Back to familiar India...with Vanessa

A few things are different this year about my trip to India.  First of all, it’s not my trip to India, it’s “our” trip to India (Vanessa and myself).  Second, we are leaving later than normally; after the holiday season.  It was interesting to be in the US over Christmas and New Years after having missed it for a handful of years now.  I can honestly say that outside of seeing people who have that time off from work, I don’t miss it much.  The amount of advertising along with the focus on buying and showing your love for someone with how much you spend on them. Of all places to be, New York City emphasizes this more than anywhere. This is from someone who watches “Elf” 15 times a year.

We left to India on the 12^th of January which got us there on the 14^th.  Although it is such a crazy place, I am used to the craziness and find it calming in some ways.  I also have some great friends who make it another home. 

First place we headed was to Jag Therapy where we were welcomed with hugs and smiles from so many familiar faces.  It’s good to be back!  We went to visit Sunder and Primama.  We got to see all those people who come from different countries to not only learn from Jag, but to be part of the Jag team.  We all quickly jump back into our community after catching up our happenings over a year. Faces we knew like Steve B, Antoine, and then some new warm faces as well. 

We celebrated Sankranthi there again, where the cows are colored yellow (from turmeric) and we paint them (along with each other) before the evenings cow jumping over the fire celebrations.

We got to hang out with Ajit, Leka and the family.  My buddy Anjin remembered me and was ready to go at it right when I arrived.  Hours of each day there are spent harassing and laughing with each other.

We got to catch up with Vinay who always brings a smile with him wherever he goes. We spent a few days working on new Sari Saks (1 which will carry to bottles of wine, 1 which will carry a yoga mat, and 1 that is reversible and bigger than the original with a long strap and two small ones).  They are going to get big.  I also spent some time trying to get a kids book I wrote printed.   Also, Jag is the man.

After a handful of days we took off to the beaches.  13 hours on a train and handful of buses and we made it to our destination; Gokarna.

It really is incredible; the life here.  We get a simple hut on the beach with our own bathroom for about $6/day.  We eat incredible meals for a couple bucks each.  Nothing in boxes, nothing processed…even if we wanted it.  Huge beaches dotted with beach side shacks that act as restaurants for 8 months of the year. We swim multiple times in the ocean each day, along with walks to the nearby town to see the hustle of the rickshaws, the roaming of cows and the mix of a life long ago crashing into the technological age.  White people who want to be old Indian gurus and Indians who would give anything to live a life in countries they only see on tv, working a high stress job that will take care of the rest of their family through the next generation.  It is such a contrast.  Drinking fresh coconuts at  30 cents a piece, while people back in NYC pay up the wazoo for coconut water in a drink box.  Waiting patiently for a simple meal that takes almost an hour to make since it is all made fresh and paying the bill which is under $4.  Life is good.

I have just finished my fifth book in 12 days. I have covered books from all over the board.  It is amazing how while in NYC I have books lining the shelf that I want so badly to read, but I just can’t calm my nerves enough to stop and get focused on them, while here my mind calms and I could read book after book while only breaking to eat, swim and sleep.

We are here at the beach another couple of days and then on Vanessa’s birthday (Jan 30^th) we leave towards Bangalore for a month long yoga training course.

This may seem repetitive of the last couple of years, which it is; and that’s what’s comforting about it.  Maybe it’s making it more comforting for you as you read this.