I am traveling to India in less then 2 weeks.  After spending a couple days in Delhi to get over jet lag, my first stop is to an ashram called the Aurovalley, which is located between Haridwar and Rishikesh in the area of Uttarakhand. Haridwar is said to be one of the oldest cities in the world and at the base of the Shiwalik Hills where the river Ganga passes through. Hardiwar is a major Hindu pilgrim centre and is home to a large number of ashrams. Rishikesh is more geared to the westerners, with an array of yoga centres, restaurants, and where many outdoor tourist trips can be booked.

I am then going to a Yoga retreat for 1 week at the www.poolchattiyoga.com ashram. It is just further up from Rishikesh, which means it should be alittle cooler! The dry hot months are april, may and part of june. The schedule is intensive, starting at 6am and goes to 8pm daily. They have filtered water so I will not have to worry about stomach upsets, I hope. The food is vegaterian, which is a bonus for me.

I then plan to make my way north to a 12 day silent meditation retreat at the Himachal Vipassana Centre in Dharamsala. This is the location where the Dalai Lama resides. I will be arriving a few days early and plan to stay at the Chonorhs hotel.  The Norbulingka organization “is dedicated to handing down tradition and restoring standards by providing training, education and employment for Tibetans”. You can see some nice pictures of the place if you go to www.norbulingka.org

I have decided not to take malaria pills, as I will not be in india during the monsoon season and will be in the hills and the mountains for the vast majority of my trip. I did buy an “Atlantis Water Purifier” for when I am unsure of the water quality. I decided to also buy oral rehydreation salts, in case I have a dehydration problem. I bought a silk sleeping bag liner, for when I am at the ashrams, and the silent mediation retreat. They supply blankets but I wanted to bring my own sheets. The silk material is better in both hot and cold weather. I am bringing along a LED flashlight for when I am walking in the evening. I  also decided to buy a micro fibre towel. For extra security I bought a cell phone and had it set it up for India. I went to the Foreign Electronics store in vancouver to have this done and while I was there I picked up power outlets for my laptop, camera, and cellphone. You can see what the store provides at http://www.multi-system.com

I will discuss in a further post what I am taking with me for my health and wellbeing. I decided not to get any vaccinations for this trip, as I feel that vaccinations decrease the ability for the body to fight off foreign invaders. Instead I am looking for products that will boost my immune system. It is a different philosphy than many people believe, including my General Practitioner.