India....continued

This is where all the letters from Christmas day through the end of January belong, when I find them.

Jeannie Alvin's Friends

Date: 1 february 2000 22:37

Subject: Jeannie is "on the road, again"

Hello folks,

another letter from Jeannie - this time she is "on the road" traveling

in India. I think you will enjoy reading her adventure.

Love, Vickie

*********************************************************

May All the Beings in All the Worlds be Happy!

Hi, Darshan!

Hello from Chennai! Pat and I are off to a good

start on our trip. Hello to you and Jerry! I will

send this letter to Vickie also for the group email.

Here is what happened on our overnight bus ride, part

of which you know, because you were there at the

beginning of it!

Our last darshan with Swami was a quickie. The

lines were long, and still going in when the music

started. We were outside. We got in only to see a

glimpse of orange robe going into the mandir. Our

group did not get an interview.

6:30pm Jan. 30th

Pat and I arrive with luggage for overnight bus

trip to Madras (Chennai). The 200 rupee fare entices

us. We hope we can manage all night on the bus, with

uncertain bathroom facilities!

Raji and Shamila come to see us off. They

supervise our luggage going out of the bus, where it

did not fit, to the back luggage hold at the rear

outside of the bus. It took quite a while to get our

luggage back off the bus, as the other passengers were

coming on.

We take our seats. A man shows us his ticket,

saying he has seats 21 and 22, our seats! Finally he

realizes that he has seats 1 and 2.

Darshan comes on the bus to see us off. He helps

us figure out how to recline the seats.

We say our goodbyes to a dear friend.

7pm

The bus takes off. It is a big, modern looking bus.

It says hi-tech on the side. I have my air pillow

from June on my left, Pat tries using my other air

pillow to get comfortable. The seats are quite nice,

like airline seats. They have a built-in headrest.

We are lucky because there are no built-in TV's on

this bus, so it will be quieter at night.

The lights are soon turned off, and it is dark and

quiet, even though it is just 7:30pm.

8:30pm. Restaurant and bathroom break. We stop at a

small village. I stay in my seat to watch our bags;

Pat goes in search of a bathroom.

Pat returns making faces. She walked through a

restaurant full of only men to a horrid restroom. I

left the bus hoping to find a better bathroom.

I went to a little shop just in front of the bus

and asked the men there if they knew where a ladies

toilet was. They shook their heads no. I have no

idea if they understood me.

The next shop was a tailors shop with three

tailors. I asked my question. One of the tailors

called his little daughter, who spoke some English.

She was about 12 years old.

She and her father spoke in some language I did not

understand. Then she took me by the hand and led me

around the building to a latrine behind the tailor's

shop. I had difficulty seeing in the dark, and she

helped guide me. The latrine was actually quite

clean. It was Indian style, a hole with a place for

two feet beside it, in ceramic!

I came out of the restroom in a bit of a hurry,

because I thought I heard the bus's horn honking! To

my surprise, I faced an audience of about a dozen

women and children! They wanted to say hello and

speak a bit! Their faces were very sweet, simple and

innocent! I would have liked to spend some time with

them, but I heard the bus's horn honking for sure! So

off I went to the bus, holding the little girl's hand

for safety in the dark alley.

The bus driver was waiting for me! Pat had told

him I was outside! As I got in, he closed the door

and started the engine!

I took my seat. Pat said I missed something

interesting! The man stood in the aisle just in front

of her scratching something in his shirt. A big

lizard came out, and crawled to the back of the bus!

The man sitting behind me opened the window that we

shared. After the bus was on the way, I discovered

that June's pillow was missing. I asked the man

behind me why he did not tell me. He must have seen

it! So that pillow is gone, unless someone in the

spirit world apports it to me on my travels.

I dozed off and on through the night.

As we got off the bus at about 8am the next

morning, we met a nice man from the USA named Indra.

He is going to be in Madras for only one day. We are

staying two nights.

Feb. 1, 2000 Madras (Chennai)

Pat and I went to the Theosophical Society's

headquarters, where Helen Blavatsky and Annie Besant

worked in the late 1800's and early in the 1900's

(last century, last millenium!!!). It was a green,

quiet oasis in a busy city.

We walked through an entrance gate and entered a

long, long driveway. Big, old trees and lots of green

plants gave a country feel. We arrived at a big

building with high ceilings, big vacant areas, a few

tables and chairs, and bas-relief figures from many

religions.

To our surprise, Indra, the man we met on the bus

came up to us! He was very pleasant, and joined us

for a few hours. He gave us some good tips on our

upcoming travel. He suggested visiting a sacred

mountain a couple of hours from Pondicherry. Also,

and a great tip, he suggested having a travel agent

get our train tickets for us for a very small charge.

We had heard that the process is not easy, so we were

happy to learn that someone else could handle it for

us.

We were very tired, and moved slowly during the

whole day.

Feb. 2

We are well rested. We are staying at an

inexpensive hotel called the Hotel Comfort. It has an

air conditioner and a fan, and hot water in the

morning for showers. There is also a large mirror,

the first one I have seen in India. I saw myself in

the mirror for the first time since I have been here.

I have no idea how much weight I lost with the

India-special diet I was on so frequently! (The

India-special diet... eat one minute, lose it the

next.) But I am not over-weight anymore.

In the morning we ordered our train tickets from

Madras to New Delhi for February 14th. There is a

small travel service in the hotel. It only cost 60

rupees for the service. We picked up our ticket in

the afternoon!

There is a vegetarian restaurant called Majarajah

just around the corner. I had a fruit salad and three

idlis. Idlis are a steamed cake, made out of rice

flour, I think. I am going very easy on hot spices

right now, so I avoided the spicy orange colored

sauce, and the coconut chutney sauce. I dipped my

idlis very lightly in a lovely green sauce made from

coriander.

Sad news about the first roll of film from my new

camera. I bought a camera in Bangalore. The man I

bought it from loaded the film. Either he loaded it

wrong, or the film was defective. I had such a good

time taking pictures with our group on the trip to

Mysore. All are ruined. I opened the camera, because

it stopped working, and said number 36 in the little

window. None of the film went through the camera.

Sorry Darshan. This means I have no photos of

Darshan, Jerry, Raji, or Shamila or that whole trip.

Today Pat and I took a small sight-seeing trip in

an auto-rickshaw. We went to the beach, where we had

coconut water and coconut meat. I also had some

peanuts.

Then the driver said he would take us to a Shiva

temple. As he was zipping along the streets, we

whisked by a small temple. We tapped the driver on

the shoulder as we passed it. He took us back to it.

We walked up white marble steps with inlaid

designs. A woman in an orange sari was performing a

worship ceremony with the idols, putting yellow dots

on them. Pat said it looked like a Jain temple. Then

the priest came up to us and said it was a Jain

temple. It was very beautiful.

Then we went on to the Shiva temple. Pat agreed to

hire a guide. He told us he would be happy with

whatever we wanted to give him. (Never true here,

whatever we give is never enough, we are always asked

for more.) Shiva actually walked on these grounds

during his incarnation, our guide told us. The idols

were so far inside different arches that we just peek

in from the entrance. We could not see them well, as

they were not well lit. But we could see a big oval

stone called a lingam. It was over a foot tall.

There were sacred cows around the temple complex.

There was one baby calf and several grown ones.

As in Puttaparti, even though Madras is a big city,

animals can be seen wandering the streets. We have

seen cows and horses just wandering, and trying to

forage for food in rubbish. There do not seem to be

water troughs for the poor things anywhere that I have

seen.

The vendors do not bother us here, as they do in

Puttaparti. And there are fewer beggars where we have

been.

Pat and I visited the bus station to check out

buses to our next travel stop, Mahabilapuram. The

buses are just like city buses, with no room for

luggage except on top. We will take a taxi for 600

rupees instead of a bus.

We also visited the train station where we will

leave on February 14th to visit the Taj Majal and

Benares, where they float candles on the holy Ganges

river. We won't leave on that train trip until 10 pm

at night. We wanted to see if there is a place in the

station to store our luggage on the day we return. We

want to arrive, store our luggage, and then go out in

the city for as long as we wish.

We found a cloak room in the train station where we

can store luggage for 7 rupees each for each 24 hours.

Pat is sitting beside me, learning to do email for

the first time. It is 7:30pm, and I am hungry. I am

looking forward to eating alu palak, spinach and

potatoes, in the veggie restaurant.

She pointed out that there is a big picture of Shirdi Sai Baba on the wall!

Tomorrow we are off to Mahabilapuram for a few days

of rest at the beach, and a bit of sight-seeing. I am

healthy again, for about a week! Hooray!!!

Date: 13 february 2000 18:19

Subject: Jeannie Alvin "on the road again"

Hi Friends,

Below is the latest news from Jeannie Alvin. After spending several

months with Sai Baba, she is now on another adventure. Sounds like she

is having a lovely trip. Enjoy

*********************************************************

May All the Beings in All the Worlds be Happy!

Date:

Wed, 9 Feb 2000 03:46:56 -0800 (PST)

From:

Jeannie Alvin

<jeannie_alvin@yahoo.com>

Subject:

group email, Pondicherry

Dear folks;

I will arrive back at the Carlsbad Airport at

4:10pm on Saturday, March 25th. On April 3, one week

later, I will house-sit from then until July 21st.

If anyone can pick me up at the airport, and/or

needs a house-sitter, or can offer me a place to stay

for that week, it would be greatly appreciated. I

also will need a ride to Valley Center to pick up my

car and become mobile

again.

Email is as normal as in the US here in these

cities and towns. I can quickly read my mail, and

write to you much more easily than when I was in

Puttaparti. So feel free to write if you wish!

However, I may be too busy sightseeing to look at the

email very often! So be patient waiting for a reply!

My travel the past 10 days has been very rewarding.

Here is what has happened:

In my auto-rickshaw tour of Madras, I also was

taken to a Catholic Church. I believe it is called

St. Thomas's.

In 52 A.D., the apostle Thomas came to India. He

eventually made his way to Madras, where he preached.

He was persecuted and killed. His remains are

interrred in that church! I found this quite

facinating.

Jan. 31st

We arrived in Mahabalipuram, also known as

Mamallapuram. We did not know the name of the hotel

where we wanted to stay, but we had been given clues.

A friend, Claire, from the Ladies Day choir, told me

that her husband was a travel agent, and knew of a

very nice hotel on the beach. She said that it was

next to the Ideal Beach hotel, a very expensive hotel,

and on the beach side of the hotel was a statue of

Vivekinanda. She thought the hotel's name started

with the letter 'M', something like 'Marmaris.'

We took a taxi from Madras. As we approached

Mahabalipuram, we spotted a sign for the Ideal Hotel.

We went in for a moment. It was very ritzy, and very

expensive!

The third hotel down the road was the Mamalla Beach

Resort. Since it started with 'M,' we decided to

look at it.

It was quite a ways off the highway, past palm

trees and other greenery. Then we came near it, and

into a forest of very tall pine trees! What a

surprise to see pine trees here! They must grow in

every climate!

The hotel was very reasonably priced, especially

since Pat and I were splitting the bill. We decided

to stay for five nights. The rooms were beautiful,

and there was a nice restaurant available.

We took our room, and then walked through more pine

trees to the beach. There were a number of stone

tables and benches under the pine trees. Just at the

edge of the pine trees was the statue of Vivekananda!

We had found the right hotel!

The beach was too rough to actually swim; I just

went in as far as my ankles and was splashed to my

waist! The waves came in with great force, and pulled

back out with a very strong undertow. I did not dare

even go in as deep as my knees. One day I was in the

water just to my ankles, and was speaking with a man

from India who was in the water as far as his knees.

The wave came in so strong that it knocked him forward

and down into the water! Another day I spoke with a

French woman who had dared once to swim out past the

first breakers. She said she just kept getting

further out to sea, and she learned not to try to swim

there! Now she just sits in the surf!

But I enjoyed the beauty of the clear water, the

sand, and the rhythm of the ocean. One day a young

Indian woman and two young Indian men came near me as

they searched for crabs. The men waited until a wave

came in, bent over in the ankle deep water, and

churned the sand a few inches below the water. Quite

frequently they found crabs. They threw them to their

woman companion waiting at the edge of the surf. She

put them in a pot.

Another time a herd of cows came by! I was just

leaving the water. They waited until I passed by,

then continued on their way. They seemed a bit shy!

A vendor was there almost daily with fresh

coconuts. A few other vendors came by, trying to sell

their wares. The beach was very quiet, with just a

few hotel guests, and the occasional vendor.

I enjoyed the beach, and quiet times sitting under

the pine trees reading about Ramakrishna. Both

Ramakrishna and Vivakananda were men who became one

with the Divine, and were great holy men. Their words

are very inspiring. They and Sai Baba and Jesus and

the ancient scriptures called the Upanishads and the

Bhagavad Gita say the same things. Being one with

God,

as they all were, or are, and communicating from that

source of All that Is, that is timeless and

unchanging.

