Hung around town to take it in and chat to people I had met there, I hang out with Ashish his Uncle and an Italian they had picked up along the way. Ashish (an Indian from Delhi) was a very interesting guy, a software engineer that is now a farmer and we get along very well with intermittent outburst from Surgio the Italian guy, great fun was had and we eat and chat late into the evening (well 12 is late in India).
Next Morning after not leaving as I said I would I head out for breakfast and bump into an American guy I was chatting to when I first arrived.
All along the banks there are Sadhu living in caves and we decide to see if we can find one and head along the rough rivers edge sometimes walking over small glaciers. All along there are little dwellings built under huge rocks set into the side of the mountain. Some with tiny windows and some even with iron chimneys coming out the side and little areas out front for cooking and eating. It occurs to me that Tolken must have traveled to India at some point.
As the trail runs out we eventually meet a Sadhu and he invites us into his little cave under this huge boulder. The cave is tiny with just enough room for the 3 of us and I give him a gift of some insents.
His English is very good, he says he learned from tourists visiting him hear and I can tell right away he knew the routine well. Sit in cave for couple of minutes, drink tea and have a chilum. We're not the first to visit him, not by a long shot and all the questions we have for him he has been asked many times before but he answers them with warmth. His eyes portray great calm and contentment with his lot and as we smoke from his chilum he tells us stories about the gods. I leave feeling slightly that I was just part of a show but the peace in these little alcoves of trees and rock tells me it is us and not him that are making the show.
A great dinner with Ashish, his Uncle and Sergio with a topping of South Park on Sergio's laptop and to bed.
Get up early and hit the road, the poor bike is really a bit worse for wear with the front shocks covered in oil from being burst from the rocky roads and the engine eating oil because I never get out of second gear but she keeps going, back over the mud tracks that have turned to dust making it harder to see the rocks. 10 hours I drive back to Champa all the time promising the bike that I'll give her a nice full service as soon as we get there, stopping occasionally to pick up bits of the bike that have broken off, I find that I've lost my tool box god knows when, the welding having just sheared off somewhere back there. Fall into a hotel still vibrating, stare at the colours on the TV and at some stage fall asleep.
Next morning hit road early again to get to Dehra Dun the capital of this area and book into a swanky hotel (swanky for India is only 20e a night) as I feel I need the comfort. Find a mechanic who works all day to get bike back to like new with a new clutch plate and all missing parts replaced.
After dinner I wonder around town and find a concert in a park. Sitting for a while I take in the amazing music and over my thanks again to Ganesh at the alter for helping get here.
Then back to my swanky hotel and deep sleep.
No comments:
Post a Comment