Well finally, I am back to update you on all our goings on! Sorry it has taken so long, I'm even getting complaints of people. I wrote this blog in Varanasi 2 weeks ago and as I was writing my final few lines, the bloody computer went and crashed! Hence why, apart from the chilling on beaches, it has taken me a while to put this one up.
So 3 weeks ago, maybe 4, we left Armitsar and headed for Dharamsala. It took us 2 buses to arrive which got rather full, hot and sweaty but it was all part of the fun! When we arrived we decided to take a taxi up to Mcleod Ganj where we would be staying. As we were climbing into the car a little Tibetan lady rushed over to us and sweetly asked if she could share the taxi with us. I made sure she knew that we wanted a third of the fare from her and she nodded and agreed. The driver took us up a ridiculously steep but short route to Mcleod Ganj, using some very impressive clutch control on his hill starts- quite scary actually. When we reached the top the 'nice' little lady opened the taxi door and proceeded to get out. "Money?" I asked her to which she looked angry. She reached in to her purse, pulled out some cash and threw it at me. Before I could pick it up the woman had legged it and was nowhere to be seen. Thanks for the ten rupees love, it really contributed to the 130rs fare! Although we can see the funny side now, we were not too impressed at the time but you live and learn!
Annoyed and tired, we headed to our digs, 'Kungas', which by the way is the choice of a certain Richard Gere. It was absolutely freezing when we left our room to go and eat and so I ended up investing in a fine Tibetan shawl whereas Dean opted for a rather funky looking hat (see pics).
We headed to the Dalai Lama's pad the next day where we wandered around the monastery and admired the snow capped mountains visible above. Unfortunately the Dalai was a bit busy so couldn't quite fit us in :P It quite surreal walking around Mcleod Ganj watching the monks chatting to each other and then answering their brand new ,obile phones!
On Valentine's Day we headed to the waterfall at Bhagsu which was a bit of a trek and we both realised how unfit we were! Not satisfied with seeing the waterfall cascading down the rocks, Dean wanted to hike up to the top of it which took a bit of persuading as basically, I was being lazy. It was worth doing though as the views from the top were awesome and I got my Valentine's day gift from Dean- a 15rs bottle of Pepsi!!
The next day I went to check out doing a level one reiki course at the local yoga centre. Dean also decided to book a trek up Triund to the snow line. In the evening we went to eat in a little restuarant called 'Friends Corner' which was kind of ironic as it was somewhat lacking in friends. The manager strategically sat us in the window, clearly to make his retaurant look like people actually ate there. Afterwards we went and bought a huge piece of chocolate cake, a bottle of whiskey for a quid and then sat on our balcony overlooking the valley chatting away, getting fat and slightly tipsy.
Whilst I was in my first reiki session, Dean was left to wander around the town. He had heard a Tibetan rapper's album that was being played everywhere and decided that he wanted to buy it. When we met up later he showed me his purchase which didn't quite look like the one we'd seen the day before. We headed to a shop where they put cds on to your mp3 for you. Turns out that what Dean thought was Tibet's answer to Eminem was in fact their very own Gareth Gates!
Dal Lake is a sacred lake 4km away from Mcleod Ganj and on the 17th we decided to go and check it out. It was a nice day so we actually walked it! :O 50 mins later and we arrived ready to see the beautiful lake that was being advertised everywhere. I can honestly say that Stanley park is more impressive. This holy lake was lined with crisp packets and coke bottles, was a lovely sludgey green colour and came complete with 2 pedalos which you could hire! In one corner of the lake was a cute little out building which sat on the water. Turns out it was a toilet; I can only guess where it emptied on to. Disappointed, we sat on a bench (next to the pedalos) and ate our snickers bars.
We headed back to Mcleod Ganj much sooner than we had anticipated, laughing all the way about how lame it was. So if you're ever in Dharamsala, don't plan a day around visiting this sacred site unless you are a huge fan of boats and slimey water.
When we got back we headed to the local cinema to watch 'Om Shanti' which was last years No.1 Bollywood blockbuster. Sat in a little make shift cinema, we were the only people in there which was again disappointing but the film left us in stitches as it was so incredibly cheesey! Coming out of the cinema we heard chanting coming from up the road and so walked a little further up. Here, a group of Monks carrying the Dalai Lama's photo were heading towards us followed by literally hundreds of other Tibetans. It was really quite moving as everyone was praying and carrying candles. Apparently this happens everytime something significant happens in Tibet and they walk around Mcleod Ganj 3 times before heading to the temple. Curious, we joined the back of the line and followed everyone. When we arrived at the temple, 2 men and a monk gave separate speeches which some local guys translated to us as informing the people that there had been shootings in Tibet as people were demonstrating against the Chinese rule there. If you don't fully know or understand the troubles in Tibet, check it out as what is going on is awful. The whole thing was extremely moving and it was good for us to see that the Tibetan people are united and those in exile haven't forgotten the people back home.
Dean's trek was the next day, which he really enjoyed. He took loads of photos which he is going to upload in the next few days. I tried to get him to write something about it but he wouldn't and he's disappeared shopping now so I can't ask him to tell me more about his adventure. I do remember him being very proud that the guide and him had got to the snowline extremely quickly as apparently the guide doesn't usually get to look down on the valley as the clouds come over at about 12.30 each day.
On our final day my Reiki teacher invited us for lunch which was just so yummy and extremely healthy- brown rice, loads of veg and all that. We went back later on to watch a bollywood film with him which was actually quite good and a little less cheesey than Om Shanti. We had mint tea too- very civilised for a couple from Blackpool! :P
On our overnight bus to delhi the next day, Dean turned to me after a couple of hours and said, "I think I'm gonna write on the blog Em". Shocked , I looked at him but was up for him writing something. "It's not gonna be a normal blog though". Ok? "It's gonna be about prayer". So after 2 hours on an overnight bus, Dean had found religion. For the next 8 hours he milled over in his head what he was going to write. As you can see, the idea was short lived as no such blog has arisen.

Em and Dean

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