Flying high
Mumbai airport - 02.30 am. Another 2 hours to kill until I can board my flight to freezing Frogland. I have 1850 Mb left on the 2GB internet package I was so excited about purchasing a month ago. I know. Things change uh. I was full of good intentions and stories to tell. But again, I followed the inspiration of the moment and decided once again to forget about the net and the rest of the world.
The last month have been so rich in teaching experiences and enlightening encounters that I only felt like being fully present in the moment. When I left Mumbai I put many books in my backpack yet I hardly read a page. I forgot to call my parents to tell them I was fine; to reply to text messages and emails. I had no idea which month or year we were. I spent entire days doing nothing. Man… NOTHING! It felt so good. Just being aware of what was happening in the world around me. For the first time I experienced the bliss of living in the moment and I realized it was all happening in front of me. Not on the computer. Not on the screen of my smartphone. In the book of life. Wow.
Well, to be correct, I have not been totally inactive. It actually started quite intensely. In Goa, I followed my dad’s footsteps 40 years after on what used to be a Goan deserted beach, his deserted beach, and turned out to be a transe party heaven, full of hippies who got pretty much stuck up there in all senses of the term. I also had the honor to spend a night in hospital on a drip, after emptying my body of all substances it contained for over 72 hours of total delirium. Nice. Stories boy!
Luckily I was saved by my gouroutte who took me straight to paradise aka the Clinic of Universal Love and Happy Basti. There I found peace. I walked miles on the deserted beach where only crabs and hawks would disturb my newfound peace - well, actually not only but this is another story :) - marveling at the sunset every single night. I had tears in my eyes lying down in the sand, listening to Cohen’s alleluia and watching the stars. And the endless conversations with my new mates… What a bunch of colorful characters. Beautiful people. Amazing teachers. Talking about life with the sound of Krishna’s flute in the background. There for a couple of weeks I was Radha and I learnt to give unconditional love, without expecting anything in return. Or so did I thought.
Until my inspiration took me to stunning Hampi. There I intended to cross the river with no expectations, yet I had so many. But I left with none. I learnt to let go. Beautiful Hampi, with its deserted temples, fluorescent green paddy field and thousand of lonely rocs was both terrible and magnificent. There the story of Krishna and Rhada which I have not told you yet ended brutally. And as I watched the last sunset from the top of the hill I finally accepted that all things are impermanent.
Back “home” in Mumbai I spent hours strolling along Marine Drive, looking at all the young couples timidly hugging and kissing on the quay. I had belphuri on Chowpaty beach, was invited to an opulent wedding, went to cooking and tea tasting workshops, attended hype cultural events, pretended I was a writer, watched cricket matches, laughed and cried at the movie theatre, marveled at the full moon on India Gate, wished I was a Bollywood star, hang out with the fishermen.
These many stories I will tell you sooner or later. It’s just a matter of figuring out how. I have a few ideas though. But for now I am going home for a holiday. Cause my plan is to be back here verrrrry soon. I have not had enough. It’s pretty addictive, traveling.
A bientôt les amis, à très bientôt…
