The last few days in India...this time

I left Rishikesh Dec. 5th. It was harder than I expected to say goodbye to new friends. The Kriya Yoga course was a serious self-study and the 8 participants got very close over our 15 days together. After 2 days of travel (taxi, overnight train, day in Delhi, 2 planes, and taxi) I arrived in Wayanad in the northern mountains of Kerala. A Jeju friend recommended I stay with Saji, a beautiful yoga teacher, and his yoga teacher training group. The training is held at a Catholic convent/spiritual retreat center in between some very small villages and surrounded by trees, hills, and friendly villagers. I participated in the 6-9am yoga class, then had the rest of the day for personal retreat in the quiet of Wayanad. It was hard to believe I was still in India, it was so quiet! When I wasn't receiving Ayurveda treatments, I was meditating, journaling, and getting to know the international program participants. Saji and the nuns at the retreat center were very gracious hosts, the food was yummy, and my 5 days in Kerala passed in bliss. Oh, and the weather was absolutely perfect. But once again it was time to move on, this time to Tamil Nadu, the adjacent south Indian state to the east. So Sunday I packed my bag - which is getting heavier every place I go - and took another taxi, bus and overnight train to Chennai. I'll be here for 2 more days before meeting my cousin, Emily, at the airport Thursday night. Chennai is a busy Indian city, as I expected it to be, but the people are extremely friendly and I'm enjoying a little alone time and exploration. Plus it's the first time in 2 months that I've had to find my own meals! Emily and I have a week in Tamil, then off to Thailand to start the next part of my journey. I've actually spent very little time alone since I started this trip on August 26th, and that trend will continue with some good friends coming to stay with me in Koh Phangan throughout my 3 months there.

There is no way to describe this trip in a blog. I know the little bits and pieces I'm writing here and there are just a tiny percentage of the actual experience. Plus I'm not so diligent on picture uploading. I'm planning to start a book in the next 6 months of so about these years of travel but until then you'll have to put the pieces together yourself or ask me about specifics if you're interested. Thanks for reading!