Don't forget to breathe

My debut in a sari...ahem

Brandon and Anu's bebe

the fam

can you see the sparkles?

yummy lunch at a festival in Hampi
Oceane and Pavan :)

Elephant stables

Hanuman Temple

Heaven, I'd like you to meet earth

"We come in peace...don't hurt me"

Paul this one's for you (the monkey that stalked us the entire way up the mountain--notice the biscuit he stole in the side of his mouth, and of course the coconut)

On the way to Hanuman's Temple

The collective washing of clothes

on the back of a motorbike, shining teeth to greet ancient stones of another time but the same space--arms stretched and ready for take-off. every human we pass yell a kind "heLLO" and smiles dance like rain. the boulders whisper secrets of the sea they once knew (and still hold so near).

Hampi is one of those places where the air seems to sparkle, magical in its unique beauty. Funny how people think traveling alone is lonely--in fact it is much easier to make friends when going solo. I had the best time ever in Hampi, arriving from an overnight bus to the nearby town of Hosped, I made friends that helped me navigate the dark streets and hop a ride to Hampi. I eventually found the Children's Trust and took a small nap before helping out with the kiddies. I met a fellow named Pavan and he was kind enough to take me around the ruins before meeting up with a group of French at a beautiful cafe on the river. The weekend was spent at the restaurant on the river, on the back of a motorbike (I attempted to drive one but kindly, humbly, resigned my position as driver to another...), wandering the ruins, jammin with priests, and smiling.

Back to school again in Bangalore, we are now meeting with ESG (environmental support group). One of their main focuses is the new metro that is being built to solve congestion and pollution problems that plague the city. It's highly controversial because of its cost--to people, businesses, culture, and the environment. The metro requires roads to be widened--destroying businesses, homes, trees, and a culture that relies on the road for almost all aspects of life. It's all so fascinating but I think the lack of sleep and constant stimulation of the past 2 months has finally caught up with me--I've been soooooo tired. Not too tired though to enjoy the incredibly host family that has adopted me. Sunil, Prathibha, Sujet, and Vishu--they've embraced me whole-heartedly. I've been with them the past week or so and I feel like family. The other night we went to a hare krishna darsan (like a worship session that involves just receiving with the eyes) on the top of a mountain in Bangalore. It was Krishna's birthday the other day so this was a kind of celebration/puja. The view was amazing and mesmorizing music filled the air. I had no idea what was going on--I bowed, made prayer hands, threw flowers, touched fire, tried to do what everyone else was doing. It was interesting, surreal, confusing. Today we went to my mamas uncle's for lunch with the whole family. But I couldn't just go in any old salwar, so I got totally blinged out in one of her beautiful saris. Now I don't know if you know anything about saris...but they aren't easy. It's basically a small top and one long piece of cloth that twists and turns and wraps one up like a pig in a blanket. So finally I got all wrapped and folded and pinned...and then I needed to take a trip to the ladies room, quite the delicate endeavor. Let me just say wearing a sari is nice, everyone thinks you're beautiful and it's so lovely that you like Indian attire--but 3 hours was enough for me. I much prefer the loose pants and long tops called salwar kameez (spelling?). Anywho, meeting the family was fun, got a lecture on American history by Prathibha's father, hahahaha.

Well it's time for me to fly, have to get back to the family and kick Sujet's butt in chess I mean play some chess. Oh and another thing, a few days ago I found myself buying a cheap ticket to Sri Lanka as a birthday present to myself. I will be leaving on the 22nd!!

Keep smilin,
Lama (the name that my host family had listed for me)

"The woods are lovely, dark and deep.

But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go beore I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep."