the daughter is travelling/living/working in india at the moment…
here is another excerpt from her travel journal…..(other excerpts can be found under ‘guest columnists’..)
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Up to the source of the Ganges
Namaste……. I have been continuing to have absolutely amazing adventures here in India…. I just went up into the Himalayas to the source of the Ganga (Ganges). I travelled with two sistas , one from Taos and one from Sweden.
We walked from Gangotri up to Gaumuk (Cow’s Mouth) which is the glacier that feeds the Ganga. Then we walked staight up the Glacier (and I mean straight up the glacier) to a place called Tapoban (Tapovan).
It is an amazing valley that sits at 4600 meters. The air is so thin that doing anything takes your breath away. The valley is surrounded by huge snow covered mountains. It was soooo cold (-5 C)! I had to wear everything that I owned at night.
The valley was full of Bakare (wild deer) with huge horns . The Bakare walk right up to you with a garden of eden innocence . Even the birds were totally unafraid of humans. I stayed in a gorgeous cave that my friend Leaf is currently inhabiting.
There are no trees up there (too high) so fire is not possible. We were quite cold! We sang bhajans and cooked (on gas), made chai and watched the light and shadow play on the mountains.
The feeling there is that you are truly on top of the world (and you are).
I stayed for five nights at this place drinking freezing snow melt. The space is so clear up there that all your thoughts become crystallized and there is little space for ego or head trips.
So with totally shanti high energy I eventually left that special place.
We (me and jah sistas) walked all the way back to Gangotri in one day (22 kms).
The trail is absolutely incredible.
These mountains are pristine and I was drinking some of the sweetest water that I have ever tasted from the springs that flow into Ganga on the way.
The trail is hard and my legs ached for a week afterwards! But now I am super woman and plan to go right back up there as soon as possible.
Right now I am back in Rishikesh hangin with Jah sistas before they fly home.
I am appreciating the fresh food here as we were not able to get much up Jah mountains. Everyday I fall in and out of love with this place.
It has so many faces, so many aspects, so many flavors….but the journey continues to be so incredible and growthful (is that a word?, it is now!).
What an amazing planet that we inhabit !
She has so many treasures! So to all of you, may you be so happy and healthy and shanti and fulfilled!
OM SHANTI…..luv from simone
