Choosing Love – Thank you Mother India/ Part 19

Our last day in India

Day 25 - 14th May 2018

Today it is our last day in India. Nevertheless, we do not feel sad. We are Here Now and there is nothing but Joy and Gratitude in our hearts in this Now moment.

We have experienced so much Beauty, so much Presence, so much Wisdom, so much Love, so much Acceptance, so much Freedom, so much Joy and Laughter, so much Silence, so much Diversity, so much Profound Bliss, so much…. This bundle of experiences lived in India over these last 25 days contains so much Abundance that nothing can weaken its intensity or make it fade before the prospect of leaving.

The fact that we have allowed ourselves to feel vulnerable and totally surrender to this whole experience has been our treasure, since fragility is love's greatest strength. That's what allows it to flow and adapt, flexible and unlimited.

This is the only way Love can work its magic – through total surrender to it, walking the path of the unknown with undying Trust that our steps are safely guided. Guided by our everlasting Essence, where Love resides permanently – where we choose to BE.

Our morning goes by at a leisurely pace. Pedro wants to buy some clothes so we decide to go to a Shopping Centre that Anu recommends, where he can find the kind of attire he is looking for: Indian style shirts, a Kurta, a Nehru jacket and maybe some trousers.

With my leg’s painful recovery in motion, I am not up for a lot of walking, so this option suits me just fine: one place where all the shops we need are.

We take a while to manage to get a tuc that will take us there for the price we are willing to pay but patience and persistence always yield good fortune and eventually we get our ride.

Us waiting trying to get a tuc ride and admiring a bull walking down the street

When we get there it is just opening and some shops are still closed, but one which was none of the ones Anu recommended is open and we like what we see in the shop windows so we go in.

I thoroughly enjoy this experience. Men’s clothes in India – ethnic wear - are so beautiful and elegant: colourful, flowery, with soft and silky fabrics, intricately embroidered, with ellaborate details, so feminine and yet gracefully masculine at the same time. Balanced, I would say. Beautifully balanced.

I don’t usually like going out for shopping, but now I get to sit and admire the different options Pedro chooses going past my sight. Some would not be very practical to use here in Europe, or maybe they would! And they are so Royal. Would have been lovely for him to wear them here. Anyway, he chooses a few pieces that he feels are suitable anywhere, plus a beautiful yellow Kurta and a very elegant Nehru jacket in shades of blue.

I leave you with a men’s wear site for you to see what I mean about Indian ethnic male attire: https://www.utsavfashion.com/men

While we are in the shop, two young men come in for shopping and as they see my leg burn, they immediately smile at me and ask if it’s a bike burn… With so many motorbikes here they are well acquainted with these things. I confirm, confidently stating it’s on its way to healing and they reassure me with the regular three weeks deadline: “three weeks and you’ll be fine”. 

Since I am just at the beginning of these days to come, I choose to not wish to rush forward, but simply to stay in the sweet knowingness that as all things, this too shall pass, yet now I am on the way.

Pedro is very happy with his shopping. Like me, he also dislikes shopping but this is a special occasion, a different kind of feeling entirely… Could be because we’re in the midst of a totally different culture, or just because Pedro had been wanting to buy some of these clothes for years, ever since he last came to India. What matters is that we are both happy with the outcome.

When we get outside the heat is enjoying its elevation and standing in the sun challenges our termic resitance.

Once again, finding a tuc ride back home for the price we had been told by Krishna and Anu to be the fair one is not so easy, but persistence yields its boon and we are once again on our way.

Since we are travelling today, Anu has lovingly prepared a light and delicious homemade Indian chickpeas curry with rice and a few more delicacies for us. She is vegetarian and an excellent cook, so our last memory of a Southern Indian meal still remains intact to this day, 7 months later. Thank you Anu.

We get our things ready and still have time for some more interesting conversations where I get the chance to film Krishna explaining about the Caste system and how the term was first used by the Portuguese. Here is the extremely interesting video with his clarifying explanation: watch video

Anu and Krishna live in a very beautiful residential area, with nice gardens and well kept buildings, and though it would seem that it is out of the main urban agitation, in fact the noise of the fantastic Indian traffic is constantly audible. One becomes used to it, after a while, but it would take me decades to adapt to life in a huge city like Bangalore with all of its commotion. Cities here seem to never sleep. There is always movement night and day, always many at work.

In fact, the city is so huge that the airport is around 40 km away from where we are now! 

