Nov 12, 2008 - McLeod Ganj (Dharamshala)

11-12 Slowly slowly…brkfast on the terrace overlooking valley – wooded w/ pines & interspersed w/ hotels.11-12 Slowly slowly…brkfast on the terrace overlooking valley – wooded w/ pines & interspersed w/ hotels....

Jun 11, 2008 - McLeod Ganj

I hate night buses as much as I love night trains, this one was no real improvement although there were only 4 non-gentiles. I'd just returned to something resembling sleep when I was woken up again by the bus boy, this time shouting "Dharamsala, Dharamsala!" It was only 4:20am! When very few people got off I figured that the bus was actually going to drive all the way up to McLeod saving the local bus or rickshaw ride. ... By now the storm had been going for well over an hour and didn't show any signs of diminishing, at least the sewage smell had now gone, presumably washed most of the way down to Dharamsala. ... I was starting to get hungry but there was no way you could go out in that.I hate night buses as much as I love night trains, this one was no real improvement although there were only 4 non-gentiles. I'd just returned to something resembling sleep when I was woken up again by the bus boy, this time shouting "Dharamsala, Dharamsala!" It was only 4:20am! When very few people got off I figured that the bus was actually going to drive all the way up to McLeod saving the local bus or rickshaw ride. ... By now the storm had been going for well over an hour and didn't show any signs of diminishing, at least the sewage smell had now gone, presumably washed most of the way down to Dharamsala. ... I was starting to get hungry but there was no way you could go out in that....

Jun 3, 2008 - Katmandu-New Dehli and Dharamshala!

The last couple of days in Kathmandu were eventful indeed!I started off at Pata, which is the second biggest "town " in the Kathmandu vally.The last couple of days in Kathmandu were eventful indeed!I started off at Pata, which is the second biggest "town " in the Kathmandu vally....

May 17, 2008 - Tibetans in exile

By Elizabeth “I find the great thing in this world is not so much where we stand, as in what direction we are moving: To reach the port of heaven, we must sail sometimes with the wind and sometimes against it, but we must sail, and not drift, nor lie at anchor. For the past two weeks we have been doing volunteer work in northern India in a town called Dharamsala (more to follow about our volunteer experience in a different posting). ... About 9 km uphill from Dharamsala in these mountains is the small town of McLeodganj, where India has granted Tibetans exile status from the Chinese government. ... McLeodganj was created in 1959, ten years after the Chinese government invaded Tibet and began what many feel is a repression of Tibetan culture and their Buddhist religion.By Elizabeth “I find the great thing in this world is not so much where we stand, as in what direction we are moving: To reach the port of heaven, we must sail sometimes with the wind and sometimes against it, but we must sail, and not drift, nor lie at anchor. For the past two weeks we have been doing volunteer work in northern India in a town called Dharamsala (more to follow about our volunteer experience in a different posting). ... About 9 km uphill from Dharamsala in these mountains is the small town of McLeodganj, where India has granted Tibetans exile status from the Chinese government. ... McLeodganj was created in 1959, ten years after the Chinese government invaded Tibet and began what many feel is a repression of Tibetan culture and their Buddhist religion....

Feb 8, 2008 - Amritsar and McLeod Ganj, India

Made it to Delhi on a 3 1/2 hour flight that lasted closer to 12 hours. From there took a train to Pathankot (3 hours)and a bus onward to Dharamsala (6 hours - due to washed out roads). ... Caught a taxi to McLeod Ganj (10 harrowing but laughable minutes), the home of the Dalai Lama in exile.Made it to Delhi on a 3 1/2 hour flight that lasted closer to 12 hours. From there took a train to Pathankot (3 hours)and a bus onward to Dharamsala (6 hours - due to washed out roads). ... Caught a taxi to McLeod Ganj (10 harrowing but laughable minutes), the home of the Dalai Lama in exile....

