Next Door to the Prince...

...Hotel is an Internet station. So I'm gonna post again today too. I really can't bare to let this India blog go.



Most critical point of the day? As confirmed by a palm reader: I am lucky. Yep. I agree.

1) on the bus from Mcleod Ganj it was my aisle counterpart, not me, who got motion sick. Luckily he spoke enough English to get me to switch seats with him urgently so the vomit went out the window instead of in the aisle. *shudder*

2) BEFORE getting on the bus in Mcleod Ganj I was happily cafe hopping and decided to try a new street... and ran into a friend from my hometown. Seriously! I knew she was in India but not in THAT restaurant, on THAT street, for only 2 hours and on my LAST DAY in Mcleod Ganj! Amazing. Thanks for seeing me Nicole! :D

3) Got off the bus in Delhi and was not, as was previously guaranteed when the ticket was purchased, in Old Delhi at the affiliated tourist office. She was in Somewhere, Delhi. Yeah. Not the good luck part. BUT the bus driver associate-guy was fixing up to take me to the right place (in a likely over-priced cab) when a co-bus rider asked if I needed to share a cab with him. It seemed a bit easier since he actually had a location in mind that was central and safe instead of my hope that the place I was being recommended to me was either of those things. So it all panned out and I got a hotel room at The Prince at 8am... and the fellow who helped me? Is actually from Ireland. Galway, Ireland. Like... the place I am going to do my Masters' Degree Ireland. Yeah. What are the chances??

So he showed me around the area today a bit - a great breakfast place, some bazaar-lessons, we struggled to the National Museum via the super clean/efficient un-Indian feeling Delhi Metro (and then a rickshaw since I didn't quite get the stop right) and then pre-dinner palm readings in a book store. Authentic, I know. But a BOOK STORE! And I was told I was lucky and the Golden Times of my life are just about to begin! So I say bring it on life. BRING. IT. ON. (however, I also want to say "I called it." Since I think on my other blog... I posted something just along those lines...nope, it was just a Facebook status: I will be winning the Gold Medal in Life this year. Now it's verified (by the book-shop palm reader).

Tomorrow: Agra. Strike that. Eight Hours: Agra!

Seasick (1/4)

The editor of this blog is delighted to announce that there will be a new feature given the author has had more time to, well, author and wants to share something that became a short story instead of a short blog post. Since it will still be published on the blog the editor wishes to a) make it manageable and b) create suspense by publishing the story Seasick in several installments.

The only apology that must first be made is that the pictures are not yet available to load but do check back and maybe by the end of the week they'll be up too! Oh and the author notes the "spell check" isn't functioning and repents spelling sins in advance.

Seasick (part 1 of 4)

Although I am currently in a land-locked location I am feeling a bit seasick. I've been Going With The Flow a lot lately and haven't quite got my sea legs... this relinquishing control does not come without rolling waves of confusion. At first I wasn't going to disclose all the details but after a resounding two-day sail, I changed my mind (for good reason, you'll soon see).

I arrived in Mcleod Ganj yesterday (April 8th) as noted in my travel blog. Before I came I did a bit of research (and infinitesimal amount compared to my usual standard) and read that one could "easily find accommodations near the bus depot." I was soon disheartened and sorely disappointed (emphasis on the sore) to find out both easily and near were relative in this case. Trekking up the first hill from the bus stand and into the main bazaar I found myself at a triple fork in the road. I could not choose. Mostly this was due to my ridiculously low capacity for decision-making as 99.729% of my bodily energy was consumed by standing, breathing, holding my second piece of luggage and fighting for my life... against gravity with my arch nemesis Forty-Liter-Backpack weighing me down like a small planet (slightly bigger than Pluto, of course, which is sadly no longer of planet-status). Before my demise I swayed forward and picked straight. Walk. Straight. My teetering course also managed to stay within a rough estimation of "the left side of the road" as is technically appropriate. That's two for two.

Down this road I passed so many tourist-apparel shops, coffee/Internet cafes and wooden-metal-jade trinket stands I nearly blacked out... no, that was the backpack again. But there WAS an extraordinary amount of these spots to spend money. Sadly I only noted two SIGNS for hotels but with no discernible doors... one more that looked 5-star swanky and I nearly inquired but had enough coherence to assess the risk: the shock of their potential room rates and my current physical strain could be enough for a fatal heart attack. I walked further. WAY FURTHER before I saw the Happy Home Room Available sign AND an arrow pointing to door. I refrained from weeping with joy and made my approach. I was first greeted menacingly by a narrow flight of stairs. Halting I turned back assuming I would neither FIT or SURVIVE said stairwell. But... I did it anyway. Reception Office? SECOND floor. ugh! At least the walls and stairs were an energizing, encouraging florescent orange?

