Steppps – Friedenspilgern

Silchar

Please people from Silchar. Take care of your city. Stand for your rights, to have a clean city – always. Fight for your rights, to have a good clean-up system, as you partly have. But all the trash needs to be taken care everywhere and all the time, so that you can enjoy your town.

Please people from Silchar. Take care of nature in your town. One day I walked around the inner centre and I found two lakes in the very centre. But approaching them I was so disappointed. Please people of Silchar, stand for your rights, to have relaxing areas in your town centre. The water bodies are grown over. Also walls around the lakes. Its so precious to have nature in town. This two lakes can be a resource of freshness.

Please people from Silchar. Stand for your rights, to have a not overcrowded centre. How beautiful it could be, to have the inner center streets just for people to walk and shop (maybe even with some art here and there) Ban the motor traffic out of the center. It does not belong there. Its not enough space there for everyone.

People of Silchar. Create a place, where you can breathe. Plant trees and fight for a place with dignity.

People of Silchar, stand up for the rights of everyone. I hear, there is a lot of corruption. Fight for a system , where corruption gets eliminated. Make the people responsible, who take advantage of there positions and who take money out, which does not belong to them.

People of Silchar, in the south of Assam, why not being an example for your area, state and the country.
You have the power to do so.

Entering plain south Assam

The Sikh priest is called Granthi and been a truck driver for 34 years. Now he takes care at this temple where nearly only truck drivers are his ‚clients‘. This temple offers beside the religous servises, a washing opportunity and a toilet to the mostly Sikh truck drivers. What a nice idea. Opposite side of the road is a Sikh Punjabi restaurant. Best culture service.
At the early afternoon the Granthi switches on the water pump, which runs by a loud generator. He waters all the plants, washes the entrance area and fills up the water bottles in front of the temple and inside the house. Because I just sat down for a meditation I just continue with my practice of observing…. one hour meditation, one our generator….
The generater is followed by one hour loudspeaker devotional songs and another hour of reciting the holy book. After the television is turned on.
Just before I go to bed, done from the penetration of sound since 5h, its the second night at the Gurudwara, while coming back from the toilet, there are two leeches at the foot of my right leg. One is already attached, the other one busy to find the right spot. I know, its good to let them behave to take a portion of blood, then they fall off. It’s even benefitial to the host, but I am so exhausted, just want to sleep, not in the mood to wait for another half hour or so. I just want to lay down. I show the Granthi the situation. He runs into the kitchen. Before I really can react, salt is on the leeches, they cramp and fall down and immediately die. I thought, they would just fall down, could maybe crowl away…. I feel so sorry for them. But its to late…..

Coming from very Christian mountain Meghalaya, having two nights at the Sikh Gurudwara, now I enter a very Moslem area in plain south Assam. Seems, that the Gurudwara was something like a bridge between this two cultures. The Moslems folk roots belong to the Bangladeshi, also language wise.
I realize, that I still have a little prejudice against Moslems. I have been guest at so many Moslem families, I even practised while being in Moslem countries, the prayer movements in silence, enjoyed so much hospitality. But still there is this little rest of uncomfortableness with ‚Moslem collective behaviour that Moslem believe, they will be the winner and somehow will overtake (other religions)’…..
I really do not like this feeling in my system and start doing some forgiving exercise, forgiving myself for cultivating this feelings and where it comes from (what I don’t know). First I think of a Christian forgiveness exercise, which I love very much (from Christine Ponder), but I end up with the Ho’oponopono by Hawaiian Kahuna culture and a melody accoures inside of me from a Jordan band, guided by Atef and Rawan from Amman. It says and its supereffective and deep

