2 Sept 2012 Travelling Perth to Vellore, India

I caught Jetstar to Singapore and tried to rest on the flight. I had to wait 4 hours in Singapore to catch the 9.15 flight to Chennai (formerly Madras) in India. I met a lovely couple on the plane. The husband was a geologist from Perth (indian background) and his wife a former Economist. We had a really wonderful conversation about the shape of the world. We spoke of the currrent situation around the planet and the growing capitalism and deminishing cultural values. How societies are changing rapidly and there is a group of young people across the planet who are similar in their desires. The older generation are seeing the deminishing values or changing values. We are in dynamic times and my new friends were curious about how things would turn out. The wife felt disappointed with people and she found it hard to trust. We talked about people’s paths through life and to try not to judge or accord right or wrong but to decide who you are in relationship to another. To live peace is to find the stillness and harmony with the world as it is. Not easy when there are many social ills.

My friends were great conmpany on the flight to Chennai. I was exhausted but happy. They said to me the universe appointed them to look after me. They made sure I got a taxi, the gentleman offered me 2,000 rupees to help me with the taxi fare. I couldn’t find any ATM so I accepted that on the premise that I would pay him back in Perth. We found we were like minded souls.

I realised after I booked the taxi that there was a person holding up a sign with my name. I went to him and told the other taxi company I would have to get a refund. At first they said they couldn’t, I insisted (thank god I have travelled) and then he agreed to give me a refund minus 500 rupees as a cancellation fee. I didn’t agree with that but went with it. Then the guy brought me back the wrong change, so I made him go back and get the right change. In the end I had my money back minus 500 rupees. I got in the car with the other driver and he took me to Vellore. It was the usual tooting in the busy traffic, people pushing their way into lanes. When I first experienced this two years ago it was tense for me, this time I was relaxed. I’d lived through Bangkok and India before, so I just settled into the back and relaxed. We drove through the city of Chennai, I saw the familiar buses with the bars and people crammed in there, I saw the motor rickshaws, cows on the road, beautiful ladies in sari’s and thought of how exotic India is. I contrasted with Australia straight away and found it had more energy and life here. I tried to look more without projection taking in the reality of life in India, a life I have no idea about really. I found myself watching the people on the street, the little shops, the dust, the cars, the people, the busyness of life. I noted there were lots of hospitals and medical facilities in this area. I saw some spectacular mountains made of rocks and felt the energy immediately. I thought of all the sacred spaces I had been in in the past and I felt I had changed. I felt myself more mature and experienced this time around and a peacefulness within.

I arrived at the guesthouse and saw my familiar friend Tim. I met the other clowns, mostly women. We went down to the pool, a huge pool and cooled down. I hadn’t slept for 20 hours so it was heaven to soak in the pool. Then we had some pizza and now I am organising myself and about to go to sleep.

I will leave it there as I am exhausted.

My adventure clowning in India begins. Should be fascinating.

Mohandas Gandhi

“Gentleness, self-sacrifice and generosity are the exclusive possession of no one race or religion.”

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