Day 25

        I've been meditating to bring in forgiveness, love, and connection to all, and also living in the moment. I'm always torn b/w ways of satisfying all my needs. As a man, I need to get laid, and this requires some tension and dominance (maybe), which is the opposite of the way to inner peace. I guess all personal accomplishments require the opposite of peace, so either I get my needs met or I am satisfied. I suppose life is just alternating between the two. Hard to remember. Hard to accept. Feels hypocritical. 

Maybe it isn't. 

Maybe I'm not supposed to sleep with strangers and should settle down. 

Real love feels so foreign now though. 

Who do I really love right now? 

Meditating at the top of this monastery on a huge mountain right now my answer is: Everyone

 

There is something about living this simply that is amazing:

Later:
        Sometimes life is wonderful. We left the monastery around 6 to catch the last bus back to Leh. We saw one after a few minutes and Jim tried to wave it down but they motioned behind them and kept going. We walked that way for a while then saw another bus and Jim waved again. It drove past us, the driver pointing FORWARD. Later we concluded they were motioning towards the bus stop, but there were no signs for a bus stop ANYWHERE.

        Jim became a whiny baby again. I knew we wouldn't catch a bus now, but he couldn't let go of the idea. We walked to the town square where the buses go and asked people where the bus station is. We got a lot of contradictory answers, finally one guy told us "no more buses," which I knew already.         I said we either take a taxi, walk, or hitchhike. Jim again refused to adapt, and insisted on complaining and worrying about how we'd find a bus. I stopped a taxi and asked how much, he said $9 which I knew Jim would think was too expensive. It was way too far to walk, would've taken us 6 hours probably.

        After walking a distance again, I stuck out my thumb to hitchhike. I'd literally never tried in 30 years on this planet. After a few minutes, a pick-up truck stopped! The drivers spoke almost no English, and said they were going to Shey, which is closer, but still pretty far from Leh. I could tell Jim was still pouting over the bus not just picking people up anywhere.

        I looked out at the beautiful sunset and felt amazing to have hitchhiked successfully and that there is such kindness in India. I told Jim this was an adventure and I'm glad. We got out at Shey and he asked if I was ready to hitch again. 2 minutes later, I flagged down another pickup truck driven by a Hindi-only driver. He picked up two Indians after us, then drove us all the way to Leh. Jim saw the guys give him some cash, so when he dropped us off Jim asked "how much" and the guy said 20 rupees each, which is about 40 cents. I gave him 100 rupees and Jim asked "why so much" so I explained "that guy saved us 461 rupees for the taxi I talked to, and I wanted to share the love."

         I'm sure that seeing this beautiful quote helped remind me though: 

        Unsure what to do tomorrow, Jim wants to take a 5 hour bus to a monastery, and I really don't. The busride today was great sightseeing though.