2nd of February, 2023.
A car stops almost immediately. The driver tells me he is going just to the next town, Baijnath, where there is a very old Shiva Temple. His reaction when I tell him that I cannot pay him it surprises me. He says: “It is OK, I understand!”, and for me it sounds as he already knows me and my journey.
I quickly tell him about my travel journey and life. He says I am brave! And that he would like to travel too, but he thinks it can cost a lot of money and that he is not brave enough. I tell him that he can travel with very little money, and for the second reason, he just have to work on it. He drops me off right in front of the Temple. For some reasons I decide not to go inside. But I take a photograph and then I leave.
Walking only a little bit I am already outside town and the first car to which I show my sign, stops. Vitrank, his wife and his daughter are very nice people. He works in a bank in a small town after Palampur, and that is where he is going. We drop off his family in Palampur though, because his wife is going to buy something, and we carry on driving to his work.
Vitrank has an open mind and he is very clever. We talk about many different things, including my travels, and he asks me many questions about Brazil. When we arrive to the bank, he offers me a cup of tea and I accept. I explain to him about Workaway and the chance of him getting volunteers to help him. He likes the idea! After a few minutes I leave because I still have another 40 minutes driving to Dharamshala.
I know and I have met so many wonderful people in this world, but I still get surprised by them, and how things work out so I meet these particular lovely families. The next family to pick me up were just making a turn with their car, and when I show my sign, they stop.
Samram and his parents are going to Dharamshala. The parents leave there but Samram works and live in New Delhi, in a bank. But they are from Chandigarh. They are so kind and lovely! It is a pleasure to talk with them. The mum studies and teaches Yoga! I wish I could stay with her and learn more about it. They all get really surprised about my journey. Actually, me and Samram are the same age. They tell me about Sikh temples and how I can stay there for free and also get free food at any time of the day. That’s wonderful news for me!
I explain to them what are my plans for Dharamshala and they know all these places I am planning to go, plus, they suggest me to visit a Buddhist Institute which has some traditional Buddhist frescos, and also the Dalai Lama Temple.
They are so kind to drive me very close to the Dolmaling Nunnery, my first stop in Daramshala, so I only have to walk less than 10 minutes.
10 Years Around the World 