Return and Exit

Oh hey there, nice to see you again.

I'm back. Well, I never actually left. I just can't keep up with Sara. A lot has happened, such as.... I'm not in India anymore. I'm in Nepal. Just like the talking heads say; "how did I get here?" well, here's a brief timeline of the events of recent past (chronologically of course!)

Met Sara in Delhi for posh party times (see previous post)

Left for Varanasi by train (12 hours)

In Varanasi the law of balances (not karma because good didn't always lead to better events)seemed to be in full effect. For every single negative action (which there were a bunch of) a positive one occured.
Witnessed the burning ghats from the top of a building
Chased by a really annoying man asking for two rupees, or a snack, or tea. So I sat down - he ordered tea for himself and told me I would pay for it. While he was still talking I got up and walked away...he couldnt follow because he hadn't paid for the tea yet.
Wandered into a homeless shelter that also harbored 350 year old trees - a little girl wanted a photo, I had no camera, told her I am an artist, she went and got a sketchbook and basically challenged me to draw her portrait. I agreed. You can't turn down a little girl with that much determination - and it reminded me to always put my drawing hand where my mouth is.
Ate a papaya (obviously)
Met a yogi for Jesus. By yogi I mean white Australian who has had many spiritual experiences and claims that Jesus is the most powerful path. That actually sounds a lot more cynical than it actually was. His younger friend and I had a discussion about believing in a higher power, Jesus, the old testament, etc. And then this guy, Michael, paid for dinner. Awesome.
Hopped a bus to Sonauli (Nepal Border, 15 hours)
I had some deep thoughts about the way mudpies (cow pies used for fuel burning, yay renewable sources!) are stacked differently between two towns that were very close to each other. One rolled them into cylinders and stacked them into a pyramid. The other did a log style that towered into a jenga formation. Why so different even though their proximity is so close?
Many of the farms have recently harvested their wheat. And the monsoons come soon. In order to maximize nutrient potential, they set fire to their fields at night so that nitrogen will return to the soil. Driving by this at night, and not quite putting it altogether, I almost had the urge to run to the front of the bus and yell that the fields are burning, we must help!! But alas, the inquisitive mind made me sit and think about it before rushing to the conductor, who sat in front of me.
The next morning went through customs and took a bus to Pokhara (told it would be 7 hours, took 10)
Took a hostel in Japan town and proceeded to sleep for the next 30 some hours. In 72 hours I spent 37 of those on public transport, and I know it's just sitting and doing nothing - but by george it gets tiring.
last night I met some Japanese dudes and one of them spoke Chinese, so we had dinner and talked in Chinese, I actually could hold down my end of the conversation and understand him fairly well.
met another japanese guy on my rooftop today. it was amazing, he had a set of speakers, cd player, two mixers, and a huge number of cables and was mixing his own beats. Times like this I love technology. To be surrounded by snowpeaked mountains and blue sky and towering clouds (which are now pouring buckets and mangy dogs) and listening to homeade beats (or his favorite, Aretha Frankin, not joking) is amazing. And it turned out we have the same birthday
met an old woman growing pot on her front lawn today. she was very happy.
So thats life in a nutshell recently. I'm drawing a lot. This place is very inspiring. And tomorrow I will try to begin trekking for the next 4-5 days.

PS. Scroll down for a post that I forgot to put up earlier titled "Dance Dance Dance"