clean

quick quick: FRESH AIR IS SUCH A BLESSING!!!!!!!!!!!!! When I got off the bus (after 11 hrs train and 4 1/2 bus behind a puking guy) I had to cry with joy at breathing in real fresh air...I think even if I had gotten off a bus into Los Angeles I would have cried because the air quality in Delhi/Agra were so unbelievably horrible...But getting off into the pristine chilly STAGGERINGLY beautiful himalaya filled me with so much joy I just needed to shed a few tears. It is so different here....The town is very small and is all built into the mountainside so everywhere you look you can see trees for days and the huge snowy peaks of the himalayas and BLUE SKY...the actual place is mostly full of shops and then the Dalai Lama's house/temple....everywhere you look there are monks and grungy tanned travelers and barely ANY hassling at all...such a change. Today I woke up early and decided to wander and it was SO amazing to be able to wander through something other than pee filled alleyways and dirty shop infested streets...I could walk through trees and rocks and scrub!!! What a joy!! I actually ended up at a waterfall with this crazy view of a valley and found a dog friend who walked all the way up with me so even when I accidentally ended up at a drug den I felt totally safe. Anyway I just wanted to say that I am going to start a trek TOMORROW!! Ack!!! It's me and an older lady who I haven't met yet from Alaska, and we will be trekking for four days/three nights and staying in small villages along the way. I'm kind of nervous--it is FREEZING here at night but they said I could use all their gear so I will probably be a Tibetan snowwoman with ten enormous coats and woven pants and mittens and stuff. I would say I'd post pictures of it--but my camera broke!!!! What a terrible place not to have a camera! I bought this ooooold school point and shoot and I'm hoping the pictures from that will actually work. OK time to go pack, Love to everyone!!