imisstony.com

I was on the craziest bus ride of my life last night. Twelve hours. It was like being on Star Tours for twelve hours straight except you're not strapped in. The seats recline all the way back so you can try to sleep- if you can stay in your seat. I wasn't worried though for some reason. I think I've reached this point in my travels where I decide to do something, shrug, and put my faith in the hands of the world spirit.

I reached Manali and it's a beautiful and peaceful place in the mountains. I tried hiking to a waterfall but I cut my toe so I turned back. Plus, the path completely disappeared on me. I may head to a higher place in the Himalayas tomorrow or Monday. I forget how to spell it. Wish me luck. I'm gonna go chill now.

-Force Feeding-

I forgot a little experience in Agra the other day that I wanted to make note of. I did the Taj and then I went to cut my thank yous at Costa coffee. When I got out, I went to the sketchy internet cafe before trying to head back to the hostel. My rickshaw driver was persuading me to go to a handicrafts place so he could get a commission, even if I didn't buy anything. But I was feeling woozy in a weird way so all I wanted was to get out of the sun and wait for my train. He wouldn't stop persisting so I handed him some money and tried to get another driver to take me. He tried to get me to go to a shop, too. I was so frustrated. Then this woman with a baby came tugging at me for some change. I refused and she begged even more. I swear, this was the most aggravated I'd ever been in the three months I've been traveling. I just wasn't feeling well so I marched down the street and over-paid a guy to take me back to the hotel. That's where I ran into John and got eaten by skeets. (the bites have swollen up since they rubbed all over the bus seats while I crashed around last night on the ride here)

I mentioned to John that I'd felt a weird kind of woozy and I didn't know whether it was fatigue, the heat, or some disease I picked up from a bug. He told me that the heat can make you lose your appetite and I realized that was the problem. I hadn't been hungry since coming to India. I'd somehow managed to sleep away a lot of meals. He told me that he had to force himself to eat three meals due to an earlier ailment. So since then, I've also been forcing myself to eat, even when nothing seems very appetizing when my head is breaking out, I can actually smell myself, and all I want is to bath in a nice, clean, shower that's separate from the toilet area.

I'm seriously thinking about checking into someplace ritzy when I get back to Delhi. Though I could hold out til Japan... though the showers aren't much more 'Western' there. Okay, enough whining. Just wanted to tell you that the heat will play with your body. Remember to eat! (Yes, mom)

Labels: India