Years ago, in Montreal, I went to an astrologer who told me I was an old soul, that this wasn’t my first life. 
Although I’m certainly no expert — not even close — and can’t even say I’ve done a lot of reading, or thinking, about reincarnation, it does interest me.
As a subject it came up many times when I was in India — especially in Varanasi — the spiritual capital of India.
It was there I learned that in Buddhism, Hinduism and Jainism, Continue reading
I can’t believe it’s been nine years since I went to India. 
One morning, out of the blue, I woke up and decided I was going and started planning a trip. Although sometimes I wonder just how “out of the blue” it was.
My mom had died about 10 months before and the last few years of her life weren’t easy on either of us. She never looked sick, she never
lost her spirit, her love of life, her energy or her sense of humour, but there were numerous visits
to doctors, numerous nights spent in emergency, Continue reading
Talk about “food for thought”. Last Friday’s WordPress Daily Prompt sure got my imagination going: “Eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we die. The world is
ending tomorrow! Tell us about your last dinner — the food, your dining companions, the setting, the conversation.”
Lots and lots of possibilities. I’m overwhelmed with choices. Where to start, where to start.
Hmmmm …
I think, first, I have to decide where this dinner should take place. I know one thing. Wherever it is, we have to be comfortable. I love dinners that are slow and leisurely. So comfy chairs are an absolute must. Big enough to have room to move around in. Good support for your back. And soft enough to cushion Continue reading
Every pre-conceived notion you have ever had about India can be found in Varanasi. It’s dirty, dusty, crowded, smells bad and beggars follow you everywhere. It is 
extremely intense; but without seeing it for yourself, experiencing it, I don’t believe you will ever understand India.
When I took my trip my travel agent, who lives in Toronto but is from India, included it in our itinerary — but not until midway through our vacation. It meant we had to jump around a bit, which made no sense to me, so I questioned her. She explained that Varanasi can be quite off-putting and difficult for tourists; and in her experience, when first time visitors go to Varanasi before having a chance to adjust to India, they tend not to enjoy themselves. But once you’ve become more accustomed to this amazing country, and its inhabitants, you’re much more apt to like and understand this ancient city, that is located on the banks of the sacred river Ganges — or Ganga, as the locals refer to it.
I didn’t really buy what she was saying at the time, but now that I’ve been, I am really grateful she organized the trip the way she did. It was challenging and overwhelming enough with more than two weeks in India under my belt. I can’t say I want to go back — or need to, for that matter — but I am very happy I went, and highly recommend it.
You need a fair number of shots before you go to this part of the world, and I remember my appointment with my doctor. I’ve been her patient for a long time and she knows me well. She knows how much I love animals and she also knows that I’m usually up for an adventure. A very seasoned traveler herself, she was full of good, practical advice; and a surprising lack of warnings. There were, however, two items on her list that she made me promise to adhere to:
The rule about the dogs I was iffy about (although once there I decided that discretion was the better part of valour and I stayed away). She had no worries with the Continue reading
365 And Counting 