Day 32: Rest Overdue

I think this will be my last blog entry for some time. I feel that the blog or journal or whatever it is has served its purpose. I reserve the right to return to it, but with this first leg of my journey over, and so much of my mind being emptied onto the page, it’s time for me to focus on my musical and other creative projects. I feel good about the blog, and I feel that through it I’ve learned a great deal about myself and my views and it’s a good foundation to build on. Maybe I will continue in a more limited capacity, without the pressure to write a daily update but a weekly or even monthly one, just as a therapeutic tool to benchmark my progress physically, mentally, and spiritually. We took the Rohtangla Pass and it was a great decision. The pass was hard to climb, not as hard as Singayla but with the saddle sore it was a huge hurdle. Nevertheless, I got to the top and the downhill was the best we’ve had. I think we descended a couple thousand meters, all the way to Manali. Such an incredible thrill. On the way down we passed through so many different states. The top was Alaska, barren alpine and snowy, then we were in Montana or Wyoming with short sparse pines and soft meadow, then the Pacific Northwest with towering evergreens, and then much to my delight a fall day in Upstate New York with deciduous trees shedding leaves, moss covered rocks and ferns, and then we swept into the gentle urban sprawl until we reached our destination. Smelling and breathing such a relatively high oxygen content made us euphoric, we hadn’t been this low in a place so verdant in a long time. We celebrated with good food and beer and wandered Manali, which is kind of dead right now because of the time of year and the flooding that happened earlier. They have a kind of New Orleans or Nashville nightlife vibe with cover bands playing American and British classic rock hits at cafes and bars. The city seems to have a huge Israeli presence, many of the signs are translated in Hebrew, but I haven’t seen many Israelis yet. We learned later on about the terrible attack from Hamas. I wonder if they are heading home to fight. I’ll have to decide soon if I am accompanying Adam to Nepal or going my own way. I’m a little torn. I’ve enjoyed the partnership very much, and it’s made me feel way less lonely and Adam is a great guy. I need to stop smoking cigarettes though and I need to save money by camping again. Maybe we can reach a compromise. It’d be wonderful to keep his company. Lot’s to think about as I rest here in Manali.