McLeod Ganj 3rd - 6th June

I probably wouldnt have come here if it wasnt for Anne but Im glad I did! I said Id come here if she came to Leh! Elevation 1770m, and 4km above Dharamsala, Mcleod ganj is the headquarters of the government in exile and the residence of His Holiness, the 14th Dalai Lama. Apparantly its also the main traveller hangout in Himachal Pradesh. Highlights include our panoramic accomodation, chilled vibe, Tibetan influence and arts and crafts and clothes stalls, the tibetan museum, documentaries on Tibet and Burma, and visiting nearby villages. But - it rained a lot!!!

Wednesday 3rd June - McLeod Ganj

Well the train wasnt the best journey in the world - in fact I got about zero hours sleep! A couple of guys were staring at me, I was aware my laptop was under the seat, the conductor came round at 1.15, a lady sat at the end of my bed in the middle of the night, and generally it was hot and I was past the point of tiredness. I was 'woken' by Anne in the morning at 7am in a panic as we were actually at Chatti Bak, the station we were due to alight at. I had set my alarm but the train had made up some of the lost time. We made it off the train (an Indian guy actually helped me with my bag for the first time ever!) but then we had an hour wait for the bus to take us to McLeod Ganj. We made the most of it by eating an Indian breakfast - a grand total of 15 ruppee each for some breakfast and chai! The bus journey was about 4 hours for 85 ruppee with a couple of quick stops and it took us all the way there rather than changing in Daramcot as we had thought. It was quite busy but not so much with westerners - there was a couple of americans, but not together, and a few Japanese who looked very hip, one had a sitar in tow. We were met at the station by a guy and we checked out his hostel which for 250 we decided to look no further. The room is huge, with a big comfy bed, clean, freshly decorated, with a kitchen and bathroom, a balcony with panoramic views. It's a new guest house - they are painting as I speak. But it is the best of both worlds as it is away from the bustle of the centre which can be a bit noisy, but not too far either...just up some very steep steps!!! We were sooo tired but after a shower ventured out for some food, met an American guy Dean who was also on the bus who joined us for grub and a beer (yes you can buy them again here for 120 ruppee!) and went back to his for a drink (he's paying 100 for a single with shared bathroom) and generally wandered around and identified McLeod Ganj as Pushkar in the mountains! Ie we liked it a lot! The views are gorgeous - its a little like how I imagine the alps to be in the summer season without the snow. There are more backpackers here than elsewhere in India, but the most striking feature is the amount of Tibetans here - and apparantly there are a lot of refugees. Anne and I are getting on well and Im really excited about continuing to travel together. India is not like south east asia its not so easy to meet people and not an obvious backpacker circuit. So everything is working out really well. Having an early night. Excited about north india and so nice to not be sweating all the time!

Thought for the day: 'The fire will test each one's work, of what sort it is' - 1 corinthians 3:9-15 Is the work I am doing on this earth of eternal worth? Will it survive the fire? Is acting a selfish vocation? A lot of my concerns over the past two years have been about finding acting work. My focus has been wrong. I'm really challenged at the moment to focus more on the heart. On serving people. Like the verse 'seek first my kingdom and my righteousness and the rest will be given to you.' Its scary to trust God but I know from my personal experience nothing tops it. I want my life to make a difference to others, but I am wondering whether your career need be your calling or whether its the person you are and the attitude you take to it and the impact you have on others. Food for thought. Is my work my ministry. Or is it something different? I know I have a lot of love inside me, and a desire to care for others. How can I do that with my acting without being locked into Theatre in Education? Can I get the balance? Is India the answer?

Thurs 4th June

Well a very deep and comfortable and long sleep and what a delight to wake up to the views of the mountains in our gloriously large room! Its almost a honeymoon suite this place I swear! We both chilled in the morning, even from our bed there are views galore, reading and what not and headed out about 11am to have breakfast where, joy of all joys I had seen wireless the day before and so was extremely excited about uploading some of my backlog of photos! I managed to do Mumbai and Goa, and a few of Hampi but then it started playing up so me and Anne headed to the Tibetan museum which basically gives a history of the country and especially the stories from the Chinese invasion. There are a lot of regugees around this place, and volunteer programmes running too and I am starting to understand why. Basically, China thought they had rights to Tibet, and went and attempted to eradicate their entire culture though torture and destruction leaving many Tibetans fleeing for their lives. Sometimes I wonder on my travels I wonder at the selfishness of it all but it is such an educational experience to learn and to witness first hand the kind of atrocities that go on in the world, and also the amazing ways that people deal with their trials. The Dalai Lama for example is a role model of hope, and non-violence in the midst of such greed and inhumanity, it really is inspirational and I want to learn more about him and other great leaders, and also how their religion is the backdrop to such values. As a Christian I find myself wary of supposedly eastern or new age practices such as yoga or meditation but I am going to try to keep an open mind about such things and try them myself, as long as it isnt in direct contradiction to my own beliefs. Also too I am reading really good books set in India and the whole Indian psyche seems to be joy in the midst of suffering, and the mentality of people who just carry on being positive in situations that really, are so much more tragic than the average westerner will ever experience. I think for me, people are the focus of my learning. Yes it is amazing seeing beautiful places and having amazing experiences but really it is the different cultures, your eyes being opened and being challenged by others.