‚I am so sorry
I love you
Please forgive me
And Thank you‘

I am aware of my sensational area in my chest/upper belly, where I feel this uncomfort reguarding this topic. I walk for a while with this…. (sometimes I thing also of the leeches last night)
After some hours I meet Dr Ohi Uddin Ahmed, so he puts himself in my adress list. He just finished his Dr in philosophy by writing about the cast system in his local Moslem society. He lives some km further in my direction…. the sun is strong and hot today, so it’s perfect to stop walking at midday. I accept happily his invitation.
His family is overwhelmingly friendly. It feels they have at least 30 members, he himself grew up with 5 brothers and 5 sisters. Also here an interview for the local online news channel.
Moslem culture is very hospitable, but in India I had until now little contact.
If there is a guest in the house/houses the women stay in the kitchen to prepare food… as the guest, in this case, sits in separate room/house. The responsibility of the men is, to talk with the guest and comfort him with all of his wishes…. Sometimes Ahmed is taking care of me, if he has to leave the room, a younger brother takes over… here Didarul, a musician, still waiting for more success. In the moment Ahmed comes back, the younger one makes space… So, also today, as I am the guest, they keep me busy all the time, uninterrupted being asked questions. The family tried often, to invite a foreigner from the street, but until no one had accepted.
For my body refreshing I get guided to a fish pond, where the whole family takes care of the fishes, they like to eat. This pond is also the washing pond for body and clothes. Didarul and some other male relatives are standing at the side to look, how I wash myself, carrying a underwear. After the washing procedure one of the teens boys says ‚you have very nice legs‘.
Little rest time followed by a short walk through the neighbourhood’s and little while after to Ahmeds sisters house, where other young men, young teacher, were delighted to see me. One of them wrote one Facebook (with a pic of me ‚today we have a guest out of our dreams‘)

While walking next day again on the street, greetings and friendly interest from all sides. Overwhelmed I cant respond to all greetings, request, to come to there shops, sit with them, talk to them. I hope I did not harm anyone by refusing here and there a invitation.

Because of this ongoing flow of invitations and free stays in the peace walk manner, since about nearly 2 weeks, (after the Corona aria) I dont want to interrupt this wave and contact Narendra from Rampur/Himachal Pradesh, who offered earlier, to book me a hotel, when needed…. Its so comfortable to arrive in a place, here Silchar, when someone, even online, arranged a place to stay.
Thanks Narandra.

Slowly or not so slowly I promised myself, to find out here, how the Myanmar Visa issue is to solve, who could help me in this Corona times to get a half year Visa, what is wise to do or not. And again, even after this lots of journeys, I still have a uncomfortness in myself, when I have to get permission, have to ask someone (embassy) who could decide about my fate, even though I have clear instructions from inside.
I want to walk over the border. In this case it is possible, that I have to get to Myanmar embassy in New Delhi, to get a stamp there, have to travel back, and cross the border.
With an online application its proparbly so, that I cant enter by walking, so I maid need to get by plane to Yangoon or Mandalay airport, getting a transportation to the east side of the border, to continue walking inside Myanmar.
So, how can I get a Visa without travelling somewhere and be able to walk from Indian side over the border into Myanmar?…. I dont want to make a mistake….. Want to get a long Visa…. want to walk over the border….

I can only say in trust again

Thank you
Thank you
Thank you

Love
Thomas

I said some day before ‚Something switched in my heart and I am free now (from the Corona craziness)‘

Slowly I understand what this proparbly means. It seems that accommodation issues get normal again. There is coming some normalness into me evening approaches for a place to rest.
Since almost 10 days i had no hotel or similar to pay. Once I slept, organized by ordinary people in a public place.

And then yesterday something really nice happens. Exactly at sunset I arrived at Gurudwara, a Sikh temple, and I was excepted again, as before Corona. In a very welcoming and relaxed way. I feel so good here and got offered even a rest day.

Thank you

‚Thank you’… praxis

To practice ‚Thank you‘ its very important to accept everthing what comes in you live with a ‚Thank you‘. Thank you for the experience. Of whatever it is. Just witnessing what is happening without wanting something different.

And the deepest form is, to thank for the appearance of the sensations in the body, rising up during an outer ‚happening‘ or an inner ‚happening‘. This subtle or not so subtle sensations, without judging ‚good‘ or ‚bad‘. Comfortable or less comfortable. Without ‚I want to have this feeling‘ or I do not want to have this feeling‘. Just stay neutral and say
Grateful and soft, accepting

Thank you
(Sensations in the body)

Thank you
Thank you
Thank you

Donation times continues

I wake up the next morning – so happy – inside.
5.30h. Again 30km through the forest mountains…….
The Ali’s are ready to organize some breakfast for me, goodbye time.
It gets warmer and warmer now. Monsoon is definitely gone. Lower altitude lets the temperature rise.
I come along a beautiful small waterfall and have a bath with the truck drivers, who use this yummy refeshing washing opportunities regularly. But they leave there rubbish also there, I pick a plasic bag and collect at least some of the stuff there. Thank you Mother Earth for this little oasis inbeded in your amazing nature.
With the heat at midday, little exhaustion comes and while passing through a little village called Sonapur or Sonapyrdi in local language I see a sign Mini-Hotel. It has the aura, that it could have a room? But first I have something to eat.
To ladies are so curious to meet me, asking a lot of questions, and really nice incounter. As they leave, they hand a donation over. Surprise. In the morning I already got a donation from the father of the both Ali’s…. Soon after, a truck driver sits by my side, and again, a donation. Non of them I asked for money.
And finally, there is a bed for me, in this place. So after 16km my journey is done for today, no 30km monster walk!!!