Jan. 31st

Pat and I went into town, and found our way to the

shore temple. A man approached us and offered to be

our guide. We accepted, as it makes the visit much

more interesting to hear the history. Plus, speaking

with the guide was very pleasant.

He told us that the temple had been constructed the

the 8th century. It is called Dravidian style, a

style mainly found in this state of Tamil Nadu. There

are a series of courts, enclosures, and various

shrines at each side.

It had been entirely covered with sand, and hidden

from view for some centuries. I believe the British

discovered it.

February

Feb. 4th

I spent a few days lazing around, seeing the little

town of Mahabalipuram, and checking for email. Stone

carving has been a local trade for centuries. There

are many shops where people are chiseling by hand.

Then I went by myself to see more ancient temples

and artwork. I am feeling a need to be by myself

more.

I saw a huge round rock called Krishna's

butterball. It is at the top of a hill. Then I saw a

small ancient temple carved entirely from the rock.

As I was standing there, the guide who helped us enjoy

the shore temple appeared, and offered to tell me

about these archeological sites. I gladly accepted.

I saw Arjuna's Penance, the world's biggest (they

claim) bas-relief. That is like a carving of just the

front edge of statues out of rock, making a three

dimensional artwork. The carvings cover the face of

several big rocks, measuring 27 meters wide by 9

meters tall! The artwork represents all of creation,

showing gods, Arjuna (man), and birds and beasts.

The guide showed me a carving that looked like a

cow from one perspective, and then like an elephant

from another!

One bas relief showed Krishna holding up the

mountains to protect people from torrential rains.

Many people were under the mountain. This is a

beautiful work of art.

Then we hopped into an auto-rickshaw, and drove to

another site, called the Five Rathas. These are all

monolithic temples, which means that each temple, from

floor to ceiling, was carved out of one huge rock.

They were also in the Dravidian style. There was a

huge stone elephant and bull, as well. It was very

beautiful.

The guide showed me a cashew-nut tree in bloom, and

a neem tree. He picked off a stem and showed me how

people use it as a toothbrush.

Feb. 6th

Pat and I treated ourselves to a dinner buffet and

Indian classical dance performance at the Mamalla

Bhavan Annexe, a hotel in the town of Mahabalipuram.

It cost 250 rupees, expensive in rupees, but only

about $5 US!

We arrived before 7pm for the evening performance.

We were shown up to the roof, where a stage was set

up. We were treated to a cool breeze!

Before the performance, the young man and young

woman dancer stood to one side of the small stage and

prayed.

Both wore green costumes, and both wore bells on

their ankles. The man's costume was a green and white

skirt-like outfit with a gold belt and gold trim. The

woman's costume had red pleats in front. She wore a

beautiful headdress and flowers in her hair. Her

black hair was in one long braid extending far below

her waist.

An announcer with an exquisite voice told a bit of

the history of each dance before they began. These

are ancient spiritual dances going back at least 2800

years, at least. He showed us the meaning of a few of

the precise hand and finger movements.

During a dance where he represented Krishna, the

man had the sweetest smile on his face. And the woman

portrayed a wide range of emotions on her face. The

dances were beautiful, the dancers graceful and very

expressive.

Dinner was served to us during the performance. It

was very tasty!

Feb. 7th

Time is flying! It is hard to believe a week has

gone by since our travels began. We reluctantly pack

our suitcases. The beach, the hotel, and

Mahabalipuram were so nice we hate to leave.

We hire a taxi to take us to Pondicherry.

Pondicherry was a French colony for some time in it's

history, so there is supposed to be quite a bit of

French influence. Since I wish to improve my French

at some point, that is my main interest in the town.

Also, the Aurobindo Ashram is in Pondicherry, and an

idealized community created by the ashramites is

nearby.

I decide to travel on from here by myself, and

parted company with my traveling companion, Pat. She

stayed at a luxury hotel, and I went on with the taxi

driver to search for a different location.

I was tired, and the hotels that I looked at were

not too great. I finally settled for a guest hotel

named Shanti, and hoped it would be okay for one

night. I would look for a better place the next day.

The hotel clerk gave me a map of the city, showing

ashram and government and tourist sites. The ashram

is located in various buildings right in the city. It

turned out that my guest house was only a five minute

walk from the Information Bureau of the ashram.

I went to the holy place in the ashram called the

Samadi. The founders of the ashram, Sri Aurobindo,

and Mother Mirra are buried there. It was a simple

white marble structure, less than a yard tall, and

several yards wide. There are beautiful flower

decorations on top made from flower petals. Devotees

stand for a few moments by it, praying. There is a

raised flowerbox-like wooden box near the front side,

filled with sand. Devotees light insence sticks and

place them there. It is a quiet, peaceful place,

shaded by a large tree. People sit nearby meditating

or in quiet contemplation.

I approached the Samadi, with no expectations. I

began to feel the most powerful holy emanation coming

from it that I have ever experienced in my life. I

felt it in the atmosphere around me, and I felt it in

every particle of my being. I was not even in a

prayerful or meditative state. I just walked into

this incredible, beautiful energy!

This is an enormous surprise to me. If I felt this

energy from a live holy person, I would not be so

surprised. Not everyone feels this, so it must mean

something for my spiritual path. Each one of us is

unique in the spiritual experiences that we have. I

certainly did not expect this; I had not heard of this

happening. I am most pleasantly stunned, and in great

appreciation! And I thought I was coming here to find

out about learning French! Apparently there is more

to my visit here than that!

After this amazing introduction to Aurobindo and

the Mother's energy, I followed my map to my next

site, dinner! I went to the ashram dining hall, a few

blocks away. I was told by a volunteer that I needed

a guest pass to eat in the ashram, and usually that

was

reserved for people staying at the ashram. The

volunteer told me to hurry to the Information Bureau,

which closed at 6pm. It was 5:45pm!

With pointers from the volunteer, and my trusty

map, I arrived at the Information Bureau. I asked

about a dinner pass, and shared my strong experience

at the Samadi with the volunteer there.

He said that since I had such a strong darshan, he

would give me a food pass for 2 days! And he said

that if I returned at 6:45am the next morning, he

would try to find me a lodging in the ashram! For

someone who arrived in total ignorance, I was well

guided by those in the spirit world to just the right

places at just the right times!

The food pass costs 20 rupees, about 40 cents US,

and includes breakfast, lunch and dinner. I bought

the passes, and returned the short couple of blocks to

the dining hall.

The food is simple and pure vegetarian meals.

There is no chili in it. I had some rice and a bowl

of vegetable soup with many, many vegatables in it.

It was very delicious. There was curd (yogurt) and

milk for those who use dairy products, and dessert

with ghee in it. I skipped those, as I am Vegan (no

eggs, no dairy).

I went home tired, took a bucket bath of hot water

provided by the clerk, and went to sleep early.

Feb. 8th

I arrived at the Information Bureau. There were

no rooms available yet. I was told to go eat

breakfast and return. At 8am, next door to the

Information Bureau, was one ashram guest house with

room for just a few people. It is called the Cottage

Guest House. I could check with them at 8:15am when

they opened, and return to the Information Bureau for

more help after that if needed.

So I went to breakfast. I was feeling great trust

that there was a room for me somewhere in the ashram.

The ashram has a number of cottages or guest houses

scattered around the area.

After breakfast I returned. A Russian woman and

her daughter were also waiting for the Cottage Guest

House office to open. They were warm and friendly

people, with bright, pretty blue eyes and brown hair.

They invited me to room with them if I needed to.

They were the first ones into the office when it

opened. I still was trusting, and not worried about a

place. There was a room for them with four beds.

Again they invited me! I would have enjoyed their

company, I am sure, but my inner feeling is to be

alone now if I can.

So they went off to pack their luggage and move in.

I went to the desk. The volunteer offered me a

single room for 60 rupees, but said it is on the 3rd

floor. Here that means 4th floor to Americans. I

said that would be hard for me; I had an apartment on

that floor and had to move down.

She said, you are lucky! There is one apartment on

the first floor (which to Americans means the second

floor), and it has air conditioning! It costs 200

rupees a night, about $4 US! Someone up there is

looking after me!! She asked how long I needed it,

and I said until the 15th morning. (I re-booked my

train ticket for Feb. 15th instead of Feb. 14th.) She

said that I could have the room until then!

There was an auto-rickshaw on the street. I

hopped into it, went to my guest house, packed, and

was back within a few minutes to check into the ashram

guest house! My room is huge, with two beds, an air

conditioner, hot water in the bathroom, and

scrupulously clean. It is cleaned daily. I can leave

dirty clothes on the hall table, and they are washed,

ironed, and returned in about a day for 2 rupees per

piece, about 4 cents US! The room is old but nice.

It is only a short distance from the dining hall, and

a few short blocks further to the Samadi. When the

ashram is not busy, guests can stay 15 days, and then

ask for an extension of another 15 days. When it is a

busy time, they can stay 10 days.

There is a place to fill water bottles with pure

water at the ashram dining hall. Also, there is a

free clinic run by ashramites close by. I have gone

there twice daily to get a small cut on my little toe

cleaned and dressed. I cut the skin on my toe with my

nail clippers very slightly the day before my travels

began. I wear only open sandals in this heat, so dirt

kept getting in, and it could not heal. Now it is

almost cleared up.

Because of the dirt and the heat in India, we need

to be very careful to treat small cuts immediately. I

keep a tiny plastic tube of Polysporin, a triple

antibiotic cream, in my fanny pack. But I probably

should have kept my toe covered at least with kleenex

to keep dirt out, as well.

Streets in the cities are paved, but not always all

the way to the shops. Each shop puts its own stairs

down to the street level. Then there is a strip of

dirt between the shops and the pavement. And usually,

that is the best place to walk. So it is very dusty.

When there are sidewalks, they only extend the length

of one particular business. They often have open

holes and many uneven surfaces.

Also, many stores, the ashram, and ashram dining

hall, the ashram information bureau, and many other

places request that shoes be left at the entrance. So

one is barefoot and getting the feet dirty often here.

Feb. 13th

I have had some pleasant and restful days here. I

am happy being on my own.

The ashram provides some inexpensive tours. One,

for 40 rupees, goes to Auroville.

I went on the Auroville tour. The bus seats were

rather small for two people, but I managed to balance

myself fairly comfortably. The bus drove through a

busy main street in Pondicherry to go there. There

was a lot of traffic. The majority of the traffic was

bicycles, with a few auto-rickshaws, the occasional ox

cart, and a few taxis. Our bus honked its way through

the bicycles riders!

We drove about 10 kilometers to Auroville. It is a

community based on a Divine dream had by the Mother,

Aurobindo's companion, a God-realized holy woman in

her own development. Representatives of 186 nations

and all the Indian states brought a handful of their

native soil to form it's foundation. It is designed

as a place for all people to live, and for children to

grow, in touch with their soul. There were many

varied colored bouganvillia shrubs lining the road as

we neared the town.

We went into a very attractive central information

building made of tan handmade bricks. They are made

of 5% cement and 95% soil. We saw a video about the

Mother's dream and the realization of the town. The

town is still growing and has land available for

purchase for those drawn to live this dream. Passes

are available here to return at certain times to

meditate in the matrimandir.

We hopped back in the bus for a short ride to the

Matrimandir. This is a temple still under

construction. We got out of the bus, and were told

that we had to maintain silence from the start to the

end of this tour, if we could not do that, to please

not go.

We walked silently in single file past beautiful

gardens. Near the temple we left our sandals. The

temple is a geodesic dome. The outside is being

slowly covered by giant gold-colored lotus flowers.

The entrance is dramatic, with red flagstones used

like marble or brick work. Then we entered, and

circular ramps led upwards and around. Near the top

is an exquisite, enormous crystal.

After lunch today I am going to the travel agent to

finish working on my train tickets for the rest of my

trip. So far, this is my itinerary, worked out with

the help of a travel guide by Lonely Planet which I

bought for 795 rupees. The guide has hotel

information, tour information, everything needed to

get around.

Feb. 15th night, Feb. 16th day and night on a 2nd

class sleeper car from Chennai (Madras) to New Delhi.

I called some hotels from the guidebook, and made a

reservation at the Smyle Inn, for 200 rupees a night!

It is supposed to be clean and nice.

Feb. 17, 18, and 19 in New Delhi. I plan to take

two half day tours.

Feb. 20, 21 in Jaipur, the city of the pink palaces.

Feb. 22 Agra. I will see the Taj Majal.

Feb. 23 Fatehpur Sikri. A deserted, but well

preserved ancient city.

Feb. 24 Agra again.

Feb. 25 Varanasi, also known as Benares. This is

where little candles are floated on the holy Ganges

river.

It is time to go to lunch now!

Subject:

Fw: group email from North India Feb 14-22

Date:

Hi folks,

another group email from our "spiritual tourist" Jeannie Alvin

*********************************************************

May All the Beings in All the Worlds be Happy!

-----Original Message-----

From: Jeannie Alvin [mailto:jeannie_alvin@yahoo.com]

Sent: Tuesday, February 22, 2000 6:28 AM

To: Vickie Jewell

Subject: group email from North India Feb 14-22

Dear Vickie, please, add these new email addresses for

the group email. When I get home, I'd like to learn

from you how to send a whole folder at once!

