a prisoner cubicle, barely able to fit me in.. and i see WINDOWS 98 load up.. OH DEAR.. took a good 5 minutes to load. then as i turned on the internet, 10 min went by and the site wouldn't start.. i said goodbye to the guy and considered giving him some money anyways.. but then thought, forget it.. Why are you bothering with an internet cafe if your damn computer and internet doesn't work?

I kept walking and eventually found the only restaurant in town around 1 pm, it was a home restaurant.. with one table.. Why not. I went in and he asked, Non-veg or Veg? I said Non.. He ran to the back and within 7 minutes, brought me out a plate of curry chicken and some rice mixed with nuts, raisins and more peculiar things.. it was the first meal i was pretty satisfied in.. very spicy for the normal being.. not death to me but good.. total cost was 35 rupees. just less than a dollar. I left them 50. After i got back, i checked out and met the swiss lady and her friend, and met another swiss lady (all in their 40s - 50s) to wait for the boat.. the Backwater boat runs all the way up from cochin where I landed and goes all the way down.. The boat finally arrived at 4 pm and we took it down to Kollam.. that was about 4 dollars.. When we landed, a bunch of rickshaw driver and taxi drivers awaited us on shore to sell us tour packages, their rides and more.. one taxi guy offered us 700 rupees, we took, and us 4 shared the cab to VArkala.. where I am now.. Im at the KErala Bamboo House.. beach like shacks.. rite on the cliff of the beach.. got here around 8 pm, found a restaurant and had some prawns and veggie spring rolls...

Its 10:20 but exhausted. .I plan to wake up and go for a nice jog.. finally get into a bikini which is okay here.. altho they worn perverted indian men sneaking behind trees to stare.. Stare all you want, just cant touch.

I hope I"l be able to book a flight out of here by wednesday.. either to Goa or Varanassi..

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