We decide 4 pm is a good hour to leave and head for the airport, so Krishna books us an Uber taxi for that moment and when it’s time to leave they take us downstairs and say farewell to us properly, with a good, sound hug and many blessings for our safe travels.

The Krishna family are definitely Masters at the art of hosting and we are now bound for life, through a friendship that remains strong and meaningful across the borders of time and space.

We thank the exemplary parents and the beautiful young girls, Neha and Nitika for sharing their home with us so openly and lovingly. This was a very special and significant part of our journey.

Our plane from Bangalore to Delhi is at 8.20 pm and we arrive at the airport at 5 pm so we have plenty of time to spare.

There are so many people everywhere, that waiting at this airport, as later on in Delhi airport, is a test of resilience – managing to stay in silence inside while there is constant movement outside. 

India challenges us to the very end, as if we were in an Acceptance bootcamp which we will come out of much more Compassionate and capable of staying Present in any circumstances. Thank you oh magnificent Mother India!

Our passage in the early hours of the night, from 2 to 5 am, at Dubai airport continues the practice. This airport is overflowing at all times. Shops are open here 24 hours a day and it definitely never sleeps.

The interesting thing is that usually we would be sound asleep at this improbable hour, but given the circumstances we just adapt to what is. Travelling makes us become more flexible in all senses and the endless opportunities to be out of any possible comfort zone are a growth bonus and a consolidation of the inner truth that there is only one comfort zone and that is in ourselves, in our centre, in communion with our Divine Essence, always, all ways. When we live from this point of Presence, no other comfort zone is necessary – in fact, it becomes clear that it is an unattainable moving target, one of the greatest illusions in 3rd dimensional reality.

We arrive safely in Lisbon at round about lunch time.

By now my leg is extremely swollen and walking is a painful task. Considering we have flown in with Emirates, which implies walking all the way from the far side of the airport, Pedro insists on taking me on a wheelchair. I try and counter, imagining I am not that debilitated… but in fact I am, so I gratefully surrender. It’s the first time I have ever been in such a situation and it is both challenging to be vulnerable like this and on the other hand comforting that I am supported and can relax and respect my body’s current limitation.

When we get to the exit I have to walk again, though I remain grateful for the wheelchair ride that allowed for the airport to seem smaller 😉

I was supposed to teach this evening but I have a lucky break and half of the students can’t come so we postpone the class. God bless! All I need is to lie down and rest, recover from the slight jet lag and completely land back in Portugal.

When we are coming back from a far away country, with such a different culture, climate and vibe, it takes us a while to readjust to being back home – to bring the wealth of our rich experience overseas together with our experience here and be reborn as a new bundle of awesome Human and Divine harmony, entwining the best of both worlds into one whole, magical new Self.

I cannot express my Gratitude enough to everyone who crossed our path, to all of the places that held us, to all of the moments that embraced us and to Pedro for being the best companion I could ask for, as we dive deeper and deeper into the Freedom of True Love. 

Thank you <3

Mother India, I will definitely be back!

This thornless rose was offered to me by Pedro, still a bud, and bloomed into this beautiful treasure. Abundance is Manifold, Gratitude is Bliss and Life is Generous, when we allow. May Love always Be allowed.

💙💚💛💜

Read Post 1 of this series here, post 2 here, post 3 here, post 4 here, post 5 here, post 6 here, post 7 here, post 8 here, post 9 here, post 10 here, post 11 here, post 12 here, post 13 here, post 14 here; post 15 here; post 16 here; post 17 here; post 18 here

Choosing Love – Thank you Mother India/ Part 18

 BE Love

Day 24 (Day 11 of Wonder-Bike Adventure – the end) – 13th May 2018

Neha, Anu and Krishna’s youngest daughter, has once again generously given us her room for two nights, which we truly appreciate.

We get up early, at around 7 am, though by then Anu has been up for almost two hours already! She loves to get up early and start preparing for the day before everyone else is up.

Getting up has become quite hard for me in the last days, since the simple act of standing up is extremely painful for the first few minutes and requires me to wait for a while before I put my foot on the floor and start to move. My mega burn is not looking good, but I know it is going through its own process of transformation. What I do each time I stand up is breathe deeply, totally accept the pain and wait for it to subside enough to allow movement. I do not try and deny what I am feeling but embrace it, walking myself through it with patience, knowing that it has its own time to eventually dissolve.

Today we are taking the bike back to the shop and in the afternoon Anu and her friends Raja Rajeshwari and Suchitra Misra have kindly organized a BE!.. Love: Beyond Illusion book presentation and workshop, on behalf of ALL Ladies League Karnataka Chapter and its branches, Bangalore ALL Readers and Writers and Karnataka ALL Coaching.

