After a long taxi trip from Dharamsala airport with numerous stops -  trying to organize permits – no luck, getting a blood test at Dr Lal path lab (results came later - all good), doing some shopping for staples – honey, jam, muesli (either not available or  poor quality in Bir), having lunch and waiting in yet another ATM queue – successfully – Suzie and I  arrived in Bir after dark. I stayed in a guest house in town for the first night that I had booked in advance from Bodhgaya. It had the most comfortable bed and luxurious bedding – Egyptian cotton sheets, feather doona, lovely pillow -  that I have slept in in India. But next day moved to a small place a bit out of town surrounded by farms. It is an Indian style backpackers – Zostel – I think a fairly new concept in India and this one very new to the area. It’s a little noisy in the evenings, with younger travellers chatting and the odd vehicle coming and going, but both fairly quietly, only until 11ish and also no alcohol is allowed. Oh yes then there’s one of the local crows that pecks with its heavy black beak at its reflection on the window of the adjoining room at first light so loudly that it’s has become my wake up call. I’ve been shooing it away each morning – the first two times it repeatedly returned, now it tries it out only once. Might get it to give up and go somewhere else before I leave.

So apart from these minor disturbances it’s very pleasant. The mornings here are lovely. My room is only one of two on the top floor both opening onto the rooftop, which overlooks farms and up to the mountains and where I have been doing yoga in the early mornings. Then I head down stairs for hot water for a hot lemon and honey, the makings of which I have in my room. Followed by good hot shower and breakfast down in the garden sharing a table sometimes with the owners or a fellow guest – most of these being young professional Indians, with who I’ve had some interesting conversations about their lives and travels.  This morning’s breakfast aloo and pyaaj (potato and onion) parantha with curd.

The second morning after arrival here I walked with Suzie an hour downhill to the next small town  - Chauntra – to the Dzongsar Shedra – a teaching institute for monks. HH the 17^th Karmapa – a very high lama – head of the Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism was visiting for the morning. Dzongsar Kheyntse Rinpoche, made a mandala offering offered and gifts from the Shedra, then the Karmapa presented awards and gave a talk, in Tibetan, about the connection between his Kagyu lineage and the lineage of DKR. There was to have been a translation but the technology wasn’t cooperative. So we non- Tibetan speakers could sit back and take in the scene and energy of the event and got the translation later. In attendance were about a thousand monks, hundreds of local Tibetan school children, local Tibetan people from the region and a variety of foreigners. It was a very special occasion for all of us to have the opportunity to see and hear from HH, who arrived in a convoy headed by 2 big black Mercedes vehicles and who was accompanied by several serious looking bodyguards- The program lasted a couple of hours  - including morning refreshments of butter tea and sweet rice served to all early in the proceedings. Diane and I then headed back up into Bir to have lunch at a local café then a walk up to Deer Park to again join HH and DKR along with throngs of students and devotees for an afternoon tea of chai and samosas

That was 2 days ago and since then have been settling into a quiet life starting the day slowly, doing a few chores when needed and hanging out in a new café Silver Linings that makes good coffee and tasty simple food, and a very decadent almost solid chocolate mousse! So until I start a retreat at Deer Park on the 28^th I intend to take it easy - a bit of meditation and yoga,  some leisurely walks, simple meals (apart from the odd chocolate mousse) and generally enjoying the beautiful autumn weather and local scenery.  I've visited the local homeopath Spiro - and expat American who also runs an organic farm with his partner Robyn - up the road in Gunehar for a bit of a chat about the last vestiges of the cold - all fine. And plan to drop into the local Tibetan doctor for a bit of treatment. 

Above - Dzongsqr Shedra and Deer Park tea with HH 17th Karmapa and DKR, on the road at the edge of Bir