Scary scary bus trip!

It looks like Im going to settle in Delhi soon. I have been spending a LOT of time here, but it is good to have a place where I know some people and can relax a bit. India can be very hectic to travel in, especially as a girl on my own.

Anyway, I was supposed to stay much longer in Dharamshala, but it just got too cold for me, I mean I normally live in a really cold country, so why put myself through another winter if I don't have to. However Dharamshala is a great place and I am very glad I went up there. I stayed there for about a week, did the cooking class that I mentioned, so now I can make Samosa, Pakora and Malai Kofta!

I spendt quite a lot of my time in McLeod with Caroline and Matthew (the Canadians). They were really nice. We even travelled back to Delhi on the same bus, which by the way was a complete disaster. We asked specifically to NOT get the back seats when we booked the tickets and guess what? We got the back seats.

It is the worse place, because it leaves you flying up in the air at every tiny bump and if this wasn't enough the seats were broken and tilted slightly downwards, so to prevent sliding down on the floor we had to press our legs towards to footrests constantly. (Very comfortable...not).

Halfway down the steep and windy road from McLeod in a very sharp and steep turn a big truck had broken down and the bus almost rammed into the truck. Then it tried to back up many times, but it was too steep and it just didn't move an inch. It was quite scary being onboard the bus while it tried to back up, because it felt like it would just fall more towards the truck and the edge of the road for every failed attempt. After a while a lot of us in the bus started to suggest that maybe it would be a good idea if we got out of the bus??? (a pretty obvious idea if you ask me?!)

So eventually they let us off and after a lot of hustle and bustle by a lot of people they managed to reverse the bus and get it through the turn. I didn't really feel like continuing the journey after this, but what choice did I have? Somehow I am glad it was dark outside so I couldn't see all the crazy overtakings and steep roadsides. Thankfully after about 12 hours we did reach Delhi and I made a promise to myself that unless completely necessary I will not ever take a bus in India again!

(phew)....ok enough about that trip. Im planning to head down to Madras in some days and I will write more then, not much eventful things happening here in Delhi. Im mostly just meeting my friends and doing pretty everyday stuff; like reading, watching some TV, going to Cafes etc...

Oh, actually I went and saw a new Indian film the other day : "Monsoon Wedding", it was shot in Delhi. It's about a traditional middle-class Punjabi wedding. A very good film, very contemporary too. If it comes out anywhere else you should go see it.

It is actually the wedding season in India now, according to the way the stars are located this month it is a very auspicious time for weddings, so everywhere you go, you can see people decorating for weddings. Most Indian weddings lasts for many days!! They seem quite fun :)