So hello dear friends,
My sincere apologies for the lack of updates you lovely folks! Much has occurred since last I wrote! I am home! Crazy town I know. My last few weeks in McLeod Ganj flew by in a glorious blur of epic happenings. My dear friends and I spent my last few weeks together in a happy blur of wonderful times. I taught some english, walked some kora's, ate some food, played some McLeopoly and lived it up in paradise. It was hard to leave, especially my amazing new friends Cindy, Johan, Carly and KD. I miss the flip out of those guys, but never to worry, excuses to travel the world visiting them! I left McLeod on Tuesday the 18th on a twelve hour bus to Delhi, and from there flew to Singapore and then on to the Gold Coast, arriving on the Friday! Christ, it was such an exhausting three days. I was properly fucked by the time I got home and I'll admit I cried a little bit when I saw my mumma. It is lovely to be home, I live in the best place on earth, and you really appreciate it after being away for three months. But still, I miss my glorious mountains and dream of McLeod and the friends I have there. It was a magnificent time for me, I was so happy and life really was excellent! It still is. Life is wonderful and it is glorious to be alive and well in such a beautiful place! I'm back at work which is a bit shit but I have a few goals to save for which makes it more bearable. I'm going to a festival on the twentieth of October, and I also want to get myself my motorcycle licence and a postie bike to zip about on. And then I need to buy myself a laptop for the Graphic Design Course I want to do. And then I'll move to Melbourne and do my course and then shit....who the fuck knows. And even having planned that far freaks me the shit out. Maybe I will run away to India forever. That sounds gloriously simple. But we shall see. For now I am content just hanging and being healthy and happy. I'm in no rush to go anywhere big with my life. I have realised that my life is already so wonderful, and I don't need to rush into anything. Each day as it comes. The moment is boss. I might die any moment. And so on and so forth...you get the idea. 

So, I'll wrap it up now. Enough of this waffle. That is the end of my Indian Adventure. It was incredible. I'll never forget it or the friends that I made. I certainly feel more confident in myself and my abilities now that I have done India on my own. And damn, a trip like that really makes you appreciate how wonderful our lives are. Love it. Love yourself. Love those around you. And  never forget how much you are loved. It is so easy to feel alone in this world, but there is always someone. Exude love and compassion and you shall receive it. And that is a little touch of the Buddhist within me. I'll let you resume your daily lives now. Stay excellent, because you all are! 

Just a quick one to say that, damn! His Holiness the Dalai Lama is actually THE man! What a great guy. I think I'm in love. He bought tears to my eyes with his overwhelming epicness. I don't think I have ever been in the presence of anyone with so much love and and happiness to give. And don't even get me started on the way he giggles...

Hello Hello Hello,

I have really been rather wonderful! I know I haven't written in a while so I will try and keep it brief while fitting everything in. I know I said I was going to move on from McLeod, but I'm still here. I am so very happy here and I have so much fun and I have some wonderful friends and there are always things to do, so I decided I can stay here longer if I want because I can do whatever the fuck I like and I worked hard to be here and I don't need to justify myself if I love it here. Anyway, moving on from that. Soon His Holiness the Dalai Lama is giving teachings so I am sticking around for that and I have a regular gig teaching English at the Hope Centre* which is wonderful. So I am sticking around for a while and it is brilliant. This past week has flown by. Last Saturday I went to the Rock Carve Temple which is about an hour and a bit drive away through gorgeous mountains and tea plantations and it was magnificently beautiful apart from the fact that I felt really car sick and maybe had to spew when we got out of the car but that's really not important. It was really beautiful, a massive carved temple sat amongst the rolling rice fields. The next day my gorgeous friend Carly took myself, gaybeard Brian the Irishman and some others to Tong Len Hostel which is an amazing organisation set up to provide kids from the slums with accommodation while they go to school. The children there were so incredibly lovely and Carly and I danced our faces off with the girls who taught us bollywood moves. Golly it was fun. The rest of the week has flown by in a blur of rain, dampness, tea, reading, drawing, kora's (clockwise walk around the DL's temple), moving into a new room which is beautiful!, sticking up posters in the rain for Hope Centre, and lots of fun. Last night we all had a night out and danced madly at Mountview ('There aint no party like a Mountview party cause the Mountview party don't stop!') and my darling friend Cindy La and Dee the crazy Irish lass were so funny and they laugh at me for how sensible I am while I am still so young and how it should be the other way around and we laughed and laughed all night. Today the rain is still pouring down and because it's saturday we are allowed to sit in Carpe Diem all day and drink tea while Johan plays his guitar and Freddie, Carly's dog, snuggles under the table and I read my book and everything is wonderful. Tonight we are all having dinner because Gaybeard Brian and Dee and Yotam and his girlfriend are leaving tomorrow which is rather sad. It's just struck me that all these names mean very little to you but ah well, you'll deal with it, that is if your even still reading. Actually I'll admit I was rather excited because my blog now has over 1000 views and while I know that in the eyes of Buddhism these things are 'attatchments' and a superficial sense of joy I couldn't help but be happy anyway. Happy. Happy. Happy. I think I'll go buy some new tights because these ones have a hole in them. I hope you are all wonderfully fantastic. All my love, xxx

