Leaving Vashisst...

Well, the last few days have been spent with people I would not normally hang around with in my 'normal' everyday life. My daily routine the last week has been pretty much the same. I wake up whenever I wake up, head down to the local hot spring baths for my morning shared shower with the local Indian women,have a breakfast of vegetable soup, morning stroll through the mountains and then the rest of the day is spent in the local cafe 'shanti,shanti' drinking chai,eating soup and momo's for dinner, listening to strange tales, opinions and smoking charras.

Harry Potter boy is starting to really annoy me and I don't know how long I can bite my tongue for. Yesterday he comes into the bar carrying an axe, some dodgy twigs and bag of shells,cotton and shit bits. He tells me he went for a picnic and tried to start his own fire. ''Bear grylls style?'' I said. ''Bear Grylls is an over rated idiot'' he replies. What a twat. He then carries on his tale of how to start a fire, how he made yak cheese and tomato sandwiches and met some cool indians bla bla bla bla bla bla . I asked him why would he try to start his own fire.I mean really.What's the point???? AHHHH! Paul the irsish lad loves how this lad grates on me.

The only thing that's really bugging me is the morning bath ritual. It's freezing  in the room when I wake up so it takes me a few minutes to drag myself from under the duvet.I get dressed and head down to the local bath in the temple which is only about 2 min walk away. Then I get undressed, washed, bath and then have to get out the hot baths into the cold air outside in the temple court yard to get dressed.I then run home dodging the cow shit and muck through the farm and get undressed and dressed once again. It feels like the old days when people used to go to outdoor toilets. Sod that. I cant wait to get up in Cairns and not have to go outside to use the toilet or run down the street to get a bath or get a shower with a jug and bucket.I cannot wait for a REAL shower and red wine and cheese on the esplanade.MMMMMMmmmm.

It's nice and hot in the day which is good but the cold nights are starting to annoy me a bit. I think I feel the cold more now because I'm not sharing a bed. It's nice having my own space and only having to worry about myself.I am enjoying 'me' time but also missing travelling with Sorcha and missing Leanne too.It felt like she was here for longer than 4 weeks.It actually only hit me today the 3 months I have left are going to go so fast as the last 5 months have and I need to start aking the most of every day!Not that I have'nt been bu it's going to be the end of my trip in no time and I'm going to wish I was back here. I am so glad I came to Manali it is a very chilled out and easy place to travel.If everywhere in India was like this I'd have less grey hairs!

I have been in Vashist nearly 2 weeks now and keep saying I am going to move on but I never do. It's a nice place, the locals are lovely,nice views,stunning scenery,the food is amazing,the weed is awesome and I love it here.So why move? Well, I only have 7 weeks left in India and I hear there are more amazing places like this up North, so it's time to make the most of my remaining time and go and explore!

A couple of days ago I took part in another cooking class with a local Indian lady who runs the local orphanage. I learn t how to make a few more tasty treats but I still prefer to cook and eat thai.

The local momo stall where I eat everyday I will remember forever. I made the lady who owns and runs it, a little Face Book page for her momo stall and she knitted me some woolen socks as a thank you.They are gorgeous and so warm! She taught me how to make tibetan soup, and gave me her secret recipe for her famous Momo's! I can't wait to get back to Oz and have a momo night with the gang.

I invested in a pair of unattractive long johns and a cute pair of Gap jeans yesterday. It is so cold now and felt so weird wearing tight jeans.I have been used to baggy pants the last few months but up here nobody is bothered if you wear tight clothing or not, I always have a blanket wrapped around me anyway.Oh and may I add the jeans are a size smaller han when I left Cairns!BAM!

I got up early today and went down to the local springs to do my laundry.There were two indian ladies there bashing clothes with cricket bats, wringing out carpets and had a weeks worth of family washing with them.I squeezed in between them with my little bag of socks and pants and tried to do my laundry without getting drenched by cricket bat lady.Bitches would no make room for me so I just sat and rolled a joint and watched.9am and I'm smoking.I'm making the most of it as I have 13 days left before I'm going to give up the weed for the mines.God help me.It;s going to be hard if it's like this place everywhere I go.

 An hour passed, they were done, my washing wash done and it was time to find something other to do than sit in Shanti Shanti smoke cafe.Today it was nice and sunny so I headed down the lane for a nice walk. One eyed Willie was bored so we both went to pick some fresh weed, tea and herbs en route to the temple. Ate some homemade coconut cookies, had a smoke and drank fresh chai at one of the farmers houses on the way back.Nice day.

I have been hanging out with 4 Irish lads the last few days who are sound lads. One of the lads it turns out knows a few of my mates Kev and Lego from Oz so we got on well and had things in common.I decided I was leaving today so me and Jerr have decided to head further down the valley together to The Parvtati Valley. The other irish lads and a few of the local Indian lads will follow down in the next few days as there is a massive trance party happening there.

Parvati valley is meant to be as beautiful as here in Vashist and full of Israelis. I'm a bit fond of the old israeli traveller so I think I'm going to enjoy it there.Who knows?