Here's to new friends

Left to right: Paul, Paul (yes that is confusing) and Emily.

After a few days drinking tea, eating cake and buying Tibetan blankets in McLeod Ganj I met Paul (the guy in the middle. We'll call him Eric) in a cafe and subsequently met the other Paul and Emily. We all moved to a tiny village, up a steep road, called Dharamkot. I think the best way to describe it is "delightful".

Paul (far left) is a Hare Krishna monk from England! Paul "Eric" is a 24 year old fish scientist (sorry, i forget your official title. This sounds funnier anyway) and occasional bar tender from a 'grim' place called Hull in Yorkshire, also in England. Emily, from near Washington DC, upped and joined a 10 day Buddhist medititation retreat not 100metres from our place a day after we moved. She gets released on Saturday which is exciting.

I took this pic when we had stopped for a two hour lunch/reprieve from the pouring rain during an ill-fated trek to a spot called Triund - a big platuea from which you can allegedly see the Himalayas in all their splendour. We didn't quite get there. But the cheese and tomato toasted sandwhiches at this cafe are excellent.

Disclaimer: We are smoking bidies - an empty leaf cigarette thing.