Can't touch this - Malana

After a beautiful week full of music, yoga, hot springs and beautiful peaks in Manali region, we had to leave Martin behind (18/11) and head to Parvati valley where is one of the most laid-back areas in Himachal Pradesh department. 

As usually the bus took more than expected and we stopped in the infamous Jari to sleep. We followed a hilly path to find the village guest house. At some point we took a turn we shouldn't have taken and we arrived in a house thinking that this is our place. Alex started shouting "hari om!!!" and a lady at her 60s came on the balcony. Alex asked for room and she waived us to wait. She came down and first thing she said was "charas?" (Charas is the word for hasish in Hindu). "From my garden" she continued. 

Alex went upstairs to communicate better so we get a room and as I was waiting in the dark, I came across for the first time in my life with a marihouana plant. 

So that's the forbidden plant I thought (or the sacred plant for some others). I cut a leaf and examined thoroughly (I learned later that the leaf is not actually used for making the hasish).

Of course I am against the legalization of this plant as I know they did it for industrial reasons. It is just a super plant with many many uses such as making strong fabric or medicines. I also know that overusing it, is not good and can destroy lifes. 

Mom and dad you shouldn't worry about what I m writing. I never bought or thinking to buy hasish in the future. (I ve tried some times but still dont get it why people like it so much).
So we got a cheap room at the end :)

Next mornind leaving the place, we realised that there were many wild plants along the path... I guess it is normal as it is indigenous here but still its funny to see so many.

Dont focus on the corns only, the green plant is important too

The plan for that day was to try to go to Malana. I first heard this village my forth day in India by an Astrologer I met in the main road of Shimla. When I told him I was Greek, he said if I know this village nearby called Malana where some soldiers of Alexander the Great decided to stay there and started this closed community. He also said that they talk a language that is very close to ancient Greek. 

After that story i knew i ll go there. The funny thing is that later on, whoever I asked, noone knew this story about Alexander the Great but all indians knew that Malana is famous for the best cream (charas) in the world.

The village is in an altitude of 2600m while we were a bit below 2000m. Every body was giving us different instructions on the distance but we realised that it was hard to do it walking in a day. We decide to wait for cars and ask for a ride. We waited two hours and around 10 cars passed by (really strange for India). Everybody was asking us ridiculously lot of money to take us there. When we were ready to give up and forget the whole Malana thing we stopped a last car who finally gave us a decent price. The distance from the river is 13km and its good we didnt walk it up. The car left us in a place where we could see Malana on the mountain. 

Malana on the top

We took the path and in 40 minutes we were up.

Indeed Malana is a hardcore village. 



The best pix I could get

The people of Malana have their own language, cast system and religion. They dont mix with outsiders and you must not touch them or their houses because they will make you pay big fine. The first word anyone will say to you is "charas?" And later comes the no touching thing. Even the kids were selling charas here. 

Having Alex around was good as he likes to speak with everybody. At some he started telling to the villagers "hey, don't touch me, ok?". 

There are no roads or shops in the village and that makes it already an extraordinary place. Everywhere between the houses we could see marihouana fields. We were walking not believing our eyes. I guess it is the main income of the villagers and that was the time of the year when thew collect all the flowers to make their "cream".
At the top of the village there is a cafe where we met a Malana guy and we tried this famous cream. It was nearly 15:00 and we should head back and catch a ride at daytime. On the last walk, we met this woman withher 3 kids making charas. The kids were removing the leaves and she was rolling the flowers inside her hands giving her black palms. On a cliff, we found a big flower of one special variety they have here, a black leaved one. 

The black leaved marihouana

Going back to the where the car left us, we found a car going down asking again for crazy money. We decided to walk it back and after 3 long hours we were back to Jari. Happy to do 20km that day.

Next day we left for Manikaran. Manikaran is a holy place famous for the very hot springs it has (94ºC).
There is a nice story on how these springs started but to sum up, Shiva and Parvati were bathing in the river when Parvati lost her earrings and from her anger the earrings started boiling from the ground. There is more to the story so google it if interested.
We did a small trek on the mountain and we reached a temple where we were offered some chai. There we met an indian couple and we went to the springs together later. The guy was from Sikh religion so he took us around to the temple and the holy cave.
Again, hospitality is a great thing we should all do.

Next day we went to the most famous place around Kasol but we didnt like it and we decided to leave for Rishikesh (14 hours away).