This place reminds me, how I want to live in the future, cooking outside, living close to nature, but maybe having more than one place to live, could be even several places, where I drop in from time to time…..
In the morning I already had another future vision…. again walking, but without having this commitment to reach somewhere, walking through Nepal, Sikkim, Buthan… ???
Thank you for this insides…. and again letting go of everything until time is ripe….

The donation happenings went on next day….. food, money, medicine advise in a lovely manner on a paper for my rush at my lower left arm…..
….it seems all of Meghalaya wants to say goodbye with warm hugs….

Some month ago, when I had looked forward reaching Yangoon/Myanmar in April 2021, I told Elisabeth ‚it’s just another pregnancy period, 9 1/2 month until the end of the walk‘. So she replied ‚oh, the first three month of a pregnancy are the most dangerous….‘ This dangerous 3 month period is gone now.
From now on I count the days backwards.
Today, 15.10.2020, are 196 days left until 28.4.2021, 9 years after the start in Germany.

Full of surprises

To continue walking I have to get bus and taxi, because during my stay in Shillong, and because of Covid19 everything is so complicated, I thought it would be a good idea, to walk some distance in advance. I did only 15km, so that needs to be covered up by transportation.
Evening in Mawryngkneng there is happily and surprisingly a room for me. The government builded a restaurant here. People were asking also for accommodation, so they have also put up some rooms now. Negotiations with the price and I ended up in a window free room. Blankets had to be changed, because of intensiv moldy and super intense alcohol smells. Uuuhh. But the people were very nice and helpful.

Next day 19km
I still have to go some way more up. During afternoon the street is on the highest here and goes almost on top of the mountain range. In the sunny weather suddenly clouds appear from the north. Walking towards east I am blessed to witness, that these clouds just reach the top of the mountain, so suddenly I walk in the clouds, but to the south everything until the next mountain range, is visible in full sunlight. I am just only happy to witness. Joyful happiness with touching goosebumps. (Freudentaumel)
Jowai, the next district town is a bit away from my route. At a bypass junction there is a hotel at the lake. But rates are between 30 and 65 Euros (2500-5000 Rupies plus tax) Thats not really in my budget. Ok, I could do that once…. There is another hotel, I hear, 1.6km away towards Jowai. Already a bit exhausted, it’s already dark, I turn towards that new destination. Same game, also a expensive one. Again ‚but not very far away, there will be a cheaper one‘. Google maps shows me 2.1km…. A bit on the way, I nearly turn back to the first one, but my body somehow turns towards Jowai. So sick of the situation, that I always have to stay in hotels, that people are anxious, that I have to walk so far, that hotel owners also do not offer me here and there a free place…..
I arrive at Restwell Guest House. The owner Duplain says, normally also 1500 Rupies. But he will take only 500 Rupees from me. Also if I stay longer there will be only a charge of 500 Rupees, all together. Great. He understands. Very nice room. Warm shower (I did not have for 3 1/2 month). Everthing is clean. Wow. And nice conversation too. Duplain offers free food as long as I am there.
Tyshifall, a big famous waterfall, is just some hundered meters away. Visiting the fall next morning, I see, its really enormous. And today I am so able to open up to this waterfall. Plashing white water on the rocks. I just love it. There are some pools also, but my system has not totally changed to cooler temperatures yet. So I just sit and watch and enjoy and witness, rest and fall asleep for a while. Really good time.
Back at Restwell I get a phone call from a TV station. They want to interview me the same day.
The Christian couple which picked me up before Shillong wants to invite me for a meal – but already not in town anymore.
A friend from Rampur, Himachal Pradesh, offers to pay the next hotel on the way.
TV interview works good. We get an extra room for the shot. After, the crew donates money to me.
Duplain explains, that he don’t charges anything to me at all. I can stay one or two weeks, if I like.
The evening, I have a long conversation with his wife, Roinekini, a doctor, working in a hospital. We speak about Corona virus, that the test don’t work really well. Sometimes people are positive and the test shows negative and opposite. The statistics are weird, not showing, who is actually ill with symptoms and who is seriously ill. We all three agree, that we just have to live with the virus (sure the vulnerable have to be protected). I explain to Roinekini, that I maybe had already Corona, but I had only little symptoms. But the symptoms could have been also from something else. During that time a test said Negative…. Would be interesting to know, if I developed antibodies…
All together I stay 4 nights. Its so good to stay somewhere with connection to nature and fresh air. And such nice people and hospitality. Duplain organises even a further helper, Chilang.

