The day before I arrive in Varanasi

Hello all,
Well my ankle is healing very slowly. I have not been successful obtaining crutches, but then I have not seen one lame person in India with them so why should there be any for the white girl? I do have it bandaged as you can see in the photo. The swelling has been going down with the help of tiger balm.

A little story:
Once there was a young woman travelling in India. After a particularly hard day she finally arrives at her hotel. A few minutes after she settles into her room she is told by the hotel that her mother has been trying to get in touch with her and says to urgently call home. The young woman can't even respond to this news, she stumbles to her bed and breaks down in shock. Why would her mother leave such a message? something bad must have happened. The dream she had of her father the other night comes to mind, a dream she had not dared even tell her friends about. The tears flow. Her friends race to find phone credit for their cell phones, they are also very worried and upset. The young woman sit in her hotel room watching golf on tv and holding tight to her childhood doll while thinking of how fast she can arrange to get a fligth home. Her friends return and encourage her to call even though it si 4am back home. They are saying reassuring things but thinking the worst, it is written on their faces. She calls, no answer. Her friends leave to find food and give her space. She gets through to her sister in Ottawa and after hearing all is fine she breaks down again in sobs of relief. That was one of the worst moments of her life. Her mother was just trying to make contact. Their was no urgency. The hotel just assumed it was urgent. Why else would a mother be calling from overseas?

That was my day.
I am still recovering.

I think my parents and I are even on receiving scary messages from overseas.

More from Varanasi.

L.

p.s. Theo, you turn 8 tomorrow!!! so excited!!