Feb. 17, 18, and 19 in New Delhi. I plan to

taketwo half day tours.

Feb. 20, 21 in Jaipur, the city of the pink palaces.

Feb. 22 Agra. I will see the Taj Majal.

Feb. 23 Fatehpur Sikri. A deserted, but

wellpreserved ancient city.

Feb. 24 Agra again. Feb. 25 Varanasi, also known as

Benares. This is

where little candles are floated on the holy

Gangesriver.

Dear folks;

Today I changed cities again! I will first tell

you the rest of my schedule:

Feb. 21 Agra

Feb. 22 Agra, Fatepur Sikri (day trip by local bus, I

think)

Feb. 23 night train from Agra to Varanasi, 2nd class

sleeper, very comfortable

Feb. 24 Varanasi (also called Benares)

close by is Sarnath, where the Buddha

preached for the first time;

5 hours away, I am told, is Bothgaya, where

the Buddha became enlightened under the Bodhi tree. I

may go there for a night or two.

Feb. 27 night train from Varanasi to Manmad, Shirdi

Baba's ashram is located about an hour from there. I

will stay one day there.

Feb. 29 night train from Manmad to Dharmavaram, a few

minutes from Puttaparti. Back to Sai Baba and my

apartment and many friends.

Here is what has been happening:

Feb. 14th.

I went to the train station with a travel agent to

make my many train reservations. It is a good thing I

went, as there was no space on one desired train. I

needed to spend one day less in New Delhi to reserve a

place to Agra. So I had to revise the rest of my

schedule by one day.

But the good thing is now I know how to make train

reservations. It is not that hard. Just lots of

forms to fill in with my last name, my age, which gets

posted outside the train car! and a few other details,

train number and city names.

I discovered that the Russian ladies were planning

to take a bus to Chennai (Madras) on the 15th, when I

am going there. My train leaves Madras at 10 pm,

theirs leaves the same station at 10:30pm. They are

on a very, very skimpy budget. I had already decided

to take a taxi, so I invited them to accompany me for

the same as the bus would cost them. I was very drawn

to them, and felt that there was a spiritual reason

for the contact. Their eyes shine with the light of

God! They are so beautiful. Their names are Anna and

Natalia, from St. Petersburg, Russia.

Feb. 15th Anna, the daughter, and Natalia, her

mother, met me at 11:30am. We all checked out of our

rooms and left our luggage in the hands of the ashram

guest house watchman.

We walked to the beach. The sun was too hot and

strong to walk along the beach. We found a wide stone

ledge in the shade just across the street from the

beach. We shared a bit about ourselves. They had

also been with Sai Baba in Puttaparti prior to coming

to Pondicherry.

We went for lunch at the ashram dining room, our

last bowl of good vegie soup, rice and dal.

3pm Our taxi took us to the ashram tour stop, where I

had hired the car. The man in the office said a warm

goodbye to all of us, and gave me back 100 rupees of

the taxi fare. He had managed to get the ashram car,

and it was cheaper.

We had a pleasant drive through the countryside.

We reached the outskirts of Madras, and then drove

quite a ways through the city to get to the train

station. It was about 7 pm.

A red traffic light stopped traffic in front of us.

our taxi driver cut across the center lane at this

very big intersection to try to squeeze forward a bit

before the light changed. Whistles blew, and a

traffic policeman signalled us to pull over.

We pulled to the left and parked. The policeman

came to the window. Anna heard him say 20 rupees to

our driver. (I did not hear that.) Our driver got out

and went with the policeman.

Soon he came back and got in. He turned to us, and

said, "Two hundred rupees, madame."

Natalia said, with her Russian accent, "Not one

r-r-rupee! It is not our problem, It is your problem.

You pay." I did not say a word.

The taxi driver told the policeman that we would

not pay. The policeman said, "Station." The taxi

driver got out again, and went behind the cab with the

policeman. I was getting a bit worried. I said a

prayer to Sai Baba and Ganesha. Later I discovered

that Natalia was also doing just that!

Immediately the driver came back, sat in his seat,

started the car, and drove us off without another

word. I said to him, "All finished?" He did not

answer!

Natalia said this was a scam between the policeman

and the taxi driver to get money from us. That is

when I found out that the original "fine" was 20

rupees! Luckily we had 3 hours before our trains

left. Otherwise they would have scared us into paying

to arrive on time.

We arrived at the train station. I had paid the

ashram office in full for the cab in Pondicherry. The

driver asked for a tip. We were pretty disgusted with

him because of the attempted scam. We turned our

backs and walked off. He did not get a penny's tip.

Natalia and Anna had taken a number of trains, and

guided my first train trip. We went to the first

class ladies waiting room. There were chairs, a

table, toilets and showers. One woman was sleeping on

the floor. An occasional man came in with his family.

We had two hours before our trains left. We took

turns going to the cafeteria for food and watching

over the luggage.

I went to the cafeteria. I ordered vege cutlets.

They were delicious mixtures of potatoes and a few

green veges, fried. I was given ketchup with them.

I had my trusty liter bottle of water in my water

bottle holder. It has really come in handy when I

travel. I can strap it over my shoulder, my hands are

free, and I always have safe water. This is extra

important in the heat of India.

I then watched our luggage while Anna and Natalia

ate. When they returned, Anna asked if I had a chain

for my luggage. I could chain it under my seat for

security. I did not have one. She said I could

probably buy one in one of the railway shops. I went

to look for one.

I found a chain and padlock in a shop that sold a

variety of food and water and travel items. It cost

20 rupees for the chain and 45 rupees for a padlock.

As I shopped, I walked by platform 5, right in the

middle of the station. My train was already there an

hour early. I decided to go on early if I could. I

asked, and discovered that I could board at any time.

I returned to the ladies waiting room. I hugged

Anna and Natalia goodbye. What exquisite energy I

felt from each of them as I hugged them! So full of

inner beauty!

Anna helped me board my train while Natalia stayed

with their luggage. She showed me how to look for my

car. We found it, and she left. I boarded the train.

I did not realize when I booked the train that I

should have asked for a lower berth. I did not relish

climbing up metal stairs to the upper bunk that I was

assigned. I said a quick prayer.

One man was there already, locking his suitcases

under a berth with his chain. I asked which was his

bunk. He pointed to the lower one. I pointed to the

upper one, and asked if he would be willing to swith

with me. He quickly answered yes! He went up to that

upper bunk (thank heavens for his kindness!), and

stayed up there for that night, day, and the next

night. He slept the whole time, day and night, and

did not interact with anyone.

I sat down in the lower berth, now like a sofa.

Soon another passenger got on. He was a professor

from a theological college in Madras, a teacher of

religions! Does God take care of me, or what? You

see, my sister-in-love Barb, and my brother Jim, (both

very worried about my safety in India), how God takes

care of me!

His name is Professor Raju Thomas. We had some

very interesting discussions that evening, and the

next day. We were joined in conversation by a sweet

young electrical engineer named Munnuwwar H., who

wants to go to the US and study business courses.

This young man impressed my highly with some innate

gifts, one of which is an exquisite listening ability,

followed by intelligent, thought-provoking questions.

He has a slow, mellow pattern of speech. He seemed to

bring a feeling of peace to our company of three when

controversial issues were raised.

If any of the readers of this email letter wish to

aid him in some research regarding colleges in the US,

their pros and cons; and also, the immigration

procedure and rules about student employment for

Indian people, please email him at

munawwar_haque@usa.net.

At about 10 pm, I decided to go to sleep. I used

the yellow sleep sack that Mary Workman had sewed for

me. It was perfect for the train. Sheets and

blankets and pillows were supplied by the porters, but

I was more covered in my sleep sack.

The train was very restful. Its motion is much

smoother than a bus going around and into potholes!

It only rocks in one direction! I slept great, until

the middle of the night.

Raju, obviously walking and talking in his sleep,

got down from his bunk and came to me and spoke

excitedly in Hindi! I said, "English, English!"

That was enough to wake him sufficiently for him to

remember where he was! He returned to his bunk,

covered up, (probably embarrassed!), and went back to

sleep! So did I!

The next day, he asked if I remembered the

incident. I said yes. He said he thought he was at

home, he thought there was an earthquake, and he

thought he was waking his wife! We laughed about it!

The second day passed in pleasant and interesting

conversation. Meals were brought to us by porters.

Once, one meal was too spicy for me. It tastes great,

but I think that the spice is what was triggering my

special India diet. So I am on a very light chili

restriction, darn it.

So I went to the pantry car. I was asked what I

could eat. I told them my list, no milk, no cheese, no

butter, no ghee, no chili. No problem, they said. I

sat down on a little bench next to the kitchen.

Another meal was soon placed before me.

There was a heap of plain rice, and some yellow

vegetables that were lightly spiced. I will just call

them mystery vegetables, because I could not identify

them.

I needed a spoon. A very kind porter opened a box

under his bench, and pulled out a spoon. He wiped it

with his not too clean hands, to make sure it was

clean! Then he took it to the kitchen and washed it!

He proudly and happily brought it back to me.

Then he took my spoon, and quickly dipped it into a

jar, and dropped some gobs of whitish looking stuff on

top of my rice! It was ghee! I made signals that I

don't eat ghee, and asked with signals what to do.

The poor porter, who was trying so hard to pamper and

please me, motioned to the open window. So out the

window went the ghee, and the spoon went back to the

kitchen to get washed again! Then I ate, with the

porter watching to make sure I enjoyed it. He was so

sweet! The yellow veges were very tasty.

I asked the cook how much I owed for the special

dinner. He said, "No charge, we just want you to be

satisfied." I think this was one of those special

times when I am obviously a foreigner, and I get

special pampering. I feel both pampered and pleased,

and a bit embarassed when this happens.

Feb. 17th

The train arrives in New Delhi around 8 am. I keep

an eye on Munawwar's many packets as he gets off the

train. Then he gives me directions on how to get out

of the station towards my hotel, close to the station.

I accept a porter's help with my luggage. The

Lonely Planet guide book warned about a scan with the

porters. They tell you that your hotel is booked and

full, and guide you to a hotel where they will get a

commission.

I asked the porter to show me to the bazaar street

near my hotel. Instead, he did just what the guide

book warned about! He took my suitcase up some stairs

to another hotel, and said they had very good rates.

I ignored all this, pointed to my suitcase and

demanded that he bring it down right then. He did. I

gave him his 10 rupees, and took my own suitcase. It

is the small carry-on size with wheels and a handle.

Then a friendly person guided me to the other

direction, to the street I needed. By asking now and

then, I found my way to the turn-off to my hotel, the

Smyles Inn.

I arrived before the previous day's guests had

checked out. I left my luggage at the desk,

immediately trusting the young Tibetan men who worked

there. I went for breakfast at a German Bakery down

the bazaar street. I had porridge and fruit salad,

then returned to my hotel.

Soon a nice room was ready for me. It had a nice

tile bathroom and a clean bed.

I called the government tour agency listed in my

guide book. I took a half day tour that afternoon. I

saw the Red Fort, an enormous fort built in the 1600's

by the builder of the Taj Majal. Then I saw an

ancient tomb called Humayun's Tomb, with an

interesting mosque next to it. I took some nice

photos, already developed at a one hour photo lab! I

was taught in Pondicherry how to work my new camera.

After losing the first roll of film due to not knowing

how to rewind the film, I now am succeeding in getting

photos.

The climate is cool at night here. Two blankets

are welcome on the bed. My sweatshirt is enough to

keep me warm during the day.

Feb. 18th

I took the morning half day tour. Each of these

tours cost only 85 rupees, about $2 US! They were

wonderful, informative, interesting and fun. I like

being sheparded around, being told the main points,

then getting back on the bus to the next site. This

is a wonderful service offered by the Indian

government. Most of the tourists are Indian tourists,

not just foreigners.

This tour took me to an observatory built in the

1700's, one of four built in India at about that time.

I took some photos, and enjoyed looking around.

Then we went to Qutub Minar, built in the 12th

century. This was quite a large collection of ancient

buildings, a complete neighborhood from the 12th

century! I found this the most facinating of anything

I had yet seen. I took lots of photos. This was so

beautiful and interesting.

I took a photo of the young Tibetan desk workers at

the Smyles Inn.

Feb. 19th

I woke up at 4:30am. My train leaves at 6:15am for

Jaipur. I want to leave my hotel at 5:15am. The

young Tibetan desk workers say goodbye. One of them

carries my suitcase to the bazaar street and helps me

bargain for an auto rickshaw. He turned down the

first one, and got me one for 10 rupees! The 10

rupees he saved went to him, for carrying my bag.

I am glad I paid only 10 rupees, because the

rickshaw driver did not drive me into the station. He

let me out on the road in front of the station.

I wheeled my suitcase towards the entrance. I had

gone in the night before to see where to look for my

platform. I headed in that direction.

