Sunday 22nd May 2010
10.15pm
My bed at the Dip Tse Chokling Monastery, McLeod Ganj
India
So after the rain died down disappointingly soon for my liking I had another rooftop tea, a small pot of Assam. I read some of Vanity Fair. I used the internet too and did some productive bit and pieces, set-up job e-mail alerts with prospects.co.uk (do I have any???) the guardian and thisisbristol.co.uk. Blackpool have made it to the Premier League, well done Ollie!
Bought raisins, curd, biscuits, washing powder on the way home. Found a good new store. Looked in an up until now unexplored bookshop and found an expensive internet cafe that I walked out of upon hearing the price (30rps an hour, whereas my regular place is 20rps and even close to the monastery 25.
Tomorrow back to the library.
There are some things I haven't seen or done yet but they are not in the local vicinity nor are they within my slowly declining price range. I say declining because the nearer and more real the prospect of home (where ever and what ever that may be!?) becomes the more I start to be a little more cautious with my funds.
Did good with the crossword.
One more thing. Yesterday when I was up in the mountain, sat on a ground of dirt and dry grass with my back against a large rock, a large butterfly came and landed on my foot at the end of my outstretched and perfectly still leg.
It stayed perched there for over 30 seconds. I could see its feeleres work over my trainers. It was brown. Brown wings, browns of various tints, tinges, colours and shades. A dark spot or swirl surrounded my a light tone like a black hole with debris orbiting around it. Its wings, which were initially partially closed slowly opened a full 180 degrees and fluttered crisply in the breeze. Then suddenly it flew off to intercept, so it seemed, a passing bug that flew too close. There are many beautiful butterflies in India, in our big built up cities we seldom notice them these days.