Travel, it works out.

On long trips there are days where you seem to do nothing but travel. Moving from one spot to the next is all part and parcel of the adventure of course, but, particularly when you are on your own, long journeys are often something to be endured rather than enjoyed…
As a result I’m not normally drawn to write about these experiences. Yesterday, though, I started the day flying over the Himalaya and by this afternoon I’m on a beach lined with palm trees, after a ride where things seemed to be going wrong every step of the way and yet magically all worked out in the end.
It started in Kathmandu, where I had decided enough was enough and I needed to escape the perpetual cold. My Indian Visa was granted after a lot of waiting around and I booked a series of flights and trains for the next day. At Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan International airport I spent several countless eons queuing for my first flight to Delhi which was constantly threatened with delay of up to 2 hours but in the end got us there maybe 45 minutes late, the flight had some of the best in-flight entertainment with a stunning view of the Himalaya from my perfectly positioned window seat.

The delay was fine because my layover was over 4 hours and there is only so much Baskin Robbins one can eat. Delhi International airport may win lots of awards, and it is a beautiful place, but no free wi-fi is a big negative as far as I’m concerned. For all its claims as an IT forerunner India is lagging way behind in this regard…
Anyway, 4 hours turned into 5 and a half as my onward connection to Mumbai was also delayed. This wouldn’t have been an issue if I didn’t know that I had a train booked from the Victoria Terminus. I had left myself over 3 hours to get out of the airport and get to the station, a journey that could take up to 2 hours depending on traffic, so it was going to be tight. What could have been stressful actually turned into the best part of my day as the taxi driver speeded across the toll flyover, along Marine Drive with the lights of a Bombay night and the first big city I had seen since Bangkok.
We got to Central Station with bags of time to spare but then the next stage was trying to figure out the Indian Railways system of “Waitlisted” tickets. My booking was on the tourist “Taktal” quota with a low waitlist that I made an assumption would be enough to get me on the train. (The system works a bit like this… You try and book a seat (or more commonly sleeper berth) and only if you are in early enough do you get a confirmed spot. Otherwise you have to be on a waitlist based on others cancelling and also othe quotas which are reserved until just before the day of travel but are then released (for officials and suchlike). When you arrive at the station, waitlisted passengers are allocated a space and these reservations are posted on the side of each carriage depending on the class you booked under. So there are 2 or 3 tier AC coaches and “Sleeper” carriages which are more basic. If you don’t get a spot then you can be on the RAC or Reserved Against Cancellation list which means you can board the train but aren’t guaranteed a berth.)
Anyway, I had booked for AC3 since it had the lowest waitlist and therefore the best chance of getting on the train. On arriving I couldn’t find my name anywhere, and also nobody to ask/bribe. I was a bit confused because I thought my name would at least be there listed amongst those who had NOT made the cut but no.
Eventually, about 10 minutes after the train was due to depart I spotted a guy with a list, who, in hindsight, didn’t look especially reliable, covered in muck as he was, but he advised me to get on one of the sleeper carriages where there were seats and it would be sorted out.
I did this, thinking, yeah, the guard will be along in a minute and I’ll get an AC berth no worries. A couple of hours later, with the train filling up, I realised this wasn’t going to happen and after talking to the family who were reserved where I was sitting it transpired that what I had effectively done was board the train without a ticket because online bookings are automatically refunded if they are still waitlisted on departure. I decided to go and speak to the guard and see what a little baksheesh or simple ignorant pleading might do to ease my situation because I was looking at 8 hours with no seat, let alone a bed.
After speaking to 3 conductors who variously fobbed me off, told me the train was full, and then figured out my problem but kindly let me off an expensive ticket. This was good to an extent but I was still fending for myself on a very full train so eventually I just bedded down on the floor.
It wasn’t as uncomfortable as I expected and despite a further two hour delay and subsequent hassle from a new guard who I managed to disarm with a similar dumb foreigner act, the journey was actually quite enjoyable, and best of all, free.