I smiled weakly at the man at the desk on the other side of the glass Reception door, feebly pushing it open. Then in the most friendly pant I could muster I spurted, "Rooms available? ... for me? One. Can... you. Show. I see?... Ijustneedtoputmybagdownfirst!" And would have smothered an Adorable Animal Parade with the massive thing if need be, but luckily for the cute creatures they were not in the office but a sturdy bench was. Unsnap. Unclasp. Thud! GASP!

"It's on the second floor," was the first thing I remember the accommodating and understanding manager saying once I was free. In this case it meant the third floor but who's counting? That set of steps was like floating up clouds of whipped cream and angel dust - no bag? No problem!

And it was a lovely room: bed, TV, private bathroom, big sunny window with a view of the street and some hills. Done. For one night the necessities were here. I needed to clean and I needed to rest. Happy Home delivered. Back in the Office we talked costs - the charge was decent but a bit high at 550 rupees/night. Though I had enough foresight to negotiate a 50 rupee/night discount should I stay the whole week (if the meditation course fell through). He agreed and also suggested I take a rest, relax and have lunch before we sorted out all the details. I informed him I'd be out to use the Internet and we could finalize everything after that. Done and done.

I "ran" back up to room #204 and washed my hands and typically stained the sink grey with the grime of travel. After the dirt display of my hands that were NOT affixed to bus seats for 7 hours I knew that a wardrobe change would be required as well. The revoltingly dirty pants were thrown in the wash bucket for soaking and I noted the drain was more of a suggestion and noted that for the future washing process. I was excited: clean pants, checking email and rest!

As an aside I can't believe how simple it is to feel refreshed after a hard day of travel in India. Scrape off the dirt of the hands/feet/face (literally), go from pants rating 10 out of 10 on the grime-o-meter to ones that are a 6 on the same scale and breath in some fresh air from a sunny window: KAPOW! I'm brand new baby! Bring on the adventure. Well, not yet - let's just saunter to the nearest Internet cafe first. Result? Within six "doors" I found a place with a price breakdown that was reasonable and more prominent than the actual name of the place.

Most notable: 0-10 mins = 10 rupees and

60 mins = 50 rupees.

Sold! and directed to Computer #6.

Some catch-up with Facebook which informed me of some 'suspicious activity' on my account from the other side of India...ugh! And long-awaited email! Annnnd? No spot in the meditation course. Shoot! It (they... there was two emails) said if I hadn't paid by (first email) 4pm yesterday it wouldn't be held for me and (second email) 10am today they'd give it away as there were people 'in-person' to take it. That's fair. I wouldn't wait for me either if someone was there to pay immediately.

So I somewhat disappointedly updated my blog and emailed an apology email saying for polite-ness and without hope that I'd be in the next morning for the drop-in class and check back then but that I assumed it wasn't meant-to-be. (Look at that! Now I'm imposing my message of Go-With-The-Flow on other people!) Now course-less and backpack-less I decided to ACTUALLY look around a bit before going back to Happy Home. Basic exploration to get the lay of the tourist-land, scope out other accommodations (see if I was getting hosed), buy a juice - y'know. I went back to walking down Tourist Road and found Book-A-Bus-to-Delhi shops, Better-than-that-last-One Buddhist book stores, my juice (apparently 5-star as the price indicated, maybe because it included that delicacy 'apple') and a triple turn down-hill road. I took it for adventure's sake; past a Shiva temple (Hindu), a trail of prayer flags (Buddhist) and a breath-taking view of the snow-capped Himalayas (Mother Nature wins)! I realized THIS was what was missing from my current accommodations and since I was now 90% certain of needing a place for a seven-night-stay the phenomenal-ness of the view would be essential. Because if I go around the world to stay in a Shangrila setting... I wanna see the main attraction 3 times a day from the comfort of my own bed. Seriously! Or, at least, from the common rooftop patio or something.

Down the hill were a few selections:

the first was too snazzy (like valet parking)

the second was too-many stairs (like 40, really!)

the third was (potentially) juuuuust right!

to be continued...

by LyndiaP April 2011 (part 1 of 4).

Seasick (2/4)

My enquiry at the (potentially) juuust right third option Snow Height Apartment for Long and Short Term Stays Attached Kitchen was for kicks. Experience tells me words like 'Apartment' and 'Kitchen' are expensive. BUT cooking-for-oneself usually saves money. And it would make my upcoming days of silence more do-able. I popped in.

