Leaving Delhi

True to her word, Sim had sorted out tickets to get us to McLeod Ganj straight away. But by the time the Bedi Tours bus turned up it was so late that instead of giving passengers time to board, it started up and took off while people were still trying to find their seats. During that time I received a small bang to the head by a stray elbow, so ending the curse placed on me earlier by a beggar woman.

Why was I cursed? Because after I had given this elderly woman a little change I refused to add to it when she came back for more. My refusal with the additional comment that I had already given her money fell on deaf ears as she continued her ceaseless mantra of pleading for more cash. So eventually I did something I have never done before; I stuck my fingers in my ears and sang out ‘la la la la la’. Of course this only made her step up her efforts, as she pleaded loudly and tugged at my sleeve. It was then that I told her to go and she retaliated by cursing me with ‘bad luck’. So when I was knocked on the head about ten minutes later, probably with the same impact as a falling acorn, I decided that the curse had been completed.

After the usual sleepless night, bumpy roads, and playing ‘find the toilet’ at chai stops, we arrived in McLeod Ganj and found rooms at the bottom of the Yong Ling steps (about 100 steps down into a valley). Later on I found a nicer room at the Pink House (your old room Melissa!) and slowly carried my backpack back part way up the steps.

Sim and I have had chai, she has had banana pancake, I have had toast from Tibetan bread, and I have popped in to see my good friend Tsewang. Now before hitting the shower room and washing off the remnants of last night’s bus journey I am now enjoying a spot of modern Indian culture in the form of the Cartoon Network - old Tom and Jerry cartoons. Brilliant. Then sleep…..