Howdy hey hey peepers, 

I can honestly say that life is just grand here in McLeod Ganj.I have been here two nights now and I am just loving it. It's full of refugee Tibetans (this is the headquaters of the Dalai Lama, so many Tibetans have found refuge here), and they are so kind and gentle and I just want to take the little old ladies home with me and cuddle them all the time ( that's not creepy, right?). It's also a big travellers destination and I have really enjoyed being able to hang out with some new people and chat about all their adventures.  The narrow streets are lined with stalls selling shawls, bracelets, beanies, socks, bags and all manner of Tibetan goods. I was immediately drawn to the shops run by the old Tibetans who are so god darn adorable wrapped up in their shawls and whatnot, sitting knitting serenely or chatting happily to their neighbour. They don't hastle you to buy stuff, and their prices are reasonable ( I think so anyway, even if they aren't  I don't have the heart to bargain with them) and they are so friendly and happy. I bought a massive maroon wrap thing (more like a blanket) made of yak wool from the oldest man I have ever seen. He was so flipping cute I just wanted to cry.
The area surrounding the town is all pine forest and when the mists set in it feels like you are on the set of Lord of the Rings or something, it's pretty magical. About 20 minutes walk from my hotel (so fucking steep and sweaty) is the Tushita Buddhist centre set amongst the incredible forest. Yesterday I went to a drop in meditation class which was awesome (I may have fallen asleep at one point, but I enjoyed it none the less) and then hung around for a bit enjoying the serenity (you bet I love 'The Castle'). The centre has a code of silence and the only sound are the monkeys screaming at each other in the distance. I have registered to do a 10 day introduction to Buddhism course on the 25th which should be rather interesting, I hope. I'm not wanting to become Buddhist or anything, but it's something to do and there is lots of meditation and I'm interested in the philosophy side of things. It's also pretty cheap so it will save me some dough. After the class myself and a new friend of mine, Karen, went for a walk to a nearby village which was incredible. Sloping hills filled with crops, sari clad ladies carrying massive bags of rice on their heads and a shit load of Israeli's (it's a bit of a chill out for them, a LOT of people getting way too grilled). In the arvo I did a yoga class. Now, this was interesting. Good. Rather painful. And just funny. "Reeeeellllllllaaaaaaaaaaxxxxxxxxxx". Alot of that. Today I am so sore, but it was good. This morning I went for a walk over the hill to Bhagsu, another nearby village and went for a wander to the waterfall there which was pretty cool. A lot of Indian travellers asking to have their photo with me though.  On the way back I stopped at this place which had been recommended to me  by a few people and got my nose pierced, which was surprisingly not very painful at all ( by this I mean I didn't cry). This arvo I got an amazing massage off a lovely Tibetan lady. You bet your bottom it was wonderful. And only 500 R for an hour (ten bucks!). Tomorrow I am going to start going to a conversation thing with Tibetan monks where they can practice their english with you, I'm hoping it should be pretty good.
And now I shall go have myself some dinner and collapse into my wonderful bed with my new yak blanket and my spanking new knitted socks and relish in the joy of being on an awesome adventure!

All my love, Jessa xx

P.S. I swear I am NOT turning into a hippy, although there are enough around to make you think it's cool.

P.P..S Did I mention I met some guys from Nimbin who also finished school last year. Shmall world.

P.P.P.S I really do try to keep it short, my sincere apologies for all the apalling nonsense you have to sift through.

The Wedding.

It. Was. Amazing. I have never quite experienced anything like it. The four hour drive was completely worth it. The noise. The colour. The food. The dancing. It. Was. INSANE!

It all kicked off at the grooms house where the family gathered to present him with garlands (literally chains they put around his neck) of money followed by several other rituals. I felt a little like a creepy voyeur just peeping in the background, but everyone was so welcoming and so encouraging that soon enough I was snapping away with the camera. The sari's were just sensational. I have never seen so many people looking that good. They were so bright and sparkly and drapey and amazing and I felt so plain in my suit ( I was going to wear a sari but it turns out you need to be particularly skilled to be able to walk in them, so I opted for one of Raman's gorgeous 'suit' things: tights and a colourful long dress/top thing with the scarf around the neck.) We then jumped in the car and moved on to a spot on the road where we all got out and gathered, escorting the groom (who was perched atop a wonderfully decorated horse) down the street to the wedding palace (the place where weddings are). This was my favourite part of the night. There was a drumming crew playing the best music ever, the kind that fills you up and you can feel it in your tummy space. There was a line of beaded lamps being carried down the road as we went, dancing to the music. And did I mention the fireworks. Yeah, that's right. Fireworks. Going off about 5 meters away. It was so cool. As we entered the palace a large green garden area opened up, lined with 'stalls' with all different types of food. It was incredible. I'm actually surprised I didn't vomit I ate that much. The party danced the groom all the way into the palace and up onto the stage where he sat waiting for the arrival of the bride. In the meantime we danced our faces off. It was so incredibly sweaty, but so much fun. As it turns out I'm pretty okay at an Indian boogie. Haha. The bride arrived and the drumming and dancing was in full swing. She was so amazingly beautiful. All her arms and feet were hennaed, and her sari was practically blinding. The whole party was dancing around her and singing and being crazy and she managed to look incredibly serene and beautiful all the way up to the stage. The night continued on in a blur of sweat, food and dancing. It was excellent. There were a lot of strange men offering me beer which was a little strange, but I was lucky enough to have the gorgeous Riva to help me figure out just what the fuck was happening. Here the marriage is more a celebration of two families coming together, more than just the bride and groom, so it was just a massive party! All the old mamma's were sitting around eating and nattering away, the young folks were dancing like crazy, and the waiters were forever weaving through the crowd with food, water and BANANA SHAKES!! It was simply superb. I can't even begin to capture the magic that was involved, and have barely done it justice in this rather excruciatingly long natter (and for this please forgive me). Finally at about 3.30 in the morning we staggered up the stairs to where we were sleeping and collapsed into a food induced coma, limbs aching from so much indian dancing. I think I can safely say it was one of the best things I have ever been a part of in my life. I just can't even say what it was, it was just super. Ok, I'll stop now. I am sure I have made you jealous enough.


