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Weeeell, the centre of Delhi WAS trash, but it was dark and I couldn't fully appreciate it :)

From the airport where I spent the whole day I went to ISBT station close to Kashmere Gate. By metro. In the rush hour. Reminded me of Saint-Petersburg when going to work. And moreover I had a biiiig backpack. So... 

Things about the day that come to my mind:

everybody stares at you as you are blond and alone

if you want to buy a ticket you really have to want it and insist on the fact that you're someone to respect, otherwise the Indians will just push you out of the window even if you were politely standing there and waiting for your turn. 

Speaking about politeness...  Nobody ever will tell you sorry when passing by and punching you on the way. Nobody will ever say thank you or you are welcome, it's like that and let's accept it and get used to it :)

Segregation of men and women... first thing to mention is the higher percentage of men in public places: in the metro wagon I thought I was the only woman. Scaring first. In the security check in the metro women and men go separately (btw security check in metro was as strict as at the airport, with scanners and guys with Kalashnkiov!). In the local  buses women and men are supposed to sit separately. I have no idea how it works in everyday life, but even at the vipassana center women are not allowed to enter the kitchen, not even with their nose...

Well, dirt and noise... it was much less violent than I expected. Good to be prepared. Delhi bus station is trash, yes, but it reminded me of some places in Petrozavodsk after the snow goes down and you see the mountain of garbage accumulated during the winter. But here it smells much more, because it serves as a public toilet as well. 

Then funny thing was to get to know when and where from my bus (the ticket I bought in advance, hoho) would go. I asked at least five different people and got different answers, but it's like in Africa :) The thing was to go around with my ticket and just askaskask for the right one until I found it and didn't go away from it any longer (you know, those buses move, there are no numbers of station etc, forget).

Ok, the night was long and dusty, and finally at around 8 in the morn I arrived to Dharamsala. Actually, the real Dalai-Lama place is Upper Dharamsala or McLeod Ganj, where I managed to take a local bus. It was around +10 outside, but all the ladies were in saris and men in shirts. Crazy. Or did I get used to warmth to that point?

Haven't seen McLeod Ganj yet, just passed by to go to Vipassana centre, which is about 1 km up the hill, with stares and backpack on my back. Great training. hoho... But McLeod seems to be a perfect place for the first two-three weeks, and everybody says it's beautiful! What impressed me the most on the way is the Tibetan flags everywhere, nice people telling you the way and helping to put on your backpack even if you don't ask, and also the amount of monkeys in "libre service", they are just EVERYWHERE and people say you HAVE to close your door-window-car in order not to meet a cute pick-pocket. 

Right now surving here on vipassana  with four other  girls (non of them Indian, pity) for around 40 meditators. Hard and great at the same time! Gotta go to bed, the morning bell is at 4AM