Follow the Monkeys and Reflect
Trip Start
Nov 24, 2011
1
14
15
Trip End
Jan 24, 2012
Rishikesh, Uttarakhand, India
Monday, January 2, 2012
Nothing is consistent...which for some people can be annoying, but I started to look at it as a surprise! You never knew what you were going to get even when you ordered the exact same item you did five days straight prior.
The people are very friendly. If you even look like you are lost, someone will help you...but be warned...those elaborate directions they give may not be right!!!!
Bartering is fun! It's like a game. I stopped at Wal-Mart back in the states today and instantly thought I would ask them to sell me a flat iron for half their asking price!
It's difficult to get an Indian to commit to a time...or anything! Because they don't want you to be disappointed if it doesn't happen.
They love Justin Bieber.
"How do you get to the Beatles Ashram?" "Follow the monkeys!"
Beware of wild elephants.
They drive as if they've stolen you AND the vehicle you're in and are being chased by the CIA.
Earplugs will help you a little bit to get some sleep.
Nowhere on the internet, or will anyone tell you just how cold it really gets in Rishikesh in December! It gets into the high 30s/low 40s. And, since there isn't indoor heat anywhere, you'd better bring your footy jammies!!!!
There's no such things as street lights...bring a flashlight (or a peanut man who will loan you one) so you don't step on a sadhu or in a cowpie.
You WILL get "Delhi Belly". You just will. So be prepared with pepto and such...it helps a little.
The monkeys will steal any food you have in your hand, so put everything in your shoulder bag where they can't see it.
Don't look a monkey straight in the eyes. He will chase you.
Cleartrip.com is amazing for booking your train trips. And, they refund you (for a small fee) if you change or cancel your plans.
A couple of hundred dollars will get you A LOT in India. A big meal is about $1.25. You can buy a beautiful handmade decorative pillow cover for $2.
My thoughts on Rishikesh/Yog Peeth:
If you are just looking to get your certification to teach, it’s fine. You can always go for a more personal/in-depth experience later if you wish. You get what you pay for...
I would recommend getting to India a couple days early so that you don’t have to jump right into a full day of yoga right away with jet lag. The people that did that were exhausted.
Take the 1hr flight to Dehradun and then a 40m taxi or the train to vs the 7hr drive from Delhi unless you have a hilarious new friend from the UK to share the ride! The flight will cost you less than the taxi organized by Yog Peeth (Kingfisher Airlines charges per kg for luggage, though)
Use a backpack vs rollaway luggage since you will have to walk a bit through cow patties and such to get to Krishna Cottage from the taxi stand
I do not recommend taking the Dec course…it does get really cold at night (into the 30s/40s) and with no indoor heating anywhere, it’s really cold. It does get warm (into the 50s/60s) during the day if the sun is out for a few hours, but that’s it. You can buy one of those super unsafe ceramic heaters for 250 rupees and the electronics store will rig up an extension cord for you, but it's not safe to leave it on while you sleep.
Yog Peeth makes you pay for the entire 6wks upon arrival and does NOT give refunds or transfers under any circumstances. They will only let you finish the remainder of the course within 12mos. So, it may be worth it to pay more to another certifying course just so that you can be refunded in case of emergency if you don't think you'll be able to afford the time off of work and airfare to return should you need to leave early.
Even though there is a short break in the afternoon, you really don’t have much time to explore Rishikesh. If you are taking this course so that you can also sightsee and wander as well, you may be better off booking some time either before the course starts or after to do things like shopping, etc. The primary reason I took this course in particular is so that I could volunteer during the "off" hours…there simply wasn’t’ enough time for me to do that by the time I walked to Ramana’s Garden (It’s a 40m walk each way from Krishna Cottage even though I was told by 3ppl its “right up the road”)
They offer some really great, optional fieldtrips on Sundays! No matter how tired you are, do it!!!
In my case, I signed up early and got the “less fancy” ashram (if there is such a thing...ashrams are very simple on purpose). Nothing in India makes sense or is consistent.
Internet is limited to 10ppl if you purchase it for your own laptop. It’s really slow and at times, you won’t be able to get on for a day or two.
The food at Krishna Cottage is good…but, you’ll be eating a lot of the same items. There are restaurants close by if you would like some variety. Some even will give you eggs if you ask!
I met some really interesting people, made some great friends, and rediscovered my ability to laugh at things, be patient, and love the element of surprise. Thank you, India!