I also decided I would do something that I threatened to do on the last trip here and make a pictoral record of all the various drinking waters that you can get here. I’m sure you’re all thrilled by that prospect so I’ll get you started with a couple..

Generosity is a state of mind

I guess I’ve always been pretty able to live within my means and never worried too much about money. Partly because I don’t have extravagant tastes and prefer a simple life without getting unduly attached to objects and partly due to somehow getting paid more than I should in my day job. I donate regularly to charity and am always prepared to pay my share or provide things for others without any fuss. The teachings on generosity at the Kopan Monastery November course that I recently finished, however, take the whole concept of “giving” to a different level in a way that I really liked.

It seems appropriate to consider this even more around Christmas – not least because the teachings emphasise the mindset behind the act rather than the giving itself. I’ve never been particularly good at finding presents, and being half way around the world I won’t be able to give or receive this year.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche, the founder and head of Kopan and the FPMT organisation which upholds the traditions of Tibetan Buddhism, gives away everything with the faith that through generosity things will come back to you. We were told one story of an offering made to Lama of a precious artefact worth many thousands of dollars that would have assisted in the running of the organisation in the early days, to the astonishment of the person making this offering Lama casually proceeded to offer it back to the next person in line! This practice of giving works to cut attachment, to undermine pride and, done with the correct motivation, without regret or hesitation, it is the embodiment of generosity.
It matters not who the person giving was or who Lama was giving to, in fact, by not discriminating it is also showing an equanimity of spirit, giving regardless of the status of the receiver or our attachment to them. Not giving expecting something in return but giving purely for the good of the person asking.
In Tibetan Buddhism the practice of generosity is said to result in a rebirth not lacking in worldly things, but I think even without believing in the concepts of future lives it is often that by being more open and giving that we see things coming back to us.
It’s not all about material things either but more about your overall attitude and approach. We learnt at Tushita that even the act of paying a bill could be made into generosity if you were doing it in the right frame of mind. What is the benefit of getting worked up and upset over your gas bill (I mean, sure, if they get it wrong then sort it out but it doesn’t need to be a big deal) by paying it with a mind-set of joy and appreciation you will find even this can make you happier.
Giving time or advice is also as valuable, or maybe even more valuable than giving money or things. As someone who doesn’t like talking about real problems most of the time I find letting others explain their issues and really listening to them often helps me at the same time. I may not be able to offer the best advice but I can hear what they are saying and at least be sympathetic.
These aren’t particularly groundbreaking concepts but the key is the way in which you undertake the actions. Giving without being fully happy about doing it is a counter-productive activity because it is only going to cause your mind to become more disturbed.
Giving without thinking about your own well-being is also important. At our level of course it is perhaps not sensible to give everything we own away but you can generally give a lot more than you think. This practice encourages you to think of others and their well-being before your own which cuts through the self-cherishing ego and leads to more happiness because one naturally becomes less absorbed with the minutiae of so-called problems that we seem to spend our lives moaning about… Nothing is really a problem if you don’t apply that negative label to it.

Nepal nutshell

While Nepal may be one of the poorest countries in the world and have all the infrastructure problems that go along with that, it is a decidedly easy and enjoyable place to visit. It has the chaos of India, the roads and the pollution are worse in places, but the people seem friendlier and Kathmandu is really the only place you can call a city anyhow.

In March I trekked to Annapurna base camp but this time I’ve been hanging in Kathmandu waiting for the Lam Rim Buddhism course at Kopan Monastery which starts in about a week.

I’ve managed to do some volunteering with a local community centre called Bright Future arranged by Isabel from Australia, talking to the children and seeing what they do. I also taught a couple of lessons at a local school which was cool, although I felt that I was in the deep end in front of 30 twelve to fourteen year olds with no teaching experience.

