I have to admit I was somewhat scared of India before coming here. I had heard about the heat, the noise, squalor and congestion, touts and hustlers. There is all of that but there is also so much more.
A land of over a billion people it is a land of incredible contrasts that delights and distresses in the same breath.
We've visited Hindu, Sikh, Jain, Buddhist and Muslim temples and mosques. Survived the scalding Thar desert and the heights of the Himalayas. Marvelled at the awesome Taj, the palaces and forts of Rajasthan and the mystical monastaries of Ladakh. Travelled by train, taxi, plane, shikara, tuktuk, rickshaw, horse and camel. Seen stunning scenery and sometimes devastating pollution and poverty and have met some wonderful people of all cultures, religions and walks of life.
I'll borrow a saying from the the stoned art cafe in Dharamsala. The world is not made up of the collision and chemistry of atoms but the meeting and chemistry of humans and the stories they make together (o.k I think I changed that a bit). But it is the people you meet and share time with in your travels that make it special.
Alot of travellers come to India for spiritual knowledge and enlightenment. I've certainly gained in knowledge but my spiritual muse still has to be this blue world that we all live in. India has it all. The grandeur of the mountains in Ladakh, the tranquility of the lakes and rivers in Kashmir, fabulous wildlife, an immense desert, beautiful people and an incredibly rich diverse heritage. But it threatens to be overwhelmed by pollution, poverty and carelessness. Somehow we all have to be responsible for that. India certainly gets under your skin and in to your heart and I've grown to love this country, warts and all.
Time to start the journey home. Thank you to those who read my ramblings. I can't wait to see my special people in New Zealand.
Namaste Sandy
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