I do not go with Pedro to hand in the bike, preferring to rest, so my farewell is said silently, grateful to this wonderful machine that took us through around 3000 km of land in safety and comfort, which is of course relative, considering my backside's aches, though the latter were not on account of the bike but rather the roads travelled and the distances covered. I can firmly say that I loved every part of this experience, even when it got overwhelming, all of it was an amazing adventure where Love was our permanent assistant.

And now too, today, Love is at the forefront.

Before the workshop, a small issue arises as to whether I can please speak about Portuguese culture and food somewhere in-between but I manage to clarify that this is not the appropriate context for something like this and we eventually come to an agreement that Love will conquer All 😊

Since we must leave home at about 1.30 pm in order to be at the venue, Welcom Hotel, a very elegant place where all is prepared with care, our morning goes by at a leisurely pace. We have something light for lunch and go.

On the way another issue arises. The presence of men at the Workshop. Pedro and Krishna initially intended to be supportively present but when Anu receives a message saying that it had somehow been understood that there would be no men present, Anu becomes a bit apprehensive as to whether they whould go after all. 

To my mind, they should, because I am sure this will not only make a positive difference as it will also motivate a new perspective and a turnaround for future events, and me being the “love r-evolutionary”, I’m all for them staying. In the end they decide not to stay and instead they go for a ride around the shops but curiously someone comments that they could and should have stayed… so once again it remains proven that most of the time what we think others are going to think is not necessarily what they end up showing. Pushing the status quo always implies a fair deal of trust in the Divine Wisdom to work its magic and this is more often than not my option, beyond opinions and nay-saying.

The group that shows up is quite heterogenous but somehow, as the workshop progresses, there is an overall click and everyone’s heart syncs into the same frequency so that the group becomes homogenous, as one harmonious unit of Love.

The language of Soul to Soul communication never ceases to amaze me. It’s as if a wave of stillness comes forth and embraces everyone to the point where the minds no longer have the power to stifle the heart’s voices that whisper Love in each breath. The whole atmosphere changes, becoming warmer and more comforting, people become more at ease, smiles start shining and eyes sparkling, sometimes uncontained tears well up and all of a suddent there is no separation, no more or less, no one wants to stay out of this serene embrace that the language of Love brings about.

Maybe it’s because we’re in India and everyone here is tuned to a higher frequency of consciousness, but I can guarantee that what goes on in this unique workshop in Bangalore is pure and instant alchemy, working faster than anywhere else.

Words could not express the Gratitude I feel for having been offered this opportunity to bask in this river of Love together with All. A river that welled up from within my Soul to connect with All Souls Present, bringing us to the One, Same, Universal Ocean of Isness.

The amazing thing is that though the coffee and tea break with delicious treats to eat had been a necessity for some, in the end all are willing to forego this in order to do more Conscious Breathing and just stay in this warm loving flow of Divine Essence. As I had pointed out even before we began, food would not have been necessary for food for the Soul would be provided abundantly… And thus this is what came to be.

Here is a small part of the Workshop: video

We ended up finishing a little bit later than intended, amongst joyful hugs of farewell with promises to reunite… one day… in the near future.

Thank you so much Anu, for moving this into Life! And of course all other beautiful ladies that partnered up with Anu to make it happen.

Pedro and Krishna also had a fine adventure, going for a free tuc ride around the shops, which was a surprise to Krishna, who being a local never imagined there was this kind of possibility for tourists. These young tuc drivers have an agreement with certain shops that pay them to take people there, they generally earn more than if they were to charge for the ride and in this way they get people to ride with them.

By the end of the workshop it is already dark and raining heavily but we are no longer riding our Wonder-Bike so there is no issue with the rain.

We go home to get the two young girls and Anu and Krishna take us all to a fine Italian Restaurant. Bangalore has absolutely everything, from the most western streets to the most Indian ones. It is a huge city of contrasts, India’s equivalent of Silicon Valley.

We enjoy the meal, the company even more and could not be happier.

Love is, indeed, not an achievement, it is a state.