Anyway, it was fun but with all the festivals they have here the schools aren’t really sitting at the moment so I took the opportunity to go and visit some spots in the valley for a few days…

The lads

The Girls

The Clinic

Bright Future

Kopan Monastery gardens

Kopan Monastery – 1000 Buddha Relic Stupa

Kopan Monastery – Valley view

Lingam in a tree

Gokarna Mahadev

Boudnath – The amateur attempt

Boudnath – the professional shot

Famous Peacock window

Music Shop Bhaktapur

Shiva looking pleased to see you…

Bhaktapur Temple

Guardian Lion Bhaktapur

Corn drying, Changu Narayan

May on the steps

Kicking Vishnu

Garuda Narayan as seen on the10 Rupee Note

Bridge on the river

The road we travelled

Himalaya view

Buffalo Stance

Bamboo Swing

You take one photo!

Early morning Puja, Dhullikel

Monastery NamoBuddha

Monastery NamoBuddha

Interior Monastery detail

Buddha Image – NamoBuddha Monastery

NamoBuddha Stupa from a different angle

NamoBuddha Stupa

Chicken eating offerings

Panauti temple

Shiva Lingams

Shrine, Panauti

It’s interesting when you consider the lifestyles of the people here, so simple and with very little of what we consider essential back home. There are political views, of course, with the Maoist government not necessarily being hated but also judged on their actions.  With encroachment from India in the south and China in the north, sometimes in the guise of “development” (where roads are being built to connect with China in rural areas potentially destroying fertile trekking ground for the Nepal tourism trade, the roads in Kathmandu are terrible and often feel like driving over boulders.)

To compare to the “austerity” in Britain, however, is a little tricky. I’ve made the joke that to escape Cameron’s measures at home I’m escaping to a monastery – maybe it will be less austere but that’s really a little flippant.  I mean, having looked into the followers of the Occupy movement a little and being broadly supportive of their (slightly vague) aims it is interesting to see how in a country as poor as Nepal the global economy doesn’t really impact it all that much.  They don’t really have natural resources, apart from the Himalaya, and that isn’t something you can export so they are reliant on the tourist trade and their own craftsmanship and farming to live.  This is a simple life for sure but isn’t it what a lot of middle class people in England claim to be aiming for as well?

It’s that weird dichotomy you get in third world countries, the people here are looking to have more of the western consumer culture while in the west we shy away from it. Actually, I don’t think Nepal is too “spoiled” by that desire; it is an immensely spiritual country with incredible nature and temples everywhere. I mean, EVERYWHERE!

Anyway, I’m off to the monastery in less than a week now so we will see how that goes.. wish me luck now…

A Pictoral update…

Clicky for details…

Penang Curry 2

Penang Curry

Just met the King

Kings Raya Open House

Ronnie and I

Posing by the guard

Sani’s nephew

Big cake part 2

Big Cake part 1

Inauguration statue Putrajaya

Celiing detail – Putrajaya mosque

Presidential palace Putrajaya

Putrajaya bridge

Statue at the entrance to the Monkey forest

Genitalia tree

Balinese Rice Paddies

Paddy Close up

Offering at Royal Temple Bali

Tana Lot Sunset

Sunset over sea

Tana Lot

Horsey horsey

Bromo Temple

Bromo sunrise

Sun-arise

Headscarves

Sugar, or honeycomb or something.

Yogjakarta Water Palace

Rickshaw race from the Water Palace

Overtaking Piers

Overtaking Jack

The approach to Merapi

Merapi Destruction

Merapi Destruction

Turn on the Bass Boost

Volcano Remnants

Borobodur

Borobodur Guardian

Borobodur Buddha

Qype: Double Dorje in Kathmandu

Kathmandu – Eating & Drinking – Restaurants – Other Asian – Tibetan & Nepalese

For cheap eats within skipping distance from Boudnath Stupa you could go far wrong than this friendly little spot where the owner is usually on hand with a grin and a laugh and you will sit on scruffy sofas next to Monks and students eating Momos, Thukpa and other Tibetan goodies. It’s not fancy, and you can’t see the stupa from here, but it’s cosy and you can hang out with a Tongba (hot Tibetan beer) for a while if you fancy…

