Katmandu Nepal

Well the train ride seemed easy compared to today's flight to Nepal. I feel more tired at the end of this day then I did after 2 days on a train. Funny, don't ya think?

Well a new country can be exhausting when you are traveling alone. Then you don't find the people you are going to meet. This is followed up by a nice Monsoon downpour. No lunch. Add in hours of waiting and unfruitful phone calls and you have it. A day fit to zap your energy resources. It's just that simple.

The end result is that at sundown I have found the place I am staying. So now I took a nice walk, checked my email and go to bed.

.....END connection

One more before…..Delhi.

Heading out seems like a simple thing to do until you remember all the stuff that you have to wrap up before going. So there was no a lot sleeping last night just trying to get things done. I received information to update the Bodhi Center’s website but it was done in MS works. And there was no quick fix with the tools I had on had. So I had to do just some minor changes instead of the major update to the website, which I was planning on doing. Then there is many things that need doing for the DRELOMA publication. Mostly busy work but I have run out of time. I had thought of lugging the laptop on the train but that didn’t pan out. Plus I wanted to travel light. In the end the light packing seems heavy to me. It is not the 75 kg I came with but it is more then I care to haul around for extended periods of time.

So it seems I lucked out with my traveling companion Geshe Dakpa Jampa. We can communicate he has lots of experience with the run from Hubli to Delhi. Since this is only my second time on this run, almost everyone has more experience then me. The first time was so exhausting for me that I have not been to Delhi since February 2004. Therefore I am hopping that since I have been in India longer that I can roll with the punches better.

Heading off with out a computer to download to will be interesting. I have taken almost a Gigabyte in memory sticks. I will have to revert back to a limited film style of picture taking. I was enjoying playing the odds. If you take 1000 photos then one of them is bound to be pretty good. Now I will have to use some skill instead of dumb luck.

So at this point I have tickets that will get me to Katmandu, Nepal. Now if I can only get some for a return journey. There nothing like the feeling of having a one-way ticket to a semi-stable country.

It is time to get a bite to eat and then head to the train station.


UPDATE:
Well it has been raining here non-stop for 2 days, so the reason that the train is 3 hours late could be due to flooding of the tracks between Hubli and Goa, where the train originates from. I knew you needed to know this.

This could be a glass half full kind of time. B+

Free Time in Hubli

A new day a new plan. It has been a pretty good day. The ATM machines decided to be helpful for once after their long hiatus from customer service. So yes an entire day used just on one thing. A whole day.

The one up side is I get to see all the posters for the Thai movie “Ong Bak” but the title here in India is “Enter the NEW Dragon”. The posters boast about how there are no stunt doubles, wires or other special effects for the action in this movie. They also comment that it took seven years to make this movie. That fact that the movie is just being released here in 2005 amuses me since I saw the movie back in the summer of 2003. The only advantage of seeing it here is that it would be in English. I have only seen the original Thai version.

So now things are coming together. A train ticket, money for food, and now I just have to pack a few things and get on the never-ending train ride.

I mentioned before that I have been taking photos for some of the events at and around the monastery. Well one of them was at the school. Since everyone was together for this 10 year building anniversary they asked if we could do a group photo. After I got back and looked at the photos on my computer I was a little embarrassed that the photo didn’t come out as clear as I would have hoped. So I reluctantly showed the photos to the people at the school. It turns out they liked it. Enough that fifteen 8x12 glossy photos have been printed so far with a new list of students wanting more. Since I am here as a volunteer I don’t make any profit off this. Everything for this is done even-Steven, I make no money but I don’t wish to lose any either so everything is at cost. Therefore the number of prints they want doesn’t matter to me. I am just surprised how many copies they are getting. If there was some special guest or dignitary visiting then I could understand the need for so many copies. Another angle would be that some how this photo is as good or some how better then what they have had locally. This is possible but I think is would be sad if it is true.

I should be able to try another blog from Delhi…..see ya then.

Update Thursday

There seems like so much to do and so little time. This is a true and false statement. There is enough time to do everything but things take more time then they should from all participants that it feels like it can't be done in time. I do mean that yes I am included.

There is a magazine to complete, files to work thought, computers/websites which need attention, photos that people want taken and I am yet to find a "happy" ATM in the past 3 months which will actually dispense money. Not that heading off to Nepal with less then $20 USD in my pocket worries me. I also have a train ticket to Delhi so by that time I won't have to worry about money. There may be none left after the 38 hour train ride. Nothing left then nothing to worry about RIGHT?

So yeah I get to go see Nepal since it is close and cheap. I will even stay at some factory for housing just to keep the costs low. Then there is the traveling alone. That is the only major drag. I can live with an unstable political environment but if there is no one to share the experience then what fun is it? Its all about the people that you are with not the location or the other tangible things.

The solution is the "get to know me" style of travel. Where every one will want to meet me and they really don't know why. It works with a lot of proper body language, positive upbeat way of speaking, and reminding everyone you interact with that there is some good in them.

That is all for me. I need to get back to the wheel which grinds.

Updating from Loseling Monastery

The week is coming to a close. I have time to update this blog since I am waiting to download virus definitions. This requires supervision since the dial up connection could be lost, the power could go out, or some other problem that is almost un-heard of in-dem 1st world countries, don’t ya’ know.

