last post from india...

Well, it's nearly over.  I'm sat in Delhi killing time today before my flight home tomorrow morning.  As much as I've had an amazing time, I don't think I've ever been so ready to come home and collapse with a cup of tea in my life!  I've been in Leh for the last few days which is in Ladakh, right up in the midst of the Himalayas.  It's been my favourite place by far, I loved it as soon as I stepped out of the plane.  It's jut so unlike the rest of India, it's peaceful and hassle free and a lot more comforatble temperature wise, as well as being breathtakingly stunning.  I didn't suffer from the lurgy that is altitude sickness too badly, I was just a bit headachey and had a cold the whole time I was there, which is apparently normal.  You also get out of breath really quickly up there which is strange at first.  Some people who were staying in my hotel were really ill from it though and couldn't really leave their room so I was lucky.  Ladakh is home to a lot of Tibetan people as well as Ladakhi's and the main religion is Buddhism so there are monasteries everywhere, a few of which I went to see.  I also went to a meditation class run by a Buddhist monk while I was there, when in Rome and all that.  It was much harder than I anticipated though, getting your mind to go blank is surprisingly difficult!  I also went to a huge gathering where a VIP monk (I think?!) was addressing the crowds, it was nice to be able to just people watch, as for once the people weren't watching me!
So today, I'm having a really lazy day and wishing the time away until tomorrow (very bad thing according to Buddhists, I've failed already at this meditating peaceful state...).  I've already seen a lot of Delhi and to be honest, I'm a bit 'India-ed out' now so my day is revolving around internet and endless episodes of Friends, it's just like a lazy Sunday at home!  I thought I'd upload a few pictures of Leh even though I'll be home tomorrow, it sort of makes my blog complete, even though I'm going to bore you all to tears with all of the photos when I get back anyway...

The view from the plane window landing at Leh.

Blissful breakfast view at hotel

Hemis Gompa monastery

The Buddha gets chocolate as offerings, that's my kind of Buddha.

Shay monastery

Gathering for the VIP monk, just like Leeds festival, but umbrellas are for sun!

The ladies who give out tea having a break.

Officially the worst 'toilet' I encountered.

My poor angel that Jo gave me before I left- I only noticed a couple of days after my hair raising 'incident' in Amritsar that her head broke off in the process.  I like to think she protected me until the end....