I have just realised that today is Saturday, and tomorrow will be two weeks since I left. How do I feel? Well if today is anything to go by absolutely emotionally exhausted. Everything is just so intense, and so full on all the time.
I spent most of the day with a sore ear, which I have only just figured out is a Mosquito bite….due to my wonderful googling skills, who needs a doctor?? To be honest, it only really hurts when I touch it…but I keep touching it to see if it still hurts, which it does…so that means it pretty much hurts all the time!!
Let’s face it after the high of ‘Saint Gayle Super Saver of Small puppies’ day yesterday, there was bound to be an adjustment falling back into mere mortal existence!
So I started with my meditation course this morning, which wasn’t so much a meditation course but a mini teaching from a female monk! She was a lovely, friendly old lady who sat me down, gave me a pen to make notes and started to talk. After a couple of minutes, she clearly felt I wasn’t taking my note taking seriously enough and so she confiscated my pen and paper and started making the notes for me. The talk was for an hour, with the next one at
I was then told to go away and learn all she had told me in time for our next session at 4. Sounded easier enough, after all, I had 5 hours. So I found a small cafe where I thought I could get a quiet Chai and read my book (….um…sorry I meant learn my notes;-) Think again.
There was this massive family of about 12-14 sitting at a long table, and before I knew what was happening the girls had all come over to me, sat down and just started giggling.
Then their translator appeared a young boy of about 16 who started filling me in on the entire family history….”Mother”, “brothers”, “granny”, “sisters”….
And then, of course, more photo’s of all of them!!
It never ceases to amaze me the absolute fascination with cameras over here.
About 20minutes later they all left, with me promising yet again to send more people copies of their photo’s…
After that, I went to another Jain temple, pretty similar to the Marble one in Janapur and then I only had 4 hours left till my next lesson. What to do, what to do? Sore head, grumpy demeanour and people stopping me every 5 minutes for photographs!
As beautiful as Mount Abu is the relentless curiosity of everyone means you can’t simply just sit down and enjoy it. So I made an executive decision that I was definitely not going to be able to take another 2 days of this. And so I set off to go and make my apologies to my teacher lady friend. I was really hoping that she wouldn’t be there in person, but she was and trying to explain to her why I didn’t want to finish the 3-day course wasn’t really easy. Eventually, she said she would do it quickly for me….which I didn’t have the heart to say no to, she was so sweet. So I sat and listened for another 40 minutes or so until at last, she said. “Now you ask questions….” I started: “Well it’s just I feel…..” and off she went again explaining what she had already explained 5 minutes before, and 2 hours before that. At this point, I simply nodded smiled and listened!! I came away quite proud that I am clearly a lot more knowledgeable about spirituality that I give myself credit for…
And thus brings an end to my day. I tried to be adventures earlier and go and eat in a restaurant I had read about, but when I eventually found it (this city is a maze) I was highly disappointed so ended up going back to the place I went to last night. Felt like having something normal so ordered a pizza with double cheese. What I got was a really tasty squashed bread roll with cheese. Felt even more disappointed and left. Came home, googled ear symptoms….(just to make sure it wasn’t fatal) ..thought about how nice it would be to have a decent conversation with someone (its been over a week now – ‘foodie’ idiots last night don’t count) Went upstairs, packed….brushed teeth, sat on bed…looked at time….DAM only 8.30pm. Too early to go to bed, can’t call anyone, can’t smoke!!!! (It’s been a week now too) Eventually decided to come and annoy my loved ones with a mundane, “I don’t have anything to say other than “I am bored out of my scull email!!!”
And I do believe that’s exactly what I have done!:-)
At times it’s pretty lonely been alone traveler…but tomorrow is another day!:-)
Prayers and thoughts for sore ear, please!!!