Surrounded by snow peaks

 In the bus to Manali on 11/11 we met a nice Canadian (Quebec) solo traveller with a guitar, Martin, who instantly became part of the gang. 

Arriving in Manali at 5 o clock was unforgettable. We were happy we could see snow peaks around us in the night but we were frozen from the bus ride and moreover from the place's temperature. We got a touk touk (autorickshaw) to old manali to get a cheap room and by 5:30 we were sleeping under two blankets.
When we woke up and we realized we were in a heaven of mountains. 

We walked in old Manali to get some food and we found a turkish guy playing wonderfully a small saz. We joined him of course and first thing we played was a song that Greece and Turkey shares, " Apo kseno topo". The cafe got filled soon and after few hours we decided to go to Vashisht across the river to relax in the hot springs. Some Indians who were in the cafe earlier took us with the car. We got in the car of Simran and in front of us leading the way was the couple Gautam and Kriti (best name ever). Simran left to check in a hotel and Gautam was asking us to follow him and so we did. We visited the famous stone temple where they construct an outer temple by wood with amazing woodcrafts. Inside a side room of the temple people were bathing in the springs. Gautam asked us again to follow then and go to the waterfall 30 minutes away. Beautiful place to chill. We started walking barefoot in the freezing water but it was to painful to keep your feet in. 

Gautam and Kriti was a western style couple from Delhi who enjoyed being together without being married. They live a hard working life so they love luxury on their free time. Beside loving luxury and rich style life you could see that they have pure and kind hearts in opposite with rich western people who can be quite irritating. 

We were thinking to move to Vashisht the next day as it feels better and enjoys more sunshine than old Manali and thats when we met Simran, the guy that disappeared before. He was with a hotel manager and we got a great offer. Back in old Manali we met the Israily girl from our hotel, Agar, who had made food and wanted us to have some. We got some chapatis (indian breads) and we ate and chilled outside our room until later.

Next morning after doing some yoga instructed by Alex we took our stuff and walked to Manali. The hotel was in the top of all Vashisht so we get a great view of the village and the mountains. Simran was waiting for us. Somehow we convinced him to take us to see Rothang pass so after one and a half hour we were in the middle of the snow near 4000m.

The second day in Vashisht included some yoga, bath in the hot springs of the temple, some shopping in Manali and the preparation of the trek of the next day.

Next day we got up very early and after having a chai to warm up we started going up a steep path. A beautiful black dog came to play with us. She saw we were nice people and she decided to join us on our hike. At 9:30 we had our first break next to a small waterfall, getting the first bit of sun available. After eating some bananas we continued on a not-so-clear path. Around 11:00 we reached a place used for camping as you could see some flat areas and a wood oven to cook. You couldnt see any house down in the valley from there as we were already 600m higher. Only snow peaks everywhere. We decided to reach the top of the peak that we couldn't really see but at least sun was on our side. We followed another not-so-clear path until we reached an uphill valley at 12:20. All plant were dead from the ice and the path was ending there. Looking up the uphill valley, it didn't look extremely hard thing to do so we decided to go for it. At 14:00 we reached one of the tops. We could go higher but we had agreed on starting descending at 14:00. The truth is that we were too exhausted to go higher. After enjoying for 10 minutes being in the sky and surrounded by snow peaks we decided to go down, hoping that we will find our way before dark. Our last hope anyway was that the dog would lead us down.

Going down was harder because the knees were receiving a lot of shock. We took some good decisions concerning the way down and soon we met some mountain people doing some constructions. They offered us a chai and we offered some chocolate. The way they work is a bit weird but quite effective. We stayed 30 minutes and we left before the dark arrive in the valley.

We took a shorter and almost vertical path, different from before, that was meeting big cliffs every now and then so we had to stay focused on our path. Martin accidently moved a big stone which accelerated very fast down to the cliff. 

At 18:00 and there was no more light in the sky we entered our guest house. Everything went perfect and we had a big meal to celebrate it.

The next two days we focused in yoga and in enjiying hot springs. On the last evening we met randomly the greek girl with spanish boy and we spent some time together.

A week passed and it was time to separate with Martin. Martin you are a beautiful person. Keep playing music.

We left with Alex on Tuesday 18th November to see Parvati valley. Big surprises were waiting for us.

We should all enjoy the nature more. Walking gives you health and nature can do magic on you. Go hike people!!!