The night before I left I could not sleep at all. There is some process going on in my body and mind and rest of the system since 2 1/2 month, which often leeds to less sleep, sometimes no sleep in the night. I somehow answer with meditation, observing and accepting. Anyway, I feel fit and leave the house at 4.30am. Suprisingly so many people are walking around in nature close to Tyrshifall before sunrise. 30km to go. Chilong drives by in between and gives me advise, where to go. He had booked a hotel on his costs. Again such a nice place and the owner at ‚East Side Inn‘, Monwan, offers free food. In the meanwhile, still during arriving time I nearly throu up …. it has been a bit lot today. East Side Inn is a little bit out, east, of Lad Rymbai. Monwan explains what all belongs to his property. Some grass and forest land, a soccer place and some waterfalls with pools. From my room I can see all the time on that hilly grass land.
The rest of the area is full of poor people who extract cole and store it. In 5 years time, cole mining will be banned in this area.
Next afternoon, after I enjoyed a delicious Paneer meal with plain cooked potatoes as the side I felt to sleep. Waking up by lot of rain, falling down on this hilly grass land. I cant enjoy and embace the situation enough, its soooo magic. Maybe this is the last Monsoon rain and it gives everything. Its sososo beautiful. I am standin in ‚oh‘ at my wide open window or on the balcony and just watch with surprise, connection honourful the long lasting moment. What a precious rainfall, I just love it……
During this stay and maybe during this special rainfall, something in my chest, heart area switches with a switching sensation, letting me know, that Corona will not exist for me from this moment on. Sure I will follow the given rules, but beside of this, I feel, I am free of this ‚crazyness’…

The night before I leave, again very unsteady sleep, but with one really nice benefit. The laying new moon rise is just as spectacular, laying just on top of this hilly grass land…..
Then, later, 3 quaters before sunrise the small street in front of the grass land is full of walking, jogging, partying people. Maybe 100 people. Including music and smoking. So unusual, before four a clock people are celebrating…. a while after sunrise they disappear….
Since Restwell departure the street is suddenly so full of trucks. I have been so blessed, that again and again I could enjoy smaller roads. But from now on, there is no other way for a while. Trucks will all go the same route, a connection highway to some other northeastIndia states. Because of the mountain structure no other way available. Sometimes I like the company of truck driver on long way routes, its a bit like myself, being on tour.
Around midday Chilang arrives and reports, there will be no accommodation for me for the next 100km. He went all the way, checked the possibilities, Hotels are all booked by the government for people who come now from east towards Meghalaya, for quarantine. Nothing else is free. ‚You cant go this way, what will you do?‘ ‚I will continue, I will see. I maid have to go and see the police‘
‚And I wanted to make you a present, a peace bird, but I have not done it yet, its not ready‘ To the same time I took some empty glas honey jar and a emptyjuice Tetra pack out of my bag, to ask him, if he can take it (so I don’t have to carry). His face was full of surprise, because of his present expectations combined with the rubbish ‚gift‘. Sorry Chilang, it was not ment like this…. and Thank you, thank you, thank you….!!!

At the end of the day, 32km, and still not at the police station, but at a post office. At Google maps, here seems to be also the police station. The post office manager want to sent me some more km, but I refuse. Its already 2 hours dark…. and another sulution appears slowly…. I can sleep at a public ‚Meeting house‘ on the naked floor. After my request to bring me maybe some cardboard, people organize a plastic mat and a thin softer mat. The mosquito net gets fixed at the windows. 2 brothers, both with the second name Ali are happily keep me in good mood until everything is done. Here in Lumsnang is a cement factory, Ali’s father came from far away to work here.