We also went on this pretty walk through the forest that is marked by multi-coloured prayer flags, its called a prayer walk and was very peaceful. Anne and I were very excited when we bought some gorgeous fresh bread from a bakery and some cheese and beer, and had a picnic on our lovely balcony towards the end of the afternoon. I am loving the mountains and its really nice knowing Anne and I will be travelling together for a while. She and I seem to be quite similar in the sense we are both flexible, and can be spontaneous, both like active things like white water rafting and horse riding and yoga, and shopping and cultural things too so I feel very blessed and feel God has really been looking after me my entire time in India. I am now debating whether to just stay here the rest of the year. I feel happy and settled and it would be interesting to see how the Bollywood thing works out. I may even be able to get some modelling work but if it doesnt work out I could try Kuala Lumpur or Singapore. I need to look at my money situation and see if my tax rebate has come throught too! 700 quid goes a long way out here ;)

Friday 5th June

I had a really bad nights sleep, was really hot and had stuff on my mind that the issues in last nights film kick-started. I guess one of them was when the protagonist 'Milk' was so passionate about his career and running for another election that his partner walked out on him and he had to accept it as something that had to give for a higher purpose. It got me thinking about stuff and exactly what it is I want out of life and what my drive and passion is and what Im living for every day. This guy stood for something, and he fought against the odds and with much rejection and losing many an election until he saw change and made a difference to human lives with massive repurcussions. Ultimately he paid for it with his own life but his legacy remained. I guess his work wasnt burned in the fire it had long term conseuences. Sometimes I think God wants me to make big sacrifices but I'm not sure exactly what for. Thus blog is starting to be more about my own personal reflections than the places I have visted and a lot of it is very personal and also highly interconnected with my faith, and I am finding it hard to judge just how much I should publish for others to read and how much to keep private. The problem is I cant really seperate my feelings and reflections from the places I find myself each day and the people I meet and what I have been doing, Also, for example I am reading books since I have been in India that are fairly philosophical or just inspiriational like the French priest who went and lived amongst the poor in the slums of Calcutta and refused to be given special treatment as a while man even when dying from Cholera.His relfections of suffering are also very interesting, as he seeks justification for its abundance in the poverty of the slums, whilst simultaneously knowing the love of God. It's a timeless paradox, and one that I think is a stumbling block to many who can't believe there can be a good God with so much suffering in the world. Or the documentaries I am watching about Tibet and later Burma, and the atrocities countries and individuals can inflict on others. These travels are not just about having experiences or self indulgence, even though I know I am incredibly privaledged to be here and have this 'time out' to assess my life. I know for me it is now about finding happiness within myself, not relying on anyone or anything to provide that for me, and that means rising above the highs and the lows, the homesickness and the lack of friends around me. At its essence, being in a foreign place with alien culture and the unpredictablity and lack of home comforts around me, its just about me and God and sometimes thats hard when you want a human cuddle! But I also sense it is a time of great growth and self development which will lay foundations for future years. Its exciting.

Went by myself to Mandala's cafe where I uploaded the rest of my Hampi photos although I think my computer can only cope with so much as it gets hot or tired and cant cope after about 70 photos! Feel quite agitated today and Im not sure why. If Anne wasn't feeling feverish I would probably check out this morning and get on a bus tonight. I feel time to move on. We chilled for a bit on the balcony, and headed up to 'Seven Hill' guest hosue to meet Canadian Dale and have a drink, before walking to Bhagsu 2km away, and the waterfall which was a nice walk even though with the water levels being so low it was a pathetic trickle rather than a majestic flow!!! The town was a lovely bohemian place though, and even though and I didn't buy anything it was nice to just wander about and look in the clothes shops and jewellery shops. We were gonna walk further up but it started - raining!!! First time in India!!! So we ducked into a hip cafe and I bought the most delicious and mahousive veg burger with chips and salad. I was even glad it rained because otherwise I wouldn't have experienced such a culinary delight! Perhaps the rain made me a bit homesick, oh the irony, plus I had messaged my two sisters and dad on facebook earlier and Ro was asking me about coming home so maybe it was just that contact that got me a bit whatever the word is!!!

Anyway, we booked our bus tomorrow and I had a bit of a purging cry and pray and wrote a bit and feel better now. Gonna head out to watch some documentaries people took illegally and with hidden cameras in Tibet and Burma.