The view a little before the top

Our pet in the hot springd

Our guardian on the trek

Creativity geniuses

An eleven-hours bus journey brought me to Chandigarh on Monday night the 10th of November. After one and a half hour, Alex arrived to the bus station and we decided to go get a cheap room somewhere in the city.

Chandigarh is a very young city dating less than 100 years of existence. Designed by a French architect the city is divided in numbered blocks called sectors. There is no real center and the city is too clean, making it really something different compare to any other Indian city.
After trying 5-6 hotels in sector 22 with no luck on getting cheap price we realized that we cant avoid a high price so we will stay only one night in one of the hotels and we will leave for the mountains again next night after checking what the city has to offer. While chilling in the balcony of the hotel we saw some huge bats (bigger than fat pigeons) flying from tree to tree.

Getting out of the hotel next morning, a guy sitting under a tree making chais caught our attention. 

Best chai in Chandigarh (we returned the evening)

Alex told him in hindu to make massala chai. The guy started immediately like a pro and soon he was smashing on a stone some ginger and kardamon. In two minutes we were enjoying the best chai so far in the lowest price so far. We paid more money out of respect for this magic drink he prepared and for the happiness it brought us.

The place we wanted to see was the Nek Chand fantasy rock garden. A park made out of garbage material ( recycled useless and broken materials that were left behind from the war with Pakistan). Nek Chand never studied anything but growing up in India made his mind sharp. He started doing the park and years after when the government realized that he is occupying illegally property of the state, they were smart enough to understand that his work was unique and so the state decided to support him.

Women made out of broken bracelets

The park starts quite humble but it becomes quite majestic. It is just a wonder place, making you feel you are in a fairy-tale.

Alex next to the amazing walls made with broken dishes and tiles

We got lost inside for few hours. It is amazing how Indians can use any material that we westerns would consider as waste. Growing up in the streets and not having a lot of money can make you invent millions of ways of reuse anything. 

A kid here can create many toys to play with and an adult can fix a non-working bus engine by adding some plastic or a chord. Not to mention that they use any material until there is nothing else to be given.

After the rock garden, we spent some time sleeping on the grass in bougainvillea garden and then while heading to the rose garden we got distracted by a very formal science exhibition for kids. We got a fresh sugarcane juice (cant get enough of this delicious green liquid) and when we went in, we noticed that everybody was eating. There was food for the exhibition and we were very hungry.  We approached trying to find the way to free food. Some older guys asked us where we come from and soon they gave as some coupons to the delicious meal.

The science exhibition was something. Here you could see the work done by kids in big schools and colleges. They were creating all these impressive devices that you would expect to be made only by adults. The teachers support the kids' creativity and that leads to professionalism. That's why Indian scientists are considered brilliant minds. The bad point I can see in all this, is that the kids leave the childhood earlier and try really hard to become competitive with the higher purpose (or the dream) to become successful businessmen and rich people. Among many high-tech inventions we really enjoyed the humble bicycle-laundry-dryer machine. Doing your laundry while working out.

We became somehow the attraction of the exhibition as we were surrounded by many people, they were presenting us their inventions, taking pictures with us and in the end they even made us play music for them. When we escaped, we visited rose garden and then back to get our luggage and go get a 10 to 12 hours night bus to Manali. Chandigarth worths an one-day visit but no more.

Location: Manali
Next stop: Parvati valley

photographs - φωτογραφιες

 Rock shelters in Jalori pass

Funny orange bugs in Jibhi

 Jalory pass lake

 River in Jibhi

 Glaciers on the back mountains

 Something impressive

 Qutub minar, Delhi

 Chayan and Francina

The parvati celebration on the first night

Banjar valley, Jibhi

 A cute waterfall in Jibhi

Amazing car cover in Ghiyaki

My little pet spider

Leaving Jibhi - Αφηνοντας το Jibhi

Κυριακη 9-11-2014

H πέμπτη νύχτα στο Jibhi φαίνεται πως είναι και η τελευταία στην κρυμμένη, μέσα στα βουνά, κοιλάδα. Πολύωρες συζητήσεις με τον Renu σχετικά με τη ζωή στα βουνά, τη θρησκεία, τις κάστες, τις φιλοδοξίες των ανθρώπων και πολλά άλλα παρεμφερή θέματα.