The office was also mostly a convenience store stocked with chips, pop, instant noodles and powdered milk. Stock actually worthy of note were cold juice and bottled water - could be handy to have nearby! I was shown room #7, up only 12 low-grade* stairs: do-able(*low-grade as in low-incline not of low-quality). It was nearly twice the size of #104 at Happy Home and also had a private bathroom and a sunny window... attached to a PRIVATE porch... looking out onto the hills and MOUNTAINS! Damn it! It was perfect! Clean too - and probably totally unaffordable! With its cute purple bedsheets, nice black counter-top in the kitchen area, bigger TV, two lovely wooden lounge chairs, most spacious bathroom I've had in India! Boo. Now I'll have to face the budget-breaking cost, say no and go back to ironically sulk at the Happy Home. Surely I'll also be cursed with jealous dreams of these richer folks with balconies overlooking idealized scenic wonderlands (always slightly exaggerated in dreams, of course).

I asked if there was "anything smaller? Opposite brick-wall facing? Less Awesome!?" with a tear in my eye. My chaperon doesn't negotiate room rates but he does know another room on the 'first' floor (relatively speaking, it's still one storey above ground) which is currently occupied but available soon. Considering this, I ask to stand on the not-so-private balcony to assess the view. It's even sunnier than the last room but the mountains aren't as instantly visible. That makes me feel better. Not ALL the rooms at Snow Height are Awesome with a capital A.

Back at the 7-11 of Hotel Lobbies I get down to business. Since I didn't see a cooking element/stove in the kitchen I note it for potential leverage in cost negotiations. The moment of reckoning: first round prices.

"Well," says the 7-11 clerk/hotel manager, "you get it today or tomorrow?"
"Is there a difference?"
"Room 7 is only open today and number 1 only tomorrow."
I consider this and reply disappointed already, "oh, not all week?"
He seems confused. "Yes, all week too. You need how long?"

Oookay bring on the miscommunication. "I guess it depends on the price. I have my bags somewhere e..."

"400 Rupees."

"What?" I shake my head slightly to help me hear correctly.

"400 Rupees," he repeats.

"Per night?" I clarify as if he was giving me an hourly rate for REEEEALLY short-term stays. Surely my eyes have already told him there will be no haggling from this customer.

"Yes, but after 400 and 400 and 400 then 800."

"ah, okay," I say knowingly but utterly confused. The price is awesome but only for two days? Ugh. Time to employ Tactic #1. "But the kitchen didn't have the stove..." I get a blank look. "Uh, stove? The cooking element." More blank-ness. "For cooking..."

"Gas?"

oh right. Gas. "Yes! Gas. Gas wasn't there," my syntax mutating like a chameleon.

"We put that in."

There goes that barter... "Oh, oh. Good. Yes. So the room is 400 rupees for the two nights but 800 after two?"

"No."

As usual I am stumped. No? 

I'm quite sure I didn't just fantasize paying double for no reason, unless this is all a dream... but it feels more like a rocking riot in a dinghy on a stormy Universal sea of Going-with-the-Flow... I feel a bit queasy. "So I pay 400 rupees for today and 400 for tomorrow. Then 800 rupees?" Learning from past experience rewording the question can be a bit like taking a Gravol and even out the waves of confusion. Here's hopin'.

"No. You pay only 400 rupees a night. 800 rupees later."

He almost had me there. I liked the first part and then got lost again, but getting closer. Wait! Maybe the first 'you' was singular and the second was plural. Maybe? One more Question-Gravol: "How much then is it for one week? From today 8 April until April," counting on my fingers, "14. Seven nights?"

"That is," tabulates on the calculator, "2800 rupees." YES! Internal fist-pump and attempting not to look desperately excited. I ask with all the calm I can muster, "and gas is 500?"

"No, gas is 300," the 7-11 manager sighs.

"right, 300 rupees for 5kg gas," I almost giggle with happiness. I would have actually giggled but as it stands this is the second room I am procuring for the same one night and the thought of Happy reminds me of the Happy Home where my bags are. Where the key in my pocket belongs. Some where in my mind I register the comment he makes, "and 5kg gas is enough for you."

"Okay. So. Now. ... My bags are somewhere else. So. What? Can? ... Is there something I can leave to hold the...?" In my head I'm also trying to work out the cost-recovery excuse/plan for the two-room situation.

His reply is resoundingly logical, "you pay in advance. Pay one night and after pay more." Clearly. The concept of a DEPOSIT had eluded me - the giving of money is certainly the customary manner of ensuring one's space be held in a transaction like this (something I clearly have had trouble grasping lately, as per the meditation course). I just hope I won't be paying for two nights accommodation tonight... I get my Official convenience store receipt and feel giddy that now my 400rupees/night is in writing (which, for those of you converting to Canadian dollars is roughly 10). I dig out a 500 rupee bill. He asks my name. I ask one more question:

"So is it pretty quite here?"