Thank you <3

💙💚💛💜

Read Post 1 of this series here, post 2 here, post 3 here, post 4 here, post 5 here, post 6 here, post 7 here, post 8 here, post 9 here, post 10 here, post 11 here, post 12 here, post 13 here, post 14 here; post 15 here; post 16 here; post 17 here

Choosing Love – Thank you Mother India/ Part 17

Experiencing the NOW

Day 23 (Day 10 of Wonder-Bike Adventure) – 12th May 2018

We wake up early, as usual, for the last leg of our Royal Enfield adventure. Today we will arrive back in Bangalore, after a little over 200 km on the road.

I get ready to cover up my bare skin for protection against the sun’s intense rays, my leg burn is by now looking pretty awful, but not infected and I fully trust my body can take care of it. Given time, space and loving respect all wounds heal.

Love whispers: Patience is one of the most precious treasures of Love.

This reminds me of the days back at the WEF Conference in New Delhi, when I had a huge scab on the side of my nose, from a heat blister that ensued from our monument visit under the scorching sun in Khajuraho. Though I was very exposed to the public, with several talks booked and even Plenary sessions, it didn’t bother me at all and I remember one conversation I had with my friends Sindu and Lynn when I was playfully, but seriously also, sharing with them that I had asked my blister scab what it needed in order to heal properly and that the answer I had felt was “Love”, all it needed was to be Loved, which for me meant being totally accepted, embraced and allowed the time to heal. And though many people kept on telling me I would be left with a mark on my nose, there is no such thing there now, and the same will happen, in its own right time, with this burn on my leg.

Pedro wants to stop over at another place Atul highly recommended: Shravanabelagola Jain Temple. It is just a small detour of about 20 km from the main road so we go there.

Travelling on the road in India is an absolutely out of the ordinary experience for us. There are motorbikes with five people perched on them, other motorbikes that carry a load that not even some cars would seem to manage, regular cars with over 10 people inside, buses with no doors and people hanging on the steps and sitting on the roof, small children sitting in the front seat of cars with no seatbelts on, bikes, tucs and even cars driving on the highway on the wrong side of the road, all types of vehicles overtaking regardless of whichever vehicles are coming from the other side, many people travelling on motorbikes with no helmets, many not stopping at red traffic lights… an incredible maze of free spirited driving that is mind-boggling to any European, but that we enjoy, on the other hand, for the sense of freedom this no rules system offers and for the privilege of experiencing this amazing organic flow that dribbles comprehension.

It is mid-morning when we arrive at Shravanabelagola Temple – perched high up on a rocky incline, with more stairs than I can count. There seems to be some sort of celebration up there but there are no cars or other vehicles where we stop. I decide not to go up. It is already unbearably hot and damp so I choose to sit in the shade and wait for Pedro.

A group of three young men come down the stairs with a few big milk barrels and place them at the gate and then head towards me saying I cannot be in that place. They offer to take our bike out of the parking space, which at first I feel a bit weary of but then allow and trust. Apparently we stopped at a non-parking space.

As I sit on the doorstep of a closed shop, I enjoy watching local life going on, the women’s colourful saris, the calm demeanour of passers-by, the beauty of simple chores executed with a permanent air of acceptance. There is this special feeling in India, this special notion that All is Well, a wise and ancient innocence that transcends common understanding. Something that runs deeper than our notion of ourselves.

I become aware of some sort of celebration going on up at the Temple.

When Pedro finally comes down, he tells me there was a religious ceremony going on up there – possibly blessing elections day. The milk was poured over the head of a huge masculine figure called the Gommateshwara Bahubali statue, which is considered to be the world’s largest monolithic statue and this happens to be one of the most important places of pilgrimage in Jainism, a sacred place of worship.

After Pedro comes down, we go to the centre of town and that's where all of the action is and where we should have parked in the first place. There are many people around, mostly wearing yellow and orange attire, and the girls all have flowers, mainly jasmin, in their hair. Everyone is joyfully celebrating this occasion and it is a pleasure to see the leisurly hustle and bustle of this holy place.

Once again Atul was spot on with his recommendation. We cannot thank him enough.

We decide to move on.

The heat keeps on increasing but somehow the fact that our destination is going back to Bangalore, back home here, makes it more bearable.

Travelling with no plans is a constant practice of NOW, especially when the going gets tougher. It becomes totally irrelevant to dwell on what has gone by or what is to come. It is a constant exploration of our Present moment, no matter how we might be feeling in it. Focussing on each NOW removes the weariness of a long journey, the temporary discomforts and any sort of longing for what’s next as well as any need to dwell on judgemental considerations. Each moment becomes a precious gift in itself, to be savoured fully, no matter what it contains – each experience unique, adding to the whole magnificent opportunity of being HERE.