Soon a porter came and wanted 20 rupees to carry my

suitcase. I said, "No, 10 rupees." There is a sign

in the railway station saying the charge is 9 rupees

for up to 40 kg. He left, but soon another one came

up. He agreed to take my suitcase for 10 rupees.

We went to the sign with platform numbers. Mine

was platform number 2. It was close.

My suitcase was marked with chalk with number 13,

my seat number, and an A for Agra. It was stowed in

the luggage hold, and I was asked for 2 rupees. The

bus ticket only cost 114 rupees for the five and a

half hour trip, plus 25 rupees service charge that I

paid the hotel. The hotel got the bus ticket for me,

and it was waiting for me at the front desk at 7am.

This service of getting the tickets helps a great deal

with the language barrier! I don't have to try to

communicate with someone who does not speak much

English.

The seats were small and close together, like

airplane seats. They had a tray for meals that

lowered from the seats in front. I was pretty

crowded. It was okay for the five plus hours, but a

longer trip would have been tiresome.

Tea, cookies, and candy were soon served! I

skipped all of them, because all the cookie labels I

have read here contain dairy products, I don't drink

caffiene. And the candy was chocolate, which also has

dairy products. I was pretty sleepy, and dozed a bit.

At about 9am, breakfast was served. I asked for

plain hot water in the tea vacuum bottle. I put an

American raspberry tea bag in it, a gift from June

before I left. June searched her house for small

things that would bless my journey just before I left

San Diego.

I was given a little foil tray with green peas,

butter separate luckily. There were two vege cutlets

of some sort, and four french fries! Also, I was

given 2 slices of white bread and a packet of jam.

The man next to me had an omelette. Adequate, and fun

to eat.

Later, free cokes were served! As we approached

Jaipur, the land became craggy and barren. I began to

see camels pulling carts! I saw more camels than oxen

pulling carts here. There are also a number of

horse-drawn carts. Soon we arrived in Jaipur.

11:40am

I took an auto rickshaw to the Hotel Sweet Dream.

The bed was comfortable, the bathroom decent. And

there was a veggie restaurant on the roof, open from

7am to 11pm. They also had room service. I love

having my meals in my room when I am very tired.

I had a meal at the restaurant. The house

specialty was called "Sweet Dream Curry." (These

names are not very imaginative! Midway restaurant,

Sweet Dream Curry at the Sweet Dream Hotel!) It was

delicious, with fruit and peas, curry and rice. I

also ate some sliced tomatoes with lime juice squeezed

on them.

I had arranged with the auto-rickshaw driver to

take me on a half day tour for 100 rupees. I was

unable to go in the first site he took me. The next

sites were next to each other. They were the

Observatory and the City Palace. The City Palace cost

130 rupees, and seemed like it could take quite some

time.

I asked the auto-rickshaw driver where else he

planned to take me. I was not impressed. One of his

plans was a shopping stop, and I had told him no

shopping. He had only driven me a little ways, so I

paid him 30 rupees for that. I told him that I did

not want the rest of his tour, and I dismissed him.

I went into the City Palace, where I hired a

licensed guide for 150 rupees, the posted rate. I had

a very good guide with a great sense of humor.

He showed me some enormous silver urns, about 5

feet tall. The majaraja (king) was told that if he

drank water from the holy river Ganges, his next life

would be his last. And then he would attain paradise.

So he had two enormous silver urns made. He filled

them with holy Ganges water. When he traveled to

England, he took his own water!!

The guide said that if we now drink the Ganges

water at Calcutta, down the river, we might not have

to wait for our next life to reach paradise! It is so

polluted!

There were many interesting exhibits: clothing from

the majarajas and maharanis, art work, many old

artifacts. There were palanquins that the royalty

rode on elephants, others that were pulled by oxen.

There were a number of horse carriages. There were

many buildings, and exquisite interiors. The last

majaraja is in his late 60's, and lives in one part of

the palace. Due to a change in the laws, he no longer

can use the title majaraja. He is just like the other

citizens, although quite a wealthy one!

I was tired after seeing City Palace. I decided to

see the Observatory the next day.

Feb. 20

I took a government tour from 11:30am to 6:30pm for

85 rupees to see more of Jaipur. These tours are very

good value, and very enjoyable.

First we went to the Observatory. This was built

by the majaraja, who was very interested in astronomy

and horoscopes. There are sundials which still are

accurate, one within 20 seconds and larger one, within

2 seconds. There were many complicated instruments

for measuring where the sun and stars were. There were

instruments for each sign of the Zodiac.

Next, the tour went to the City Palace. I rested

outside in the shade of a tree near our bus, gently

supervised by our driver, who kept an eye out for me.

I ordered some somosas, potato snacks, from a vendor,

and something else, a flat round snack. The driver

said that the something else was too spicy for

foreigners! So I just got two samosas.

After a nice rest, our group came to the bus. We

drove past a landmark called the Water Palace, on our

way to Amber (also called Amer) Fort. We drove a few

kilometers. To my surprise and delight, there were

some jeeps waiting for us!

We piled into the jeeps, seven to a jeep. Upwards

on a cobblestone road we went, up a steep incline. We

passed a tiny village clinging to the side of the

hill. Every so often, we passed an elephant and rider

going up the road!

We arrived at the fort and de-jeeped! We had more

of a climb to enter the fort. As we entered the main

courtyard, we saw monkeys, a number of elephants and

riders, and a goat.

Two monkeys were sitting on low wall near me. They

were very cute. I was thinking of taking their

picture. Suddenly, one of them hopped down, ran to

the little girl standing in front of me, and grabbed

the orange that she was holding in her hand! Off he

ran with his booty! He was back on his wall and eating

it within seconds. The little girl was scared and

crying.

The fort had become a palace at some point in its

history. We saw wonderful rooms and buildings. The

majaraja's bedroom was octoganal or round, I forget.

It had little mirrors embedded in the walls and

ceilings. The guide had the doors shut. He lit two

candles in the dark room. The effect was marvelous!

This is a desert, cool now in winter, but hot in

the summers. The majarajas had an early air

conditioning system. They had an urn with scented

rose water. It ran into a copper pipe that was by the

outer ceiling. There were small holes in the copper

pipe for the scented water to stream down. It was

caught by the breeze, and the scented air was cooled!

The guide pointed out some black looking buildings

that were the old palace, more than 1,000 years old!

We left the palace building by ramps that went down.

The ramps used to be used by the maharanis when they

were carried in their palanquins.

We drove a bit in our jeeps to a handicrafts store.

We had a demonstration of block printing. I really

enjoy this sort of thing. I don't care much to buy

much, but I love to see how things are created.

I took some photos of the block printing procedure.

The block was an elephant, carved out of teak wood.

It was first dipped into yellow paint, then green

paint. Then some specially treated ingredients were

put on it. The cloth turned red. It was very pretty,

and very interesting.

Then we went in the shop. If I wanted to buy a

saree, this would be the place. They were beautiful.

They had tye-dyed cotton, and silk.

There was also a jewelry shop. Jaipur is supposed

to be a good place to get semi-precious jems.

I had a bit of food in the canteen. The cooks made

me some vege curry. It was delicious. Then I rode

back in the jeep with our guide, and we went back to

our bus.

Our last stop was a beautiful Hindu temple. There

was a beautiful small building with a statue of Shiva.

The interior of the main temple building was

gorgeous. There was a transparent marble bas-relief

of Ganesha outside the building. You could see the

outline of Ganesha inside the building, through the

transparent marble.

I was very tired, and glad to have room service

back at my hotel. I followed that by a bucket bath,

and bed. I had to get up early the next morning for

my bus trip to Agra.

Feb. 21st

I woke up early, and packed up to travel again. I

picked up my bus ticket from the front desk of the

Hotel Sweet Dream, and took an auto rickshaw to the

bus station.

The bus ticket cost 114 rupees for the five and a

half hour trip to Agra. And having the hotel handle

buying it for me for 25 rupees saved me from dealing

with the language barrier, a frequent occurance.

I was not sure how I would find my bus, if no one

spoke English. But as soon as I arrived in the auto

rickshaw, a porter came up to me. He spoke to me in

English. I asked which bus went to Agra. He pointed

to it. He carried my suitcase to the bus.

The conductor marked my seat number, 13, and an 'A'

for Agra on my suitcase with chalk. He put it in the

luggage hold in the rear of the bus, and asked me for

2 rupees. I boarded the bus, and soon we were off.

The bus is more crowded and less comfortable than

the train. But it is not bad for this length of

journey.

After two and a half hours, we stopped at a rest

stop called Midway. It had a restaurant, a shop for

tourist stuff, and restrooms. It was surrounded by

green lawns, with some chairs and tables outside as

well as inside.

I ordered 2 iddlis and sambar. They arrived,

looking like sambar soup with idlis floating in it! I

asked for a plate, and spooned my idlis out. I was

being careful not to eat too much chili.

After only 10 or 15 minutes, the bus driver honked.

We all got back on, and resumed our journey. We

arrived in Agra about 2pm.

When I had made my hotel reservation for Agra, the

clerk at the Hotel Sakura told me that the hotel was

right at the last Agra stop. The conductor called out

"Agra," and many people got off.

I asked, "Hotel Sakura?" The conductor said, stay

on. In another couple of minutes, we arrived.

I went into the hotel and asked to look at the

room. It was one of the cleanest and nicest budget

rooms I have had yet, for 200 rupees per night. It

has hot water in the morning and at night, at about 7

am and 7 pm.

I was told that the Taj Majal is closed every

Monday. It was Monday. So I decided to rest, and

type this email letter. I read email and typed for 3

hours.

My fingers were almost getting blisters from typing

for so long! A young girl said, "Auntie, you had

better stop for tonight. Otherwise you will get ill.

You can type again tomorrow!" I decided that the

voice of wisdom was speaking! I quit for the night.

I decided to email myself the letter, and continue it

soon.

Feb. 22

I decided against taking the government tour here.

It costs 700 rupees! So instead I took a local bus

the 40 kilometers to Fatehpur Sikri, for 14 rupees!

Much better.

I had a window seat. I was a bit crowded by the

man dozing beside me. I put my water bottle as a

barrier between my leg and his, and felt more

comfortable. When he dozed and leaned against me, I

tapped him gently. He woke up and quit leaning!

Part way to Fatehpur Sikri, we seemed to have a

breakdown. We pulled over to the side of the road by

a repair shop. I heard hammering near the front tire.

There was a lot of conversation in a language I did

not understand.

I decided to pray to Ganesha, to overcome this

obstacle. Very quickly, the hammering stopped. I put

my head out the window to see what I could see.

Very soon, a small boy, about 8 years old, crawled out

from under the bus. He was holding a sledge hammer!

Apparently he finished the job, with Ganesha's

help, within seconds. We continued on our way with no

further problems.

We reached Fatehpur Sikri. I got off the bus, and

was immediately approached by a "licensed guide." I

told him I needed to get film for my camera first.

He took me to a nearby shop. I bought the film.

Then the shopkeeper showed me a journal type book,

with entries from various tourists. The page he had

open to show me warned against these "licenced

guides," and said that no guide was necessary for the

mosque. And real licensed guides would be by the

ticket stand in the palace.

So you see, Dear Barb and Jim, friends, and family,

I am alway guarded and guided!

Again the phony "licensed guide" tried to get me to

take a "shortcut" on a deserted path up the side of

the mountain! I turned this down, and continued

through the small town. Soon signs guided me to the

monuments.

First I toured the enormous mosque. It also had a

tomb of a saint and holy man.

Then I went to see the palace. This was built as a

new capital city in 12 years by Akbar. The lake

nearby dried up, and there was no water. So after a

very short number of years, this beautiful city was

deserted.

It remains in very good condition, with many of the

buildings intact. Much mosaic work and paintings have

disappeared over the centuries, but so much remains.

It is an entire small ghost city.

I hired a guide for 65 rupees. He took me through

the large area, through buildings, stables, and

gardens. I took many photos.

This king believed that there was one God, called

different names by different religions. He created a

new religion, uniting Hindu, Jain, Christian, Jewish,

and Moslems. The artwork on the buildings reflects

styles from all these religions. And he had wives

from various religions! One named Maryam was

Christian! She had a gold palace!

I spent a couple of hours wandering in these ruins.

Then I had lunch at the Maura Rest House. I ate

tomato and potato curry, cooked with onion. It was a

light lunch, and very tasty. Perfect.

One of the brothers, I believe, who works there,

had seen Sai Baba at Kodaicanal a couple of years ago.

Tomorrow I will see the Taj Majal! I will then take

a sleeper-car on a night train to Varanasi. The

Buddha is calling me!!! He began his enlightenment

and preaching near there!!!

__________________________________________________

Date: 27 february 2000 17:26

Subject: Jeannie in Varanasi, Feb. 23-27

*********************************************************

May All the Beings in All the Worlds be Happy!

Feb. 23rd Agra

I spent about an hour and a half in the Taj Mahal.