Dec 9, 2007 - McLeod Ganj

As we love the mountains, we decided to head to Northern India first before it got too cold up there.As we love the mountains, we decided to head to Northern India first before it got too cold up there....

Nov 20, 2007 - Tanya Meets the Dalai Lama

The course was in Dharamsala (12 hours north of Dehli in the foothills of the Himalayas) which is where the Dalai Lama lives--an appropriate place to learn about Buddhism I thought. ... I spent a few days being a tourist in Dharamsala before checking in at the Tushita Centre and taking a vow of silence along with 45 others in hopes of learning something about inner peace and the path to enlightenment. ... So whereas most countries who want him to come can sponsor a teaching and invite him, some countries sponsor a teaching and then go to him in Dharamsala. ... There was a Buddhist group of Russians and Mongolians who had sponsored a teaching and then raised money to all go to Dharamsala (because the Dalai Lama can't go to Russia), so that's why he was giving the teaching. ... the 800 rupee sleeper seat that I paid for to get to Delhi from Dharamsala was apparently "over-booked" and I spent the awesome 12 hour, over-night ride in the tiny driver's cabin with 5 other "bus worker guys"--you know the ones that hang out the doors and yell at people (who were all chain smokers) on a fold down seat the size of one of my ass cheeks. ...

Oct 7, 2007 - McLeod Ganj - Where the Dalai Lama lives in exile

Hello everyone! I think this will be my last post as I return home shortly.Hello everyone! I think this will be my last post as I return home shortly....

Sep 30, 2007 - FREE TIBET!

Hey guys, it's been a while since we last wrote but that's mainly cuz we've been being lazy bums and chilling in McLeod Ganj- home to his Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama! LEGEND! Because His Holiness was forced out of Tibet by the Chinese military (and now Tibet is effectively under Chinese rule) there is a lot of "FREE TIBET" and "TAKE TIBET TO THE BEJING 2008" talk in this town. We arrived after a very stressful bus journey- taking a total of 13 hours from start to finish! The bus conductor was abusing his position by not just taking his passengers to Dharamsala but also delivering copius bags of groceries to all the local towns! Joke. ... And then, just as we got close, we got into a tight spot with a jeep on a very narrow road which resulted in our bus stalling and not starting again! The bus driver shouted something in Hindi and all the blokes jumped off and started to push! Luckily it re-started! Dharamsala bus station was pitch black and Steve had to get up on the roof to retrieve the bags. ...

Apr 30, 2007 - McLeod Ganj - Jez gets robbed for the 3rd time

Hi all, Please enjoy the Indian photos on the site as there will be no more to upload since the last lot as somebody is currently looking at them with his trousers around his ankles thinking he has his hands on a batch of western porn flicks.Hi all, Please enjoy the Indian photos on the site as there will be no more to upload since the last lot as somebody is currently looking at them with his trousers around his ankles thinking he has his hands on a batch of western porn flicks....

Mar 10, 2007 - Dust bunnies and shoving monks.

Today is the 28th anniversary of the Tibetan Uprising and as such there is a day off from HH's teachings.Today is the 28th anniversary of the Tibetan Uprising and as such there is a day off from HH's teachings....

Mar 1, 2007 - Special times in McLeod Gange

There have been a few complaints that I have been remiss in my blog postings of late. So why I hear you say, if I feel so anxious about returning to India am I bothering? About a month ago I rearranged all my plans so that I could be in McLeod Gange/Dharamsala in order to see someone very special. ... Dharamsala is the seat of the Tibetan Government in exile and from March 4th to 15th HH the Dali Lama is conducting his annual spring teaching (http://www. ... dalailama.There have been a few complaints that I have been remiss in my blog postings of late. So why I hear you say, if I feel so anxious about returning to India am I bothering? About a month ago I rearranged all my plans so that I could be in McLeod Gange/Dharamsala in order to see someone very special. ... Dharamsala is the seat of the Tibetan Government in exile and from March 4th to 15th HH the Dali Lama is conducting his annual spring teaching (http://www. ... dalailama....