"Oh yes!" he assures me, "mostly all girls right now. And one monk. This is before all Indians come on holiday. Now is before April 16."

"That's good. Good." NOW I get it!! This is off-season = 400 and next week the price is jacked up = 800! Why didn't he just say that? Or, rather, why did he say anything about the week for which I WASN'T inquiring. No matter. He says I need a photocopy of my passport/visa and tells me where to get it. I'm also informed he can book taxis if I want. I confirm the location of the former ("straight" back up the three-turn hill) and reject the non-human-powered-conveyance.

BAM! Thank-you Flow! You've done it again! But... maybe over done it. I'm grateful for the 100 rupees change in my pocket but 2 rooms for one night? Wait. 100 rupees in my pocket. Like "to spare"... have half-conceived plan is brewing in my mind... and I'm not proud to say it but the first version of this plan was... Here I am in the town of Buddhism, religion of compassion and moral mindfulness, within 10 km of the residence of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama and I concoct a plan... to lie. Yes, my first idea was to lie to the people at the Happy Home! AND it was a good one. You'd've believed it! I even practiced it once on the first turn of the hill (which took my breath away as it was significantly more taxing than on the way down!)

Luckily for my conscience (nay, my soul!) by the top of the hill a new, more honest plan hit me like a burst of lactic acid in my hamstrings. It took until the orange steps of Happy Home to finalize it but I figured that I'd say something simple (like the truth) "I'm sorry for the inconvenience but I have other accomodations" and offer 100 rupees for their initial kindness/luggage storage. After the first flight of stairs though I pre-bartered my peace offering and decided to start it at 50 rupees in case that was considered enough for 3 hours storage (and the bit of secret laundry I'd wrap up in my towel and hid in my luggage to be unseen on the way out).

Fifteen minutes and 50 rupees later it was done, I was Happy and Happy Home-less... but not room-less. I was already half way back to Snow Height and thinking "a cab mighta been nice right about now," but struggled through it with the compassionate smiles and few cheerful, encouraging comments of random strangers in heavily accented English. (Really, three people commented in a friendly, non-hassling way and at LEAST five gave me the "you go girl" look... or at least the "you Crazy girl" look but I'll remember them all as the first version thankyouverymuch).

Plus passing on the cab probably saved me almost 50 rupees anyway. I figure I broke even for the day.

Now I sit here today at Snow Height (whoa! just realized... it rhymes with White, Snow White... and I'm "door" number 7: Snow Height, 7th Door! Ha! oh man, I'm funny) with my spacious room with a dedicated yoga-mat corner. Some laundry is now washed. My shawls and various souviners are displayed decorating wherever they can: I LOVE IT!

Oh and best of all... yes, I CAN see the snowy Himalayas FROM. MY. BED! (with purple sheets that match my earplugs). BooYeah!

To The Rockin' Flow of the Universe - Thank you! But the giving of all kinds of opportunity (and confusion) doesn't stop there, oh no! I also got pretty pumped about making my own Solo "Life-Meditation Course" schedule and made a plan with lots of yoga, writing, contemplation/meditation, (some) silence, (some) exploration and lots of Flow-Going. Very exciting indeed!

to be continued...

by LyndiaP April 2011 (part 2 of 4)

First Day at Doon

I turned in my backpack for this first day of school. (Bought a handbag in the market yesterday and a new outfit just for it though...) I am here at Doon School ready to volunteer and looking forward to both the social/community project aspect and the yoga (and anything else they can possibly think of so task me with).

I have started really getting into the Hindi study (now that my brain has settled/pushed away a bit of the yoga-theory that was filling every possible space).

Dhanyavad (thank you... but I already kind of know this one)

Apne kya kaha?  (what did you say?)

Mera nam Lyndia hai. (I'll let you guess this one.)

achchha  (good)

are today's words/phrases... but first: khana!*

(*as soon as the breakfast bell rings and we can commense in the verb of food consumption.)

Lyndia to India

As of now... I am iPhone free, job-free, car-free, apartment-free, debt-free and all-free... to fulfill this dream.

A sad goodbye to Canada (and winter!) Lyndia is off to India.

Only 4 flights away! And I should be just lifting off from YEG.

ETA: DEL (Delhi local time) 10:25AM January 26th (Republic Day)

p.s. I don't know if I've said this before but I am looking forward to hearing from you all too! Keep your comments, emails and psychic messages coming ;)