Shillong

I visit the Buddhist Monastery. There are two or three, but this one is towards the south, up the mountain. And I think, this is one of the best places in Shillong. As always or mostly, Buddhist Monasteries have often a very good location. Also silince can very mostly experience, and in this case, wonderful silince. At the outside area the monks created a very nice resting area with benches and tables, best for any meal or conversation and the view is spectacular. All the city of Shillong lays down of the temple and the mountains surround the city. Just great.
I went twice, second time the temple was closed, afternoon, but i could deliver some food, bananas and pumpkin for the monks.

I actually, because there are this many Christians in Shillong and Meghalaya, I wanted to see a church. Any time I came along a church, it looked close…..

And then I meet Ivan. He currently lives in a Hindu temple. He starts the conversation by for me a surprising topic …..Are you one of the Jehovas Witnesses or do you know, how to find them? I had a talk with them and I want to meet them again…..
One or two days later we meet again. A short visit at the small Hindi temple, Hindus are in a total manority here in Meghalaya, then he had planed to surprise his parents with me as an unaspected guest. Therefore he hires a taxi and we drive about 6km to another part of the hilly city. Shillong is a perfect city to invent a public cable car transport system. Often there are traffic jams, but because the city is not that huge yet, but I guess its about to come, its the right time now.
Ivan grew up with his (about) 6 siblings in this very nice, typical mountain Meghalaya style, house.
Surprisingly the partents are not there. His brother, who opened the door, rushes back in his room to study.
So, for Ivan, who already finished his studies with best grades, the situation is a bit awkward. He had also planed to convince his parents to host me. I had bought some pineapples (they are available in Meghalaya again), to eat with the whole family. We bridge, after some waiting, the time with cutting and finally enjoying some of them. After maybe 1 1/2 hours, the family comes back from visiting some relatives from further away. The home gets busy with all his other grown siblings, the mother and father. A short greeting, redused to a minimum, from everyone. The father comes for a short but listening conversation. He has to go soon for another visit. Ivan walks around, a bit nervous, because he already sences some uncomfortable atmosphere towards him. Finally its clear, that Ivan will not be able to convince his father.
The sisters are cleaning in front of the fenced small entrance area of the house, the car, which nearly does not fit in it. Its remarkable, no one of them talkes a word. Its completely silent. I never have witnessed a complete silence as here, while doing the clean up, including some washing, also the tyres. Finally the father sits in the car. Everything is still happening in silence. Fascinating. We are leaving, to get back by taxi.
Ivan is a bit sad, not only because his try to host me, failed. But also, because he had this really good results at school and university, somehow he does not get enough attention and respect….
Ivan senced, that it would be right, to host me privately, respect to him. Thank you.

Before I leave Shillong I pick up some more money from the bank. Even though I somehow have still enough, it maid be good in this Corona times?!?!

The weather forecast is not right all the time. It does not rain that much, than it’s predicted. At the morning of friday, 25th, I leave the hotel. And I am very happy about the decision.
Arriving at Byrnihat I have to get one village back by tuktuk, to stay for the night. At the hotel reception I am so inpatient, always these questions about the Corona issues….puh.

Just on the way the next morning, coming into the state of Meghalaya I get stopped from some officials. I have to make a Corona test. The police brings me to the Corona test center. Totally uncoordinated organising…. during the whole process I have the feeling, that I showed my passport more than 10 times, in fact it was maybe just 5 or 6 times. Because of that, and mostly when I did not expect it again, just putting the papers back in my bag, ‚Can I see you passport again‘ I really cant believe it. Is this here a patient/inpatient training center. Looking at it, in myself there is something inpatiently waiting to open up, and I am also so impatient about it its so uncomfortable, so it manifests in this chaotic outside Corona test center. Anyway, the result is negative. ‚You can go‘. Backpack sorted, on my back, leaving the area, someone says…. ‚Ohhh, please come back, can I see your passport again?’….. All together it took 3h.
The road is going upwards. I have to do 450 elevation meters today. A heavy shower for half an hour. The river is brown and full. It has washed some small shacks away. The jungle looks amazing. And the redbrown soil is fascinating me. Beautiful colour games between water, soil, sky, sun…. I have to cross a little pass. On my map I see a hotel on top, perfect place to stay for maybe two? nights? A mistake in the map….. ‚After 5 km you will find something in ‚Nongpoh’…. Its already dark because of the 3h Corona test. But… there is no place to stay in Nongpoh…., people start to sent me from here to there, one person even says again ‚I think in 5km, there is….‘ No, I dont walk any further. I end up at the police station. They have one empty room, a broken sofa and some possibilities to fix my mosquito net. In the end I combine the sofa with the net, and I sleep much better, than I expected. I feel even relaxed next morning, more calm in my body, as since weeks not anymore. Is it already the hill atmosphere?