Check out my review of Double Dorje – I am Marshy1903 – on Qype

Qype: Weisen Bakery in Kathmandu

Kathmandu – Eating & Drinking – Cafes & Coffee Shops

Right in the heart of tourist central Thamel this is one little spot where you can duck away from the chaos. They have bakery items out the front to eat in or take away and I think they are the best of the crop in Kathmandu. There are a few rivals and they all offer discounts in the evening – usually after 8pm – of up to 50% but I think this one has the most consistent output.
With sweet Pineapple Bags, tasty cinnamon rolls and generously filled apple strudels you can’t really go far wrong.
They do reasonably priced food and drinks as well although I’m reliably informed the coffee isn’t great and the fruit juice was just average. My Yak Cheese sandwich was nice but a bit dry.
Anyway, you want to go for the pastries for the most part.

Check out my review of Weisen Bakery – I am Marshy1903 – on Qype

Ko Phangan Part 4

In the meantime, hanging out with Nadine was keeping me sane. She was at the end of an 18 month trip away from her work as a social worker in a prison.  She had spent it in India and Nepal as well as Thailand, meditating, studying yoga, doing detoxes,teaching children yoga at an orphanage in Kathmandu, and despite still suffering from some feeling of not deserving love, she is a total sweetheart who I think, actually, everyone falls in love with. We went to a local fair and to a beautiful sunset spot as well as to a fabulous home made ice cream parlour where we were served the goodies in a coconut.

Mainly, though, we just hung out at the bungalow restaurant on our net books, ordering coffee and going for an occasional swim.

That is, until we decided it was time to do a brown rice diet.

It took us a while to commit to it but once we did it was full power – the Oshawa No 7 Macrobiotic diet is the most extreme of a series of diets that the Japanese nutritionist devised. Number Seven is a ten day course that supposedly completely cleanses the blood.  It is a diet where you should only eat foods which are Yang in nature, that is, the masculine, solar energy.  Given what we had available we were limited to brown rice, garnished with sesame seeds and soy sauce, miso soup, oats with water sweetened with bee pollen, black or mint tea and water which was converted from Yin by the addition of either Basil or Cinnamon.

It wasn’t an easy diet at times although I was quite impressed with my willpower which was actually improved when Nadine decided to break the diet after about three days. Once a system had been established and we had Good Times as our regular supplier of takeaway rice it was pretty straightforward, and it helped that Esmee, a Dutch girl at our bungalows had decided to join me, and also came to the Tantra course.  Munching on brown rice in the breaks where other people were bemoaning the fact that they didn’t have food at all definitely helped.  On day four or five I felt amazing, totally energised and with an intensity which was new to me.  As the days drew on I grew quite bored with the lack of variety and tired, although that may have been down to doing the Tantra course at the same time which was draining in itself.

We were taught to this principle to avoid losing Ojas:

The man should limit himself to between 50-70% of pleasure during sex to avoid getting too close to the Point of No Return where ejaculation will occur.  At this point stopping and using subliming yoga techniques like Uddiyana Bandha and the headstand which moves the energy away from Swadisthana Chakra.  These techniques are framed by the concept of offering to a higher place the fruits of the action.  Allowing the man to last longer also gives the woman more opportunity to reach deeper, longer lasting orgasm.  To really get the full power from the practice it is necessary to get into the role of Shiva and Shakti.  Shiva, the male, single pointed, steady force of the universe “bliss etc” and Shakti the feminine representation in material existence.  Everything that is, is Shakti, in movement and action.

The final exercise we did was a transfiguration where the guys sit in a circle and the girls move around sitting with each guy in turn.  Everyone holds hands and in the other’s face visualises the presence of Shiva, for the guys, and Shakti, for the girls.

This was such a powerful exercise.  It, and the meditation that followed, left me floating in Sahashara, the “crown Chakra” somewhere.  It was fascinating to see how different girls reacted to the exercise.  Some powerful, some nervous and some with a loving gaze.  They all meld into one at the end.

Ko Phagnan Part 3

So Allison and Alex started off by asking if we were “From Agama” the local yoga school and we continued by comparing stories about India, spirituality and the reality we live in.