In other news, I am moving on to McLeod Ganj tonight. A shudder inducing 8hour bus trip will get me to the 'Little Tibet' of India. Yoga, meditation, monkeys, momo's, mountains and the Dalai Lama. Yep, should be good, let's hope I don't get too homesick and manage to somehow make some equally feral friends to share my adventure with.

Howdy folks,

Life is going rather well here in the glorious city of Chandigarh. The people I am staying with are the most wonderful family, so very warm and welcoming and I feel very much at home, it is super lovely. My friend Gulshan has been extraordinarily kind in putting up with my desire to see the 'touristy' sights, I imagine it must be incredibly dull for him but it has been just suoer to have some local knowledge. The first morning he took me into town on the motorbike, which was the best fun ever! (But if my insurance company asks I haven't even touched one!) Of course, my first attempt at getting money out at an ATM ended in my card being eaten by the machine. Yep, I just about shat myself. Thankgod Gulshan was there otherwise I am certain I would have laid down and wept until my eyes slipped out of their sockets. We went to the bank and they told me I would be able to get it back the next day. I practically sang with joy. Crisis averted. In the meantime we went and saw a movie, Spiderman in 3D. It was a joy to escape the heat for a while. It's crazy the way you can be in mad India outside and you walk into a shopping mall and it is a completely different world, virtually the same as in the west. That night we went to club and got rather intoxicated, and danced my face off. There is a large community of Uni kids here, and it was really cool to see that there is essentially very little difference between people my age here and at home. It was so much fun and I met some of Gulshan's friends, alot of whom were studying overseas. Yesterday was rather lazy, I taught Raman how to make pizza dough and we had pizza for dinner. It was nice to be able to cook for them as they have been so generous to me. Gulshan took me to 'Nek Chands Fantasy Rock Garden', which was really interesting. Everything was made from recycled materials, and it was a really very beautiful. 
 A family there asked to have their photo taken with me which was super funny. They were all calling me Auntie, which Gulshan assured was good. In the evening (ten at night!!) we went to the market. It. Was. Crazy. So many people. So much fruit and vege's. It was so cool. My eyeballs just about popped out of my head. The fruit here is incredibly good, I just want to eat all the time! Today we went to the Rose Garden, the Art Gallery and to Sector 17, which is the city centre and where alot of the shops are. We had lunch at a South Indian place and I had a dosa. It. Was. AWESOME! It's like a crispy pancake thing with filling and you have chutney and stuff with it. It was super tasty. This afternoon Raman took me shopping and I bought some tights to wear with my outfit tomorrow (I AM GOING TO A WEDDING!)  and perhaps some other things too.....haha, don't tell my mamma!It is so cheap here anyway, so I can afford to buy a bit. It s just the issue of fitting it in my bag, but we will deal with that when the time comes. I am so excited for this wedding, I'm rather sure my eyeballs are just going to burst at the colour and excitement. Anyway, I have nonsensed on long enough I am sure. I shall write again soon and tell you about all the marvelousness of the wedding. xx