Before Umsning I have some kind of lunch in a very litte cosy light colour painted shack with very nice female family stuff. So only thing without meat is just plain rice. But… they have a very nice sort of rice, which makes my stomach so comfortable. Because I am so hungry, and there is only chicken and fish offered, but also cooked eggs… I have all together 5 eggs, the first eggs since 1 year and 9 mounth. They give me enough strength for the last actions of the day. Again complications to find a rest place. The marked hotel is booked from the government, only health workers… The owner lady sent me to another place, its a rural floral and plant training center. Its sunday, so the office is not open. Finally the director want to welcome me…. but his colleges, with whom he has to recheck in this pandemic don’t agree…. That means for me….another five km to the next police station. Negociating with the in charge police officer, I realise, my inpatients has transformed into some calmness, what a release and success. The police officer in charge is somehow searching for a solution, somehow helpless. At a lot of police stations it looks like a car parking, partly like a car cemetery. If there has been a car accident at the street, damaged cars in India get parked at the police station. Also, if owners have to pay a fee, and they can’t, police likes to take the motorbike or car. Part of the penalty can be also the confession of the vehicle for some time. Anyway, the solution is today, to sleep in a truck. This is the first night in month, that I need a blanket at the early morning hours. Luckly the owner left a little dirty looking like cover there. Warm. Nice.

Here and there are little land slides, workers are active with mashines to carry the redbrown sand, with only some big rocks in it, to better locations. Somehow, most of the rain is coming always in the night.
This day I am so early, it’s just 2pm, to look for a nice accommodation at a huge water reservoir. The lake looks gorgeous. First place is about 5000 Rupies (60€). That so superexpensiv for India. And for my donation pocket. Second is about the same price, but the whole resort again booked by the government as a quarantine place. The stuff tries to help me…. I look around by myself… Finally I deside to move on, walking towards Shillong (15 more km, it’s already 4pm and the sun goes down at 5.30pm.) A couple stops by. The lady shows me there cross ‚We are Christians, you can trust us, we are going to Shillong, we can give you a lift.‘ After some minutes I agree. Sure, they can’t take me to there house… Corona… but get me to Police Bazar, center of Shillong. But the hotels are not allowed to take me, first I have to check with the Police. Meghalaya is very strict with rules. The officer shows me a list of five or six hotels where I can stay. But there is no hotel for a peace pilgrim budget included. ‚Thats a bit like kidnapping… first you tell me, where I have to go, and then you ask for money, which I do not have‘ He gets a bit angry, and then finds another cheaper solution after some phone calls. Thanks.
After checking in I went to the market. Wow. I am in the mountains. I can breathe again. My mind can open a bit more up. Away from the tight plain areas. Closer to the sky.
The room in Hotel Meghalaya has no window. And first time in month my coloured socks cover my feet. Its fresh. The hotel crew tells me – no mosquitoes in Shilling. I am surprised ‚is Shillong that high already?‘
As soon as I cover myself up with the blanket – my nose closes up and I start to sneeze. The blanket is a bit mouldy….

Meghalaya is at least partly very Christian. So many churches I have seen at the road. For example the Kashi tripe (this area) is to 97,5 % Christian. There are no cows on the street anymore. There is a different other order in the atmosphere. People dont chew and spit tabak here, but they smoke. Also, they eat a lot of meat with every meal. Nearly no vegetarian meals anymore.

After two nights I have to change the room towards a window and a room with natural light and air. Because of the smoky people, my room has a smoke flavour…. Every morning, day by day better, I wake up with smoke im my nose….
After being so many month in the heat, I cant wash myself here with the cold water. Brrr. Today, after 5 days, this was first possible (I am so lucky about that, so refreshing). Because Monsoon is not totally gone here, temperature is low and clouds are present, sun is only sometimes out.