*http://tibethopecenterindia.blogspot.in/

*http://www.tong-len.org/projects/meet_the_children.php?PHPSESSID=a973330248e94f2a1ab350831fe15fb1

Howdy all,
Just a quick post about the sitch in Tibet as being in McLeod there are basically more Tibetans than Indians. Before I came here I had a bit of knowledge about life in Tibet but since I have come here I have realised just how little we hear about it in the west, in fact last year Time magazine rated the Tibetan Self Immolation's* as one of the top ten under reported issues of the year. To date there have been something like 50 self immolation's in Tibet. Contrary to what many people think these immolation's are not the consequence of any sort of religious based quarrels but an act of desperation at the Chinese Occupation of their homeland. The rate of self immolation's since I have been here has just been shocking. Each week there are reports of more people dying, many of them really young. Often the news doesn't reach us here in India until several days later as the Chinese have such a stranglehold on all communication out of Tibet. The Tibetan community here are so unified in their mourning for the lives lost. Yesterday afternoon the Tibetan shops closed early and the whole Tibetan community gathered at the Dalai Lama's palace, the Tsuglagkhang Complex and there were two hours of prayer and chanting for the two people who self immolated earlier in the week. I feel it is important to let as many people know as I can, and hopefully I will inspire you to do some research into what the situation is really like in Tibet and maybe you can throw your support behind them in any way you can. 

http://www.savetibet.org/resource-center/maps-data-fact-sheets/self-immolation-fact-sheet 

https://www.studentsforafreetibet.org/ 

*http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,2102579,00.html

Greetings all,
It's been a funny ol' week here in McLeod. Time is simply flying by despite the fact that I am not really doing much at all. The majority of my time is spent reading, drawing, perusing book shops, consuming delicious digestables with familiar folk and wandering aimlessly taking photos of the glorious mountains whenever the rain stops long enough for the clouds to disperse and reveal the twinkling peaks. Most days it rains for an hour or two and the streets become gushing rivers sweeping all manner of shit with it.  When the rain stops the cloud lifts and we are treated with beautiful clear views of the mountains and the valley. One of my favourite times of day is when school finishes (I know I sounds like a creep, right?) and all the Tibetan kids are running through the streets buying lollies or swinging off their parents arms laughing their heads off. It's really wonderful. Although it does make me miss my sisters (and you too Finn). When I am not drinking tea and reading I wander the streets, frequenting H.H the Dalai Lama's temple and watch the monks debating and the monkey's frolicking. This week has been tough, there have been lots of times when I wanted to be at home with all my family and I was very almost tempted to buy a ticket home, but I suppose it is best to soldier on, because I am having fun. I think this week I shall finally uproot myself from the comfort of McLeod and make the gruelling journey up to Leh, which sounds amazing from what people have told me. From there I think I will make my way back down through Ladakh/Kashmir and then who knows. We shall see how much money is left. Realistically I think I'll be needing to head home at the end of September, and honestly I think I will be ready to go home by then. But we will see, plans never seem to work out the way you think, so who knows what will happen? Until next time, all my love x.