I have been setting up some new computers for the monastery this past week. The new computers need to be activated by Internet connection or by phone. That is fine until the phone stops working. So I filled the down time by install programs, drivers, fonts, etc.

Then there are updates that have to be done. Even after the phone line is fixed, many of the updates are too large. My only hope is to call on my (very kind) friends in other countries to download what I need and send me a CD with the works. So this simple project to replace 5 computers needs a global village to get it done.

Other events would be that the other westerner in the area who has been here for the last 7+ years teaching English is leaving. So I have been receiving more requests for English classes. I would love to help them but my understanding of the English language is rather limited. What I know is what sounds right to me. So as a teacher I don’t think I would have much to offer beyond conversation classes. We will see how it goes.

Activities to fill my time have been taking pictures for an array of things and people. If you wish to see some of my photos then go to Bodhi Center of Yakima. Many of these are of the new prayer hall that is being constructed. Not to be boarding but that is the largest project that is going in this area.

Example 1: I take photos of the monks so they can send them back to family and friends. Something that they wouldn’t normally do unless there was some major event but family and friends don’t always want to wait that long.

Example 2: I have been taking photos for the Drepung Gomang’s Art tour for North America. A must see event. This group of monks has been working for over a year and a half to create a new monastic tour. So even if you have seen the Gomang tour before this has was you liked from before and many new things. If you go see them then you will most likely see my photos almost every aspect of the tour. Photos of the paintings to pictures to help with the art classes they will be teaching. Then there is the group photo.

I think you get the idea….lots of photos.

So tune in next time when you might hear me say, “Man, form here it takes three times longer to publish a new post then it does to write it.”

Why do people do it?

When in India never get anything fixed. When some piece of equipment breaks down just think of it as a chance to upgrade. “Why?” you may ask, because the time it takes to get it fixed is more costly then just buy the thing new.

If you are buying in India, then only get what is factory sealed and on the shelf. Do not order anything. Otherwise you have just become a member of a series of stupid games that people like to play here. The irony is that the games are what keep shops from making a lot of money. Shooting one’s self in one’s on foot kind of games.

I guess people like pain. I know I don't.

Banglore or Bust

After a quick 2.4 months of waiting I am getting to head to Bangalore in search of deals on computer parts. Mentally you know that in India things take longer do ……anything. It is not until you try to accomplish something that you realize how long it takes. The desire for simple shopping experience is longed for, greatly.

So I am heading 8 hours away by train to check prices. Now many of you may say, “Hey why don’t you just call them up or send them an email.” That is what I would do if I were working in a business system of government-enforced trust. That is missing here. So handholding and you have to check everything yourself. Most my energy is spent playing stupid games and little business takes place.

The games are the reason I don’t get out much. I prefer the slow relaxed atmosphere of where I am. There is work to be done but you don’t have to waste time playing games. You don’t have think that every stranger that talks to you wants something. It’s the little things in life….

So I should go hop on a train now. Hello to all that find this posting.

Once more around

This is the news.

After long toil and waiting and …….I have come to know that I will be here on the flip side for one more spin around the sun. The details have not been sent to me yet. The up side is that I can start planning a direction to go. “So I got that goin' for me, which is nice.”

Now I need to make arrangements to go to Thailand or some place in Jan. Also see if it is not too late to go south for His Holiness’s teachings in December.
That is what I know for now. My brain can’t figure out another thing to write about. So…

END

What do you do when.......

At what point do you just say enough is enough. I am lost for the answer. When you try but everything you try seems to meet with a lack of communication that leads to lost of time, money and effort on all sides. What do you do? I mean what amazing power must I have to be the only one to think the way that I do? For the life of me I can’t figure it out. All I use is a simple set of rules. If you can do something to help others and you then do it. You get two things done at the same time so it is saving time. Some small extra effort on your side can help make someone else’s work easier later on. This is good because that someone else can be the future you.
Just two minutes of thought can bring so much better results then just focusing on your work and the rest of the world be dammed.

This is just basic stuff. It is trying to understand why others don’t think like this is what makes my head hurt.

The Emerald Hotel, BKK

This has been an experience I could never have planned or saw coming. I needed to leave India so that I could renew my visa. Having a few friends in Thailand I came here to see some sites and experience life here. This means that I am staying with one of my friend’s family here in Thailand. I have been at a Tibetan Buddhist monastery in a rather remote part of India for a few months now. There I had a nice and comfortable room. Then I came to Thailand.

Lest just say I have been spoiled by all the creature comforts of having power 24/7 and AC to boot. These are things many who read this might say “So what?” Well you have to add power management to dictate what things you do that day on the computer, well your perspective changes. It becomes a little exciting to be able to turn a switch and the light comes on, every time.

As for the title "Yak -> Loseling -> ?"of this scroll well Yakima is where I grew up and Loseling is where I am at now. After Loseling I have not planned my life out. It is useless for me to plan. I have sketched out in the past how I was going to do things. Yet it I never seem to fallow my own map. Don’t get me wrong. It has not been a bad trip by any means but I know now that no one could have charted this journey.

Tashi Delek

When someone tells you to update your blog....First you have to get one.
That is how this one got started. The title will need more then 4 min of time I have at this point and time so...please visit again.