Friday, April 8, 2011

India plans

Right now we are in Kolkata (see Ali's post for details!) but leave tonight on a midnight train- we have to move quickly as we have only a week or 10 days or so to get up north to our Buddhism course. Plus, it's going to be sgetting hotter so being in the mountains will be good!

Tonight we travel west by sleeper train- to Varanasi (April 10-12), Hindu holy place along the Ganges River. Few days there, going to get some Indian clothes.

West to Agra, Taj Mahal. Will be here from April 13th-15th.

On the 15th we'll travel North through New Delhi up to Dharamsala/McLeod Ganj. Lots of tourists go here because it's where the Dalai Lama is (although he'll be in Australia when we are there! we should have organized with him better). We are going to come here a 2 days before our course. There are many recommended cooking schools in the area. As well, we won't be able to use the internet during our 10 day course, so we hope to get in touch with everyone before it starts.

After our course, we'll have 4 days left.  We might go to Shimla, cool touristy mountain station town.

Then on May 3rd its back to New Delhi, where we fly out!

That's the outline!

Here's a picture of the mountain area of our retreat...

Check out the stuff about the course if you want, "Intro to Buddhism."

9 comments:

  1. Again, I'm glad you're safe and sound! We'll tell Grandma! Not about the allergies of course but of the sights and sounds. ... sounds like India has a lotta ... humanity... in all its glory!

    By the way, in Cuba, I thought, I'll get sad once a day about the poverty. Does that work for you?

    Your trip plans sound wonderful. Now ---

    how is the food?
    you said your hotel was good.
    how is is the train? transportation?
    is it inexpensive in India?
    most importantly, have you seen an elephant? will you have a chance to ride an elephant?

    Love, Pat

    ReplyDelete
  2. Checked out your intro to buddhism. Looks really really interesting.

    Hope you have fun introspecting!

    -R

    ReplyDelete
  3. Just saw you updated your book section! Here's me:
    Dragon Tattoo Ongoing and Never-ending Saga of the Millennium Number THREE.
    We bought this book. Why?? Why did we buy this book?
    It is VERY, really extraordinarily detailed. What's-her-face is in hospital, getting out soon in order to go to jail.
    Not worth reading. Unless you've exhausted all other options.

    Hope this helps! Hope I didn't spoil it!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I didn't even realize there was a book section! So cool. I have been meaning to start a reader's journal like Joyce. Entries like, "The Reader - devastating! Loved it!" and "Eat, Pray, Love - could not finish."

    Such good reviews! I'd be interested in that one about the stroke, Caryn, I watched her TED talk and it was funny and fascinating. The elephant book sounds really really cool too.

    Rach! Don't bother with all the words in that series, just quickfastreadfortheplot! Those three were actually the only non-assigned reading of any length that I did this winter. I borrowed them from Grampy and eventually returned them. A good break from school. The last thing I read was on Friday, Alexander Pope's "The Rape of the Lock." I suppose that's not true, yesterday I read a Thomas King short story that you, Ali, would find very interesting, "The Garden Court Motor Motel." I bought them both from the U of S bookstore. Pope's is a mock epic poem about... hair. King's is about creation stories. All really good. Now I'm reading study notes for English 204

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hey Ali,

    loving your blog! I have always wanted to Blog but have had trouble reconciling "blogger" into my identity, though reading this I see that it's basically a way of writing one letter to everyone at the same time. Seems a pretty reasonnable to handle it. Of interest(to myself at least): did you know that my sister, mom and I are planning a trip to the same meditation center Tushita for the summer of 2012? I am eagerly awaiting your commentary on how that goes! I hear that India is an intoxicating and overwhelming place and I hope you and Caryn have a lovely and safe time there. xo

    ReplyDelete
  6. hey, Kath Isn't the reader an incredible book!

    And Sue and her daughters are going to a meditation centre in India! ... The things you don't learn in this blog!

    Oh, yeah. Kath, I sort of dipped in and out Eat, Pray, Love, and eventually finished it, and in the end kind of enjoyed it! I sort of missed her self - indulgent ways after I finished it! Didn't you want to bicycle in Bali? Kind of -- inspirational -- in a plain jane sort of way!

    Oh, yes. Madam Bloggers! Thanks for the lovely info. on India -- You are lovely bloggers. And I'm glad you are safe and sound! Pat

    ReplyDelete
  7. Yeah Jess, I wouldn't have "blogged" if Caryn hadn't gotten us going, but now I'm pleased we are! We'll enlighten you about the course, definitely.

    Pat, we shall address all your queries in an upcoming postalicious.

    ReplyDelete
  8. No need to worry about the queries! Methinks you've got plenty to do at the moment!

    I hope everything is going well.

    Just talked to Grandma: She went to the doctor and has an infection and has some pills and he has told her that she will be fine. She had some pain in her feet so was a little worried, but received a good result. So it's all good news today.

    Lots of love, Pat

    ReplyDelete
  9. Got to join this conversation, although you may not get back to it! Books....loved Joyce's book journal, as I may have told you, kath & Ali. And so interesting about Eat, pray, love....I picked it up, put it down, picked it up....and it's been down for a while now. But I will pick it up, promise Pat! And i'll finish it too. Yes, self-indulgent to the 9s!!!! The Reader...that was Joyce's first recommend to our book club, read it, watched the movie too. Very melancholic and lovely. Just read The Help and highly advise you all to grab a copy and power through it...ah, it made me feel so much!!! Our book club is reading it, and I can't wait for the chat!

    Love your idea Pat about feeling sad once a day. Good advice.

    Happy reading, happy travels!

    ReplyDelete