Oops! I'm sorry-at the end of last blog, I mentioned "sanchey panni"-and my good son, both Tibetan and American sons-keep correcting me: it's "Chesso Panni"-anyways, we finally cleared the border patrols, both sides and quickly kicked the old bus into top gear-India hit us with heat and humanity like no other country can. Cows, carts, exploding music-melee-it is an ordered chaos that mysteriously works. I had several books to read, but it was hard to keep my eyes off the amazing parade of unexpected scenes passing by. The heat and humidity rose in our tin can on wheels, and we all dozed off and on, occasionally the driver would pull over, on the "highway" for a toilet break, men staggered off to whiz right alongside the bus, but where were the women to go? Definately something for Indian women to create a movement about and maybe the next HANDS in Nepal project. Once, there was a stop by a field overgrown with weeds, and a few women holding their saris up around their knees, wandered way back of the field so I followed suit and joined them in trying our best to squat in a country known for cobras in fields.
We travelled all that day and into the night. The driver pulled over late, about 10 pm at a truck joint that looked like it was holding either a Xmas party or a disco night,so strewn with colored lights and sparkling adornments! We ate chowmein and talked to our new Tibetan friend about American myths: such as "is it true Americans kiss dogs? And sleep with their animals? Are Americans really really fat? Does every American own a car?" I think all the "myths" they asked were not myths at all and true, but I then ponited out some cultural things most Americans find hard to believe: is it true cows roam free here? Is it true you cannot marry out of caste? Is it true Tibetans really do walk over the Himalayas for weeks to escape Chinese oppression? All true.
The next morning I was giddy with relief and self-congratulations that we were about to pull into Delhi and the trip was soon over-well, the first leg of it. Delhi is huge-you come into it with slums, and industrial mish-mash of factories, and more and more traffic. Suddenly we were on a freeway overpass that seemed way too modern for our bus, and the shock of the modern world hit me with little warning. The bus trip ends at the Tibetan Colony in Delhi known as Manju Teela, and here is where we stepped into the wall of humid heat that knocks your sandals off. The usual taxi driver greeting met us, but I didn't have to worry with my two Tibetan friends to lead me across the busy street into the gates of Tibet Village and straigt to a Tibetan Guest House. The three of us got a room for the day, to shower, wash clothes and rest.
We were so shocked to open our luggace and find everything soggy and wet inside! Our bags had been under a tarp on top of the bus, so I was really surprised things got so wet. We had to wash out everthing becaue it smelled of mold and an entire suitcase of books I had brought for Tibet Hope Project had to be unpacked and spread about the room to dry. All the business cards I had printed in kathmandu for HANDS had to be peeled apart and spread everywhere to try and save them,(all 250 of them) and every article of goods, like yak hair blankets and hand bags, had to be hung to dry. The whole room looked like a camp of gypsies had set up shop in there, and we laughed despite our fallen spirits that our things were near ruin.
Tsering the girl knew a good Tibten tea house so we left our things to dry and went off to have some good butter tea and Tibetan bread and jam. Refreshed and so happy to be off the bus, we said our goodbyes to Tsering the girl, who left for her bus to south India and Tsering the guy and I bought tickets for that evening's bus to Mcloud Ganj, our final resting place. All too soon it was time to pack up our now dried goods and somewhat dry clothes, and head to a group of tourist buses with monks and Tibetans boarding.This bus was quite a bit more modern and nicer then the Nepali bus and we sunk into the plush seats thankfully. We slept most of that leg of the trip, completely exhausted by doing nothing but bus riding in heat, and by this morning, we were treated to the splendid sights of forests, villages in tea valleys and off in the distance, the Himalayas-and the cool air-what a reward!
Today, the crem de la crem was coming out of a tea house-of course it was Tibetan (!) to see a growing crowd of people lining up along the small main road here in McLo-we asked if someone important was coming, and were told the Dalai Lama's motorcade was coming into town! We got to see his car whiz by, but almost as fun was the crowd of well-wishers and jovial atmosphere as all his adoring fans waited in glee just to catch a glimpse of the great peace leader.
I ended today doing what I love to do in McLo-teach English to Tibetan refugees. As I sat across from a monk who only a few years ago walked out of Tibet to escape Chinese prosecution, and listened to his stories of before China and after, I felt this was so worth the 4 day bus trip. I wish everyone has this opportunity in this ilfetime to meet and work with these amazing Tibetan people! There is so much that can be done to help them, and I will write more in next blog about how to do that. It is a culture we need to preserve and help-I know of no other people who spend the great part of their lifetime praying and sending mantras out to the atmosphere for loving kindness and compassion for all living beings. Namaste-Tashi Delek and Tu de Chey for reading this-Jan
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