Howdy folks,

And so it is I have emerged back into the real world of Indian madness after a delightfully peaceful ten day retreat in the misty mountains above McLeod Ganj. The retreat really was wonderful. I particularly enjoyed the silence and I managed to smash out a fair few good books as well as learn a few things about Buddhism and meditation. Despite my fairly sceptical, close minded approach to any religion I found that there were certainly aspects of Buddhism which I liked. The monk who took the teachings turned out to be an Australian guy named Tony which was really funny! He even told a story about when he was young and his friends would get high in Mullumbimby. Small world. I certainly learned a lot about love and compassion and how to be a more free and positive person. But enough of that hippy shit, I take pride in the fact I have remained relatively normal (for me). The group of people I did it with were all super lovely and I made so many new friends at the end, so for me that was the best part. The centre where the retreat was held is a place called Tushita which is surrounded by beautiful forests and lots and lots of very naughty monkeys who provided hours of entertainment. Whilst lunchtimes were generally tasty with rice and dhal and veges, brekky and lunch were rather dismal affairs consisting of ricey water and a bland vege soup. There was however rather nice bread (by Indian standards) and delicious peanut butter, the kind we get at home from Santos. I think over the ten days I probably ate the equivalent of 20 peanut butter banana sandwiches. It was glorious for the first five days or so...
And so it was that I emerged on Friday into the mayhem of McLeod Ganj. That night many of us from the course met up at Carpe Diem (restaurant, the 'cool' hang for dinner, I'll admit I'm a regular now,(obviously the reason it's cool) so much so that all the staff call me "Aussie" or "vegemite" which they were very excited to show me they actually have.). It was such a wonderful night and it was so awesome to get a chance to talk with everyone before several of them went on to other adventures.
Yesterday I found out that my Grandpa passed away which was so devastating. He had been sick for a while, so it was really only a matter of time but it still came as a big shock. I was having lunch at the Japanese place when Mum told me and I just about lost my shit there, but I managed to make it to the roof top of my hotel and called mum which was a big comfort to hear her voice. Then I legged it up the hill to Tushita and cried my eyeballs out for about an hour which made me feel a bit better. It's made me feel very far from home and all I want to do is go home and see Mum and give everyone a hug and make sure they are all ok. But I'm in India, so I just have to deal with it.In the end he was suffering alot and it was hard for everyone around him. I loved him alot and I really miss him, but we had some good times and I'll never forget him. 
This morning at breakfast I met an amazing family from the Netherlands who are travelling with two kids, twelve and ten. I got on really well with them and had a big chat with the kids, largely about Harry Potter and Bollywood movies, and hung with them for ages and it was so comforting to be around a family and it made me feel a little bit better. I'm missing my family at the moment and just want a big hug from Mum and Dad, but as Mumma says, keep soldiering on, and I intend to do so. I have met a girl who is staying in the room next to me who is volunteering teaching english so I am going to start going with her and I'll see how I go. I'm still intending to stay in McLeod for a while so I'm looking forward to getting into a few things like yoga.  
Anyway, I think I have waffled on enough. Terribly sorry if I have bored you to death, in fact I'm impressed if you have even got to the end. Well done, you have endured a rigorous test of endurance. I shall reward you with my love, all my love <3. Until next time. x

Hello hello.
Life is as mad as ever here in the Himalaya. The past few days have been fun. On Saturday I started a "JewLarry" course (as the sign out the front says, classic) which has been grand. I have learnt how to macrame bracelets and necklaces with stones. The teacher is a super lovely little Indian girl who is just about the sweetest person on earth. That night myself and my two new Irish friends went out for a drink...whoah. An incredible learning curve. Do not drink with Irish girls. Goodness it was a fun night, but a disgusting amount of alcohol was ingested. I didn't feel particularly fresh the next day. Last night myself, Marina, Jenny and Mike went to see the local celebrity the "Lion Man". This was a rather interesting experience. He did traditional Tibetan song and dance and also a more 'free/interpretive' style which incorporated the audience. I certainly felt rather alive when we emerged. Pretty funny stuff. Today the four of us went up to Dal Lake (maybe 4km away) which was pretty cool with the mists floating over the water. Marina and myself made the most of the misty piney atmosphere and listened to the Harry Potter theme song. It was awesome. Then we visited the Tibetan Children's Village only to discover that it was holidays. There were still some kids about but they were all doing there own thing. Perhaps I'll be able to go back. On Wednesday I begin a 10day 'Introduction to Buddhism' course and shall thus be out of contact until I emerge an enlightened being. Haha. It should be interesting at least, certainly a challenge remaining silent for 10 days. mmm. yep. We'll see.
My dear swiss friends go home tomorrow, so I daresay I shall miss them terribly, but it has been super fun hanging out with them. I'm going to visit them in Switzerland one day =)
Anyway, that's about it for the moment. I'll be back in the real world ten days from wednesday, so until then, stay wonderful. All my love, x.

Thanks to my dear Papa, I have rediscovered this, which I wrote in March I think. It reminds me how much I need to be here and how I need to be soaking up every second!

"I am rather fond of the idea of just doing whatever the fuck I like, whenever I want. I'll be as free as you can be in a place such as India. Free to stay in a town for as long as I please, free to wander the streets with no destination in mind and free to sit on cushions all day drinking tea and reading if that is what I fancy. I can meander along at my own pace with nothing to worry about except myself, which to be honest I can not wait for. Don't  get me wrong, I love home. I love Byron Bay. And I especially love my fam fam here, but I'm starting to go a little insane. Quite insane infact. Bored. Tired. And yearning for a place far away and vastly different to the place I have been these past nineteen years. I need a change. And I'm ready for it.  I'm ready for the stench of the cities of India, the assault upon the senses, the tiring kindness of the beautiful people and the undoubtable greatness of the rivers and mountains. I am so ready for India. Now I just need to get there."