It was really enough time for me. I enjoyed the

beauty of it. But I have seen so many beautiful

structures made of marble in the various majarajas

palaces, that one hour and a half was sufficient.

They are beautiful, but I am now getting satiated with

seeing palace after palace.

I am having a sense that it is time to explore the

inner world more, with more meditation. I am looking

forward to being at Shirdi Sai Baba's ashram on Feb.

28th, and back to Sathya Sai Baba's ashram on March

1st. I am looking forward to seeing my friends in my

apartment building, George, Barbara, Steve, Gabriele,

Margaret, and looking forward to seeing Darshan at his

computer shop again. These are friends I will never

forget.

I am getting on the night train to Varanasi. There

was no room in the 2nd class air-conditioned sleeper.

I settled for regular sleeper class.

I paid an extra hundred rupees to stay during the

whole day in my hotel room. Then I took an

auto-rickshaw to the train.

I stood on platform one to wait for my train.

There were many Indian people waiting for trains. As

they waited, many of them lay down on the cement

platform and slept!

My train arrived at 10pm. I located my car, S1,

and found my name and age posted on the computer paper

taped to the train car. I was in berth S4. I got on.

It was dark, and people were already sleeping.

There were six berths on the left, an aisle, and two

more berths on the right.

The aisle was full of people. It was a lot like

being in line at darshan at Puttaparti. Just add lots

of suitcases and duffelbags to the picture. People

were totally self-centered; there seem to be no such

thing as the concept of a gentleman here. This was

not a comfortable experience. I discovered that I was

near berth 71.

I got off the train. It was easier to get to S4

from the far door, and not try to make my way through

the crowded, dark aisle.

There was a conductor at the other door. I asked

him if I could upgrade my ticket to 2nd class

air-conditioned. He said I could if there was space.

He said there was time for me to check.

So I walked, dragging my small suitcase on wheels

behind me, and carrying my backpack and water bottle.

My fanny pack was securely around my waist. It has

been a godsend on this trip, safe from pickpocketers

and worry.

I walked about seven cars up the train on the

platform. I spoke to the conductor there, who said

there was no space until 3:30am. So I turned around

and walked back down the platform.

I boarded my car. I made my way through the people

to my berth. It was in the closest area to the

entrance door, and the closest sleeper car to the

unreserved car. People were crowded in there, and

overflowing into the sleeper car, and the space where

we enter the train.

There were more people in my section than there

were berths. I chained my suitcase and backpack to a

handle made for this purpose under the berth. I took

out my yellow sleep sack. It is a queensized flat

sheet sewn across the bottom, with snaps on the top

half to open it. My friend Mary Workman made it for

me a couple of years ago. It is getting used on train

cars, and in hotels where the cleanliness of the

sheets is dubious!

I spread out my sleepsack and laid down. A man sat

by my feet. As there was plenty of room, and he was

not bothering me, I did not say anything. His wife

and two children slept in a berth across from me.

I fell asleep to be awakened by someone bumping my

legs. Another man had come and sat by the first man.

I motioned for him to leave. He got up, I went back

to sleep. Soon I was awakened again. The same man

came back, sat down again, and bumped me again. I

asked about his ticket. He had one for the unreserved

car. I asked him to leave again. The first man was

careful, and never bumped me.

I went back to sleep, trying to keep my equanimity.

Would you believe it, soon I was awakened again.

Same story! I told the man to leave and not come back.

I went back to sleep again, needing more inner work

to regain my equanimity. I was soon awakened

again!!! Instead of bumping my feet, this same

clumsy man was now putting down a blanket in the aisle

between the berths. He could have done it and slept,

if he had not woken me up. I was not pleased about

him being so close to my backpack.

I got up, told him to leave and not come back. I

said I was going to get the conductor. I went the

length of three cars looking for the conductor.

Finally my passage was blocked by a door that did not

open. No sign of a conductor.

I returned to my berth. I decided to do the best I

could to sleep through the night. The bothersome man

seemed to take me more seriously now that I went to

find the conductor. He was nowhere in sight.

Feb. 24th.

I slept through the night. When I woke up, there

was that man again! He was sitting on the berth in

the aisle, sharing it with the rightful occupant.

I decided to look for a ticket master on the platform

when the train stopped at a station. I did not want

to get off the train in case it might leave.

From the doorway of the train, I saw two men in

police uniforms, with rifles. This is a common sight

here.

I told them of the problem. They boarded the

train, spoke to the man. They took him to another

location. After a while they came back with a

clipboard. They said they were there to help

foreigners. They asked me to write the problem on

their form. I was glad to do this. I was not

bothered by that man after that, thank heavens!

We arrived in Varanasi about 11:30am. The Lonely

Planet guide book warned against the coolie and

rickshaw scams regarding hotels. They tell you that

your hotel is full, or there is a strike, or it is

flooded, or whatever they think up. Then they want to

take you to a hotel where they will get a commission

for taking you.

I paid a porter 10 rupees to carry my suitcase up

the stairs and over the train tracks to the station.

I had him take it to the Tourist Office located there.

In the Tourist Office I asked about tours of

Varanasi. I was told that private or group tours are

arranged for 404 to 800 rupees, but there are no

pre-set routes, as in Delhi and Jaipur. I did not

want to pay that much.

I asked how much to pay a rickshaw driver to go to

my hotel. I was told 25 rupees, and given a free map

of the city.

Now the fun began. The rickshaw drivers wanted

much more than 25 rupees. Finally one agreed.

He asked me where I was staying. I told him the

Hotel Ganges on the Dasamaw. Ghat Road. He said,

"Impossible. Autos are not allowed in. It is so

crowded you will be pushed. (They know westerners

don't like to be crowded, so this is a common ploy.)

I said, "No problem."

He said, "You don't know how bad it is. They will

spit on you! Let me show you another place, madame,

then you can decide. " He was trying very hard to

take me somewhere he wanted me to go.

I said, "No, take me to this place."

So we went to the auto-rickshaw, and another man

got in with him. I have learned never to allow this.

I feel safer if there is one man, and he is fully

occupied with his driving. So I said, "No, only one

person."

So the original man said, "Okay, you go with him."

And I went with the second driver.

For my 25 rupees he took me as far as the autos go.

Then I was to walk a little ways in the old city to

my hotel.

The street was very crowded with bicycles, people

walking, and cycle rickshaws. Many people called,

"Madame" for this or that reason. I walked towards

the area I believed my hotel was located, wheeling my

suitcase behind me.

A young man told me he could guide me to the Hotel

Ganges. He said he was a student. (Another common

ploy, according to the guidebook. Then they want to

take you to their uncle's shop to get you to buy

sarees, or something.) I agreed that he could take me

to my hotel. He carried my suitcase, and located the

hotel. It was a crowded block and a half up the road.

I offered him some rupees for carrying the

suitcase. He declined, saying he just wanted to be my

friend. Then he invited me to look at his uncle's

shop!!! I told him no thank you.

I checked into the hotel. I looked at several

rooms, and picked the one with the cleanest bathroom.

Only 200 rupees a night, and there is hot running

water for bucket baths. I have learned from

experience now, so I asked for a clean bucket and an

extra white sheet. (They only provide one, but give

another happily when asked.). I was brought a new

bucket, my extra sheet, and a very white towel.

Three vege. restaurants mentioned by the guide book

were within a block of my hotel. And a bank for cash

advances was in the same building as my hotel.

I took a walk through the old city, guided by

another "student." This one wanted to take me to his

guru to get my fortune told. I would see the Golden

Temple on the way.

We walked through lanes one and two meters wide.

This city is at least 3,000 years old. And this is

the oldest part.

There were many small temples above shop stalls,

and embedded in old buildings. I stopped to get

samples of perfume oils on my hand. Very beautiful.

We came to the Golden Temple. It was very

beautiful, with a ton, literally, of gold on the roof.

Then we went on to find the guru.

I decided to get my fortune told for fun. The guru

was very nice, and said the money was for an ashram,

not for him. I paid 400 rupees for him to read my

palm and lines on my forehead. I declined the 600

rupee full reading, with horoscope.

Among other things, he told me I would live to be

87 years old. He told me some other nice things, but

nothing I did not already know about myself.

I accepted a request from the student to see a silk

shop. I saw exquisite silk brocade scarves. But I

need nothing, unless I find more silk skirts and

matching blouses that I like. So I soon got up to

leave.

Some children and my "student" guide went out into

the small lane ahead of me. I was near the doorway,

when I heard snorting and stomping and people yelling,

"Bullfight!" The children and the student ran back

into the shop! Two bulls passed by, followed by a

calf! One of the bulls was in pursuit of the other!

This was in one of those narrow lanes!!! This all

happened in split seconds!.

Before arriving at my hotel, my guide offered me

some powder and little stamps to put the powder on

between the eyes as 'bindis.' The sales here never

end. It is tiresome. My heart sunk when he did this.

But I liked what he was offering, and had not seen it

before. I decided to get it for my women friends at

the Sai center in San Diego. Some of them dress in

Indian clothes, and wear 'bindis.' It is small enough

to fit in my small suitcase. I hardly buy anything,

and when I do, it must be very small.

I had left some film to be developed at a one hour

camera store. When I picked up my film, I was told

that something was wrong with my camera. The photos

had very poor focus. I was told to bring the camera

in to be checked. Perhaps they could fix it. (Or

perhaps not, and they could sell me another camera.)

Back at my hotel, I met some young American women

in the lobby. We smiled at each other. I told them

that it was nice to see someone who was not trying to

sell me something!

They agreed, and said that was very "heavy" to deal

with. I agree that it is very intense. Their names

were Kirsten and Jessica. They had met in Nepal,

where they were trekking. We swapped travel

stories.

They told me that they were taking a tour for only

150 rupees the next morning. I could go along if I

wanted. They left me with their hotel phone number,

where the tour would start. Their hotel was called

the Radiant YMCA Tourist Hostel, and the tourist

office there was planning the tour. It would include

a sunrise boatride, and a factory tour.

I called the tour guide, and arranged to be at that

hotel before 6am, to join the tour.

I ate dinner for 30 rupees at one of the Veggie cafes

near my hotel. I found another camera store, and

showed the man my photos. He looked at my camera. He

said nothing was wrong with my camera. I only needed

new batteries! So the other people in the first

camera store may have been trying another scam!

I set my alarm clock for 5 am. I went to sleep

early, tired after my interrupted sleep on the train

the previous night.

Feb. 25th

I woke up, and looked at the time. 6am! I had set

the clock, but forgot to turn on the alarm! I was

disappointed, now I would miss the tour. But if I

hurried, I could still see the sun rise over the

Ganges at 6:15am, and hire my own boat.

I decided to find a positive reason why this

disappointment happened, despite the obvious reason

that I forgot to set the clock. Life works better if

we believe everything happens for the best, even when

it does not seem like it at the time.

I decided that it was a warning, so that I do not

miss a train. It might not be so easy to straighten

out that kind of error. I would remember, and make

sure I turned the alarm on, especially for train

times.

I threw on some clothes, hurriedly brushed my

teeth, and ran downstairs. The hotel clerk said he

would send someone with me to find a boatman.

Otherwise I would be overcharged. These sweet,

considerate incidents make up for the sales hassles

and attempted scams.

We were only on the street for a moment when an

older man offered to take me on his boat. He asked

for 120 rupees, and settled for 100 rupees for an hour

trip.

We walked to the river. The ever-present vendors

were selling candles on little tin-foil plates, and

flowers to float in the river. I am too burnt out on

vendors to want anything from them. They have talked

to death this sales prospect!

The boatman got his wooden row boat, big enough

for about 6 people. I climbed in, rocking the boat a

bit. I carefully sat down in the middle of the seat.

We boated down the river. He was my guide, as

well, with a few words of English. He pointed out the

ghats, temples on the banks of the river, facing the

river. He told me which majaraja built them, and more

or less when they were built. There were many, one

right after another.

People bathe in the Ganges, and walk in to do their

worship service. Women walk right in, fully dressed

in their sarees. Men strip to their underwear, or

wear a cloth around their waist. One lady was

immersed up to her neck. She was doing puja (worship)

with a metal vase. She filled and emptied it, praying

as she did so. I took some photos.

Then the boatman turned the boat up the river. He

took me to the ghat where bodies are cremated. This

is a holy site for cremation for Hindu people. I saw

gray piles of ash. The boatman said that had been a

cow!

Then we turned down river. We went to the place

where we started. I paid the boatman his 100 rupees,

and thanked him for a very nice trip. I pretended I

did not hear him when he asked for 20 rupees more for

'baksheesh' (tip).

I went in search of Vishnu's footprint. My

guidebook said it was near the burning ghats. They

were just a bit upriver from where I was.

I made my way through the narrow lanes. I asked

for the name of the well where the footprint was

located. I found my way to the burning ghats.

I went to look. This is just business as usual to the

people here, and it is okay to look.

A friendly young man told me much about it.

Lepers, smallpocks victims, children under 10 years,

and pregnant women are not cremated. Their bodies are

simply put in the Ganges. For cremation, women are

shrouded in blue, I think he said. Men are shrouded

in white. They were just lighting a fire under a male

body, wrapped in white. It was a little gross for

me; I decided to leave.

