Run for the hills

India is mental! It took me 4 days to get my head around it. I landed in Dehli & after my first couple of hours I couldn't wait to leave. It was just too full on for me. I'm now in Rishikesh - 5 hours north of Dehli - & loving the hills & the fast flowing Gange River right outside my window.

Dehli for me was all about the people, both Indian & foreigners. I hung out with a fun Turkish couple for a couple of days...we shared really long breakfasts & laughed continuously at the random things that are just simply, India. I've actually made a promise to myself that I will never go back to Dehli.

I've got myself into a nice routine here in Rishikesh with 2 yoga classes a day right beside the river Ganges. I'm loving every meal I tuck into over here...curries, dahl, the best banana pancakes ever!, paranthas...it's all so hearty & so cheap. The accommodation is also a real score...I've landed myself a fantastic room on the third floor, overlooking the Ganges for 200Rs /night (=$5) - with BYO toilet paper :)... All of the accommodation does actually which I thought was a real quirk.

I tried my first Ayurvedic massage yesterday...it is clearly the best massage I have ever had! I'm looking forward to experiencing a herbal puncha massage (herbs inside a muselin bag used to punch the body & move lymph around) & a particular type of head massage where they drip sesame oil on your third eye (in between & just above your eyebrows) continously, creating a quietening of the mind. One of the Aussies travelling here from Byron has committed to a 21day Ayurvedic treatment that involves all of the above for a couple of hours each day, as well as immersing herself in a steam bath. Wow! Sounds fantastic but I'm heading to Nepal before the 21days.

Late yesterday afternoon a friend & I were sitting at a table perched in the trees overlooking the Ganges with the sun setting, when a monkey jumped onto our table & snatched our Naan bread! Lots of these cheeky critters over here. He then decided to come back for the sugar bowl & then the ceramic cigarette tray & drop it from the 2nd floor creating a smash. He was so impressed with the small crowd he had drawn that he came back for a photo shoot. There's 2 large suspension bridges in Rishikesh that divide the town. The monkeys hang from the wires waiting to snatch things from peoples hands. The little ones are cute, however I'm not a real fan of them.

The monsoon season is later this year so my travels have been a little wet so far. I'm planning on heading north soon up to McLeod Ganj which is meant to be tucked higher in the mountains, therefore perhaps even more moist, however a good place to experience some meditation.

So many quirky things to share that have escaped my mind at the time of writing, but I'm sure I'll find many more to post along my travels. India has plenty of surprises in store.

Hope you're all enjoying the clean environment that you live in!
Love nellieoxo