November 19

Caught the train from Gaya to Delhi on the night of the 15^th. On my last day in Bodhgaya I did an early bank run but no ATM had money  - in between banks I stopped and had a coffee at Barista – an Indian version of something like Gloria Jean’s. Despite my inability to top the cash and my reluctance to part with my precious rupees I went back to my café of choice in Bodhgaya – Tibet Om  - and had breakfast and a nice long chat with Tsering – the lovely Tibetan woman running the place with her son and daughter during the tourist season. We exchanged details of our family life and discussed the possible repercussions of the demonitisation  for Bodhgaya’s busiest time.

A group of 5 of us  -Melitis, Suzie, Diane, Rati and me  - had organized to go together to one of the more upmarket hotels - the Royal Regency – for lunch. Partly as we could pay by cc and also to share a final meal together.  It was a rich, delicious Indian meal in very convivial company and location.

Before heading to the station I spent what was left of the day hanging out with S, M and D and taking some rest.  Then a farewell to Rahul, his mother Kum Kum and family who run the guest house and off by taxi with Suzie to Gaya station.

All was very smooth  – the train was on time – I easily found my compartment which I shared with a holidaying Sri Lankan family – parents and son. They had come from Delhi the night before, spent the day in Bodhgaya and now were catching the train back to Delhi – two twelve hour train trips back to back!  I also discovered they were planning a flying trip to Australia next year – 3 nights each in Sydney and Melbourne.

Suzie and I met up on the platform at New Delhi station – she was in another compartment - and caught a tuk tuk with a Sikh friend of hers – 3 people and all our luggage in one small tuk tuk driving for 30 minutes through the crazy Delhi traffic to our guest house in East of Kailash. The World Buddhist Centre is a little oasis in the midst of this noisy, dusty, crowded city. It was custom built and established about 20 years ago by a Japanese monk and now run by a lovely Tibetan monk from Ladakh and a lovely young Indian man. Suzie and I shared an enormous room with a balcony looking out onto the street and to the queue of people waiting outside the bank next door. It was our mission to also try to get some more cash. We had got to out room late morning and had a flight the next morning so after a shower and lunch we headed out. A little shopping and a search for a working, money filled ATM. After trying 4 ATM’s in different areas with no luck we were feeling a it despondent and stressed. So we decided to make one last ditch effort at Khan Market and fashionable shopping area. By then it was dark and we didn’t hold much hope but amazingly there was a queue outside the bank, and money in the ATM. Pleading age and illness, and being female got us to the front of the queue and our hands on another 2000rps. In relief and celebration we went to the Turtle - a groovy and cc accepting café -  and had fresh juice and snacks. And I bought 2 novels  - The Wasted Vigil by Pakistani author Nadeem Aslam and The Bones of Grace – by Bangladeshi author Tahmina Anam - at the attached bookshop.

We then headed back to our hotel feeling much better for having got some money and a bit of tasty nourishment. Following that up with dinner at the guest house – which was included in the room rate - sitting at a long low table with the other guests, the monk chanting a blessing before we began to eat. 

The next morning bright and early, on hearing the gong sounding in the downstairs meditation hall I got up and joined the monk and one of the other guests, an older Ladahki man visiting Delhi for an exhibition of his painted sculptures, in a meditation session.

 Then breakfast, a taxi ride to the airport and not long after arrived at Dharamsala airport. I was reading my book on the flight and momentarily looking up and out the window caught my first glimpse of the mountains – the sky a little hazy -  but on descending the stairs from the plane finally got to breath some cool fresh air. So wonderful to be up in this part of the world again.

Above - guest lounge, stained glass window, meditation room -  World Buddhist centre

Arrival  - Dharamsala on Spice Jet   

From the airport Suzie and I drove into Dharamsala - to sort out our permits and for me to get a blood test. On the way back to Bir we found another working ATM  and after an hour's wait  -  success. 

I spent the first night at the Dzongsar guest house, sleeping in the most comfortable bed I've ever had in India, but as it didn't take cc or accept a bank transfer I moved to an Indian backpacker place, which does, on the edge of town. I have a lovely sunny room, there is a very nice garden, a rooftop sitting area with views to the mountains and small farms surrounding us. Only down side is that it is a bit noisy at night as resident guests, mostly Indians in their late 20's up from Delhi for the weekend, like to sit up a talk till late - so took a while to get to sleep.  But in the morning doing yoga on the rooftop, having a chat with a young Indian man about yoga and meditation and sitting in the garden in the sun eating breakfast (as well as being able to use my cc here) that bit of night time disturbance seems a small inconvenience (at least at this moment while lounging on my bed writing in the late arvo with the beautiful afternoon light coming through my door).