Thanks Dad for making me realise just how much I want to be here. LOL xx ;)

Greetings dear ones,
I hope all in the land of sanity is as swell as ever. I am certainly enjoying myself here. Time is just flying by in a blur of meditation, eating, exploring, chatting, playing cards, napping and whatever else I find to do. The weather has been superb, beautiful warm days, occasionally punctured by a sudden monsoonal downpour after which the skies are incredibly clear.  My mornings begin with the fucking hefty walk uphill to Tushita meditation center for my morning meditation class, which I know sounds like a load of shite but it's super relaxing and clears my head and helps me get rid of whatever shit I have buried deep inside (come on, I know we all have a bit). From there the world is my mushroom as you would say Grandma. A spot of breakfast followed by a wander around, perhaps a purchase of some new socks and then maybe a game of cards with my swiss friends Jenny & Marina. We have found a great Japanese restaurant which is super yummo, and another cool hangout called Carpe Diem. The other night I went and saw a movie with two new Irish friends. Goodness it was funny, the 'cinema' was a room with makeshift stairs and a  computer connected up to a screen. The quality of the movie was highly questionable (Dark Shadows), especially when a silhouette on the screen stood up and walked out. Halfway through the film the door eerily opened and a mangy dog wandered in, curled up on the floor and watched the movie. Goodness it was funny.
Walking down the street the other day I was almost crushed by an approaching elephant, elaborately painted and decorated. And today I was attacked by a crazed, hungry monkey. Yeah, it's funny now, but I almost wet myself at the time. I can only imagine how hilarious it must have looked. It's been madness, but a lot of fun. Even just watching the Tibetan monks in their maroon robes meandering through the narrow streets, or listening to them chant and pray at the Dalai Lama's palace is wonderful. And then you constantly have to remind yourself, shit, I'm in the Himalayas! And I'm eating Japanese while The Smiths are playing! This shit is insane! It's been crazy. And yet wonderfully relaxing doing whatever I want, reading and drinking tea for two hours while it rains outside. Meandering through the pine forests while the mists drift up the mountains. Having a beer on the rooftop terrace with friends and listening to a Tibetan guy sing traditional songs to raise money for destitute Tibetan refugees! It really has been grand. Of course there are always times when all I want is my Mumma and my Pappa and to be at home in my own comfy bed. But that will always be there, and for the moment I am stoked to be here!

As always, I hope you are all as wonderful as ever. It is so lovely to know that there are people out there who enjoy reading my nonsense. All my love, until next time, Jessa xxxxx

Howdy folklets,
Not a great deal has occurred since last I wrote, but I'll give you a quick update regardless. Thursday was a pretty relaxing day, I just pottered about doing this and that; eating, drinking coffee at my new favourite haunt, perusing the endless stalls, getting photo's put on a disc. You know, the usual. In the afternoon a new friend from NZ took me to conversation hour with a lovely Tibetan girl (it's where you just volunteer to have a chat with a Tibetan so they can practice their english with you). It was really very incredible. Her name was Tenzin and she had come to India when she nine, (she is now 20). To hear of her journey here was pretty heartbreaking. They literally walked by night through the mountains, taking cover by day from the Chinese soldiers. It took them a year to reach India. She has since been at school in Bangalore with about 2000 other Tibetan refugee kids. Their  day starts at about 5 in the morning and doesn't finish until about 10 at night. She is so incredibly dedicated to her studies and doing the very best that she can. Her family remain in Tibet and the last time she was able to speak to them on the phone was 2008! She told me of how very homesick she gets sometimes and how she cries for her family. It was so heartbreaking. I told her of how I get very homesick aswell, even though I have only been gone 2 or so weeks and am able to get in contact with my family pretty much whenever I want. I just couldn't imagine what it must be like for her. She is so brave and strong and dedicated to succeeding in her life, it made me feel my life has been so easy. It was an incredible chat and we exchanged numbers at the end and are going to meet for a chat again soon!
Yesterday I awoke to a rather aggressive toilet session and an awful headache. Oh yes, my trusty friend diarrhoea is visiting, and he bought his equally as charming friend Mr. vomit. It was a pretty shithouse day. But I did call home for the first time which was just amazing! It was so so nice to hear everyone's voices and be able to talk to them. I might have got a little teary but it was magical none the less. I spent the rest of the day in bed watching movies on TV. In the afternoon I had two fuckwit Indian tourist guys hanging outside my window asking me to come smoke and drink with them. It seems that agressive 'NO's aren't clearly understood here, so after about ten minutes of them literally rapping on my window I threw my door open and told them they "can stop harassing me and go get fucked you perverted fucking creeps!". They got the message. It wasn't nice to have to get really angry but they didn't seem to understand that when I say I have a six foot two boyfriend from Africa and that I don't want to come drink beer with you I mean leave me alone you creepy fuckheads. Anyway, it's the most trouble I've had from any guys so at least they pissed off in the end.

Today I have managed to keep down a piece of toast and venture out of my room to the internet cafe, but I don't think I'll be doing much more. I am however feeling better, so hopefully tomorrow I am back on track. I hope you are all as excellent as ever. All my love, Jessa x