Howdy folks, 
Seeing as my last 'update' was a little pissy I thought I would make the effort to fill in a few gaps. So far, India has been incredibly crazy. There have been times when I've wept for home and there have been times when I have just thought 'Fuck, this shit is incredible.' And I have only been here 4 nights. Shit, it feels like I have been here for so long already. There is so much to take in, and time has been going rather slowly. Kolkata was eye-opening. In a way I am glad I started off there, as it just threw me straight into the mayhem. The roads basically are a free for all of honking and shouting and swerving. Amongst the speeding yellow taxi's there are hand pulled rickshaws weaving through the traffic, cyclists dodging buses overflowing with people, and motorbikes sneaking through the lanes piled with all sorts. There are people sleeping, spitting, pissing and washing on the street, and this is in the 'touristy' area. Walking around I was sprung upon by a woman singing and stroking my arm, posing for the camera and laughing her head off. The Indians joy in life is incredibly contagious, you find yourself smiling and laughing just at the fact they are so happy. I was soon after invited to tea in Khan's shop, where I inevitably bought a scarf as was no doubt his original intention. The chai here is like nothing I have ever tasted. So sweet and delicious, they serve it in tiny clay pots that you throw away into the street afterwards,  it instantly makes you feel all warm and delicious and is an affordable habit to have. Later I went to the Victoria Memorial building which was very beautiful, but incredibly hot. It's a colonial style building built in memory of Queen Victoria and was a lovely place to escape the mayhem of the streets. The grounds were incredibly beautiful but all the shady spots were of course taken. I retired to the Air Conditioned 'Blue Sky Cafe' which had by then become my regular hangout. I made friends with the waiter Sam who was so friendly and lovely. He was like a big brother and made sure I was ok.  The next morning when I stumbled in feeling rather unwell he dashed out and got me some rehydration powder and made sure I was alright. It was so comforting to have someone looking out for me, and I was again struck by the people's generosity here. By lunchtime I was feeling much better and had made friends with a girl from Holland called Fleur. We went for a walk to the ghats (steps leading down to the river, not the ganges) and from there caught a ferry across to the other side to check out the train station. It was absolute madness, but it was really cool to see the massively long trains. We had a mango lassi (AMAZING!!!) in an AC cafe and could have sat there all day out of the heat. Back in Sudder St (the area I was staying) I was accosted by two women insisting that my utmost desire was to get henna. Of course I succumbed to their insistences and found myself popping a squat in the street. They were so funny and lovely, laughing with each other and writing off pervy men. It was incredibly sad to hear of their hungry children, and one of the ladies showed me the burns on her neck where her husband had burnt her. What do you say to that? It was so hard not to give them lots of money, but I was glad I was able to give them something for the henna, even if it was only 100Rupees ($2). 
Yesterday I had a massive day of travel, getting up at 5 in the morning to catch a plane to Delhi and from there a bus to Chandigarh arriving at six at night. I was picked up by Gulshan, a connection I have here and am now staying at his with Raman and Jagdish, his parents. It is lovely to be in a home and to be able to relax a bit. They are all so kind and welcoming and I feel very humbled to be able to stay. They are keen to do lots of things with me, so I am looking forward to being shown around by some locals. Chandigarh is much more structured and clean than Delhi or Kolkata, with tree lined streets and roundabouts it is much less crazy than the big cities. 
Anyway, I think that shall certainly suffice for now. I shall write again soon, all my love, xxx

Hello dearest friends,
I have arrived in Kolkata safe and sound and am getting to know the Indian way of life. I flew in on Saturday afternoon and was able to share a taxi into the city with two lovely Korean girls who were also travelling. After dumping ma shit in my room (a very plain, dark room but clean and with AC) I had dinner with my two newfound friends at a nearby place called JoJo's which was good. I have been feeling a little unwell so have only been eating very plain food like naan etc. Yesterday I went for a wander through the crazy streets and somehow managed not to get hit by speeding taxi's and mopeds. The heat is incredible, the monsoon hasn't arrived here in Kolkata yet and in the middle of the day it is just blistering. But I was reluctant to sit in my room as it's rather lonely and I am still feeling a little homesick. It has been a massive change and I think it will take me while to get used to it. At the moment I really cannot see myself lasting longer than two moths, but we shall see. Today I have met two lovely girls from the Netherlands who were both travelling by themselves and have organised to meet up with them later, which will be lovely. Tomorrow morning I fly to Delhi and from there catch a bus straight to Chandigargh to stay with my friends Raman and Gulshan. I am very much looking forward to settling for a little while where I can relax a bit.  I shall write soon dear ones, cheerio, xxx 

Hello all,
After a long, tired, perhaps a little grumpy, day yesterday I have awoken fresh and bleary eyed looking forward to the day ahead. Yesterday was an excercise in patience as I attempted to fill in 8 hours at the airport waiting to check in to my hotel. That pretty much consisted of me sitting in a semi slumber in any air conditioned place. When at last I deemed in late enough to begin making my way to Tune (hotel, about 300m from the airport) I was shadowed by a cheery security guard on a scotter ensuring I arrived safely to my destination. "You are Australia, yes? This is good, this is very good yes!" I then waited in the reception area dozing on the lounge for about 2 hours until the reception girl took pity on me and organised for me to check in early. "Enjoy your sleep madame! We will miss you down here very much!" Despite how disoreintated and tired I was I managed to crack a smile and laugh. The people here are so happy and willing to help and it made me feel so fucking dull and lifeless. Looking back the dull and lifeless part was most likely the lack of sleep and stiff body, but it was a good lesson none the less. Be more happy. That night I then went up to my room and cried cause I missed home, haha. I had to listen to TWO meditation tracks to calm me down and get me back to sleep.  But today I am feeling good and excited and I am about to go into the city and explore and buy nothing and eat yummy food.  So, after that relatively uninteresting post I shall let you get back to your life and shall stop harassing you further. Cheerio x.