Η Ινδία δεν ειναι όπως ήταν πριν καιρό και η τελευταία δεκαετία επέφερε τις ριζικότερες αλλαγές. Ενα δυτικό πρότυπο αρχίζει να περνάει ως το ιδανικό και εδω, και είναι δύσκολο να το σταματήσεις.
Οι άνθρωποι κερδίζουν πιο πολλά απ ότι παλαιοτερα και οι ανάγκες τους πληθαίνουν. Οι πολυεθνικές παίζουν ήδη κυρίαρχη θέση στην τεράστια αυτή αγορά. Τέρμα τα παραδοσιακά κτίσματα. Το τσιμέντο κυριαρχεί πλεον ακομα και στα βουνα, οπου αντίκρισα να χτίζονται δεκάδες σπίτια ή ξενώνες μονο με τσιμέντα. Κατι μου θυμίζει...

Ο Renu επαναλάμβανε συχνα δύο φρασεις.
- Να χρησιμοποιήσω τις ικανότητες μου.
- Να ικανοποιήσω τις επιθυμίες μου.

Έλεγε λοιπόν πως όταν έχεις κάποιες ικανότητες, πρέπει να τις χρησιμοποιείς για να κάνεις καλό. Αλλιώς είναι σαν να έχεις κάποιες σούπερ δυνάμεις και αρνησε να τις χρησιμοποιησεις. Πολύ σοφή κουβέντα.

Αν και οι επιθυμίες που θέλει να ικανοποιήσει με βρίσκουν διάφωνο λογω του οτι είναι υλικές επιθυμίες και μαλιστα δυτικοφερμένες, θα συμφωνήσω στο οτι πρέπει να προσπαθούμε να τις ικανοποιούμε, λαμβάνοντας μετά, είτε την προσδοκόμενη ευχαρίστησή ειτε την γέννηση καινούριων επιθυμιών. Καλό είναι να βάζουμε τους στόχους που διευρύνουν το πνεύμα μας πάνω απο τους υλικούς στόχους.

Οι μέρες περασαν μάλλον ήσυχα. Ο εθισμός στο υπέροχο τσάι τους ειναι αναπόφευκτος. Συνήθως βάζουν μαυρο τσάι, γαλα, νερο, πολυ ζαχαρη, καρδαμο και μαραθο και είναι πάντα πρόθυμοι να σου φτιάξουν ένα. Πήγα σχεδόν σε όλα τα μέρη που μπορούσα να πιω ενα τσάι κυριως για να στηρίξω την τοπική αγορά (αν και το τσάι ειναι πολυ φτηνό) αλλά και για να γνωρίσω τους ντόπιους. Έτσι μαθαινεις διαφορά μυστικά.

Το Jalori pass στα 3200μ ήταν ενα εύκολο μονοπάτι μέσα στα δάση και ουσιαστικά σου προσέφερε μόνο ενα, γυμνο απο δεντρα, σημείο απ οπου έβλεπες ψηλές κορυφές παντού τριγύρω σου ενω στο βαθος αχνοφαινοντουσαν και οι παγετοι των κορυφων των πανω απο 5 - 6 χιλιάδων μέτρων.
Τα πιο όμορφα μονοπάτια είναι όμως στα χωριά. Το αγαπημένο μου ξεκινουσε απο το χωριό Ghiyaki οπού ανεβαίνεις ένα μονοπάτι προς τον πανω οικισμό του χωριού και μετά συνεχίζεις βόρεια προς το πανω Jibhi. Εκεί μπορείς να καταλάβεις οτι στα μικρά χωριά των Ιμαλαΐων, η ζωή είναι ακόμα απλή.

Αυτό που σε κάνει να χαμογελάς συνέχεια εδω είναι τα παρα πολλά παιδιά που συναντάς. Είναι τόσο χαριτωμένα όταν εξασκούν τα αγγλικά που μαθαίνουν στο σχολειο μαζί σου. Hello!, How are you?, Where are you going?, What's your name? και Byyyeeeee!!! είναι οι πιο συχνές εκφράσεις που θα σουν πούν ντροπαλά ενώ όταν τα ρωτήσεις εσύ "how are you?" απαντούν παντα με το επίσημο "I am fine, thank you!".
Πόση χαρά μπορούν να φέρνουν τα παιδιά στις ζωές των ανθρώπων ;! Αναρωτιέμαι πως έχουμε φτάσει σ αυτο το σημείο να μην κάνουμε παιδιά. Ας διδαχτουμε κατι απο την Ινδια εδω. Τα πολλά παιδιά είναι ευτυχία και όχι δυσκολία.  Πέντε ανα ζευγάρι νομίζω καλά είναι. Τι περιμένετε; Κάντε έρωτα με τους συντροφους σας τώρα! (ή υιοθετηστε αν ειστε ομοφιλοφιλοι ή μη ικανοί)