Round about lunchtime we stop at a restaurant on the side of the highway which is pretty full. It has no air-conditioning, though it is slightly cooler than outside. It only has one dish, which we gladly accept to be our meal today. We stay there for over an hour, somehow expecting the heat to make its way out of our day… but eventually we decide to gather our wits together and hop on the bike again. 

We will find another quieter place to outsmart the heat.

We stop some kilometres further on, by some closed stores, with chickens running about and an idiosyncratic Coca-Cola painting on the wall. Alas, a bit of shade.

We observe the coming and going on the highway. There is an intersection right in front of us so we are amused to see all sorts of vehicles, including a cow driven cart, cross over the highway lanes to the other side. 

Sooner or later we decide to go that way too and try this interesting manouvre of crossing the highway.

The place we arrive at is a small village, where everyone is heading to the voting ballots and otherwise celebrating elections day.

There is a group of men sitting outside a large house and the host comes and offers us food, inviting us to join their celebration. We thank his kindness but decline because we have just had lunch.

We move on, looking for a quieter place to rest in the shade.

We choose a large and beautiful tree, which has a large boulder underneath. Just the right spot to sit. Ahhhh, it feels good!

Passers-by stare and stare at us, but we figure it’s just because we are foreigners. One of them finally has the guts to come over to us and tell us we are sitting on a sacred place – a small temple. 

Apparently I have my foot resting on a sacred stone and I immediately remove it, apologising.

I stand up to go and see the stone and interestingly enough it represents the union of feminine and masculine. Trust our Essences to guide us to choose exactly this spot to sit for a rest! We feel very blessed, amused and reverent of this place.

Karma determines that all actions, present and past have an effect. When our present actions dissolve past pain (of whatever nature), the effect is Love and thus Dharma - the Flow of Insess. By choosing our actions wisely, we necessarily choose the effect - therefore our Reality. In this moment I am sure that this has been a sweet gift offered by our well nurtured reality.

It is around 3.30 pm when we decide it’s time for our last kilometres.

Arriving in Bangalore does not mean we are at our destination yet. The city is huge!

We still stop to check the map and gather our breath for the very final bit.

We enjoy watching a young man weaving straw stools. Nearby there is a work in progress: someone is in the process of making cane blinds and ladders. Had never realised these were handmade!

A heap of rubbish right beside these interesting observations reminds us that India is a land of extreme contrasts, a land that is either loved or hated with equal intensity. I cannot but love it.

We arrive at Anu and Krishna’s neighbourhood at around 4.30 pm and decide to go for some tea at the Music Museum before “bothering” them.

When I call Anu she invites us to come along. They are having a celebration with the whole building. This year they had been intently motivating each other to vote and all are now celebrating the fact that most did go ahead and make their choice at the polls. We are received with much joy, safe and sound and with our belly filled with laughing gratitude. 

Anu and Krishna show us their finger painted with black ink, which is the system used here to avoid people from voting twice. Interesting and surely foolproof system.

We have a lot to share and also need to rest and after a short while they take us up to their welcoming home.

It is so good to have a loving home to come back to, even when we are thousands of miles from home... though we are always at home within us. Thank you deeply for your loving care dear Anu and Krishna. Love you!

💙💚💛💜

Read Post 1 of this series here, post 2 here, post 3 here, post 4 here, post 5 here, post 6 here, post 7 here, post 8 here, post 9 here, post 10 here, post 11 here, post 12 here, post 13 here, post 14 here; post 15 here; post 16 here

Choosing Love – Thank you Mother India/ Part 16

Descending from Heaven

Day 22 (Day 9 of Wonder-Bike Adventure) – 11th May 2018

We wake up early, restful, grateful and happy, ready to behold the magnificent view of this new day from the mountaintop.

We venture out for a short walk, which reveals itself challenging for me, since any loose grass grazing past my burn, no matter how lightly, is a painful reminder of its existence and the top layer of skin being so fragile, it is easily removed, revealing the very sore and inflamed redness underneath.

Anyhow, nothing can reduce the brilliant magnificence of this crystalline morning, fresh and delighfully pristine. The mist is slowly fading off the mountain peaks, reminding me of the feeling I have when I watch films taking place in remote places of this beautiful Earth, where nature still has a stage to show its graceful power. Now I am the one in the film, no longer dreaming of being in such a place.

We both feel so fulfilled. Which reminds me of this Whisper of Love: The Power of Love is such that just one moment of True Love can erase a thousand moments of Fear.

Nothing can prevent us from choosing Love, always, all ways.

