117. The Heat

So, in Rishikesh, melting in the heat and sorting everything before going home.  The only good thing about the heat that I can fathom is that when you decide the shirt you have worn for a few hours is so disgusting you need a shower and a change, you can wash the shirt and it will be dry a few more hours later.  By which time you need another shower and a change.  Oh for home and a bath up to my neck and a washing machine and no ants marching through my room and a loo I feel comfortable sitting on without first cleaning it with Dettol, and to know I don’t have to pack my stuff again, and fit it all in somehow. 

Yesterday Chloe (my trekking companion) and I went to the Beatles’ ashram which involved a walk through the bit of town that is all temples and ashrams and sadhus, and huge trees and monkeys and cows and dogs and tourists – indian and western – and colour and beauty.  The ashram is just out of town and securely locked so you find your way through the surrounding jungle to where you climb over the wall and wander around – its huge, and must have been absolutely beautiful but is now reverting to jungle and home to monkeys, elephants, sadhus, hippies and gorgeous flowers.  As so often in India, we didn’t find what we were really looking for – the Beatley bits. In a random restaurant on the way back who should walk in but 2 Lha volunteers – much hugging and joy and exchanging of gossip!