More of Mangalore

After almost 3-weeks in the Ayureveda Center, I left Kerala and went back to the ashram. I had gotten little relief from the heat and I wanted to return for a Kriya Yoga Camp. I had broken out badly from a heat rash and was pretty uncomfortable. Once I arrived to the ashram, I got a tad irritated as I had to sleep on the marble meditation hall floor as they did not have any rooms. I thought everyone knew I was coming but no one including myself made a reservation! I lasted one night, then they finally moved me to a room the next afternoon, but they said I would have to be booted out again right after the camp. So I made a decision to leave the ashram after the camp was over. It was an exhausting 5-days. They kept us busy 18-hours a day, a little much I thought. But overall it was a great experience. So with unplanned time on my hands now, I decided to do a little sightseeing and took an afternoon bus to Mysore, 7-hours away. The first 2-nights I stayed at a dive and I thought it was overpriced. I am all about value. If I stay in a room with nothing, I don’t; want to pay but $10 USD. So a $30 room with nothing is overpriced in my opinion. I'd rather pay double and get everything I need. (within reason) I hired a driver and toured the area the next day. Mysore is a beautiful city and I am glad I went. It is known as the City of Palaces. It reminded me how perturbed I get visiting tourist areas. They really gouge the tourist and I hate haggling for everything. I had scheduled another bus ride back to Mangalore and there ended up being a state wide strike; for the rising fuel prices. I was told to return 4-hours later which I did. When I checked in, and they said my bus had left an hour earlier and I was considered a no-show. I would have to buy another ticket and wait other 4-hours before the next bus left. I immediately hired a driver. I can be so impatient! Now I remember how much happier I am when I travel for a purpose instead of as a tourist. I needed up back in Mangalore, about 40 km from the ashram. I kind of like this town! It is relatively clean for India, affluent, well educated, numerous colleges here, not too over populated and has everything you need….. and they don’t gouge the tourist. I didn’t feel like I had enough Ayurveda time, so I found a place here. It is cute and I am probably their first Western patient. They made me a nice room and are spoiling me rotten. I feel like a little princess and get everything I want and need for a very fair price. Actually cheaper than the hotel I had in Mysore and it includes TV, internet, 3-meals and 3- treatments a day! On two different occasions, I spent the day and night with Karen and Anita (and Indian from the ashram). She and her beautiful young family live about a half hour drive away in a beautiful new, custom built home. Us three girls had lunch together; delicious Chinese food one day and another day yummy Italian food. We had such a wonderful time together. Today was the last time I will see my friend while I am in India this trip. Next week I head north for my program at Osho for three months. It is bitter sweet for me! Osho Meditation Resort is called Spiritual Disneyland. They say it use to be fantastic but has now become too commercial. Each day 1000 people from all over the world are at Osho. I hope to not long for the simplicity of the ashram and my days with the cows. Finally, monsoon season has begun and I have cooled down. What a welcome relief. It is now about 83-degrees in my room instead of 90! I have uploaded lots of photos from my trip on my Facebook page. To see them, log into FB.