After spending lazy days in Rishikesh bathing in the Ganges and practicing yoga (yes I did try it, I have discovered I am as flexible as a 2 by 4.), I headed north on a 18 hour local bus ride to the mountain town of Manali. This involved a long 1am conversation with a drunken Sihk guy at a random truck stop somewhere in the Punjab, during which he begged me to "give him Canada." I assume that he mistook me for the Canadian immigration minister on holiday travelling India on rikkity local buses, and thought that maybe I might be able get him a ticket to Toronto that night.

Manali is situated in a beautiful location, nessled in a river valley, surrounded by low green treed mountains, culminated in 6000 metre peaks which appear as a great barrier in the northern end of the valley. It really does seem like Manali is somewhere else than India - it is the Switzerland of India (minus the yoddling and fondue). After several days bathing in the local temple hotsprings discussing India's greatness and my good name with locals, as well as going on short hikes in the surrounding mountains I moved on to Dharmsala, the 'Little Lhasa.'

Dharmsala is the seat of the exiled Tibetan government and his holiness, the Dalai Lama. Since he was forced to flee for his life from the onslaught of Communist China, Indian PM Jawarharlal Nehru granted the Dalai Lama asylum in the 1950s, and as China continues to occupy Tibet as it has since the late 1940s, justifying their often bloody occupation, by claiming (wrongly) that Tibet has always been part of China,  the Dalai Lama cannot return, and in the meantime is situated in the nearby town of Mcleod Ganj.

It is strange to see so many Tibetans here. I certainly expected this, but it makes me think. How much hope do they have of returning to their homeland? Will they ever be able to return? What is it like living in India, a country alien to them? I cannot even begin to imagine what all of this is like. Still they are so welcoming and friendly.

On my first day in Dharmsala I went to see and hear the Dalai Lama speak at the Tibetan temple in Mcleod Ganj. Aside from Lhasa of course, Dharamsala has been the focal point of the protests against China, and with the Olympics approaching and the uprising that took place in Lhasa recently, its prominence has grown. The temple was rammed.People from all over were there: Tibetans, Hindus, Israelis (India's second largest group), Sikhs,Christians, Westerns, drugged out travellers - EVERYONE. He had been speaking the two days prior, but this was his last day here before he was off to somewhere else. A lot of his talk was in Tibetan, and having arrived at 530am that morning, I had missed the memo on bringing a radio so that I could listen to the translation, but there was enough in english for me to get a gist of it. I did manage to see him as he walked around greeting people after his talk.

He has a special presence, the Dalai Lama, one of total calmness and kindness. God knows it must be difficult to stay even keel after having to put up with what he has, but he occupies his position with such humbleness and grace, it is amazing. Later in the day I got conscripted into a candle-light march through the city to protest the Chinese occupation. Before I knew it I was in a throng moving throught the streets surrounded by monks dressed in traditional maroon and yellow robes. Quite the special experience, and as I am growing bored of the common vibe of hashed-out dreadlocked travellers clinging to life in street side cafes while discussing monotonous matters such as the merits of pressure cookers and their effect on changing their lives (there is a story here), I thought, why not get involved in the lives of the locals, eh? I haven't got around to wearing the cliche "Free Tibet" T-shirt, but given a low price....who knows.... Today I headed up on a hike in the local mountains. I didn't realize that Dharmsala, situated on the dry plain below, is surrounded by high snow covered mountains. These certainly were a welcome surprise. In a few days I will depart Dharmsala headed to Delhi to jump on a train that will wisk me over 1500km across India to Kolkata, the seat of the British Raj. I plan on catching a cricket game at the famous Eden Gardens, and little did I know that the Aussie legend Shane "1000 not out" Warne is in town with his Rajasthan Royals IPL outfit. Can't wait...