Bea goes to India 2006

A place to house periodic comments from Bea while she backpacks her way through India and Nepal.

Sunday, March 19, 2006

Rishikesh

Rishikesh is a touristy, hippy sort of place, IN THE MOUNTAINS -- it is wonderful to have green and rocks and terrain that reminds me of Utah -- although the vegetation and the dwellings are certainly distinct.

we arrived on Wednesday, have a yoga class 6:30 am - 8 am each morning.... took a "little hike" on thursday, a "longer hike, but not that challenging" on friday, and "a stroll" today -- will have a "long hike" tomorrow as well...

I put the definitions in quotes because it is all relative! the little hike was the first time I used my poles and my hiking shoes outside [I had been wearing them on the treadmill]-- they both felt a bit awkward and I started a blister on one heel.

the longer hike started with a 1-hour bus ride -- then one hour UP to a temple, and about 5 hours walking back down to town. along the way we were treated to stunning scenery, waterfalls, rice fields, villages, the upper ganges river, white sparkly sand beaches, cliffs to scramble over, and a view of the temples and bridge lit by the evening sun... it was lovely. I was much more comfortable with my poles and acquired 3 more blisters [didn't want that first one to get lonely! ]

yesterday we hired a jeep and drove out of this area for meat and beer -- not that beer interests me overmuch, but the trip and the meat were nice, and I enjoyed the company! we were a little bit anxious that we would be ill from the street food, but so far no more delicate in digestion than normal.

this morning after yoga class we had a meditation lesson -- my knees screamed at me -- definitely not going to join THAT practice, which even required them to sleep in full lotus posture!

our stroll was two hours long -- up to a road and then a circle in the hills above the road -- purely by accident we came out mere feet from where we started -- along the way saw elephant poo and a peacock feather [heard the peacock, but didn't see it -- and elephant sightings are more common in the early morning]

I had a reiki treatment this afternoon -- will need to call Andy and find out time for dinner, since the rest of the group set off on their own... may also find myself a spot by the river to watch the evening prayers -- guess it will depend on my whim

this week I am 2ic -- second in command. the person who is team leader is the least interested in her role and doesn't particularly like me, so it will be an interesting week. Next week I am leader and enjoy the person who will be my 2ic, then I go down to the bottom of the list again -- journal and photographer... we are all basically being a bit uninterested in writing the journal -- feels a bit exploitive of our experience for VentureCo to use it in marketing. so far the worst job has been accounts [the one I just finished] -- perhaps because we went to TGI Friday's in Delhi and seriously overspent -- our budget typically allows 2,100 rupees, and we spent 15,000 -- we increased it to 3,600 rupees, and then I had to collect the balance from people depending on what they had.... euw.

tomorrow we hike, tuesday we return to Delhi, and then on Thursday it is off to the Tiger reserve... seriously excited about it -- perhaps we can be fortunate enough to have the guides find a recent kill and we will then ride off into the jungle on the back of elephants to see.....