September 2007 RISHIKESH, FOREST OF RISHIS, SAINTS AND SAGES OF ALL RELIGIONS, YOGA CAPITAL OF THE KNOWN UNIVERSE. GURU'S, SADHU'S, SWAMI'S, BEGGARS AND THIEVES, PILGRIMS, TOURISTS, SEEKERS AND LOSERS. THEY ALL COME. LEAVE WITH LESS THAN THEY HAD HOPED, MORE THAN THEY HAD DREAMED. YET ANOTHER BUS ENDURANCE CONTEST. THIS TIME THE NIGHT BUS, ONLY A MEASLY 12 HOURS DOWN THE TWISTING MOUNTAIN ROADS FROM DHARMSALA IN THE RAIN, BRAKES HISSING, A WOBBLY TIRE VIBRATING THE WHOLE BUS, TIRES SWISHING, WINDOWS LEAKING. ONLY 15 PEOPLE ON THE BUS SO I GET TO LAY DOWN ON 2 SEATS EITHER SIDE OF THE AISLE AND HANG ON IN THE INKY DARKNESS FOR DEAR LIFE AS THE BRAKES ARE CRAMMED ON AT EVERY SWITHCBACK. CAREENING EVER DOWNWARD, TRYING TO GET SOMETHING LIKE SLEEP, BUT JUST IMAGINE YOUR BED ON
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