Vipassana course completed!

Vipassana course completed! :o). Sitting, trying not to move for 10 hours a day for 10 days was not an easy task. Wake up at 4am, lights out at 9.30pm. Nobel silence for 9 days, eating only fruit after 11am lunch. Time seemed to stand still. I could write a book about it, to make it quick….

Did I enjoy it? NO, not one bit.

Did I learn from it? YES, loads and I can now calm my mind and sit still for an hour.

How did I feel now? I feel rejuvenated, body and mind cleansed :o)

Would I do it again?  NO WAY!!!

I’m back in Kathmandu again deciding what to do next. I was hoping to go to Ladek in India, but can’t get back into India until end of July. Once you leave India you can’t return for two months….crazy!! I went to the Indian Embassy yesterday to see if I could pay to go back sooner but nope :o(

I might make my way over to Thailand, will look at flights today.

Still in Pokhara

I’m still in Pokhara, i never went to the yoga retreat in the end. I hiked an hour up the mountain and decided against it after the host said i would have to share a room. Part of me is turning into “The Idiot Abroad”, after my hideous dormitory experience in Gangtok, sharing a room with someone you have contact with all day is not my idea of a “retreat”.

I’ve been taking it easy these last few days. Lots of meals, a few beers here and there, a bit of sightseeing. The weight that i lost is back on :o(. 

I’m off to Kathmandu on Monday as i’m booked on the 10 Vipassana Meditation Course, now that will be a challenge! Elizabeth at the school raved about it. Ten days mediation in silence…at least if i stay in a dorm there, i won’t have to listen to endless talking. A lot of people leave before the end of the course…i wonder how i do?

I do love it here in Pokhara…..especially compared to Kathmandu, the hotels are lovely and clean (which is perfect for OCD Liz). I’m spoiling myself by staying in a wonderful hotel for £2.60/night! Which reminds me….the girls I met in Kathmandu had rats living under their beds! Which doesn’t surprise me as you could see rats running through the resturant. OH MY GOD!!!..... i hope i don’t have rats at my meditation course :o(…..i could not deal with that.

Last night, i had a great laugh with Paddy, a photographer from Cork. We ended up in a hidden away Tibetan bar, where we danced to their traditional music..wished i had taken some photos! Paddy is on an around the world trip, he has taken the most stunning photos. Checkout his website http://pburnsdimage.com/

Fewa Lake

on my boat ride across the lake

I had a great chat with Norris and Bob, i think they were pulling my leg!

Hurry up Paddy, Happy Hour has started!!
You can just see the Annapurna Mountains in the backround

Kathmandu to Chitwan and now in Pokhara, Nepal :o)....more pictures to follow

Today is Tuesday 7^th June…time is whizzing by…i can’t wait for mid August as a very special person is coming out to visit me in Thailand.. :o)

I arrived in Pokhara on Saturday 4^th. The weather was shining, the views of the river and the mountains… breathtaking!  I bought myself some a nice trekking backpack and investigated what treks would be suitable for me…..ok sorted..or so I thought! Since that it has rained, rained and rained. I managed to get an early morning walk in yesterday before the rain. So instead of trekking I have booked a three day yoga/meditation course. Depending on how it goes I might stay on longer. This will be a completely new experience for me…and can’t wait…heading off after I’ve posted this.

Phewa Lake

Kathmandu…interesting and busy!

My view on Kathmandu changed once I got my laptop back. It’s  an interesting place and there is lots to see. The food is great and there are loads of bars, I met some lovely girls from England. But to be honest…it’s far too busy for me...i must be getting old! I was there for 3 or 4 nights (can't remember), three days strikes in that time. Stones where being thrown at my bus when entering Kathmandu...with that and my laptop being stolen... was not a good start!!

r

local people expressing their political views

View from The Curry House (best curry so far)

Durbar Square

School thing is not happening in Chitwan...what to do now??

Well I met up with the volunteer guy is Kathmandu…and to keep a long story short, i’m not going ahead with the Chitwan project, I’m not saying it’s a scam but all is not as transparent as I would like. The guy told me not to say a lot of things to the school on arrival…. such as how much money I was going to give him (which was a lot more than originally planned) …so i’m gone with my gut instinct which is to stay well clear of it and gave him nothing!

I stayed in Chitwan for a few days and just relaxed. I was going to go on a safari walk but thought better of it after ready a blog on the net. It said that it’s hard to find an experienced guide as most of them get killed on the job. A few of the locals confirmed this and on my second day, one of the guides got badly attacked by a Rhino!

Photos of last few days at school - the feelings im left with......

Travelling backwards here, but want to share the last few days at the school with you. I have had the most amazing experience with the children that I shall never forget! I love their purity, unspoiltness, eagerness to learn, their love and appreciation. Just for you to call them by there name appears to be giving them a gift of importance that will encourage them to move on in life. These kids are the lucky ones, only one child from a family can attend the school, the other family members have to live with the fact that their future is an uneducated one. In most cases living with abusive families, having no food and no love. This future will most likely be passed onto their children’s future..:o(
Moving on…not sure how to describe the loveliness and simplicity of it all. I shall never forget the feeling of sunshine in my heart as the rain fell and my luckiness to have experienced the beauty of a little hand in mine, a shiny face with a radiant smile...saying thank you miss for loving me!!
The experience has definitely made me more appreciative of my own life. I’m one of the lucky ones, I’ve been blessed by being brought up in the most loving family I could have ever have hoped for. I have never wanted for anything and most importantly of all ....i have always felt loved, cared for and safe. Thank you mum and dad (miss you dad..RIP) for giving me such a special love and a gorgeous family...i love and miss you mum, dad, Jo, John and Fi ..and everyone else XXX.
backwards here, but want to share the last few days at the school with you. I have had the most amazing experience with children that I shall never forget! I love their purity, unspoiltness, eagerness to learn , their love and appreciation. Just for you to call them by name appears to be giving them a gift of importance that will encourage them to move on in life. These kids are the lucky ones, only one child from a family can attend the school, the other family members have to live with the fact that their future is an uneducated one. In most cases living with abusive families, having no food and no love. This future will most likely be pass on to their children’s future..:o(
Moving on…not sure how to describe the loveliness and simplicity of it all. I shall never forget the feeling of sunshine in my heart as the rain fell and my luckiness to have experienced the beauty of a little hand in mine, a shiny face with a radiant smile...saying thank you miss for loving me!!
The experience has definitely made me more appreciative of my own life. I’m one of the lucky ones, I’ve been blessed by being brought up in the most loving family I could have ever have hoped for. I have never wanted for anything and most importantly of all ....i have always felt loved, cared for and safe. Thank you mum and dad (miss you dad..RIP) for giving me such a special love and a gorgeous family...i love and miss you mum, dad, Jo, John and Fi ..and everyone else XXX.

prayer time

Sital…my favourite ..(not that I could ever say that), he made my laugh, smile and was so helpful in class, I love that fact that he was NEVER without a smile….he has no idea when his birthday is and had no shoes and a sore finger!!! Which I just told him he was so brave for...hence the most gorgeous smile....Sital ..i will NEVER forget you :o)

playtime in the hostel

playtime in the hostel

after school on a Saturday

Reading a bedtime story, afterwards you get lots of “thank you miss” “goodnight miss, sweet dreams” and lots and lots of hugs and kisses

on our night walk before prayer time...just look at their happy faces :o)

on our walk

in the classroom, they love having thier picture taken

my bedtime story worked! one asleep at least

 

if your happy and you know it ...let me know!!!