Jambo All,
I am going to try to do
this without confusing you all. The following was a blog I tried to
post a few days ago, and before I was finally able to get the pictures
up...so enjoy: (Oh, and after I will give a true up-to-date blog.)
Namaste (and I say this holding my hand together (almost like praying) in front of my face),
OK, so I finally found and Internet cafe that just might work with the
pictures, so I am waiting patiently as it may take 2 hours. I need to
do a blog. One because, it has been awhile since I have done a true
blog and two because I have a "little bit" of time right now. (Though
after I blog, I will let the computer focus only on the pictures as I
believe that will help it go by faster). Oh, and just to warn you, I
am a little sleepy so it might not be "the best blog ever", but know
that I will try and the stories I will tell are genuinely worth reading.
As I mentioned in my last lengthy blog, we were invited to our new
Nepali friends home for a true authentic Nepali dinner. Jerad and I
had such a toughing and enjoyable experience with our friends Kasotopi
and Brinda. Not to mention the food was awesome and all totally
homemade from multiple course dinner from scratch, which she slaved
over all day on her one day off. I offered to come over and
help multiple times and she wouldn't let me:(. Apparently she had an
inclination into my cooking skills. So in case you were wondering, we
ate what is called Dhal Bhaat: which is rice, lentil soup, curried
vegetables, pickled something or other and curd (yogurt) with banana
and sugar. Dhal Bhaat is the meal of Nepal, which I enjoy a lot while Jerad searches for places that will sell any attempt at pizza:).
Jerad and I did a 4 day, 3 night live in meditation/yoga/and Buddhist
teaching retreat at a beautiful Tibetan Buddhist center overlooking the
lake. We followed a schedule each day, which I though was actually set
up pretty well (even though sometimes I would nod off in the morning
mediation session, or my stomach would growl loudly in the morning yoga
session, let's just say I was really happy to get my hands on a cup of
tea and breakfast after the morning mediation and yoga. We had a main
teacher (a Tibetan Buddhist monk), who some might refer to as their
Guru. He wasn't quite what I expected going into the retreat; I
was imagining a very mellow, soft spoken, peaceful smiley kind of guy,
well our teacher had some spunk to him for sure. Which after the first
initial shock of surprise I enjoyed. When we would have discussion
sessions, it would often be a "student" or two challenging what he was
saying and him coming right back with something that sometimes made you
feel like you need to give your brain a break. I enjoyed learning
about Tibetan Buddhism some more, I enjoyed enriching my brain and
expanding the way I think of things, I was happy to learn how to
meditate (though I am not very good at it), and I absolutely loved the
yoga. So now I try and run about every other day and do some quality
yoga after, it has felt wonderful. We also made friends with the other
"students" in the retreat and had a fun night out on the town the night
the retreat ended.
Then we were off
again, jumped on an early morning bus on our way to Chitwan National
park (Jerad hoping to see tiger and me just wanted to bath an
elephant). We were said to leave Pokhara because not only is it now
one of my top 4 favorite towns/cities ever, it was also really hard to say goodbye to the staff from the guest house whom we became such close friends with.
We actually all exchanged gifts and there were some tears. But I plan
on writing letters to them fairly often and next time I go to Nepal
(which mark my words, I will be back) I will try and get a hold of all
of them.
Chitwan was a mixed bag of
feelings. It was the first time we encountered some truly rude
Nepali's, the weather was hot as heck, and I got a little bit of heat
exhaustion. We still managed to bath an elephant, go on a walking
safari, and then an elephant safari (which my goodness, was
uncomfortable). My absolutely favorite part was the elephant bathing.
I have this new child-like love for Elephants and want one for my own.
(Remember Mom, when I was little and loved otters and tried to convince
you that we could keep it happily in the bath tub? Well that logic,
asking for an elephant which we could keep in the tub and backyard of
course, didn't work on Jerad either.) You must check out the elephant
bathing pictures, it truly was so much giggling fun.
In case you are wondering, we are now in Bodhnath, which is a Tibetan
community in Kathmandu Valley. We out of Nepal 3rd and then making our
exhausting and kind-of round about way to Kenya. We miss you all, and
do think about you often. I hope that Spring is shinning and you are
all able to take some peaceful time for yourself here and there in this
busy world. Please enjoy all the pictures! Until next time...
Happily,
Amber Allison
OK...so
back to the now. After days and days of flights, and airports and
layovers and just pure exhaustion, we are in Kenya...and well, still
exhausted. (oh and by the way, we were only asked to move once while we were
snuggled in our sleeping bags in the Delhi airport, we only were asked
to move once.) So here we are, a whole new Continent, a whole new
world...and let me tell you I am missing Nepal already. We are on a very early bus
to Tanzania tomorrow to check in to our safari options or whether it
would be better to go to the orphanage first (which I am thrilled
about).
So I believe it is a combination of
exhaustion, the extreme difference from our heaven we found in Nepal to
the wild world of Africa (really Kenya, we have a lot more to see),
that has lead Jerad and I to a bit of our second bout of
home-sickness. But no worries, it is mild and hey Hukuna Matata. We
do miss you all though, and know that with each challenge we are growing
as individuals and as a couple. (I think Jerad is missing his package
tour to Africa with Granny:).
By the way, if you could
all send your prayers and warm loving thoughts to the wonderful people
of Myanmar after the devastating Cyclone. It breaks my heart to have
heard this news after knowing these people first hand and the
day-to-day struggle they already have.
Happily and Sending Some Thoughts and Prayers to Myanmar,
Amber Allison
