Trip to Dharamsala

This is, or so I always imagine to it to be, the pinnacle of my trip. I am going to Dharamsala, the Tibetan exile capital in India, to see HH Dalai Lama speak. My flight from Chennai to Dharamsala started in the wee hours of the morning. And my transport from one to the other felt like a dream. Around 4am, I left my house and stepped out to find a taxi ordered from a company a few doors down. For a total of US$5, I was picked up by an all-white 1950s car kept in mint condition, much like the type on the streets of Cuba. It was driven by a chauffeur wearing white shirt and pantaloons to match.

The flight to Dharamsala had an eclectic mix of characters. A mixed korean-french family with three children, a sikh backpacker without a turban (his hair was tied in a bun), a yuppie couple wearing stylish shades and pumas, two Buddhist monks pulling their wheelies, and a few other mix of ethnicities, castes, religions, on all of whose faces I superimposed my own excitement and feeling of anticipation. The man I sat next to is an American from California (who never gave his name). He is a realtor by trade, a business major by study, and a libertarian by philosophy. I had an interesting conversation with him that started with the discussion of Buddhist mindfulness and how he has used it to overcome his fear of flying, to in fact arrive at Dharamsala. I have to say, that even though, I did not agree with any of his political, philosophical, or moral views, I thought it very admirable that he was here. This was peak season for his company business and he snuck away to see something, he thought was important. And he said, that my money is the least important thing for happiness, a statement you would be hardpressed to find from most capitalist libertarian Republicans. And I was quite lucky also to have met this conservative hippie. He had a taxi set up from the airport to his posh hotel half an hour away so I got to hitch a ride with him all the way to my destination.

The next 10 days will be spent at the teaching and in contemplation. I will not be posting anymore, so don’t worry about me if you don’t hear from me (especially mama). I arrived safely and I’m enjoying the peace at the foot of the Himalayas. Love and Om. ;)