Overdue for the ‘journal’. I was going to stop, but it is an easy way to let you all know the news. Still thinking about that notebook. I can get a new one here for about Rx30,000 ( a bit over AUD$1,000) but who will set it up for me?
HHDL is away in switzerland, Germany and Italy for a few months. What better time when the monsoons are raging! Although we have had short breaks of sun this week, it was still not enough to dry clothes. Spin drying would help, or have I said that before. My hands just aren’t strong enough to get the maximum water wrung out of them. Even the ‘dhobis’ don’t have them (driers). Washing is spread over bushes or railings in good weather, and near the hot water systems in bad, so at present, things are always slightly damp. I only take the heavy or big stuff to them. I am quite used to squatting on the bathroom floor and washing the rest in a bucket.
Actually I am quite used to a lot of things – squat toilets, oversweet or salted tea, eating on the floor (with only right hand) and rubbing my teeth clean after with with middle finger of my right hand. I’m not very good with hand eating. I just can’t get the food into a tidy wad on the palm side of my fingers, and get it into my mouth with my thumb. Tips of fingers get in my way which I hope is not bad manners. Still, I only eat like that with the boys and they haven’t said anything.
I now know which greetings to make to the people I meet on the way – ‘Namaste’ to the Indians, ‘Tashi Delek’ to the Tibetans, and ‘Asalaam aleckum’ to the Muslims, and I usually get it right. I am also starting to distinguish the Nepalese.
Just when the tourist trade was picking up in Kashmir, there have been several incidents these last few weeks – since the London episode. The Kashmiris want to get on with life, but as usual, the minority groups make the trouble – The Pandits want Kashmir totally Indian, the Pakistanis want it part of Pakistan and totally Muslim and the others just want trouble.
I am really glad I kept a room at Mount View. Haha, the owner has given me the end room of the old private quarters. There are 3 rooms only on that floor, and a padlock on the stairs leading to it (the other 2 rooms have a different entrance).
I now have the end room, which is L-shaped and has a bathroom and windows 3 sides and so 180 degree views. He said if I want it permanently, he will put in a kitchen and permanent price will be Rx6,000 (AUD$200) a month + electricity. I have been looking around, and some a bit cheaper, but they are further out, not so secure and access pretty maze-like. The ‘tracks’ (I can’t say paths) are a mix of steep stone steps twice the height of normal steps, no steps at all, or leaps over tree-roots or water pipes. I do pretty well, but I think that in the snow or wet season that area would be dangerous for me. A couple of places were really nice with 2 rooms and views to die for and Rx3,500 (AUD$116) to Rx4,500 (AUD$150) a month, but sensibly it is better to pay the extra at Mount View, so I hope Haha comes good. I will have to make a careful budget though. Things are cheap, but it is costing a bit more than anticipated, as I have had to buy blankets, bed-linen, towels etc.
I spend the days at H****’s or part thereof, but sleep at Mount View – and bathe, since I found a leech in her bathroom, and there is a resident mouse who is invisible but munches all night and drives me crackers. He also leaves his little droppings on the bed. Rather than wake up with him munching on me, I decided not to sleep there. K*** has a nicer place but dog minding went with it and she will be away till the end of October, so I am passing on that now. The area is too damp anyway.
Still undecided when I will be home. My visa expires 3 November. I want to live here, but one part tells me I will need a home base to fall back on, the other part says ‘sell the villa’. Any ideas gratefully considered.
I go to the Peace Cafe for meals. Part of their proceeds goes towards the Free Tibet movement. Dorjee is the manager and has a great sense of humour – very quick – coincidentally he was at the same hospital, at the same time, at the same age, but different wards as Tim (<em>Note : brother currently living in England)</em>. I do not know if he has an artificial leg or a caliper. I don’t know the story. He was sent to Melbourne by ‘good people’ and apart from a terse ‘Accident’ that is all I got. I can only guess as he comes from Tibet.
Like the shops change goods according to the needs of the weather and tourists, so do the locals. The place is crawling with Israelis and I have no reason to change my opinion of them from when I visited Israel. This generation is just arrogant, entitled and bad mannered, but I believe that are great party people so the young ‘Indian Brave’ Tibetans seem to have increased – sleeveless T-shirts, tight jeans, long flowing hair with a centre part. They really are attractive to Westerners – and know it.
Have read a few interesting books recently “Jesus lived in India” (can’t remember the author at the moment – Note: Holger Kersten. The other is a must. “Holy Cow” by Sarah MacDonald. She talks of her stint in India, and is spot on. So don’t give me any ideas of literary ability. She has seen it all as I see and have seen it, and so brilliantly. PLEASE read it. I loved it. The other is historical with a lot of ‘perhaps’ but well worth a read and has quite a bit about Kashmir. So, Mark, now might be the time to go off the Web. It has all been said, I feel a bit embarrassed about about being on the Web, anyway though I really appreciate your confidence in me.
…………….(Note : Nah, you stay on the Web – payback for dragging out the baby pictures to girlfriends)
The sun is out. Time to turn the washing on the balcony. I’m keeping a close watch as I had a big red-bummed ape sitting amongst it the other day. I hate monkeys of any kind – nasty creatures with very disgusting sex practises. It is first time I’ve had a visit. I thought I was too far way from the trees.
Lots of love, and a special thank you for the letters. I never miss a visit to the P.O – just in case.