I loved it, I’m not sure Marion was quite as interested (having already had an earful of philosophy from me earlier)

They told us all about the school and some of the things they had learnt (without mentioning the Tantra element actually) and I took it as a total sign that I had to go to this place. We were the last ones at the restaurant and I left having arranged to meet Alex and Allison at a lecture on the Bhagavad Gita the following night.

Agama is a controversial school but I didn’t realise that until a little while later. I was confused a little at my first Yoga class when people asked me if I knew what I was “letting myself in for” but to be honest I didn’t find it intimidating and I think there are a lot of insubstatiated stories. Certainly from the first lecture I found the Swami immensely well read, very knowledgeable and a good speaker. I’m not sure I felt in the presence of a realised being but this large Romanian guy in orange robes with quite a brash manner perhaps just doesn’t fit my restricted idea of a guru.

Marion and I spent several days together, hanging out at various beaches and exploring before we went to the Half Moon Party. I had spent a long day at Agama, walking to both the morning and afternoon classes as well as staying for the lecture with Nadine, the sparkly eyed German who Marion had met on the bus and had been another pointer to Agama, having completed the first level course previously.

I didn’t really fancy the party after this long day but Marion and I had been planning to go so I didn’t want to pull out last minute. I probably should have though because she knew some French guys there and we ended up hanging out with them. The guys were alright although it was pure Gallic Drama as one had injured his leg meaning his holiday may be cut short while his companion was in the grip of great despair due to not wanting to travel alone. I had a traditional bucket of Sang Som with Red Bull and Coke to try and enjoy the party but apart from the fire show which was, in equal parts enchanting and extremely dangerous it wasn’t really a great do.

It was this night and the resulting hangover which made me decide to quit drinking, for a while at least, and I went a good month before having anything again.

Meanwhile, the Yoga was really interesting, I arrived on the last day of week 2 of the 1st level 1 month intensive course. This proved to be a good day to start since we were taught what I would call Agama’s “Special Move” the ultimate energy-sublimation asana, Uddiyanda Bandha. This involves exhaling through the mouth to empty the lungs and then doing a “fake inhalation” pulling the chest up and navel towards the spine with knees bent and hands on the thighs to hold the exhale with a concave stomach. This causes energy to rise up the spine, moving it from the lower chakras.

The Class in general is characterised by its intense focus on these energy centres and movement, either bringing in cosmic energy from above or channelling through the Telluric Earth energy from below.

This is achieved by concentrating on particular chakras during the Asanas but also by holding the postures for much longer than I am used to.

I liked the slow, reflective and meditative style though and the classes were certainly challenging, leading to a deep final relaxation.

My first day was a big one because as well as Uddiyanda Bandha the evening lecture (led by Swami Vivekananda) was about the Yogic concept of Brahmacharya which is basically Sexual Continence.

Interpreted by most as meaning a celibate path is the only way to enlightenment, Tantra sees things differently. Outlining that the real reason behind Brahmacharya is preventing the loss of Ojas and not specificially refraining from sex.

Ojas is described in ayurveda and is a kind of “life force” which is lost in large amounts through ejaculation for men and so it is understandable that there is a correlation.

The ascetic path which takes the “fastest” route to enlightenment by cutting out all opportunities to failure by for example heading off to a cave, teaches celibacy as a way of cutting out the sexual urge at the root. Tantra however, teaches the mantra “sublime, sublime, sublime” that this energy can be harnessed and transferred to higher chakras to actually aid in spiritual development

For men this means giving up ejaculation, and in the short term the orgasm – we learnt that the two are not explicitly linked.

Orgasm causes certain muscle contractions which cause ejaculation but the two can be separated (although this takes a while)

This means that with practice and by offering the fruits to the divine it is possible for men to have multiple orgasms without ejaculation.

So maybe you can see why this school has a slightly “odd” reputation – I should clarify that some of the details here weren’t taught in this initial lecture – in fact Swami made a point of keeping away from the sexual side since the yoga classes are kept totally aside from the “tantric” side.

However, I did attend the separate “mens meeting” and after much deliberation I did sign up for the one week Tantra Level One workshop.