Info: The venue, L.I.T. stands for Learning and Ideas for Tibet. Its a non profit organisation that seeks to educate and communicate all aspects of Tibetan culture in order for it to remain alive despite Chinas occupation of the region. Location: off Jobigara Rd, 50 metres past the Japanese Restaurant, down the steps from the Ahask guesthouse, near Hope centre. They also have a daily discussion at 2pm. Contact: learningandideasfortibet@gmail.com The board members are unpaid skilled volunteers and members of Gu Chu Sum, the ex-political prisoner association.

Thought for the day: Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one wins the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get the crown that will last forever. Therefore, I do not run like a man running aimlessly.... 1 Corinthians 9 : 24-26

Sat 6th June

I slept better last night (boy will I miss this bed with its cozy covers) but think I have a little of what Anne has got as feel washed out and have sore eyes and runny nose!! Feeling peckish, I got up to walk up the 235 steps for a cinemon roll (40 ruppees) and melon juice (15 ruppess) in a lovely little place on post office road where I later also swapped a book for the sequal to 'The Kite Runner' to later find 40 pages missing! Going back to our hotel, I got back into bed and failing to read with weary eyes, I dozed until nearly midday when we were forced to get up and dressed to check out. Hesitantly leaving our bags in reception (Im always paranoid about my baby aka this netbook) I ventured up the 235 steps for the second time today realising that the third and final time would be carrying our heavy backpacks! We went to the Italian place where Anna had breakfast and I had joy of joys a waffle with bananas and ice cream yum tum!! (50 ruppees) and cappucinno (35 ruppees). Well, I couldnt let Anne eat alone could I now?! We were both feeling groggy and coudl have been quite contect to stay in that chilled place listenin to music and reading our books but come 2 oclock we thought we should do something and went to get a rickshaw to Dharamcot. Mcleod Ganj is supposedly the second most rainy spot in the whole of India (what am I doing here - ANNE!) and true to form, the clouds which had greeted us upon venturning outside, opened. And did so intermiteanl for the rest of the afternoon to the degree we really couldnt consider trekking to the waterfall as planned, and in her feverish state Anne wasnt up for a 4 hour round trek and feeling tired neither was I. So we wandered into the village and got chatting to a couple of locals under their shelter, and then after a short time of refuge in a shed (we're classy we are) went to eat (again!) in a restaraunt (well - what else are you supposed to do in a downpour?!). This time I had a veg korma and rice for 90 ruppees. It was quite nice though, as we were in the warm and dry - at last! - and played a game of chess which blimey I havnt played since I was a child. And I won. Is always good to know I have some brain cells left...

I found a masseur for a bargain 300 ruppees and had a lovely chat about christian things when I discovered she was of the same faith. She runs an orphanage in Varanasi and I said Id email her if I was passing though and had some time to volunteer. Its hard for me to make promises as I dont know yet when Im going home and hence where I will have the time to visit. but Varanasi is the spiritual heart of India, and to volunteer at a christian led orgphanage would combine 2 things I am passionate about so we'll see.

I bumped into Dale again who had relocated as Dot is a bit less busy and noisy than McLeod Ganj. After a quick Chai he kindly came with me back down to Mcleod Ganj to help us with our bags up the mammoth steps and further to the bus stop. Back in Mcleod Ganj I managed to upload about 50 photos but it was very slow and I didnt get to finish Udaipur or to annotate them. Im now on the overnight bus, and judging by the bumps Im not sure how much sleep ill get tonight but is good to be in the warm again. I dont entirely trust the drivers as one wass trying to charge extra to put bags in the hold which I refused. So ive got it near me on the bus.

Ever since I watch the documentaries last night I have been thinking about the plight of the Tibetan people and especially the whole idea of non-violent resistance so sgrongly advocated by the Dalai Lama who i have so much admiration for. The lady who produced the documentary commented that she fears the so called non violent resistance will, in the end, be perceieved as surrender. Its a fair point. But that assumes non-violence is passive and also assumes defeat. It is my prayer that this peaceful course of resistance will in the end result in victory and send a message to the world that voilence and war is not the only way. It is a powerful testiment to hope, faith and love, as the Dalai Lama even calls for compassion for the enemy. But, after 50 years of oppression. will there be a happy ending? A whole generation are already being born into Chinese 'rule' and are struggling with thier traditional language were everything is so strictly controlled by the Chinese and all vestiges of their cultural identity are being stripped away or forcibly removed through fear, tortuer and imprisoment. It is tragic and it is wrong oh so wrong. The countrys rich and natrual resouces are being stolen from them. And the rest of the world just stands by.

I am feeling physically sick this bus is like alton towers.

Thought for the day: 'It doesnt take millions of dollars to investigate ultimate reality. It takes a willingness to submit to a force greater than intellect - Hank Sprager'