Σήμερα συνέβη και το εξής απίστευτο. Εκεί που προσέφερα κοινωνική εργασία και καθάριζα τον μόνο υπολογιστή με ίντερνετ στην περιοχή απο τους ιούς που είχε (και κόλλησε και την φωτογραφική και ένα φλασακι μου), μπαίνει ένα ζευγάρι ξένοι μέσα. Χάρηκα αμεσως γιατί ηταν οι πρώτοι που είδα σε πέντε μέρες. Τους λέω σε πέντε λεπτά μπορούν να το χρησιμοποιησουν και η κοπέλα με ρωτάει απο που είμαι. "Greeceeee!!!" βροντοφωνάζω... "Me too!" μου απαντάει. Τρεις ξένοι στο μέρος, οι δύο Έλληνες. Είμαστε παντού τελικά.

Ήπιαμε ενα τσάι αργότερα όλοι μαζι. Με εξέπληξε ο Eloi, ο Ισπανός φίλος της Αλήσιας που μπορούσε να καταλάβει τα ελληνικά μια χαρά.  Πολυ συμπαθητικό ζευγάρι.

Ο προορισμός για αύριο είναι το Chandigarh όπου θα συναντήσω ένα Γάλλο φίλο βιολιστή, τον Alex και θα μοιραστούμε το ταξίδι μας για μερικές μέρες.

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Sunday 9-11-2014

The fifth night in Jibhi seems to be the last one in this, hidden in the mountains, valley. Long-hour discussions with Renu about life in the mountains, religion, casts, ambitions of people and many other relative topics.

India is not how it was some years ago and especially the last decade have seen radical changes. A western lifestyle appeals as the ideal nowadays and it s hard to stop it.
People earn more money than before and consequently their needs grow. The multinational companies hold already a big share in this vast market. No more traditional architecture. Cement rules over any other mean of construction and I came across many new constructions on the mountains using cement as the dominant material. It reminds me something...

Renu kept repeating two phrases throughout our conversations.
- I have to use my abilities
- I have to satisfy my desires

He said that when you have certain abilities, you have to use them to do good things.
It is like  you are having super powers and you are refusing to use them. Very wise talking.

Even if the desires he wants to satisfy found me opposite, as they are materialistic desires and moreover western originated, I agree on that we should try to satisfy our desires, receiving afterwards, either the expected satisfaction or the birth of new desires. It s good to put the desires that broaden our spirit higher than the materialistic ones.

The days passed rather relaxed. The addiction to their wonderful chai is inevitable. Usually they put black tea, water, milk, plenty of sugar, cardamon and fenel and they are always happy to prepare on for you. I went almost to every place serving a chai in the area mostly to support the local market (even if chai is very cheap) but also to meet locals. That's how you discover the secrets of a place.

Jalory pass at 3200m was an easy path in the forest that offers you basically only one naked point, from where you can see all the peaks surrounding you and far in the horizon you could see the higher icy peaks above 5 - 6 thousands metres.
The more beautiful paths though, are in the villages. My favourite starts in Ghiyaki village where you walk an uphill path towards the upper settlements of the village and then you continue north to reach the upper Jibhi. There is that you can witness that life in the himalayas is still simple.

What makes you smile all the time here are the many many kids you see around. They are sooo cute when they try to practise the english language they learn in school. Hello!, How are you?, Where are you going?, What's your name? And Byyyeeeee!!! are the most common expressions they will intimidatly say and while you ask them back "how are you?" they always reply with a formal "I am fine, thank you!". How much happiness can kids bring in people's lifes?! I m wondering how we've reached this point not having kids. Let's be tought something from Indian today. Many kids bring happiness and not misery.
Five per couple sounds good. What are you waiting for? Make love to you other half now! (or adapt if you are homosexual or unable)

Today also happened the following unbelievable thing. I was offering some social work by cleaning the viruses from the only pc in the village connected to the net (after I got the viruses also in a camera and a usb key) and at some point a foreign couple gets inside the place. I was instantly happy because they were the first foreigners i saw in 5 days. I told them that in 5 minutes they could use the computer and the girl asked me where do I come from. "Greeceeee!!!" I reply, "Me too!" she replies. Three foreigners in the place, the two were Greeks. It is true what they say, that Greeks are everywhere.
We had a chai later all together. I was surprised by Eloi, the spanish friend of Alicia, because he could understand greek language well. Very nice couple.