It turned out to be much more Sex-ed than I was expecting or really hoping for…!

Ko Phangan. Part 2

Of late, things have been kind of leading on, one step to the next without too much attention from me. I have been happy to let the universe do its thing and let the experiences that I want to have come to me. (Of course I had to make the initial leap of coming away in the first place and be constantly willing.) It’s all about meeting the right people to resonate with but the place you are in obviously helps you meet those people and be directed onwards.

Allowing for the natural order of things to pan out is sometimes more challenging than it sounds. These connections can be very strong and unnerving as you realise that you have met someone for a very specific purpose, however unlikely it may at first seem.

I guess places and courses can work in a similar way and I was drawn to Ko Phangan despite my previous visit being purely for the Full Moon Party in all its dayglo, bucket swilling glory. That is the main reason most people visit this place but after spending just an hour or so in Haad Rin I was glad to be nowhere near it. I enjoyed my time here 6 years ago but was in a totally different zone this time.

So my arrival, by accident, in what appeared to be the hippy central of the island on a beach so beautiful that I couldn’t believe my eyes when I sat in my hammock, became even more profoundly interconnected by meeting several people within a couple of days of arriving.

I was wandering and wanted to see the local Sri Thanu Wat, set apart from the main street down a dusty side road lined with trees and with nothing else much around. The Wat seemed to be still under construction with bamboo scaffolding surrounding it and piles of yellow dirt and other materials lying about in the sun. In the background a few monks went about their daily business in the hermitage which I decided against entering.

Slightly feeling that I had made a wasted trip up this street I decided to have a look at the little cafe advertising books and home-made brownies in a ramshackle way that I had passed. I entered through the rickety looking furniture with toys strewn about the dirt floor to be greeted by Jenny, 8 months pregnant and also from England. We had a little chat, I ordered a brownie and browsed the books for sale or to borrow, realising that the fantastic selection of interesting spiritual books were all for rent.  I decided to take Eckhart Tolle‘s The Power of Now which I subsequently spent several days reading in a hammock and at every other opportunity. It speaks about living in the present without the distractions of a past and future that only really exist in our minds anyway and fits in with Buddhism, Yoga and all the other stuff that I’ve been learning. He came to a realisation after sinking to a low but seemingly opened his eyes, looked on the world differently and now teaches this around the world to an adoring audience, it’s inspiring actually. Of course, synchronicity meant that this book had come up before and has been mentioned by various people a lot since, I feel it is one I need to buy and revisit often.

Jenny also told me about the buffet that they had on that night of healthy local vegetarian fare which seemed like something not to miss, ever the indecisive diner, I do love a buffet.

So when I turned up that evening with Marion, the beautiful French girl from my guesthouse with an accent to make the knees tremble, we found the place abuzz and ended up sharing our table with a couple who were clearly a sign…

Ko Phangan. Part One

I arrived on Ko Phangan looking for Yoga but not really knowing where to find it. Through my online and guidebook research I had seen there were a few places mainly on the West coast of the island which was also far away from the party central Haad Rin but there were other spots spread about as well. I took it as a sign when the only tout offering accomodation on the island while waiting for the ferry was a guy from the Laem Son bungalows on Sri Thanu beach, right on the West coast.

I wandered around the village and came across the Orion healing centre, a cute family run spot offering Yoga and detox courses with Reiki and massage. I went for a class here and although it was fine I knew it wasn’t going to be challenging when the girl taking the class was pregnant, my friend was doing her first ever Yoga class and the other girl there was in the middle of a detox. It was a nice setting though and the teacher was very friendly and introduced us to her son who was running around the place.

I also found the Art Cafe which had adverts up for all sorts of Chakra Balancing, Theta Healing, Cosmic Energy Massage and every wonderful and unusual form of alternative practice you can imagine. They sold home detox kits and advertised Colloidal Silver, Gold and Platinum that you could drink for various benefits.

This was my bungalow and view from the beach, so yeah, I figured I was in the right place.

I gradually became introduced to a Yoga school called Agama which I started to attend, but that will require at least one post of its own…