Tag 13: In the Village (04.03.2017)

At 10 o'clock, we set off in a private taxi to the undiscovered farming village in the mountains. With only 4 inhabitants, it was certainly not a million metropolis, but the view was breathtaking. It is worth mentioning that the residents have long been following the hipster hype, growing all food organically based on the 'grow-it-yourself' principle. Therefore, it was not surprising that apparently there was the same food every day. A small additional income was generated through an unattended kiosk, where perhaps 2 people shopped daily. The small family of four, consisting of Dad, Mom, 2 daughters, and plenty of livestock, welcomed me warmly and served me a chai tea to greet me with a sugar/tea ratio of 1:1. As a sign of respect, I sipped only a few times and took every opportunity to nourish the poor dried plants with water and electrolytes.

Relatively quickly, I set off with 2 of the 3 teenagers who had accompanied me from the village towards a monastery located 2 hours' walk from the village. On the way up, we encountered another part of the relatives about halfway, who, as expected, offered me chai tea. Unfortunately, I was under full scrutiny, so I had to sip the refreshingly hot drink down my throat under 35°C outdoor temperature.

Finally, upon reaching the top, I grabbed my phone and filmed the Facebook video that was released yesterday. The view was breathtaking. In the distance, more segments of the Himalayas could be glimpsed. The air was clear, and there was an eerie silence. Occasionally, one could hear, far away, the nerve-wracking honk of one of the numerous tuk-tuks. Upon closer inspection, some rafting boats could be spotted at the foot of the mountain on the Ganges. After 30 minutes of complete silence, the two pubescent Indians noticed my camera and asked me for a few snapshots. For the next 10 minutes, I didn’t know whether to cry or laugh, but see for yourself!

Back in the village in the evening, I was served dinner in an old nativity play manner. I should have bet on it since the same meal was served as at breakfast and lunch, namely bread with dal. We sat together on about 6 square meters in a small cozy clay hut, sharing space with a cow on about 5 cm high stools. My knees still thank me for this extremely beneficial sitting position today. Unfortunately, I was also the only one who struggled with the stuffy air and ended up coughing my lungs out. But aside from that, it was wonderfully beautiful, cozy, and idyllic. They tried to communicate using hands and feet. In response to my pantomime attempts to explain that I unfortunately do not understand a single word, the words were either spoken louder or emphasized more slowly. After a short time, I simply reacted to everything with a smiling nod.

Unfortunately, the night was by far my longest and hardest. I slept on a rug, covered with a light cloth. It was so cold that I couldn't close an eye. Even though I kept my clothes on, I didn't know how I would get through the night. Only the next morning did I sprint out of the house to catch the first rays of sunshine. All in all, however, it was a very beautiful experience.