By stark contrast to the hospitality and smiles of the Tibetan camps, my return to 'India' came with a bump! After a disagreement with an un-shifting rickshaw wallah, i hauled myself onto a bus. I went to sit down in a free seat near the front but was told categorically that the seat was 'saved'. After which time, everyone had rushed past and all the seats were taken. Unsuprisingly only the 'sahib' was left standing. Yet another dazzling display of Indian 'hospitality'.....

Today, I've been thinking and feeling, maybe too much. I've come to a home-stay in the mountains outside Madikeri and have been going through all sorts of moods....

Excitement at finding the place so beautiful as it is; a tumbling river flows through forest clad slopes with craggy peaks beyond. During the day i went for a trek into the hills. Firstly i got agitated as i felt like i had to prove something to my guide. i was feeling competitive. Although he was quite a nice guy, i resented following him and by the time i got back down i was pissed off by people telling me what to do in general (I've realised that I'm not a good package tourist!). I try to just chill and read my book in peace but the buzzing flies annoy me and do nothing to relive my mood.

I decide to go for another walk, at that time i was feeling lonely for someone to talk to and getting to be a little depressed. The world seemed further against me when i found that the peaceful waterfall, where i planned to get away from it all and have a quiet swim, had been taken over by a film crew shooting some movie! Out here in the middle of nowhere, MY middle of nowhere! What are the chances!! Anyway, despite my initial surprise it further annoyed me that these b******s had nicked my spot.... As a result i walked straight through the set up seeming wholly unimpressed and pretending not even to notice them. I think it had the desired effect of pissing them off (that's, I'm afraid, the sort of mood i was in!).

As i walked further, i get deeper and deeper into the forest until i wasn't exactly sure where I'd come from. All sorts of things were boiling inside me but as i turned a corner, a gap in the trees revealed a perfect silver lined storm cloud with beams of light shining past. It was beautiful and the significance of the imagery was not lost on me. Suddenly in a better mood i went looking for adventure and dived down a dark winding path into the jungle. Almost immediately regretting the decision, i became increasingly paranoid as to what was hiding amongst the trees...

Life started to get a whole lot kinder when, at the bottom of a steep slope, the jungle opened out to reveal a simply idyllic setting; beyond a trickling stream the valley floor stretched out to several secluded paddy fields and an empty straw hut. The evening sun was shining a dark yellow hue over everything and steep, jungled mountains loomed up in the background..... Perfect!

I found a warm stone to lie on, stretched out and contemplated why the world is so erratic?