Day 3 continued - 19 November 2011 - The home of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama - Dharamasala

The view from the home of  the Dalai Lama

To be updated as from 24 May 2012..............

Saturday 19 November 2011 - Day 3 - From overnight train to dusty roads

Music to listen to whilst reflecting....................

Postcard 3 - Journal notes

At 07:00hrs we arrive at Pathankat Station. If I recall correctly, none of us felt particularly clean or invigorated. Another mad dash to make sure belongings are strapped to backs, and no one is left behind. We pass through the station where we are met by two drivers, splitting the team and allocating to vehicles while loading and tying down backpacks to the roof of people carriers.  Our next stop was for breakfast at the Jyoti to enjoy a feast of omelettes, bread, jams, honey and chai a spice milk tea. A quick chance to baby wipe freshen up, brush teeth before boarding vehicles for a two hour plus road journey to our next stay in Surya (meaning sun) Resort Hotel Dharamshala. The hotel is located in McLeod Ganj, a village within the Dharamshala municipality, the home of the  Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, and the exiled Tibetan government. 

My camera was glued to my eye, with my good ear alert (I am almost deaf in my right ear), trying to keep grounded, but in contradiction, capture and record as much as possible.  The sun rays, dust, views, warmth, speed, colours, sounds, create mixed emotions from relaxed to excited. To never wanting to return to the UK rat race. Music and vehicle horns compete to be heard. We pass vans packed tight, logo’s with “Blow your horn if you want to pass” with people heading to work or who knows?  Although vehicles travel at speed and have no road safety order there’s no road rage.  Unlike back home in the U.K.

Two or more hours later we arrive at our hotel.  Jane has paired off trekkers. My roomie? Hazel.  We love our room and politely check out who wants what bed and would like to shower first.  We freshen up, change and sort luggage with short spells of conversation as we settle in and prepare for the trek. This is such a different experience to the Sahara Desert Trek 2010. We were almost thrown straight into trekking. This trek provided advance days of over eating, sight seeing and moving from plane, train and auto-mobile. It made me somewhat nervous thinking I would become lazy and lose motivation.