Wide-Eyed Wanderer Adventures

11-26-2011 – Darjeeling Burning fingerprints The hand-made paper with lots of spidery lines lit up with a vivid fiery frame, then blackened and turned to ashes. I watch the thermals from the fire flipping page after page, devouring each and sending it off to the wind. My diary is joining the heaps of year-old prayer flags that are being renewed today. Folds and folds of “Om-mani-padme-hums” turning to ashes in a giant fire. Then I throw in another one. This one is of fine leather with a carnelian on its cover. This one takes longer and its shape lingers in its ashen, blackened form for a few minutes before collapsing into nothing. 6 months worth of my life's fingerprints.... A spur of the moment act, really. Something told me to come up the hill to the serene Nepali-looking Hindu temple on top of the Observatory Hill. I've never been here this late. This was a clearing night, me thinks. Bonfires full of dry leaves and prayer flags. The same voice in my head whis...

Nov 17, 2011 North Sikkim - Yumthang Valley/Chomta Valley Himalayan Snow Valleys - white canvas, new vision, new stride The driver stops the car and turns to us: “the car won't pass from here – there have been too many snow-storms. If you guys want to see Yumthang, it's 8 km through the snow forest. Do you want to go?” On the other end, a hot spring awaits. So do the impossible cliffs of the 4.5 km high valley.  Some folks in our group are wearing sneakers. Not exactly snow wear. Of course, we'll go. Luckily, I'm in my Gore-texy faithful trekking boots. Unanimously, we file out and make our way through the winter paradise. “It's our Switzerland” our waiter-come-guide announces. As though the Himalayas needed to compete. On the way, someone is hit by a bright idea and a snowball....and we build a snow...woman. Ok, I did that bit. That is, womanized her – it only took 2 balls to do that. After a while, I purposefully fall behind. I cannot see or hear...