People here speak good English. So nice. Conversation is possible and people are also interested more, besides ‚Where is your home, where do you go‘

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you
Thomas

Two days ago I continued walking.
I could not sleep all night long, came to sleep only at 6 in the morning. So I started only around midday. I walked to the south of the city, just ten km.

I have a better room here.
But Monsoon is giving his goodbye skywaters. It seems that I will be stuck here for some more days, the weather forecast pedicts heavy rain until Saturday/ Sunday….

Anyway… I can meditate here….

After some more days, another break…. …. I finally reach the Brahmaputra.

Wow. What a river. So beautiful. So beautiful, sooooo beautiful.
I find a little way towards the sandy river bank and sit down in the sun. Wow wow wow. The Brahmaputra is full of water and flowing so calm – and massive – in his bed. Sandbanks, island, greenery, soft hills…. makes it just gorgeous. And at this spot, there is nearly no one, nature at its most beauty. I am sitting in awe, fascinated by the beauty of nature and this holy river.
I move on and end up after some few 100 meter in a simple restaurant and order a Thali. This is white rice with some vegetables around and lentil soup. The lady here is great, she makes something more in the kitchen, some light fried eggpland at the side.
‚I wish I could stay here‘ and I remember my stay in Turkey with this nice family at there cosy and simple beach restaurant. In the end I stayed unexpected 3 weeks. This remembrance is a sign, that this place could be something similar. But where to stay here? ……
I phone with my friend Elisabeth from Germany and discribe the situation. Our conversation is short because of some disturbances.
Yeah, it would be so good, to stay here. My heart is yearning for it. Here I could finally relax, in nature, surrounded by nature and good air. This restaurant is also best with this lady, she is loving and caretaking for her guests, and I love simple restaurants like this, ok, it could be a bit more cosy, but it has this nice relaxing atmosphere, openess.
And, just when I wanted to leave, a man, around 50, 55 talks to me, and offers to stay at his place. Please, he said, just one night and you can go again….
My heart already jumps up… where, out of the nowhere this offer comes from, and my mind is also so happy, ‚oh, I can already arrive here today, I don’t have to walk anymore today…. sooo goood.‘ The friendly man says, sit down here on my table. I come closer and then I see: oh, he just want to start drinking. . He has a quarter liter of strong alcohol, already pulled from a small bottle to a glass beside… and I say: I am sorry, but I don’t like to stay with people who drink alcohol….. I apologise again, he feels a bit uncomfortable (but still wants to drink it) and I say goodbye to him.
This has really changed in the last years, I really do not like to be with people who drink. While leaving I feel convinced by my decision, also knowing, that I maid look back at this situation, regretting it?!
Because the remembrance of my Turkey situation in that hour had the information, that more could enfold out of this. Something really good, relaxing, enjoying, for all my levels. And all of me was so ready for it…………..

Already in Guwahati for 5 days now. From this capital of Assam I can’t reach the Brahmaputra with my whole being. Everywhere boats. Fences. But beautiful scenery. But all the parks at the river are closed (because of Corona?!) or construction work is going on. Some big machines have arrived to do heavy work for the future at the river bank. Some other area, there are government buildings and properties blocking the river. Fences.
I have a simple room in the Tibet hotel (big name, but not a Tibet atmosphere). The room has only a little window to a dirty outside area and is also dirty inside. Some area, especially the bathroom I cleaned already. But I can’t really relax here. I did a bit… ah… but…
The city beside the river is not communicating with me yet, and as I said, its not possible until now to connect with this beautiful Brahmaputra from this city side. I dont have enough power to look for something better…..

The only chance I have, is to be grateful, for whatever happens, for all the feelings, impossiblities, ‚good and bad‘ feelings to accept. To be grateful even for the not possiblity of relaxation, to accept the challenge as a gate opener for whatever comes. ….but it is a big challenge….

I tell you, that place, now 15km away, has been so gorgeous ….

Anyway: I could manage to meditate more again.
On the other hand… I am too much on the internet….puh

All together, since Rajgir, after the lockdown, I have walked 1000 km. I have a little misscalculation about the whole distance from Rajgir to Myanmar/Yangoon. Its some 300-500km more, so instead of 2400km all together, it maid be up to 2.700/2.900km (Rest 1.700/1.900). It’s today 7 month and 10 days until I want to reach the final destination…..

Step by step
Breath by breath
In the moment
Presence

In gratefulness
In Love
In Peace

Thomas