I think it's going to be really hard to leave this place, I am falling in love with this town! After one day we had already met many people and we decided to go further up north, to the holy site of Gangotri, where the Ganges springs.
We took the bus early Monday (or Tuesday...) morning. We were Carles (my friend from Barcelona), Luis (a guy from Bilbao) and Gabriel (from Romania). The bus we caught it in Rishikesh town would take 4 to 5 hours to Uttarkashi. From there we would take a jeep to Gangotri. Well, that was the plan... In the end, it all became the scariest day of my life!! The ride to Uttarkashi took 8 hours, the bus was, of course, more than 30 years old, the road was bumpy, the problem was driving through the highest mountains, 10 cm from the edge to nowhere and on the other side massive rocks about to fall on the road, I think I felt like praying for the very first time of my life. The scenery was breathtaking but I was so frightened I didn't even dare to look out of the window. The bus was quite full and in one of the stops we got on board a couple of policemen with a prisoner, very surrealistic really.
We finally arrived to Uttarkashi, luckily the town is surrounded by stunning hills because it is quite an ugly town and quite expensive too, it took us two hours to find a decent hotel and double the price than in Rishikesh. Anyway, over there I made my mind to return to Rishikesh first thing in the morning, I didn't want even to think what would it be like the ride to Gangotri, apparently the roads there are worse, and yes, you can call me a chicken.
So, my friends stayed there and 7 am I took the first bus back to shanti Rishikesh. I didn't suffer at all on the way back and I don't know why, but I was more relaxed and took lots of pictures, the bus was even fuller with peasants, school kids, sellers, pilgrims, so many people that they even had to stand up carrying their bags on their heads, ah, and the bus had no door, so you could see the edge...
Got to Laxman Jhula (second bridge) and find a nice clean cheap room, ahhhhhhhh.
So on Wednesday morning, very early and FINALLY I went to check out the ashrams and the yoga courses. Most ashrams fully booked and not as cheap as I thought, so my hotel was good for the moment.
The same day I met Guy, an Israeli guy and he was interested in practicing yoga too and the good thing is that he is got a motorbike. The best yoga course is in Ram Jhula (first bridge, about 40 minutes walk from Laxman Jhula, where I stay) so in the afternoon we went to our first yoga lesson by bike. It was good, it was at Parmath Niketan and the class was for free.
I came back to my hotel where they offered me a free lesson too, so that evening I was totally wasted, I did 3 hours of yoga in a row, after almost a month without practicing.
So, here I am still, chilling out, doing yoga in the afternoon, taking trips to nice places in the evening (I went to see other waterfalls, lovely!) and drinking chai (Indian tea) at night with my friends at the Freedom Cafe, a beautiful bar by the river.
I just don't want to move from here!!!!
We took the bus early Monday (or Tuesday...) morning. We were Carles (my friend from Barcelona), Luis (a guy from Bilbao) and Gabriel (from Romania). The bus we caught it in Rishikesh town would take 4 to 5 hours to Uttarkashi. From there we would take a jeep to Gangotri. Well, that was the plan... In the end, it all became the scariest day of my life!! The ride to Uttarkashi took 8 hours, the bus was, of course, more than 30 years old, the road was bumpy, the problem was driving through the highest mountains, 10 cm from the edge to nowhere and on the other side massive rocks about to fall on the road, I think I felt like praying for the very first time of my life. The scenery was breathtaking but I was so frightened I didn't even dare to look out of the window. The bus was quite full and in one of the stops we got on board a couple of policemen with a prisoner, very surrealistic really.
We finally arrived to Uttarkashi, luckily the town is surrounded by stunning hills because it is quite an ugly town and quite expensive too, it took us two hours to find a decent hotel and double the price than in Rishikesh. Anyway, over there I made my mind to return to Rishikesh first thing in the morning, I didn't want even to think what would it be like the ride to Gangotri, apparently the roads there are worse, and yes, you can call me a chicken.
So, my friends stayed there and 7 am I took the first bus back to shanti Rishikesh. I didn't suffer at all on the way back and I don't know why, but I was more relaxed and took lots of pictures, the bus was even fuller with peasants, school kids, sellers, pilgrims, so many people that they even had to stand up carrying their bags on their heads, ah, and the bus had no door, so you could see the edge...
Got to Laxman Jhula (second bridge) and find a nice clean cheap room, ahhhhhhhh.
So on Wednesday morning, very early and FINALLY I went to check out the ashrams and the yoga courses. Most ashrams fully booked and not as cheap as I thought, so my hotel was good for the moment.
The same day I met Guy, an Israeli guy and he was interested in practicing yoga too and the good thing is that he is got a motorbike. The best yoga course is in Ram Jhula (first bridge, about 40 minutes walk from Laxman Jhula, where I stay) so in the afternoon we went to our first yoga lesson by bike. It was good, it was at Parmath Niketan and the class was for free.
I came back to my hotel where they offered me a free lesson too, so that evening I was totally wasted, I did 3 hours of yoga in a row, after almost a month without practicing.
So, here I am still, chilling out, doing yoga in the afternoon, taking trips to nice places in the evening (I went to see other waterfalls, lovely!) and drinking chai (Indian tea) at night with my friends at the Freedom Cafe, a beautiful bar by the river.
I just don't want to move from here!!!!
2 comentarios:
Hey Claudia,
Me alegro que te lo estés pasando bien y que no hayas tenido problemas.
Espero que siga así.
Besos desde el primer día de lluvia en London.
Hola CLAUDIA, ya he leido con atención tus primeras aventuras con los transportes y alojamientos indios,no está mal para empezar un viaje que seguro estará lleno de aventuras y anécdotas. NOS ALEGRAMOS
que te lo estés pasando bien, pero cuidado no abuses del YOGA.
ESCRIBE ALGO MÁS EN CASTELLANO, para que lo pueda entender la familia.
RECIBE MUCHOS BESOS DE TU MADRE.
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