We are offered one of those tasty and nourishing Indian breakfasts, washed down with some more friendly conversation, longing to stay for more days… We know we will be back.

Going to the edge of the mountian for one last time before leaving, I find a cow standing in the way, and as she has sharp horns and an expression I can’t quite figure out, I decide to turn back and go the other way, stepping onto a heart shaped log and over the fence towards the alternative path.

It is round about midday when we decide to move on and though Sukumar’s brother had been insisting that we could go down by bike possibly safely, I had decided that I would rather walk down in that case and was ready to do so, when Sukumar kindly informs us that his driver will be taking me down in the jeep, while Pedro goes on the bike. Blessed by this kind offer, I express my gratitude and off we go.

Fortunately I am not on the bike, because a bit further down we find Pedro, who has fallen over and is now getting back up.

The jeep ride doesn’t feel all that safe, with the wheels slipping on the stones and clay, but the young man who is driving it seems quite confident, possibly he does this more than once a day, so I just settle into trusting that we will get down safely and hold onto the door handle and the seat, breathing deeply and thanking each metre left behind.

Pedro falls once again before we get to the tarmac. Thank Heaven I didn’t settle for riding down on the backseat of the bike.

Farewell Shola Heights. We Love You and Thank You for All that You Are.

My leg is not bandaged but I am wearing some very light trousers which don’t cling to my skin and though I had been wearing them up over my knees, now they will have to be rolled down for the bike ride.

Pedro has chosen the most winding road I can recall, though there’s not much he could have done about it, because all choices around here would be winding. 

The scenery is beautiful, with tea and coffee plantations as far as the eye can reach, high trees and green bushes perched on the hills. Despite the beauty, I can’t help but feel dizzy with the consecutive twists and turns and I ask to stop for a while, to recover my balance. Being on a bike, and having nowhere to lean onto in case I faint, all I can do is hold onto Pedro, breathe and hope for the curves to end soon, but I do literally feel like I’ll fall off the bike anytime. Of course I don’t. I choose not to.

There are men perched at the top of these trees, cleaning them, with no protections

Today we have at least 200 km to cover and the best thing to do is to accept each moment, as has been the case all along. I don’t want to repeat myself but once again I have to say that Acceptance is Mother India’s greatest teaching. It constantly reminds us that: Love dwells beyond wrong or right.

In Mudigere we stop at a bakery and Pedro is surprised at the amount of cakes now available. Back in 2012/13, when he last visited India, there were hardly any. We wonder whether to consider this a sign of progress or regression, since widespread access to sweets is hardly a healthy evolution but rather one more of the global economy market’s enticing addictions. We buy something sweet and something savoury together with the delicious bananas of the day and enjoy a bit of a break.

We figure our destination for today will be Hassan, which is still around 200 km from Bangalore, but we will decide as we move on.

We stop again at Belur, where there is a market today. Usually we love walking through street markets but today we just ride past, rest for a while and proceed.

We are now on “going back home” mode, leaving the natural sanctuaries previously visited behind and embracing the more urban areas we are now encountering.

Fortunately, after Mudigere the road smooths down and in contrast to the winding mountain tracks, these now seem like excellent travelling conditions. There is nothing like going through something more challenging in order to make not perfect but slightly more agreeable conditions seem excellent.

After Belur we start looking out for a place to stay because today the sky is darkening earlier and it will soon burst open with heavy rain… It does start raining but we are moving in the other direction so it’s as if we are running ahead of the rain, which is a very fortunate circumstance for us.

We stop under a closed street “bar” cover and look through Booking for a good place in Hassan. We book a place that seems too good to be true, but we trust our gut feeling and believe it is as good value for money as it seems on the photos.

The rain is gallopping towards us, but we manage to get to the Hotel in time. The kind doorman promises to take good care of our bike, which will stay out in the street. The place is as good as the photos! Clean, spacious, comfortable and cheap. An outstanding combination.

I am nacked from today’s long stretch, my burn needs tending to, but all in all life is grand and its beauty impossible to grasp at once, such is its infinite vastness. I am deeply thankful for every single moment, as I know that in the world of illusion, nothing is what it seems and each moments, no matter what it may be, is an abundant treasure in itself.

Sweet dreams!

💙💚💛💜

Read Post 1 of this series here, post 2 here, post 3 here, post 4 here, post 5 here, post 6 here, post 7 here, post 8 here, post 9 here, post 10 here, post 11 here, post 12 here, post 13 here, post 14 here; post 15 here