Dharamshala

So there a few things i wanted to add that i forgot to mention in yesterdays blog. i was reminded after speaking with asher on the front porch of our guest house of some memorable events memorable enough to include in this blog.

along the way to Bharjeshwari (sp?) temple in Kangra yesterday while hiking up steep stone stairs, we met a group of indian boys. there were four, all 15 or 16, though they looked much younger. we sat with them on some benches and answered their crude questions regarding our sex lives and girlfriends. Indian males, and maybe females though i dont get much chance to talk with them, are naturally intrusive. That is, they are very curious about private matters, and im often asked if im married, or have a girlfriend, or what my religion is and what i think about homosexuals. i tailor my answers to the situation.

I did have a chance to talk to one of the sister landladies this morning but the conversation with the women normally doesnt proceed past formalities. She did tell me that here in Dharamshala during the offseason most folks stop working in hospitality and start working in the fields, growing corn, collecting wood. She also said she studies in college during that time. While i usually ask the indian men i meet personal questions, indian women are less open and much more restricted, and i dont feel comfortable asking them personal questions.

Anyhow, one other think was in kiriganga, while sitting around a bonfire in the woods somewhere, we roasted bananas stuffed with indian chocolates and sugar. Tasty.

What else? What else is there to say??

Oh yea, this keyboard is sticky and sucks to write on. Its 9am. Im in Daramkot. I dont like the spelling checker underlining my every mistake!

I just finished The Hard Way by Lee Child which I found second rate, a book meant to pass time. The quality of the writing is poor and the descriptions somewhat mudane, but the story is mildy entertaining enough to get me to the end. I also just finished Miss Wyoming by Doug Coupland, which was cool. Now im getting started on Beyond Belief by VS Naipaul, which is a 1995 book and a study on four non-arab muslim countries. Lots of time to read here in india.

Been riding around on the bike, through the city, mcleod gange, which is a bit chaotic but interesting. Had my horn fixed. U need the horn in india, its more important than the brakes!

So what do other people here do? There are lots of indian tourists but not here in daramkot or in the other popular backpacker zone Bagsu. These backpackers (90% israeli) spend the days eating, smoking (though far far less than in kasol and manali), playing chess, taking short walks to the outhouse, showering sometimes (otherwise known as "hot bucketing"), reading, ordering tea from "G". Some less stoned and more motivated backpackers take a build your own digiridoo class, a yoga or tibetan medidation class. Some even go see the dalai lama. I even know somebody who saw the DL!! I really do! Its so awesome!

It rains here a lot. As opposed to almost every other place ive been so far, the sky is perpetually cloudy (except for yesterday fora few hours), it usually rains in the morning and a litte through out the day. But its OK for me i actually like the change, and its not cold and the mountains are still big.