Tomorrow's destination is Chandigarh where I ll meet a French friend and violonist, Alex and we ll share our trip for some days. 

The endless mountains - Himalayas

The train from Delhi to Kalka took seven hours. It was a night train and I had booked the sleepers class. It is the cheapest way to travel with a place to sleep. From your berth (hard bed) you can see eight berths, yours, two below you (I was on the upper one), three across you in parallel and two more by the corridor. You get a very limited area  to sleep and it is a rather noisy place, but in trips like this, you easily sleep as you get exhausted.

In Kalka the weather was colder as we were already a bit up in the mountains. From Kalka to Shimla there is a very famous line with a smaller train that goes in the mountains. The distance to cross is not big but the train goes slowly and makes many stops. This line was characterised as world's heritage on 2008 as they told me.
The view you get from that train is a very good introduction course to the Himalayas. There were two friend-couples on holidays next to me and they offered me food, then showed me pictures of their trip so far and then they started talking about their work and if they could come to Greece to do business. One was working with diamonds and the other with textile so we analysed more the textile opportunities.

Shimla lies at 2500m (well I believe from 2000-2590 as I walked up and down a lot). In the shadow it was quite cold and I can imagine the nights were even colder. It's a touristic city and it was the touristic period for Indians at the moment. I saw only few westerns there. The biggest attraction to my taste is the Jakhu hill where there is a 33m tall, red statue of Hindu deity, Lord Hanuman(the one with the monkey head). The geek's fact is that this is the statue that stands in the higher altitude than any other masterpiece in the world (2591m). It was indeed a huge masterpiece.

In my short time in Shimla, I came across with the monkeys of Himalayas, especially up in Jakhu hill there are hundreds. What a creature?! They are so intelligent, they open tanks of water or even these taps you have to push very hard to get the water flowing, they are crazy acrobats and doing great parkour moves from one house to the other and they even get offended when you look them directly in the eyes. Just amazing!

The time was 15:00 and I had to choose if I m sleeping in Shimla or if I m heading somewhere closer to Jibhi. Mandi seemed a good 5-hours option but I decided to play it hard on a 7-hour bus to Aut and hoping to find a place to sleep when I arrive in darkness around 22:00.

Some people say that the auto rickshaw in Delhi is a lifetime experience, some others say the indian train is but there is nothing compare to the bus I took. Imagine a bumpy mountain road, full of turns, no road lights that can hardly fit two buses. I was feeling that we were participating in a rally for buses or something. The driver was honking all the time and would overpass any car or truck without thinking if anyone is coming on the other side and trust me, trucks were coming all the time in this unbelievably busy road. No way to sleep, you just had to hold tight and not get hurt from the bumping.

The hundreds of trucks we were seeing on the way were not ordinary trucks as we have in westen countries. Each one had a character of its own, full of colours and colourful lights (some had the main headlights changing colours - how cool?!). On these truck I noticed something very artistic, the driver's door. No door was same with another. Usually the base was metallic and on it there were metal colored motifs and paintings. Made me wonder how it works? So a driver buys the truck (all trucks are the same) then he goes to the door-tattoo shop and say "hey, I want this and this and this on my door" and then he is good to go transpotating on style. I ll try to make a photo collection of truck doors .

By this and that, time passed and at 21:30 I arrived to Aut. I was worried earlier that I wouldnt find somewhere to sleep as the more we were driving in the mountains the less life outside I could see but it took me 30 seconds to find a room. First the guy showed me a decent room but when he said the price I said I need something cheaper or even that I can sleep with my sleeping bag on the floor somewhere. He took me then to his worse room for a good price and of course I took it.

Next morning I took an 1-hour bus to Banjar and after one hour an 1-hour dirt road bus to Jibhi where I was thinking to spend some days in the mountains.

I spend like 14 hours on transportation in Himalayas and the distance I did is only a tiny fraction of what it really is. They are indeed endless mountains.