The friendly young man asked me if I wanted to make

a donation to buy firewood for poor people who came to

die near the Ganges. Another scam! I declined. He

was not happy. "You don't want to make a donation!"

he said in surprise. "No," I replied for the second

time.

I ignored his grumbles to his friends, and went on,

in search of Vishnu's footprint.

There was a canopy nearby, with a little fence

guaarding something in the center. I went to look.

There were some small stone carved footprints, about

the size of a two year old's feet. I had found

Vishnu's footprints, I think! I took a photo.

I took a cycle-rickshaw to the monkey temple. It

took a very long time to get there, and it was just

supposed to be a couple of kilometers away, according

to my guidebook. When I got there, I found out that

it was a Budddha's temple, not the monkey temple. I

paid the cycle rickshaw driver what we had agreed

upon, despite my being at a different temple than my

destination. The cycle rickshaw driver had

misunderstood me.

I was later to feel guilty for underpaying him. He

had cycled the 10 kilometers to Sarnath, where Buddha

had preached for the first time. He had misunderstood

me, not speaking English. He missed the part about

the monkey temple, but heard me say I wanted to go to

Sarnath later. I would have paid him more if I

realized where he brought me. I went in search of

him, to pay him more. But he had gone.

I would not have taken a cycle rickshaw so far. I

like to take them for short distances, because they

use their own body strength to cycle. Whoops!

I entered the gardens. The temple was closed until

1:30pm. A kind man tried to sell me a Buddha statue

carved out of stone. I declined. I sat down and

looked at the Bodhi tree, similar to the one where the

Buddha reached enlightenment. The man took my photo

with the tree in the background with my camera.

I walked around the grounds, a large park. The

salesman came with me, now my guide! Every so often

he tried to get me to buy his statue. I declined each

time. I saw deer in the fenced deer park, also closed

until 1:30pm.

I saw an ancient stupa built in the second century,

I believe. Then I decided to get lunch, to fill the

time until the temple opened.

Sarnath is a quiet suburb, with just a little bit

of commerce around the holy site. I checked one vege

restaurant, but left it because there were too many

flies in it, coming through the open front of the

restaurant. I had seen another restaurant with doors

and windows, so I decided to go there.

I walked slowly over to the other restaurant. I

did a bit of window-shopping, declining offers to come

in, and just look (looking is free, madame!). I went

into the other restaurant, called the Holiday Inn!

It was cleaner, and had many fewer flies. After

ordering, I asked if there was a ladies toilet.

"Yes, come," the waiter told me. He pointed to the

rear of the restaurant, past some diners in the garden

area.

I went to where I thought he pointed. I opened a

door to see a bed with someone sleeping in it!

Another bathroom adventure! Whoops! I quietly

closed the door, hoping I had not woken the occupant.

I went back and asked the waiter to show me this

time. He came further with me, and I saw a building

further back that said, "Ladies." I did better this

time!

My meal was very good. It was vegetable curry,

with many vegetables. I had a chapati (flat bread)

with it.

Then I went back to the park across the street.

The temple was now open. I sat on the floor in front

of the Buddha's statue. I felt very strongly the

Divine energy that permeated the temple.

The orange robed priest offered to take me around

the altar. I accepted. We walked around the statue.

He told me that a relic with Buddha's ashes had been

recovered, and was buried 10 feet below the statue.

That may account for the strong Divine energy I felt

there. The priest told me that he had been a monk

since age 12, and that he was originally from Sri

Lanka. He was very nice, and very mellow. He had

big, luminous dark eyes.

I bought a book about the Buddha's teachings, and

left. I hired an auto rickshaw to take me to the

monkey temple.

I was taken in due time to the Durga temple. It is

right next to a river, and painted bright red. I

dismissed the driver there. Then, after seeing this

temple, I hired a cycle rickshaw to take me back to my

hotel.

This driver was so sweet. He wanted to take me to

some more temples on my way home. He took me to the

Monkey temple! After 3 tries, I finally got to the

Monkey temple! It is named the monkey temple because

of the many monkeys that were there. But I did not

see one monkey. I did enjoy seeing the temple though,

and feeling the beautiful energy that exists where

people habitually pray. That energy is exquisite.

The driver took me to see the Tulsis Manas Temple,

and one other temple. Both were more modern, and

very, very beautiful. I took some photos. Then I

insisted on going to my hotel, as I was very tired.

Feb. 26th

I decided that I had felt the Buddha's energy at

Sarnath. I decided not to travel to Bodhgaya.

Instead I would have two quiet days before boarding

the train for Manmad, and Shirdi Sai Baba's ashram. I

ate, walked to the river, and enjoyed my quiet day.

I was tired, and rested in my room. I looked at

photos, and wrote memos on the back of them.

I heard a lot of noise, people shouting. I asked

the man at the hotel desk what it was. I thought it

might be another bullfight! No, it was a student

strike. They had closed the street at the main

intersection. Many of the shopowners closed their

shops. I think they feared the student unrest. A

student had been killed, and that was why they were

striking. The shopowners were being cautious. I ate

lunch at the Temple Restaurant, where I could enter

from the second floor of my hotel. I had a view of

the street from the balcony where I sat. Nothing

happened. Soon the strike quieted down and ended.

Later in the afternoon, I looked in my guidebook to

see if there was anything else I wanted to see in

Varanasi. There was a fort called Ram Nagar Fort. It

was located down the river, and across a bridge. I

went in search of an auto rickshaw.

We drove quite a ways. The streets got narrower

and narrower. Then the ashphalt road changed to a

brick type cobblestone road, even narrower. Then that

gave way to a dirt road, next to the river. I spotted

the rickety bridge in the distance!

Auto rickshaws must not have shock absorbers. On

city streets, they are a bumpy ride. But it really

jarred me, bouncing up and down on the cobblestone

road, and the bumpy dirt road. This is jeep country,

not auto rickshaw country!

Then we got on the bridge. It was made of old

boards, very rough, on top of huge metal pontoons that

float in the water. There are two metal strips for

tires over the boards. But the auto rickshaws two

rear tires bumped on the boards! It was awful! I

endured it, and then we bumped ashore onto another

dirt, then cobblestone road. We passed ancient

decrepit buildings. We arrived at the fort.

I looked around inside and paid my 7 rupees to go

in the museum. There were ancient ox-pulled

palanquins, very old automobiles, old bows and arrows,

flintlock guns and other old guns. An elderly man

working inside the museum begged some rupees from me,

saying, "baboo, baboo (baby)." I shook my head no,

and continued on.

I saw beautiful small ivory carvings, enclosed in a

glass case. Then there were a few ancient stuffed

real animals, relics of some hunts in days past.

There was another section of the museum. I saw an

enormous sea shell. It must have been 15 or 16 inches

wide, and a foot high. There were some old clocks and

old glassware. There was also another old employee

who asked me for rupees. This can be tiresome.

I returned to the auto rickshaw. I asked the

driver to go very slowly! He did! He was a sweet

man. We slowly bumped our way back over the bridge,

and back to the asphalt road. When we arrived back in

town, I paid him his fare, plus an extra 10 rupees for

going slowly.

Feb. 27th

I walked to the Ganges. I bought an orange and a

banana, and ate them in the morning sun. I bought

some bags of fruit to give to the beggars. There were

some lepers who I had fed yesterday, and more beggars

on the steps leading to the ghats. I distributed the

fruit, and also got some puree, a good breakfast for 6

rupees each, for 2 lepers. They had the fruit also.

So at least they have a good nutritional start to

their day.

I sat on the steps by the river for quite a while.

Then I went for breakfast. I passed some people

feeding the poor on the sidewalk. They cooked right

there in an enormous vat. I am glad to see this, and

would like to see more like it!

Then I came here to type, and have been here since

9:30am. It is now 1:15pm! I have to go back to my

hotel soon! Checkout time is normally noon! I need

to arrange to stay this afternoon, and leave about

7:30pm for my night train to Manmad!

So goodbye for now! Much love to all my family and

friends. Email me, I will read it when I get a

chance!

March

Hello, everyone;

I am home from India; this email could not get

forwarded right away because Vickie, who was

forwarding it, moved; and then her computer would not

send it..

There is a lost segment that Darshan was supposed

to send before I left Puttaparti; I am still trying to

open the file that Jerry brought me. I may have to

retype those 9 hours of typing!

Dear Vickie, please remove Darshan's email address

from the group email folder. I don't want him to be

on the list anymore. You will soon see why! But

please put my name on it, that way I will get an extra

backup. I should have thought of this at the

beginning, not the end! But things were too intense

for me to do too much thinking.... the heat, the

emotional ups and downs, etc. Love, Jeannie

I got your message about the Word2000 file not

opening. I tried sending you another copy of it. Did

you get it? I hope the diskette is good, 9 hours

typing and 500 rupees. I may have to bring the

diskette home. See you in a couple of weeks.

Feb. 12th Brindavan

Swami left at 5am on the 9th of February for

Brindavan, His ashram in Whitefield. Whitefield is a

suburb of Bangalore.

Darshan had said he would come with me in a taxi.

We decided to leave the day after Swami left. He said

he had connections in Whitefield, and did I want him

to find me a room.

He made a couple of phone calls in front of me,

but not in English. He said he got two rooms, one for

me and one for him, at 150 rupees per night! He said

that these were newly constructed rooms near Sai

Towers, and we would be the first people to use them.

Darshan said he would get the keys from his friend

when we got there. He asked me for 500 rupees advance

payment. He also said he would buy my cassette

recorder that I had barely used for 500 rupees. He

said he would pay me in Whitefield when he collected

the 3000 rupees that Donovan owed him.

So as soon as Swami left, he reserved a taxi for

us for the next day. And he invited our friend Jerry

to come with us. Jerry had planned on staying in

Puttaparti for the next two days, as he was going back

to the US on Feb. 12th. But Darshan talked him into

coming with us, and told him he could share his room

in Whitefield.

I packed my suitcases and gave away things to the

lady who cleans rooms. It is getting terribly hot in

Puttaparti, hotter every day. It is a good thing we

are leaving.

Jerry, Darshan and I took off for Brindavan about

11:30am on the 11th of February. We were in a new

taxi, and looking forward to new rooms. I felt that

Swami was sending me off with a lot of grace.

We arrived at Sai Towers, and Darshan put my

suitcases and Jerry's backpack and bags in front of

Sai Towers. The taxi drove off. It was 3:15pm.

Darshan said he was going to get the keys to our

room, and to wait there. So Jerry and I waited.

At 4pm, Darshan had still not arrived with our

keys .I asked the security guard that stands in front

of Sai Towers to watch my suitcases while I went to

Bhajans. Jerry was walking around with his backpack

on his back, trying to find Darshan and our rooms.

I came back at about 5pm, found Jerry, and still no

Darshan. I decided to get a snack at Sai Towers, and

stay in trust. I wasn't going to get upset.

At 6pm, Jerry said he had looked everywhere, and

there was no sign of Darshan. There are only a couple

of blocks of shops here. We began to think we had

been tricked.

Jerry said that Darshan owed him about 2500 rupees,

and Darshan owed Donovan 3000 rupees! And Jerry said

that Darshan owed a young couple 300 rupees that he

took for an advance booking for a taxi. But the taxi

was never booked! I told Jerry that Darshan owed me

1000 rupees! And, with all these lies, I wondered if

Darshan had really sent my email, as he had said! I

had typed for 9 hours, and that cost me 500 rupees! I

hoped I wouldn't have to re-type the whole thing! I

still have my notes, but I prefer typing about what I

am experiencing now.

So Darshan owed us all money! And he thought that

we would all be off to Whitefield, and not want to go

back to Puttaparti to find it.

At 6:45pm, it was starting to get dark. And

there we were, with our luggage outside, in front of

Sai Towers.

I decided to look for a room. I asked the security

guard to continue watching my suitcases.

I started to feel sad, very hurt, but did not let

my mind go there. I asked Sai Baba for spiritual

help.

I walked the short distance to the inexpensive

rooms George had stayed in. The two Indian women that

owned it were in the road. They had no vacancy. So I

walked a few feet from there to the hotel I stayed at

last time. No vacancy. Then I walked a few more feet

to where I had stayed for one night last time. No

vacancy.

I walked back to the two Indian women who had

rented a room to George. The young woman said she

would come with me and help me find a room, since she

could speak the local languages. I felt relieved to

have her support.

We walked the few feet back to Sai Towers to check

on my luggage. Some men there said they knew where

there was a room. They just needed a few minutes to

clean it and get it ready.

It was very close, just past the small temple

across the road. The young woman and I walked over

there.

The room was small, but fine. It was 300 rupees

per night. The young Indian woman said her rooms were

now 300 rupees per night also. They had gone up 100

rupees since October.

A young man was removing a new computer from the

room I was to rent. He said I could use it to access

the Internet.

