leaving Leh

Last morning I went again to the Stupa. Sooo good. Packing and then we met with some friends for breakfast at Sumits and Tanri’s cafe. No-one could leave early from Leh, so also I can’t. Sumit gives last instructions where do bring or let bring the tent and camping gears After using, which I can pick up in the mountains after the first pass.
And I learn. Water cooks in Leh on 3500m at 73 Grad. Physics.
Through the markets I get accompanied by Elisabeth and Alok. Then the way leads down towards the Indus. And through annoiying areas with fences at both sides and military, military, military. I wanted to rest somewhere, to reflect, but just not possible.
I stayed so long in Leh and I can’t believe that I have already three proplems rising up through the day. My little left toe makes a blister. He kind of does not feel free and moves always under the toe beside him. The cut at my left hill hurts more than I expected. And behind my right last teeth, 1 cm behind or so, there is something hurting. What is that? A inflamation?

Ladakh’ies are great. ‚How many nights do you want to stay‘ is the first question before I even enter. After a little while I get introduced to the prayer room. I learn that nearly every house has a prayer room. In this one a whole cupboard full of statures and other praver utility’s. There is a seat reserves for a monk, with a big drum. He comes every month for half an hour.
And I am happy to do here some meditation. The small kids are sitting before the room and try also the same postures. Sonam is not allowed to enter the prayer room anymore, because she is now married and belongs to another household. Her husband serves at the army in Pang (on my way to Manali). One month working, one week free.

Next morning I climp up to the monastery. The first obstacle is the ticket table. I just don’t accept any entrance fee to a prayer place. ‚If you want a fee from me, I just go again‘ and in the move to turn towards the stairs the ‚money man‘ says to me, I can see the temple for free….. I enter. Prayer places have to be free, but, if I feel, I am so happy to give a donation. A 7m golden Buddha surprises me. The lower level is closed so I enter at the highst of the chest. Impressiv, beautiful and powerful. I circle clockwise around the statue and start to sing inwardly the mantra ‚om mani padme hum‘. The mantra helps to develop love and compassion. I am so surprised, that I love to continue for maybe an hour.
During the day I continue to sing inwardly the mantra. I circle around every stupa. I wittnes some women, who circle around a complex with 7 big stupas. Also activating the prayer wheels. One of the lady’s seems to be a 20 year old daughter, who is just joining, enjoying not really, the body shows only protest – but it seems, that she has to be there.

After a little nap I think of leaving the main street. Silently I say, if you want to meet me, that’s the time now, and I mean Xavier und Chamille. They are a French cycle couple, which I met in Leh. Together with another bicycling couple Lukas and Katharina, there were happy to bring me fruits or water to the areas, where there are no houses on the way to Manali. But now, there will be in front of me. 200m more and I will turn right. A family from the other side of the road calls me, little conversation….. but in fact, they were just an instrument of the univers to slow me down. And then…. Xavier and Chamille appeared. As everyone, also they started late, leaving from Leh. Happy meeting at the road. We talk about the weather. Since 2 days it’s amazing. Not a single cloud at the sky and the air is so clear.

But… they report…. from Saturday on, in 4 days, the weather will cool down, but not rain or snow anymore….. The univers and the elements can help to change the cold….. I get 2 bananas….hihihi. I tell them about my issues…. little toe got a ordenary tape, better…. maybe the couse was also a new sock who is a little bit to teight in the toe area, I wear another one now…. the hill got a ‚compeed‘ high tec tape, to hold the cut together, helps a bit…… And the place behind my teeth, I still don’t know, but since I slowed down, since I sing the mantra, it seems to get better?!….. 

The both are a little amused, that I turn around all the stupas and sing ‚om mani padme hum‘. I did once a 3 weeks chanting continuously, and I was very successful with it. After a while singing the mantra ‚om namah shivaya‘, also during the night, it just continued while sleeping… And then one night a Yogi in his light body was sitting beside my bed… …. but anyway…..  I did not a lot of km. ‚Maybe I continue singing  this time ‚om mani padme hum‘ all the way…. until Manali.‘ It seems that my body wants to show me, to slow down. I just have to follow. ‚I passed also at the Tiksey monastery. But closed. I still climed the stairs up. The monks had a little celebration, making arrows…. and from time to time, they blew horns and drummed. Really nice…..‘ I report. And then I met a girl, she was so shocked, that I walk along the street. She could not understand, that I don’t take the hiking trails. ‚If we would walk as 2 people, I would be the one, who would force us, to walk away from the street, but for this time, alone, it’s already enough adventure, to go on the road, with the high 5000m passes, not knowing about the weather and with all the areas, without any houses ……
Anyway, we said 7-10 times goodbye….. Finally they started cycling. Uuuuhhhh…. I love cycling also so much….. a short moment of good cycling happenings arises in me…. And then I see the perfect image for a foto, I am not quick enough for a foto….. they stopped in the shade and turned around to photograph me….. final good bye….

I turn towards Stakna Gompa (monastery). Only through a third person a monk was communicating with me about my intention to offer them the host role …. I invented a while, that I would appeciate a direct communication. …. no way…. I went somewhere else.