Jibhi is a small village with no tourists at all as it is not the tourist season. I found the place I was searching here called Dev&Ganga and the son of the owner,  Ranu, welcome me and let me pick any room I want as the place was empty. I chose the one on the higher point with a little terrace. Ranu asked me if i m afraid of spiders and I said no unless they are deadly. He said nothing can kill you in the mountains and the spiders are nice.I removed all my clothes, did my laundry and took a shower. I see why he asked my about spiders... there is a huge one living in my toilet. I put some shorts on and enjoyed the sun, the river flowing and the mountains outside while playing some rebetiko music on the mandolin.

The sun hid himself behind the tall mountains surrounding us around 14:50 and it was instantly getting cold. I went inside for a siesta until 16:30 when Ranu woke me up to give me some more blankets and to invite me for Chai downstairs.
Chai led to beautiful conversations and we ended up having dinner at 20:00. We had rice with a sauce of some green small lentiles and spices and it was the first time I ate with my hands in India. At 20:30 we stopped the conversation to go for our healthy sleep. Now is 22:40 and I m falling asleep.

Next post will be for Ranu I believe. A very charismatic boy for his age (28).

Location: Jibhi
Next location: who cares, I ll stay here for a while.

The honking city - Delhi

Spending two an a half days in Delhi are enough to make you habilitate to India, harsh but quickly. Although a better advice would be that if you are first time traveller in India and you fly to Delhi, take the first bus you see, leave and you come back later.
What characterises Delhi is the honks. They drive with one hand on the steering wheel and the other on the honk button. Probably, when they want to change gear they leave the steering wheel as they never stop honking. After Delhi, you cant get mad again on someone honking at you, back in your country.

It took me one day to leave any stress I had before the trip. The half day was a bit frustrating as I couldn't find what I was looking for and people were misleading me to other places trying to make some money.

One thing that happens too much in Delhi is that people come to you to chat and then they tell you about the tourist information center around the corner, the "official" or "government's" one as they say. I never heard about this trick and as I was walking around randomly, I thought it would be good to get the free map they will offer me.
Once you enter this place they won't let you leave without booking something. On the beginning, the guy was mentioning all the time, "I'm here to help you, I dont sell you anything" but I was thinking he was way too helpful for a government's office. While my plan was to go from point A Delhi to point Z Jibhi, he was writing down plans with 5 more places to visit, 2 days there, 1 day there, bla bla bla... of course he would book all hotels, buses and trains like a very well connected travel agency. He made like 5 different plans but I told him that I can't decide now because I travel with no plan. The tourist information thing was mentioned to me like 20 times while in Delhi. Be aware unless you want to book things fast, they are good at this.

The other half day was great as I fell on a french girl, Franciana, who was in the tourist center earlier ehen I was there too. We chatted a bit about how they got us stuck there and then I joined them.
He was with a very nice Indian guy named Chayan and we went to eat some indian food. The hospitality of Chayan was an example of how all people should be. Franciana was a nice and funny girl that has the typical french accent that reminded me nice times in France.
Slowly, my stress was disappearing and to finish up a great day, a local celebration of hindu gods, just outside the hostel, kept me there three hours listening their beautiful music and watching their rituals.
I could see a lot of happiness in the faces of the kids, something I dont see in western culture' s kids. They get to stay outside all the time, they get dirty and they fight innocently. I was lucky that my childhood was similar but I dont see it happening nowadays.

This first day reminded me how good is to grow up free in the streets and how much we need to have hospitality in our lifes.
I wont advise you to leave the kids play outside as they need other kids to play with but i advise you (all the parents of little kids and the parents to be) when you are thinking of moving to another place for being more comfortable with the kids, consider as one of your search criteria, a neighborhood with many kids or parks so they can go, play, fight, hurt themselves and get dirty.
Anyway its better than watching tv or playing video games. (Extra tip: small houses keep kids outside)
About hospitality: giving advices, helping travellers, picking up hitchhikers, cooking food for and letting the people stay at your place are great things to make you happier, sociable and able to discover new things... So DO IT.

The second day had the buy-train-ticket anventure and some sightseeing (red fort, qutub minar, ) together with Chayan again finishing up with Francianna for a dessert.
The third day, I bought some things I need for the trip (in India you can find everything you need easily so dont bother packing stuff) and then I spent half of the day with a great indian CouchSurfer Harish, talking about travels, cultures, india and many other stuff. Great guy.

The night I had to catch a 7 hour night train to Kalka and then another 5 hour "toy" train from Kalka to Shimla.

I wish I could describe everything that catches my interest here but its just too many things. I ll post photos as soon as I can.

Location: Aut
Next stop: Jibhi