Less than 15 minutes had passed since I had prayed,

and begun my search for a room. I now had a room, and

a computer to use. Sai Baba took care of me as soon

as I realized I needed help.

Jerry found a cab that was returning to Puttaparti.

Darshan owed the cab driver 1200 rupees, as well!

Jerry was going to try to get all of our money, and a

diskette with my group email on it. He would leave at

3am for Puttaparti, arriving there in the early

morning. He asked to sleep on the floor of my room.

I was glad to let him do that. He put a towel down

on the cement floor, and went to sleep. He left at

3am.

Feb. 11th

I woke up early and went to darshan. I had a

pretty good seat. I was lucky enough to have a seat by

an aisle. Swami came out, and walked among us. I love

these darshans at Brindavan.

I was in the only spare room in a family home. The

family said that I was to consider myself as their

guest, and let them know anything I needed. And they

said that they would give me my meals. Did I like

idlis? Oh, Swami, thank you for so much grace!

I read some email. Since this is a family home, I

am the only customer! No lines, no clamor of the

vendors to walk through! What a blessing! I am

wondering what happened with Jerry.

I have a new strategy with the vendors and beggars.

They are more intense here. I hold a wallet-sized

picture of Sai Baba in one hand. If a beggar or

vendor approaches me, I put the picture near my face,

and between me and the would-be intruder to my peace.

I start saying, "Sai Baba, you are so beautiful, Sai

Baba, Sai Baba."

The vendors and beggars melt away like magic! It

is amazing. Thank heavens. My frustration tolerance

with them is almost zero at this point! I appreciate

Sai Baba's protection in this matter.

I went to bhajans. Swami enters, and sits in front

for about 30 minutes. I enjoyed his presence.

As I left, I found Jerry! He was back! He said he

had gotten everyone's money, and my diskette with the

group email!

What a drama!

As he and the cab driver approached Puttaparti,

they spotted the cab that Jerry and Darshan and I had

taken to Whitefield! The driver was sleeping in it.

Jerry found out that Darshan had left us out, and

gotten right back into the cab aroun the corner, and

returned to Puttaparti. Darshan planned on showering,

and taking off on a morning bus for another city! The

scam was verified!

Jerry arrived at Darshan's mother's door. Darshan

came out, and made up a story about a friend having an

accident! (Right, and he heard about it by mental

telepathy?!!!) Jerry said he was not buying any

lies, he came as our representative, and he had a

letter from Jeannie to take to the police if he did

not get the money.

He said Darshan turned into a little kid, and gave

him a check for all that he owed us! He took a

diskette and copied my 9 hours of typing.

Jerry gave me my 1000 rupees and diskette! I

offered to pay a share of Jerry's expenses to

Puttaparti and back, and to buy him a big dinner.

Jerry declined both, saying he wanted to eat dinner

with Donavan and tell him the story. But he would

appreciate sleeping on my floor again, since he is

flying out tomorrow. He wants to find the other

people to give them their money, and not spend his

time searching for a room.

I am glad to do this. A little puritanical

thought creeps in, what if the room owners object?

For me, it is little different than sleeping in the

train sleeper cars. There were men all around me.

And Jerry is very considerate and quiet. He writes in

his journal and goes to sleep.

This is sad for Jerry and I. We had trusted

Darshan, and thought he was our friend. But now, we

don't trust a word he says. We both are doing a lot

of thinking about what lessons we learned from this

experience.

I trust people, and only very occasionally does

someone not worthy of the trust show up in my life. I

decide that my lesson was to speak up when I have

little inner feelings of discomfort. And I am going

to continue trusting people.

Darshan has lost a lot of friends. This is too

bad. Darshan has some wonderful qualities, but lying

and stealing and scamming overshadow all the good

moments. Now I wonder if anything he said was true.

I tell the room owners what happened. That helps my

puritanical discomfort. And that way it is in the

open that Jerry will be here. They accept the

situation.

Jerry and I and their son, a computer expert, try to

open my file on the diskette. We could not do it. So

they sent for a friend who is a computer whiz. He

realized that the problem is that the file was created

on a new program, Word2000. The program on this

computer is an older version, and could not open it.

I was getting tired, so we gave up for the night.

My main point in writing this story is that I had

highly recommended that people call on Darshan for

help in a previous email letter. I had included his

email in case anyone wanted it. Now that I am aware

that he is a con artist and liar, I must pass that on

to anyone who may have saved his email. And I suggest

avoiding dealings with him in Puttaparti!

Feb. 12th

I went to darshan at about 6:40am. I was in the

late line. It does not matter much here. I found a

place in front of a column, so no one is at my back.

Last night at bhajans, I sat in front of people on

chairs, just in front of a narrow aisle that is kept

open.. I had no one behind me there, either. Sai

Baba is seeing that I always have a seat with at least

one side free from other people, as I am too sensitive

to bear being closed in at this point.

Today is Sunday, and bhajans are sung as Swami

walks around. He walked fairly close to me, and

smiled gently in my direction. He spent quite a bit

of time walking all around. Then He sat down and

listened to the devotional singing.

He sits very still. Occasionally He moves His

hands in time to the music. The arati is done, and He

leaves.

I return to my room. The young man asks me if I

want breakfast now. I do! So I sit down and he

brings me 4 iddlis, and some delicious sambar. He

offers me coffee or tea, but I thank him and decline.

I drink my mineral water.

Jerry is packing up. He leaves today at about

noon, for a 3pm flight. He got good news via email

for a job prospect. Baba is easing his return.

These dates are wrong. It was March, not February. I was so hurt by Darshan’s behavior that I was emotionally off balance. I wasn’t aware of it at the time, but Sai Baba was. That is why, I am sure, he provided the room with meals, computer, and family love for me within 15 minutes of me knowing I needed a room.

__________________________________________________

Hi, Vickie,

Here is the final group email, the end of my India

journey! Love, Jeannie

Hello, everyone!

After a flight of about 24 hours, I arrived at San

Francisco airport on March 18th. Then my

next adventure and divine intervention occurred!

My luggage, which I had just seen a few hours ago

at customs in Los Angeles had not arrived.

I had even checked my carryon bag because I was so

tired. So I went to the lost baggage claim

near the luggage turntables.

The lady there told me that another flight from Los

Angeles would be there in half an hour. She

suggested I wait and see if it came then.

So while I waited, I called the hostel where I

hoped to stay, at $19 dollars a night. They said

that they had no beds.

I found an ATM machine near the telephone. I withdrew

$100 U.S. currency. What a great

service these ATM machines are! There is little need

now for traveler's checks. I got rupees with

my ATM card in India, and as soon as I arrived home,

got US dollars.

The next flight arrived, and many bags tumbled down

onto the turntable. But none of mine.

So I went back to the lost luggage counter.

Luckily there was not a long waiting line, because I

was exhausted and getting hungry. As I waited in

line, I thougt to myself that there is always

something good that comes out of seeming obstacles,

and that all would be well.

The lady at the baggage claim gave me a $50 voucher

for a taxi to my hotel, and said she would

send the luggage within four hours of its arrival.

She let me use her phone to call the hostel

again. They still did not have space, but gave me the

number of the budget hotel near them. They

told me that all the hostels were full because many

people came to San Francisco for the St.

Patrick day parade.

I called the budget hotel. They were full, too.

I told the lady that I probably could cope better

with this if I ate something. I asked if a

restaurant was near this area.

She said that there were restaurants upstairs. And

she said for me to give back the $50 taxi

voucher, that she was going to give me something much

better. She told me that she was going

to give me a $10 meal voucher and a hotel voucher, and

that a free shuttle would take me to the

hotel and back to the airport in the morning! The

hotel was the Hyatt Regency Airport Hotel!

Plus she gave me a free hygiene kit. She said that

United reserved several rooms there for

distressed passengers. I guess I qualified because I

was so tired. Plus she was so kind. Divine

intervention, I believe!

So I thanked her, and went upstairs to search for a

restaurant that had a vegetarian meal. The

very first restaurant was called the Crab Pot, I

think. They had pasta primavera on their menu. It

cost $12.95!

I was in a bit of culture shock! Perhaps I should

say financial shock. After spending rupees,

with an expensive meal costing less than $3 U.S., now

this meal would cost hundreds of rupees.

I was too tired to search for anything cheaper. I

ordered it, ate and enjoyed it.

I decided to check to see if my luggage had come in

before I went to the hotel. The luggage

carousel area was deserted. But to my surprise,

sitting in a little line of suitcases, were my three

suitcases! The luggage straps to pull two of them

were gone. So I got a cart and loaded them on

it, and went outside to find the shuttle.

The shuttle took me to the hotel. I gave the

shuttle driver a dollar tip for lifting my three heavy

bags. Again, financial shock. In India I would have

given 10 rupees. A dollar is 44 rupees. I

would have to get over thinking in rupees, and adjust

to the U.S. economy.

The lobby was exquisite, with shiny marble

expanses. There was a central courtyard with a

giant skylight over gardens, ponds, and waterfalls!

What a treat to be in this gorgeous

environment! I was in great appreciation of the

beauty that Americans create in the buildings and

gardens.

A bellhop took my suitcases to my room. I gave him

a couple of dollars, with a gulp.

Remember, I was very tired. After all, the room was

free. But I was too tired to think of that.

I walked into the beautiful room wearing a sweater

and a jacket, and carrying my purse and

trusty water bottle holder. I looked in the bathroom,

and saw a bathtub! I did not stop to take

off my jacket or put down my purse or water bottle! I

started running the hot water into the tub!

My first bathtub bath in six months!

I took a quick glance at my beautiful room before I

hopped in the bathtub. There were two

double beds, a table and chairs, and a sliding glass

door with a view of the central courtyard. It

was gorgeous. I thanked God for pampering me so much

at the end of my voyage! I was in awe.

Oh, such joy! That bath felt so great! Hot water

was all over my body at the same time! I was

so happy.

But after the bath, I decided to try to make hostel

reservations for the following night, at least.

I was going to be in San Francisco for a week.

I needed change to make the phone calls to hostels

and budget hotels. I had a list of ten budget

hotels and a number of hostels. I went to the deli in

the middle of the courtyard. She did not have

change to give me. I thought of buying a bag of chips

or something small from her to get a bit of

change. But rupees to dollars shock was still there,

and I quickly decided not to spend what now

seemed such high prices on a little bag of potato

chips. It would have been only 6 rupees in India,

about 12 cents!

The lady at the deli counter suggested I ask for

change in the sports bar at the edge of the

courtyard. I went there.

The bartender gave me two dollars worth of

quarters. He did not have any dimes. As I left the

bar, I asked woman walking by if she had any change

for quarters or dollars. She did not have

change for them, but gave me a dime.

Outside the bar, a woman and man were talking. I

approached them, and asked if they had any

change for dollars or quarters. They were curious

about the Indian clothes I was wearing, a

punjabi. It is like a dress with pants. I told them I

had just returned from India, and told them the

wonderful story about my luggage and the dinner and

hotel stay.

The woman took out a big handful of change, several

dollars worth. I said, "Great, I can give

you dollars." She told me to keep it, and thus added

to the blessings of this marvelous evening

that began with lost luggage and no room at the

hostel! A dinner voucher, a luxury hotel room,

and now money poured into my hands! I felt like God

was welcoming me back to my country!

I called the hostel about a reservation for the

following night. The man said there were no

reservations available. He suggested I come in the

next morning and try to get a walk-in room.

He said that there were always some available, first

come, first served.

I decided to go there in the morning. I went back

to my room, and actually was too excited to

sleep right away after all the wonderful things that

had just happened. I finally got to sleep

around 11pm.

I had dozed some on the airplane, and was still

used to India time. It is daytime there when it is

nighttime here. It is exactly the other side of the

world. So even though I had little sleep, I woke

up around 4:30am.

I decided to eat breakfast, and then go early to

the hostel. I wanted to be first in line for a room

for the night!

The room was equipped with a coffee maker, tea

bags, and all kinds of goodies. I had packed

an instant Cream of Wheat and a paper bowl and plastic

spoon. I heated water in the coffee pot,

made my cream of wheat and a cup of herbal tea. I had

a lovely breakfast at the table in my room

overlooking the courtyard.

I decided to check at the lost luggage office to

see if they had found any luggage straps. So

after the shuttle dropped me at the airport, I went

back into the lost baggage claim.

The lady working there pointed me to a bin at the

side of the room. She said if there were any,

they would be there. After the events of the previous

day, I fully expected there to be two of

them for me! And there were exactly two in the bin!

I thanked the lady, silently thanked Swami,

and went outside to take the shuttle bus to the hostel

near Union Square.

I arrived at the hostel about 8am. I was the third

person to arrive. The man at the desk said

there would be no problem getting a room.

When it was time to check in, I asked if there was

room for me for the rest of the week.

Miraculously, a room had opened up for the entire

length of my stay! I made reservations for the

next six days.

I spent the next six afternoons with my now

grown-up child, Teira. We had a great time.

One evening Teira cooked an old family recipe with me

supervising.

I did not think I would want to wear punjabis in

the United States. I was wrong. They are

great for San Francisco. It is chilly here, and the

pants keep my legs warm.

I had gotten tired of the clothes I had been

wearing for years before my trip. I did not like to

wear dresses. I usually wore cotton knit pants.

While on my travels around India, I began

enjoying long silk skirts with matching blouses. I

decided to buy some to bring home. They only

cost about $6 or $7, much cheaper that any matching

outfit I could find at Walmart! So I bought

a number of them to bring home. Swami seems to be

influencing my style of dress. I am glad!

March 25th

Luckily the young woman at the hostel desk

suggested I arrive early at the airport when she

made the reservation for the shuttle back to the

airport. I arrived at the airport two hours before

my flight.

With jet-lag and the side effects of the

anti-maleria drug I take every week, I had forgotten

to

re-confirm my airline reservation! But my good luck,

or more likely, divine intervention, came

through once more. I was able to get on a flight only

10 minutes later than I had planned. I was

glad because April was picking me up in Carlsbad at

3pm, and I might not be able to reach her if

flight times were different.

United Airlines charged me $75 because I had

changed my reservation from January 17th to

March 25th, even though it was handled two months in

advance by Stephanie (thanks Stephanie!).

More of that US financial shock. Indian Airlines and

Malaysia Airlines did not charge me a penny

to change dates.

I flew to Los Angeles, where I boarded a little 18

seater propellar airplane to fly to Carlsbad.

Would you believe that there were snacks on the flight

that even Vegans (vegetarians who eat no

eggs or dairy) can eat! There were cinnamin cookies

and roasted almonds, and tiny bottles of

water.

I arrived in Carlsbad tosee April approaching me

with a smile of welcome. I was worried about

getting the suitcases in her car, because they were so

heavy. Next time I pack light!

April is very tiny, but she is mighty! She said

she had brought even bigger and heavier suitcases

home with her from India. Between the two of us, we

managed to lift them into her back seat.

She drove me to Phyllis’s house. We sat and talked

a bit about our India experiences. Then

Phyllis walked in. We hugged, and said hello. She

told me that I could spend the entire time with

her until I was ready to go to Harry’s house to

house-sit. I had not known that. I had been told

via the internet that I could stay with her until I

picked up my car. She said it was a

miscommunication. I was glad!

Angeles from the Tijuana Sathya Sai Baba Center had

said I could stay with her. So I would go

to see her for a night or two this week.

I had brought a small item for Phyllis. I unpacked

it from my suitcase, and gave it to her. When

she opened it, waves of Swami’s perfume wafted out.

We were both amazed and happy! She

looked at me and asked if I had put that aroma in the

bag. I assured her that I had not. I was as

surprised as she was. She deserves special gifts from

Swami. She is one of the most unselfish

people I know. She spends half her week on projects

with the Sai Center, helping children and

leading bhajans. Then she gives the other half of

her week teaching art to seniors. She has

almost no time for herself.

I rested and read at Phyllis’s house. Then I met

Angeles in Tijuana to see the Sathya Sai Baba

Center there, and spent the night and a day with her.

I drove my car, which I was getting used to driving

again, after six months of not driving, to

the parking lot of the red trolley in Old Town, San

Diego. I got on the trolley and rode for an

hour, until we reached the last stop, at the border of

the U.S. and Mexico.

I walked half a block, and got on the Mexican bus

that goes across the border and stops in

downtown Tijuana. The bus ride took only a few

minutes. Just before we got to the terminal, I

spotted the Jai Alai stadium where I was to meet

Angeles at 6pm.

I was a bit hungry, and had half an hour to spare

before meeting Angeles. There was a

restaurant on the way to the Jai Alai stadium. There

were two choices for vegetarians, fried

mushrooms or a green salad. I ordered the green salad

and a bottle of water.

The salad came with a wonderful dressing made with

olive oil. And I was given a fresh, warm

‘bolillo,’ a hard roll, with some spicy guacamole to

spread on it. It was a delicious small meal. I

had to eat quickly, time seems to be speeded up and

passing so fast.

I walked out of the restaurant and crossed the

street. As I approached the Jai Alai stadium, I

spotted Angeles walking towards me. We met and

hugged.

We got in her car after she did an errand at the

Sanborne’s shop. We drove to the Sai Baba

center. We drove quite a ways on some multi-lane

roads. Tijuana seems quite large to me.

There are a lot more cars here than in India.

We arrived at a nice house that is rented as the

Sathya Sai Baba Center. There is a beautiful

alter at the front of the room painted and designed

much like the mandir (temple) in Prashanti

Nilayam.

I sat down on the woman’s side, to the left. I

spotted Graciela, my other friend from Puttaparti,

sitting up front. She soon turned and saw me. We

blew kisses to each other.

We sang songs in Spanish and Sanscrit. The closing

prayer, the Arati, was done with a

camphor flame, as they do it in India. We don’t do

that in the U.S.

Then I had a chance to speak a bit with Graciela.

After she left, I met the other people from the

center. They were very welcoming. I invited them to

come to the Encinitas center, and arranged

to email directions to Angeles.

Then we went to Angeles’s home. She lives with her

parents and sister and brother-in-law, and

a maid named ‘Cali.’ It is a beautiful home, the

size of a condo in the U.S. There are white

marble tile floors, very shiny. I met Cali, and

Angeles’s sister and brother-in-law.

Angeles showed me something from Swami. She and

her brother-in-law had burned some

camphor in a small metal container. When they blew it

out, the remains of the camphor formed

into a heart!

Angeles has a trundle bed, I slept in the top part,

and she slept in the part that pulls out. We

talked and laughed for a long time before we slept.

I spent the next day with her. She has become

vegetarian, so Cali has learned to cook without

meat and lard.

Angeles’s parents came in at about 2pm, and we all

ate dinner around a huge table. Cali had

made spinach and corn soup, spanish rice without

chicken broth, beans without lard, and some

chili rellenos with tofu instead of cheese for me!

There were also fresh tortillas and good

homemade salsa. It was delicious, and the first time

I had eaten a whole Mexican meal since I

gave up eating dairy foods.

Angeles drove me back to the border. I walked

across the border and through customs,

carrying a small overnight suitcase. One more border

crossing, so much travel! I was still

traveling, and would be glad to settle down at Harry’s

house, unpack, and not travel for a few

months!

I rode the trolley for an hour, and drove back to

Phyllis’s house. The next day, she and Carole

were going to a ‘sari’ party. April and Shama had

brought a number of saris from India, and were

offering them for sale. They were having an

Indian-style vegetarian meal as well, and a lot of my

Sai women friends would be there.

I had been invited to the gathering a few days

before. But I did not know when I would go to

Tijuana, and could not make the needed commitment. So

Phyllis and Carole took off for the

party, and I stayed at Phyllis’s house.

I started to feel sad that I was missing this

gathering of friends. I did not want to buy a sari,

as I

had two that I bought in India. And I didn’t think

I’d be wearing them too often in the USA. But

I did want to see my friends.

Just then the phone rang. It was Phyllis. She

said that when she arrived, people said, "Where’s

Jeannie?"

Phyllis explained that I had been unable to commit

to coming, and could not make a reservation

for the dinner. It had seemed quite important that

there was an accurate count for ordering the

food. She said I was at her house.

She was told to call me and tell me to come right

over! Swami took care of me again! I was

very happy, and drove quickly to the location of the

gathering.

I walked in as the sari show was already in

progress. I was told to sign in, and take a door

prize

number. I did so, and picked up the list of saris and

the whimsical spiritual names that been given

to them. Also I picked up a little instruction

booklet on how to wrap, fold, and pin on a sari!

There were about 25 saris. A beautiful tall, dark

haired young women named Catherine was the

model. April would help her drape the sari around

Catherine, while Shama would tell what day of

the week would be most auspicious to wear this color!

It was very well done!

Each sari had a matching ‘choli,’ blouse, or

material to make it. And each one had a matching

drawstring petticoat.

After we saw all of the saris, most of the women

draped various saris on themselves. We all

helped them decide which colors looked best on them.

Most women chose one or more to buy.

Phyllis looked good in a peach color and a light

turquoise blue. That is interesting, because that is

just the colors of the gift I had brought her.

Shama taught us how to put on the saris. When

properly put on, they look very elegant. She

suggested that I practice with them, even though I

wasn’t buying a sari.

Shama’s husband, Cass Smith came in. Shama came

over to me, and asked if I had a number

for the door prize. I said yes, I have number 13.

Shama shook a bag with numbers in it for the door

prize drawing. She said that the prize was a

sari. Cass reached in the bag, and drew out a number.

Shama said, "It’s number 13. Who has

number 13?"

I was totally surprised. Later Diane told me she

and someone else had prayed that I would get

it. How sweet of them! I was so touched. I love

these people.

Shama gave me the sari. It was an expensive one

with a fringe on the end. It is a pink shade,

with maroon print. The blouse material is maroon.

Shama said, "Swami is giving you a message." I

said, yes, I now enjoy wearing the punjabis

here in the US, and I didn’t expect that. I like

wearing long skirts, and that is new. So I think

Swami wants me to wear saris here, too.

Shama said, yes, Swami likes women in saris very

much.

We had a wonderful meal, cooked by the people from

the nearby Hari Krishna Temple. Diane

and I plan to go there soon for a meal and devotional

singing. I love Krishna very much.

April 3

I drove Harry to the airport in the morning. He is

off to India to see Sai Baba for almost four

months, and I am going to take care of his house, car,

and cats for him. He is going to stay with

the family in Bangalore that I stayed with. They will

fix his meals and help him. Staying with

them was a sheltered ending for my trip, which I

needed. And it is a sheltered beginning of his

trip, which he needs.

April 6

I received an email from the family where Harry is

staying. Mohan picked him up at the airport.

He arrived safe and sound. I am relieved that Mohan

picked him up, so he had no difficulty

finding the room. And he won’t have to deal with his

new world until he is rested and eats there.

I have exhausted myself reading 6 months worth of

mail, and dealing with a few things that

occured with credit cards in my absence. But Sai

Ganesha, the aspect of God that overcomes

obstacles, assisted me in straightening out some

wrinkles.

I have not unpacked yet.

I spoke on the phone to Jeanne, with whom I lived

last summer. She is going to sew my ‘choli’

for me. And she wants to cook me lunch! We enjoyed a

nice visit on the phone. I can’t wait to

see her.

I had a nice visit with my friend June. She sent

me off with some food for the Sai 2nd Sunday

get-together with the two San Diego centers.

There is much I appreciate about my country. It is

brought sharply into my awareness when

returning from the other side of the world, where

almost everything is done differently. I

appreciate the beauty with which Americans landscape

their gardens, office buildings, and

roadsides. I appreciate the complete roads, with

gutters and pavement to the edges! I appreciate

the unique and beautiful and tremendously varied

building styles here.

I appreciate light fixtures instead of bare bulbs

hanging from the ceiling. I appreciate bathtubs,

hot water, bathwater that goes down the drain, and not

all over the bathroom floor. It cuts my

bathtime by about 30 minutes to have these luxuries.

I appreciate most Americans’ general friendliness,

sharing a smile frequently with any passerby.

I appreciate American gentlemen, who quickly think to

offer a hand to women.

Some things I am aware of now, and had no awareness

before my trip to India, is the strong

body consciousness that we have in the US. People are

concerned with their own and others

body size, and details of the body, such as curves,

fat, eyes, smile, teeth, clothing,etc.

For someone intent on progressing as far as is

possible on the spiritual path in this lifetime, that

is a distraction. I enjoyed the beautiful Indian

saris and punjabis, elegant and flowing. The figure

is not the main object of attention, and is

de-emphasized.

Indian women almost all wear their hair in a black

braid behind their head. Men wear simple

hair styles. ‘Looks’ do not seem to be important.

Being an unselfish person following spiritual

laws is much more important there.

And to my relief when I was there, people just ate

food and enjoyed it. There was not that

constant concern which one hears with Americans about

fat content, and which foods are healthy

for us. And there were far fewer fat people, almost

none of the very fat people which we have

here. I believe that is due to our over-concern with

food and body size and appearance. I believe

that creates the problems.

I am slowly overcoming the financial shock of

converting from those wonderful rupees and low

prices, and high US prices. I bought 10 anti-maleria

tablets in India recently for 20 rupees,

enough for 5 weeks. That is about 20 cents, US. I

needed one more tablet, because I am

supposed to take them once a week for a month after

returning from India. It cost me over $15

for the one tablet here! Some of the high prices

here is a reflection of high rent costs, high

salaries, and I believe, just plain greed.

I am slowly adjusting to being back in the USA. I

have emailed friends and family, asking them

to send me copies of the group emails. I will put

them together to form the 8th book on my

website, blessed by Sathya Sai Baba. You will be able

to find it in a month or two or three, at

www.inetworld.net/lovesource. Scroll down and click

on book 8. Please visit the guestbook and

let me know you came! Thanks for sharing this journey

with me!

Much love,

Your friend, mom, sister, sister-in-love, and aunt,

Jeannie